One of the most important facets of attending college is campus involvement. As students we should find an organization — much like Garnet Report (hints) — and get invested. Senior Bryant White understood this and with lots of support and encouragement, created A.Bevy.Productions, an organization targeted toward self-discovery and development. I got to speak with Bryant about his vision for A.Bevy and how he plans to take it above and beyond.
Jumping right in…
Kiante Chapman: When creating A.Bevy.Productions, what was your initial goal?
Bryant White: Initially the goal was to be a platform for specified student scholarships and the highlight of students who represented the ideals of A.Bevy – Change.Progression.Growth. Within the past three years that goal hasn’t changed at all but instead has evolved. A.Bevy.Productions, Inc. is now a production company that still does the aforementioned, but in a wider array of ways. Our initial stance is upon adding purpose and relevance to events, productions, and programs that we produce in order to entice the viewers to think for themselves, change their perception on the values of life, and in turn live more truthful to themselves in fulfilling their own specific purpose.
KC: How do you hope it will continue to evolve?
BW: In the future I hope for the evolution to continue in an increase in platforms for production. I would like for A.Bevy.Productions, Inc. to be internationally known as the organization that contested and challenged film companies, television stations, music distributors, etc. to be of more purpose and relevance with what they do.
KC: Do you plan to continue your presence here on campus after graduating?
BW: With the influence of Steven Magazine, in July of 2012 A.Bevy.Productions, Inc. was officially accepted as a student organization on the campus of the University of South Carolina – A.Bevy.Productions, Inc. at USC (A.Bevy at USC).
Our inaugural executive board has been formed and events and scholarships will be produced through the USC sector of A.Bevy on campus and even in the Columbia community. The two annual events that A.Bevy at USC are largely focusing on is the fall semester’s MOVell Film Festival and the spring semester’s Impress.Your.Self Scholarship Mixer where the annual A.Bevy.Endowment scholarship is given. General meetings take place twice a month and smaller events, fundraisers, and programs are being planned and produced as time goes on.
Support System
KC: Who has influenced your life the most?
BW: The title for A.Bevy at USC’s film festival is actually composed of the three people who have influenced me the most. The capital letters in MOVell stand for Melissa, my mother; Ozell, my maternal grandfather; and Verdell, my maternal grandmother. The one person who has influenced me the most would be my mother. A.Bevy is a product of who I am as a man, the way I live, how I view life, and is the platform in which I believe I will serve the purpose in which God placed me here for. My mother is 100% the reason why I think the way I do and live everyday willing to question first, learn second, and question again third.
“The Lust for Love”
KC: With the upcoming Association of African-American Students (AAAS) Fashion Show, what lessons do you hope viewers and participants walk away with?
BW: This is the third year I have directed the annual AAAS fashion show, and is the third installment to the Fashion.Defined trilogy. This year’s theme is “The Lust for Love” and with that we wish to force people to question their connotative definitions of lust and love. We want people to leave questioning what true love is, is it something that they have, and what they have to do to obtain what they INDIVIDUALLY believe “true love” is.
Word of Advice
KC: What is the most important piece of advice that you have given or have been given?
BW: The most important advice that I have been given and can give are both the same and that is to Smile.Regardless. No 
matter your religion, we are all here for a reason. We must all make “CHANGES” in our lives in order to push forward. We then must “PROGRESS” and go through a process that will entail more pain than pleasures, more downs than ups, and more issues than solutions. Lastly, you must Smile.Regardless knowing that you are going through this process for a reason, a reason that you will “GROW” from and be even closer to fulfilling the true purpose that God placed you here for. [Change.Progression.Growth.]
Hopes for the Future
KC: What are your plans for after graduation?
BW: My post graduation plans are to attend either New York University or Savannah College of Art and Design to receive a MFA in music technology/sound design. Upon receiving this degree, I would like to work with post-production audio mixing for television and film. With that base formed, entrepreneurial wise I then plan to take A.Bevy.Productions, Inc. to higher levels of production alongside the people who have been there since day one, the people I meet along the way, and most importantly, God.
Follow A.Bevy.Productions on Twitter @ABevyMinds
pictures from abevyproductions.com
