BEA2025: Full Schedule

BEA2025
Welcome to the BEA2025 convention program! All BEA sessions and events take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center’s West Hall, 3rd floor.

To create a schedule, please Log In or Sign Up on the upper right corner of the screen. Users can create their own profile and build schedules. Please use the menu on the right side of the page to search and filter for sessions by Interest Division, Session Type, Student Interest or Special Event - and then add them to your schedule.
Keep checking back for event registration, speaker announcements, and more details. Need answers ASAP? Reach out to our event planning team at help@BEAweb.org for info and more.

Keep checking back for event registration, speaker announcements, and more details. Need answers ASAP? Reach out to our event planning team at help@BEAweb.org for info and more.

8:30am PDT

Welcome and BEA101

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am PDT

W312/313

Welcome to BEA2025! Grab a cup of coffee and a muffin and get the inside knowledge on BEA initiatives, volunteer opportunities and journals. Panelists will give you tips on navigating BEA's annual convention and NAB Show.

Moderators

Adam J. Kuban

Professor, Ball State University

Professor — reporting & writing, documentary storytelling, sports, science/sustainability, community engagement, (critical) service learning, project-based curriculum

Speakers

Thom Baggerman

Professor, Point Park University

Hmmm, who am I...I am a Professor in the Point Park University School of CommunicationI teach Media & Society, Media Literacy, Video Production, Multimedia, and other random things.I'm involved with our School of Continuing and Professional Studies, working on microcredentials, certificates... Read More →

Jennifer Meadows

Professor, Chico State University

Jennifer Meadows is a Professor of Media Arts in the Media Arts, Design, and Technology Department at California State University, Chico. She is the 2023-2024 BEA Secretary/Treasurer. Her research and teaching focuses on communication technology, emerging technologies, and video... Read More →

Glenda Balas

Professor, University of North Texas - Dallas

Dr. Glenda Balas is a Professor in Communication and Technology at the University of North Texas at Dallas. She was formerly Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at UNT Dallas; Professor and Chair of the Communication and Journalism Department at the University of New Mexico; and Chair... Read More →

Heather Birks

Executive Director, Broadcast Education Association

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:30am - 10:00am PDT
W312/313

10:15am PDT

Breaking Down Silos: University Cross Collaborations Around Documentaries and Film

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am PDT

W311

In our digitally connected world, universities often remain isolated. This panel explores how three institutions bridge this divide through innovative cross-cultural collaborations. We'll examine projects uniting students across cities and countries to create documentaries and curate film exhibitions. From U.S.-India and U.S.-Hong Kong partnerships to regional film festivals and environmental justice documentaries, these initiatives leverage technology to foster global perspectives and civic engagement. Join us to discover how these projects are reshaping inter-university collaboration and student learning in media education.
Moderator: Milton A. Santiago, Syracuse University
Panelists: Chris Strobel, Northern Kentucky University
David P. Burns, Salisbury University
Milton A. Santiago, Syracuse University
Andrew Sharma, Salisbury University

Moderators

Milton A. Santiago

Assistant Professor, Syracuse University

Milton Santiago is currently an Assistant Professor in the Visual Communications department at the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. With well over 15 years of experience as a content creator and director of photography on feature films, documentaries, corporate/industrial... Read More →

Speakers

Chris Strobel

Professor, Electronic Media and Broadcasting, Northern Kentucky University

Father and husband. Educator. Filmmaker. Storyteller. Slow grader.

David Burns

Salisbury University

Andrew Sharma

Salisbury University

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:15am - 11:15am PDT
W311

Documentary, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | BEA, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs

2:00pm PDT

Overseas Documentary Production: What We Learned

Saturday April 5, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT

W311

There are many things to consider when making a documentary: gear, crew members, who to interview, what to capture and eventually, how to edit hours of footage into a final cohesive and powerful film. With the added complexity of traveling overseas, it is a difficult but rewarding endeavor for any filmmaker. In this panel, we will discuss our approach to producing each of our individual short documentaries that were filmed in Korea and Vietnam and the challenges that we overcame along the way. Moderator: Hien Dinh, Dell Technologies
Panelists: Changhee Chun, University of Texas - Arlington; Joseph Balderas, University of Texas Arlington; Hien Dinh, Dell Technologies

Moderators

Hien Dinh

Dell Technologies

Speakers

Changhee Chun

Professor, University of Texas - Arlington

Joseph Balderas

University of Texas Arlington

Saturday April 5, 2025 2:00pm - 3:00pm PDT
W311

Documentary, Demonstration/Workshop | International, Demonstration/Workshop | BEA, Demonstration/Workshop

3:15pm PDT

Defining the Documentary: The Use of AI in Documentaries

Sunday April 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm PDT

W309

“Defining the Documentary” is an ongoing series exploring issues concerning the documentary. Following a brief introduction, we will break into groups each with its own moderator, and discuss this topic—allowing all attendees to participate in the ongoing conversation to explore the use of AI in documentaries. Should it be used or not?
Moderators:
Julia Largent Kuttler, McPherson College
James E. Machado, MFA, Millersville University of Pennsylvania
Brent K. Simonds, Illinois State University
Tom Hallaq, Kansas State University
Ralph Beliveau, University of Oklahoma
Nick Geidner, The University of Tennessee

Moderators

Julia Largent Kuttler

Assistant Professor of Communication, McPherson College

Assistant Professor of Communication and Student Media Advisor (newspaper & podcast studio) at McPherson College in central Kansas. I study documentaries and fandom, both separately and in tandem. I like cats.

Speakers

Nick Geidner

Associate Professor, The University of Tennessee

Dr. Tom Hallaq

Associate Professor, Kansas State University

James E. Machado

Associate Professor, Millersville University of Pennsylvania

James Machado is an Associate Professor of Media Arts Production at Millersville University of Pennsylvania. After working for a series of corporate clients, including Ubisoft, Yahoo!, and Lehman Brothers, he embarked on what has been an 18-year career as a freelance editor and producer... Read More →

Brent Simonds

Professor, Illinois State University

Mass Media Program Coordinator in the School of Communication at Illinois State University

Ralph Beliveau

Professor, University of Oklahoma

Dr. Beliveau is the Area Head for Creative Media Production and Professional Writing at the University of Oklahoma and affiliate faculty in both Film and Media Studies and Women and Gender Studies. He writes and teaches about media education and literacy, race, horror media, documentary... Read More →

Sunday April 6, 2025 3:15pm - 4:15pm PDT
W309

Documentary, Skills/Practice | BEA, Skills/Practice | AI Track, Skills/Practice

4:30pm PDT

Practical Approaches To Teaching Documentary Storytelling

Sunday April 6, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT

W306

This panel will focus on sharing successful exercises, activities, and micro projects for teaching documentary storytelling to emerging mediamakers. Together we'll explore...

• why better collaboration leads to better storycrafting
• simplifying storytelling with a 'one story / one voice' approach
• documentary skill building through structured pre-production
• visual and audio techniques that help students (and faculty) 'show' rather than tell
• teaching the visual language of film to beginners

Walk away with actionable ideas to inspire and develop the next generation of documentary storytellers.
Moderator: Aubrie Canfield, Actuality Abroad
Panelists: Sangsun Choi, Kennesaw State University
Rex Allan Jones, Mississippi State University
Rowena Pedrena, University of Arkansas
Bradley L. Weaver, Westminster College, Pennsylvania
Shari Okeke, Toronto Metropolitan University

Moderators

Aubrie Canfield

Managing Producer, Actuality Abroad

Aubrie is a producer, educator and social entrepreneur. She is the founder and managing producer of Actuality Abroad, an educational travel organization for mediamakers.

Speakers

Shari Okeke

Toronto Metropolitan University

Bradley Weaver

School of Communication Faculty, Westminster College, Pennsylvania

Teaching broadcast communications & broadcast journalism at Westminster College since 2000. Broadcast journalist since 1985.

Sangsun Choi

Assistant Professor, Kennesaw State University

Sangsun Choi is a visual storyteller who focuses on discovering the unique meaning behind ordinary life. He believes that this value can be revealed through exquisite observation and artistic representation. Originally from South Korea, he has created dozens of works about child labor... Read More →

Rex Jones

Mississippi State University

Jones is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, podcaster, author, and Assistant Professor of Broadcast & Digital Journalism in the Department of Communication at Mississippi State University. Before returning to his alma mater, he spent twelve years as a producer with the University... Read More →

Rowena Pedrena

Assistant Professor, University of Arkansas

Rowena Pedrena is a Peabody and Emmy Award-winning television producer with more than a decade of experience in scripted, reality, and documentary formats for feature films and television. Her credits include work featured on Netflix, ABC, NBC, CBS, CNBC, PBS, TLC, History Channel... Read More →

Sunday April 6, 2025 4:30pm - 5:30pm PDT
W306

Documentary, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | BEA, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs

1:45pm PDT

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: The Art of Leading Student-Led Media Projects'

Monday April 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT

W302

Like the famous film, the premise of excellent student-led projects is that behind them is an unnoticed master who arranges situations, contexts, logistics, spatial and interpersonal relationships that result in a transformative learning experience for the student-participants. This panel showcases film/documentary/video projects from academic programs across the country and world that reflect this kind of approach to teaching and learning. We would spotlight a student-led feature film project out of Oklahoma, a student-led documentary on hunger and food insecurity out Kansas (ironically the nation's breadbasket), a student-led "Choose Your Own Adventure'' video production project out of Kentucky, and a student-led online newspaper reporting project out of Cairo, Egypt, that focused on the status of women.
Moderator: Lydia Reeves Timmins, University of Delaware
Panelists: Traci Easley Williams, University of Oklahoma; Tom Hallaq, Kansas State University; Carey L. Higgins-Dobney, University of Kentucky; Nadine El Sayed, The American University in Cairo

Moderators

Lydia Reeves Timmins

Associate Professor, University of Delaware

Associate Professor at the University of Delaware teaching all things news and video.

Speakers

Dr. Tom Hallaq

Associate Professor, Kansas State University

Traci Williams

Senior Lecturer, University of Oklahoma

Traci Easley Williams has over 25 years of immersive experience in higher education, specializing in film/television production, scriptwriting, visual media, and Africana studies. Kent State University (KSU), is where she embarked on her teaching career and eventually rose to the... Read More →

Carey Higgins-Dobney

University of Kentucky

Nadine El Sayed

Associate professor of practice, The American University in Cairo

Nadine El Sayed is an associate professor of practice at the Journalism and Mass Communication Department. Prior to joining AUC, El Sayed was the senior editor leading the regional custom media publications at Springer Nature, the biggest scientific publisher in the world, and an... Read More →

Monday April 7, 2025 1:45pm - 2:45pm PDT
W302

Documentary, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | News, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs | BEA, Teaching Techniques/Tips & Educational Programs