Visual Arts

Our student filmmakers won two of the top awards at the eleventh annual Calabasas Film Festival (CFF) on Sunday, September 22. The CFF, which ran from September 18-22, brought together current and former Viewpoint students, including renowned cinematographer Eric Steelberg ’95. Steelberg also was awarded a certificate of merit from the City of Calabasas on Friday, September 20.

“Eric is one of the students who created the Film program at Viewpoint,” said Catherine Dunn, Department Chair of Film and Video. “Eric’s passion and talent for cinematography was evident from those early days and he continued to be as invested in the program even after he graduated, returning to mentor many of our students’ Film IV shoots.”

Showcasing major film premieres, including Steelberg’s Saturday Night, student films, and documentaries, the CFF featured seven films from Viewpoint. From more than 100 submissions, our students won:

• Outstanding Achievement in Editing: Minus Daisy, written, directed, edited and lighting by Sam Green ’25, produced by Kamari Paschall ’25, Director of Photography - Landon  Beauchamp-Domeyer ‘25. Sound - Nathan Danese ’25 and Derek Kessler ’26, Cast - Anthony Chun and Greg Chun 

• Outstanding Achievement in Writing: Crescendo, written, directed, produced, and edited by Alexa Jeong ’25, Photography - Natalie Yerelekian ’25, Assistant Director - Julian Dans ’25, Sound -  Zooey Jeong ’25, Lighting - Kamari Paschall ’25

Film Teacher Monica Hoenig was thrilled by the students’ success in the competition and shared her thoughts on the importance of the CFF to her students:

“The Calabasas Film Festival’s mission is to showcase quality films from high school students, honoring their innovative storytelling. As a teacher and mentor, my job is to guide and support these talented students, helping them bring their creative visions to life. This journey has been instrumental in their personal and artistic growth, boosting their critical thinking, creativity, and confidence - skills that are valuable in any career, not only filmmaking. Our film program has been recognized with numerous awards, highlighting the exceptional talent and hard work of our students. Screening our films at the CFF is a proud moment for all of us, and I’m thrilled to see their efforts celebrated on such a big stage. “

The Student Films Shown at CFF:

• To the Max

  • Director, Editor - Sundiata Enuke ’24, Producer - Dylan DeCesare ’24, Writer - Sundiata Enuke ’24, Editor - Eden Spalding ’24, Lighting Design, Music - Madison Grimes-Waynes ’24

• Minus Daisy

  • Director, Writer, Editor, Lighting - Sam Green ’25, written, Producer - Kamari Paschall ’25, Director of Photography - Landon  Beauchamp-Domeyer ‘25. Sound - Nathan Danese ’25 and Derek Kessler ’26, Cast - Anthony Chun and Greg Chun 

• Throwaway

  • Director, Producer, Writer, Editor - Zooey Jeong ’25, Producer, Assistant Editor, and Sound Recorder - Alexa Jeong ’25, Director of Photography - Connor Wycoff ’25, Assistant Director - Natalie Yerelekian ’25, Lighting - KJ Paschall ’25

• The Sound of Fury & Solace

  • Director, Writer – Connor Wycoff ’25,  First Unit Director of Photography – Sam Green ‘25,  Second Unit Director of Photography – Connor Wycoff ’25, Assistant Director – Ben Shore ’25, Sound Recordist – Jordana Heubusch ’25,  Gaffer – Ava Burkin ’25, Script Supervisor – Natalie Yerelekian ’25, Cast: Damian Melendez-Galeano ’25, Nonie Shore, Dr. Wachowski, Erin Wycoff

• Blind Date

  • Director, Producer, Writer, Production Design - Nathan Danese ’25, Producer and First AD - Zoey Jeong ’25, Director of Photography - Jackson Barth ’25, Assistant Camera - Derek Kessler ’26, Lighting/Gaffer - Sam Green ’25, Sound Recordist - KJ Paschall ’25, Script Supervisor - Ava Burkin ’25, Cast - Damian Melendez-Galeano ’25, Riley Brown ’26, Antony Zakari ’24, Sherry Danese 

• Crescendo

  • Director, Producer, Writer, Editor  - Alexa Jeong  ’25, Director of Photography - Natalie Yerelekian ’25, Assistant Director - Julian Dans ’25, Sound -  Zooey Jeong ’25,  Lighting - Kamari Paschall ’25

• Puppets Seatbelt PSA

  • Director, Producer, Writer - Noah DeFanti ’26, Producer, Writer - Rachel Huang ’26, Producer, Camera, Editing - Mac Ladin ’26, Cast - Rachel Huang ’26, Noah De Fanti ’26, Mac Ladin ’26

Viewpoint School has built a strong relationship with the Calabasas Film Festival since it was established. The festival is a Calabasas City-sponsored event that provides the community an opportunity to connect. We were honored to be asked by founders and co-founders in 2014 to submit student films to the very first Calabasas Film Festival, and we have not missed a year since, proudly representing Viewpoint. Our students look forward to the festival every year as it is the first of their festival circuit that kicks off the school year with a great community-building event.

Our canyon was filled with music, laughter and joy on Saturday, June 1, at Viewpoint’s annual Arts Fest event. Community members of all ages were inspired by the creativity and talent among our TK-12 students in the areas of music, film, art, theatre, and dance. 

Founded in 2018 by Music Department Chair Dr. Kristin Herkstroeter, Arts Fest was created with the vision of bringing together all students in a single inclusive event to showcase a year's worth of artistic achievements from all disciplines across campus.

“This is a great culminating event that allows us to celebrate everything we do in the Arts without tying our performance to a specific holiday,” explained Dr. Kristin Herkstroeter, Music Department Chair and creator of Arts Fest. She emphasized, “All of our arts start in Primary School, planting seeds early on in music, visual art, dance, and theater productions. From there, we continuously nurture and grow our students' artistic talents.”

This year’s Arts Fest offered an afternoon filled with music in the canyon, visual art displays and demos, scenes from this year's musical and theater productions, screenings of award-winning student films, and a showcase of the dance program. Entrance to the event was free, with all activities taking place in the Middle and Upper School indoor and outdoor campus areas. A variety of food, including savory and sweet options, were available for purchase.

"Arts Fest is a highlight of the school year for me as a parent of a performer at Viewpoint. It's thrilling to see my son, Julian ’25, engage in various artistic activities the school provides space and encouragement for,” said Joan Dans, Viewpoint Parent. “My favorite part is rushing from one performance space to another, out of breath but excited, knowing my son is happy doing what he loves with friends. I'm grateful to Viewpoint for fostering such a vibrant arts community."

As this school year draws to a close, events like Arts Fest spotlight our students' accomplishments and the unwavering support of the Viewpoint community.

On May 17 and 18, our Middle School theatre students transported audiences back to their childhood with a nostalgic performance of Ramona Quimby at Viewpoint’s Carlson Family Theater (CFT).

Unpredictable, exasperating, boisterous, and independent—that’s Ramona Quimby! Narrated by her older sister Beezus, the play captures Ramona's tumultuous third-grade year. Audiences watched as Ramona navigated life with Beezus, her teacher's perceived unfairness, her favorite aunt's wedding to Howie's goofball uncle, and afternoons with Howie's grandmother, Mrs. Kemp. Amidst these adventures, the Quimby family faced Dad losing his job, making necessary adjustments to stay afloat. Through it all, Ramona and Beezus learned that while life isn’t always fair, having a sister can be incredibly rewarding.

“During the first performance, the students and I heard a lot of laughter and reactions from the audience,” said Lisa Roskowinski, Middle and Upper School Theatre Teacher and the director. “After the show, many parents approached me to share how they remembered reading these books as kids.”

The process leading up to the production began in January, with students initially rehearsing once a week. As the show approached, rehearsals increased to three to four days a week, including Saturdays during the final month. Another unique element was that the crew members consisted of primarily Middle School students, with just two Upper Schoolers assisting backstage and with lighting.

“It was a very cohesive Seventh and Eighth Grade crew, with the addition of one Sixth Grader,” added Roskowinski. “They worked really well together, and it's exciting to envision the next group heading into Upper School who will be joining us behind the scenes.” 

We invite you to witness more of our theatre productions firsthand at our annual Arts Fest this Saturday, June 1, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on our campus. Programs will be available upon entrance, but you can check out the schedule now to start planning your experience.

Congratulations to our talented Seventh and Eighth Grade musicians for their outstanding performances at the Music in the Parks Adjudicated Festival held at Knott’s Berry Farm on Friday, May 3. This year, our performers brought home several awards, including:

• Concert Winds: Excellent rating, Second Place

• Jazz Lab: Superior rating, First Place 

• Middle School Orchestra: Superior rating, First Place, Judges Choice Award

• Vocal Ensemble: Superior rating, First Place

Additionally, two of our student soloists were recognized:

• Leia Zucker-Peterssen ’29 - Jazz Solo Award

• Julian Thicke ’28 - Vocal Solo Award

For the third consecutive year, each ensemble performed for two adjudicators who provided written and verbal feedback along with a score. This feedback enables the group to refine their performance and elevate their skills to the next level, in addition to the grade they received for the competition.

"I'm incredibly proud of all our groups. This marks the second year we've been awarded the Judges Choice Award, signifying that we were the highest-scoring middle school orchestra at the event," said Kristin Herkstroeter, Music Department Chair.

Join us in celebrating our talented musicians at our annual ArtsFest on Saturday, June 1 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on our campus. Mark your calendars and come support our students as we showcase their achievements and the vibrant arts community at our school!