I’ve worked as a video producer creating content across a wide spectrum for the University of Idaho and other freelance clients. Below are some of my favorite projects throughout the years.
All Together Now - St Luke’s Health Plan
A great project that shot over four days on location in Boise, Idaho. I took this job on while still overseas teaching a summer class abroad, and the challenge of connecting with cast and crew while dealing with a nine-hour time difference was real. We shot in 16 different locations with a total of 20 cast and skeleton 10-person crew. I coordinated the locations, hired the crew, tracked down the rental equipment (harder than you might think in Boise ID) and worked closely to recruit and arrange the cast. I also handled the logistics, organized the schedule, secured the location and cast releases, and built the call sheets. You could find me trying to help grip at every location too. All in all, really proud with how this one came out!
Concept and script by Duft Watterson. Directed by Ze’ev Waismann.
The World Needs Idaho - Directors Cut | University of Idaho
This was a fun blitz of a project, where I got to bring in some Idaho alumni to help on the crew, had students attend and participate in shoots, and work with a really great Director, DP, and 1st AC out of LA. I scheduled more than 40 people at 20 locations over only three days to produce this spot. We had weather challenges, schedule challenges, COVID scares, but a lot of happy serendipitous moments along the way too. It came together wild and fast, but I love the playfulness of the final cut. Concept and script by Duft Watterson, Directed by Henery Behel, Executive Producer Ze’ev Waismann.
Vandals Go Beyond | University of Idaho
Produced in August 2020, this is the third commercial for UI’s new brand that launched in 2018. I worked as a local producer again for this piece that was directed and cut by NXNW in Boise, ID. A three-day shoot that spanned 15+ locations with more than 20 cast and a skeleton crew, all working under strict COVID-19 production protocols to keep everyone safe and healthy. This was a really quick turn to secure all locations and cast the week before school started. A handful of :15 sec cuts for social and targeted advertising were also put together which you can see here.
Breakthrough | University of Idaho
Stoltz Marketing Group wrote the script and hired a production team to produce. I was hired by that production team and worked as a freelance local producer, helping to organize the cast, crew and locations. We cast more than 50 people (used more than 40 in the final edit), shot in 23 locations, and had a crew of only seven - all captured in less than four days. It was a blast to dip my toe back in after my first year of teaching.
The Letter | University of Idaho
Produced in-house, we worked with Stoltz Marketing Group to create this TV commercial in three weeks from start to finish. We used a lot of found footage, and shot a handful of new scenes. This was a big learning experience for myself and my team - our first true foray into fully produced commercial work (As opposed to the docu-style we normally shoot for).
Student Life at U-Idaho
A nine-month project, this was no short feat to put together. It all started from a request out of athletics to have an updated, longer form video to take on the road to potential student athlete recruits. It quickly snowballed into a much greater institutional piece. The majority of content was pulled from previous projects, with only two interviews specifically done for this video. My favorite part from working on this piece was integrating sound and music to captivate the audience. This video still holds my favorite musical pairing + edit, in the transition from Fifi to the Taylor Ranch wilderness.
I wrote the initial script, conducted interviews, and edited the piece. About 90% of the footage in this is also from my work. This video won two Silver Telly awards - Cinematography and Recruitment categories - at the time, silver was the highest honor from the Silver Telly Council.
Phil Soulen | Alumnus | Donor
This project was a last minute request - Phil decided to fly into Moscow for a home football game in November the day before, so I had to quickly research him and determine where to shoot some supporting footage. The snow was an entirely unexpected surprise, but in hindsight, really added to the emotion of the piece. Phil is an incredibly generous donor and has a deep passion for supporting student scholarships at the University of Idaho - a passion clearly visible here.
I shot all footage, lit the interview, and edited this piece together. This received a Bronze Telly award.
Jerry Kramer | Alumnus | University of Idaho
Jerry Kramer is a semi-famous alumnus from the University of Idaho, and came back a few years ago to grand marshal the homecoming parade. He took a moment to share his story with me, and we were able to dig up some historical photos from his time back here. He was and remains an incredibly humble guy - a Vandal to model after.
I researched and drafted the questions, found, scanned, and touched up the historic photos, conducted the interview, ran camera, lit the interview, and edited this together. This won a Bronze Telly award.
Fifi Motsie | Exchange Student | University of Idaho
Fifi approached me one day while I was on campus shooting stock footage for another project, asking if she could have her picture taken. We talked for a few moments and I learned a great deal about her very unique story, and her love for the university of Idaho. Two days later, I arranged a time to interview her and put this piece together.
BuddyJoe Visits Boise
A fun shot-for-shot remake of a scene from the Christmas movie "Elf". We had success with a short Elf video in 2015 and so exploited that to take a trip to Boise and have some fun. This is the most shared and most viewed video in University of Idaho history.
I pitched the idea, helped develop the script, did all location scouting, arranged all travel, and directed talent and camera on location.
Each year hundreds of new students at the University of Idaho volunteer on the Saturday before classes to serve their new community by helping out at other local non-profits. Follow along as a group visits White Spring Ranch just outside of Genesee to help clean up the property and remove old barn wood.
I shot this in the span of three hours and turned around the edit four hours after wrapping the shoot - this whole production was completed in less than one day.
Vandal Zeitgeist | 2013
A mash up in the style of the year end videos Google produces - I wanted to take that year in review concept and apply it to a college career. I sought out feedback on what major events had happened both at the world/regional/local/university level over the past four years. I used a semi-popular song, inspirational text and viral videos to help pace out the video and keep the narrative upbeat and interesting. I broke it out in to digestible segments - each around a theme as opposed to attempting to make a linear story. This helped to soften the delivery of some of our more somber newsworthy events, and keep people tuned in.
I researched the content, wrote the script, and edited this together. This video won a bronze Telly.
Confessions of a College Graduate | Vol. II Ep. V
These projects are incredibly fun to produce. We set up a static camera, boom mic, and interview soon-to-be-graduates about their experiences here. The outcomes are as diverse as the students themselves. This video plays at the May commencement in front of all students and their families - it's meant to lighten the mood a little bit, give a chance for some of the students to share favorite memories, and families to get a glimpse into the minds of their graduates.
For this project, we refreshed a similar concept but made it more accessible - I worked with my assistant to develop new ideas, drafted the questions, convinced the grads to participate, conducted the interviews, and edited the final pieces. This was awarded a bronze Telly.