We recently connected with Ava Clapp and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Ava, thanks for sharing your insights with our community today. Part of your success, no doubt, is due to your work ethic and so we’d love if you could open up about where you got your work ethic from?
My work ethic comes from my love of creating art and my desire to produce a great final product. There’s something so beautiful and rewarding about seeing a project I’ve worked tirelessly on come together, and I’m constantly chasing that feeling. I’ve always been an incredibly stubborn person- for better or worse- and I channel that into my passions. If I have the desire to accomplish something, I stop at nothing.
Working in highly collaborative environments such as film and theatre is also a great motivation to put my best foot forward, since we all depend on each other to create the best piece of art possible. Whether I’m on set or on a pre-production meeting, I never want to be a weak link. The fact that other people are counting on me gives me the drives to not only achieve what I set out to achieve, but to do the absolute best job I can.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a junior studying production design at the Savannah College of Art and Design. When I’m not busy with classes and designing student films and photo shoots, I also work as a production assistant in children’s theatre. The past few years, I’ve dived headfirst into film set design, despite having a theatre background. I feel that my experience in theatre has informed my love of creating dynamic and visually interesting sets, and it’s something I try to incorporate in my work across all disciplines. Growing up in the suburbs of New York City, I’m lucky to have been exposed to the arts, including theatre, from a young age. This exposure made a lifelong impression on me. I’ve always had a passion for everything in the entertainment world, and I’ve dabbled in nearly everything, from acting to writing to sound, before landing on production design.
Despite everything I’ve explored artistically, I have leaned heavily into my major over the past three years, and most of my work lately is in set design for films and photo shoots. Within the first month of 2025, I’ve designed three short films while maintaining a full college course load and a student employment position. I try to say yes to as much as possible. I love exploring all genres of film and I’m constantly taking on new projects. I will be working on other student films throughout the rest of the year, and I will post updates on my website and Instagram!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Eagerness, curiosity, and humility. Inspiration is everywhere, and it’ll find you if you’re open to it. It’s important to say yes to as much as possible and get the most out of the opportunities presented to you. Learning and gathering inspiration is a lifelong process that will only help in the long run.
Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
Make lists! I’m a surprisingly analytical person, and seeing everything written out and making a logical plan makes my responsibilities feel smaller. Making a to-do list is truly the oldest trick in the book, but there’s a reason for that. When I feel like I’ve taken on too much work, it helps to at least have a visual list of everything I need to do so I can start crossing things off.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://avagclapp.wixsite.com/home
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/artbyavaclapp?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ava-clapp
Image Credits
Brode Voight, Gabe Gorsuch, Ariana Carranza, Alexa Taylor, Ethan Parkhurst
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