The Senior Showcase

The Senior Showcase project was my passion project and my gift to the graduating class of 2021. After two long years of COVID and not being able to do live events, I wanted to do something special for the motion design department at SCAD. I brought together some of my fellow students, and we created something special for everyone. It allowed our community to come together, whether in Savannah or halfway around the globe.

The Brief

In one cohesive piece, we needed to create something inclusive that would allow people to experience all the work that people had created while highlighting everything that we enjoyed about our time at SCAD. It was my desire to create an interactive online experience for students, families, and professors no matter where they were in the world.

The location 

The location process started a few months prior to the Senior Showcase. We started scouting out a few Savannah and SCAD venues to hold the event keeping in mind that we needed to reserve a location with the correct capacity while saving on cost. We also wanted an outdoor venue so people could interact more safely during COVID. We selected the SCAD Beach located in the courtyard of the SCAD Museum of Art. The venue could hold 50 people and offered a large enough space for projection.

Assets 

Next, we needed to create the assets for the event. We started early to ensure we would have the time necessary to collect the best student work. I sent out emails to all students who had graduated in 2021 following up with weekly emails to ensure that every student would be included. I also worked closely with some students who were unable to reach the deadline but had amazing work to show. We created a digital asset management structure to keep everything organized. 

As we were awaiting responses from the students, I began working with a small group of designers to create structural assets for the event. We worked on a virtual reality environment and created an interactive display where viewers could curate their experience.  We went through several different iterations until we finally settled on the one that we found created the best atmosphere for the event. Then we started going through the process of animation which provided transitions between the student work.

Filming and fun 

As the Senior Showcase event was drawing nearer, and we were feeling confident in the structure, we decided to have a little bit of fun. We sent out a Senior Superlative Google Form for everyone to fill out. This helped engage the students and give them the opportunity to poke fun at each other. It created a more inclusive cheery environment leading up to the event. This effort culminated in one talented student filming the superlatives, and presenting it on our Instagram page simultaneous to the live event. Additionally, we filmed a short opening with the Chair of the Motion Media Department and one other professor. All of these additional details made the overall event more inclusive and fun. 

Finale 

All of our hard work and passion paid off. It culminated with an event with 50 or more students and family members in person, and hundreds watching on YouTube. I was the tech and AV lead event coordinator. I was responsible for projecting and presenting the at the live event, while simultaneously live-streaming the event for those who could not be there in person. It was a hit!

I have been involved in so many events at SCAD, but honestly, I believe this was one of the best SCAD events I’ve ever done. All the work behind it was worth it. It meant so much to everyone, especially after the loss of our senior year to COVID. I also gave people an opportunity for a collective final goodbye and to enjoy viewing the work their friends had made over the years. 

Leadership Award

I am exceedingly proud to say that I was graced with the 2021 Leadership Award given by Motion Media Department Chair Kelly Carlton along with two of my colleagues Ana Valerio and Krystal Coates.