Tom Clement ’14 has won one of the nation’s most prestigious filmmaking awards.

Tom received the National News & Documentary Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Documentary for “Projecting Protest” during last week’s awards ceremony, earning one of journalism and documentary filmmaking’s highest honors.

“I was definitely surprised,” says Tom. “I was not expecting to win. A couple of the other films were very strong, and I didn’t want to set myself up for disappointment. I was just shocked. I was elated.”

The documentary explores the use of projected imagery and public art during political protests and civic demonstrations. Earlier this spring, the film was nominated in the Outstanding Short Documentary category, placing it among five finalists nationwide.

The Emmy caps a long and uncertain journey for a documentary that nearly failed to reach a national audience.

“Projecting Protest” premiered in November 2024 at DOC NYC, one of the nation’s leading documentary film festivals. At nearly the same time, Tom and other journalists were laid off by Scripps during a company restructuring.

The layoff created uncertainty about whether the documentary would receive a national broadcast, a requirement for eligibility in the National News & Documentary Emmy Awards competition.

“There was a several-month period where I just didn’t know what was going to happen,” says Tom.

The documentary ultimately aired on Scripps in March 2025, making it eligible for national awards competition.

For Tom, the Emmy represents a significant professional milestone.

“It’s such an honor,” says Tom. “I  knew it was a good piece. I was very confident of that, but you never know. It’s nice to have that affirmation.”

The recognition may not be the end of the film’s awards run. “Projecting Protest” has also been submitted for consideration for an Edward R. Murrow Award, presented by the Radio Television Digital News Association and named for the legendary broadcast journalist who was born in Guilford County.