Acclaimed filmmaker Brian Kohne leads UH Maui College creative media program, offers two new classes

Brian Kohne is new program coordinator, Adi Ell-Ad and Barry Wurst to offer new classes at UHMC.

Kohne brought Maui to the spotlight at the Guam International Film Festival, winning Best of Fest.

The creative media program at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College is poised to attract aspiring artists under the direction of award-winning producer and director Brian Kohne, with two new classes in Spring 2019.

Kohne is the music producer of the Barefoot Natives featuring Willie K and Eric Gilliom, and is the writer and director of independent motion pictures Get A Job and Kuleana, which both featured the work of an all-Hawaiʻi cast and crew. Now taking the helm of the college’s creative media program, Kohne is prepared to work with today’s generation of student artists and elevate their skills to a new level.

Kohne brings in film critic from Maui Time and MauiWatch, and founder of Hawaii Film Critics Society, Barry Wurst, who will be teaching a new class called World Cinema next semester. Wurst was a film school lecturer at University of Colorado in Colorado Springs for eight years before moving home to Maui where he taught film studies at Seabury Hall.

Also offered in spring is the introduction to editing class by accomplished editor Adi Ell-Ad, whose portfolio includes Kohne’s recent motion picture Kuleana, in addition to work for ABC, Disney, NBC, Lionsgate, Sony Pictures Television, WGN, PBS and three seasons of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

Kohne is also putting together an advisory board, which includes graphic design expert and businesswoman Saedene Yee-Ota, Maui High School creative media faculty member Leilani Abafo, and Kuleana producer Stefan Schaefer.

“With these two new classes and their top professors on board, plus a new and dynamic advisory committee, now is the best time for students to enroll in the creative media program at UHMC,” Kohne said. “Students clamor for skills to make movies, tell stories effectively, utilize technology and social media, and build strong foundations in the arts. We hear and see this demand, which we hope to fulfill at the college.

“I am proud to be among the dedicated faculty of UHMC, and look forward to getting to work.”

Students taking the 60-credit creative media program can earn an associate’s degree in two years, and can specialize in graphic design, web development or filmmaking.

Short-term, 36-credit certificates of achievement will also be offered soon in these specialized disciplines.

As part of the Academy of Creative Media in the UH system, creative media graduates can transfer to UH West O‘ahu and earn a bachelor’s degree. Students may consider a career in film, digital media, advertising and other related fields.

The deadline to apply for Spring 2019 is December 15 at  maui.hawaii.edu.

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