FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY

Faces of Award-Winning Emerging Filmmakers at Full Sail University

Full Sail University alumni Angel Quinapallo (Film 2023, Entertainment Business 2024) and Kylie Shouse (Film 2025) have earned the Grand Prize in this year’s Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program, a nationwide competition that connects emerging filmmakers with industry mentorship, brand collaboration opportunities, and theatrical exposure.

Serving as Writer and Director, Angel Quinapallo partnered with Producer Kylie Shouse to create their award-winning short film, Behind the Screens. The project offers audiences a nostalgic look at the evolution of cinema through an Americana-inspired perspective. The film imagines a hidden world where the legacy and magic of filmmaking continue to thrive behind the scenes.

Production for Behind the Screens took place at Cinemark Orlando and XD as part of the program’s theater partnership, with additional scenes filmed inside Studio V1, Full Sail University’s advanced virtual production facility located on campus.

Virtual production technology combines filmmaking with real-time digital environments powered by video game engines. Using large-scale LED walls behind performers, filmmakers can create immersive and adaptable settings that enhance realism while streamlining production.

This innovative approach has been featured in major productions such as The Mandalorian, Top Gun: Maverick, and Avengers: Endgame. Celebrating its 28th year, the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program remains one of the nation’s longest-running branded filmmaking initiatives. The program provides students and recent graduates with the opportunity to create cinematic content for a global audience and showcase their work on the big screen.

Congratulations to Full Sail University graduates Angel Quinapallo and Kylie Shouse on this remarkable achievement and their continued success as rising filmmakers.

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