While most children her age were excitedly slipping on brand new shoes for the upcoming school year, little Helynn Hallock was avidly inspecting the shoebox itself and marveling at the branding. “I knew from a very small age that I loved design,” she laughs.

Helynn enrolled in Full Sail’s Digital Arts & Design degree program on campus. It was here that her love for branding and unique design grew, and her career goals began to form. Everywhere she looked, Helynn was surrounded by branding and decided this specific niche was her calling.

“Everyone says that print is a dying form,” Helynn said. “But if you go to Walmart, you see all the packaging. It’s never going to die!”

So, Helynn spent her time in school mastering various skill sets she knew would come in handy in her desired industry. From 3D art, to coding and motion graphics, she wanted to fill her résumé with as much experience as possible.

“It’s really awesome that I chose Full Sail because I wanted to learn a little bit about everything,” Helynn said. “I chose this school because I thought I would be better prepared for anything that I might want to do.”

After graduation, Helynn was offered an internship with Gallagher Designs in Portland, Oregon where she was ecstatic to discover that her first project would be working with Nike. She soon grew tired of the Portland rain, and began to work for Sports Authority in Denver, Colorado where she helped design items for the company’s in-store brand, which to her amusement, once again included shoeboxes. When Sports Authority went out of business, Helynn was not deterred and moved back to Florida to look for work.

Arriving in sunny Florida once again, Helynn set off to work as a lead designer at Dixon Ticonderoga in Lake Mary. Fresh into her new position, she was handed a project made of designer dreams: branding and designing for the Bob Ross brand.

Helynn was thrilled to be heavily involved with a project surrounding an art legend like Bob Ross. In fact, Helynn soon found herself to be the only designer working on the massive project.

“Being the only one is stressful, but it’s awesome to know that my hands and my hands alone have been creating all of this,” Helynn said, but she also gets to go beyond design work. “I was hired for one role, but when [my employers] found out that I went to Full Sail and know how to create videos, or code, they started asking me to do more for projects.”

Now fully settled into her position, Helynn has been working tirelessly to reshape the brand into something a little less retro ‘70s and a little more modern. Using clean lines and modern design, her work pays homage to the tradition of the brand while also making it to appealing the newer audiences. “When you have a name like Bob Ross, how do you honor that person, and how do you not take away from the art that he has already created but also put your spin on it? That’s the challenge.”

Samples of Helynn’s work with the Bob Ross brand

Our students are passionate about the arts, and often that passion is the direct result of the support and encouragement of a great teacher. This year, Full Sail took time to recognize one extraordinary educator during the Eighth Annual Hall of Fame festivities.

Edson Beckett is a Digital Arts and AP Arts teacher at Flagler Palm Coast High School, where he has spent nearly 30 years instructing students in the disciplines of digital design, photography, and ceramics.

“We were looking to honor someone who we felt aligned with the core Full Sail values,” said Joel Pickering, Full Sail’s Community Outreach manager. “We’ve known Ed for a long time. He’s not only a mentor for his students, but also for other educators.”

Over the years, Ed has seen many of his students go on to attend Full Sail, including three Best and Brightest scholarship recipients. As part of his recognition, Ed was invited to tour the campus and attend the official Hall of Fame ceremony as a guest of the school. The former Flagler County Teacher of the Year said it was nice to be recognized, but he’d rather shift the focus from himself to his kids.

“I’m amazed and completely honored,” he said. “But I’d rather brag about my students. I currently have over 50 former students making a living in either graphic design or photography. For me, that’s the best reward there is.”

The 89th Annual Academy Awards will be on Sunday, February 26, and we are once again proud to announce that multiple Full Sail grads are credited on Oscar-nominated projects. In total, 150 graduates are credited on 37 nominated films across 21 categories.

In the Motion Picture of the Year category, we had 28 graduates credited on the nominated films for roles including foley mixer, digital compositor, and art director.

The complete list of Full Sail graduates listed on nominated projects for the 89th Annual Academy Awards are as follows:

La La Land
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
ACHIEVEMENT WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (SCORE)
ACHIEVEMENT WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)
ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Blake Goedde (Computer Animation, 2014) Digital Compositor
• Fiifi Aggrey (Computer Animation, 2015) Digital Compositor

Moonlight
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
ACHIEVEMENT WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Joshua Adeniji (Recording Arts, 2005) Supervising Sound Editor
• Mabel Barba (Film, 2011) Art Director
• Reynaldo Rodriguez (Film, 2006) Associate Production Supervisor

Arrival
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Daniel Kresco (Recording Arts, 1996) Score Mixer

Manchester by the Sea
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Nicholas Seaman (Recording Arts, 2012) Foley Mixer
• Felix Giuffrida (Film, 2010) “B” Camera
• Benjamin Zidel (Film, 2009) Location Assistant
• Gregory Merkel (Film, 2013) Production Assistant

Fences
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Judah Getz (Recording Arts, 2006) ADR Mixer
• Drew Webster (Recording Arts, 1995) Re-Recording Mix Technician
• Bradley Walkowiak (Film, 2008) Location Assistant

Lion
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
ACHIEVEMENT IN CINEMATOGRAPHY
ACHIEVEMENT WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SCORE)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Jonathan Jost (Entertainment Business, Recording Arts, 2005) ADR Mixer
• Jason “J” Seeman (Recording Arts, 2003) ADR Mixer
• Ryan Trippensee (Computer Animation, 2004) Digital Compositor

Hacksaw Ridge
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING
ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING

• Denise Deems (Internet Marketing, Creative Writing, 2017) Props
• Daniel Kresco (Recording Arts, 1996) Score Mixer

Hell of High Water
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
ACHIEVEMENT IN FILM EDITING
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• Austin Neira (Film, 2012) Art Department: Production Assistant
• Robert Dehn (Recording Arts, 2005) Sound Studio Manager
• Michael “Logan” Polizzotti (Film, 2009) Electrician
• Matthew Blackshear (Film, 2004) Digital Intermediate Editor

Hidden Figures
MOTION PICTURE OF THE YEAR
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

• Fiifi Aggrey (Computer Animation, 2015) Digital Compositor
• Blake Goedde (Computer Animation, 2014) Digital Compositor
• Brian Adams (Film, 2010) Rigging Electric
• Pete Chiaramonte (Film, 2007) BTS Cinematographer
• Qais Karadsheh (Film, 2015) BTS Digital Loader
• Alfredo Pasquel (Recording Arts, 2014) Score Mix Assistant
• Alex Boyum (Film, 2014) Set Production Assistant
• Zackary Ballou (Film, 2015) Production Assistant

Captain Fantastic
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

• Ben Benesh (Film, 2009) Grip
• Nathan Sloan (Film, 2009) Grip

Nocturnal Animals
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

• Geordy Sincavage (Recording Arts, 2002) Foley Mixer, Foley Supervision
• Paul Monroe (Film, 2009) Assistant Chief Lighting Technician
• Patrick Christensen (Recording Arts, 1998) ADR Mixer

Loving
PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

• Sean Piper (Computer Animation, Film, 2001) Dolly Grip

Moana
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR
ACHIEVEMENT WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURES (ORIGINAL SONG)

• Garrett Raine (Computer Animation, 2001) Character Technical Director
• Nathaniel Sims (Computer Animation, 2010) Effects Animator
• Jason Stellwag (Computer Animation, 2001) Tech Animator
• John Kahwaty (Computer Animation, 2008) Character Technical Director
• Chelsea Lavertu (Computer Animation, 2010) Look Development Artist

Zootopia
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM OF THE YEAR

• Jason Stellway (Computer Animation, 2001) Tech Animator
• Tamara Faralla (Digital Media, 1999) Layout/Finaling Artist
• Andrew Ford (Computer Animation, 2015) Animator
• Eric Provan (Computer Animation, 2005) Modeler
• Nicklas Puetz (Computer Animation, 2008) Modeler
• Benjamin R. Robinson (Recording Arts, 2010) Assistant Music Editor

Allied
ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN

• Christian Labarta (Film, 1997) Third Assistant Director
• James “Jeff” King (Recording Arts, 2012) Assistant Re-Recording Mixer
• Matthew “Matt” Blackshear (Film, 2004) Digital Intermediate Editor

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
ACHIEVEMENT IN COSTUME DESIGN
ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Paul A. Baccam (Computer Animation, 2008) Stereo Compositor
• Jessica Bagby (Computer Animation, 2014) Element QC, Stereo Compositor
• Nathan Benner (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Alex Bonacci (Computer Animation, 2013) Stereo Compositor
• Stephen Timothy Cooney (Graphic Design, 2007) Visual Effects Artist
• Bradley “Brad” Darrow (Computer Animation, 2010) Stereoscopic Supervisor
• Joshua Gengler (Computer Animation, 2004) Lead Element QC Artist
• Matthew E. Gill (Computer Animation, 2010) Roto Dept Manager
• Jose Gloria (Computer Animation, 2014) Technical Animation
• Ryan Greenwood (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Alex Hanneman (Computer Animation, 2015) Digital Compositor
• Liam Meakins (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Philip Rosado (Computer Animation, 2007) Senior Matchmove
• Cale Schmidt (Computer Animation, 2015) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Daniel Schrepf (Computer Animation, 2007) Stereoscopic Roto Supervisor
• Parker Smith (Computer Animation, 2012) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Davide Spotts (Graphic Design, 2014) Element QC Tester
• Marc Steinberg (Computer Animation, 2002) CG Modeler, Modeler
• Perry Stoutt II (Film, 2012) Stereo Artist
• Eric Timm (Film, 2010) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Jeremy Vanneman (Computer Animation, 2011) Senior Stereoscopic Compositor
• Gautama Murcho (Computer Animation, 2009) Digital Compositor

I Am Not Your Negro
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE OF THE YEAR

• John Guillen (Film, 2010) Key Grip

Life, Animated
BEST DOCUMENTARY FEATURE OF THE YEAR

• Dustin Capulong (Recording Arts, 2009) Assistant Re-Recording Mixer

4.1 Miles
BEST DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

• Bijan Sharifi (Recording Arts, 2010) Sound Effects Editor

Star Trek Beyond
ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

• Jessica Bagby (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Nathan Benner (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Alex Bonacci (Computer Animation, 2013) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Bradley Darrow (Computer Animation, 2010) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Devin Fairbairn (Computer Animation, 2005) Visual Effects Producer
• Joshua Gengler (Computer Animation, 2004) Lead Element QC Artist
• Matthew E. Gill (Computer Animation, 2010) Roto Dept Manager
• Ryan Greenwood (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Anthony “Tony” Lyons (Computer Animation, 2009) Lead Compositor
• Liam Meakins (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Cale Schmidt (Computer Animation, 2015) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Daniel Schrepf (Computer Animation, 2007) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Parker Smith (Computer Animation, 2012) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Eric Timm (Film, 2010) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Vincent Rosas (Computer Animation, 2009) Stereoscopic Artist

Suicide Squad
ACHIEVEMENT IN MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

• Meagan Skerchock (Film, 2011) Set Dresser: Los Angeles
• Jordan Watts (Film, 2008) Art Assistant
• Gary Rizzo (Recording Arts, 1993) Re-Recording Mixer
• Paul Berry (Computer Animation, 2004) PreVis/PostVis Artist The Third Floor
• Erik Classen (Computer Animation, 2009) Digital Compositor
• Mark Ferrer (Computer Animation, 2012) DN Compositing Artist: MPC
• Jerod Finn (Computer Animation, 2010) Roto/Paint Lead Artist
• Sean Castle Hitchcock (Computer Animation, 2009) Digital Compositor
• Andrew Hwang (Computer Animation, 2005) PreVis/PostVis Artist The Third Floor
• Ryan Jenkins (Computer Animation, 2004) Lighting Artist
• Reilly Lohr (Computer Animation, 2008) Texture Painter
• Steffan Lones (Computer Animation, 2015) FX Technical Director
• Pravin Mahtani (Computer Animation, 2012) Lead Artist
• Robert Reategui (Graphic Design, 2012) Stereo Compositor
• Patrick Scanlan (Computer Animation, 2007) PreVis/PostVis Artist The Third Floor
• Brittany Wetzel (Computer Animation, 2011) Stereo Compositor
• Bryan Lawson (Recording Arts, 1999) Supervising Music Editor

Passangers
ACHIEVEMENT WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURE (ORIGINAL SCORE)

• Andy Sisul (Recording Arts, 2003) Co-Supervising Sound Editor
• Paul A. Baccam (Computer Animation, 2008) Stereo Compositor
• Sarah Canale (Computer Animation, 2012) Senior Compositor: Legend 3D
• Steven Qi Jin (Computer Animation 2007) Previsulization Artist
• Perry Stoutt II (Film, 2012) Stereo Artist: Legend 3D
• Michael J. Sweetser (Computer Animation, 2012) Stereo Compositor: Legend 3D
• Pete Chiaramonte (Film, 2007) BTSCinematographer
• Qais Karadsheh (Film, 2015) EPK Camera Assistant
• Nick Rowland (Film, 2010) Rigging Electric
• Kraig Swisher (Film, 2008) EPK Camera Operator
• Dustin Pitan (Film, 2009) Key Assistant Location Manager
• Tyler Lee Allen (Film, 2005) Stand-in

Trolls
ACHIEVEMENT WRITTEN FOR MOTION PICTURE (ORIGINAL SONG)

• Stephen Mallia (Computer Animation, 2014) Image Finaling Artist
• Matthew R. Tucker (Computer Animation, 2010) Character Technical Director

Hail, Cesar!
ACHIEVEMENT IN PRODUCTION DESIGN

• Manda Cheung (Computer Animation, 2007) Visual Effects Artist
• Steve Wade (Computer Animation, 2012) Compositor– Psyop

Deepwater Horizon
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING
ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

• Gil Geva (Recording Arts, 2015) Sound PA
• Matthew Bauer (Computer Animation, 2007) Previsualization Supervisor
• Matthew E. Gill (Computer Animation, 2010) Roto Dept. Manager
• Kareem Audain (Film, 2010) Dolly Grip
• Dwight O. Campbell (Film, 2002) Second Assistant “B” Camera
• Jose Figueroa-Baez (Film, 2009) Additional Loader
• Michael “Mike” Grace (Film, 2010) Lighting Technician
• John C. Hoffler Jr. (Film, 2009) Second Assistant Camera
• Dan Mckee (Film, 2009) “C” Camera Second Assistant
• Christopher Molly (Film, 2010) Second Assistant Camera
• Chad Taylor (Film, 2009) Digital Loader
• Jeremy Webre (Film, 2005) Dolly Grip
• Benjamin Gibicsar (Film, 2010) Ager/Dryer
• Brittany Dewees (Entertainment Business, 2013) Marine Office Coordinator
• Michael Hoban (Film, 2013) Marine Crew
• Armin Zellers (Film, 2009) Construction Office Coordinator/Assistant to Mr. DeStefani

Sully
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND EDITING

• Jerod Finn (Computer Animation, 2010) Roto/Paint Lead Artist
• Pedro Corcega (Film, 2007) First Assistant “C” Camera
• Lane Leagans (Film, 2007) Best Boy Rigging Grip

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING
ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

• Matthew E. Gill (Computer Animation, 2010) Roto Dept. Manager
• Cale Schmidt (Computer Animation, 2015) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Daniel Schrepf (Computer Animation, 2007) Roto Supervisor, Stereo Roto Supervisor
• Eric Timm (Film, 2010) Stereo Compositor
• Tyler Halle (Computer Animation, 2012) Lead Stereo Compositor
• Corey Allen (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Liam Meakins(Computer Animation, 2014) Stereoscopic Compositor
• David Spotts (Graphic Design, 2014) Element QC Artist

13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi
ACHIEVEMENT IN SOUND MIXING

• Drew Webster (Recording Arts, 1995) Re-Recording Mix Technician
• Hamza Aboufirass (Film, 2014) Electrician
• Wesley Alley (Film, 2009) Best Boy Electric Additional Photography
• Dustin Gardner (Film, 2009) Electrician Additional Photography
• Thomas “Tom” Keeling (Film, 2009) Assistant: Scott Gardenhour
• Mike Moriarty (Digital Arts & Design, 2007) Military Tech Advisor

Doctor Strange
ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

• Jason T. Clark (Film, 2006) Art Director
• Jordan Watts (Film, 2008) Art Assistant
• Juan Peralta (Recording Arts, 1996) Re-Recording Mixer
• Kevin Bolivar (Computer Animation, 2014) Tracking & Matchmove
• Shaun Comly (Digital Media, 1998) CG Supervisor
• Ruy Delgado (Computer Animation, 2010) Visual Effects Artist
• Matthew E. Gill (Computer Animatio, 2010) Roto Dept Manager
• Daniel Haffner (Computer Animation, 2009) Creature Effects Artist
• Derek Spriggs (Computer Animation, 2015) Lighter/Compositor
• Jeremy Vanneman (Computer Animation, 2011) Senior Stereoscopic Compositor
• Andrew Zink (Computer Animation, 2008) CG Supervisor
• Mitchell “Mitch” Wien (Film, 2015) Production Assistant
• Rivkah Wolf-Camplin (Film, 2015) Production Assistant
• Jessica Bagby (Computer Animation, 2014) Element QC Artist
• Tyler Halle (Computer Animation, 2012) Lead Stereo Compositor
• Dustin Capulong (Recording Arts, 2008) Assistant Re-Recording Mixer
• Fiifi Aggrey (Computer Animation, 2015) Digital Compositor
• Nathan Benner (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Paul Berry (Computer Animation, 2004) PreVis/PostVis Artist
• Alex Bonacci (Computer Animation, 2013) Stereo Compositor
• Bradley Darrow (Computer Animation, 2010) Stereo Compositor
• Kathryn Fay (Computer Animation, 2012) Lead Stereo Compositor
• Victor Manuel Fernandez (Computer Animation, 2010) Finalising
• Kiel Figgins (Computer Animation, 2004) Senior Animator
• Joshua Gengler (Computer Animation, 2004) Lead Element QC Artist
• Blake Goedde (Computer Animation, 2014)Digital Compositor
• Ryan Greenwood (Computer Animation, 2014) Stereo Compositor
• Liam Meakins (Computer Animation, 2014)Stereoscopic Compositor
• Vincent Robert Rosas (Computer Animation, 2009) Production Coordinator
• Cale Schmidt(Computer Animation, 2015) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Daniel Schrepf (Computer Animation, 2007) Stereoscopic Roto Supervisor
• Joseph “Joey” Sila “Computer Animation, 2003) Lighting and Compositing Artist
• Perry Stoutt (Film, 2012) Stereo Artist
• Eric Timm (Film, 2010) Stereoscopic Compositor
• Parker Smith (Computer Animation, 2012) Stereoscopic Compositor

The Jungle Book
ACHIEVEMENT IN VISUAL EFFECTS

• Jessica Bascom (Computer Animation, 2011) Senior Paint Artist: Weta Digital
• Erik Classen (Computer Animation, 2009) Digital Compositor – Gener8
• Steven Qi Jin (Computer Animation, 2007) PreVis/postVis Artist – MPC
• Nha Le (Computer Animation, 2011) Tracking/Matchmove Artist – Encore
• Tymon Pitts (Computer Animation, 2008) Shader Pipeline TD – Weta
• Theodore Sandifer (Computer Animation, 2008) Prep Supervisor – Gener8
• Victor Fernandez (Computer Animation, 2010) Senior Texture Artist – Stereo D
• Steven Wade (Computer Animation, 2012) Stereoscopic Compositor – Gener8
• Brittany Wetzel (Computer Animation, 2011) Stereo Compositor – Gener8

20th Century Women
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

• John Howes (Film, 2011) Assistant Chief Lighting Technician
• Caleb Brewster (Film, 2010) Assistant Production Coordinator

When Austin Ulmer graduated from Full Sail University with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Animation, he returned home to Pennsylvania to recharge. There, he spoke with his father who suggested he apply for a position in TAIT Tower’s media department. TAIT is internationally known for designing, constructing, and delivering live event equipment to some of the world’s biggest tours. After meeting with the head of media and touring the facility, Austin was offered a position and the rest, as he says, “is history.”

Now two years into his position as a Media Designer, Austin has had the privilege to help create content for some of the world’s biggest tours, including Rihanna’s Anti Tour. Describing his job as “an amazing experience” and “nothing short of incredible,” Austin is just getting started in what he hopes to be a long and successful career.

Full Sail: What are your responsibilities as a Media Designer?

Austin Ulmer: My role as a Media Designer gives me a large variety of tasks. A good portion of our day-to-day work in this department is conceptual renderings and animations. We do a lot of shows in the concert touring world; so, I will receive a 3D drawing from the design department, and I will go through the process of preparing that model for renderings in Cinema 4D. I also do a lot of photo manipulations in Photoshop to comp 3D assets onto still images taken by the client or other TAIT employees.

FS: Who has been the most memorable music artist you have created content for?

AU: That’s a tough one. TAIT works with so many amazing artists. Rihanna’s Anti World tour was the first show that I worked on extensively, and then got to see in person. It was an amazing experience. I also worked on the Weeknd’s current arena tour. It is nothing short of incredible. The kinetic piece above the stage is awe-inspiring.

FS: What is your favorite ‘gag’ you created for an artist?

AU: On Rihanna’s Anti Tour there were inflatables that emerged from the stage. I sculpted them in Cinema 4D and passed the 3D files to the fabrication team who then built them. The inflatables were then distributed and used all over the world for her tour.

FS: What are the biggest challenges you face in your job, and how have you worked around them?

AU: Time. Racing the clock is always difficult. In live entertainment, there’s never only one deadline. Keeping a consistent pace and communicating with your team is invaluable when you are on a short timeline.

FS: What advice would you give to individuals who want to get into this line of work?

AU: Never pass up an opportunity to learn. There are often times that you work on projects outside of your comfort zone, and 99 percent of the time, something you learned from one of those projects will help you to deliver an amazing product that you never thought was possible.

We ran around like crazy during last week’s Fifth Annual Hall of Fame festivities, catching up with grads and inductees, interviewing industry guests, sitting in for as many panels as possible, and handing out Full Sail Hall of Fame gear to students. When everything was said and done we ended up with a lot of insightful (and random) notes, covering everything from career advice to what our grads are working on next. Check out some of our favorite #FullSailHOF Fun Facts below.

• Record labels are reinventing their roles in the music business. As the industry continues to adapt in the post-digital age, some companies are launching their own boutique labels. Hard Rock Records‘ Director of Music and Marketing James Buell spoke about a business model whose goal isn’t to score platinum plaques, but to develop new artists under a one-year contract that preps them for bigger labels while also strengthening Hard Rock’s brand.
• The first batch of Playstation 4 and Xbox One games only scratch the surface. During “The Greatest Console Generation?” panel 2012 Hall of Fame inductee Chance Glasco commented on the latest home consoles, explaining the initial launch lineup only hints at the great things on the horizon, explaining “The early games that come out are sort of generation 1.5, because we haven’t been able to tune our engines properly. In another year you’re going to see some really amazing games.”
• 2013 Hall of Fame Inductee Kim Alpert used to be a carpenter. Kim told students in her “Ask Me Anything” session that it was after her sister showed her how to use Illustrator that she decided to come to Full Sail to study Digital Media. Over a decade later, she’s the Founder/Creative Director at Make Amazing.
• Your Plan B should always be a variant of your Plan A. That piece of advice was just one of dozens dished out by 2010 Hall of Fame Inductees Leslie Brathwaite and Troy DeVolld during their “So You’ve Succeeded: Now What?” panel. We also found out the two friends are currently working on a book together.
• R.L. Stine’s “Goosebumps” series is being adapted to film. We ran into Film grad and 2010 Hall of Fame inductee Steve Cainas, who is currently working on the movie adaptation of R.L. Stine’s classic Goosebumps book series. The movie starts shooting this April in Atlanta, with Steve acting as production coordinator. Jack Black is set to star under the direction of Rob Letterman (Gulliver’s Travels, Shark Tale).
• Mixing engineers have an arsenal of creative tools they can draw upon in their sessions, meaning that they’re doing more than just adjusting volume levels. Many guests shed light on their process inside the studio, including 2005 Recording Arts graduate/producer/mixer/engineer Jordan “DJ Swivel” Young. Swivel walked through a live mixing session of Beyonce’s “I Care,” demonstrating how sending her backup vocals through an Amplitube guitar amp plug-in created the illusion of a smoking guitar solo that perfectly doubled her melodic runs.
• You could be on “Real Rob,” Rob Schneider’s new television show. During a conversation with students, the actor and director shared that “Real Rob” will be casting locally in Orlando. He also mentioned that students interested in working behind the scenes may have the chance to do so as well. “Real Rob” will filming its eight episodes on Full Sail’s soundstages beginning next month.
• The man who designed Full Sail’s Studio A also designed Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios. In Robert Margouleff’s discussion about his pioneering synthesizer collaborations with Stevie Wonder in the ‘70s, he mentioned that the sessions began in New York at Electric Lady. The studio was the first to designed by legendary architect and acoustician John Storyk, who also, Margouleff said, designed the first studio here at Full Sail. Storyk, of course, has gone on to head up the design and construction of many more studios (he’s a founding partner of Walters-Storyk Design Group), including Bearsville, and private studios for the likes of Jay Z and Bruce Springsteen, so it was great to hear about his Full Sail connection.
• Reality television show writers are called “story producers.” Technically, a “reality” TV show isn’t supposed to have writers, even though they do. 2010 Hall of Fame Inductee Troy DeVolld laid out the hierarchy of a reality television production staff during “The Specialized World of TV Writing Panel,” while other guests talked about writing for sitcoms, dramas, documentaries, and animated cartoon programs.
• You don’t say “They’re in the bathroom” when a production tech asks “Where’s the talent?” We thought we were giving a straightforward answer to a straightforward question, but we ended up learning that you say “they’re in makeup,” because nobody wants to picture talent in the bathroom, apparently.

So, what’s the most interesting thing you learned during the Fifth Annual Hall of Fame Week? Let us know in the comments!

-Amy Cassell, Jason Ferguson, James Gregory, Sean Kantrowitz

Our Tumblr site – Art of Full Sail – showcases recent work created by students, faculty, and staff. Updated daily, the site features some incredible looking branding campaigns, concert posters, computer animation projects, and more. The pieces below were the most popular posts on the site in February, based on notes and page views. Check them out, then be sure to follow us on Tumblr for more inspiration. (Note: Each photo below links to the original Art of Full Sail post.)

Alex Jones (Digital Arts and Design, 2013 grad) used creative typography to make mock advertisements for the Popsicle brand.

These walk sequences are stills from the character animation demo reel of Sherlyn Klatt (Computer Animation, 2013 grad.) You can check out how they came to life in her full demo reel over on Art of Full Sail.

Luis Garza (Computer Animation, 2013 grad) created this digital model of a private from the 95th Rifle Brigade of the British Army.

This packaging for a fictional tea brand was created by Sawyer McCarron (Digital Arts and Design, 2013 graduate).

These screen shots are from Snow Day, a first person tower defense game created by a group of Game Project students. You can download and play a copy of the game over at Full Sail’s Game Project Web Portal.

There’s a lot going on this week at Full Sail, including the first-ever Be Design Rally for Digital Arts & Design and Web Development & Design students in Full Sail Live, the FLBlogCon EDU conference for both students and staff members in the Entertainment Business building, and more. Check out all of the details on these events – plus many more – below.

Monday:

• This month’s GPS Workshop features a guest lecture on Interactive Virtual Humans by University of Florida professor Dr. Benjamin Lok. More details. (RSVP)

Tuesday:

• Digital Arts & Design, Graphic Design, and Web Design & Development students will spend the afternoon at Full Sail’s first ever Be Design Rally, which will feature guest speakers, demos, presentations, games, and more. More details.
• Career Development is hosting a meet-up for students planning on attending this month’s Game Developers Conference. More details. (RSVP)

Thursday:

• WWE Superstars The Usos will make an appearance at this month’s ‘NXT’ taping in the Full Sail Live Venue. More details. 

Friday:

• The organizers of the annual Florida Blogger & Social Media Conference will host a special FLBlogCon EDU event at Full Sail, which aims to get students and teachers better acquainted with blogging and social media. There is a limited amount of space for Full Sail students and staff members to attend. More details. (RSVP)

Sunday:

• Volunteers can help the Brides Against Breast Cancer organization during its annual Charity Wedding Gown Sale & Bridal Show at this month’s Pure Motivation event. More details. (RSVP)
• The Behind the Scenes Tour is the best way for prospective students to tour campus, meet faculty members, and get their admissions, financial aid, and housing questions answered in one place. More details.

They’re married now, but it initially took Internet Marketing Bachelor’s grads Diana Santaguida and Orun Bhuiyan a little while to warm up to each other.

“There was this guy [on the discussion boards] who would always conflict with my opinion or view on something,” remembers Diana. “I was coming from a background in psychology and sales and his background was in computer science and technology. We had a different approach to the assignments and I used to get so annoyed with him.”

But then after a few weeks of disagreeing and busting each other’s chops the two online students worked on a group project together, and they realized that when they collaborated, their strengths and weaknesses complemented each other nicely.

“We started calling each other and discussing projects from a business perspective,” says Orun. “We were working on an infographic project at the time and we started talking about what we could do and realized there was a lot of potential for collaboration. We’re polar opposites in the business sense, but we have a lot of the same tastes in design and marketing strategy.”

After successfully working together in class, the pair decided to try teaming up on a few outside client projects. They found that – from a business standpoint – they were really bringing out the best in each other. From there, the two developed a friendship. They hit it off after meeting in person a couple of months later, and according to Diana, “from then on, we were just together” – romantically and professionally.

While they were both still students in 2010 they decided to make their business partnership official by founding SEOcial. (They married a year later, in 2011.) The company initially offered search engine optimization and social posturing services (“everything you do to get people to know you, like you, and trust you,” says Diana), but has grown into a completely integrated marketing agency that also assists clients with branding, design, publicity, web development, and more.

“What we typically tell people is that we solve business challenges through a marketing lens,” says Diana. “We prefer to augment something that has been initiated.”

Orun explains that SEOcial’s goal is to handle client work from a holistic, big-picture approach, which gives a company the best chance for success. Say that a company hires SEOcial for SEO, but they don’t have an optimally-designed website. What will end up happening is that the SEO will get the client to their website, but they won’t end up staying on the site for very long. SEOcial’s goal is to prevent that from happening; to expertly know where resources should be allocated for optimal success.

All of SEOcial’s clients have come via referral – it’s an accomplishment Diana and Orun are both proud of, and a testament to their hard work. They’ve grown SEOcial substantially since graduating from Full Sail in 2013, and currently have a team of 12 employees and offices in both Toronto and New York City. In the coming years they hope to take on more international and enterprise-level clients, author material that will help other Internet marketers, and stay up-to-date with the latest technology so they can continue to give their clients a competitive advantage.

“When we tell people that we work together and live together, they kind of have this aghast expression on their face because they couldn’t imagine spending that much time with someone,” says Orun. “For whatever reason, for us it just works really well.”

The organizers of last year’s Florida Blogging & Social Media Conference, which was held in Full Sail Live, returned to campus on Friday to host FLBlogCon EDU. Educators and K-12 students from local schools – along with a few Full Sail students and staff members – spent the day attending a series of presentations in the Entertainment Business building. The goal of the event was to encourage students and teachers to blog and use social media more often.

Featured presentations covered topics like “Podcasting – Why it Works and Is Easy to Do” and “Putting Your Best Digital Footprint Forward!”, and presenters included local bloggers Josh Murdock  and Bess Auer, The Educators’ Spin On It co-creator Kim Vij (pictured above), and former Full Sail Course Director Kerry O’Shea Gorgone.

The Florida Blogging & Social Media Conference is held annually in the fall.

Where you decide to go to college is a huge decision and an incredibly important investment, and Full Sail offers a wide range of financial support to incoming students who have the desire to succeed in the entertainment and media industries.

There are currently more than a dozen scholarships available for potential campus and online students. And while the requirements for each one vary, most of them involve filling out an application and writing an essay. These funding opportunities go directly towards tuition balance and are available to qualified applicants across a wide range of degree programs.*

A few of the scholarships available for new students include:

• The Emerging Technology Scholarship, which awards up to $20,000 for students interested in the technology side of entertainment and media. This scholarship is available for qualified students who enroll in the on-campus Digital Arts & Design, Mobile Development, Software Development, or Web Design & Development degree programs.
• The Sound Foundations Scholarship, which awards up to $15,000 for students interested in becoming music and recording professionals. This scholarship is available for qualified students who enroll in the on-campus Event Production Associate of Science, Recording Arts Associate of Science, Music Production Bachelor of Science (launching Summer 2014), Recording Arts Bachelor of Science, or Show Production Bachelor of Science degree programs.
• The Global Achievement Scholarship, which encourages the development of entertainment and media professionals worldwide by awarding up to $5,000 to qualified international students.

You can download the latest version of Full Sail’s Scholarship Guide here, which provides a full list of the scholarships available, along with details and eligibility requirements for each. If you have any questions after reviewing the guide or you’re interested in applying, contact an admissions representative at 800.226.7625.

*Financial aid is available to those who qualify.

You are your own brand – and when you’re applying for jobs in your chosen industry, it’s important that you make that brand as appealing as possible. So, how do you do that? Industry experts and Full Sail faculty members offer a few of their tips for harnessing the power of the Internet to create a memorable personable brand.

• Have Some Personality. Entertainment Business Bachelor’s Department Chair Heather Torres says that a lot of times people will think, “This is my professional image,” so they have to be professional. But employers actually like people with personality, and it’s okay to have personality as long as it’s not too offensive. Heather also says that employers look for transparency: they want to know who you are as a person both professionally and personally, so give that to them.
• Create a Personal Branding Statement. Write a short (2-3 sentences long) statement to describe your brand passion, your brand attributes, and what makes you stand out, suggests Internet Marketing Course Director Diane Diaz. It’s an easy way to be able to convey something important about yourself to any potential employer. It should be memorable and impactful.
• Every Social Media Platform Has a Specific Purpose. Full Sail Entertainment Business Master’s grad and brand strategist Phil Pallen says that you need to make sure you create social media accounts on your targeted audience’s preferred platforms. Twitter and YouTube are good if you’re a comedian or entertainer, while Instagram and Pinterest are great for visual artists. Also: don’t create a bunch of profiles on different mediums and then ignore them. According to Diana, by not saying something, that says something.
• Jazz up your Twitter bio. The experts on this panel agreed that Twitter is a must-have in the entrainment industry. Phil offers up a very specific way to write your twitter bio. It should be two sentences: The first sentence should answer the question of who you are and why people should care. The second sentence should give people an indication of your personality. That way, you get your personality in there, and not just boring credentials.

And remember, your personal brand goes beyond who you are online. Says Heather: “Every interaction you have in every social situation represents your personal brand. The way you dress, the things you say, the conversations you have, all of that is part of who you are. You have to be aware of those things at all times.”

Check out more personal branding tips in the “You.com: How to Create a Powerful Personal Brand” panel from Full Sail’s Fifth Annual Hall of Fame Celebration.

For more video footage of the guest speakers and industry panels at the Fifth Annual Hall of Fame Celebration, visit Full Sail University’s YouTube page.

When he’s not busy with school, Sports Marketing & Media online student Sam Kimmel (pictured above, center) heads up the League of Leaders, a recreational sports league he formed earlier this year in his hometown of Indiana, Pennsylvania. The league – currently wrapping up its trial period with about 20 athletes – will officially launch in June with more sponsors, more equipment, and more participants.

“I had a lot of friends growing up who for various reasons weren’t able to participate in sports,” says Sam, who mentions drinking and drug use as a couple of those reasons. “So I started this league and thought, maybe I can help people out too. It was sports-driven at first, but I really want to give people an alternative to getting in trouble as well as hopefully create leaders and give them an opportunity.”

Sam plans to have basketball, street hockey, soccer, and potentially football as the featured sports in the league. Athletes will draft their own teams, games will take place on the weekends, and every team will make it into the playoffs at the end of the season. The League of Leaders is open to high school and young college students, and Sam hopes in the future he can expand into other cities. He’d love for the athletes to have a chance to play somewhere like Pittsburgh’s Hines Field.

“I’ve always wanted to be engaged in the sports world in some way,” says Sam, who also just started his own online radio show. “I want to be involved in sports radio, so anyway I can get my foot in the door with that is great.”

Last week was a great example of the real-world experience students have the opportunity to gain in Full Sail’s Sports Marketing & Media program. In the span of just a few days, students were involved with the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, the PGA’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, and Major League Baseball’s Spring Training, among other events.

Through Full Sail’s relationship with the Central Florida Sports Commission, around 50 students worked as volunteers last Wednesday through Saturday during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament games that were held at Orlando’s Amway Center. (Student volunteers also came from the Entertainment Business and Music Business programs.) According to Sports Events and Entertainment Course Director Kathryn Stuart, who helped organize the group, students worked in a various number of roles, including assisting the catering department, organizing volunteer check-in, and serving as locker room attendants and bench coordinators during team practices.

“I was a team bench coordinator on Wednesday, and it was so cool to be court side and get to watch each team practice,” says Sports Marketing & Media student Andrew Heinz. Bench coordinators were responsible for replenishing each team’s water and towel supply. “The entire experience was something that I’ll never forget.”

Another group of seven Sports Marketing & Media students worked in the Media & Communications Center during the NCAA Tournament. Sports Business Models Course Director George McNeilly – whose company McNeilly Communications was the official media liaison for the tournament’s local organizing committee – oversaw the team of students who worked as media runners, providing real-time game stats to journalists, operating the camera for press conference and interviews, and helping out wherever other media assistance was needed.

“We provided the local organizing committee with a social media strategy in support of our overarching communications strategy that helped sell out the arena,” says George. “I can’t wait to see these students grow in their careers. It’s going to be great to watch.”

Earlier last week, George also organized a trip for about 20 Sports Marketing & Media students to the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge. During the remote learning experience students heard presentations from PGA officials and other sports executives who discussed the logistics that go into hosting and covering a major golf tournament.

And on Friday, Sports Marketing & Media Program Director Josh Mora took 13 students – all within six months of graduation and with high GPS scores – to Bradenton, Florida, where they attended an informational session with executives from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, Houston Astros, and Minor League Baseball organizations. Students had the chance to ask the executives questions and even got to stick around to watch a bit of a Spring Training game afterwards.

In addition, two student volunteers served as runners during last week’s NFL Owners’ Meetings and another student helped out at the Red Bull Tampa Pro 2014 skateboard competition.

“I know as I hear from them that it really helps put their classroom experiences and education in context, because they really get to see the application of it all,” says Josh. “What an amazing week that we could provide so many opportunities for so many different students.”

Who’s ready for Spring Break?

Whether you’ve got awesome travel plans, are heading back home, or are just hanging around campus for the week, we’ve got a few suggestions for how to have a fulfilling few days away from school.

Reach out to potential employers. Career Development Advisor Tony Mardini suggests that students nearing graduation call studios or companies they’re interested in interning or working at to find out who they should send their resume to. “Have a script ready. It just needs to be a couple of sentences,” says Tony. “Something like, ‘Good morning, my name is Tony and I’m about to graduate from Full Sail. I’m calling to find out who I should send my resume to for applying for an internship.'” Tony suggests reaching out to 3-5 studios or companies – it will be motivating to know people are interested in seeing your resume.

See a movie. A few of the new releases in theaters now include Captain America: The Winter Soldier (which several Full Sail grads worked on), Transcendence, Oculus, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Noah.

Volunteer Your Time. Helping out a nonprofit organization is an easy, rewarding way to make your resume more impressive and earn GPS points. Kari Ramirez in Full Sail’s Professional Development department suggests checking the Community Volunteer Opportunities page on Connect, which provides information on both local and national organizations in need of volunteers.

Play a game. Settle in for a gaming marathon with one of the popular recent releases like Titanfall, Dark Souls II, or Infamous: Second Son.

Revamp your social media sites. Spring Break is a good time to start making sure your social media accounts are appropriate for a professional environment, says Career Development Advisor Jess Pollak. “Make sure you’re following the up and comers in your industry and you’re interacting with them as well,” she says. Jess also suggests getting on LinkedIn and connecting with grads from your degree program who are currently working in the industry. “A lot of Full Sail grads are willing to help other grads,” she says. “It’s all about getting in touch and networking with them.”

Go to a show. If you’re staying near campus for Spring Break, artists stopping by Orlando include Manchester Orchestra (April 19, House of Blues Orlando), Cloud Nothings (April 21, The Social), and Tycho (April 25, The Beacham). If you’re elsewhere, you can see what concerts are happening in your hometown on pollstar.com.

Catch up on sleep. Don’t forget to get some rest, so you can come back from break the week after next ready to conquer all of your coursework.

Any other ideas? Tell us about them in the comments below!

Felipe Marin had been out of the Marines just four months when he met Daisy outside of a Wal-Mart in Miami, FL. To hear him tell the story, it was love at first sight.

“From that moment on, she followed me everywhere,” he says. Small and blonde, Daisy sits beside him as he recalls that day, a look of pure adoration reflected in her big brown eyes. As he speaks, her tail begins to gently beat against the pavement.

“She’s part of my family. She’s awesome.”

Felipe, a 2004 graduate of Full Sail’s Digital Media (now Digital Arts & Design) program, Enlisted in the Marines in 2005. He volunteered for two tours in Iraq before leaving the service in 2010. Soon after, he started experiencing symptoms of extreme depression and anxiety, often accompanied by behavior that was alarming and self-destructive.

“I got into some bad [stuff],” he says. “At that point, PTSD was an epidemic that had just come on the radar of mainstream media. So [the VA] started testing us.”

Felipe was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, commonly known as PTSD, and defined as any anxiety disorder that develops as a result of experiencing one or multiple traumas. His doctors put him on medication, and he started therapy. That wasn’t enough to stop the depression, though. He began isolating himself, paying friends to go out and buy him groceries so that he didn’t have to leave his apartment. Once in a while, he’d make a rare trip to Wal-Mart in the middle of the night, when the store was at its emptiest.

Enter Daisy.

“I remember I was so depressed that day, nothing could make me feel better. A dude was selling puppies out of a cardboard box in front of the store. I bought her off him for $20.”

Caring for Daisy brought a new focus to Felipe’s life. It wasn’t just about him or his depression anymore—he had to remember to walk her, to feed her—she depended on him, and he couldn’t let her down. In return, she served as a calming presence, a soothing antidote to his omnipresent anxiety.

Felipe enrolled Daisy in a beginner obedience course. She passed with flying colors. Same with the intermediate and advanced courses. He started taking her everywhere, positioning her as a sort of buffer between himself and the world.

“What she gives me is a center point,” he says. “Without Daisy, I can’t focus. I get stuck. The other thing is, when we’re out, people look at her instead of me. This allows me to relax, to be more myself, because when people pay a lot of attention to me it brings on a lot of agitation.”

Which isn’t to say that it’s always been easy. Despite the fact that Daisy is well behaved, there are simply some places dogs aren’t allowed to go. So Felipe started looking into getting her licensed as an service animal. That process presented its own challenges. People with PTSD don’t always present outward symptoms, and the effects of the disorder might not be felt until months or even years after a trauma occurs.

“People sometimes look at me and go, ‘You don’t look disabled.’ They don’t understand that I have nerve damage and brain damage in addition to the emotional stuff.”

Because PTSD is hard to qualify, it’s also difficult to quantify. Recent studies estimate that over 30% of veterans suffer from some form of post traumatic stress disorder, but because it’s difficult to test, that number may be much higher.

Daisy completed her service animal certification a little over a year ago. Today, she dons a red vest adorned with patches commemorating Felipe’s time in the service: one bearing the gray and gold emblem of the U.S. Marine Corps, another denoting his time in Iraq. An I.D. card hangs off to one side.

Though he still feels the effects of his PTSD—and likely always will— Felipe is in a better place than he was five years ago. Newly married, he’s a father to a 10-month old baby boy. He’s an active member of several non-government agencies devoted to empowering veterans, including the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), and he recently enrolled in Full Sail’s Sports Marketing & Media program. So far, Daisy has attended every class.

“With networking and things like group projects, getting my foot in the door can be difficult. She makes it easier, because people are more likely to initiate a dialogue with you when you have a dog.”

“She brings happiness to everybody,” he adds.

Full Sail is proud to return to the 26th annual Florida Film Festival as the primary sponsor for the 14th consecutive year. The event, which is hosted by the Enzian Theater, will be held from April 21 through April 30.

Special guests include David Zucker and Robert Hays, Billy Crudup, and Lea Thompson. David Zucker and Robert Hays will be in attendance to host a Q&A following a screening of their 1980 cult comedy, AIRPLANE!

Several films from Full Sail graduates are part of this year’s festival program, which is filled with current, independent, and international cinema film screenings. Competing in the Narrative category is Camera Obscura, co-written and co-produced by graduates Aaron Koontz (2002 Film) and Cameron Burns (2002 Film) and directed by Koontz.

Other films being screened include Cartoon Characters, directed by 2015 Creative Writing for Entertainment Bachelor’s grad Carey Kight, which will be part of the Florida Shorts: Best of Brouhaha showcase, which features winners from the Enzian’s monthly film slam competition. In the international short film category, Gryla, directed by 1999 Digital Media grad Tomas Heldar Johannesson, will be screened during That’s the Way of the World, one of the festival’s international short film programs. The Lawn at Eden Bar will host the Locally Fresh! Farmers Market which will feature documentaries focused on local restaurants and businesses and how they grow, manage, and maintain their own food; several of these films were produced with the help of various Full Sail grads, students, and instructors. Additionally, Anne Russell, Program Director for Full Sail’s Film Production MFA program, will moderate Indie Women: Grab ‘Em by the Movies on April 26. Full Sail will also be hosting the Red Digital Cinema Workshop, open only to Full Sail students, on campus on April 27. For details about how to sign up for the workshop, check Connect.

Be sure to check the Florida Film Festival website for a full list of events and information.

Photograph courtesy of Herb Gonzalez

Daniel Asadi believes in the power of music to transport listeners to faraway places, and he wants to take you along for the ride. The Recording Arts grad has been building a name for himself in the EDM world performing a new genre of electronic music — something he calls Persian Trap Music, or PTM.

Incorporating samples from his parents’ extensive collection of Persian pop and classical tapes with contemporary beats and a healthy dose of 808 sub bass, Daniel’s work splits the difference between the streetwise trap performed by Southern hip-hop artists and the more danceable, day-glo version preferred by EDM acts. The result is something the likes of which you’ve never heard before.

“Throne” by ASADI

Born to Iranian parents, Daniel was raised in Columbus, Ohio. He started playing piano when he was five, and soon moved on to guitar. He describes his early musical influences as typically American: pop, rock, hip-hop. When he was 14, his family took a trip to Iran, where he was exposed to traditional Persian instruments like tar and sitar. It was music he was culturally familiar with, but as a first generation American, he’d always associated with his parents’ generation. Seeing it in performed in person, though, changed everything. He came home with a sitar and a vision for an entirely new electronic genre .

“Going to Iran opened up my whole world,” he says. “You have this traditional music dating back thousands of years, and it brings people together. When you look at something like the trap scene, it’s no different. People come together over it. I started thinking about ways I could fuse the two together.”

Daniel sees this fusion as a natural evolution. He remembers the feeling of excitement he had in Iran, how it energized and inspired him. He wants to bring that same level of inspiration to his fans, though, like him, they may not consciously seek it out.

“The internet makes it easy to find things that are relevant to you, but you’re less likely to see trending artists in Japan, for instance, if that’s not something you’re looking for. I want to unite people and generations. By taking traditional Persian music and fusing that with electronic music that’s rooted in American culture, I am making it relevant to you. And hopefully, I’m taking you somewhere new.”

At just twenty, Daniel has already experienced a ton of success in the industry, partially due to his popular YouTube remixes of cartoon themes like SpongeBob SquarePants and Rugrats.

Those early videos went viral, which provided a signal boost for his original compositions. He currently boasts a Facebook following in the hundreds of thousands, and he recently signed with a booking agency. He’ll spend 2017 performing at EDM festivals all over the country, including Electric Forest, Euphoria Festival, and Elements Fest. Daniel says he hopes to connect with other artists in a effort to further PTM’s foothold in the music scene.

“I’ve always known PTM was going to work as a genre, and part of me knows there are going to be other kids out there doing what I’m doing,” he says. “At some point, their work is going to diverge from mine, and they’ll develop their own brand of PTM. That’s how genres are born. I can’t wait.”

For more of Daniel’s music, and to see where he’ll be performing next, check him out on Facebook, Soundcloud, and YouTube.

On-the-job experience is one of the most valuable forms of education. That’s why Full Sail is excited to introduce a new program aimed at working professionals seeking online master’s degrees in Entertainment Business, Business Intelligence, or Internet Marketing. Starting now, new students have the option to test out of up to five courses in their chosen field of study.

“To better serve that population of students, we’re allowing students who have expertise in a particular class the opportunity to test out of the course, saving them both time and money when it comes to completing their degree,” says Dave Franko, Full Sail’s Vice President of Academic Affairs.

Here’s how it works:

• Students with at least five years experience in a related field are presented with a list of eligible courses. They’ll work with their program director and admissions representative to determine which tests best fit their work experience and expertise.
• Once a student determines which classes (up to five total) they’d like to test out of, they must submit a letter of intent, resumé, and their undergraduate transcripts.
• Each test is free to take, but may only be taken once and prior to the course start date.

• Students must demonstrate mastery of the course objectives by passing the test to be awarded credit for the course. This will reduce tuition cost by 3 or 3.5 credit hours, depending on the class.
•  Some courses are not eligible for credit by examination, such as Mastery and Capstone classes.

To find out more about this and other opportunities for online master’s students, contact your admissions representative at 800.226.7625 or visit us on the web.

Earlier this year, Full Sail launched a brand new Behind the Scenes tour offering visitors an in-depth look at our campus and curriculum. The monthly tour now includes more interactive programming, such as degree-specific workshops and info sessions on everything from financial aid to housing. It’s also a great way to explore our facilities from top to bottom, with campus tours running throughout the day.

One of the highlights of the new tour is the Hall of Fame Alumni Panel, presented by Full Sail’s Career Development department. Each month, they invite distinguished alumni and members of our Hall of Fame to contribute to the panel. During the hour-long presentation, these grads share personal insights and expertise gleaned from their time working in the industry. They cover topics such as how to make the most out of your time as a student, advice for breaking into the industry, and how to get (and keep) a job. The panel culminates with a Q&A session designed to give attendees a chance to steer the conversation based on their unique interests.

This June, we are excited to welcome the following three graduates:

Leslie Brathwaite (Recording Arts, 1992)

With nearly two decades of experience and five GRAMMY Awards to his name, mix engineer Leslie Brathwaite has had the opportunity to work with some of the biggest names in music, including Jay Z, TLC, Madonna, Pharrell Williams, OutKast, and more. He lives and works in Atlanta, GA.

Phil Pallen (Entertainment Business, 2011)

Phil Pallen helps TV personalities, experts, and businesses learn how to position, build, and promote their brands. You’ve seen his clients making deals on Shark Tank, advising country leaders, winning a Nobel Peace Prize, and changing lives with an incredible business idea. Based in LA, Phil is often featured by media outlets like Access Hollywood, Entertainment Tonight, The Toronto Star, and The Daily Mail, and speaks at conferences around the globe.

Kim Alpert (Digital Arts & Design, 2003)

As Founder of Make Amazing, a creative firm based out of Chicago, IL, Kim Alpert has worked with clients like Motorola, Vice, Ray-Ban, and more. Kim’s passion for traditional art and design and the latest technology have led her to accept a position as Director of Creative Technology with the marketing firm DCI-Artform, where she has worked on projects for Intel, Oculus, Microsoft, and more.

Our next Behind the Scenes tour is June 18, 2017. Visit us online to reserve your spot today. 

Falling under the umbrella of the Regional Emmy Awards, the Student Production Awards are designed to recognize and honor film projects created by university students in the regional area. Full Sail University is categorized in the Suncoast Chapter of the Regional Emmys, and is well represented among the winners of the 2017 Student Production Awards.

Congratulations to the Full Sail grads who received this high honor!

Winners

Long Form

Magic Mouse – Annie Bravo, Luke Zammit, Austin Brown

A Beautiful Trip – Larry Hardnett, Jr., Louie Rosa Alicea, Michael Harris, Anthony Navarro, Anthony Collins, Nancy Alonso, Amyyadira Lopez, Ulysees Turner, Brittney McPherson

Editor

Hush – Genesis Lopez, Glorybell Lopez, Adriana Li Mandri

Honorable Mentions

Editor

Laundry – Tatiana Martinez, Carlos Echevarria, Kitzia Dan, Yao Pan