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Why did you choose to attend Pepperdine?
I chose Pepperdine because I wanted to grow both academically and spiritually during
my foundational college years. I honestly treasure the memories I made, the skills
I gained, and the friends that I did life along side with in a very special way.
Who influenced you most during your time at Pepperdine?
I was really blessed to have a variety of faculty and staff really give me some valuable
opportunities. I want to thank Doctor Jerry Rushford for writing a letter to the communications
department on my behalf. He helped convince them that it was really important I take
an independent study course at a post production facility in London while I was studying
abroad in London. I learned the editing software Avid Media Composer for the first
time during my independent study course and edited all the London travel videos for
International programs during my study abroad year. It definitely sent me on a course
headed for editing. I also have to give a big shout out to Keith Hinkle who really
opened a door for me and many other students to intern at the Cannes Film Festival.
That was a big resume item I had right when I graduated college that helped open many
doors.
Share your best college memory:
One of my favorite college memories was interning at LBC (London's Biggest Conversation)
the summer leading up to the 2012 Olympics. It really took me out of my comfort zone
to be interning at major radio station two days after I had landed in London for the
first time. One of my jobs was to do "Vox pops" - which were going up to random people
on the street to ask them their opinion on a current event of the day. I would then
record their responses, pick the best ones, and edit them together for the evening
radio news. It was quite an adventure!
What is the most important thing you learned while at Pepperdine?
I learned the importance of faith based community and integrity. Even though I was
very challenged academically during my time at Pepperdine, I felt I grew more personally.
It really prepared me for graduate school at the American Film Institute right after
where I received an MFA in Film Editing before starting to assistant edit on big studio
films. I got thrown into the "deep end" of Hollywood quickly so having that Jesus
centered spiritual foundation really led to make films for the right reasons. If you're
going to be in the filmmaking business, you have to love the day to day filmmaking
process, not all the other stuff (like fame, celebrity and money) that sometimes comes
with it. Also, you don't have to be writer, actor and director, to have a creatively
satisfying career in movies. If that's your calling, great! But there are so many
other jobs where you can a huge creative impact on a final film like production design,
costumes, visual effects, sound mixing, film scoring and (of course) film editing.
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