The arts at Duke have been growing: with programs and groups such as the Duke Entertainment and Media Arts Network (DEMAN) and the "Artstigators," Duke is fully harnessing all that the field of media can offer. Through both faculty and alumni resources, Duke has sought to better connect students to the arts world and even offer opportunities to showcase student work to successful individuals in arts and media industries.
The Duke in Hollywood Challenge was one such opportunity. In mid-October, Duke students competed to design and create either a video or a logo for DEMAN and convey what DEMAN is through the respective mediums. The submissions were judged on effective communication, technique and aesthetic appeal by several notable alumni and faculty, including Transformers executive prodcer Mark Vahradian, Hunger Games producer Bryan Unkeless, Vice Provost for the Arts Scott Lindroth, Director of Duke in LA Karen Price, as well as Sterly Wilder and Inga Peterson from Duke Alumni Affairs. The winners of this competition receive a free trip to Hollywood and a VIP tour of Paramount Studios, getting the chance to mingle with media giants like Vahradian and Unkeless.
DEMAN was looking to re-design their image and to promote what exactly the network is and how it can benefit students. The judges were looking for something that captured the essence of DEMAN, while also being aesthetically pleasing.
Unkeless commented, "When judging the contest I was seeking work that felt singular, professionally executed and represented Duke's spirit."
At the annual DEMAN weekend, the panel announced Jamie Kessler and Alex Elliott as winners of the contest for their logo and video designs, respectively.
Jamie Kessler is a senior English major with a Visual Media Studies minor who, simply put, "loves the arts." Here at Duke, Kessler has participated in both Duke in LA and Duke in New York and has been heavily involved with DEMAN and many other arts programs. Kessler has interned and worked for Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and United Talent Agency, and with these in-field experiences, she is motivated to pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Kessler designed her logo using Adobe Illustrator after running through possible themes that related to DEMAN. Her final logo, a speech bubble with DEMAN inscribed within, is representative of her perception of what DEMAN is all about.
"DEMAN, especially is about talking to others who are interested in similar fields, so that you can network and collaborate. It was my thought that a bubble could represent that well," Kessler explained.
Alex Elliott, a junior Public Policy major, has dreamed of a career in the entertainment industry from an early age: when he was eight, Elliott began making films with a home camera. Elliott has explored his passion for media by participating in the Duke in LA program, during which he interned at Marc Platt Productions, a movie production company on the Universal Studios lot. This past summer, Elliott worked as a production assistant on the set of FOX's Sleepy Hollow.
Elliott filmed his video using time-lapse photography: using a DSLR camera, he snapped a picture every "X" amount of seconds, spliced them together and sped the film up to play 24 frames, or pictures, per second.
"For the beginning of the video, I would take a picture, my beautiful actress would move an inch, and I would take another picture and repeat," Elliott said.
Elliott's inspiration for his video came from the growth of the arts at Duke. He often felt that Duke's commitment to research and academia masks the presence of arts at the school.
"I tried to showcase the hubs of art across campus, from dance in the Ark off East Campus to the Center for Documentary Studies," Elliott explained. "The arts initiatives on campus seem to be building bridges between these hubs and bringing these disciplines together."
Bryan Unkeless echoed Elliott's sentiment.
"I have been impressed by Duke’s progression toward supporting the arts. I love DEMAN’s goal to make sure students realize that pursuing a career in film, television, music or the arts is actually a viable option," Unkeless said. "There is a vibrant Duke community working in these fields ready to offer perspective, support and guidance."
The Duke in Hollywood Challenge is just one stepping stone to helping the winners pursue their dreams of a career in arts and media. Both Kessler and Elliott plan to use their trip to Hollywood as a chance to build connections and help establish themselves early within the industry.
"The trip to Hollywood is so useful to me as a senior. It could potentially allow me to interview or meet new contacts that could help me find career opportunities," Kessler said. "I have enjoyed my prior experiences tremendously and hope to get a permanent position at either an agency or television network."
"Last semester, during the Duke in LA program, I gained experience working at a Hollywood film production company and learned a great deal about the industry itself," Elliott said. "I would most like to work at an agency, a film production company or a studio."
Kessler's and Elliott's prize-winning works will be displayed on social media starting today. Kessler's and the other finalists' logos can be found on the Artstigators' Instagram and Twitter, account while Elliott's and the other finalists' videos will be on their YouTube channel.
For more up-to-date information about "Artstigating" and the arts here at Duke, follow the "Artstigators" and DEMAN network on Instagram and Twitter @artstigators. You can also learn more about DEMAN weekend at DukeDeman.com and about the Duke Alumni network @DukeAlumni.
A previous version of this article had spelling errors. These errors are now fixed and The Chronicle regrets the error.
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