Living their high school days behind a camera lens has created a whole new experience for junior Oren Hamilton and sophomore Thomas Jorgensen. 

Students have taken the liberty to explore another side of student media working alongside their high school sports team. Hamilton and Jorgensen have been able to capture every intense and exciting moment of a game.

“My favorite part is the overall final product of the video when I can finally see all the filming, editing, and storytelling that I put together to come together as a whole, that’s the best part,” Hamilton said. 

Students run into many challenges when it comes to creating media outside of school. Having to juggle schoolwork and videography can be a challenge in itself. In order to get into a game, videographers need to have a media pass that gives them the access they need to get the best shot possible. But being a high school student without the qualifications needed to get a pass makes it difficult to get into the games they want to film. 

“Getting close enough, being able to get in the locker rooms or on the field or on the ice, you have to go through a lot of red tape paperwork to be able to get permission to do that,” Cutaway teacher Debbie Drew said. 

This is why high schools around the state are helping student media gain access to film high school sports. Hamilton and Jorgensen are able to film sports such as, football, hockey, baseball, lacrosse and basketball. They are able to film these sports with the help of the school and the ability to connect with the coaches of the team.

“I can’t say enough about Cutaway, it gave him the opportunity to continue to explore filming and editing, it gave him the tools to learn about how to do that,” Oren’s dad, Peter Hamilton, said.

Cutaway has taken many steps to help students overcome difficulties of filming. Taught by Debbie Drew, Cutaway teaches students the basics of filming and editing and inspires students to try something they have never done before. It is also a class that both Hamilton and Jorgensen have taken during high school. 

“Cutaway is here to teach the kids how to make quality videos and help the kids who are looking at video production as a career, help them find the path to doing that,” Drew said. 

Both Hamilton and Jorgensen have taken what they learned from Cutaway and have created two successful media accounts, hamiltonfilms_ and tjorggg. These accounts give them the ability to show people what they have created and gain recognition for their hard work. Hamilton’s hard work on this media account has opened up many doors for him. 

Oren feels that “Hamilton Films has opened up new opportunities and helped him make new connections,” with teams such as Michigan Tech and St. Thomas. 

The experiences of videography have opened up a whole new world for students like Hamilton and Jorgensen. Despite challenges that come with balancing schoolwork and videography, through hard work and with the help of Cutaway, Hamilton and Jorgensen have been able to showcase their content on social media and create connections. These experiences have helped them explore their passion and gain valuable skills.