Page 17 - The Caucus Tribute Book 2021

CAUCUS FOUNDATION GRANT AWARD RECIPIENTS
Tessa Germaine, Chapman “Rosie”
Tessa graduated from Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts with a BFA in Film Production and minor in Leadership Studies. While in college, Tessa worked for Blumhouse Productions (Get Out, Insidious), Voltage Pictures (I Feel Pretty, Hurt Locker), and New Republic Pictures (Rocketman, 1917) in both development and sales. She currently freelances as a Production Assistant and Assistant Director, having worked on numerous films and commercials.
Mel Orpen, USC “Retribution”
Mel is a director/writer with her MFA from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, where she was the recipient of the Mary Pickford Endowment and Barbara Corday Fund scholarships. Mel has directed 17 short films, including Action Movie Trailer (2017) which was nominated for Best Short Film at USC’s Jack Oakie Comedy Short Film Festival.
At USC, Mel was selected to directed the Multi-Cam Sit Com Pilot, Baking Bad, (2017), the story of two estranged sisters who inherit their mother’s bakery and USC Comedy LIVE, (2017) USC’s live sketch comedy TV series Mel wrote and directed. The dramatic short Don’t Let Go (2019) based on her experiences with LGBTQ bias surrounding the death of her fiancé which is currently out for festivals for 2020. Her USC thesis film Retribution (2020), inspired by her experience going through the U.S.’s very broken court system has been awarded the Caucus Foundation grant for finishing funds. It has just completed post-production and is preparing for its festival run.