Alumni Live: The Podcast

Host Randy Strobl (2012) talks with visual artists K. Lynn Smith (2008) and Dan Hogan (2005) about their journeys from GVSU to becoming visual artists. They discuss their work, how they developed their styles, and built careers through comics, art festivals, and animation. 

LINKS:

DANIEL HOGAN LINKS

To learn about ways you can support GVSU film and video students:
https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-film-and-video-1162.htm

To follow the FVP Alumni Network

Host Randy Strobl (2012) talks with Location Manager Ashley Bunge (2008) about her career as a location manager and how she went from GVSU to working on big-budget films. She talks about what goes into scouting and managing film locations and how she got her start in the industry after moving to New Orleans.

Alums Caitlyn Shaw (2025), Callie Wynne (2026), and Bill Cuppy (1995) discuss the benefits of study abroad for film and video majors and the skills and stories they gained during their travels. Bill also talks about the scholarship he helped establish to encourage film and video students to study abroad, the Morse-Cuppy Film, Video, Animation Study Abroad Endowed Scholarship.

Alumni and editor/producer Elena Chiu (2025) and Kyle Flannery (2018), a picture finishing producer at Harbor Picture Company, discuss the team involved in post-production and Kyle’s journey moving from West Michigan into the New York production industry.

LINKS:
Harbor Picture Company

To support GVSU film and video students by donating to scholarships and fellowships:

• https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-film-and-video-1162.htm

Current student Ashlyn Mendelsohn talks with alum Jeff Donehoo (2001) about his career working in sports media and his current role as a Senior Motion Graphic Designer and Programmer with Rocket Surgery which is part of Ross Video Creative Services.

LINKS:
Rocket Surgery YouTube Channel

To support GVSU film and video students by donating to scholarships and fellowships:

• https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-film-and-video-1162.htm

Alums Jordan Skutar (Assistant Camera) and Jessica Tolliver (Director of Photography) talk about working in the camera department and the industry. Both work in Chicago.

Links:
Keslow Camera
The Camera Assistant's Manual by David E. Elkins SOC

To support GVSU film and video students by donating to scholarships and fellowships:

• https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-film-and-video-1162.htm

Retired GVSU Professor and Audio Engineer Joe McCargar talks with alum Dennis Dembeck (2013) about his career as a Sound Editor and Re-Recording Mixer working in NYC and LA.  

Links:
To support GVSU film and video students by donating to scholarships and fellowships:

• https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-film-and-video-1162.htm

Join host Mary Graff Ashley as she talks with GVSU alumni Michael Piotrowski about his experience mixing and recording sound across different locations, budgets, and directors. 

Links:
To support GVSU film and video students by donating to scholarships and fellowships:

• https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-film-and-video-1162.htm

• https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8258882/

Host Samantha Drougel talks with alum Justin Woychowski, Chief Creative Officer of United eSports, about media creation in the rapidly growing eSports industry.

Links:
To support GVSU film and video students by donating to scholarships and fellowships:

• https://www.gvsu.edu/giving/give-now-film-and-video-1162.htm

Storytelling is at the heart of both filmmaking and creating graphic novels. Join alums Griffin Sheridan, Rory Webb, and Amanda Webb as they discuss their journey as storytellers using the medium of comics. 

Links:

• https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8258882/