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David Safin11th year as judge
David Safin is an Assistant Professor of Communication at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Saint Vincent, a Master’s degree in Multimedia Technology from California University of PA, and a Master of Fine Arts in Film and Digital Technology from Chatham University. A strong documentary filmmaker, several of his works have screened at regional film festivals and on WQED.
Kristen Lauth Shaeffer9th year as judge
Kristen is a Pittsburgh based filmmaker and producer. She is also an Assistant Professor of Film and Digital Technology at Chatham University.
Tony Ruffalo4th year as judge
Tony Ruffalo is an award winner television news photographer. His career spans decades, many of those years right here in Pittsburgh at WPXI.
Corey Martin6th year as judge
Corey Martin is the Managing Editor at KDKA-TV. Corey is a graduate of the prestigious Ohio University Scripps School of Journalism.Tristan Webster4th year as judge
Tristan Webster is a news videographer working with WJZ out of Baltimore, Maryland. He previously worked at WTOV in the Ohio Valley. Tristan is a West Virginia University graduate and also an alumni of PRHS. He won the first ever Rammy Award (editing) back in 2011.He began taking video production classes with Mr. Koehler just for fun. Some of Tristan's fondest memories at Pine-Richland involved videos with his friends and working after-school events with Mr. Clack and Mr. Karpinski. After enjoying the time spent in PRTV, Tristan decided he would pursue a career in video production.It excites (but doesn't surprise) Tristan that Pine-Richland still produces enthusiastic and creative minds. Whether for pleasure or passion, Tristan encourages any aspiring filmmaker, or videographer to continue to create in the name of art and entertainment. Filmmaking is about exploring new ideas and supporting each other's projects. Keep up the great work!
Laine Wilson4th year as judge
As a story-teller with over 15 years of experience, Laine Wilson is a writer and artist that does freelance video and photo work for private clients, fellow filmmakers, and beloved Pittsburgh institutions. She's been an active podcaster since 2014, she assistant-edited both the 2016 and 2017 Parsec "Triangulation" short fiction anthologies, and her documentary film, "Nip, Tuck, Click," was presented twice in PA by the National Organization for Women.
Outside of working, she consumes an insane amount of true crime media, loves searching for previously-loved home decor at estate sales, and has recently added geocaching to her hiking routine.Her podcast, "The Cinema Psychos Show," is available for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Pandora.Jessica Malandro2nd year as judge
Jessica Malandro attended the University of Pittsburgh and studied film, writing and theater. She presently works for Pitt's Innovation Institute. Jessica is a PRHS alum and won the first ever Best in Show Rammy award for her short "SEEK."
