About Jonathan Formica

Jonathan Formica, 18 will attend Chapman University’s Dodge College of Film of Media Arts in the fall. He began his film and media studies at age 12 when he was accepted into the Film and Television conservatory at the Orange County High School of the Arts (OCHSA). He has produced the daily live news program for OCHSA titled the “Art Attack Live” for the past two years and has been presented many awards for his work in the field including the Film and TV Director’s Award, the conservatory’s highest honor. Formica is known for his work on the short documentary "Courage" which tells the poignant story of Sharon Browne and her two young children with the rare and fatal disorder MPS. The original version of “Courage” screened at the 2007 Newport Beach Film Festival and raised awareness and funds for the National MPS Society. Jonathan has plans for a short-feature version, which will screen in January 2009.

Jonathan Formica has been named a merit award winner by youngArts, a program of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA) for his work in Film and Video Production. Jonathan was placed in the top 10% of over 8,000 applicants to the 2008 youngArts program.

One of only sixteen high school students accepted into the Newport Beach Film Festival Youth Division out of over one-hundred entries. Acceptance based on the completion of a seven minute documentary covering the rare disease of Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) and it’s affect on how one mother deals with her children’s misfortune.

Merage Summer Filmmaking Program, Chapman University (Summer, 2006)

One of only fifteen students accepted into a two week intensive filmmaking program on full scholarship. Worked with university professors and professionals in the film business while living in a fast paced environment at Dodge College of Chapman University