Written by Madelyn Conlin-Day, Photographs by Madelyn Conlin-Day
Ping! Ping! Incoming DM from Major Lazer.
Grace Wiehl, SCAD Graduate, B.F.A. Motion Media Design 2021, graduated a quarter early but thoroughly enjoys the post-graduate glow. The New Jersey native’s most recent accomplishments? Her Senior Thesis short film and a DM from the DJ group, Major Lazer, are interested in a possible TikTok collaboration. But, more important out of the two, Wiehl’s senior thesis proves the practical designer has transformed into an artist who can be vulnerable in their work.
Originally intending to create an abstract feeling of nostalgia, Wiehl’s thesis touches on the journey that has led her to the end of her SCAD career. Through the use of old videos recorded when she was in fifth grade, a voiceover to narrate the journey, hand-drawn animation, stop motion collages as well as numerous other skills Wiehl has in her wheelhouse, her senior capstone reveals the nervous uncertainty that artists feel when creating art about oneself.
“I did the voiceover and I think it made the piece a lot better and made it more vulnerable… It was scary because I feel deep work is. I just liked the funny, casual tone and I also battled this feeling, the whole idea. Is it better quality if it’s deeper, sad or emotional? Which I don’t know is always the case, but it was an interesting debate I having.” Wiehl said.
Initially a film student, Wiehl discovered her passion for film editing after constantly carrying a camera around and filming her friends during their freshman year. Wiehl would create short edited clips for Instagram that were experimental and used techniques she could not include in most long-form film editing. With the ability to constantly create short videos with no sequencing rules, motion media design was the perfect fit. Thus, the switch.
“I think it’s so great how short it is. There’s so much room for experimentation and it’s just some fun. There’s just so much fun you can have with it, which you can have fun in film editing and longer-form stuff. But I think in motion media, there’s a lot more room for it, especially in the SCAD major. You can do crazy things.” said Wiehl.
Emphasis on “fun.”
Wiehl’s portfolio of work offers a new, funky-fresh take on the medium: vivid color and dynamic visual movement. Wiehl worked with Gelatin Labs in New Jersey, Models That Eat and Atlas Van Conversions. Another recent project Wiehl has worked on is helping up-and-coming artist Mia Gladstone edit the music video for her single, “Change the Channel.”
“She called or texted me last minute and probably on Tuesday or something and was like, I have this music video dropping and it’s a week turnaround… she was like, I have an edit, my editor did it, but I want more. I want crazy. I want you to just kind of mess with it, tear it up and put it back together.” said Wiehl.
With a hard drive shipped from New York to Savannah, Wiehl successfully fulfilled Gladstone’s vision after hours of masking and editing already shot footage. Music is one of Weihl’s most important inspirations so, working on a wild music video with absolute creative freedom was fitting.
Wiehl has garnered attention from her work without sacrificing her aesthetic, something rare for many creatives in today’s world.
You can find Grace Wiehl’s senior capstone project here and a diverse portfolio on her website. My personal favorite? Tetris!
