“It’s something about a song that makes me feel like I’m in a different place. I have no worries and things seem more alive.” Our campus celebrity for this week is chasing his dream of working with big-name music artists through his videography. Ryan McFadden has a passion for music, and while DJing one night, decided to make a low-quality film. An artist asked Ryan if he wanted to do some shoots with him, and without owning a camera he agreed, and decided to pursue the industry further. He’s invested in high-quality equipment, including a drone, and uses the power of social media to connect and work with different companies and artists. “I never thought I would be where I am today, traveling to multiple Division 1 schools, other cities, being backstage with world class artists and DJs, and assisting management with music festivals.” Ryan recently filmed with The Chainsmokers (we’re fan-girling right now) and other well-known LA artists.
Ryan’s goals for the next few months include improving his editing skills, networking more, getting picked up for more film work, and hopefully being brought on board under a contract for recording artists or DJs. This summer he’s working on a country music video and some projects with other film editors and tour managers in hopes to boost his portfolio. We don’t think he’ll have a problem considering his awesome aerial view videos shot with his drone. “When I think about the work I want to do I have learned the accessories aren’t always needed. Quality is definitely a factor but it’s about the creativity; what you do with your mind, how you film, and how you edit are all factored into a good videographer and photographer.” Check out some of Ryan’s videos and all the cool people he gets to meet on his Instagram @rmcfadden11