Students win national award for best comedy

By Alexis Stevens

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Picture three college students making a television show about three college students making a television show.

On the show, every idea proposed just falls flat.  But in reality, Alex Middleton, Steven Walker and Thomas Yungerberg have quite a hit on their hands.

Earlier this month, the Berry College sophomores won the best comedy award by College Broadcasting Inc. The award was presented during the National College Media Convention in Austin, Texas. The Berry students beat out comedies from the University of South Carolina, the University of South Dakota, and the University of Texas at Austin.

"We were completely blown away by it," said Yungerberg, a Woodstock High School graduate. "It just really shows me if you put a lot of heart into something you truly care about, you’ll see the benefits of it.”

It all started with the trio sitting in a conference room brainstorming. After hours of tossing out ideas, it was suddenly very clear.

“Oh my gosh, this is it right here," Middleton said. "What if we made this the show?"

Then, the real work began. The students not only produce "The Conference Room,"  but they also write the script and star in the show. The 15-minute episodes are then posted on Viking Fusion, a student-run Web site for the college's communication department.

Part of the appeal, the three say, is that the concept is different than most other shows.

“We’re not just trying to make a show like other shows," Walker said. "We’re trying to do our own thing.”

It's silly and sometimes far-fetched, but the result is entertaining. "We like to say that it's a show that goes nowhere," Walker added.

With four episodes completed, the students say they'd like to finish 10 episodes by the time they graduate. But finding time to make a TV show isn't easy for full-time students.

Parkview High School graduates Middleton and Walker are on the college forensics team along with Yungerberg.

The students say they don't have any plans to take their show to a bigger audience. All three plan to pursue media careers when they finish their degrees. Until then, they're enjoying the national attention their work has earned.

"All three of us have our own inspirations," Middleton said. "It's been a stroke of luck."

To view the episodes: http://vikingfusion.berry.edu/entertainment/the-conference-room/