Batavia High grad wins National Student Production Award for Best Editor
Giuseppe “Joey” Monty, a Batavia High School Class of 2023 graduate, was recently named winner of a 2023 National Student Production Award in the Editor category. He won for his edit of a music video for “The Wrecked and The Worried” (by NateWantsToBattle).
Winners were announced during a livestream of the awards presentation on Feb. 1. Experts and educators in the field from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences judged over 2,000 video entries from 24 programming and craft categories in this year’s Student Production Awards.
Watch this video of the live announcement of his win in his former Video Production classroom at Batavia High School.
Jennifer Carpenter, the video production teacher, watched with pride as one of her former students rose to prominence in the world of editing. His journey began in Jennifer’s classroom, where he first discovered his passion for filmmaking.
“It was clear from the beginning that Joey had a gift,” Carpenter recalled. “But it wasn’t until I saw his early draft of a dreamlike scene that I realized the extent of his talent.”
His dedication to his craft was evident in the countless hours he spent perfecting his edits.
“I spent much of the 90-minute blocks just working on the edit, as well as some lunch periods,” Monty said. His commitment paid off when he was nominated for the National Student Production Awards by NATAS.
As the virtual ceremony for the awards commenced, all eyes were on Monty. From coast to coast, students from over 120 schools were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the world of media. And among them stood Joey Monty, winner in the Editor Category.
“I knew he wanted to do a music video,” Carpenter said. “But I didn’t realize to the extent of what he was editing.”
Monty’s journey began long before his high school accolades. At the age of 11, he started editing his own videos, driven by a simple yet powerful motivation: “Having other people watch them and enjoy them.”
His passion for filmmaking led him to pursue video production as an elective at Batavia High School. “I wanted to learn more tricks of the trade in regard to video editing,” Monty said. “And I did learn a lot of valuable information!”
When asked about his future, Monty reflected on his plans. “I want to pursue filmmaking,” he declared. “Whether that be directing, acting, or editing, I want to continue creating.”
The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) is a service organization dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational, and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy Awards for News & Documentary, Sports, and Daytime television programming, as well as achievements in television Technology & Engineering. NATAS membership consists of more than 18,000 broadcast and media professionals represented in 19 regional chapters across the United States Beyond awards, NATAS provides extensive educational programs through its Foundation, including regional and national scholarships and Student Production Awards.