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Monday, April 3, 2023
Saturday, April 1, 2023
Top Hip Hop Alerts Magazine: Monica Floyd's New Film "Lola 2" is a Female-Drive...
Monica Floyd's New Film "Lola 2" is a Female-Driven Masterpiece Celebrating Women's History Month.
Producer Monica "Dollphace" Floyd raises the bar again as she tells the story of triumph for female boxers nationwide. Written and directed by Antoine Allen, "Lola 2" is a film for women inspired by women behind the scenes. The movie premieres on ALLBLK on April 6th, starring actress Taja V. Simpson, three-time NAACP Image Award nominated actress Elise Neal, actress Tamala Jones, comedian and actress Torrei Hart, rapper DreamDoll, female Professional Boxer and Mixed Martial Artist Claressa Shields, Legendary Hall of Famer Roy Jones Jr., actor Jackie Long, and more. When champion amateur boxer and lifelong fighter Lola falls in love and has a baby, she struggles to give up her championship and leave the ring with her career unfinished. Centered around a powerful female protagonist, the film celebrates the strength and resilience of women throughout history. It's a movie with a message to remind everyone that no matter what your dreams are, they can come true if you put your mind to it. "The movie is driven by a powerful female lead filled with unforgettable performances by a predominantly all-female cast," states Producer Monica Floyd. "It's a story that will stay with you long after the credits roll, and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good movie to watch this month." Monica Floyd is a Hollywood powerhouse. When people talk about independent filmmakers, her name is definitely at the top. As the CEO of True Vision Media Group, Monica employs her natural talents to motivate others to dare to be different and to dream big dreams. Monica is a director, producer, and writer, and she has worked on theatrical and television films that have garnered critical acclaim. Monica Floyd is constantly pushing the envelope to create new and innovative content. Thanks to her dedication and hard work, she is known for her reputation of helping individuals take their projects to the next level. She is a force to be reckoned with in the world of entertainment who is changing the landscape for independent filmmakers everywhere. "Antoine has a great spirit and a passion for uplifting women,” Monica Floyd continues. “It was important to Antoine to cast a female in this leading role, and I was excited about the opportunity to empower a woman. I was happy to provide the resources needed for the film to be successful on an elevated level.” Monica was thrilled to work with the cast, especially actresses Taja, Tamala, and Elise who brought their characters to life. She couldn't imagine anyone else playing their roles. Expertly crafted and flawlessly executed, "Lola 2" is a film every woman should see.
This Grad Helps Facebook Hire Data Scientists Whitney Grant.
Whitney Grant's Entertainment Business master's degree helped her prepare to work in HR at one of the largest tech companies in the world.
Note: March is Women's History Month. All month long we will be highlighting the stories and accomplishments of some of the women who are a part of the Full Sail community.
Working in Silicon Valley is a goal for college students around the globe, but scaling the tech industry mountain can seem impossible if you don't have an engineering degree or programming experience. Luckily, it's definitely possible to make a place for yourself in the industry with a range of different skills. For instance, Full Sail Entertainment Business master's degrees graduate Whitney Grant is making strides as a Recruiting Coordinator for Facebook.
Whitney has loved the arts ever since she acted in plays and sang in choruses as a child. Her interests moved behind the camera as she grew older and she became fascinated with the business side of the entertainment industry. After college, she decided to build on her bachelor's degree in business with an Entertainment Business master's program and started exploring options at different schools. She knew that she was destined to attend Full Sail after she participated in the Behind the Scenes Tour.
"I was just blown away by the backlot and the [production] studios…. I just felt like there was no other school that had that type of vibe and provided that true, creative type of environment," she says.
Whitney's academic experiences on Full Sail's campus helped prepare her for her job on Facebook's Menlo Park campus. Her Negotiation and Deal-Making class was particularly helpful.
"It went over all the legalities of the contractual parts of the business, and just how to make sure everything is super airtight before you can even jump to the creative side," she says. "It was just very well-rounded, so it's helped me in a bunch of my positions so far."
Whitney's social life at Full Sail also readied her for the world of Human Resources. The school's diverse student population of musicians, gamers, and film aficionados taught her how to cater to different artistic personalities.
"HR and entertainment management are pretty closely related just because it's the level of providing service for talent," she says. "I was an Entertainment Business major, but on campus I would be mixing and mingling with Gaming majors and Film Production majors. So it was being able to operate with diverse communities and diverse people and bring it all together."
That combination of behind-the-scenes knowledge and social connections with creatives put Whitney in an ideal position for an HR role. A few years after graduation she landed a job as a Recruitment Coordinator at Facebook. She works with hiring managers, interviewers, and job candidates every day to help match qualified people with open positions at Facebook. "Right now I coordinate the interview process for data scientist candidates," she says.
Whitney's favorite job perks include working within Facebook's tight-knit community and working on the company's legendary campus.
"I really do feel like my coworkers are honestly my friends, people I can come together within a social environment," Whitney says. "And the campus is amazing. The food is amazing, there's a million restaurants… it's almost like working in an amusement park," she adds.
Whitney's advice for tech-industry hopefuls boils down to three points: location, location, location. "I didn't have any jobs that I was interested in on the East Coast or in my small town in Maryland," she says. "If you're from a small town, I think your best bet is to go where the industry is, and that's where you'll have the most opportunities."
Monday, March 6, 2023
Monday, February 6, 2023
Full Sail University had 40+ grads credited on Grammy nominated projects this 2023.
40+ Grads Credited on Nominated Projects at the 2023 Grammys
Over 40 Full Sail grads were credited on 53 Grammy-nominated projects in 38 categories, with three graduates nominated by name for their own Grammys.
The annual Grammy Awards celebrate the accomplishments of the music industry’s brightest stars, but nominated artists need a great team to help them create award-worthy songs, albums, and performances. Full Sail grads are often in the credits of Grammy-nominated projects and even garner nominations of their own. This year, more than 40 graduates were credited on 53 projects in 38 categories at the 2023 Grammy Awards, with three graduates nominated by name for seven different Grammys and one – Stuart White – bringing home his own Grammy for his work with Beyoncé.
Three Recording Arts grads were nominated for Grammys in major categories. Stuart White’s work as a Mixing and Recording Engineer on Beyoncé’s album Renaissance earned him a nod in the Album of the Year category. He was also named in Beyoncé's nominations for Record of the Year and Best Dance/Electronic Recording for her single “Break My Soul," which ultimately won the Grammy for Best Dance/Electronic Recording. Colin Leonard also worked on Beyoncé’s latest album; he was nominated for his contribution as a Mastering Engineer in the Album of the Year category for Renaissance as well as for Un Verano Sin Ti by Bad Bunny. He also received recognition for “Break My Soul” in the Record of the Year category. Josh Gudwin was nominated in the Album of the Year category for his work as a Mixer on Bad Bunny’s Un Verano Sin Ti.
Full Sail Recording Arts grads also made appearances in the credits of Best Latin Pop Album nominees. Morgan David was an Assistant Engineer on Aguilera by Christina Aguilera. Fellow grad Felipe Tichauer helped master nominee De Adentro Pa Afuera by Camilo, while Andres Saavedra worked as A&R for Sebastián Yatra’s Dharma.
Nominees in the Rap categories got some help from Full Sail grads, too. Best Rap Performance nominee “pushin p” by Gunna & Future featuring Young Thug was nominated for Best Rap Performance, and Mixing Engineer Angad "Bainz" Bains (Music Business, Recording Arts) and Assistant Engineer Eric Manco (Entertainment Business, Recording Arts) both worked on the song. Best Rap Song nominee “Churchill Downs” by Jack Harlow featuring Drake was mixed by Recording Arts grad and Hall of Fame inductee Leslie Brathwaite and mastered by Colin Leonard. Recording Arts alum Eddie "eMix" Hernandez was a Recording Engineer on Best Rap Album nominee GOD DID by DJ Khaled.
Additional Full Sail grads appeared in the credits of nominated projects in categories like Best Americana Album, Best Dance/Electronic Recording, Best Metal Performance, and Best Rock Album.