Written by Hana Hyman
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio
Last week, Jamie Beck and Kevin Burg, the creative minds behind Ann Street Studio, dropped by Morris Hall to talk to students about their work and experience. Beck explained that she and her husband developed “a creative services studio based in Manhattan that focuses on photography and film, and our creation, the cinemagraph.” The cinemagraph is a special GIF, which, like a photo, captures a single moment. However, it has minor animated components that add more life to it.
The duo publishes written and visual content they create for companies like Google, Armani, Chanel and, as of this week, SCAD. Beck and Burg made time to answer students’ questions about starting their own businesses and working as entrepreneurs.
“There will not always be a business model to follow,” Beck said. “You have to look outside your industry and see what other people are doing.”
When it comes to finding success in what they love doing, Burg said, “Let passion consume you. Everyone we know who is really successful is obsessed with what they do.”
“Otherwise you’ll want to quit,” Beck added. “You have to fight for your idea.”
Burg advised students to “never pitch an idea that you don’t want to do. That’s always the one [the client] will pick.” Beck also shared her philosophy: “it’s best to share your work and have it out there.”
After their talk, Beck gave an exclusive interview with District about working for a university and the challenges faced with working in the industry.
Q: With SCAD being your first university client, how was working for SCAD different to working for brands like Armani and Chanel?
A: Well, I think for me, with brands like Armani and Chanel, they come with this century-old legacy … so you’re coming into a world that you’re very familiar with and that has a really strong brand identity. And, with SCAD, for me the school is younger and my relationship to it is such an experience-based one because of my travels in Savannah. So, coming to SCAD, I wasn’t walking into this brand that is incredibly identified. Instead, I was coming along on this journey of discovery with SCAD and so I was letting the day unfold and letting the stories unfold and it be what it is and what it’s going to become eventually when the story comes out.
Q: What were specific challenges in letting the process flow on its own?
A: There’s no challenges to it, it’s just you’re being really aware of everything–everything that you’re seeing, everything that you’re hearing. Like, constantly looking; looking for details and just being really open to what’s happening, as opposed to having a complete vision and walking in and creating that vision. It’s all about being aware.
Q: While on campus, you took thousands of photos over one day. How did your piece develop? Did you take these photos and then discover a story among them?
A: I took photos and discovered a story among them. But, it’s also that while I’m shooting, I’m taking notes with whoever is showing me around. I’m listening to the words they’re saying and photographing it and I’m looking at the pieces and photographing them, and looking at the students, and looking at the building, and the vibe and the emotion that has been created in that space. And, I think that’s kind of an important part of formulating stories like this, which are very in the space.
Q: If you could give advice to your college-age self, what would it be?
A: To be fearless! I was so afraid in college to take internships with my idol photographers, like Annie Leibovitz and people like that, and now I look back and I think, “That’s silly!” Because you want to learn and people want to teach. And, how are you going to learn if someone doesn’t teach it to you? I don’t know why I was so afraid of things like that, so I would definitely say, “to be fearless.”
For more information about Ann Street Studio’s visit to SCAD, visit their website.
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio.
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio.
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio.
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio.
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio.
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio.
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio.
Photos courtesy of Ann Street Studio.