The lights were bright, the drinks were flowing, and creativity took center stage last Wednesday as AICP’s Camp Kuleshov Midwest region celebrated its 2025 winners at Chicago hotspot Tunnel, 151 W. Kinzie Street. The annual competition, known affectionately as “Camp K,” once again showcased the inventive spirit of post-production artists from across the region.
A Challenge in Creativity
Camp K challenges assistant editors, sound designers, and graphic artists to flex their creative muscles in unconventional ways.
In the Editorial category, entrants are tasked with re-cutting a film to transform its original genre into something entirely new — a rom-com becomes a horror film, an action thriller turns into a musical, or any number of wild reimaginings. For the Sound Design category, participants select a film segment and rebuild its sonic world from scratch, crafting a wholly original auditory experience that departs from the source material.
The Graphic Design and Music Score categories round out the competition, highlighting the next generation of visual and sonic storytellers.
And the Winners Are…
Editorial
- 1st Place: Brian Naughton – Cutters
- 2nd Place: Kyle Totzke – Cosmo Street Editorial
- 3rd Place: Isabella Paulitz – Cutters Studios
- Honorable Mention: Carly Bickett – Optimus
- Honorable Mention: Leah Fishwick – Cutters
Sound Design
- 1st Place: Lucas Hansa – Another Country
- 2nd Place: Brett Rossiter – Another Country
Music Score
- 1st Place: JoJo Diaz-Orsi – Yessian
Graphic Design
- 1st Place: Gage Bowman – Flavor
A Night to Remember
The Chicago creative community turned out in full force to celebrate the winners, network, and toast to another year of Camp Kuleshov’s imaginative artistry. From genre-bending edits to otherworldly soundscapes, this year’s entries reaffirmed why Camp K remains one of the most anticipated events in post-production circles.
Take a look at photos from the event, courtesy of AICP Midwest and congratulations to all the Midwest “campers” who dared to remix, reimagine, and reinvent the art of storytelling.
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