Name: Ryan Schwinke
Major: Media and Information with a Specialization in Video Production
Hometown: Plymouth, Michigan
HC: How did you hear and get information about your position?
Somebody posted an MSU Football video in a Facebook group. I started talking to him because I really liked the video and wanted to be a part of videos like it. He told me about his job and how they were hiring next year. A few months later my professor emailed me about a job opportunity which ended up being the same gig. I applied and started working during spring practice of this year.
HC: What are some of your basic responsibilities?
I film the teams practices along with a few other guys for the coaches/players to review. We shoot from a few different angles and my boss matches it all up. For games I shoot highlights with a few kids since we only need 2 cameras filming the game for coaches reviews. We use our footage for team highlights or public videos we make in our free time. Our footage is also used on Fox Sports Detroit’s ‘Spartan All Access’ television show.
HC: What’s it like being up close and personal on the sidelines of the games? Is this the best part about your job?
It’s pretty cool to be on the sidelines. There’s a lot to a game that people might not see in tv or in the stands. This is my favorite part of the job, being able to shoot highlights. I shot a lot of high school sports back in high school and I could not be more thankful to carry on in college on a much bigger scale. Since I started my interest in video production I realized I like telling stories that happen in front of me rather then create my own. I like shooting creatively and capture the things that people might not see or notice if they are at the game or watching it on TV. I try to shoot the game differently than the TV would it show it and engage the audience in a more cinematic way because when they watch our highlights or the show they most likely already saw the game, and to me I want to show them a different side of it.
HC: What are your plans after football season is over?
I work for them in the spring and the last month of summer. After the actual season, I may try to organize all the footage. It would be nice not to have a job for a bit. I will probably make a new reel with all my new footage and start thinking of ways to provide more public videos during the regular season because we’ve only released one because we all have classes and stuff. When they don’t practice, I don’t work. Which is nice so I can study for finals and have time off.