On a picturesque seaside knoll, a peaceful dragon is mowing his lawn when Vikings arrive in the bay below. Eager to greet them, the monster brings homemade cookies. But his new neighbors aren’t having it. So begins the 8-minute BYU student animation Grendel, which won gold at the 46th Annual Student Academy Awards. Here student director Kalee S. McCollaum (BA ’18) shares the backstory. How did the story of Grendel get chosen? Grendel, a twist on the Beowulf legend, was originally pitched in storyboard form by animation student Erik K. Hansen (BA ’18). As he went through the slides and added explanations to the visuals, we were all laughing and felt the idea had a good amount of heart and potential. Read the entire Q&A in BYU Magazine's Winter 2020 issue.

Raised in Moscow, Idaho, John P. Snyder (’99) was shaped by the landscape around him. “The hills of the Palouse region of Idaho are the residue of violent processes. Airborne dust from volcanoes, massive floods, and glaciation built soil that has become one of the world’s most productive agricultural areas,” notes Snyder. “I grew up looking out into the undulating hills and wondering, ‘What is out there?’” It’s a question the former BYU photographer is still trying to answer. After years of shooting images of BYU’s campus, people, and happenings (1984–99), including innumerable images published in this magazine, he moved back to Idaho in 2007 to explore the contours and preserve the spirit of his homeland. Read the entire article in BYU Magazine's Winter 2020 issue.

Department of Dance

Communications student Amelia Mecham shares how an experiential learning opportunity has enhanced her time at BYU.

Auburn Wilcox shares how an experiential learning opportunity enhanced her time at BYU

The town portrayed in the Sundance premiere of The Killing of Two Lovers is so small that David, who is staying at his father’s home while he and Nikki try to figure out if their marriage is salvageable, easily can see everything going on in the lives of his wife and four kids in the home just down the street. Directed by Robert Machoian, a photography program faculty member at Brigham Young University in Provo, this feature-length narrative offers a superbly crafted, beautifully filmed story about how the difficulties of asking for space to sort things out in a marriage are magnified enormously in a town as small as the one the director chose for the film’s production. Selected for the festival’s NEXT category, the film shines in performances that capture the simmering tensions and spoken words that could derail any good faith intention of reconciling problems in a marriage. And, Machoian – with an impressive, understated, elegant choice of mise-en-scène – gives the viewer the utter irony of the notion of asking for space in a small central Utah town set against an impressive mountain range (although there is no card title specifying the location). The film was supported by the Utah Film Commission. Read the full story by Les Roka at theutahreview.com.

BYU communications professor continues her study on the effects of pornography on children with a new article exploring ways for parents to have healthy conversations with their children.

Robert Machoian Graham has seen four of his past films make it to Sundance. The latest marks the first time one of his full-length films has been accepted.

Robert Machoian Graham has seen four of his past films make it to Sundance. The latest marks the first time one of his full-length films has been accepted.

Director Kory Katseanes and student violinists Rachel Christensen and Donni Evans reflect on their experience preparing for, working with and learning from Perlman

Department of Theatre and Media Arts professor Scott Christopherson shares his perspective as a documentary filmmaker on the relationship between spirituality and representation.

Bergman collaborated with industry professionals and BYU faculty and students in arranging, performing and recording each song on the album