Eric Alan Sera

Ever since Eric Alan Sera was a small child he enjoyed entertaining friends and family with jokes, games, drawings, and other forms of creative artistic expression. "Making somebody laugh or smile is the greatest feeling, I remember after a performance of "Working" in high school, a girl came up to me, and thanked me, because she was having a bad day, and my performance cheered her up. That girl will always have a special place in my heart, and it is because of people like her that I do what I do" Sera said. As a teenager Sera starred for his high school drama department (George Rogers Clark/Hammond, IN USA) and in community theatre (Community Showcase Theatre/ Whiting, IN USA). Sera's favorite roles were The Dentist in "Little Shop of Horrors", Noah Claypole in "Oliver" and Charlie Brown in "You're A Good Man Charlie Brown". Other shows Sera were in were "Once on This Island", "House of Blue Leaves", "Godspell", "Working", and "Alice in Americaland" Sera was made student director during his senior year and was awarded with a 21st Century Scholarship. Also Sera made several entertaining, though rather crude in quality video projects for classes using crash editing, and his father's early model analog VHS Camcorder. In College Sera co-authored the play "The Lincoln Highway Revisited" for Purdue University Calumet's acting class, and also adapted Roald Dahl tales "Esio Trot" and "Skin" to stage play. Inspired by works seen on Ifilm.com, in 2001 Sera got computer editing software, a more elite camera and began making stop action shorts with Legos, then moving on to 8 to 12 inch dolls. These video shorts were often twisted, and often had some sort of social, controversial or political message. At Purdue University Calumet that Sera met Peter Aranda, they would go on to establish the school's first Radio/TV Club, net an unprecedented three consecutive Broadcast Education Association Student Scriptwriting Awards (3rd Place 2002, 3rd Place 2003, 1st Place 2004), as well as seven other international awards while students at PUC. Sera capped off his senior year at Purdue University Calumet by receiving the Katherine J. Belcher Outstanding Student/Faculty Research Award, the Undergraduate Research Director's Award, being named Outstanding Student in Radio/TV, and was selected to speak on the behalf of his graduating class at commencement in December 2003. In February 2004 Sera Presented United States Senator Evan Bayh at The Gary/Chicago Airport as a successful example of Indiana's 21st Century Scholars Program.