
Kelly Carlton
Chair, motion media design
Education
- M.F.A., fine arts, University of Cincinnati
- B.A., art, Georgetown College
Credentials
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Chair, Professor, 2016–present, Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA
In addition to administrative duties as the department chair, classroom instruction and student mentorship as a professor is also practiced throughout each academic year.
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Visiting Professor, Jan.–Feb. 2015, Elon University, Elon, NC
Taught Motion Graphics for Media during winter semester. In addition to teaching entry-level and intermediate techniques for After Effects and C4D, the course covered a broad range of topics, including concept development, storyboards, creative brainstorming, pitch sessions, and project execution. Assignments were based on a variety of motion design styles, including logos and branding, theatrical, and broadcast design.
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Guest Lecturer, Sept. 2015, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA
Taught the first three classes of the fall semester for Motion Design: 20 in 30. The course centered around techniques for verbal pitching, storyboard creation, and the creative execution of the assignment.
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Advisory Board Member, 2002–present, Elon University, Elon, NC
Meet and consult bi-annually with national board members and with the administration of the School of Communication to address relevant topics affecting current policy, curriculum, and the future outlook of the school. Other responsibilities include helping students and professors with portfolio assessments, software guidance, and hardware advice.
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Creative Director, 2016–present, Freelance motion designer
Projects include style-frame design for film advertising clients, album cover animation for social media advertising, and company structure consultation.
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Creative Director, 2015–16, AV Squad, Los Angeles, CA
Oversaw and directed the creative design process for the theatrical and broadcast divisions. As department head, I managed a full-time staff of 14 designers, graphics finishers, and production coordinators. Projects included trailer graphics, main titles, promo packages, motion posters, TV campaigns, and corporate logo design and animation.
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Creative Director, July–Dec. 2014, Trailer Park, Hollywood, CA
Oversaw and directed the creative design process for the theatrical and television divisions. Restructured and expanded the motion graphics department to support the company’s increase in new business, the creative demands of clients, and the new trends within the film and TV industry. Managed a full-time staff of 14 designers, graphics finishers, and production coordinators. Created graphics packages for theatrical trailer campaigns, TV promos and upfronts, instructional info-graphics, sizzle reels, and feature main titles. Clients included Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Disney, Paramount, Universal, Lionsgate, Nickelodeon, National Geographic Channel, CBS, Apple and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
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V.P., Creative Director, 2010–14, Deva Studios, Santa Monica, CA
Directed theatrical motion graphics packages for the marketing departments of Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Lionsgate, Nickelodeon, and Disney. Managed a staff of 10 full-time artists and coordinators, designed creative pitches, established new business, maintained client relations, and worked with the president in the day-to-day operation of the company. Trailer campaigns included Megamind, Kung Fu Panda 2, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Fast Five, Conan the Barbarian, Final Destination 5, The Expendables, The Last Airbender, The Rite, Season of the Witch, and Let Me In. Main title sequences included Sucker Punch, Stories from the Gulf, and The Last Airbender movie special.
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Creative Director, 1998–2009, Intralink Film Graphic Design, Los Angeles, CA
Created the motion graphics division and managed a full-time staff of six designers. Recruited and trained well-qualified entry-level designers, saving the company a minimum of $100k/year in overhead. Clients included Columbia Pictures, Universal, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox, Imagine Entertainment, New Line Cinema, MGM, The Discovery Channel, Walmart, J.K. Livin, and Indian Paintbrush. Noteworthy theatrical campaigns included Angels and Demons, The Dark Knight, The Book of Eli, The Da Vinci Code, The Golden Compass, The Missing, Batman Begins, Kill Bill, Atonement, Freedomland, Rent, Cinderella Man, The Aviator, The Forgotten, and A.I. created feature film and TV main titles for A Single Man, Surfer Dude, The Da Vinci Code, Life, Iditarod: Toughest Race on Earth, Swords: Life on the Line, Dark Ride, One Knight with the King, Southland Tales, Donnie Darko, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Creative directed and designed corporate logo animations for Syncopy Films, Summit Entertainment, The Weinstein Company, Indian Paintbrush, Red Strokes Entertainment, Fade to Black, Philanthropy Project, J.K. Livin, Affirm Films, Fox Faith, and Shady Acres.
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Motion Graphics Artist, 1997–98, Acme Filmworks, Hollywood, CA
Worked directly with animation directors to composite and animate traditional cel-based and CG-produced content for animated commercials. Projects included G-Police, Geico Insurance, Charmin, Nabisco, The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit main titles, and Scott Free animated corporate logo.