We’re excited to introduce two newish faces to the studio! First, Alex Gutzke (’22) began work as the new Production Studio Specialist the Monday after he graduated from Bethany with a major in media arts. Alex is exactly the type of guy you want to have on set—he’s very helpful (wherever help is needed) and he always brings a positive attitude. He’s also a well-rounded media artist. Though he directed a short film for his capstone project, he also did the graphic design work to promote the senior showcase. Alex’s recent involvement with the studio as a student has given him an idea of what we need, and this summer will give him a great opportunity to get everything set up before classes resume. Finally, Alex loves cars…so it’s not surprising that his favorite movie is Ford v. Ferrari.

Second, after spending 10 years as a videographer, photographer, and art educator, Ben Lundsten (’12) is joining us as a full-time instructor in the media arts department. Ben was part of the first media arts cohort and, though he has certainly stayed connected over the years, was on campus more often this past spring teaching MART 397 Advanced A/V Production as an adjunct instructor (stay-tuned for more info on one of the final projects from this class, which we are excited to show as soon as we can!).

Ben is a perfect fit for our creative culture. He’s a dedicated and passionate media artist with broad interests who is already building relationships with our students and fostering industry connections (like this). We are thrilled to fill this vacancy and excited about this next stage of the program.

“I am excited to share my passion for storytelling and filmmaking with the students here at Bethany. I deeply enjoy the process of collaborating with a group and refining everyone’s ideas into the best possible outcome.”
– Ben Lundsten

I asked Ben for his favorite movie. His response: “Asking for my favorite movie feels a bit like asking which kid is my favorite.” He referred me to his Letterboxd, which includes some of his top films, films he’s watched recently, and a few reviews. We’ll leave you with this final message from Ben: “If you’re not a Media Arts student I’d still love to meet you! I love to chat about travel, coffee, food especially, books, and anyone who is making something with their hands.”