Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1539634
8 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 5 N E W S 2025 ADG Production Design Initiative B Y C O R E Y K A P L A N , J A C K F I S K , M A R C I A H I N D S , T H O M A S A . WA L S H , M E N T O R S John Ford had once told an aspiring 15-year-old Steven Spielberg, "They tell me you want to be a picture maker" …then he warned…"this business will rip you apart!" As to the value of work experience, Charles Bukowski noted, "What matters most is how well you walk through the fire." The PDI (Production Design Initiative) is not a program but rather a unique opportunity to be mentored by working professionals. On-the-job immersive experiences are essential for careers in Art Direction and Production Design. The following eleven extremely talented souls have entered the fire so that they may one day join our community of design professionals. If you have an opening for a design assistant, please consider them or their peers on our availability list. Contact Laura Kamogawa at the Guild office: 818 762 9995 or laura@adg.org. A. PERSONA. PROCREATE ILLUSTRATION. B. KEYFRAME. SPIRITED AWAY. BATHHOUSE. J E S S I C A B u r n a m P A L A S H G a n d h i Jessica is a story-centered creator whose work spans fine art, theater, business and film. She holds a BA in sculpture from UVA, an MBA from William & Mary and an MFA from AFI. Jessica is adept in hand drafting, SketchUp, Vectorworks and Rhino. She has designed and art directed short films, music videos and indie features, and has been an Art Department coordinator for commercials and music videos. Palash is a designer with a passion for crafting spaces that don't just look good but tell a story. He holds a degree in architecture from Mumbai and after a brief detour into Bollywood, got a masters in Production Design at SCAD.He seeks out the sweet spot where precision meets imagination, is endlessly curious and thrives under pressure, believing that even the tiniest prop or texture can shift the entire tone of a scene. A B