Select+CT Podcast

Guests: David Noble, UConn's Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

This episode -season 2, episode 3- covers what is needed to embark on a successful entrepreneurship in the digital media space. It is easier than you’d think to start your own business in CT. David Noble from UConn's Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation revealed important information for digital media students in this state.

David said that the important next step is to increase the cross disciplinarity of students with certain skills. Non-digital media students need more digital media skills, and digital media students need more than just the art side of that skill set. 

“I think more non-digital media students need more digital media skills, and digital media need more than just the art side of the skill set.” - David Noble, UConn's Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Guests: Lauren Komrosky - Chief Digital Officer, Connecticut Public | Jake Volckso, Connecticut Public

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

Guests: Steve Harper - Assistant Professor of Motion Design & Animation, University of Connecticut

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

In 2020, we were thinking about what our schools' post covid would look like. In 2022, we can think of what post school looks like with covid (mostly) out of the equation. That said, it’s no secret that graduating students tend to experience a range of emotions: from pride and anticipation, to fear and discouragement, all or any I failed to mention are relatively normal. Select + CT’s season 2, episode 9 covers that post graduation scenario in what I think is in a more appealing light. Guest speaker Steve Harper provided a great perspective on both post covid, and post school, post covid (sorry, that was a mouthful).

Guests: Bridget Costa - Motion Designer, Craftsman+ | Samantha Olschan - Assistant Professor of Motion Design & Animation, University of Connecticut

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

According to a recent study conducted by Zippia, there are over 7,091 known animators employed in the U.S.. 71.9% of those animators are men. That leaves 28.1% of women, which is not super encouraging for young women. Samantha Olschan is an assistant professor of motion design & animation. She and Bridget Costa -another motion designer- conversed about the troubles of being a woman in the animation industry, specifically within the younger generations.. 

Guests: Chelsey Trowbridge - SVP of Post Production, Wheelhouse

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

The Village, in Stamford, CT, is one of the hidden gems of CT. That said, this episode of Select + CT is a little different than the others. We’re getting an inside look as to how The Village operates from their parent company -The Wheelhouse- and how that routine can be applied to any standard successful business. Guest Chelsey Trowbridge - SVP of Post Production, is an employee at this gem. She kindly offered to speak about what the business side of the beautiful location accomplishes.

Guests: Jon Winkel - CEO, The Stamford Partnership

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

By definition, community engagement is working collaboratively with groups of people (hence the community part) in order to attain some sort of goal or aspiration. Host of Select + CT -David DesRoches- explains that there is however a different type of engagement within the digital media space. The episode “Community Engagement” was recorded in December of 2021. Jon Winkel - CEO, The Stamford Partnership, mentioned that for the past 18 months everyone has been exclusively online until recently. He says everyone has faced the question: how do you find an audience to engage with? David and Jon reveal how this digital engagement can manifest itself outside of the digital world.

Guests: Chris Argento - VP of Audio, WWE | Justin Matley - Re-Recording Mixer & Sound Designer, Freelance

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry

Did you know that audio media such as cassette tapes are making a re-appearance in terms of sales? I suppose this is due to the need we now feel to disconnect from our constant online-lives. Though audio production is popularly known as the making of music, it’s actually super prominent in other forms of media. From movies ranking 100% on the “rotten tomatoes' ' score, to pesky advertisements, or the news, the audio industry seeps into most everything we consume (and that’s a good thing). Season 2, episode 5 of Select CT’s podcast interviews Chris Argento - VP of Audio, WWE, and Justin Matley - Re-Recording Mixer & Sound Designer, Freelance, to discuss what consumer presentable audio can manifest for a media project.

Guests: John Murphy, University of Connecticut, Digital Media Department

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

Social media listening companies have agreements with Reddit, Twitter, ect. to gain insight on what we transfer from our mind to the screen. When you’re employed by one of these info-seeking-agencies, being able to balance social media listening so that it doesn't carry over into cyber stalking (a crime) is important. From a company perspective, John emphasizes that you need to know from an ethical standpoint what you’re going to do with collecting that legal & public information. “Rule of thumb is if it feels icky, don’t do it.” he added.

Guests: Kenneth Thompson, University of Connecticut | Joshua Steffenson, Manchester Public School | Jason Chung, University of New Haven

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

Did you know that you can make playing video games into a career? E-sports has had an “incredible growth” according to research done by Influencer Marketing Hub. Jason Chung, who runs the E-sports business program at University of New Haven, explained how you can make a living off of playing video games! Select + CT’s Host -David DesRoches- also interviewed Kenneth Thompson, a professor at UCONN, and Joshua Steffenson, an Assistant Principal at Manchester Public School. 

Though Connecticut has made a big contribution to the phenomenon of E-sports, the first (known) video game tournament occurred back in 1972 at Stanford University in California. Since that event, E-sports have incentivized local people in various countries to set up Internet cafes. Teens & young adults tend to play video games whilst downing too much caffeine; so this was perfect. Publishers quickly realized it’s a way to increase fandoms in their games. E-sports became a marketing tool for companies in the 80’s…

“Have the openness to look at something and say, just because it’s a new industry doesn’t mean that it doesn’t deserve study.” - Jason Chung, University of New Haven

Guests: Bryan Murphy, NBC Sports Group | Leah Myers, WTNH-TV | Erick Jean, The Game Agency

Host: David DesRoches, Quinnipiac University 

"Select+CT" is a Digital Media Connecticut (DMCT) podcast series connecting you to Connecticut's Digital Media industry!

What is it like in the world after graduating college? It’s a lot of connection making.. Like, a lot.

If we as students have an idea of where we want to work, it’s still challenging to pinpoint if what we think we want will actually work out. Having the status of being an undergrad can be overwhelming because we don’t know what will happen after we surpass it. The first episode of season two invites three Connecticut College’s alumni who open up about their experience after leaving their schooling and going into the workforce.

Bryan Murphy from NBC Sports Group explains that it is hard to break into the industry. I will use Bryan's experience as an example, because he had a harder time.. He says he applied to more jobs than he could count and only got 2-3 interviews. And the job he ended up landing actually didn't require an interview because he'd interned there before. He doesn't know where he’d be working if he hadn't made the connections in his prior internship..

“Especially at this point and time in the pandemic, connections really are a huge part of this industry.'' - Bryan Murphy, NBC Sports Group

Takeaways from Brian, Leah, and Erick:

There are many good digital media jobs in Connecticut. Even though it may be difficult to break into the industry -especially without establishing connections first- CT especially has an abundance of opportunity.

Internships are SO important. Especially making connections through them. You could end up getting hired to work there full time after graduation!!