2026 CLICK Award Recipient

Jamie Companeschi

Production Manager, Film & Television • College of Communication

Testimonials:

“Jamie’s commitment and dedication to the students is genuine and heartfelt. I know this because whenever a former student returns to visit the film department years later, the first person they inevitably ask for is Jamie.

[…] He is always willing to share his knowledge and experience as a filmmaker. Sometimes that is via phone calls with previous alumni or with current students. A previous example of his generosity with his own time was during the summer when he undertook a Directed Study in Cinematography with a student who needed film/TV credits to apply for the MS in TV production program. To my knowledge, Jamie did this entirely in his own time. This included intensive training in lighting, setting up and operating the camera, Steadicam work, workshop exercises, and a final assignment, which turned out to be excellent work. The classes were held weekly for two months. That student ended up in my Intermediate Cinematography class and confidently showed the other students how to set up the camera—an excellent testament to how well-trained he was, thanks to Jamie.

From both a staff and faculty perspective, Jamie is equally respected for his practical and pedagogical experience. He is often sought after for his technical expertise, and while he should probably learn to say no to some of the requests, we make of him, he rarely ever does. He leads on several non-academic projects on behalf of the film and TV school like the annual Redstone Film Festival which he singlehanded arranges on his own. This requires wrangling 50+ films, about 20 faculty, dozens of students, and considerable technical input.”
– Professor Tunji Akinsehinwa

“When I served in the administrative position of Graduate Film and Television Studies Program Director from 2005-2016, Jamie was my most important administrative partner. He kept our facilities and equipment intact; he addressed faculty concerns and requests regarding changes to the projection equipment; and, last but not least, he trained successive generations of our film and television studies graduate students in projecting 16mm films. This is a skill that fewer and fewer students have. I know for a fact that, in conjunction with other qualities, it has aided to the competitiveness of several of our students when applying to other programs.

Jamie has thus fulfilled key components within the purview of CLICK: he is collaborative with faculty and other staff, he has shown great leadership in providing us with the best equipment, his decisions have led to innovative technologies being installed, he has always clearly communicated his decisions and our options, and throughout all of this he has shown impressive knowledge that we continue to benefit from.”
– Professor Roy Grundmann

“Jamie’s generosity can be found at the center of every team effort within our department. Whether it’s a faculty presentation, a department-wide festival, or a struggling student who needs guidance, Jamie offers his assistance to anyone in need. Bottom line, he makes every level of the process accessible by illustrating an impressive competency and a love for teaching. As we grow and explore new areas as a department, Jamie’s responsibilities continue to increase exponentially. Not only does he do everything asked of him with a contagious enthusiasm, but he offers to help students and faculty during weekends, after hours, and throughout the summer.

[…] On a weekend film shoot during the summer, where Jamie was volunteering his time, I was able to witness his generosity and kindness as a mentor. He was able to provide instruction and leadership for over two dozen students and recent alums in a way that was genuine and incredibly helpful. When that same project suffered issues with damaged media, Jamie stepped in and offered his unique expertise to recover and repair all the files. Not only did Jamie save this project, but he welcomed all in involved to request additional guidance whenever needed.”
– Professor Scott Thompson

“Jamie regularly visits our classes to make sure students understand practical processes that can otherwise be confusing, including how to file expenses and receive reimbursement. He also anticipates needs in thoughtful, concrete ways – purchasing useful software before we have even thought to request it, preparing attendance sheets, and creating class charts that keep our teaching running smoothly. He is always one step ahead, and always willing to guide and support. These acts may seem small on their own, but together they have a real and lasting impact on our students, our faculty, and the daily functioning of the department.”
– Professor Deepak Rauniyar