Media Contact
Maisha Era
Public Relations Coordinator
School of Film, Media & Theatre
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ATLANTA — “Chadwick,” released on April 24, is a music video produced and directed by Heath Franklin, a professor of practice in the School of Film, Media & Theatre.
John Yesha, an alternative rap artist, is the featured performer in “Chadwick,” the second single from his forthcoming album, “John.” The video centers on Yesha in an elevator with close-up shots and soft lighting to emphasize his expressions, with Franklin making a cameo.
Personal experiences and the cultural impact of Marvel's Black Panther universe inspired the song. Yesha wrote the song as a reflection on finding comfort and hope through life’s challenges. The passing of Chadwick Boseman served as a turning point for Yesha, prompting deeper reflection on life’s hardships and sources of resilience. The music video was produced by MTM Standard, a student-run label that helps support up-and-coming artists during their time at the university. Read about Yesha’s musical journey here.
Franklin described directing “Chadwick” as an opportunity to interpret Yesha's song visually. The elevator in the video serves as both a literal and figurative device for Yesha to move beyond life's challenges and work toward healing before his final ascent.
“I’m grateful for the outstanding collaboration that made this project possible, including Professor of Practice Ben Yonas of the School of Music, Instructor Phil Berquist of the Georgia Film Academy and Production Manager and Technical Director Woody Depew," Franklin said. "This effort also brought together talented students from the School of Film, Media & Theatre, the Georgia Film Academy, the Creative Media Industries Institute and the School of Music. Of course, special recognition goes to John Yesha.”
The elevator set featured in the music video was created by Georgia Film Academy, with construction led by Berquist, an instructor in GFA's Art Direction for Production Design in Film & Television course.
“The goal for the Art Direction for Production Design in Film & Television course is to blend design for practical assets with virtual production and/or visual effects," Berquist said. "A lot of hard work goes into these projects. However, the scale of the projects fits within a single semester. Having ventured in these unique processes, the students have an understanding of how to pioneer future projects.”
Berquist also shared that Associate Dean Ethan Tussey of the College of the Arts helped coordinate the collaboration, working with Franklin and faculty from each participating school. Projects like the "Chadwick" music video create opportunities for interdisciplinary teams from the School of Film, Media & Theatre, Creative Media Industries Institute, School of Music and Georgia Film Academy to work together.
Click here to watch the music video.