Studio Labs Archives - �Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design

After Ringling workshop, Booker VPA film is a finalist in national film festival

awalters — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0000

Supported by a partnership with �Ļ�Ӱ��, a film by three Booker High School students was named a finalist for the All-American High School Film Festival, the largest high school film festival in the world. Writer Lana Phelan and editor Mason Kauffman, both of whom attended last summer’s �Ļ�Ӱ�� Sound Workshop, teamed up with director Nya Chambless to create the short film Beaver Fever. The students are all members of the Booker VPA (Visual and Performing Arts) Film and Animation program.

Beaver Fever follows an idealistic young man protesting poor customer service, only to be confronted by an unscrupulous mascot focused only on sales.

During the free, three-week workshop, part of an exclusive partnership between Booker and �Ļ�Ӱ��, Kauffman and Phelan worked on their sound mix for the seven-minute film under the guidance of Film faculty and Studio Labs sound designer Nick Palladino, with Studio Labs sound designers Troy Logan and Riley Cullather.

“This was another case of Ringling’s passion for helping our students, leading to something greater than they could ever have imagined,”��said��Booker VPA film producer John Timpe. “Our students are well-prepared for the step into college thanks to the workshop.”

In addition to the summer workshop, the partnership between Booker and �Ļ�Ӱ�� also includes scholarship opportunities, the chance to sit in on Film Department Head Patrick Alexander’s classes, and opportunities to hear from notable guest speakers on campus.

Contact:
Office of Marketing and Communications
communications@ringling.edu��
941-309-4008

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Film Program makes The Hollywood Reporter’s top 25

awalters — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 10:00:00 +0000

The �Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design Film program was ranked 17th in The Hollywood Reporter’s list of the Top Film Schools for 2025. The College stands out as an undergraduate Film program on a list of predominantly graduate programs.

The Hollywood Reporter annually ranks film programs in the United States based on how well they prepare students for a future in the industry. The College has been consistently lauded for giving its Film students extensive hands-on experience while immersed in a world-class art school community. The publication has also praised the program’s high-tech facilities centered on the �Ļ�Ӱ�� Studio Labs, which is the first commercial and academic film and post-production facility of its kind in the state of Florida.

Read the article on ‘s website.

Contact:
Office of Marketing and Communications
communications@ringling.edu
941-309-4008

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Alumni-directed horror mystery enters final phase at Studio Labs

awalters — Tue, 27 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000

In early May, Film alumni Ethan Gathman ’22 and Jorge Rodriguez ’22 spent a day at the �Ļ�Ӱ�� Studio Labs for the final day of mixing their horror mystery, Jit.

The day marked the last of a six-week project for Studio Labs sound designer and coordinator Troy Logan ’22, Film. The group, joined by Riley Cullather ’26, Film, who supported Logan on the project, met in the Studio Labs’ Dolby Atmos theater to give the mix a final pass—punching out any wishlist items, fixing tech issues, and addressing the directors’ notes before delivering them a final product at the end of the day.

Jit follows Alex, a wannabe thug, and his older brother Dillon, freshly released from a brief jail sentence. After a night of partying at their local trap house, Dillon mysteriously disappears. Alex begins to investigate, trekking across a strange and hostile Floridian environment and encountering esoteric characters. Once Alex gets a new job at the strange retirement trailer park community called Friendship Terrace, the pieces begin to fall into place.

In March, Logan began cleaning up the dialog, balancing the music, and roughing in automation. He shared that working on this project required working in a narrative world of dissonance. “Thugs, house parties, lizard people, government surveillance—all of these elements inspired a mix that could be described as cacophony, in a good way!”

Film poster with art commissioned by recent grad Blue Dunsworth ’25, Fine Arts.

Towards the end of the project, Logan enlisted the help of current Film student Cullather to help record and piece in any missing foley, sound effects, or sweeteners.

Riley Cullather ’26, Film; Studio Labs sound designer and coordinator, Troy Logan ’22, Film; director, Ethan Gathman ’22, Film; and director, Jorge Rodriguez ’22, Film.

“Getting to be one of the final hands to touch a project that was only words on a stack of papers when I was a student here feels like an incredible full-circle moment,” Logan said. “I got to see my peers after quite some years and witness the growth they had undergone as filmmakers and creatives.”

span the length of a city block and house five professional, acoustically isolated soundstages and 5,000 square feet of post-production space. Students from every major have the opportunity to utilize Studio Labs. Through community outreach programs, local high school students also have the opportunity to attend week-long workshops at Studio Labs and learn new skills.

Contact:
Office of Marketing and Communications
communications@ringling.edu
941-309-4008

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Studio Labs projects include Dogs Inc. campaign, Bad Monkey ADR

Office of Marketing and Communications — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:00:00 +0000

In recent months, the state-of-the-art Studio Labs film and post-production facility at �Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design has hosted and collaborated with several noteworthy professional artists and organizations.

“We’ve had some exciting projects roll through the doors,” said Troy Logan, Studio Labs Coordinator. Those projects, which include a marketing campaign for a national nonprofit and post-production services for a top-rated Apple TV program, provide invaluable professional experience for Ringling students while bringing prominent companies to the campus.

Studio Labs has also begun hosting its weekly freshmen workshops to showcase the facility and introduce first-year students to the basics of sound design.

New Marketing Campaign for Dogs Inc.

Dogs Inc. (formerly Southeastern Guide Dogs) provides high-pedigree service dogs to people with vision loss and veterans with disabilities at no cost. Among its ongoing marketing efforts, the nonprofit regularly produces animated short films depicting the ways their dogs aid and comfort their human partners. Several of those films have been produced in partnership with Ringling Studio Labs with support from its student workers.

The 18-minute documentary , also created in partnership with �Ļ�Ӱ��, provides a behind-the-scenes look at the many people and parts involved in a five-minute animated short.

ADR for Apple TV’s Bad Monkey

Studio Labs also ran ADR for Apple TV’s Bad Monkey, which debuted in August 2024 and was among the streaming network’s most-watched shows this summer. The Florida-set dramedy, filmed primarily in Miami and Key West, was based on a novel of the same name by Carl Hiassen.

ADR, or Automatic Dialog Replacement, is the art of redubbing and replacing dialog that was not clearly captured during filming. Riley Cullather ’26, Film, assisted on the project.

Weekly Freshmen Studio Labs Workshops

Begun in late September, Studio Labs’ weekly freshmen workshops are a chance for first-year students from all majors and departments to learn more about the facility and especially its sound design capabilities.

Attendees receive an introductory course in ProTools, working with premade templates to learn mixing, sound design, and recording techniques that can be applied to anything from film to video games. Sign up for a workshop . The workshops have no academic obligation; they’re simply a chance to learn and be creative.

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Summer workshops for Booker High students teach sound lessons

Office of Marketing and Communications — Fri, 21 Jun 2024 10:00:00 +0000

For the third summer in a row, faculty from �Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design are leading sound design workshops for students from nearby Booker High School’s Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) program. The students learn the basics of Foley design, diegetic sound, scoring, and soundtrack construction, taught by award-winning sound designer Nick Palladino and sound designer and alum Troy Logan ’22, Film. Additionally, the workshops give the students hands-on experience with the College’s state-of-the-art Studio Labs post-production Film facilities.

As Sarasota’s first magnet program, Booker VPA allows its students to spend half of their school day studying in their chosen artistic field. Programs include Film and Animation, as well as Production and Design. The �Ļ�Ӱ�� summer sound workshops, which began in the summer of 2022, further boost these students’ industry knowledge while training them on professional-grade software and technology.

During the workshops, Palladino and Logan walk the high school students through the basic principles of ADR/Foley creation and sound design. Together, they reenact, record, and compare sound samples. The students have the chance to utilize various props and tools to recreate common sound effects that might be needed for a professional film project—for instance, footsteps on various surfaces like tile or pebbles.

During these lessons, the Ringling faculty also familiarized workshop attendees with the College’s Studio Labs, which was the first commercial and academic film and post-production facility of its kind in the state. The 36,000-square-foot complex houses five professional, acoustically isolated soundstages, as well as post-production space complete with editing suites, recording studio, Foley stage, color grading suite, mix room, and an 18-seat Dolby ATMOS Dub Stage.

Eventually, the Booker students are assigned a short video and tasked with creating and mixing the sound to accompany it. Both Palladino and Logan have noted how the teenagers have been invigorated by the eye-opening opportunity. Said Logan after last year’s workshops, “I am blown away at how the students embraced this chance to experiment, take risks, and let their imaginations soar!”

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�Ļ�Ӱ�� plays host to multiple events for Sarasota Film Festival

Office of Marketing and Communications — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 10:00:00 +0000

April 5-14, the 26th annual��(SFF) brought dozens of filmmakers to the area, with film screenings, panel discussions, and more happening at downtown Sarasota’s Regal Hollywood Theater and other locations in and around the �Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design campus.

Led in part by SFF managing director Paul Ratner, also a member of the �Ļ�Ӱ�� Film Department faculty, the 10-day festival this year featured award-winning actor and filmmaker Steve Buscemi, whose film��The Listener��was screened as part of the festival’s closing night ceremonies. More than 100 other films and film screenings, including a collection of short films created by Ringling students, attracted thousands of audience members.

In partnership with �Ļ�Ӱ��, SFF hosted a special showing of the Oscar-winning film for Best Short Documentary,��The Last Repair Shop—a film about the dedicated team that repairs and maintains musical instruments for the Los Angeles Unified School District—plus an exclusive Q&A with Nick Wright, the film’s editor and executive creative director of Breakwater Studios. The Q&A was moderated by Eric Deggans, TV critic for NPR and the TV and Media Critic for the��Tampa Bay Times.

Curry Scent��was also screened—a locally produced film with all post-production work completed at �Ļ�Ӱ��’s��Studio Labs, under the direction of Studio Labs’ Nick Palladino and Troy Logan.

�Ļ�Ӱ�� also hosted two free events as part of this year’s SFF lineup: a screening of the documentary��Aftershock, with a discussion about the health and healthcare of pregnant women and mothers; and a talk about AI in film, titled��The Future is Now, both took place in the College’s Morganroth Auditorium. AI panelists included Dr. Larry Hall, director of the AI+X Institute for Artificial Intelligence at USF, Rick Dakan, head of �Ļ�Ӱ��’s AI Task Force, and filmmaker Steve Shein.

The Festival came to an exciting close at Sage in downtown Sarasota. During the awards ceremony, the inaugural Compassionate Community Award was given posthumously to Rich Schineller. Schineller was an integral part of the Sarasota community for many years and was heavily involved in the promotion of both the SFF and �Ļ�Ӱ��. The award was accepted on his behalf by members of Schineller’s family.

The Sarasota Film Festival represents an opportunity for Ringling��Film��students to screen a variety of independent domestic and international films while immersing themselves in an active and engaging film community. SFF is just one of many high-profile arts events hosted in and around the �Ļ�Ӱ�� campus every year, offering students cultural experiences that go beyond the classroom.

This year’s film festival also featured a new partnership with USA Swimming, formed in conjunction with the Open Water National Championships taking place May 3-5 at Sarasota’s Nathan Benderson Park. Athletes and representatives from USA Swimming were present at several SFF events. The organization received a proclamation from the city and a donation directly supporting the USA Swimming Foundation, which aims to provide the opportunity for every person in the US to learn to swim.

Founded in 1997, the Sarasota Film Festival is the largest film fest in the Southeast, one of the largest in North America, drawing over 50,000 ticket holders annually.

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Ringling sound designers mix Willie Nelson’s 90th birthday concert special for CBS

Office of Marketing and Communications — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 19:08:39 +0000

Since May of this year, �Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design’s sound designers Nick Palladino and Troy Logan ’22, Film, have been working on the three-hour theatrical release of Willie Nelson’s 90^th birthday concert, Long Story Short: Willie Nelson 90 at the on-campus post-production complex, part of the �Ļ�Ӱ�� Studio Labs. The film was shot at a live concert that took place at the legendary Hollywood Bowl in April 2023. The sound designers wrapped the surround mix for the film release in June and were brought back in last month to work on an hour-and-a-half-long CBS special of Willie Nelson’s 90^th Birthday, a network prime time special, set to air December 17. Nelson is joined by a slew of special guest performers, including Snoop Dogg, Beck, Sheryl Crow, and Roseanne Cash, just to name a few.

Director of the special Rob Rauffer said of his experience, “Spending a day at �Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design’s state-of-the-art audio facilities with Nick and Troy was an incredibly valuable experience. The project featured a mix of recorded music, live audience reactions, interviews, and SFX. Through Nick and Troy’s exceptional 5.1 mix, viewers were transported to the front row, immersing themselves in the unforgettable event that took place at the Hollywood Bowl in April 2023. Nick and Troy’s expertise in sound design ensured that the final mix surpassed CBS’s quality control standards, truly showcasing their exceptional craftsmanship.”

The newly mixed version of the concert will air on December 17.

The project was also a great opportunity for the students. Logan described the experience for the students, “We mostly worked out of Mix B, the smaller 7.1 surround mixing room, that is perfect for mixing for television. Students had the opportunity to sit in with Nick and me, learning the ins and outs of mixing for television and all that goes into it, such as delivery specs and expectations.”

is the first commercial and academic film and post-production facility of its kind in the state of Florida. The facilities span the length of a city block and house five professional, acoustically-isolated soundstages as well as 5,000 square feet of post-production space.

Students from every major have the opportunity to utilize Studio Labs. This asset is especially helpful for students studying Computer Animation, Film, Game Art, Motion Design, and Virtual Reality Development. Through community outreach programs, local high school students also have the opportunity to attend week-long workshops at Studio Labs and learn new skills.

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Ringling Film program ranks in Hollywood Reporter’s Top 20

Office of Marketing and Communications — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 13:46:08 +0000

�Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design’s Film program was ranked 20th in the nation by The Hollywood Reporter, for their 13th annual list of . Competing largely against institutions with graduate programs, the College ranked in the Top 5 among undergraduate-only programs from the list.��

The publication’s ranking criteria celebrates the program’s small class size and the recent reception of the prestigious Carl Foreman Award—a new scholarship program exclusive to Ringling Film and Creative Writing students. Learn more about Ringling’s Film program and the .��

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Booker High VPA Film Students Learn from Ringling Film Faculty

Office of Marketing and Communications — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 12:00:20 +0000

Students from �Ļ�Ӱ�� of Art and Design’s neighbor, Booker High School immersed themselves in Ringling’s this month, learning about sound design. The students are all part of Booker’s Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) Film program, Sarasota’s first magnet program, where they spend half of their school day working in their chosen field. Beginning in the summer of 2022, students have been invited to work in Ringling’s state-of-the-art Film facilities, and learn from award-winning sound designer Nick Palladino and Ringling Film alumni Troy Logan ’22. The workshop gives students an introduction to the world of sound design. They learn the basics of Foley design, scoring, and diegetic sound in film, and how to construct dynamic film soundtracks.

Logan shared his excitement for the program, “This is our second year working with Booker High School to deliver a group of their film students an incredible hands-on experience with industry leading equipment and instruction from award-winning sound designers. Both years we have had students walk in with an interest in film audio, and walk out as budding sound designers.” He said, “This year, students got to mix projects in surround sound in our Dolby Atmos theater, run Foley and ADR sessions, and get hands on with field recording for sound effects. It’s a joy seeing the students’ eyes light up as we work through each of the exercises, and it is so special to give them a look behind the curtain of just one of the many departments in filmmaking.”

The Studio Labs offer Ringling students, workshop attendees, and industry professionals access to sound mixing facilities, ADR/Foley stage, recording spaces, editing suites, color grading, and conference rooms.

Students split their time between working with Logan creating sound effects on the ADR/Foley Stage, taking turns crunching on ground layers of leaves and earth, and with Palladino in the theater, where they learn the basics of sound mixing using professional equipment and industry- standard mixing programs. After their introduction to the processes, students had the chance to work on individual projects, layering sound effects onto provided video.

Palladino extolled his love of hosting the workshop, “It is truly my honor to be able to lead these workshops with the Booker high school students. Beyond the technical skills on offer, I want to emphasize that this workshop is also an opportunity for personal growth and self-expression. Sound design is a medium that allows you to tap into your creativity, explore your unique perspective, and discover your own voice. I am blown away at how the students embraced this chance to experiment, take risks, and let their imaginations soar!”

The �Ļ�Ӱ�� Studio Labs is the first commercial and academic film and post-production facility of its kind in the state of Florida. Students in the Film Department are introduced to the film industry with industry professionals who utilize the facilities and have the option to add talented, hardworking students to their crew. This program connects aspiring film and production students to the best known filmmakers, screenwriters, producers, directors, and actors from around the world.

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