Dan Covert, a Brooklyn-based director and artist, spoke to the first-year students in the MFA Design Department on November 12, 2024. Covert’s multifaceted career encompasses directing, art, and commercial work. His debut feature film, “Geoff McFetridge: Drawing a Life,” executive produced by Spike Jonze, won the Audience Award at SXSW in 2023. As co-founder of the production company Dress Code, Covert has collaborated with prominent brands such as Apple, Peloton, and The Gates Foundation, earning accolades including Webby Awards and Vimeo Staff Picks. In his art practice, he explores abstraction through sculpture and painting, creating a unique graphic language that examines themes of connection and perfection.

I thought his views on deadlines were very interesting, and I think I’m now viewing pre-work deadlines in a new way. —Mint Zhai (Class of 2026)

He emphasized that hard work and consistency will always outweigh talent. This was the first time I’d heard a guest speaker touch on this idea, and it really stood out to me. He made it clear that his success was a result of his decision to work as hard as possible. Hearing Dan talk about the value of hard work helped ground me, reminding me that staying focused and putting in the effort will ultimately pay off. —Sam Narayanan (Class of 2026)