Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1507937
2 0 P E R S P E C T I V E | S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 0 2 3 AFI students, faculty, alumni, ADG members, family and other supporters from the filmmaking community gathered on the AFI sound stage on August 3, 2023, to view the work of the American Film Institute's graduating class in Production Design. Attendees were able to see the wide range of work presented by the sixteen graduating Fellows, only of fraction of which can be shared in the following pages. Designs ranged from ambitious theoretical projects to short production exercises to finished thesis productions that were built and shot by the student artists. Every facet of the craft could be seen in some capacity, from computer- rendered concept illustrations, to hand- drawn set sketches, physical white models, drafted construction details, production stills of the many realized designs done in the program, video of student thesis films, and an array of props and gadgets made for the films. The showcase is the capstone of an intense two- year conservatory program where the Fellows are simultaneously learning the skills needed to turn their ideas into images and physical spaces, as well as an immersion into film production that results in a fully realized thesis film ready for festival submission. The goal is to provide the students with the tools and experience to practice narrative design at a professional level, and the success of the program was evident in the many returning graduates who are now ADG members working at all levels of the industry across the nation and around the world. The showcase is an important step in the Fellow's connection to the professional world, and AFI deeply appreciates the many ADG designers who turned out for the event. Among those reviewing the students' work were Production Designers Scott Chambliss, Mark Worthington, Keith Cunningham, Tom Walsh, Todd Cherniawsky and Alan Muraoka. Additional information on the program can be found at: https://conservatory.afi.com H i g h l i g h t i n g t h e W o r k o f F u t u r e D e s i g n e r s A F I P R O D U C T I O N D E S I G N S H O W C A S E B Y J O S E P H T. G A R R I T Y, H E A D O F P R O D U C T I O N D E S I G N , A M E R I C A N F I L M I N S T I T U T E A. AFI SHOWCASE LOGO BY PATRICIA WITT. B. THE 2023 SHOWCASE ON THE AFI STAGE. C. ADG MEMBERS AND AFI ALUMNI (L-R): ROBERT AGUIRRE, KATIA NAJERA VIALE AND CLAUDIA ETHRIDGE WITH PERSPECTIVE EDITOR DAVID MORONG. D. AFI HEAD OF PRODUCTION DESIGN JOE GARRITY (C), WITH (L-R): ALUMNAE KATELYN AND KRISTEN BUDKE, PRODUCTION DESIGNER SCOTT CHAMBLISS AND ALUMNA WHITNEY DONALD. E. GRADUATE PAIGE SCHAEFFER DISCUSSING HER DESIGNS. F. GRADUATE JOLIEN LEWIS PRESENTIING HER WORK. A B