UCLA alum Kevin Cooper directs his first movie, “I Heart Shakey”

Dogs, as the universal symbol of loyalty, have long been a motif in family films. This summer, Kevin Cooper, an alumnus of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, makes his directional debut with “I Heart Shakey,” the first-ever live-action 3-D independent family film, which he based off of his own dog, Chaplin.

Bruins earn top awards at the Palm Springs International Shortfest

UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television was recently well-represented at the Palm Springs International Shortfest. The event has been deemed North America’s largest festival for short films with 324 total this year, including live- action, animated and documentary. Mark Columbus, Jules Nurrish and Julio Ramos, all from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television, won awards for their films, “The Battle of the Jazz Guitarist,” “Kiss Me” and “Behind the Mirrors (Detras del espejo),” respectively.

William McDonald becomes chair of the Department of Film, Televion and Digital Media

This week, McDonald will achieve yet another feat in the department that once rejected him by becoming the chair of the Department of Film, Television and Digital Media, taking over for Barbara Boyle, who stepped down from the position after nine years.

Colin Davis, best known for his Spring Sing involvement, lands an apprenticeship with Fox

The first script Colin Davis ever wrote was in crayon. He was 5, and the movie was called “Run or Die,” a film he made using his family’s video camera about how his family became stranded on an island with dinosaurs, and escaped by building a raft and paddling off into the sunset. Even then, Davis said he remembers channeling his inner-director.

Fourth-year student Kyle Lau premieres first film “˜Greener,’ tackles stereotypes through work

In 1982, two men in Detroit lost their jobs because of outsourcing to Japan. Looking for someone to blame, they stumbled upon Vincent Chin, a Chinese American man they had never met. The two men chased Chin around their town with a bat, brutally killing him in the middle of the street while people stood by.