On April 17, Justin Amorratanasuchad was doing what he loved most – telling a story through film – when he died in a tragic accident. Amorratanasuchad was a student in the film program at Emerson College at the time. This week his family announced plans to celebrate his life and talent with a memorial service and a scholarship fund.
The memorial will take place Saturday, June 11, from 1:00 p.m. until 3:00 p.m. at Seattle Unity Church. A reception will follow.
Amorratanasuchad was a gifted filmmaker, winning national and international awards while attending Ballard High School in Seattle, where he graduated in 2008.
“I've taught some big award-winning students,” said Matt Lawrence, lead teacher in the Ballard High School Video Production Program, “but I'm not sure I've ever had another student with eleven awards and honors during their time in the program.”
Among these recognitions was a “Student Emmy”, a Student Television Award for Excellence from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Thanks to Ballard’s program and awards like this, Amorratanasuchad built a portfolio that gained him acceptance into prestigious film schools.
Recognizing the role Ballard High and Emerson College’s media programs played in Amorratanasuchad's life, the family is creating a scholarship fund to assist talented public high school graduates’ pursuit of further studies in film and television.
“We want to help promising filmmakers like our Justin,” said his mother, Blair Brooke-Weiss. “Justin was a guy who, once he decided something was worth his energy, didn’t give up until he nailed it. So that’s what we’re doing.”
The family’s goal is to make a significant impact, raising a $2 million endowment to support a scholarship fund.
Memorial gifts may be made to this scholarship fund by making a donation online to the Alliance for Education or by sending a check to:
Alliance for Education
Justin Amorrantanasuchad Scholarship (on memo line)
c/o Matt Lawrence, Video Production Program
Ballard High School, 1418 NW 65th St. Seattle, WA 98117
Donations are tax deductible.
Amorratanasuchad is survived by his mother Blair Brooke-Weiss, step-father Craig Brooke-Weiss, brother Jesse Amorratanasuchad, and stepbrother, Levi Carbonell-Weiss, all of Seattle; his half-sisters, Sarocha (Eve) Srisopa and May Amorratanasuchad, of Thailand; his grandparents, Robert C. Brooke, Jr., of Phoenix, and Dallas and Ellen Mustoe, of England, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
For more information on Justin's life and his films visit jdoggfilmscholarship.org, so titled for the nickname given to Amorratanasuchad by his close friends -- 'J-Dogg'.
