2026 Tensies Winners
Every Spring semester, students can enter their projects in the Tensies Awards, which is the KU Film & Media Studies version of the Oscars. Winners receive Tensie trophies in various categories such as Best Director, Best Drama, Best Cinematography, and more.
Clip of The Muse (work in progress)
A young painter invites a local priest to her home to uncover a secret.
Director: Sam Walker
Editor: Sam Walker
Screenwriter: Sam Walker
Cinematographer: Gonzalo Arzamendia
Sound: Madison Schulte, Triston Schelstrate, Jack Newlin
Produced for Oldfather Productions Club, Spring 2026
2026 Tensie Winner: Best of Show, Best Editing
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Drama, Best Screenplay
Director: Sam Walker
Editor: Sam Walker
Screenwriter: Sam Walker
Cinematographer: Gonzalo Arzamendia
Sound: Madison Schulte, Triston Schelstrate, Jack Newlin
Produced for Oldfather Productions Club, Spring 2026
2026 Tensie Winner: Best of Show, Best Editing
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Cinematography, Best Director, Best Drama, Best Screenplay
Other
A mixed-media animated horror short of an anxious bus rider made of paper.
Director: Jacey Dinkel
Editor: Jacey Dinkel
Screenwriter: Jacey Dinkel
Cinematographer: Jacey Dinkel
Sound: Jacey Dinkel
VFX: Jacey Dinkel
Produced for FMS 375: Intermediate Filmmaking, Mai, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Animation Project
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Experimental Project, Best Visual Effects
Director: Jacey Dinkel
Editor: Jacey Dinkel
Screenwriter: Jacey Dinkel
Cinematographer: Jacey Dinkel
Sound: Jacey Dinkel
VFX: Jacey Dinkel
Produced for FMS 375: Intermediate Filmmaking, Mai, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Animation Project
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Experimental Project, Best Visual Effects
Ghost is Not Scareing
The Universe is coming alive in the kitchen and it seems to be in love.
Director: Henry Keeler
Editor: Henry Keeler
Screenwriter: Henry Keeler
Cinematographer: Henry Keeler
Sound: Henry Keeler
VFX: Henry Keeler, Drew Lundgren
Produced for FMS 275: Foundations of Filmmaking, Mai, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Cinematography
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Drama, Best Visual Effects
Director: Henry Keeler
Editor: Henry Keeler
Screenwriter: Henry Keeler
Cinematographer: Henry Keeler
Sound: Henry Keeler
VFX: Henry Keeler, Drew Lundgren
Produced for FMS 275: Foundations of Filmmaking, Mai, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Cinematography
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Drama, Best Visual Effects
Late-Stage Rinkomania
Vulgar man gets roller-skates stolen, goes on absurd odyssey to retrieve, losing dignity throughout.
Director: Sean McGuire II
Editor: Sean McGuire II
Screenwriter: Greyson Rasmussen
Cinematographer: Henry Keeler
Sound: Henry Keeler
VFX: Sean McGuire II
Produced for FMS 303: Undergraduate Production Seminar in Film Directing, Durón, Spring 2026
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Comedy
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best of Show
Director: Sean McGuire II
Editor: Sean McGuire II
Screenwriter: Greyson Rasmussen
Cinematographer: Henry Keeler
Sound: Henry Keeler
VFX: Sean McGuire II
Produced for FMS 303: Undergraduate Production Seminar in Film Directing, Durón, Spring 2026
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Comedy
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best of Show
Apostles
A young man discovers a newfound purpose in life, only to discover he may have to make a sacrifice he's ill-prepared to make.
Director: Caedmon Anderson, Jake Holzinger
Editor: Caedmon Anderson, Jake Holzinger
Screenwriter: Caedmon Anderson
Cinematographer: Caedmon Anderson, Jake Holzinger
Sound: Jack Newlin, Triston Schelstrate
VFX: Jake Holzinger, Iris Miculek
Produced for FMS 485: Capstone, Swanson, Spring 2026
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Director, Best Sound
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best of Show
Director: Caedmon Anderson, Jake Holzinger
Editor: Caedmon Anderson, Jake Holzinger
Screenwriter: Caedmon Anderson
Cinematographer: Caedmon Anderson, Jake Holzinger
Sound: Jack Newlin, Triston Schelstrate
VFX: Jake Holzinger, Iris Miculek
Produced for FMS 485: Capstone, Swanson, Spring 2026
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Director, Best Sound
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Cinematography, Best Screenplay, Best of Show
Potty Mouth
An experimental documentary exploring the anonymous community found in a KU's women's restroom.
Director: Madison Schulte
Editor: Madison Schulte, Elias Miranda
Screenwriter: Madison Schulte
Cinematographer: Lainey Trollinger
Sound: Elias Miranda
Produced for FMS 275: Foundations of Filmmaking, Mai, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Documentary
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Editing, Best Experimental Project, Best Sound
Director: Madison Schulte
Editor: Madison Schulte, Elias Miranda
Screenwriter: Madison Schulte
Cinematographer: Lainey Trollinger
Sound: Elias Miranda
Produced for FMS 275: Foundations of Filmmaking, Mai, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Documentary
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Editing, Best Experimental Project, Best Sound
I Don't Feel Funny
A grief-stricken comedian must find a way to become funny again before his big show.
Director: Jack Newlin
Editor: Gonzalo Arzamendia, Jack Newlin
Screenwriter: Jack Newlin
Cinematographer: Jaxon Mourning
Sound: Madison Schulte, Triston Schelstrate, Jack Newlin
VFX: Jack Newlin, Iris Miculek
Produced for FMS 485: Capstone, Jacobson, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Drama, Best Screenplay
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Sound, Best of Show
Director: Jack Newlin
Editor: Gonzalo Arzamendia, Jack Newlin
Screenwriter: Jack Newlin
Cinematographer: Jaxon Mourning
Sound: Madison Schulte, Triston Schelstrate, Jack Newlin
VFX: Jack Newlin, Iris Miculek
Produced for FMS 485: Capstone, Jacobson, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Drama, Best Screenplay
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Sound, Best of Show
Tell Me I'm Pretty When I'm Hungry
A disjointed film about ignoring and obeying hunger.
Director: Ella Rogers, Iris Miculek
Editor: Iris Miculek, Ella Rogers
Screenwriter: Ella Rogers
Cinematographer: Ella Rogers
Sound: Iris Miculek
VFX: Iris Miculek, Ella Rogers
Produced for FMS 378: Visual Effects & Color Grading, Mai, Spring 2026
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Experimental Project
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Visual Effects
Director: Ella Rogers, Iris Miculek
Editor: Iris Miculek, Ella Rogers
Screenwriter: Ella Rogers
Cinematographer: Ella Rogers
Sound: Iris Miculek
VFX: Iris Miculek, Ella Rogers
Produced for FMS 378: Visual Effects & Color Grading, Mai, Spring 2026
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Experimental Project
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Visual Effects
Until I Do
A music video depicting the complicated emotions that come with a breakup.
Director: Colin Hohenbary
Editor: Emily Rupert
Cinematographer: Ian Kastner
VFX: Emily Rupert
Produced for FMS 485: Capstone, Jacobson, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Music Video
Director: Colin Hohenbary
Editor: Emily Rupert
Cinematographer: Ian Kastner
VFX: Emily Rupert
Produced for FMS 485: Capstone, Jacobson, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Music Video
Clip of "this is not the end."
A 3d animated experimental short film that ambiguously explores a play on the phrase "life flashes before your eyes". But what if it wasn't a flash? Made entirely by Cole Martin.
Director: Cole Martin
Editor: Cole Martin
Screenwriter: Cole Martin
Cinematographer: Cole Martin
Sound: Cole Martin
VFX: Cole Martin
Produced for FMS 485: Capstone, Jacobson, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Visual Effects
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Animation Project, Best Experimental Project, Best Sound
Director: Cole Martin
Editor: Cole Martin
Screenwriter: Cole Martin
Cinematographer: Cole Martin
Sound: Cole Martin
VFX: Cole Martin
Produced for FMS 485: Capstone, Jacobson, Fall 2025
2026 Tensie Winner: Best Visual Effects
2026 Tensie Nominee: Best Animation Project, Best Experimental Project, Best Sound
Bonus Info
The Tensie awards are named for the late Hortense “Tensie” Casady Oldfather, a celebrated local philanthropist whose many contributions to KU and the community include Oldfather Studios, the former home of KU Film & Media Studies.