21 Monday May 2012
Posted in Advertising/Public Relations, In the News, Students
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Advertising students who are competing in the National Student Advertising Competition final round (see earlier blog post) were interviewed recently on WGVU radio.
16 Wednesday May 2012
Posted in Film/Video Production, Students
The Telly Awards has named Angela Peavey, graduate student in the School of Communications and Owner of Big Shoes Productions, LLC as a Bronze winner in the 33rd Annual Telly Awards for her piece titled “Our Beautiful Secret–Race Day.” With nearly 11,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries, the award is a significant achievement.
Peavey is making the docudrama for her Master’s thesis. Big Shoes Productions, LLC offers private performance arts coaching, live theatre services, production, and arts program development services.
“Our Beautiful Secret” is a Docudrama based on Lowell, Michigan resident Jonathan Peavey. Almost 30 years ago the doctors told Jonathan’s parents not to expect him to live long. Born with cerebral palsy, practically mute and perpetually challenged, what’s a man to do? Everything. (Learn more about the film.)
The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 and is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.
A prestigious judging panel of over 500 accomplished industry professionals, each a past winner of a Silver Telly and a member of The Silver Telly Council, judged the competition, upholding the historical standard of excellence that Telly represents. The Silver Council evaluated entries to recognize distinction in creative work – entries do not compete against each other – rather entries are judged against a high standard of merit.
“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, Executive Director of the Telly Awards. “Angela Peavey’s accomplishment illustrates her creativity, skill, and dedication to the craft and her docudrama serves as a testament to great film and video production.”
“I am honored to be recognized by the Telly association and by my community of artists,” said Peavey. “Our Beautiful Secret is definitely not a secret any longer.”
07 Monday May 2012
Posted in Advertising/Public Relations, Alumni
07 Monday May 2012
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Theatre Alumnus Scott Watson’s play “L’Homme Blanc” has been selected by the Fusion Theatre as a finalist in its contest called “The Seven: Nothing Is As It Seems.”
There were 748 plays submitted, from 43 states and 9 countries. Only 21 were chosen as finalists, and of these, seven plays will be selected for production in Albequerque, New Mexico from June 7-10.
Learn more about Watson’s finalist play and his other word on his web site.
19 Thursday Apr 2012
Posted in Events, Film/Video Production
Enjoy the premiere screening of the Grand Valley State University film ”Message Sent.” The original screenplay was written by Angelo Eidse of Vancouver and selected for the university’s 17th annual Summer Film Project.
The Summer Film Project was established in 1995 to offer junior and senior students an opportunity to work side-by-side with professionals to produce a short film. More than 25 students enrolled in the six-week practicum course that shot the film in late July and early August. Post-production was done during a 15-week fall course.
The plot of ”Message Sent” involves a vagrant, played by Michael McCallum from Lansing, who begins to receive emergency messages on a cell phone he found and becomes compelled to find the owner. The cast also includes, among others, 15-year-old Kaitlyn Squires, from Byron Center, who recently played the role of Helen Keller at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.
Director John Harper Philbin and cinematographer Jack Anderson reunited for their fifth summer film together. Philbin is associate professor of film and video in Grand Valley’s School of Communications. Hollywood veteran Anderson is now a professor at California State, Long Beach. The producer is Carian White, an April 2011 graduate of Grand Valley’s Film & Video Program. Megan Soderberg, art director and Adam Rock, camera operator are also 2011 graduates.
Box office opens at 7 p.m. Admission is $5. DVDs, on sale in lobby for $10, include “Message Sent,” plus “The Making of Message Sent.”
Cast and crew members will be in attendance. The screening will be followed by a question and answer session, and a making-of showing.
For more information contact: John Harper Philbin, director, at (616) 331-3608.
19 Thursday Apr 2012
Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival is proud to announce their 2012 “Will Power” Summer Camp, June 18-22 or June 25-29th. For students entering first- third grade, or fourth- sixth grade. For more information regarding the summer camp, click here. Or visit the theatre’s website.
16 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Advertising/Public Relations, Students
It was a very good weekend for Advertising and Public Relations students for three reasons:
1. Students Take First Place for First Time in National Advertising Student Competition
Student presenters with Affiliate Professor Frank Blossom (far right).
The Grand Valley State University Advertising Team won its division in District 6 AAF (American Advertising Federation) National Student Advertising Competition [NSAC], one of the largest NSAC competitions in the nation. 20 universities from Michigan, Indiana and Illinois competed, including Michigan, Michigan State, Illinois, Ferris State, Wayne State, Central Michigan, Butler, Purdue West Lafayette, Purdue Calumet, Western Michigan, Indiana University, Northwood University, University of Southern Indiana, Columbia College, Marian University, Ball State University, Augustana College and Notre Dame. This is the first time GVSU has won the title to move on and compete for the national championship.
“This has been a crazy ride,” said Patrick Vander Kolk, Account Executive of the team. “Our team has invested over 10,000 hours the past 32 weeks toward this end, and it’s surreal to think that all of those hours paid off. From day one, the 25 of us have believed that our ideas can add value to the Nissan brand. I’m glad the judges recognized that today.”
Twenty-five GVSU Advertising/PR majors worked for two semesters on an advertising campaign for Nissan, as did other students competing across the country. The goal is to give the GVSU School of Communications students real-life experience in an ad agency atmosphere, preparing them for the ad industry.
The GVSU team of five presenters–Patrick Vander Kolk, Amanda Villarreal, Gabriel Carter Ashlie Wigent, and Elizabeth Miedema–pitched the campaign to judging teams comprised of advertising professionals and Nissan marketing executives.
2. Students Host Regional PRSSA Conference in Grand Rapids for First Time
Members of the GVSU Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) hosted the first PRSSA regional conference in Grand Rapids on Friday and Saturday at the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. The student leaders had to get everything approved for the regional conference–which attracted students from several colleges–by the national office of PRSSA.
Called “Limitless PR,” the conference featured tours of Grand Rapids PR and media offices on Friday. Saturday was dedicated to panels and presentations from a variety of public relations professionals in the area, ranging from health, to sports, to nonprofit and other aspects of the profession.
The conference got a mention in MLive during the weekend.
3. Student Run PR Firm Showcases Client Work in Open House
Students interact with area professionals at their GrandPR open house.
Students who work in GVSU PRSSA’s student-run PR firm, GrandPR, hosted an open house on Sunday at the Eberhard Center. They showed the work they have done this past year for clients.
This past year the students had 10 clients, both paid and pro bono, including ArtPrize, Boardwalk Subs, Waterfront Film Festival, and others. The students put in more than 2000 hours of work–all outside of class assignments–to gain professional experience.
GrandPR is one of only 20 student-run firms to be affiliated with the national PRSSA office.
16 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Photography, Students
Please join the School of Communications community in celebrating the success of the Photography Senior Thesis Exhibition during the opening reception of: in first person
12 Thursday Apr 2012
Posted in Uncategorized
GrandPR, the student-run public relations agency of Grand Valley State University, announced the organization dedicated more than 2,050 hours during the last eight months providing public relations assistance to local business and organizations, including ArtPrize, Boardwalk Subs, the Crohn’s and Coltis Foundation of American, and the Down Syndrome Association of West Michigan, among others.
GrandPR is comprised of 19 students studying public relations and other various communication majors at GVSU. While being a staff member of GrandPR requires as much time as a “real” job, staff members volunteer and dedicate their time to gaining real-world experience providing public relations services such as media relations, social media, and event coordination.
“ArtPrize worked with GrandPR to be my arms and legs during some of the busiest moments leading up to the 2011 event,” said Brian Burch, public relations director at ArtPrize. “They provided me with a dedicated account team who I would recommend to any future employer.”
While there are more than 100 student-run public relations firms nationwide, GrandPR has received national affiliation from the Public Relations Society of America, naming the agency as one of the top 32 agencies in the country.
“GrandPR staff members are among the most talented and dedicated public relations students in Michigan,” said GrandPR CEO, Katlynn Downey. “Through GrandPR, we are able to combine our skills and creativity to help business achieve their goals, while gaining the experience we need to prepare each of us for careers in communications.”
The GrandPR Open House will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in room 215 at the Eberhard Center on GVSU’s downtown campus. Desserts, refreshments, and GrandPR swag also be available. For more information on GrandPR, visit grandpr.org.
About GrandPR:
GrandPR commits to providing strategic public relations counsel with innovative communication tactics from a fresh, young perspective. With a genuine enthusiasm for what we do, GrandPR produces results that enable clients to reach their objectives by establishing and maintaining mutually beneficial relationships. Our staff implements and executes quality campaigns while adhering to the highest of ethical standards.
10 Tuesday Apr 2012
Posted in Students
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GVSU School of Communication student, Tyler Howe, recently was a part of YobiTV’s “Take The Stage” series. Howe was one of nine contestants from around the country who went to Detroit to be mentored by Johnny Wright (current manager of Justin Timberlake, Aaron Carter, Ciara, Jonas Brothers and many others as well as former manager of Backstreet Boys, ‘N Sync, New Kids on the Block and Brittany Spears). Other industry professionals also stopped in to give us advice and put us through challenges. The whole process was filmed and is being made into a web series. The first episode airs in mid-May, and there are fifteen episodes. Public voting will determine who wins; more details about this will soon be on www.yobi.tv (which is where the episodes can be viewed as well). The winner of the competition will win $20,000 and be signed to a contract with Johnny Wright’s management company, Wright Entertainment Group.
“The process was absolutely incredible,” said Howe. ”The cast and crew (everyone from the singers to the hosts to the makeup artists to the camera operators) were all so professional. There were rough times, as there always are in the music industry, but it was all worth it in the end.” Howe continued, “It is not very often that someone says ‘I am fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to work with one of the biggest music managers of all time.’ I am so thankful to God for such a great opportunity.”
For anyone interested in checking out Howe’s music, here are some links:
To view photos of “Take the Stage,” click here to view YobiTV’s blog.
