Our university community joins alongside Orlando, and our nation, in mourning those who lost their lives in the June 12 attacks at Pulse. For those who have been directly affected by the loss of, or injury to, someone as a result of this tragedy, we are profoundly sorry and are with you in your time of grief. Our hearts continue to be with the victims and their families during this difficult time.

“Full Sail University is proud to stand alongside our neighboring colleges and universities, local, city, and government officials, the LGBT community, and all those affected by this tragedy. Full Sail University stands with Orlando.” said Garry Jones, President of Full Sail University

Our university is home to a diverse community of creative and compassionate individuals. Following the tragic events, we have seen an outpouring of support from our students, staff, faculty, and alumni, who continue to ask: “how can I help?”

Below we have outlined on campus, as well as community opportunities, (and information on how to participate) in an effort to provide continued assistance during the difficult days ahead.

On campus opportunities: (Please note – we will update this post as additional events are scheduled).

• Tuesday, June 14 – The City of Orlando has shared the official graphic and hashtag as a show of community support. You may have noticed Full Sail is proudly displaying this image across our campus. Feel free to join us in using the hashtag #OrlandoUnited to show your support. http://www.cityoforlando.net/blog/show-your-support-download-orlandounited-image/
• Wednesday, June 15 – PRIDE Club Meeting: The Pulse Discussion. We wanted to provide an open space to discuss and meet with others regarding the events at Pulse. All students, staff and faculty are welcome to participate on Wednesday, June 15^th at 6pm in FS 3F Room 123. Online students interested in participating can join via the Go To Meeting link provided on Connect. PRIDE (Peers Respecting Individuality Differences and Equality) is a club of like-minded individuals with a focus on LGBTQ issues. Our main goals are promoting acceptance, standing up against hate, and providing a safe place for Full Sail students to be themselves.
• Friday, June 17 – The Full Sail community is proud to host the Big Red Bus monthly, and we have set up a donation site on campus on Friday June 17 at Building 3 from 11:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. In the meantime, please visit oneblood.orgto find the closest donation center or Big Red Bus in your area.
• Friday, June 17 – Full Sail University will host a tribute to remember and honor those who lost their lives in the shooting at Pulse on June 12. This is a time for our Full Sail family to come together, grieve together, and to comfort and console one another, as we continue to cope with the impact of this tragedy. Full Sail students, staff and faculty are invited to attend. The tribute will begin at 11 a.m. (doors are at 10:45 a.m.) in the Full Sail Live Venue. 
  • Speakers will include:
    • Full Sail University President, Garry Jones 
    • VP of Academic Affairs, Dave Franko 
    • Director of Professional Development, Stacy O’Mara 

    In addition to the speakers above, the program will include a moment of remembrance to acknowledge the victims of this tragedy. The event is being organized by Full Sail’s Department of Student Affairs, in partnership with Staff and Cultural Development, with support from PRIDE (Peers Respecting Individuality Differences and Equality). PRIDE is Full Sail’s club of like-minded individuals with a focus on LGBTQ issues whose main goals are promoting acceptance, standing up against hate, and providing a safe place for Full Sail students to be themselves. 

    Click here to RSVP for this tribute. Beginning at 11 a.m., the tribute will be streamed live here for our online student community. 

• Saturday, June 18 – Full Sail is collaborating with Random Acts, a charity whose mission it is to “conquer the world one random act of kindness at a time.” Join us on Saturday, June 18^th in the 3B lobby from 10am-2pm as we work together to create care packages for Orlando Law Enforcement, K-9 Units, and Emergency Response personnel who responded to the tragedy. To learn more about Random Acts visit: http://www.randomacts.org/

Community-based opportunities:

• The Pulse nightclub shootings have greatly impacted Orlando’s Latino community, and there is an urgent need for bilingual volunteers to assist on counseling help lines and in speaking to victims’ friends and families. City officials have asked anyone who can help with translation services to call 407-428-5870 or email info@hispanicchamber.net to volunteer.

• Volunteer opportunities with the City of Orlando. For those interested you can volunteer to help by filling out this form. City staff will contact you as soon as possible to let you know where your services will be helpful.

Additional Counseling services:

(Please note grief counseling will continue, and anyone in need of counseling service are encouraged to utilize the resources outlined below, in addition to the resources already listed on Connect).

• GLBT Community Center of Central Florida, First Unitarian Church, 1901 E. Robinson St., Mon-Wed 10 a.m – 7 p.m.
  Emergency Hotlines in both English and Spanish:
  407-822-5036, 407- 228-1446
• The Zebra Coalition has also set up a hotline, which you can call at 407- 228-1446.
• TheTrevor Project hotline is there to talk to LGBTQ youth and anyone else who wants to talk to someone. Reach out to them at 866-488-7386.
• TheNational GLBT Center has a national hotline, a youth talk-line and online chat. Dial 888-843-4564 to reach their national hotline.

The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is available to talk as well. Call 800-273-8255.

There’s no denying something special happens when a group of Full Sail graduates get together. It’s more than a shared passion for the arts and entertainment industry, although our students, grads, and faculty all have that in common. It goes beyond networking, though a strong network of peer support exists among our more than 50,000 graduates. It’s something both easily felt and difficult to define. It’s a weaving together of individual stories to form a larger narrative — that of our community and our school.

This effect was on full display last month when over 100 grads, students, and Hall of Fame inductees came together for a Career Networking Event in Los Angeles, California. The event featured dozens of industry leaders and employers, including Pixomondo, Bunim/Murray Productions, and 360 Heroes. Sponsored by Full Sail’s Career Development department, representatives from the team were on hand to guide attendees through the process of participating in onsite interviews, open-flow networking, and demo reviews.

The day kicked off with breakfast and a series of scheduled pre-select interviews between graduates and employers.

Recent Digital Cinematography grad Cris Good was on the road by 5 a.m. to make the three hour drive from her home in San Diego. She hoped the experience would put her in contact with potential mentors.

“I’m a musician with a background in fine art,” she said. “Filmmaking has always been an interest because it bridges other artistic disciplines. I’d like to find someone who sees my potential, and who I can pour back into as well. I look at mentorships as symbiotic relationships.”

Around noon, Full Sail President Garry Jones welcomed the grads and guests, including Hall of Famers Sebastian Krys, Keith Gurrette, Culley Bunker, Tom Boyd, Dylan Dresdow, and Troy DeVolld. Also on hand were grads Stephen Beres (Film, 2004) and Brett Novak (Digital Art & Design, 2007). Stephen currently serves as Vice President of Media for HBO West, while Brett makes jaw-dropping short skate films that have been featured in Rolling Stone and The Huffington Post.

After lunch, grads were treated to open flow networking sessions, where they were able to engage in conversation with Hall of Famers and employers. Grads gathered around in small groups to discuss everything from how to make a resume stand out to the benefits of working with industry specific unions.

Brett, Culley, and Tom ended the day with a handful of graduates from film and television related degree programs. Each grad presented their demo reel and received feedback on what wasn’t working—and what was.

Film bachelor’s and master’s grad Amanda Bovea was nervous to present, but walked away amidst a chorus of praise.

“For any visual medium, your goal is to evoke emotion. I felt emotion while watching your reel,” said Culley. “The music fit all of the pieces, and your editorial points lined up well with the music.”

“I would say this reel is ready to send to an agent,” added Tom.

As the day wound down, a small group of grads lingered in the conference room. Many of them had started the day as strangers, but as they exchanged contact information and made plans to connect in the coming weeks, it was apparent fast friendships were forming. The group eventually migrated to the hotel restaurant, where they shared a meal and conversation with Garry Jones.

Career Development plans to hold more events around the country in the future, beginning with one on June 16 at the Ramada Plaza in Atlanta, Georgia. Employers will range from national companies like Pixomondo and Turner Broadcasting to regional representatives like the Atlanta Braves. A third event is slated to take place in Orlando on June 28 in the Full Sail Live Venue. Head on over to CareerSync for more information and to RSVP.

In the meantime, check out a few photos form the L.A. Networking event below.

Grads connect at a networking event Los Angeles, CA.

President Garry Jones welcomes alumni at a networking event in Los Angeles, CA on May 23, 2016.

Graduate Stephen Beres, Vice President of Media for HBO West, speaks with grads.

Students present their demo reels to a panel of notable alumni.

Hall of Fame inductee Sebastian Krys speaks with graduates.

Hall of Fame inductee Troy DeVolld fields questions at an alumni networking event.

Friends greet each other at a networking event in Los Angeles, CA.

Employers conduct on-site interviews at an alumni networking event in Los Angeles, CA.

Grads connect at a networking event Los Angeles, CA.

President Garry Jones welcomes guests at an alumni networking event in Los Angeles, CA.

We tell stories to better understand ourselves and each other and to relate critical experiences to our audience. But in a world where it seems like everyone is trying to say something, it can be difficult for new writers or filmmakers to stand out from the crowd. Thankfully, there are steps you can take to make sure the story you’re trying to tell gets told (and told right). The Seventh Annual Hall of Fame brought together three professional storytellers to share their experiences in a panel titled “The Power of Storytelling,” and while the entire presentation is worth a watch, we’ve compiled a few best practices for writers looking to craft dynamic content that appeals to a wide audience.

Stories don’t change, but form does.

The writer and mythologist Joseph Campbell described a monomyth, the idea that our oldest and most common heroic narratives are all variations of a single story. According to Campbell, heroic epics share core elements such as a call to adventure and a journey through the unknown. In this way, he says, ancient myths like Gilgamesh and The Odyssey are not so different from more recent offerings like The Lord of the Rings or The Walking Dead. And while the way we tell stories has changed over the years, the things that make those stories relatable have mostly remained the same.

“Humans basically run on conflict and emotion,” says producer and director Robin Cowie. “And all stories tie into things that are primal to the human condition.”

In the clip below, the panelists discuss whether or not all the great stories have been told, and why it’s important to continue relating to each other through new forms of media.

Identify what your audience finds compelling, and then present it in a way that resonates.

Every seasoned writer has an idea about makes for a good story, just as every reader or viewer has their own ideas about the kinds of stories they enjoy reading or watching. The truth is, we consume stories for all kinds of deeply personal reasons — to escape, to feel connected, or to better understand experiences that are not our own. The goal of the writer should always be to engage the audience, and in order to do that it’s critical to identify who it is you’re trying to reach. Once you’ve established your audience, you can better determine how best to structure your story.

For instance, a juggernaut episodic show like Game of Thrones  sitcom allows for sprawling plotlessness and character development, while a sitcom attracts an audience willing to embrace a more casual viewing experience.

“The nature of situational comedies is that their episodes have to be circular,” says Hall of Fame inductee and reality television producer Troy DeVolld. “You end every episode where you started so they can be played in any order in syndication without losing meaning.”

In this second clip, each panelist shares their personal idea of what makes for a good story.

Zoom in on emotion.

The best stories function as a mirror to culture, and the best storytellers are tuned in to the many examples of conflict and resolution that are to be found in everyday life. While it’s fine to complicate your plot, the best stories are usually the ones that take a straightforward approach, appealing directly to the audiences emotions. In this final clip, documentary filmmaker and Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Unay speaks the the importance of maintaining the emotional honesty of a piece.

You can view the entire “Power of Storytelling” panel over on our YouTube page.

When it comes to deciding what you want to do for the rest of your life, more than one new graduate has been seized by panic while trying to define the future. Nirmesh Gollmandala is sympathetic to that struggle, but he falls just short of being able to truly empathize. That’s because Nirmesh’s plan for the future is simple: he wants to do everything. And he wants to do it by connecting your brain to a computer.

“I see my creative strengths as all being connected,” says Nirmesh. “In fact, I think everything is connected. You just have to be able to see with the right eyes.”

Growing up in Hyderabad, India, Nirmesh fell in love with hip-hop dancing at a young age. He also liked to sketch and play video games. As an undergrad majoring in computer science, he tried to find a balance between maintaining and cultivating all of his hobbies—art, choreography, and software development.

“At that time, I was doing too much,” he admits. “I still hadn’t found my way.”

The problem wasn’t that he didn’t know what he wanted to do with his life, but rather that he had yet to figure out how all of his interests combined added up to a career. Graduation came and went. Nirmesh decided the answer to his dilemma was to continue his education, but he wasn’t sure he could find a program that encompassed all of his interests.

“One day, I came across Full Sail’s website. I got chills just looking at it, because it seemed to cover the entire spectrum of art that was in me. I knew I had to go there.”

So, based on little more than a gut feeling, Nirmesh packed up and moved 8,000 miles away to enroll in Full Sail’s Game Design Master’s program.

It paid off.

“My time at Full Sail was a game changer,” he says. “The first few months were spent learning as much as I could about the industry and how professional game studios work. In the sixth month, we had to choose a capstone project, and that’s when I discovered UX.”

That, says Nirmesh, was a huge turning point for him both professionally and personally. The more he learned about user experience testing, the more questions he had about what makes video games compelling in the first place. One day, his roommate brought home a Leap Motion sensor, a device that tracks hand motion and allows users to control a game through sensed movement.

“I’m a dancer, so movement is a big deal for me,” he says. “I thought, if you can control a game just by moving your hand, why not take it to the next level? So I set out to define what that next level was.”

Eventually, his research led him to something called the Brain-Computer Interface, or BCI. Simply put, BCI is any device that allows people to use brain signals to interact with an external device. It’s stuff straight out of science fiction, and it’s also one of the fastest growing fields of study in the computer science industry.

For Nirmesh, it was the answer he’d been looking for all along. The human mind is still a mystery in many ways, yet it’s ubiquitous. “We all have a brain,” he says. “It’s my desire to unlock the hidden capabilities we all possess, and in doing so I’m able to integrate myself as both an artist and a technical guy.”

“My dancing and choreography work informs my graphic design, which is directly related to the photography I do,” he continues. “Photography is related to my vision for the future, and that vision forms the basis of my philosophy as a software developer. BCI helps me to understand how it all fits together.”

Since graduating in 2015, Nirmesh has become an official member of the BCI Society, an organization devoted to “fostering research and development leading to technologies that enable people to interact with the world through brain signals.” He’s also working as an android developer for Expedent Corp, a global technology and IT consulting company.

“One of the biggest problems in BCI is portability. You need a powerful computer capable of machine learning and all those algorithms needed to run the programs, but carrying around a huge computer doesn’t make sense from a hardware perspective. Mobile development allows me to hone my skills, which will hopefully help me solve the problem of portability.”

He’s still dancing, too. He and his choreography partner maintain a YouTube channel, Komet & Dragon, showcasing their work.

“When I was a kid,” he says, “the biggest question was, ‘What will I become in life?’ Will I be a dancer? A scientist? A developer? I only knew I wanted to be everything. There were so many things in my mind. And that’s when I decided my mind is different. I realized it was not a curse, but a gift, so I embraced it.”

When Charles Rapkin was a kid growing up in the suburbs outside of Seattle, Washington, his best friend’s parents worked for the Federal Aviation Administration.

“The FAA building was next door to the Wizards of the Coast corporate offices,” recalls Charles. “This was before the internet. Wizards had an IPX network of computers set up in their lobby, and they’d charge people $5 an hour to play video games with their friends. For $10 you could play for 3 hours, and they’d often just forget to call time on you. My friend’s parents would drop us off on their way to work and we’d just play video games all day.”

Fast forward to present day. Charles has spent much of the last decade working for the same company that ignited his love of collaborative gameplay. He currently serves as a Digital Product Manager for Wizards of the Coast, the publisher of such venerable games as Magic: The Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons.

Finding your way back to a familiar place only works if you leave, and Charles’ story is no exception. After high school, he moved to Florida and enrolled in Full Sail’s Computer Animation program. Like most college kids, he spent a lot of his downtime playing video games — namely EverQuest, the wildly popular 3D MMORPG that paved the way for games like World of Warcraft. After graduating in 2003, he moved back home to work on polishing his demo reel. In the meantime, though, he needed a job to sustain himself. An EverQuest guild-mate who worked at Sony passed Charles a tip that the company was looking for seasoned players to staff their customer service and quality assurance department.

“I worked at Sony for a couple of years on contract, and during that time I learned a lot about how to talk to people. It was also cool to see how this game I’d been playing for years operated on the back-end.”

Once his contract with Sony ended, Charles bounced around to a few other customer service positions before the opportunity at Wizards of the Coast came up.

“A guild-mate in World of Warcraft worked at Wizards, and since I’d been playing Magic: The Gathering pretty much my whole life, he thought I’d be a good fit for their customer service department” says Charles. “Nearly every job I’ve gotten has been through someone I know or someone I play games with, which just goes to show you it pays to network.”

“As a kid, it never occurred to me that I could work here,” he adds. “Still, when I got the job there was a sense of coming home.”

Eventually, Charles worked his way into the organized play department, where he designed in-store events for hobby and game shops within the Wizards Play Network, or WPN. Retailers within the WPN are eligible to host officially sanctioned tournaments and special events. It’s a business model that celebrates a vibrant community of players while generating interest in new products, and in the five years Charles spent working as an Organized Play Specialist he was able to witness firsthand the impact of community events on Magic’s evolution.

“We’d sometimes go on store visits where we’d get to talk to retailers and players,” says Charles. “It was a fun way to get feedback about what they did or didn’t like about different sets or tournament experiences, and in turn we’d use that feedback to make the game better.”

Charles proved so adept at problem solving that he was recently promoted to the role of Digital Product Manager, where he oversees the main database that tracks competitive Magic players all across the world.

“Our system calculates your ranking and play history, and that in turn helps us design better competition experiences.”

Charles’ success feels especially sweet when he reflects on how far he’s come, and the friends he’s made along the way.

“When I was a kid, I think my parents were worried about me,” he says. “They’d say, ‘How are you going to get a job playing these games? That’s not a thing.’ But it’s totally a thing. I owe my career to the friends I made playing these games.”

Andrew Ladner is back at it again. The Full Sail Film grad and founder of the United States Veterans Corps already holds a Guinness World Record for Largest Food Drive, and now he’s doubled up on his efforts to help military families in need by breaking the record for Most Toys Collected in 24 Hours.

“The whole event is a three day process between the set-up, the drive, and tear down. And before that it’s nearly a year’s worth of planning and logistics,” says Andrew. “There’s a tendency to lie awake the night before and hope it’s not all for nothing. But regardless of whether we beat the record or not, we were focused on the most important thing which was getting the toys to families.”

He needn’t have worried. Andrew and his team beat the previous record by a long shot — raising 52,706 pounds of toys for low-income families and the children of deployed military personnel. That’s nearly 8,000 pounds more than the old record.

The event, which was called “Toys for Little Troops,” was sponsored by tech company Lenovo, who has U.S. headquarters in Morrisville, North Carolina. The drive was so successful that the USVC anticipates they’ll be able to provide toys to kids along the east coast long after the holidays are over. It also allowed Andrew to put his degree to work, by producing all of the promotional media leading up to the event.

“We made commercials to get the word out, and we also produced a time-lapse video to help in the documentation process for Guinness,” he says.

As to whether the USVC will go for more world records in the future, Andrew says he’s just happy to help out kids and families. It’s a legacy he’s working to pass on to his own children.

“I hope they realize what’s possible. When I was a kid, I didn’t think I’d ever achieve a Guinness World Record, let alone two. But if you plan and put in the time, you can do it. It’s the people who don’t even try who fail.”

As another year draws to a close, we’re taking time to reflect on some of the amazing things our graduates accomplished in 2016. From movies, music, and games to the ever expanding worlds of business and technology, nearly every facet of the entertainment and media industries benefitted from the hard work of Full Sailors around the globe. We couldn’t be more proud, and while it’s a small sampling of the overall achievements of our community, we’ve collected a few highlights from the year.

• In March, Carlos Alonso became the first ever graduate of Full Sail’s Simulation and Visualization degree program. Since then, he’s landed a gig as a VR Developer for Animatic Media.
• We checked in with Razor Edge Games, an indie game studio employing more than 20 Full Sail graduates across the entire spectrum of the game development pipeline.
• Recording Arts grad Stephen Glicken talked to us about his decades-long journey through the music industry and how it led him to his current position as the Head of Business Development at Songkick. “I didn’t sleep for five years,” he says.
• Early next year, six new grads will take their place among the greats as they’re inducted into Full Sail’s Eighth Annual Hall of Fame. Watch this space to find out more about the inductees in the coming weeks, and in the meantime, head on over to the official Hall of Fame website to learn more.
• Although she hasn’t been out of school long, Creative Writing grad Khadijah Holgate is already making waves as part of LA Skins Fest’s Native American TV Writers Lab. The five week intensive lab allowed Khadijah access to writing execs and other industry professionals who helped her workshop an original pilot script.
• This summer, dozens of grads headed out on a 41-day trek as part of the 2016 Vans Warped Tour. We caught up with several of those grads in a two-part series, featuring a behind-the-scenes look at the tour and a look at what life on the road is really like.
• Software developer, choreographer, and all around force of nature Nirmesh Gollamandala shared his insight into how to be everything (hint: anything is possible when you connect your brain to a computer.
• Up and coming artist and producer FKi 1st talked secrets of his success in an exclusive Q&A. “Find your road and drive down it,” he says. “Then push, push, push.”
• Film grad Benjamin Eck’s Star Wars fan film Jakku: First Wave was a viral sensation. We got the story behind its making, including which famous war movie inspired the film emotional final monologue.
• Chuck McGinnis talked putting his Business Intelligence Master’s degree to work in the next phase of his decades-long military career.
• Grads Chris Martignago (Director of A&R Research, Atlantic Records) and Jason Ross (owner, TSM Studio) joined members of the Full Sail faculty to present a town hall seminar on music business education at the fourth annual Music Biz conference in Nashville.
• We looked back on grad Jonathan Mayer’s (Senior Music Manager at Sony Interactive Entertainment) journey from studio apprentice to working on some of gaming’s biggest franchises, including Uncharted and The Last of Us.

Steven C. Miller has spent his life watching people watch movies, and over the decades he’s learned many things. Namely how to use tension and drama to get a reaction out of an audience.

“I like to think my movies offer people a moment where they can experience something different,” he says. “A moment where they don’t have a care in the world. Where whatever’s happening to them, good or bad, they can sit for a while and be transported.”

This February, Steven will take his place among the the inductees of Full Sail’s Eighth Annual Hall of Fame, and with good reason. Since graduating from Full Sail’s Film degree program in 2004, he has worked consistently as an independent writer, director, and editor specializing in horror and action films. Many of his independent films have defied the pitfalls of obscurity, becoming cult hits among devotees of the genre. Last year, he made the jump to studio director, signing a multi-picture deal with Lionsgate that has thus far resulted in two films starring action icon Bruce Willis — 2014’s Extraction and 2016’s Marauders. A third film, Arsenal, starring Nicolas Cage and John Cusack is set to release January 6th.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” says Steven. “To be able to act as a role model to students is something I especially enjoy, because I didn’t necessarily have a someone to mentor me when I first started out.”

As a new grad, Steven followed in the footsteps of countless burgeoning filmmakers trying to gain a foothold in the industry by moving to Los Angeles. He arrived, as many do, excited and ready to work. But the work never came. Steven was faced with a difficult choice: stay and tough it out, or return home and try to make something with what little resources he had.

“I decide I would come back to Florida  to film my first movie, Automaton Transfusion. I called Full Sail and said, ‘I’m coming back. Is there any time frame coming up where I can use some of the facilities?’ Luckily, it was around the 4th of July holiday break, so there was a nine-day window where I was able to come back and make the film.”

Nine days is not a lot of time, especially when it comes to filming a feature-length film. But throughout his career, speed is something Steven’s built a reputation upon. Most films average around 25 set-ups per day. Steven’s films average somewhere around 80 set-ups per day, but he’s gone as high as 130.

Soon, word of Automaton Transfusion began to buzz through the internet, driven mainly by an early cut of the film’s trailer. That buzz led to a meeting with New Line Cinema executives, who expressed interest before the movie was even completed. As soon as filming wrapped, Steven headed back to L.A.

“I was living out of my car and editing the movie on my MacBook,” recalls Steven. “When it was done, I took it in to New Line. I was so excited. We watched it together, and it was an immediate no. They didn’t like the film at all.”

New Line passing was a huge blow, but Steven chose to take it as motivation to fight even harder for the film’s release. He spent the next two years shopping Automaton Transfusion around to anyone who would listen. Eventually, he brokered a deal with Dimension and the Weinstein Company to release the film straight to DVD, and the film became something of a cult classic among horror buffs, which led to Steven getting an agent and a manager. More directorial opportunities followed. Notably, the action thriller The Aggression Scale and the Christmas-themed horror film Silent Night. As Steven gained more and more experience, he also built up a solid roster of collaborators and a signature style that he continues to cultivate even today.

“I like to say my movies are kinetic. They have a pace, and a good sense of excitement to them, even in scenes that are somewhat still or silent,” he says.

“This 100 percent reflects who I am as a person,” he continues. “I do not sit still. You can see that on set, you can feel it in my camera work, and in my movies. That becomes part of the movie’s excitement, that energy and pace that we push through, that we bring to set, all goes into the movie. You can feel that when you watch my films.”

The success of his work in the independent realm, coupled with his reputation for extraordinary speed and professionalism, eventually led Steven to his work at Lionsgate, where he continues to turn out high octane thrillers for both foreign and domestic markets. It wasn’t an easy road, says Steven, but it was always part of the plan. There’s more to that plan, of course, more dreams to chase and conquer. But for now, you can find him sitting in the audience, watching and thinking up new ways to entertain you.

“I’ve been hit by just about everything you can be hit with,” he says. “With each movie, I get better. As long as I’m progressing in a way that feels bigger and better, I know I can handle whatever’s next.”

For more information about Steven and this year’s other inductees, head over to the official Hall of Fame website.

Our Year in Review series features the best of life at Full Sail in 2016, highlighting award-winning grads, student work, industry guests, and more.

Once again, Full Sail grads left their mark on a number of high-profile releases this year, putting in hard work on everything from blockbuster films and GRAMMY-nominated albums, to highly anticipated games and award-winning TV shows. Check out some of the big titles that our grads were credited on this year:

Rogue One

Matthew E. Gill (Computer Animation, ’10) – Roto Department Manager

Cale Schmidt (Computer Animation, ’15) – Stereoscopic Compositor

Daniel Schrepf (Computer Animation, ’07) – Roto Supervisor, Stereo Roto Supervisor

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

Jose Gloria (Computer Animation, ’14) – Technical Animator

Alex Hanneman (Computer Animation, ’15) – Digital Compositor

Gautama Murcho (Computer Animation, ’09) – Digital Compositor

Philip Rosado (Computer Animation, ’07) – Sr. Matchmove

Doctor Strange

Jason T. Clark (Film, ’06) – Art Director

Jordan Watts (Film, ’08) – Art Assistant

Juan Peralta (Recording Arts, ’96) – Re-Recording Mixer

Kevin Bolivar (Computer Animation, ’14) – Tracking & Matchmove

Shaun Comly (Digital Media, ’98) – CG Supervisor

Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice

Mark Ferrer (Computer Animation, ’10) – Compositing Artist

Jeffery J. Hart (Film, ’09) – Lead Roto/Paint Artist

Daniel Morales (Computer Animation, ’14) – Technical Animator

Star Trek Beyond

Devin Fairbairn (Computer Animation, ’05) – Visual FX Producer

Jessica Bagby (Computer Animation, ’14) – Stereo Compositor

Captain America: Civil War

Patrick Redmond (Film, ‘97) – Edge Head Technician

Alex Boyum (Film, ’14) – Picture Cars Assistant

Ashley Saunders (Film, ’06) – Housing Coordinator

The Walking Dead: Season 7

Michael P. Clark (Recording Arts, ’99) – Production Sound Mixer

Kevin Bridge (Film, ’12) – Electrician

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End

Jonathan Mayer (Recording Arts ’00) – Sr. Music Manager, SCEA

Heather Cerlan (Computer Animation, ’06) – Texture Artist

Corey Johnson (Computer Animation, ’06) – Character Artist

Doom

Benjamin Miles (Game Development, ’14) – Associate Build Analyst

Joshua Bramer (Game Development, ’14) – Tools Programmer

Mark Diaz (Game Development, ’14) – Gameplay Programmer

Overwatch

Nigel Nikitovich (Computer Animation, ’09) – Compatibility Analyst II

David Clyde (Game Development, ’03) – Content Pipline Engineer

Dylan Jones (Computer Animation, ’06) – Senior Technical Artist

Kendrick Lamar – “To Pimp A Butterfly”

Andrew Coleman (Recording Arts, ’95) – Engineer

Hart Gunther (Recording Arts, ’00) – Engineer

Kelly Clarkson – “Piece by Piece”

Shawn Daugherty (Recording Arts, ’98) – Assistant Engineer

Jack Ü – Skrillex and Diplo Present Jack Ü

Joshua Gudwin (Recording Arts, ’06) – Vocal Engineer

Josh Groban – “Stages”

Jeremy Lertola (Recording Arts, ’11) – Assistant Engineer

Our Year in Review series features the best of life at Full Sail in 2016, highlighting award-winning grads, student work, industry guests, and more.

In 2016, Full Sail University was involved with several exciting local events, allowing the university to foster a beneficial relationship with the surrounding community. Here are some highlights of the events our students, faculty, and staff were involved with this year:

• At the start of the school year, Aloma Elementary School launched their Global Studies Academy with the help of two Full Sail Media Communications students who created an informative video about the Academy and the services it provides.
• Several students were selected to work as Ambassadors for the REVOLT Music Conference in Miami, an annual event for individuals interested in the music and media industry.
• Blogging and social media enthusiasts came to Full Sail in September to attend the fourth annual Florida Blogger & Social Media Conference (aka FLBlogCon).
• In October, students, faculty, and staff gathered downtown to take part in Orlando’s annual Come Out With Pride
• Representatives from Full Sail attended the 4th annual Music Biz Conference, where they discussed the best ways for music industry professionals to connect with higher education programs.
• Continuing the theme of giving back, volunteers from Full Sail help facilitate the 8th annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in downtown Orlando.
• Guest speakers from Full Sail’s Simulation & Visualization program attended The Orlando iX Conference, a networking event for professionals from the video game, virtual reality, and various digital arts industries.
• After working together since 2015, Universal Orlando Resort has recently announced plans to enhance its relationship with Full Sail University, including a new scholarship program for Universal employees.

When Film graduates Taylor Olson and Livingston Oden decided to come up with an original concept for a monster movie, they had no idea that this small idea would eventually result in Sony purchasing the rights to the film.

After graduating, Taylor moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career, but after running out of money, he returned home to Minnesota where he ran into fellow grad Livingston. Not wanting to stay stagnant, they took their careers into their own hands and decided to create a film from start to finish. Although it was a daunting task, the pair were excited to be moving forward with something.

Scratching several concepts that weren’t feasible, the grads eventually came up with an idea that would fit their small budget and could be filmed on location in Minnesota. After developing the script together, American Beast was born.

“American Beast is six segments/short films that are all connected in one way but work into one feature,” Taylor says. Taking place over the span of 80 years, each segment shows a different time period and how characters interacted with the monster throughout the years.

The Film graduates split the project down the middle, and each directed three segments for the final film. “Working together and splitting the tasks really took a lot of pressure off of us,” Livingston says. “Since this was our first film, it was a really nice way to introduce us to a feature instead of doing the entire thing alone.”

Once the film was completed, their entertainment lawyer connected them with a sales agent and a year and a half after the film was created, Sony bought the rights to the film. American Beast was first released overseas and on various streaming sites and is now being sold on Amazon.

For Taylor, seeing the final product find success was thrilling. “I just hoped it would get some kind of released in the US, and when I got the email that Sony would be selling the DVD in States, it was so much more than I expected.”

Elbert Perez was a junior in high school when he landed his first software development job.

“Our computer science class was more like an introduction to scripting. They were teaching us QBasic, which at the time was an archaic language,” recalls Elbert. “Still, I found I had a talent for scripting, and I was able to finish a basic game as part of a class project.”

The other kids in the class took notice and started going to him for help on their own projects. Eventually, Elbert just offered to do their work for them… for a small fee. True, some people might call that cheating, but the way Elbert sees it, it was a savvy business move.

“I was contracting out my services,” he laughs. “I don’t call that cheating, I call that being an entrepreneur.”

It’s been years since Elbert acted as a ringer for his classmates, but the entrepreneurial spirit remains. In addition to working for tech giants like Microsoft and HTC, he’s also successfully crowdfunded a critically acclaimed indie game and spent years cultivating various side hustles. At HTC, he was a Senior Software Prototype Developer for the HTC Vive, one of the most advanced VR headsets on the market. And he recently cashed it all in to start his own company, Doghead Simulations, which promises to change the way distributed teams work and relate to one another. Not bad for a kid who just wanted to make games.

“Making games was the only thing I could ever pursue with a passion. I couldn’t be a doctor because I don’t like blood. I couldn’t be an engineer because I don’t like having to be too precise. I couldn’t be a lot of things for one reason or another, but I liked that games require you to be creative and technical at the same time. I could do that.”

So after high school, Elbert made the 9,000 mile trek from his family’s home in the Philippines to Winter Park, Florida, where he enrolled in Full Sail’s Game Development degree program. It was a big change, but one he says continues to impact the way he navigates a career in tech.

“Full Sail instilled a work ethic in me that drives me to this day,” he says. “A big part of that is how passionate everyone around you can be. It’s a healthy competition. I didn’t want any of my peers to fail, but I wanted to patch their passion so that I didn’t get left behind.”

After graduating from Full Sail in 2005, Elbert picked up a contract job with Microsoft, who he worked with on and off for the better part of a year. At the same time, he was itching to make his own games. The Windows Phone had just launched, and there weren’t many developers putting out games for it, so Elbert took advantage of a niche market and put out 24 mobile games over a 12 month period. By the end of the year, Microsoft offered him a full time position as a technical producer.

Never one to get too comfortable, he also took an opportunity to launch a Kickstarter for Habitat, a 3D space-themed game he and his partner Charles Cox planned to distribute through Steam. The timing couldn’t have been better.

“I got laid off from Microsoft the same day we launched the Kickstarter. So I was let go at 9 a.m., and then we launched at 10 a.m., so I really only had one hour of grievance.”

In the end, Habitat was fully funded, though it never caught on as much as Elbert and Charles hoped. The experience of working on a 3D game was more than valuable, though. It led Elbert to apply for a job at HTC, where he spent the next year working on a top-secret project that would become the HTC Vive.

“What I love about VR is its ability to remove barriers,” says Elbert. “It allows people to have experiences that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.”

“Personally, I would never want to replace my reality,” he adds. “We’re a long way off from living in the Matrix, but virtual reality allows us to do magic, and to gain access to experiences that might be beyond our grasp in the real world.”

Shortly after the Vive’s release, Elbert announced his next project: to start a new company, Doghead Simulations, with fellow Full Sail graduate and Hall of Fame inductee Chance Glasco. The company boasts another Hall of Fame connection — 2011 inductee Jameson Durall is Director of Design. The company will base its operations out of Orlando, FL, and employ a crew of Full Sail faculty and alumni.

The decision to leave HTC and strike out on his own was not inconsiderable, but Elbert felt confident in the fact that he’d made a significant contribution to the shift toward virtual technology. In a way, this made the decision easier: he’d already been a part of something that would change the world, so the prospect of failing at a new venture didn’t seem so scary. More than that, he wanted the opportunity to push the limits of the technology, to really explore how virtual reality could transcend the novelty of entertainment into something that was truly useful.

This is the mentality behind rumii, Doghead Simulations’ flagship product. While products like Skype and Google Hangouts are great for casual, 2D interactions, rumii seeks to immerse distributed teams in a fully collaborative virtual space by combining teleconferencing with productivity tools like Kanban boards.

“I believe this technology will change how we communicate,” says Elbert. “When a group meets in rumii, it feels very natural, because you’re closer to the non-verbal social cues that let you know someone is listening to you —the nodding, the gestures. Social presence is escalated.”

It’s been a busy year, but through it all Elbert has made time to return to campus often, working with students in Full Sail’s game and simulation degree programs. Early next year, he’ll take his place along other outstanding members of the Full Sail community when he’s inducted into the Eighth Annual Hall of Fame.

“For me, the Hall of Fame is a great responsibility,” he says. “It means I’m elevating myself to the next level — I’m not just working for myself, but for my family, my friends, and the students who look up to me.”

2014 Hall of Fame inductee (and self-proclaimed soul patch aficionado) Ric Viers is the sound designer behind some of the best effects libraries in the business, and he recently introduced his latest collection of action movie sound effects to the world via a short film shot entirely on Full Sail’s campus. Dozens of students, faculty, and grads worked on the film, including multi-Grammy Award winner Leslie Brathwaite, who co-starred in the production.

Borrowing from seminal action films like Lethal Weapon and John Carpenter’s 1988 cult classic They Live, Off the Record follows the exploits of an unlikely pair of crimefighters. Leslie plays a cop one week away from retirement when he’s paired up with a hot shot sound recordist (played by Ric) looking to make some noise. The two are swept up in one final case and, well, you can probably figure out the rest.

The film also features cameos by fellow Hall of Famers Joey Morelli and Larry Katz, as well as a brief appearance by Full Sail President Garry Jones. In regard to the production, Ric says he wanted to give students a chance to work on something fun and instructive.

“I wrote the script with Full Sail’s backlot in mind,” he explains. “I knew the location would be the perfect setting for multiple shootouts and car chases.”

Joining Ric on the three day shoot were his four Detroit Chop Shop interns, three of which were graduates of Full Sail’s audio degree programs. Scott Slotnick (Music Production), Joel Thomas (Recording Arts), Tara Kathleen (Recording Arts), and Josh Kramer made the trek to campus from Detroit, Michigan, where they aided in production and shot behind-the-scenes footage that will be used in the sixth season of Ric’s Chop Shop web series.

After filming was completed, Ric and his interns headed back to Detroit to finish recording sounds for the project. All of the foley work, including editing, ADR, and mixing, was done in-house by Ric and the interns. Once the film was done, the group traveled back to Full Sail to premier the final product for the cast and crew.

As for Ric, he said he’ll always look back on the production fondly, despite sustaining an injury or two during the filming process.

“I’m not in any way physically coordinated,” he says. “There’s a scene where I had to crawl through a ventilation shaft, and I came out of it with a ton of bumps, scraps, and bruises. I guess this is why people hire stunt performers. We tried, but nobody could get the soul patch to stay on under the production lights.”

Check out the trailer for Off the Record below.

As Founder and Creative Director of LUXE Creative, a full service event production studio based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Martin Potoczny lives to create beautiful experiences. Over the years, he’s lit corporate events for entities like MIT, Virgin Atlantic, and Microsoft. He’s toured with Madonna, Rihanna, Roger Waters, and designed the award-winning production lighting for Lady Antebellum’s first major tour. He’s also brought his unique brand of energy to Full Sail’s campus, first as a Show Production student and later on as a lighting designer for Hall of Fame. This year, he’ll step into the spotlight and take his place among the other inductees in the Eighth Annual Hall of Fame.

In addition to his accolades, Martin has always understood what researchers are only recently coming to understand, which is that experiences consistently provide more happiness to consumers than material things, which tend to lose their novelty quickly. Experiential purchases provide consumers with positive memories that remain affirmative (or even improve) in the retelling, and in the event that things do not go as planned, then at least you’ve got a good story.

This is the brand philosophy behind LUXE Creative, an effort born out of Martin’s post graduate experiences as a lighting designer, first for corporate events and later, for some of the biggest tours around. After four years, he ultimately left touring to return to his hometown of Pittsburgh in order to be closer to his family. No longer the industrial steel town of his youth, Martin found a city in the grip of a full-fledged arts and culture renaissance. He attended a few charity events around town, and was surprised to find that they were put on by production companies based in other cities. Seeing an opportunity, he decided to fill that niche.

Now, nearly ten years in, LUXE has become one of the most sought-after producers of luxury creative experiences not only in Pittsburgh, but the entire Northeast. Often, Martin’s clients are trusting him to distill their most meaningful milestones into a singular, celebratory experience, and he’s built a reputation on his ability know just what to do (and when) to evoke a feeling at a special event.

“A wedding, a 50th anniversary, the centennial celebration of a global corporation. These are huge milestones, and when a client chooses to celebrate them, it’s not just about the moment, it’s about the bigger picture. It’s our job to convey all of that hard work and passion into a single, culminating experience.

“You have to pay attention to the smallest details if you want to make the technical feel like magic,” he says.

For example, last year Martin and his team wanted to create an cozy, rustic vibe for a private event. He found the perfect faux fur accent rug for the occasion. There was just one problem: The retailer only had a few of the rugs in stock. Martin needed more than 30 to complete the look of the space. A competing local retailer carried a similar product in bulk, but the color was just slightly off. Whereas other firms might have compromised on the color of the rugs for the sake of simplicity, Martin and his team spent several days driving to various parts of the state, buying up a handful of rugs at a time until they had enough for the event.

To someone outside of Martin’s world, these details might seem overly specific, but he’ll be the first to tell you that each individual design component adds up to a comprehensive sensory experience, which is crucial when it comes to eliciting emotion from a crowd.

“There is a formula I’ve figured out over the years that is scalable,” he says. “There are a few anchor points to a really great experience — when you play certain notes in combination with a certain color of light, or hit people with a certain scent in a room that’s the right temperature. These things will physically pull at their bodies.”

This intersection of psychology, immersion, and technical execution was also the inspiration behind last year’s Thrival Innovation and Music Festival, an event featuring music and presentations geared towards technology and start-up culture. As creative director for the project, Martin designed all of production elements of the festival and worked with other luminaries in the community to oversee programming.

He also recently expanded LUXE’s physical headquarters, moving his team into a 21,000-square-foot warehouse facility bordered by floor-to-ceiling windows and housing an impressive collection of vintage neon signs. It’s an expansive space bursting with light, which, for Martin is the thing he always comes back to when starting a new project.

“We evoke emotion through energy,” he says. “And what is light but energy we can see and feel?”

Throughout his career, 2004 Film graduate Stephen Beres has been on the forefront of huge technological advances in filmmaking.

One of his first jobs was with Apple, teaching key clients (think superstar editors) how to use Final Cut Pro. In his current role as Vice President of Media Technology and Production Operations for HBO West Coast, he spearheaded the network’s shift away from shooting costly film to shooting digitally. He’s worked on many of your favorite shows, including Westworld, Sesame Street, Girls, The Newsroom, and Game of Thrones, the latter of which was one of the first shows to shoot with the ARRI Alexa when it was still a just prototype. In just a few weeks, he’ll be inducted into Full Sail’s Eighth Annual Hall of Fame.

“I’m a hands-on kind of person,” says Stephen. “I love film, but what I really love is the act of making things.”

Before the term “maker” was associated with a movement, Stephen was a theater kid who enjoyed building sets and tinkering with equipment. He describes stagecraft as “Navy SEAL training for the world of production,” because of how thoroughly it helped hone his ability to problem solve on the fly. When it came time to choose a university, he wanted a school that prioritized craft over theory. That search led him to enroll in Full Sail’s Film degree program.

After graduation, Stephen moved to L.A. where he landed a gig working on a low-budget horror film. This was in 2004, at the beginning of the indie filmmaking boom that arrived on the heels of digital technology made cheaper and more widely available to anyone with a couple of free weekends and a script. Suddenly, there was no shortage of directors seeking cheap post-production services.

Stephen got to talking with a few friends on set. If it was possible to shoot a movie using off-the-shelf equipment, why couldn’t they do the same thing with post-production?

“A big post house was going to charge these filmmakers way too much money, and they didn’t have the resources or the skills to finish something on their own,” he says.

A half-dozen Macintoshes later, Stephen and his friends opened Plaster City, a boutique post-production house specializing in digital media and catering to the independent crowd. Over the next six years, Plaster City built a steady roster of clients, eventually picking up higher profile work as digital photography became more prevalent. One of those clients was HBO.

“This show came along that was going to shoot in Northern Ireland, but it was basically impossible to shoot film in that location. Budgetarily, logistically, it would have been impossible,” he says.

That show was Game of Thrones. The network was at a crossroads. On one hand, they were committed to moving forward with the project. On the other, they were committed to maintaining the look and feel of their brand. Based on his work at Plaster City, they decided to bring Stephen in to pioneer the network’s shift to digital.

“Over the course of six years, we transitioned from 97 percent film to 97 percent digital, What makes an HBO show — good storytelling, fresh voices — has stayed the same. But we managed to modernize our process through technology. Now, we try to help guide our shows through what can sometimes be a treacherous path,” says Stephen.

He means this literally. In 2013, he worked with RED on the Epic RED Dragon, a 6K camera featuring a carbon fiber body that’s light enough to be hoisted by a drone. The first two RED Dragons were used in production on Game of Thrones, enabling the team to get shots that would have otherwise been impossible due to safety risks the rocky Icelandic terrain posed to the crew.

For a guy who grew up as a self-described gear head, getting to work with the best equipment on the planet is an actual dream come true. But Stephen also understands the importance of story first, especially in a world where rapidly advancing technology goes hand-in-hand with plummeting costs. These days, everyone has the ability to make great-looking content, which makes substance all the more crucial.

“How a show speaks to the audience as a visual or as an auditory experience is largely to do with the work that we do,” he says. “In that way, yes, we have to be very creative. But we can’t make decisions just for technology’s sake. Are we making a decision to pursue a particular type of distribution? Or do we go with 4K because it chases some technology down the road? Does that impact our viewers in a way that’s meaningful? Sometimes it doesn’t. We have to be really careful that we’re not getting so enamored with the gear that we take our eyes off what makes people invest in our content so deeply on a personal level.”

With just a few days to go until Full Sail’s Eighth Annual Hall of Fame celebration, we’ve made a list of the top can’t-miss opportunities for this year’s events. Hall of Fame Week features panel discussions, workshops, career and technology expos, game competitions, live music, interactive activities, and much more.

The easiest way to stay connected with all of the action during Hall of Fame? Download the new Hall of Fame app from the App Store of Google Play for a full list of every single presentation, workshop, or special event during the week. Click here for instructions on how to download the app, and visit Connect to view a full list of features the app has to offer. We’ve also created a how-to guide for Hall of Fame week for our campus and online students.

The week culminates with the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where six of Full Sail’s most accomplished graduates will be honored for their professional achievements in their industry as well as their contributions to the Full Sail community. This year, the ceremony will be open to all students, faculty, and staff, and will take place on the main stage right outside of Full Sail Live. Students will also get their own afterparty with live music, entertainment, and prize giveaways.

Hall of Fame Week takes place February 12-16. Be sure to join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook by using the hashtag #FullSailHOF.

Panels, Presentations, Workshops, and Networking

• Join Hall of Fame inductee Keith Guerette for The Ever-Adapting Role of Visual Effects Artists where he’ll discuss the current state of the industry, where it’s heading, and what it means to be a VFX artist within it all.
• Hall of Fame inductee Stephen Beres will explain the behind-the-scenes process of creating an episode in Game of Thrones’ Script-to-Screen.
• Full Sail grad Phil Pallen will teach you how to create your own personal brand so that you can take the world head on the minute you graduate in his new workshop series, Brand (New) You: A Multi-Day Personal Branding Workshop.
• Recent Full Sail grads will discuss their transition from school to careers in the design, film, recording arts, and entertainment business industries during From Full-Time Student to Full-Time Job.
• Discover How to Position Yourself for Success in Today’s Game Industry with Full Sail grads and Hall of Fame inductees.
• Hall of Fame inductees and Full Sail grads will introduce you to tips to take your game to the next dimension in VR Development Tips with Doghead Simulations.
• Join Hall of Fame inductees Leslie Brathwaite and Jordan “DJ Swivel” Young for a Live Mix Session of the song of their choosing.
• Full Sail grad Michael LaPlante will discuss what it takes to create a successful company in Startups, Entrepreneurship, and Making Your Tech Business Work.
• Full Sail grads and Hall of Fame inductees discuss what it’s like to be on both sides of the interviewing process during Getting – and Keeping – Your Dream Job.
• Join Full Sail grads at the Independent Filmmaking in the Age of YouTube panel as they discuss how YouTube can function as a hub for your work and help you reach new audiences.
• Hall of Fame inductee Steve Switaj will explain the industry’s new approach to animation in Implementing New Technology in a Creative Environment.
• Green Room sessions and work-review sessions – featuring past Hall of Fame inductees – will offer students an opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback in a close-up environment.

Expos and Extras

• Our annual GRAMMY celebration kicks off the week on Sunday, February 12 in Full Sail Live. Red carpet starts at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. Be sure to keep an eye out for past and present Hall of Fame inductees in the crowd!
• The Full Sail University Career Expo Sponsored by SAIC will take place on Monday, February 13 from 12 – 5 p.m. in Full Sail Live. IZEA, IBM Design, Orlando Productions, and Universal Orlando are just a few of the companies that will be on hand to speak with students and alumni.
• A new Technology Expo will feature representatives from companies including Sony, Apple, Sennheiser, and Wacom, as well as local indie game companies. Check it out on Tuesday, February 13 from 12 – 4 p.m. in Full Sail Live.
• The game competition will now span two days, from Monday, February 13 to Tuesday, February 14 from 7 – 10:30 p.m. inside Full Sail Live. Sign up on Connect to compete in Smash Bros or Rocket League, as well as an Overwatch tournament designated specifically for our online students – hosted by Twitch partner DeejayKnight.
• Throughout the week, there will be interactive creative challenges in the 3B parking lot for students and staff to enjoy. Activities include a silent disco, rock wall, mini golf, and giant Jenga.
• Two stages – set up under the Full Sail Studios archway and in the parking lot near 3F – will feature movie screenings and live music throughout the week.

Six Full Sail faculty members recently presented at the Orange County Library Systems Writers Conference in Downtown Orlando. The free one-day event featured writers from all over Central Florida sharing tips and tools to inspire the more than 100 aspiring authors in attendance.

Presenters included Film Production MFA Course Directors Jennie Jarvis and Allen Gorney, Creative Writing Course Directors Nicole Oquendo and Tom Lucas, and English Course Directors Karen Price and Leslie Salas. Presentation topics included self-publishing and marketing techniques, tips for writing dialogue, tips for creating memorable characters, and more.

Leslie and Nicole co-taught a workshop on cultivating diversity in fiction, where they urged attendees to explore different points of view as a way to appeal to a broad audience. In addition to highlighting best practices for crafting diverse characters, the duo also provided exercises and prompts designed to help writers build diverse characters on the fly, taking into account things like gender, race, socio-economic status, age, and disability.

“We need diverse books,” says Leslie. “And publishers are beginning to realize this. A lot of agents are actively seeking work that showcases diverse points of view, regardless of genre.”

Tom taught a session on world-building designed to work across genres.

“In a traditional sense, world-building tends to apply to science fiction and fantasy writing,” he says. “But I expanded that definition to include any writing that seeks to achieve a really authentic setting.

“The event was a great success,” he added. “It allowed me to put myself out there in a different way, and to represent our program.”

Nearly every one of us has a memory associated with the moment we first heard a particularly meaningful song, and Recording Arts grad Andrew Coleman is no different.

“I was in Virginia working on the first N*E*R*D. record. We were recording a song called ‘Run to the Sun,’ and my wife called to tell me we were going to have a baby,” recalls Andrew. “Now, whenever I hear that song, I think of my daughter.”

Lots of Andrew’s stories start off this way, with the attachment of music to a specific moment in time. That’s because he’s spent more than 20 years working as a recording engineer, mixer, and producer for artists like Gwen Stefani, Madonna, Zac Brown Band, Bruno Mars, Snoop Dogg, Little Big Town, and more. As chief engineer for the Neptunes, the superstar production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, Andrew won his first GRAMMY award in 2004 for his work on Justin Timberlake’s Justified. A second GRAMMY followed in 2014 for Pharrell’s album Girl. Andrew is also an accomplished guitarist, with performance credits on a slew of recordings, most recently for the likes of Ed Sheeran on his hit single “Sing.” This year, all of Andrew’s hard work will be honored with an induction into Full Sail’s Eighth Annual Hall of Fame.

After graduating form Full Sail in the mid-90’s, Andrew landed a gig as a freelance engineer at a small studio in Virginia Beach. Producers like Timbaland and Teddy Riley had moved in a few years before, and the area was an up-and-coming recording destination for hip-hop and R&B acts. Despite having a background as a rock guitarist, he found himself fitting into the scene easily.

“It was a style of music I didn’t really anticipate working on, but the more I got into it, the more I enjoyed things like program sequencing and drum sampling,” he says.

In addition to expanding Andrew’s musical horizons, that job yielded another boon in the form of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo — at the time, a couple of kids in their 20’s looking to make a record. Pharrell had worked with SWV and Noreaga, and he’d written Teddy Riley’s verse on “Rump Shaker,” back in 1992, but neither he nor Chad was anywhere near a household name at that point. The studio manager offered the project to Andrew, and he ran with it. Twenty-one years later, he’s still Chad and Pharrell’s go-to engineer. For Andrew, his many accolades and decades of experience come secondary to a desire to keep evolving in his career.

“I’d be a fool to think I know everything,” he says. “I’m still a student.”

He sees recording as an art form marrying composition and balance with spontaneous bursts of creative energy preserved in time, like an audible snapshot.

“Of all the things I do — engineering, mixing, producing — I enjoy engineering the most. You get to interact with an artist, often down to a particular instrumental or vocal. The world is going to hear that music as you captured it for perpetuity, and I find that very satisfying.”

An essential part of engineering is knowing when to recognize those rare moments, says Andrew. He remembers laying down synth tracks one night in the studio with Chad, Pharrell and Snoop Dogg. Chad was trying out new riffs on the keyboard when a repeated motif caught Andrew’s ear. Without thinking, he hit record.

“That take ended up being the synth line in ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot,’ which is probably one of the most popular synth lines out there. It was one take, just a special moment,” he says. “It’s like that. One song can change everything for me. One melody, one hook. It just takes a single moment to rekindle my fire.”

It’s always like that, whether he’s listening to radio in the car with his kids, or sharing what he’s learned over the years with Full Sail students.

“I like to think there’s some of me in a lot of the stuff I do,” he says. “Once an artist comes into that control room, the whole world shuts down. It’s just you and them. You’re capturing a sound that’s only ever going to happen once, and [it’s there] forever. Twenty years later, you hear it on the radio and you remember exactly where you were when you recorded that. It brings you back.”

With the GRAMMY Awards right around the corner, we are excited to announce that Full Sail alumni are once again represented amongst the nominations. In total, 41 graduates are credited on 46 artist releases in 36 categories.

Of the 41 graduates nominated, four are eligible to take home their own GRAMMY award: Ben “Ben Billions” Diehl for his work as a composer, producer, and engineer for Beyoncé’s album “Lemonade,” Joshua “Josh” Gudwin for his work as a composure and engineer on Justin Bieber’s “Purpose,” Jordan “DJ Swivel” Young for his work as a engineer and vocal producer on Chainsmokers’ “Don’t Let Me Down,” and Dylan Dresdow for his work as an engineer on Prince’s “Hit N Run Phase Two.”

Our annual GRAMMY Celebration at Full Sail Live will be held on Sunday, February 12 and will be the kick off event for Full Sail’s Hall of Fame week. Students and staff are invited to attend the event, walk the red carpet, and join the festivities. Don’t miss out on the prizes, giveaways, and much more! If you are unable to come to campus, be sure to join the conversation online using #FullSailGRAMMYS.

Congratulations to all the nominees! The complete list of Full Sail alumni credited on this year’s GRAMMY nominated projects are as follows:

Record of the Year

Beyoncé – “Formation”

• Buny “Maddox” Chhim (Recording Arts, 2012) Mixing Assistant
• David Nakaji (Recording Arts, 2009) Assistant, Mixing

Twenty One Pilots – “Stressed Out”

• Brent Arrowood (Recording Arts, 2004) Assistant

Album of the Year

Beyoncé – Lemonade

• Ben “Ben Billions” Diehl (Entertainment Business, 2005; Recording Arts, 2004) Composer, Producer, Engineer
• Buny “Maddox” Chhim (Recording Arts, 2012) Mixing Assistant
• David Nakaji (Recording Arts, 2009) Assistant, Mixing

Justin Bieber – Purpose

• Aaron Kory (Recording Arts, 2005) Assistant
• Buny “Maddox” Chhim (Recording Arts, 2012) Mixing Assistant
• Joshua “Josh” Gudwin (Recording Arts, 2006) A&R, Composer, Engineer, Mixing, Producer, Vocal Engineer

Song of the Year

Beyoncé – “Lemonade”

• Buny “Maddox” Chhim (Recording Arts, 2012) Mixing Assistant
• David Nakaji (Recording Arts, 2009) Assistant, Mixing

Justin Bieber – “Love Yourself”

• Joshua “Josh” Gudwin (Recording Arts, 2006) A&R, Composer, Engineer, Mixing, Producer, Vocal Engineer

Best Pop Solo Performance

Justin Bieber – “Love Yourself”

• Joshua “Josh” Gudwin (Recording Arts, 2006) A&R, Composer, Engineer, Mixing, Producer, Vocal Engineer

Best Pop Duo/Group Performance

The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey – “Closer”

• Jordan “DJ Swivel” Young (Recording Arts, 2005) Engineer, Mixing, Vocal Producer, Vocals

Twenty One Pilots – “Stressed Out”

• Brent Arrowood (Recording Arts, 2004) Assistant

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

Willie Nelson – Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin

• Andrew Bollman (Recording Arts, 1998) Engineer
• Seth Morton (Recording Arts, 2005) Assistant Engineer

Best Pop Vocal Album

Justin Bieber – Purpose

• Aaron Kory (Recording Arts, 2005) Assistant
• Buny “Maddox” Chhim (Recording Arts, 2012) Mixing Assistant
• Joshua “Josh” Gudwin (Recording Arts, 2006) A&R, Composer, Engineer, Mixing, Producer, Vocal Engineer

Demi Lovato – Confident

• Phil Tan (Recording Arts, 1990) Mixing

Best Dance Recording

The Chainsmokers ft. Daya – “Don’t Let Me Down”

• Jordan “DJ Swivel” Young (Recording Arts, 2005) Engineer, Mixing, Vocal Producer, Vocals

Best Rock Song

James Hetfield & Lars Ulrich (Metallica) – “Hardwired”

• Jason Gossman (Recording Arts, 2001) Digital Editing

Best R&B Performance

Ro James – “Permission”

• Buny “Maddox” Chhim (Recording Arts, 2012) Assistant
• David Nakaji (Recording Arts, 2009) Assistant

Best Traditional R&B Performance

Jill Scott – “Can’t Wait”

• Vincent Dilorenzo (Recording Arts, 1999) Engineer

Best R&B Song

Bryson Tiller – “Exchange”

• Fabian Marasciullo (Recording Arts, 1998) Mixing

Best Urban Contemporary Album

Beyoncé – Lemonade

• Ben “Ben Billions” Diehl (Entertainment Business, 2005; Recording Arts, 2004) Composer, Producer, Engineer
• Buny “Maddox” Chhim (Recording Arts, 2012) Mixing Assistant
• David Nakaji (Recording Arts, 2009) Assistant, Mixing

Best Rap Album

DJ Khaled – Major Key

• Ben “Ben Billions” Diehl (Entertainment Business, 2005; Recording Arts, 2004) Composer, Producer, Engineer
• Buny “Maddox” Chhim (Recording Arts, 2012) Mixing Assistant
• David Nakaji (Recording Arts, 2009) Assistant, Mixing
• Jeff Villanueva (Recording Arts, 1998) Engineer

Best Country Solo Performance 

Maren Morris ­– “My Church”

• Dave Clauss (Recording Arts, 2006) Engineer, Mixing

Carrie Underwood – “Church Bells”

• Jerry Flowers (Recording Arts, 1992) Bass, Vocals

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

Kenny Chesney & Pink – “Setting The World On Fire”

• Seth Morton (Recording Arts, 2005) Assistant

Chris Young with Cassadee Pope – “Think Of You”

• William “Billy” Decker (Recording Arts, 1991) Mixing

Best Country Song

Thomas Rhett – “Die A Happy Man”

• Andrew “Drew” Bollman (Recording Arts, 1998) Assistant
• Shawn Daugherty (Recording Arts, 2004) Assistant

Best Country Album

Maren Morris – Hero

• Dave Clauss (Recording Arts, 2006) Engineer, Mixing

Keith Urban – Ripcord

• Dave Clauss (Recording Arts, 2006) Editing, Engineer
• Seth Morton (Recording Arts, 2005) Assistant

Best Jazz Vocal Album

Gregory Porter – Take Me To The Ally

• Todd Fairall (Recording Arts, 1992) Mixing
• Timothy “Tip” Wyman (Recording Arts, 2003) Mixing Assistant

Best Gospel Performance/Song

Shirley Caesar ft. Anthony Hamilton – “It’s Alright, It’s Ok”

• Esbin Ramirez (Recording Arts, 2009) Engineer

Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance

Lauren Daigle – “Trust In You”

• Sean Moffitt (Recording Arts, 2004) Mixing

Natalie Grant – “King Of The World”

• Sean Moffitt (Recording Arts, 2004) Mixing

Best Gospel Album

Tim Bowman Jr. – Listen

• Trehy Harris (Recording Arts, 2008) Engineer, Mxing

Shirely Ceaser – Fill This House

• Esbin Ramirez (Recording Arts, 2009) Engineer

Kirk Franklin – Losing My Religion

• Tre Nagella (Recording Arts, 1999) Engineer, Mixing

Best Contemporary Christian Music Album

All Sons & Daughters – Poets & Saints

• Sean Moffitt (Recording Arts, 2004) Mixing Engineer

Natalie Grant – Be One

• Sean Moffitt (Recording Arts, 2004) Mixing

Best Roots Gospel Album

Gaither Vocal Band – Better Together

• Alexander “Alex” Maglione (Recording Arts, 2014) Vocal Tracking

Best Latin Pop Album 

Diego Torres – Buena Vida

• Richard Bravo (Recording Arts, 1988) Percussion, Re-recording Engineer
• Rafael Sardina Iraculis (Recording Arts, 1993) Mixer

Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album

La Santa Cecilla – Buenaventrua

• Sebastian Krys (Recording Arts, 1991) Engineer, Mixing, Producer

Los Rakas – Los Rakas

• Sebastian Krys (Recording Arts, 1991) Composer

Best Traditional Blues Album

Luther Dickinson – Blues & Ballads

• Brad Blackwood (Recording Arts, 1996) Mastering

Best Reggae Album

Ziggy Marley – Ziggy Marley

• Justin Hergett (Recording Arts, 2008) Engineer

Rebelution – Falling Into Place

• Robert Marks (Recording Arts, 2003) Mixing
• Niko Marzouca (Recording Arts, 1998) Mixing

Best Musical Theater Album

Original Broadway Cast – Bright Star

• Seth Waldman (Recording Arts, 1998) Assistant Engineer

Original West End Cast – Kinky Boots

• Derik Lee (Recording Arts, 2005) Music Editor

Original Broadway Cast – Waitress

• Derik Lee (Recording Arts, 2005) Pro Tools Engineer

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

John Beasley – “Ask Me Now”

• Eric Wolfinger (Film, 2004) Band Photo

Best Recording Package

Rihanna – Anti

• Brendan Morawski (Recording Arts, 2010) Assistant
• Phil Tan (Recoding Arts, 1990) Mixing

Best Album Notes

Various Artists – “Ork Records”

• Adam Muñoz (Recording Arts, 1991) Engineer

Best Historical Album

Various Artists – “Ork Records”

• Adam Muñoz (Recording Arts, 1991) Engineer

Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical

Prince – Hit N Run Phase Two

• Dylan Dresdow (Recording Arts, 1997) Engineer

Best Classical Compendium

Esa-Pekka Salonen – “Zappa: 200 Motels”

• David Schwerkolt (Recording Arts, 2006) Assistant Engineer