Matthew Vincent has taught the media class since 2016

Today’s generation of students live with the ability to shoot, edit and share videos faster than ever before. While social media, especially YouTube, may callous students who use it from determining between well or poorly made films, the art of video productions remains a difficult, yet rewarding, creative medium.

Fresno Christian offers numerous Visual and Performing Arts, and included in the list is video productions. New this year, FC offers an intro to video productions class exclusively for junior high students.

Since 2016, Matthew Vincent has led the campus video productions classes. With a background in photography and digital design, Vincent earned a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism at Fresno State and worked for various photography studios. He says his favorite part about designing videos and teaching students is the cooperation involved.

“The best part of teaching video is also the best thing about making videos: the interactions between people,” Vincent said. “When you finally reveal your video to your peers who have all shared the same experience as you and your group, you feel a sense of pride in your work, no matter how good or bad your final product turned out, you made it, and that is all that matters.”

Bryce Foshee interviews Ezekiel Van Noy about video productions in the following podcast.

Like teamwork, hands on practice helps in learning a complex skill, such as producing videos. Senior Jacob Scully‘s interest in the behind the scenes of shooting films led him to join video productions in his first year at FC. He says practice in video class taught him many new skills.

“There is a bunch of different skills that I didn’t know before that I got to improve on just from being out in the field, shooting all kinds of different shots, and editing the videos and making segments out of it that I had never thought of before,” Scully said. “My favorite part so far is just being out there and shooting different shots. There’s so many more different angles and places that you wouldn’t even think about before when you’re making a video, so I find that very interesting.”

FC first offered a video productions course in 1998, taught by Chris Schultz. Since then, numerous graduates have studied film in college or earned professional roles, including Kyle Gentz, Mitchell Callisch, Riley Endicott, Andrew Rurik, Clark Zhu, and others.

While the high school video department at Fresno Christian enters it 20th year, this is the second year with a junior high class offered. Vincent taught the class last year to give 7th and 8th graders another elective option, and one that they can build on in high school and beyond. He says intro to video members have a clean slate when it comes to creativity.

“The most unique thing about them [junior high class] is they have no limits on their creativity because nothing to them is a bad idea,” Vincent said. “I love this about this group and I do my best only to intervene in their planning when I can tell that their eyes are bigger than their stomachs, so to speak, but in general nothing is too crazy for them and I do my best to make sure that they can achieve their visions.”

Both classes began the year by filming music videos, after which the high school class studied documentary films. Scully says this unit presents new learning opportunities.

“Our next video is the documentary, and I am looking forward to that,” Scully said. “It is notorious for being a different type of video that isn’t usually created with a storyline, so I’m interested in that one as our next project.”

The intro to video productions class is currently producing movie trailers. As with other projects, students work in groups while creating films. Ezekiel Van Noy, ’23, recognizes that this type of teamwork makes the class more enjoyable. He says learning video and editing skills also helps in other classes.

“By working in groups, you can have fun with your friends and you can talk with them and it’s not boring,” Van Noy said. “People should join the class because you learn a lot and it’s helpful if you have to do a project and you need to know how to do something with computers.”

In addition to adding useful skills, learning the art of film making is an experience different from classroom studies. First year video student Joseph West, ’23, enjoys the intro to video productions class’ atmosphere and Vincent’s teaching style.

“I’ve improved my filming, and editing, I’ve learned how to do more editing,” West said. “So far learning how to edit and work with images and photoshop has been my favorite part. Mr. Vincent is very kind and nice and he explains it to you very well, and he is very good at what he does. I will join this class next year in high school because I want to learn further how to do more advanced editing.”

Video productions and introduction to video productions teaches students life skills usable in college and adult life.

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Bryce Foshee can be reached via Twitter @brycer_f and via email.