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Show f]3atures@statesmar».usu.edu Wednesday, March 18, 2009 i Breaking news: From USU classroom to KUTV reporter By COURTNIE PACKER features editor Being hit by a bull, repelling down a large building in Salt Lake City, scuba diving with Santa Claus and hanging out with jumping water dogs is just the average week for KUTV 2 feature reporter Casey Scott. Scott's job is unique compared to many othJL ers' He said he spends each morning on KUTV 2 News showcasing events, activities and performances across the state. His unique reporting,style not only comes from his talent, but from the education he received while attending USU a few years ago. Scot i grew up in Ogden and said he chose USU because he wanted a true college experience. He said many colleges across the state are commuter schools but in Logan, Scott said he knew he could have a lot of fun. "I chose USU because I thought I would get in more trouble than if I went to the U," he said. Becoming a True Aggie, sledding down Old Main Hill, eating breakfast at Angie's and walking up Old Main Hill until his nostrils were frozen are only a few of the memories Scott said he had while attending USU. But Scott said the best decision he made while at school was becoming involved and joining the Sigma Chi fraternity. Scott said he lived in the fraternity house for four years and made friends he has kept in touch with many years later. "When I joined the Sigma Chi fraternity, it was the best decision I ever made," he said. "I grew a lot, but you don't need a frat to do that." Scott said the teachers at USU helped make his experience at USU much more enjoyable. Scott said the teachers were "cool" and felt they genuinely cared for him. Scott majored in broadcast journalism and said he enjoyed his communications classes, but his attendance in the generals and large auditorium classes depended upon one thing. "You would show up to class the first day and see if there were any hot chicks. If not, you wouldn't go to class," he said. Scott said he was the class clown throughout college and thought many professors and peers never thought he would make it to where he is today. "How many people on TV actually have sideburns and a goatee?" Scott said. However, Scott said when planning to attend USU, there are a few musts students have to do before they graduate. He said they must be a True Aggie, have a Big Dog or burger at the White Owl, eat breakfast at Angie's, experience one trip to La Tienda in Preston, Idaho, and spend one summer in Logan. "Have fun, because you will never have fun like that again," Scott said. After five years attending USU and enjoying the party life involved, Scott headed to Salt Lake City and pursued a career in radio. Scott worked for nine years as part of the "Chunga and Mister Show" on 101.9 The End and said his job included broadcasting remotes and giving the station personality and driven segments. "If we didn't get two complaints a week," he said, "we weren't doing our job." Along with his radio career, Scott was filling in for TV personalities until an opening became available. "I sent the producer flowers that said 'If you need a reporter, call Casey' along with my phone number," Scott said. "They then called." Scott said he enjoyed his time with radio, but he always had to follow someone else's lead, whereas with his job in TV, Scott 01 See ALUMNUS, page 7 Pros give insight into film industry extremely popular with audiences today. Karras said she structured the film as a narrative to engage the audience with a gripping USUTube is on. story. She said she learned Deadline for the short film to write while at USU, competition is this combut prefers telling stories ing Friday, which means through film. students still have time to "1 like that I can tell put together a short film, a story using pictures," less than four minutes in Karras said. length, and contend for a large cash prize. Visit the Karras has also worked Caine School of Fine Arts in Uganda, filming a Web page and click on documentary to advance USUTube for the rules. the efforts of Engineers Without Borders, a nonHow would it be posprofit service organization. sible, some might ask, to put together a film in just "The thing I asked two days? myself when I started that project was, 'What's the It can be done in less story here?'" Karras said. than that, according to "It's hard, because with itinerant USU student and documentary filmmaking, working filmmaker Clay you're often moving down Olsen, who, in 2007, along a storyline you don't know with several other Aggies, put together a short film in the ending to." 24 hours, winning several Olsen said the concept honors at Apple's Insomnia for his prize-winning film short film competition, "Imagine" was a group including first place in the effort. He said the group celebrity judge category. gave themselves one hour to The film is called "Imagine" come up with a good story and can be seen it after a idea. If the idea didn't hapquick search on YouTube. pen in one hour, they'd call off the effort and just have Olsen and his friend, videograper Ashley Karras, a normal day. One hour later they had succeeded gave a few tips on amateur in developing a great idea. filmmaking. Olsen said he immediately Olsen is taking the semester off while pursu- , called in some favors from friends, including a heliing a degree in marketing. Karras graduated from USU copter pilot who showed up on short notice with an in 2007 with a degree in authentic Air Force pilot broadcast journalism and suit and a hovering chopnow works as a freelance •'••."• videographer and indepen- per. dent filmmaker. . Olsen said he used creative cinematography in In her most recent film, the short film to capture a documentary called audiences' attention. At The "Inheritance of War," Karras tells the little-known one point, a man is being chased through a forest, story of American POWs dodging trees and jumping • who were captured and ditches. In order to film the forced into slave labor by scene, Olsen said he stood the Japanese during World through the sunroof of War II. She says documenhis friend's car as it drove tary-style filmmaking is By BRENDON BUTLER staff writer 3. i Ii if* CLAY OLSEN, USU alumnus, along with his with his Panasonic HVX shows what a filmmaker goes through during a day's shoot PETE P. SMITHSUTH photo along the road next to the trees. The camera bumps and jerks as it follows the running man. Olsen said the jerkiness of the cinematography produced a disorienting feeling, which was just what he wanted for the chase scene. .-•• "More important than having a good camera is how you use it," Olsen said. "A good film has plenty of camera angles - close ups,. wide outs, high up, down low. You want to have visual textures." , . ; He encourages amateur filmmakers to watch his Vlog, or video blog, tutorials by searching YouTube . for nine essential tips for amateur filmmakers. Olsen said not to wait for a degree before getting involved. "There isn't a degree for what I do," Olsen said1. Olsen said he started be eclipsed by Vlogs, Olsen making films with the fam- said, because programmers ily video camera before he are developing software even got to grade school. which can translate video Now he is co-creator of dialogue and keywords into Logan-based company text. That text will soon be Advent Creative, an online searchable by the electronic marketing firm. Olsen spiders constantly combing said there is a demand^: • -*> the Internet, he said. for videographers likei?'5\;^Bfc',i In addition, YouTube ;i never before in history. * has made everyone a potenCompanies are looking for tial filmmaker. Olsen said commercials, training and the prices of good digital"; promotional videos, Olsen video cameras are within said. He said the Internet the range of almost any peris more and more the best son who wants to make a bang for the buck when a film nowadays, and profescompany needs to get their ' sional digital video editing message out. is possible using free soft"The demand for videog- ware bundles like iMovie raphers is skyrocketing^" For Mac and Windows he said. "Video production Movie Maker. used to be a luxury for com#. ^ : : . "People would rather panies - now it's a neceswatch an online video than sity. sit and read a blog," he said. The phenomenon of Is being a filmmaker online blogging will soon really all about unfettered creative freedom and artistic expression? "Sort of," Olsen said. Karras disagreed. "Not really. You don't always get to do what you want to do," she said. Karras said as a freelance videographer, her everyday work depends on the project she's been hired to work on. "You invest in one film to pay for the one you really want to do," Olsen said. For those who would like to make a film or Vlog, Olsen suggests, "The number one key is, just do it. Don't wait for a degree or a budget. Make it a hobby and go do it." - bulkr.brendon@aggiemail. usu.edu |