Full Sail University Student and Graduate Teams Sweep 2026 Coca-Cola Refreshing Films Program with Multiple Top Honors and Grand Prize Win

Full Sail University has achieved an unprecedented victory in the 2026 Coca-Cola Refreshing Films (CCRF) program, with its student and graduate teams securing the highest accolades in the prestigious nationwide filmmaking competition. The university’s sweep was punctuated by the Graduate Team’s film, Behind the Screens, receiving the Red Ribbon Panel Grand Prize Award, while the Student Team’s production, What Makes Them Magic, was named the Cinemark Fan Favorite. Additionally, Full Sail Lab instructor and alumnus Kevin Kraus was honored with the Best Music Composition award for his work on the grand prize-winning short. This comprehensive victory underscores the institution’s growing influence in the intersection of film education and branded content creation.

The Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program, which has operated since 1998, serves as a premier platform for emerging cinematic talent. It provides students and recent graduates from participating film schools across the United States the opportunity to move from script development to professional-grade production and theatrical distribution. The 2026 cycle was particularly competitive, as hundreds of scripts were narrowed down to a final three for production. Remarkably, Full Sail University teams secured two of those three finalist positions, eventually winning the majority of the program’s top-tier awards.

Historical Context and Program Structure

The CCRF program was established twenty-eight years ago to celebrate the synergy between the beverage industry and the cinematic experience. Over nearly three decades, it has evolved from a traditional filmmaking contest into a high-stakes professional incubator. Participating schools must meet rigorous standards, and the students involved are required to navigate the complexities of branded entertainment, which includes adhering to strict brand guidelines while maintaining artistic integrity.

The competition is structured into several phases: the script submission phase, the semi-finalist pitch phase, the production phase, and finally, the theatrical release and awards phase. For the 2026 cycle, the theme centered on the "magic of the movies," challenging filmmakers to illustrate how the theater experience—complemented by Coca-Cola products—creates lasting emotional connections. The program’s technical partners, including Red and Nikon, provided state-of-the-art camera equipment, while industry leaders like CineVantage and Company 3 offered post-production mentorship in sound design and color grading, respectively.

Behind the Screens: A Deep Dive into the Grand Prize Winner

The graduate team’s production, Behind the Screens, was written and directed by Angel Quinapallo and produced by Kylie Shouse, both of whom are graduates of Full Sail’s Film program. The film was awarded the Red Ribbon Panel Grand Prize, a distinction determined by a panel of high-level industry executives and filmmakers. The panel evaluated the entries based on storytelling efficacy, technical execution, and the seamless integration of the Coca-Cola brand within a narrative framework.

Behind the Screens offers a meta-narrative exploration of cinema history, utilizing the concept of a hidden world existing behind the theater screen. The production was ambitious in its technical scope, requiring the creation of custom physical props—including a T-Rex tail—and a diverse array of costumes representing various eras of film history. This creative "chaos," as described by producer Kylie Shouse, was intended to mirror the real-world intensity of a professional film set.

The production utilized Full Sail’s Studio V1, a $3 million virtual production facility that employs LED wall technology to create immersive environments. This allowed the team to transition between disparate cinematic settings without the logistical constraints of location scouting for each era represented. Additional scenes were filmed at Cinemark Orlando and XD, providing the necessary theatrical authenticity required by the program’s exhibition partners.

What Makes Them Magic: Securing the Fan Favorite Honor

While the graduate team impressed the industry panel, the student team captured the public’s attention with What Makes Them Magic. Written and directed by Brandon Bishop and produced by Christina Almuina—both current undergraduates in the Film Bachelor of Science program—the short film was voted the Cinemark Fan Favorite following a nationwide public voting period.

The narrative of What Makes Them Magic focuses on the transformative power of the moviegoing experience. It depicts various audience members being inspired by the events on screen: a father envisioning his daughter’s future, a graduate gaining confidence from a historical epic, and friends strengthening their bonds through shared entertainment. This thematic focus on emotional resonance served as the cornerstone of their campaign, which ultimately resonated with the general public.

The production of this short also benefited from the university’s advanced infrastructure, utilizing both Studio V1 and the AMC Altamonte Springs theater. The crew for What Makes Them Magic was almost entirely composed of students from the Film & Television departments, with additional support from the 3D Arts and Virtual Production departments, demonstrating a high degree of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Technical Excellence and Musical Achievement

A significant component of Full Sail’s success in the 2026 program was the technical and auditory quality of the films. Kevin Kraus, a Music Production graduate and current instructor, received the Best Music Composition award for his score for Behind the Screens. The award highlights the importance of sound in branded content, where the auditory landscape must evoke specific brand emotions within a very limited 60-second timeframe.

Kraus worked closely with the production team and mentors from CineVantage to ensure the score complemented the fast-paced, high-energy visuals of the film. The recognition of his work underscores the university’s emphasis on the "Full Sail ecosystem," where graduates and faculty continue to collaborate with current students on high-profile projects.

Chronology of the 2026 Competition Cycle

The path to the 2026 sweep began in late 2025 with the initial script call. Full Sail students submitted dozens of concepts, which were internally vetted before being sent to the Coca-Cola program managers. By early 2026, the university learned that two of its teams had been selected as finalists—a rare occurrence in the program’s history.

Production took place over several weeks in the spring of 2026. During this time, the teams were required to act as a professional production company, handling everything from insurance and casting to brand approvals and revisions. The films were then sent into post-production, where they received professional color grading and sound mixing. The final films were premiered in theaters nationwide, including AMC, B&B, and Cinemark locations, during the summer of 2026, coinciding with the peak moviegoing season. The official announcement of the Grand Prize and Fan Favorite winners concluded the cycle, cementing Full Sail’s dominant performance.

Educational and Industry Implications

The success of Full Sail University in the CCRF program provides a data-driven look at the effectiveness of hands-on, accelerated film education. According to program data, approximately 80 to 90 percent of the crews for both productions were comprised of Full Sail students and graduates. This high level of internal staffing demonstrates the university’s ability to operate as a self-contained production hub.

Katie Pryor, the Program Manager for Coca-Cola Refreshing Films, noted that the facilities at Full Sail provided a unique "safety net" that allowed for professional-level experimentation. The use of virtual production technology, in particular, marks a shift in how student filmmakers are being trained to handle high-budget, tech-heavy commercial projects.

From an industry perspective, the results of the 2026 program suggest that the gap between student work and professional branded content is narrowing. The ability of student teams to manage complex brand relationships while utilizing high-end tools like Red cameras and LED volumes suggests a new standard for film school output.

Broader Impact on the Filmmaking Community

The 2026 Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program has served as more than just a competition; it has functioned as a bridge to the professional industry for the participants. For the winners, the accolades provide a significant boost to their professional portfolios, offering a "real-world" credential that is highly valued by creative agencies and production houses.

The sweep by Full Sail University also highlights the regional strength of the Florida film industry, particularly in the Orlando area, where the university is based. By leveraging local partnerships with theaters like AMC Altamonte Springs and Cinemark Orlando, the teams demonstrated how educational institutions can integrate with local businesses to produce national-level content.

As the 2026 cycle concludes, the focus shifts to the long-term careers of the winning filmmakers. History suggests that CCRF alumni often move into significant roles within the industry, and with a Grand Prize and Fan Favorite win under their belts, the members of the Behind the Screens and What Makes Them Magic teams are well-positioned for future success. The university’s sweep remains a landmark achievement in the history of the Coca-Cola Refreshing Films program, setting a high benchmark for the 2027 competition and beyond.