Events for the School of Communications

Landing an entry-level position can be trickier than it used to be, especially with the advent of AI. In this workshop, Melinda Love will reveal the three most important keys to that first stepping stone into the market. This is not your basic workshop on resume writing, portfolios or LinkedIn. Love will share three real-life stories on how entry-level talent have found positions in St. Louis — and how you can benefit from what they learned. Attendees will receive a promo code to download an free e-book and learn of a few important events to attend this spring. This workshop is relevant for anyone interest in working for a marketing, advertising, digital, creative or public relations agency.

• 10–10:50 a.m., Thursday, March 12

Presenter Bio: With a background in visual communications, Melinda Love has spent her career on the agency side of creative content. She has played key roles with creative, account and operations in three types of agencies: a start-up in Washington, D.C., a large global agency and a highly specialized boutique. Love now runs her own consulting business, M Consulting Group, where she is known for connecting people, agencies and brands for assignments, full-time positions or large-scale contracts across the country.

Navigating the legal landscape of AI in content creation involves managing a multitude of risks, as existing copyright and liability laws struggle to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology. Topics include copyright (human ownership requirement, documentation necessity); intellectual property rights and risks (fair use debate, artistic “style” infringement); personal liability (defamation, privacy violations); and navigating the future AI landscape.

• 11–11:50 a.m., Thursday, March 12

Jeff Keane founded Coolfire Media in 2002, and it grew to become one of the most respected commercial production studios in the Midwest. In 2009, Coolfire expanded into the original entertainment industry with the creation of Coolfire Originals, which to-date has created over 200 hours of reality TV on several major networks. That success triggered the development of the Digital Engagement division, and in 2017 Keane merged all Coolfire practices to create Coolfire Studios. Keane currently serves on the School of Communications Advisory Board.

Navigating the legal landscape of AI in content creation involves managing a multitude of risks, as existing copyright and liability laws struggle to keep pace with rapidly advancing technology. Topics include copyright (human ownership requirement, documentation necessity); intellectual property rights and risks (fair use debate, artistic “style” infringement); personal liability (defamation, privacy violations); and navigating the future AI landscape.

• 11–11:50 a.m., Thursday, March 12

Pete Salsich III is an entertainment and intellectual property attorney representing content creators and creative businesses of all types, including TV production companies, independent film projects, digital entertainment companies, podcast producers, marketing agencies, publishers, digital teams, comic book authors and publishers, tattoo artists, software developers, and independent producers. Pete is a graduate of Saint Louis University School of Law, where he is also an Adjunct Professor. He has also served as a guest lecturer at Webster University for its Professional Development in Film, TV and Video Production program, is a frequent panelist for Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, and regularly presents Master Classes on “Film and The Law” and “Investing In Film” for Cinema St. Louis and the St. Louis International Film Festival.

The Missouri Stories Production Lab is an educational and marketing program bringing to life short films crafted from the winning scripts of the Missouri Stories Scriptwriting Fellowship. The writers also act as producers, and experience all aspects of production. Completed films are submitted to film festivals across the country to shine a spotlight on Missouri locations and talent. Please join Andrea Sporcic Klund, the Missouri Film Office Director, and Resource Specialist Jordan Collins as they discuss three of the production lab participants: Meg Phillips Crespy (Lights); Peter Hanrahan (Assumption); and McKenzie Moser (Disordered, Recovered, Whatever). Topics will include filming in Missouri, writing and producing a short film, and more.

• 12–12:50 p.m., Thursday, March 12

Presenter Bio: Missouri Film Office Director Andrea Sporcic Klund has worked to market Missouri locations to the film and television industry nationwide for over 25 years. She has helped coordinate production logistics for more than 40 feature films and hundreds of television segments and series across the state, including the films “Up in the Air,” “Winter’s Bone” and “Gone Girl,” and television shows “Sharp Objects” and “Ozark.” Before joining the Film Office she served as the Director of Operations for Cinema St. Louis, the producers of the St. Louis International Film Festival.

The Missouri Stories Production Lab is an educational and marketing program bringing to life short films crafted from the winning scripts of the Missouri Stories Scriptwriting Fellowship. The writers also act as producers, and experience all aspects of production. Completed films are submitted to film festivals across the country to shine a spotlight on Missouri locations and talent. Please join Andrea Sporcic Klund, the Missouri Film Office Director, and Resource Specialist Jordan Collins as they discuss three of the production lab participants: Meg Phillips Crespy (Lights); Peter Hanrahan (Assumption); and McKenzie Moser (Disordered, Recovered, Whatever). Topics will include filming in Missouri, writing and producing a short film, and more.

• 12–12:50 p.m., Thursday, March 12

Presenter Bio: Jordan Collins is a resource specialist at Missouri Film Office based in Jefferson City, Missouri. Previously, Collins was an account specialist at American National Red Cross and also held positions at Figure 8 Films, Avalon Theatre, Milwaukee Film, Milwaukee World Festival, Missouri Theatre, Stephens College School of Performing Arts, Citizen Jane Film Festival, Chimaeric, Macy's, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. She is a graduate of Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.

Whether it’s how you connect with another person or how you speak to a larger audience, it’s no accident why some communicate better than others.

Explore principles and ideas for setting yourself apart in crowded workplaces where it’s hard to stand out. Find ways to break through and be a leader instead of feeling trapped and out of control. From texts to marketing to AI — all of it matters. Take time to think about it.

• 12–12:50 p.m., Thursday, March 12

Presenter Bio: John Culliton, a St. Louis native and Mizzou journalism graduate, began his career as a news reporter, news producer and news director — before becoming the general manager of three local TV stations in Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

In addition, he led broadcasters into digital media at the turn of the century — co-founding the nation’s largest internet company for broadcasters.  Internet Broadcasting (IB) co-owned and operated websites for more than 70 local TV stations. Simultaneously, Culliton co-founded Digital Cyclone — an online and mobile weather company, which developed weather forecasting and radar for personal use, pinpointing exact latitude/longitude locations. The company sold in 2007 to GPS navigation company, Garmin.

Culliton began his consulting career with SmithGeiger 20 years ago. Over time, he has consulted major national media companies in their program, talent and audience development — serving ABC NEWS, CNN, CNBC, MSNBC, Univision and the Weather Channel. On a local level, he has consulted numerous TV station groups and individual stations, most notably the ABC-owned TV stations in the nations’ largest TV markets.

He currently lives in Minneapolis — but frequently comes back to St. Louis to be with family.

This workshop challenges students to experiment with AI inside real workflows. They’ll generate, critique and refine AI-assisted outputs while confronting assumptions, constraints and ethical responsibility. The goal is to strengthen judgment, not just speed.

• 1–1:50 p.m., Thursday, March 12

Presenter Bio: Christian Eckels is a product designer, mentor and design strategist, and a proud Webster University alumnus. His work focuses on interaction design, research synthesis, AI-integrated workflows and helping teams ship thoughtful digital experiences. He currently works as a Product Designer at CNN and serves as a Product Design Advisor for Backlit, an AI-focused startup. As an adjunct instructor in Santa Monica College’s Interaction Design Department, Eckels is committed to helping students and emerging designers strengthen their critical thinking, craft and professional judgment in an AI-accelerated industry.