Salt Lake Film Society MAST short recieves Oscar nomination

SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake Film Society announced that the Media Accelerator Studio short Ninety-Five Senses has been nominated for an Oscar. 

Receiving a nomination for Best Animated Short Film, the film was produced through the Salt Lake Film Society’s MAST program. 

Ninety-Five Senses

“This project was a true community project, bringing together local and international talent, who each gave their time and dedication to building a collaborative animated film,” said Miles David Romney, a co-founder of the MAST program. 

Additionally, Romney said that the majority of those involved in the production are “local to Utah.” 

Ninety-Six Senses featured the unique styles of six animators. Jared and Jershua Hess mentored the emerging filmmakers. 

Screened at “nearly 40” film festivals across the globe, the short won top prizes at many, per the press release. According to Tori A. Baker, a co-founder of MAST, the Oscar nomination adds the the film’s achievements. 

“All the staff, board and volunteers at Salt Lake Film Society are simply ecstatic about the Oscar nomination this morning for Ninety-Five Senses,” said Baker. 

The MAST Program

The Media Accelerator Studio program provides mentorship to post-graduate filmmakers. Romney and Baker co-founded the program. 

“The goal of our MAST project is to create artist entrepreneurs and nurture the industry of animation in our state,” said Romney. 

MAST works to turn artists into artistpreneurs. According to the program website, those receiving mentorship complete fellowship programs, labs, networking events, and production subsidizing. 

“Our vision was to turn talented animators into artist-entrepreneurs who could create projects in Utah, fostering an economic infrastructure to support animation production in the state. We achieved this through fellowship programs, labs, and the production of Ninety-Five Senses.” said Baker. 

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