In a building without windows, you'll find something you wouldn't expect in Okmulgee.
It's where Kelly Kerr and Nathan Harmon are molding the web's next multimedia super heroes.
I recently spoke to their students who are studying visual communications at Oklahoma State University's Institute of Technology. These students are focusing on multimedia, photography and graphic design. Or all of these at the same time.
I think it's in schools like these where the next generation will stretch the web even further than it stands today. They have access to incredible equipment but most importantly access to professors who toggle between the classroom and the real world of media. That helps them keep students current on what is happening now and what is coming around the corner.
Kelly is a former award-winning Tulsa World photographer who used to make fun of the photo interns when they talked about shooting video and recording audio.
"I was wrong," he told me. "Really, really wrong."
Becoming someone who thinks in photos, video and multimedia has helped Kelly show the students what is possible. It's also helped him get some big gigs. He's shooting music videos for local and national bands. He's wrapping up a documentary about what he found in Guatemala.
Here, Kelly is interviewed about his classes and details about some of his recent work.
Students in his class post their work on their Tumblr sites. Tumblr is a network of websites that are bent toward the visual crowd. It allows them to have a quick and easy way to go from idea to completion to publication.
When you check out their work, like
Jeff Anderson's page, you see he's not just learning how to work a camera. He has a branding campaign going for his company of one. He is creating video, composing music. He's produced, I believe,
the coolest picture of a Cheeto I've ever seen. This is the kind of lab where people are pushing the limits of technology. That's what has to happen for there to be innovation. I told the students they are alive at the best time ever to be in media. I promised them that if it was 1975, they would all be in a darkroom trying their best to get the right mix of chemicals. Now, they have the chance to get to a print in seconds and now the contest is one of creativity, not calculation.
They understand they are in the attention business and there is nothing this world has less than attention. It's a challenge, but from the looks of their work, they are up to it.
Follow Kelly's work. Follow Nathan's work. Here are the links to each student's website:
annaschroeder3.tumblr.com/lukebraswell.tumblr.com/lichtuberstromt.com/itsjustmejordan.tumblr.com/valeriegrant.tumblr.com/mollytphotography.tumblr.com/jamiegeraghty.tumblr.com/hannahnicolephotography.tumblr.com/annayeakey.tumblr.com/matthewdavisvisuals.tumblr.com/clarencesmith.tumblr.com/kevinhannaphotography.tumblr.com/bigophoto.tumblr.com/tjballinger.tumblr.com/amandarutland.tumblr.com/mollylynnecombs.tumblr.com/katherinedelso.tumblr.com
