From the South Orange Maplewood School District Department of the Arts:
LINCROFT, NJ — Some 33 film and television students from Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey, joined fellow high school students from across the Garden State at Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, New Jersey, to participate in the Garden State Film Festival’s 2026 Community Based Instruction program, “Exploring Cinema Careers: Film & Television Industry Demonstration.”
The event, held at Brookdale’s Collins Arena, brought together young aspiring filmmakers and media students from multiple New Jersey high schools for a rare, hands-on look into the world of professional special effects (SFX) make-up, a cornerstone craft of Hollywood filmmaking.
Students and Teachers with David W. Schoner, Jr. (third from left), senior advisor, NJ Motion Picture & TV Commission). Photo courtesy of James Manno.
The Columbia High group was accompanied by Film/Animation teacher Paul Marigliano, Television Production teacher Anthony Campiglia; and Supervisor of the Arts James Manno, reflecting the school’s strong commitment to connecting classroom learning with real-world professional experience in the creative arts.
A Master Class in Movie Magic
The centerpiece of the program was a live demonstration by Joseph Cola, aka Joseph La Scola, a four-time Emmy Award-winning special effects make-up artist, videographer, director and motion graphics designer based in eastern Pennsylvania. With decades of experience in the film and television industry, Cola captivated the audience with a demonstration of the skills and techniques that bring characters and stories to life on screen.
Special effects make up demo by Joseph Cola, aka Joseph La Scola, an Emmy winning make up artist. (Photo courtesy James Manno)
Cola’s expertise spans SFX make-up including injury simulation, prosthetics application and design, as well as documentary filmmaking, motion graphics, and stop-motion animation. His presentation gave students a firsthand look at what it takes to build a career in one of the film industry’s most creative and technically demanding disciplines.
A Proven Path Into the Industry
The event was also included Dr. David Stout, president of Brookdale Community College, and Robin Kampf, digital media producer for the New Jersey School Boards Association, who shared professional perspectives on career pathways in media and film. The program is designed to provide students with insight into how to break into the industry and the range of careers available in film and television.
From left, Teddy Fardin, four-time Emmy Award Winner Joseph Cola, Josh Barton and Maddie Weisbach. (Photo courtesy of James Manno)
For the past twenty-four years, the Garden State Film Festival (https://www.gsff.org/) has conducted a robust educational program to inspire, educate and introduce young people to the 21st-century vocations the film industry offers.
Special effects magic demo by Joseph Cola. (Photo courtesy James Manno)
