By Kristin Borella

In real estate, it is all about “location, location, location.” Last night at The Grove, this mantra applied to filmmaking as three SCA student teams, finalists in “Shoot it at The Grove” competition, unveiled their 60-second short films in an outdoor screening hosted by Rick J. Caruso, Founder and CEO of Caruso Affiliated.  

“For the past 10 years The Grove has become part of the fabric of Los Angeles,” said Caruso. “There’s no better way to highlight this milestone than to have young filmmakers create something meaningful that acknowledges The Grove as ‘The place where L.A. comes together.’ Throughout this process we have seen a number of great stories that capture the essence of The Grove, and [we] are inspired by the passion and creativity of these students.”
 

To commemorate The Grove’s 10^th anniversary, Los Angeles’ leading luxury-shopping destination partnered with USC’s School of Cinematic Arts to produce each film.  The competition was open to any student enrolled full-time at the School. Entry required that students submit a script for a 60 second spot, a storyboard or production planand a detailed budget, not exceeding $18,000.  Each filmmaking team received an $18,000 budget from The Grove to produce their spot.

"Seeing the three student short films was an immense thrill.  We are so proud of each team and I want to give a special congratulations to Andy Dulman, Vanessa Pantley and Tarek Tohme, the filmmaking team behind "History of The Grove," says Elizabeth Daley, Dean of the School of Cinematic Arts.  "The opportunity for our students to create these films would not have been possible without Rick Caruso and his team, and we are grateful for their confidence and generosity."

History of the Grove, directed by Andy Dulman and produced by Vanessa Pantley and Tarek Tohme, was the winning film and received a $10,000 prize.  The film was selected for its thoughtful and encapsulating look at The Grove, both past and present.  Using a combination of new and vintage imagery, the filmmakers created a meaningful portrayal of the diverse lifestyle experiences of The Grove and its relationship to the city of Los Angeles.

History,along with Ladies Day Out, directed by Aneesh Chaganty and produced by Edd Benda, and It’s a Scene, directed by Alan Miller and produced by David Haskell and Emily Ferenbach, will be screened in rotation in front of all the films playing at The Grove Cinema.

In addition, a Facebook People’s Choice Award contest will be held from October 3 through October 8. To vote, please visit http://tinyurl.com/96stk54

 The winning spot, History of the Grove can be seen on YouTube at http://youtu.be/-1aWTSdlrw0