Fourth-year cinematography student Tiffany McMichael recently won an $8,000 PRISM Generation Next Grand Fellowship for her screenplay “Noise.”

“Noise” is the story of two diametrically opposed sisters, separated by miles and generations, who are forced to connect during their mother’s two-month-long alcohol rehabilitation.

In addition to the monetary award, McMichael will now have an industry professional as a mentor.

McMichael competed against 14 fellows from 11 schools in this year’s competition. Only two Grand Fellowships were awarded – one in the feature film category (McMichael’s) and one in the TV series episode category.

An extension of the Entertainment Industries Council’s annual PRISM Awards, PRISM Generation Next was created in 1999 to encourage awareness among television and feature film students about the art of crafting authentic, fully dimensional storylines and characters that explore the complex nature of addiction without compromising entertainment value or commercial potential.