Ringling College of Art and Design is pleased to announce that Variety has named Ringling College Film Program Head Bradley Battersby as the 2017 Variety Mentor of the Year. In the article, available in the April 25 issue of Variety magazine and online, Battersby is quoted on his belief that, “In a film school environment, we get to experiment, we get to learn. I allow and encourage my students not to take the safe route.” Also cited as a factor in the Variety article is Ringling College’s Studio Lab Program, created by Ringling College and David Shapiro of Semkhor Productions, which has brought guest artists including Aubrey Plaza of Parks and Recreation and The Magnificent Seven director Antoine Fuqua to Ringling to work with students. In addition, students have earned professional credits in three in-house Studio Lab projects, including two web series created and directed by Justin Long and Dylan McDermott, and the Sundance independent feature Dark Night, directed by Tim Sutton.

2017 Mentor of the Year