Just do it!
That simple philosophy is what UNL alum Dawn Schaefer credits to her success. In 1999, Schaefer graduated with her M.F.A. from UNL and has since worked as an art director for CBS. She has also worked for shows such as "Survivor," "Rock Star: INEX" and "The Apprentice." Her desire to work in television has been around since she was in high school.
Schaefer returned to UNL Nov. 19-22 for the Nebraska Alumni Association’s Alumni Masters Week. Each fall, outstanding alumni return to campus to share their experiences and knowledge with students. 2014 marks the 50th annual Alumni Masters Week, which is sponsored by the Nebraska Alumni Association, Scarlet Guard and the UNL Chancellor’s Office.
"For some reason, I was drawn to theatre," Schaefer said.
At first Schaefer thought she would have to choose between architecture and interior design, but it changed when she found out she could blend both those things together in a single field.
"By the time I was in my senior year, my theatre teacher said 'Have you ever thought about being an art director?' I had no idea what that was. Then she explained it to me and I knew I wanted to be an art director for film and television. "
Shaefer went on to get her undergraduate degree from South Dakota University, paid for with a basketball scholarship. But looking for a master's program that would allow her to study theatre and allow her to graduate in two years proved more difficult.
"I wanted to be out in the industry already," Schaefer said. "After undergrad, I wanted to move out to California...That's all I wanted from the very beginning. It didn't matter that I had had these big scholarships, I wasn't going to trade what I wanted."
She had her mind set on art direction and creating sets, even as an undergrad. She stayed focused on giving herself the skills she would need to begin her career.
"I just wanted to work," Schaefer said. "Even during my undergrad for two years I built houses over the summer. I didn't go to theatre places to do summer stock. I don't know why other than it made it easy to communicate with everybody in the industry. It gave me a leg up about knowing construction stuff like weight bearing and construction loads. I can explain to them how to do it."
Although she was offered scholarships from schools such as Yale and the University of Kansas, it was film professor Sandy Veneziano who sold her on coming to UNL. Veneziano and Schaefer worked together on various projects while she was getting her master's degree.
"She's always been a go getter," Veneziano said. "She was a great student and always knew what she wanted and went for it. She had a great design sense. I thought she was perfect."
After graduating from UNL with her M.F.A., Schaefer left for California. Within two weeks of moving to California she got her first job working for "Ripley's Believe it or Not." For the first five months, not only did she work for "Ripley's," she also worked doing trade show design for BMW and Mercedes and for various television pilots. From there, she's been working ever since. And she credits it not only to her drive, but to UNL as well.
"Nebraska was the best place," Schaefer said. "It gave me all the tools I needed. I've been working every day since, all because of the skills I've learned here."
--Emily Kuklinski, Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film