The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
UT Athletics, Moody College of Communication launch Bevo Video Productions
09.03.2019 | Texas Athletics
A new student-focused production company began operations for 2019-20 academic year.
AUSTIN, Texas – When the 2019 fall semester kicked off on Wednesday, Texas Athletics, the Moody College of Communication and UT students began a partnership in launching Bevo Video Productions, a production unit operated by a unique combination of athletics staff and Texas Student Media.
"Being part of BVP means being part of a team of professionals. When it comes to experience, there is nothing like working in a professional team and learning how to collaborate and problem solve with others, especially in a fast-paced environment," said Peter Corrao, senior Radio-Television-Film major. "BVP will allow students to work on a production where they get to see first-hand how their work contributes to a complex, large event."
Bevo Video Productions will collaborate and help lead live event production, televised on in-venue videoboards, at all Texas Athletics home events. Any UT Austin student can apply to work for Bevo Video Productions. The program will be directed by David Schneider, a television professional with years of experience directing a wide variety of television programs including live events and sports.
Bevo Video Productions will provide an opportunity for students to work alongside broadcast professionals at 100+ Texas Athletics home events each year. In addition, students who participate in this new program can help create original, in-event videoboard content and also develop original content to air on the Longhorn Network.
Students pursuing broadcast television or film production degree paths or any students interested in digital media and storytelling will benefit from this unique training ground and educational environment. The collaboration with professional staff will allow students to apprentice and gain the knowledge and skills needed in today's competitive media and entertainment industries.
Texas Student Media, led by director Gerald Johnson, is composed of several student-produced media properties at The University of Texas, including Texas Student Television (TSTV), which is the nation's only student-run, FCC-licensed television station. TSTV has produced video content on campus for more than 25 years and is available on Dorm Channel 15 and Antenna Channel 29.1, or online at watchtstv.com.
"Moody College is thrilled to partner with Texas Athletics to establish Bevo Video Productions," said Moody College Dean Jay Bernhardt. "This new production enterprise run through Texas Student Media will allow UT Austin students to gain hands-on media experience while developing their portfolios and creating original content that will air on ESPN's Longhorn Network and other media outlets."
"We have the mantra at The University of Texas that 'What Starts Here Changes the World,' and this is really doing it," said UT Vice President and Athletics Director Chris Del Conte. "In addition to all of the knowledge they gain in the classroom, we're helping provide students with a real-life experience to produce content, assist in game productions and learn from all of our talented Texas Athletics creative team members, as well as our partners at Longhorn Network and Earl Miller Productions."
Led by Associate Athletics Director for Creative Development Caten Hyde, Texas' creative development team will work closely with the students. The Longhorn video production team of Senior Video Producers Darin Cowels, Adam Doyle, Jennifer Guido and Darrias Thomas, as well as Video Producers Kelli Konzen and Jake Young are all experienced staff members and valuable assets who once learned the trade working in video production as students.
"Our Texas Athletics creative team is ecstatic about this partnership with Moody College of Communication," Hyde said. "Students offer a unique viewpoint that is crucial to thinking outside of the box creatively, and we're excited to be working with all of the creative talent at The University of Texas."
Austin's own Earl Miller Productions (EMP) is completing installation of a new central control room inside Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium capable of producing multiple live events at venues all across campus. The central control rooms, tabbed the Broadcast Production Lab (BPL), will double as a broadcast teaching lab where students will get hands on training on the latest broadcast technology and techniques. EMP provided the equipment for the operation and is serving as the lead on managing and crewing the operation that will include veterans in the field working alongside students.
"After 22 years of handling video board production for all of UT's venues, EMP is excited to enter this new stage of our collaboration with The University," said Mike Miller, EMP's Vice President. "The idea of giving students the opportunity to learn real-world sports production in an environment overseen by broadcast professionals will give them the edge they need to get a leg up in the industry."