Fitchburg State alumni nominated for 2012 Emmys
Two Fitchburg State University alumni are among the nominees announced this week for the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards.
In photo at right, Paul Coyne, left, and Ken Yankee are pictured at the American Cinematic Editors Awards in 2011.
Paul J. Coyne, a 2005 graduate of Fitchburg State, is nominated in the category of outstanding picture editing for nonfiction programming for his work on “Beyond Scared Straight.” Coyne also serves as Executive Producer of the A&E documentary series. He attended Fitchburg State in the 1980s and returned to graduate in 2005, when he was awarded with the Distinguished Alumnus Award. Coyne is a native of Milford.
Ken Yankee, a 2002 graduate of Fitchburg State, is nominated in the category of outstanding picture editing for short form segments and variety specials for his work on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition – Rise and Honor, A Veterans Day Special,” for ABC. This is the third Emmy nomination for Yankee, who is a native of Shrewsbury.
“ This week’s Emmy nominations represent yet another distinction for our communications media program and the university itself. Paul and Ken’s success shows a Fitchburg State degree can take you anywhere.”–President Antonucci
“Beyond Scared Straight,” produced by Arnold Shapiro Productions, employs several Fitchburg State alumni. Yankee also worked on the nominated “Beyond Scared Straight” episode but Academy rules limit the number of editors eligible for nomination for a single show. Sarah Rummel and Eric Faucher, current Fitchburg State students, work on the show as production assistants.
“This week’s Emmy nominations represent yet another distinction for our communications media program and the university itself,” President Robert V. Antonucci said. “Paul and Ken’s success shows a Fitchburg State degree can take you anywhere.”
The Emmy nominations are not the first honors for the alumni. Coyne and Yankee each earned American Cinematic Editors Awards in 2011 for an episode of “If You Really Knew Me,” an MTV series about high school cliques. They have both also been nominated for their editing work on other series. The pair, who met over a game of pool at a Fitchburg State alumni gathering, has worked together on several productions.
“Fitchburg State taught us that hard work pays off, and these nominations are validation that using TV to make a positive change in the world is worth the effort,” Coyne said.
The Emmys will be awarded on Sunday, Sept. 23 on ABC. Jimmy Kimmel will host the program. The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, based in Los Angeles, honors prime-time programming. It is comprised of 26 “peer groups” whose work is aired nationally and whose members are eligible to vote for the Emmy Awards.
