ABERDEEN, S.D. – Jason Knowles, Assistant Professor of Art at Northern State University, has received an award from the 2025 New Media Film Festival for his original short film Ever So Faintly I See. The film, Knowles’ first spiritually themed production, was created in collaboration with friends, colleagues, former students, and family members.

“I am very grateful to the 2025 New Media Film Festival for this award,” Knowles said. “Ever So Faintly I See was the first spiritually themed film I directed and produced, which would not have been possible without strong collaboration between friends, colleagues, and former students.”

The film’s story and narration were provided by Terry Martin, an internationally recognized nature painter and educator. Shaun Speers, Knowles’ longtime research partner, recorded the narration remotely. Chris Norton, one of Knowles’ most talented former students, served as director of photography. The cast included Jamie Keyes, William Pelton, Michael Ashburn, Lisa Malleck, William Johnston, and Knowles’ father, Donald H. Knowles.

Ever So Faintly I See explores the harmony of spirit through creativity in fishing and painting, as an artist reflects on an old friend and comes to realize that solitude is not loneliness.

The film was honored by the New Media Film Festival®, which since 2009 has celebrated the fusion of storytelling and technology. The Los Angeles-based festival showcases works that push the boundaries of conventional media, offering both in-person and online audiences a platform for innovative content. More information is available at newmediafilmfestival.com.

In addition to the national recognition, Knowles and the F.B.I. (Film/Broadcast/Interactive media production) program at Northern are featured in the July/August 2025 issue of South Dakota Magazine, which focuses on filmmaking across the state. The article highlights the M.I.L. (Moving Imagery Lab), a studio with a green screen for special effects and digital backgrounds, and The C.A.V.E., an audio space designed for movie sound design, musical performances, and podcasting.

The piece also notes that Knowles, along with fellow NSU educators Meng Tian and Hannah Walters, was recently awarded a grant to explore the use of artificial intelligence tools in marketing and public relations.

F.B.I. students at Northern produce a variety of media projects, including a bi-weekly television show and live radio programming. Each October 30, the program presents the Spook-Spectacular Radio Show live in the historic Krikac Theater—honoring the anniversary of Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds broadcast. The 2024 production received two awards from the Zep-stone International Film and Music Festival.

This November, Knowles will direct a new short film in Aberdeen as part of a community-wide collaboration with local filmmakers and artists. Cast auditions will be held on campus in early September 2025, and volunteer crew members will work alongside Northern film students. More details will be announced in August.

Knowles is also continuing his research into the growing field of A.I. filmmaking, with summer experiments exploring virtual actors, voices, music scoring, and screenwriting.

The F.B.I. emphasis is part of the Bachelor of Fine Arts in Digital Media, offered through the Art Department in Northern’s School of Fine Arts. Within its first two years, the F.B.I. program has already earned international recognition. Students can also pursue cross-disciplinary options such as the Sports Media minor, the Marketing and Digital Design minor, and the Public Relations minor, all of which incorporate multiple formats of digital media production.

This fall, students interested in broadcast and digital storytelling can receive a prerequisite waiver to enroll in the new course ARTD 238: Video News, Advertising, & Sportscasting.