When Corey Upright ’14, was hired as the marketing manager of Book1One, a Rochester-based book printing company, he quickly learned that one of the elements missing from the firm’s website was videos that could help tell their story in an engaging and informative manner.
Having taken two video production courses with Dr. Todd Sodano, he knew first-hand the quality videos Fisher students are able to produce. So, he worked with Sodano to find a solution: undergrads in Sodano’s Video Production course could create the videos.
The project was a win-win. Upright’s company would have quality videos for its website, while students received valuable experience making videos for a real client. And the winning team would earn an automatic A on the project and the chance to have their work showcased on the company’s website.
“As a student, to be able to show that there is a company using work that was produced in school is an element that really elevates the project,” Upright said. “They are proud to see that their work was being put on a company’s website.”
At the start of the semester, Upright visited Sodano’s class, introducing the goals of the project and the company. He also outlined what his expectations were for the video and answered questions from the students. He challenged the students to create a video for the company following one of two themes: an introduction to the organization, or a step-by-step explanation of the ordering process.
For the next three weeks, Upright was available to help the students as much as possible. He staffed students shooting footage of the facility, gave interviews to students, and answered questions by phone and email, all to give them a better understanding of the process and services the company offers.
At the end of the project, two videos earned spots on Book1One’s website, with the winning video on the company’s homepage. Upright said he selected the winning video because of its footage of the machinery and sweeping shots of the facility, as well as the professionalism the students displayed.
“They really put in time and effort,” he said. “They stuck to the quality that Dr. Sodano wanted on the production side, worked hard, and took the project very seriously.”
Book1One Marketing Manager, Corey Upright (Back Left) with the winning group and Dr. Todd Sodano (Far Left)
Garrett Sisson ’15, a media and communication major and member of the winning team, said that the production of the video took a lot of time and collaboration and coordinating schedules was often a challenge.
“A well-created video can truly increase the awareness and effectiveness of a company’s brand,” he said. “We’re proud we were able to gather all of the shots we needed without compromising quality.”
Fellow group member Jade Osborne ’15 said that the course honed skills that can be used beyond the media industry. “This project is beneficial because you now possess a skill set that can be utilized not only in the communication field, but in every career choice,” she said. “It offers a portfolio piece and shows the skill set you possess.”
And, while it may have been time consuming for Upright to go through the process of working with the students, he was pleased with the products and found it cost-effective. It’s something he would happily recommend to other companies.
“Other companies shouldn’t overlook students just because they’re students,” he said. “St. John Fisher College students can produce quality content; we know that.”