Drop the outdated dongle and expired earbuds and decouple all devices — it's time to booty-scoot to SCAD MOA for the final week of Corrina Goutos's exhibition Bivalves no Booty in the Alumni Gallery.
 
Future-forger Goutos (b. 1991, New York; B.F.A. jewelry, 2013) fuses fragments of mass-produced objects with raw natural materials to create unusual, conceptual, and often wearable artworks that resemble fossils from the future. In other words, old tech gets smashed, bashed, and put back together as uncanny, ugly-beautiful, even humorous artworks that upend notions of "raw" and "processed."
 
"How can I be a master of a material when that material is already a collage of so many stories and timelines?" Goutos asked, rhetorically and earnestly, during a gallery talk back in March with curator Brittany Richmond. "I created the concept of 'anthrosmithing.' Instead of being a goldsmith or blacksmith, I am a smith of the raw material of today, which is not raw, but an already-processed object."
 
Through "anthrosmithing," Goutos releases outdated tech from obsolescence, giving it new life that highlights how wearables shape identity. Bivalves no Booty features two series, Vestigial Trait Bait and the most recent BlossomVerse, which explore the tension between individuality and interconnectedness in our consumer-driven society.
 
In Vestigial Trait Bait, ancient shells merge with industrial hardware to create relics that blend the history of adornment with the concept of evolutionary appendages, reflecting on how technology has become an extension of the self. "I was inspired by the etymology, the word origins of 'shell' and 'skill' — they share the exact same paths," Goutos said.
 
In The BlossomVerse, the artist reconfigures porcelain shards and electronic waste into distorted artifacts that challenge capitalist ideals of perfection and subvert the corporate design trend of biomimicry. "It developed out of my trying to be more of a listener to the material and less [about] imposing my aesthetic onto neutral material," the artist explained, standing in front of a wall adorned with an original digital collage. "I tried to create a methodology for inviting more entropy into my process. I actually smashed a lot of porcelain figures."
 
Through these hybrid works, Goutos subverts sentimental attachments to technology and the choices consumers make via corporate coercion to discard or preserve, revealing how objects carry and transmit meaning over time like placeholders. A certain brand has certain connotations for an individual. "Nokia will be triggering, like, oh, the Nineties, my first phone!"
 
Thus, Goutos creates new totems of self-expression that evoke nostalgia and belonging. Technological remnants are fused with geological remains that embrace the uncanny beauty of growth, decay, and metamorphosis.
 
"In Bivalves no Booty my receptive touch dismantles anthropocentric notions of fixed thingdom; story-telling the two-way exchange of imprints, while jump-starting an industrial rewilding process," the artist explained.
 
The exhibition-opening gallery talk in the spring featured detailed questions from SCAD jewelry students, all of whom have their own relationship to technology — and to the totemic tchotchkes that this alum has transformed into art. "I create that value by giving it reverence," Goutos said.
 
"I really appreciate how much thought you put into all these pieces," curator Richmond told the artist. "That's why when you look at these objects, they're so powerful."

See Bivalves No Booty at the SCAD Museum of Art!

It was all that and a melodica solo.

A record-setting SCAD commencement took place Friday, May 30, at the Savannah Convention Center in Savannah, and Saturday, May 31, at the Gateway Center Arena in Atlanta, celebrating the SCAD graduating class of 2025. As the university honored the achievements of its 2025 graduates, musician and composer Jon Batiste delivered a commencement address and stirring performance at both ceremonies.

"Our happy hive hummed with joy this spring as more than 4,200 SCAD Bees — a record — danced across the commencement stage and prepared to fly off to rewarding careers around the world," SCAD president and co-founder Paula Wallace said. "What I so deeply cherish about SCAD's commencement is the love you feel, see, and hear, everywhere. From grandparents and parents, to students and siblings, cheers, tears, whoops, hugs, and high-fives celebrate phenomenal creativity, courage, and camaraderie. The world is yours, Bees!"

Grammy and Academy Award-winning musician Batiste addressed the largest class in university history, and performed live for students, their families, and honored guests. "I'm honored to speak and perform at SCAD's commencement ceremonies in both Atlanta and Savannah," Batiste said. "It's a gift to connect with and inspire the next generation of creative artists at this globally renowned university."

Batiste was awarded an honorary doctorate by President Wallace. The 38-year-old composer and multi-instrumentalist emphatically encouraged graduating students to "live a life where your receptors are constantly up" and to "expect the unexpected and use their creativity to keep moving forward...it can lead to new and amazing things."

Founded in 1978, SCAD conferred its first degrees in 1982, when the inaugural class consisted of only eight students. Since then, enrollment has grown to more than 17,500 students across more than 40 academic programs, including animation, fashion, film and television, interior design, and user experience design.

NOTABLE HONOREES

SAVANNAH

Valedictorian: Jason Conforti (B.F.A. film and television)
Salutatorian: Lea Bagi (B.F.A. illustration; B.F.A. advertising and branding)
Excelsus Laureate: Carey Lin (M.F.A. service design)
Mace Bearer: Kalani Washington (B.F.A. dramatic writing)
Honorary Degree: Josh To (Vice president of design, AR, AI, and wearables at Meta)

ATLANTA

Valedictorian: Fallon Perlino  (B.F.A. advertising and branding)
Salutatorian: Adriana Colón (B.F.A. graphic design)
Excelsus Laureate: Kourtney Iman King  (M.F.A. photography)
Mace Bearer: Lisa Pringle (B.F.A. iIllustration)
Honorary Degree: Andre Dickens, 61st mayor of Atlanta

Congratulations to the SCAD Class of 2025!

The thrill is real: SCAD FASHION 2025, the signature showcase of innovative collections by senior and graduate students in the prestigious SCAD School of Fashion, debuts live this Friday, May 16, at 8:30 p.m. ET with the SCAD FASHION 2025 runway show.

SCAD welcomes an international cadre of industry luminaries for an unforgettable evening honoring the innovation, craftsmanship, and creativity with the next generation of design visionaries. Fashion enthusiasts around the globe can witness the unparalleled talent of SCAD fashion students via livestream at scad.edu/fashion2025.

"SCAD FASHION 2025 returns to Atlanta as the industry's front-row forecast for what's next in fashion," said SCAD President Paula Wallace. "This year's SCAD runway show reveals conceptual couture from SCAD designers rewriting the language of luxury in real-time, from architectural silhouettes to meticulously engineered footwear, ball gowns, and creative casual wear. Global fashion arbiters converge at SCAD COURT to witness the arrival of tomorrow's tastemakers and the moment when inspiration becomes canon."

"This year's fashion show is all about new, individual takes on tradition," said Dirk Standen, Dean, SCAD School of Fashion. "Our students are exploring the classic tropes of fashion, from evening wear to corporate wear to tailoring, and interpreting them in their own way. They're looking at the world around them and approaching their designs with thought, verve, and newfound technical skill."

Adding to the prestige of the runway, choreographer and movement director Emma Chadwick provided expert guidance to SCAD models parading the catwalk, while Daniel Martin, the global director of artistry at Tatcha and an acclaimed makeup artist, directed the overall beauty aesthetic and execution.

"I have keyed the beauty looks for many runways since beginning my career as a professional makeup artist in the fashion scene of the late 1990s and early 2000s and am thrilled to be doing so for the 2025 SCAD fashion show," said Martin. "Being able to share my experiences with the incredible students at SCAD during this pivotal point in their academic careers and help them showcase their creative visions to the broader community is such an honor."

SCAD FASHION 2025 features a bespoke runway by SCAD alum Trish Andersen (B.F.A., fibers, 2005). The atmosphere is also enhanced by an incredible organza sculpture by SCAD alum Lærke Lillelund (B.F.A., fibers, 2016). The show is preceded by a live musical performance by SCAD student Wayne Bucknor Jr. (B.F.A. performing arts), complemented by an exclusive soundtrack under the direction of Grammy Award-nominated producer, songwriter and DJ Aaron Albano aka MING in collaboration with SCAD musical director and producer Kim Steiner and pianist and SCAD student Maxwell Park (B.F.A. film and television).

SCAD's top-ranked School of Fashion is globally praised for offering one of the most elite and comprehensive programs in the world for undergraduate and graduate degrees in fashion, accessory design, jewelry, fashion marketing and management, fibers, and sneaker design. SCAD fashion students have the exclusive opportunity to engage and network with distinguished industry experts who provide guidance and critiques through the university's Style Lab Mentor program. This year's mentors include Jose Criales-Unzueta, Anifa Mvuemba, Bruce Pask, Rebma Salad, Sam Salad, Frederic Tremblay, and Simon Ungless.

Peep the runway at scad.edu/fashion2025!

On a stormy Saturday in Savannah, a fully focused Charlie Tiner (B.F.A. film and television, 2025) sat at a twin-screen desktop computer at the back of Adler Hall Room 211. Tiner, a member of the SCAD Editors Club, clicked his mouse with furious fluidity, organizing folders and aligning edits in Avid Media Composer. To the uninitiated, it looked like he was operating a space station. For Tiner and his fellow film editing students, "The Art of the Assist: Lifecycle of a Show" was their sweet spot.

The workshop was part of "THE CUT" — a three-day post-production event, organized by film professor Alexander Newton, featuring reel reviews, panel discussions, and an utterly epic keynote address by legendary film editor Walter Murch (Apocalypse Now, The English Patient, Jarhead). While much of "THE CUT" happened virtually via Zoom to facilitate global attendance, the in-person portion felt, well, extra personal.

"You all were invited to come today because you've shown great dedication to editing, and because you're on the right track, people are noticing your hard work," said Newton to the two dozen students in Adler. "You're willing to embrace what's possible, including the unknown, all as part of getting better at your craft."

That meant learning from a group of alumni who work professionally as editors for networks and studios including Marvel, TLC, Amazon, PBS, Netflix, Showtime, and Paramount+. Brittany Bierly (B.F.A. film, 2016), Savannah Turner (B.F.A. film, 2016), Jayden Jackson (B.F.A. film, 2017), Sydney Hervey (B.F.A. film, 2019), and Devon Harding (B.F.A. film, 2016) spoke about how they got where they are in their creative careers, how they keep themselves organized (no small feat) and what it means to be a team player, whether working on a major motion picture like Bad Boys: Ride or Die or a hit show like Thousand Pound Sisters.

"Today we want to go over the life cycle of the show, from start to finish," said Turner. "Most of us work in unscripted [television], but it does apply to scripted as well. First, this is the hierarchy of the kind of people you might be working with, there might be more and there might be less, depending on the project…." Power point slides showed workflows involving supervisors, coordinators, producers, and editors. "Everything in its place," Turner said.

Each alum took turns discussing facets from establishing a post timeline to locking final deliverables. "Accept that they usually do the wrap party while you're still working," said Jackson as everyone laughed. "Seriously."

"I'm working at a bigger post-production house right now," Bierly said. "Not all places will have a nighttime AE, you will do a swing shift, that means starting in the afternoon and working through the evening. I started nights and honestly that was the best way to get my foot in the door. I also had to problem-solve a lot by myself."

It was clear these alumni all spent the past decade working as much as possible. The discussion included the wisdom of pen-on-paper note-taking, the best way to tell a client a potential problem is being addressed, ego-shedding and, of course, the golden rule: "Render before you export."

The session evolved into shadowing organizational techniques in Avid. At the end of the event, Tiner clicked free and smiled. "Being invited to be here was a good reason to show up today. Hearing about the steps everyone is going through in their editing careers, and learning about how they manage workflow is interesting to me, and hopefully an opportunity that I'll have in the future."

Thanks to everyone who attended this year's edition of THE CUT!

Learn more by following SCAD Editors Club on Instagram.

Olivia Tanzy digs bugs and figs.

The evidence was on display on a recent Friday evening during Jewelry Open Studio in Fahm Hall. As families and friends frolicked and "Pink Pony Club" pumped from a portable speaker, Tanzy (B.F.A. jewelry, 2025) stood at her display, ready to speak with curious passerby about her senior collection 'Figments of Choice'.

"I was inspired by Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar, the symbol of the fig tree and how overwhelming decision-making can feel in your twenties," Tanzy said. She gestured to a handmade baroque pearl necklace ("the piece that sparked my entire collection") and a complementary 24K gold-plated bracelet: "There's a ceramic fig in the middle and metal figs surrounding it, and a little ant made from solder and wire."

It was impossible not to be wowed by the skill required to turn a literary metaphor into a collection of jewelry. Also notable was Tanzy's steadfast presence — what professor Lanelle Keyes, who taught her in courses including Adornment, Identity, and Power of Jewelry (JEWL 280), calls "a quiet determination that draws people in."

A few days later, sitting in a relaxed setting outside Foxtail Coffee, Tanzy traced her arc from high school at Mount Pisgah Christian in Johns Creek, Georgia to completing a formidable and rigorous degree program in Savannah. "Originally I wanted to go to art school so that I could work with my hands and not be in front of a computer screen all day," she says. "When I got to SCAD, I thought I'd study performing arts or graphic design, then I took Intro to Jewelry: Materials and Processes and my mind was blown that I could have an idea and then physically make it in front of me."

Ripe on time: selections from 'Figments of Choice'.

Plath's fig tree analogy has been the subject of hothouse online discourse — not to mention the entire industry built around the author and her sole novel, published in 1963. When asked if she identifies with The Bell Jar's main character, the intelligent, indecisive student Esther Greenwood, Tanzy nods: "To read that portrayal of anxiety in a coming-of-age story — as a woman it's nice to know you're not alone in these feelings of having to be perfect while grappling with your sense of yourself. At the same time, I was struggling with so many options for what I wanted my senior collection to be." Then kismet hit.

"One day I was with my mom on Tybee enjoying a little beach weekend and we went to the grocery store, and they were selling fig trees. I was like, Here it is. I have to do this now."

Transmuting Plath's symbolic fig tree into tangible jewelry meant long hours at a work bench iterating with materials, designing in Rhino and Nomad Sculpt, and incorporating critical feedback from faculty. "Olivia steadily honed her vision as she became increasingly focused and intentional in her work," remarks Keyes. "No matter the challenge, she met it with grace and a sense of purpose."

Chair of jewelry Jay Song guided 'Figments of Choice' in Collection 1: Research and Development (JEWL 400) and Collection 2: Design and Production (JEWL 460), even bringing in leaves from her own fig tree for Tanzy to examine. "Olivia's thorough research and sensitivity in developing her design process — including initial concept exploration, market research, visual presentation board, and material samples — were all exceptionally well-executed," Song says. "Her creative vision is whimsical yet multisensory, aligning with the expectations of the fine jewelry industry, and the diverse techniques she employed mean her final outcomes reflect her unique perspective."

Tellingly, Tanzy emphasizes the challenges along the way. "When making these ceramics, some of them failed miserably," she recalls. "Like, okay, that's a rotten fig, we're going to try again…until I made one that was ripe and perfect and gave me the exact color and emotion that I wanted. When I was choosing glazes for the ceramics, I mixed colors, like a darker red and then I'd take my sponge and do a lighter red on top of it, and play around, try the opposite. For my stones, I felt I needed to use natural stones since this is a nature-inspired collection, so I chose garnets, I love that deep red, and rhodolite garnets with pink in them."

All the work finally paid off. The finished collection is a classic. This summer, Tanzy will begin a new job working at Ringcrush, the Atlanta-based business owned by alum Bailey Christenbury (M.A. jewelry, 2014; B.F.A. sculpture, 2011). Before that, she will be selling her own new pieces at the 25th Anniversary SCAD Jewelry Trunk Show this Thursday, May 8 and Friday, May 9 in Poetter Hall.

"One of the most amazing parts about SCAD is the networking opportunity at these events, and the chance to share my work with people and have a moment discussing my inspiration," she says.

So, with her SCAD career nearly complete, does she feel like she made the right choice?

Tanzy responds with a smile. "I finally found my fig."

Follow @oliviamakesjewelry and connect with Tanzy on Linkedin!

Collection photographed by Jenna Mitsdarfer.

Chalk another classic in the books! On a winningly warm Saturday in Forsyth Park, students, alumni, faculty, and local high school students thrilled the crowd with an irrespressible and iridescent installment of the enduring SCAD Sidewalk Arts Festival.

Savannah's largest and oldest park was transformed into a chromatic landscape of chalk compositions — Barbie, Bob, and Bubba Gump all made appearances — as the community strolled through the open air gallery while enjoying local food and music.

The SCAD Bee Sharps, the university’s premier vocal ensemble, took to the bandshell wearing snazzy purple Sidewalk Arts tees for praise-be vocal versions of top pop and next level steps. Faster than you can say “HOT TO GO!” #SCADchella was trending.

Additional action came via the national champions procession, as the SCAD women’s soccer and SCAD equestrian teams celebrated their recent titles. Golden foam fingers and black-and-yellow pom-poms featured prominently.

Before the festival, workshops helped students master their chalking skills. On Saturday, art and design professionals judged the chalk-sterpieces for coveted cash prizes. And the winners are.....

SCAD Student Spirit: Lily Cardone (B.F.A., film and television), Marissa Stoll (B.F.A., graphic design), Elise Ocampo (B.F.A., film and television), Shira Lynn (B.F.A., fashion)


Best of Show: Britt Spencer (M.F.A., painting, 2011)


Georgia Power Award: Inzer Mubashar (M.A., illustration) and Alejandra Matiz (M.A., illustration)


SCAD Alumni Spirit Award: Lara Wolf (M.A., illustration, 2006)


SCAD Student: Amelia Morrison (B.A., advertising and branding)


SCAD Student (Group): Andy Leck (B.F.A., illustration), Avery Helmer (B.F.A., illustration), Olivia Wolfson (B.F.A., illustration), Gabi Guzman (B.F.A., illustration)


SCAD Alumni: Ashutosh Rokade (M.A., production design)


Graduate Student Award: Laura Garcia Gomez (M.A., graphic design), Heer Jhaveri (M.A., graphic design), Yifei Chen (M.F.A., user experience design), Shraddha Sekhar Kandoth (M.F. A., graphic design), Ava Dryden (M.F. A., graphic design)

SEE THE FULL GALLERY OF WINNERS, AND MORE MEMORABLE IMAGES FROM THE DAY HERE!

See you next year, chalkers!

SCAD has a decades-long legacy of contributing to the most prestigious cinematic art in the world — and the annual awards event that recognizes it. This year, 136 SCAD alumni and current students provided their industry talents to films nominated for the 97th Academy Awards. The awards ceremony will be televised live on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at 7 pm on ABC.
 
These talented filmmakers and artisans contributed to 18 films receiving nominations from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including five Best Picture nominees, two Best Animated Film nominees, and all five films nominated for Best Visual Effects. These films include global blockbusters Wicked, Dune: Part Two, The Wild Robot, Inside Out 2 and critical favorite Anora.
 
"Our Oscar-nominated alumni are a source of pride and inspiration for all of our current students, alumni, and most of all their mentor professors who helped put them on these stellar paths," said Andra Reeve-Rabb, dean of SCAD's School of Film and Acting. "SCAD provides resources like no other university, and we send our students into the industry even before they graduate, placing them on film sets in Georgia, New York, Los Angeles, and beyond."
 
SCAD's School of Film and Acting and School of Animation and Motion have launched thousands of alumni into the movie industry, thanks to Oscar award-winning professors, resources that rival Hollywood studios, and stunning locations including an 11-acre backlot and two LED volume stages, two professionally run casting offices, and renowned film and television festivals.
 
Katerina Kojeva (B.F.A., production design, 2016) was the costume concept artist on Wicked, nominated for Best Picture, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design. Alyssa Bracken (B.F.A., production design, 2012) was the assistant costume designer on A Complete Unknown which is nominated for eight awards including Best Picture and Best Costume Design. Wyatt Garfield (B.F.A., film and television, 2007) was the cinematographer on A Different Man which is nominated for Best Makeup and Hairstyling. Actor Kayli Carter (B.F.A., performing arts, 2015) turns in another memorable star turn, as Maria Muldaur in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
 
Fifty-two of the alumni who worked on Oscar-nominated films graduated from SCAD with a degree in visual effects. Hyun Huh (B.F.A., computer art, 1999) was the visual effects modeling supervisor and Yukinori Inagaki (M.F.A., visual effects, 2008) was the character rigging lead on The Wild Robot. Ryan Gillis (B.F.A., computer art, 2004) and Steve Bevins (B.F.A., visual effects, 2013) were both VFX department supervisors on Wicked. Gina Niespodziani (B.F.A., animation, 2011) was the visual effects executive producer on A Different Man. These visual effects artists allow filmmakers to create worlds and scenarios that would be impossible to capture realistically on camera, expanding creative possibilities, enhancing storytelling, and immersing audiences in fantastical narratives.
 
"No matter how the voting goes, a SCAD alumni will be on the winning team for Best Achievement in Visual Effects on March 2nd!" said SCAD visual effects chair Gray Marshall. "The sheer number of our visual effects graduates who contributed to these nominated films, both animated and live action, is a proud moment for our department and for the university as a whole. Our alumni continue to push the boundaries of storytelling through innovation, artistry, and technical excellence."

Food provides a window into a culture’s traditions, values, and history. The captivating docuseries chefATL, the latest project from SCAD Atlanta students, opens the kitchen door on the expansive culinary scene in the city.
 
"ChefATL utilizes a different host for each episode to get to the heart of what's most important to the series: exploring the people, stories, and philosophies behind the dishes," said SCAD associate chair of film and television Quinlan Orear. “It provides students with a valuable opportunity to learn from new mentors in every episode, with over 200 students participating in the series across nine SCAD degree programs."
 
Niranjana Karumampuram Arunkumar (M.F.A. film and television) played a crucial role in the production of chefATL as the second assistant camera operator. Her responsibilities included assisting with lens and filter changes, maintaining detailed camera reports, and managing equipment.
 
"Through this docuseries, I've gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for the rich cultural tapestry that defines Atlanta," Arunkumar said. "Each episode introduced me to different neighborhoods, local chefs, and unique culinary traditions, helping me feel more connected to the community."
 
This sense of connection is a key aspect of the chefATL experience. The show's format includes scripted and improvised elements, allowing the chef's personality and culinary expertise to shine through. Each episode involves shooting on location.  "One memorable behind-the-scenes moment was our visit to a bustling fresh market," Arunkumar recalled. “Besides capturing its atmosphere, we had the chance to explore and even buy some fresh ingredients to take home."
 
Aishwarya Goyal (B.F.A., fashion, 2024) enhanced chefATL's visual storytelling as a wardrobe coordinator. Goyal was responsible for creating lookbooks, ensuring outfits were camera-ready, and collaborating with the art department under SCAD associate chair of film and television Emma McGill and stylist Mitchell Hall (B.F.A., fashion, 2006).
 
"Fashion is about conveying a story through colors, fabrics, and designs, much like how we wanted to tell the story of food and culinary artistry through our docuseries," Goyal said. "Understanding how to curate looks that speak to different personalities and moods helped me create wardrobes that fit the cast and enhanced the narrative."
 
One of the primary challenges was balancing practicality with visual appeal. "Chefs need attire that allows them to move comfortably and handle the rigorous demands of cooking, which sometimes conflicted with the stylish, polished look we aimed for on camera," Goyal said.
 
Rajeev Pillai (M.A. advertising, 2024) served as the art director and postproduction lead for chefATL marketing initiatives led by SCAD professor of advertising Reginald Harrison. Pallai’s role involved generating innovative ideas and creating post-production assets aligned with the show's theme and target audience. Working on an episodic TV series presented new challenges, like developing a campaign that highlighted Atlanta's food scene—one that he was unfamiliar with.
 
"Our goal was to aid the process and enhance efficiency for everyone involved," Pillai said. "Fostering a heightened sense of curiosity allowed me to understand Atlanta's cultural fabric better, and my biggest takeaway was the importance of tact when pushing ideas forward."
 
Pillai proposed a multifaceted strategy to adapt the chefATL campaign to the dynamically changing advertising landscape, leveraging digital platforms, localized marketing efforts, and strategic partnerships with local food influencers and bloggers. 

"Pillai and team had to consider who the viewing audience would ultimately be and what kind of content would attract them to want to return episode after episode," Harrison said. " I’m very proud of the work they contributed."

As the series continues to grow, chefATL becomes more than just a culinary docuseries — it is a testament to Atlanta's rich cultural tapestry and the collaborative excellence of SCAD students.
 
After a sneak peek last week at SCAD TVfest, chefATL will premiere in the coming months on WABE TV (PBS-30). The series will be accessible to audiences nationwide via PBS Passport. Local chefs who appear in the series include James Beard award-winning and nominated chefs Steven Satterfield (Miller Union), Deborah VonTreace (Twisted Souls Cookhouse), Terry Koval (The Deer and The Dove), Parnass Savang (Talat Market), Jiyeon Lee (Heirloom Market), and Hector Santiago (El Super Pan).

Connect with the writer of this article, Surabhi Khare, on LinkedIn.

Andrew Meyer is a mentor who matters. At the moment, the film professor, producer and author is sitting in the sun outside a coffeeshop near the Jen Library, taking a few moments before his graduate-level production class to discuss his rollicking new memoir Walking in the Fast Lane. 

"While writing this book, one thing I realized is that in my professional career, I worked extensively with first-time directors," Meyer says. "I was mentoring them, only it was called producing. Then I turned to teaching, where I mentor students. I've really been a mentor all my life."

Walking in the Fast Lane recounts the Westchester, New York native's years in the music and film industries, from his days as a college student booking concerts by Miles Davis and the Grateful Dead, to vivid encounters with stars like George Harrison and Joe Cocker, to creating and running A&M Films, and collaborating with directors including Michael Apted (Bring on the Night) and Savage Steve Holland (Better Off Dead). (Anyone who attended the recent Trustees Theater showing of Better Off Dead knows the 1985 film is beloved by current students.)

This Friday, Jan. 24, Meyer will be in Atlanta for the SCAD Cinema Circle 40th anniversary screening and discussion of John Hughes' classic 1985 movie The Breakfast Club. As Meyer recounts in his memoir, in the early 1980s, a dewy Hughes had only recently left his job as an advertising copywriter to pen humor pieces for magazines. 

"At the time, John hadn't directed anything, but I'd read National Lampoon's Vacation and went to his house to meet him," Meyer says. "He told me, 'I wrote a script and the whole story takes place in one room. I thought if I wrote it all set in one room, you'd let me direct.' Well, the one room was a high school library, and the film was The Breakfast Club."

Like other Meyer-produced films including Birdy (1984) and Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), The Breakfast Club has transcended its era to achieve lasting status. Success is not easy to predict, Meyer says. "You're lucky to get a movie made, and even after it's made, you have to wait until you see the rough cut until you know if you might have a good movie."

Having a strong foundation in the classroom can make the difference. Meyer has now spent twenty years teaching at SCAD, cultivating multiple generations of film and televison professionals.

"My students are making short films, and I prepare them by having them know how to run a well-executed film set and be professional," he says. "When a student is a good filmmaker, people are drawn to them. The DPs and editors gravitate towards the director who is passionate and has a good story. When you see someone talented, you want to work with them. That's the same in film school and in the professional world. You have to have the right people around you."

One of those people is Kate Haley (M.F.A. film and television, 2024) who directed the excellent, 14-minute documentary film about Meyer, also titled Walking in the Fast Lane. Cleverly framed as a talk show interview called "That Fabulous Eighties Show," the doc succeeds as an imaginative, evocative depiction of Meyer — the boy, the man, the producer, and Zelig-like character hopscotching through time. It will screen along with The Breakfast Club on Friday.
 
"I had a run in a window of original work, and when I look back at it now, it amazes me," Meyer says. For now, he's enjoying the sun.

Professor Andrew Meyer on the set of director Kate Haley's documentary Walking in the Fast Lane.

Photo: Shambhavi Ramabhadran.

Justin Zielke has clay on his hands. The sculptor and digital conjuror, who has created videos for musicians as diverse as Joy Oladokun and Dave Matthews, is a daily devotee of malleable minerals and a keen observer of the human form. "The body is a point of interest to me," he says. "You add your own emotion to who this person is."
 
Zielke (M.F.A. animation, 2017) is speaking specifically about "The Missing Piece," his stunning new video for electronic musician Max Cooper. The clip uses oil-based clay renderings of human heads — they form, flow, fall apart and face off — to explore what Zielke calls "the absence of a loved one, the longing for the past, or the ephemeral nature of existence itself." YouTube comments range from "I'm trying to imagine exactly how the stop motion was pulled off so smoothly" (ChrisGuerra31) to "WOW!!!! MASTERPIECE!!!!!" (wandrahodge8908).
 
"The Missing Piece" incorporates some 30,000 individual images occupying a terabyte of data. "I take a photograph after I make every mark in the clay, which brings my attention to the moment I connect to an emotion," Zielke says. Working with capricious substances means his process and intentions are indivisible. "When I make a mark in clay, I don't go backwards. It's about finding rhythm and creating beauty in the moment and adapting to what I just did."
 
Call it equipoise: the calm and cool Kansan is a SCAD superstar. Featured in the SCAD Dreamers and Makers docuseries, the Alumni Atelier ambassador created site-specific work for the SCAD Lacoste Promenade de Sculptures in 2022. As SCAD MOA curator Ben Tollefson observes: "From a large-scale bronze sculpture to a cutting-edge stop-motion music video, Justin creates moving reflections on who we are as human beings."

Nuance in Repetition, bronze. 37x70x34", 2022, SCAD Lacoste.

Now, ten years after he first arrived in Savannah, Zielke reflects on his stint as a student: "I came to SCAD with the intention of flourishing in the animation industry, going to work for a big company in Hollywood. Then my professors pushed me to ask myself ‘Why are you creating this?' and I started gravitating towards fine art."
 
He praises motion media professor Michael Betancourt, whose "media theory class rocked me to my core," and animation faculty Christoph Simon "for his wide film knowledge and eye for aesthetic theory" and Jose Luis Silva "for encouraging me to show in a fine art situation."
 
"Justin was an amazing student," says Silva. "His genuine desire to advance his artistic abilities demonstrated his high expectations for himself. His master's thesis project [on Henri Bergson's theory of duration and habit] reflected that commitment. Justin's ability to improvise and push the conventions of traditional animation techniques has led to breakthroughs in his work."
 
Now, as collaborator Max Cooper continues his 3D/AV World Tour, Zielke explains that a new visual iteration of "The Missing Piece" will accompany him. "It's a two-part screen where Max stands in the middle and projects onto the front screen. Then there's a projection onto a back screen, and you can see through everything, and project your own emotions onto it."
 
The missing piece is in hand.

See more of the work of Justin Zielke.