Oceanside High School senior Dominic Antioquia has earned international recognition for his filmmaking talent, taking home a Bronze Telly Award in the student category for an original horror short film that blends suspense with personal experiences.
The Telly Awards honor excellence in video and television production across all screens and attract entries from professionals, agencies, television networks and educational institutions worldwide. Antioquia's award-winning short stood out among student submissions for its creativity, storytelling and technical execution.
For the 18-year-old, the recognition came as a surprise.
"I never expected to win this award," he said. "When I looked at the other students, they seemed more advanced than me. But when people started seeing my work, they wanted to collaborate with me and learn what I was doing."
The film follows a student who dreams of becoming a filmmaker while struggling with recurring visions of a mysterious masked figure. The character finds solace in video editing, only to discover that the creature haunting his dreams has somehow appeared in his creative projects.
While fictional, the story draws heavily from Antioquia's own experiences.
"The plot connects with my life," he said. "When I was younger, I always felt like everyone was out to get me. I felt like I wasn't good enough and wouldn't get a second chance. This project wasn't just about horror. It was also about my passions and what I want to do in the future."
Creating the film was not without challenges. Antioquia said developing a compelling storyline proved to be the most difficult part of the process.
"Most of my projects didn't have much of a story before," he explained. "I spent almost a week trying to create a plot that made sense and connected to the message I wanted to share."
Working against a deadline, Antioquia completed the project in approximately a week and a half, often dedicating his breaks to editing and refining scenes.
His interest in horror filmmaking began years ago through creating "analog horror" videos, a genre known for its unsettling visuals and psychological suspense. Looking ahead, Antioquia hopes to explore a wider variety of genres while continuing to develop his skills as an editor, writer, director and actor.
"I want to be versatile," he said. "I want to make dramas, comedies and all kinds of films. I'm not just an editor. I like doing everything involved in filmmaking."
After graduation, Antioquia plans to attend Nassau Community College through a 2+2 program before continuing at a SUNY institution. His long-term goal is to work professionally in the film industry as a video editor.
The award represents a significant milestone in a journey that nearly began on a different path altogether.
Video Editing and Broadcast Production teacher Tracy Busk recalled that Antioquia originally hoped to enroll in a broadcasting course but lacked the prerequisite.
"He actually came into my class by mistake," Busk said. "He was supposed to be in broadcasting and was very upset at first. To see his evolution from someone who didn't even want to take the class he was in to becoming one of the greatest filmmakers this program has seen has been amazing."
For Antioquia, the award validates years of hard work and perseverance. More importantly, he said, it reinforces his belief that filmmaking is where he belongs.
"It's what I want to do," he said. "This award shows me that I can keep moving forward."
