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Lights, camera, Chiefs!

June 24, 2024 by Damilola R. Oyedeji

Austin Wood in helicopter

A focus on maximizing opportunities and networking has led Austin Wood from Missouri State University football games to working for the Kansas City Chiefs franchise as part of its video production team.

Wood, who majored in digital film and television production in the Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film, began working for the Chiefs in 2022.

Working with the Chiefs’ video team

After graduating from MSU, Wood collaborated with Caleb Stillians to co-produce the hunting documentary series, “Rise Up” in Alaska, which paved the way for his position with the Kansas City Chiefs.

“Caleb is a hunting guide in Alaska and we decided that pairing our skill sets could make something beautiful. What came out of it were two seasons of the show that propelled us into new opportunities,” Wood said.

“He got more brand deals and I got my position with the Kansas City Chiefs. My work on the show stood out to them and the rest is history.”

Now as part of the Chiefs team, Wood said he mainly works on “The Franchise,” a seasonal documentary that records and highlights the team’s stories. The series captures the essence of what the Chiefs are as a franchise and showcases the winning culture of the organization.

Austin Wood on football field
Austin Wood at Super Bowl LVIII on the field of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. Photo credit: David Gray.

“The beauty of the show lies in the off-field features, where we go to the homes of players and staff to interview them and tell their story. We even go on a duck hunt with them out in the country,” Wood said.

He also films every home game and many away games all over the country.

“Before every game, I spend time brainstorming, editing and preparing. There’s always a lot to do, but I’m always grateful to work for a team in Kansas City — the town I was born in — that just won back-to-back Super Bowls and is making history every day,” Wood said. [Read more…] about Lights, camera, Chiefs!

Filed Under: Alumni, Alumni Accomplishments, Feature, RCASH Highlights Tagged With: Austin Wood, Deborah Larson, Department of Communication Media Journalism and Film, School of Communication, Student Success

MSU students win Emmy Award for documentary

May 7, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Two people interviewing another outside

Students from Missouri State University’s Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film have won a 2024 Student Emmy from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS)—Mid-America for an episode of their documentary, “Discovering Dickerson Park Zoo.”

Episode 3, “Medicine of Dickerson Park Zoo” not only won the Student Emmy for Best College Non-Fiction Long Form, it also won second place from the Missouri Broadcast Education Association in the Video Documentary category.

Another episode, “Education of Dickerson Park Zoo,” was nominated for a Student Emmy for Best College Non-Fiction Short Form.

The entire documentary is a nine-episode web series filmed and edited by students taught by Jon Mabee, associate professor of film and television.

Mabee co-directed the documentary, along with Autumn Girgin, a recent graduate of the MFA in Dramatic Writing program. Mabee was also one of the producers.

“The National Academy of Arts and Sciences-Mid America Emmy competition is one of the most prestigious of the awards festivals that we compete in, since they are judged by professionals in the industry,” said CMJF department head Dr. Deborah Larson. “With two wins and one nomination this year, our students showed how we can compete at this level.”

“This also speaks volumes about our faculty who mentor them and the production and journalism programs we offer to our students,” Larson added.

“Real world” project based on client need

The zoo documentary project came about when Mabee, who has worked with the Dickerson Park Zoo on other projects, agreed to help the zoo create content to celebrate its 100th birthday.

This was an opportunity for students to be involved in “real-world applications” that reflect content taught in CMJF courses, Mabee said.

During the project, Mabee supervised roughly two dozen students, some of whom were enrolled in his Client-Based Video Production (MED 385) and Editing for Film & TV (MED 466) courses.

Total production time was about 20 weeks, Mabee estimated, with about three weeks devoted to actual filming. The project began in March 2023 and concluded in December.

Man working with woman on film camera
Associate professor Jon Mabee with student videographer Amelia Kotulski.

[Read more…] about MSU students win Emmy Award for documentary

Filed Under: Announcements, Community Engagement, RCASH Highlights, Student Accomplishments Tagged With: Autumn Girgin, Deborah Larson, Department of Communication Media Journalism and Film, Faith Drewianka, Gabriel Jacob, Jacob Lenhardt, Jillian Frogge, Jon Mabee, Public Affairs, School of Communication, Student Success, Trevor Huck

Larson named to Emmy Foundation Board of Governors

February 1, 2024 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Photo of Dr. Deborah Larson

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Mid-America has selected Dr. Deborah Larson, professor and interim head of the Department of Communication, Media, Journalism and Film (CMJF), to serve on its Board of Governors.

Larson will serve a two-year term. She will work on the Education Committee in addition to her regular board member duties.

According to its website, the NATAS Mid-America chapter was chartered in 1962 and represents television markets in Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Louisiana.

[Read more…] about Larson named to Emmy Foundation Board of Governors

Filed Under: Announcements, Faculty Accomplishments, RCASH Highlights Tagged With: Deborah Larson, Department of Communication Media Journalism and Film, School of Communication

ASB 4-State Competition brings high school talent to MSU

November 28, 2023 by Lynn M. Lansdown

Several students sitting at tables working on projects
Man with microphone
ASB 4-State’s Brandon Goodwin encourages the student competitors.

Around 350 high school students from across several states competed in the Academy of Scholastic Broadcasting’s 4-State scholastic video competition Nov. 3-5, 2023, on the Missouri State University campus.

ASB 4-State has hosted the video competition for high school students since 2017, according to Brandon Goodwin, Director of Resources at ASB.

The competition features 24 different journalism and creative media contests that are held over a three-day period.

Students in the 2023 competition came from states including Missouri, Arkansas, Tennessee, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas and California, according to interim CMJF department head Dr. Deborah Larson.

Several local area high schools competed, including Central, Hillcrest and Nixa, as well as four high schools from the Lee’s Summit, Missouri, area.

“Some schools had as many as 60 kids competing in multiple categories,” Larson said. [Read more…] about ASB 4-State Competition brings high school talent to MSU

Filed Under: Alumni Accomplishments, Announcements, Competitions, Event News, Pre-college, RCASH Highlights Tagged With: Brandon Goodwin, Deborah Larson, Department of Communication Media Journalism and Film, Locke and Stache, School of Communication

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