Updated Demo Reel covering some of my roles at NEWSnet and related properties.
News Videography Reel
NEWSnet Videographer
On August 2nd, 2024 NEWSnet laid off their entire staff. Since June of 2023 at NEWSnet I built a video production company from the ground up starting with no equipment. I shot, produced, and edited four life style shows. Worked on numerous automotive video content ranging from short car reviews to half hour documentaries.
I also provided event coverage for the 2023 Woodward Dream Cruise, the 2023 Detroit Auto Show, 2023 LA Auto Show, 2024 Chicago Auto Show, the 2024 NFL Draft, the 2024 Indy 500 and other RLL marketing days, and the 2024 Detroit Grand Prix.
Links to Work
Driven
Cadillac Global VP John Roth
Bobby Rahal and Pietro Fittipalidi: What Drives Them To Win The Indy 500
Event Coverage
2023 Woodward Dream Cruise
2023 Woodward Dream Cruise: The Old and New
Auto Shows
2023 LA Auto Show Luxury On Display
2024 Chicago Auto Show EV Take Center Stage
2023 Detroit Auto Show New Vehicles
What makes the 2023 Detroit Auto Show Special
2024 Indy 500
2024 Indianpolis 500 and 2024 Detroit Grand Prix SNH Coverage
2024 Detroit Grand Prix
Pietro Fittipaldi Talks to SNH Before DGP
NEWSnet Featured Segments
Pet Report
Best Ways To Keep Your Pet Cool
Entertainment Report
How The Legacy of TV’s “Land of The Lost” Lives On
Robert Downey Jr Returns To The MCU
Jill of All Trades
How To Make Great Homemade Biscuits
Fitness Reports
ABC 12 News Videographer and Editor
Starting in May of 2018 to May of 2023 I worked as a Videographer and Editor for ABC 12 news. Filmed and edited various news stories and covering numerous breaking stories such as the Sanford Dam failure, 2020 Mid Michigan BLM protests, Hogarth Ave house explosion, and the Oxford school shooting. I used both live trucks and live back-pack units to accomplish live shots. Assisted in event broadcast coverage in many community events such as Back to the Bricks, Crim Festival of Races, and Detroit Tigers Opening Day. I helped in the production of long form Targeted Specials news stories starting from pitching ideas for them to the completion of them.
Marketing/ Made in Michigan Videos
Valentine Distillery
Port Austin Leveling
Shiawassee County Troops Returning Home NatPack
Eric Kilburn Under Armour Viral Story
Covering Breaking News event with no reporter Grand Blanc Apartment Fire
Shiawassee Habitat for Humanity for first time since 2005
Sports Coverage : 2022 Detroit Tigers Opening Day
Breaking News: Hogarth Avenue Home Explosion
Breaking News Oxford Shooting: Oxford Shooting Vigil
IGNITE Media Group
From February of 2017 to May of 2018 I worked as a freelance videographer/editor at IGNITE Media Group. One of the projects we worked on was for the Fowling Warehouse located in Hamtramck.
We finished some videos for the United Shore Professional Baseball League at Jimmy John’s Field in Utica, MI.
Media Teaching
Starting in August of 2015 to January of 2017, I partnered with Oakland University to lead film-making and animation classes for students in the OU CARES program. In these workshops I taught autistic students the theory behind film-making and helped them develop and create their own short films and animations. It has been rewarding watching them learn and grow.
In 2016 to May of 2018, I partnered with Best Buy and Student Leadership Services . I led multiple workshops with the SLS students, so they could learn and become familiar with technology. Using the skills I taught them, the students made promotional videos that reflected the SLS values.
Multimedia Specialist GVSU Simulation: October 2013- October 2014
In late October 2013, I accepted a job with Grand Valley State University and relocated to Grand Rapids, MI. In my new position at the Grand Valley State University Simulation Center, I assisted with the management of all the audiovisual operations for the GVSU Simulation Center at the Cook-Devos Center for Health Sciences. I collaborated with the creation, production, and delivery of online lectures and other multi-media content for health professions students and faculty so they can stream events and watch recorded media online. I managed video operations in the Arcadia simulation database and provide technical support for the simulation labs when needed. I also created videos such as the one below to help promote the GVSU Simulation Center and other Office of the Vice Provost of Health programs. The video below was showed at the MIPERC conference on September 19, 2014 discussing the advantages of Interprofessional educational programs in the health care field. For more information on MIPERC please click here their website.
American Idol Detroit Auditions October 2013 and 2015
On Season 13 of American Idol I worked three days as a Production Assistant on American Idol for the Detroit Audition Judges Round at the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel. On the first day, I helped load in the set and set up the production base camp. The remaining two days, it was my responsibility to ensure the Detroit finalists filled out the necessary paperwork, evaluations, and on camera interviews that were necessary for them to move on in the American Idol competition.
On Season 14 of American Idol I worked as a Production Assistant for the Top 24 and Top 16 Semi Final shows. I helped with transportation of crew and contestants between the Westin Book Cadillac Hotel and the Fillmore Detroit. I assisted in various production tasks, and I suggested and helped filmed Detroit landmarks to be used as B-Roll for the show.
One of the segments I helped produce is in the space below.
GVSU Summer Films Online
The Summer Film Project was founded in 1995 by Grand Valley State University. It brings students, faculty and industry professionals together on the production of a film. The preproduction and filming takes place in the summer session. The fall semester is devoted to postproduction where students complete the film and prepare for its premiere at a local movie theatre and enter it into film festivals across the country. I worked on two of Grand Valley’s summer films The Darkroom and Horizontal Accidents. You are now able view these two films below. If you’d like more information on Grand Valley’s Summer Film Project click here.
The Darkroom: Directed by Z. Eric Yang, 2010
Assistant Editor:
https://gvsu.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=31fc7a08-4fa5-4067-8142-b2ae00ef213f
Horizontal Accidents: Directed by Tom Seidman, 2011
Picture Editor and Sound Effects Editor
https://gvsu.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=99325c3b-1966-45e5-a50d-b2ae00ef3aee
Joey Travolta’s Inclusion Film Camp
From August 13th til August 24th I worked at Joey Travolta’s 2012 Film Camp. This camp was supported by Inclusion Films and OU Cares at Oakland University. The staff and I helped Autistic children and young adults write, shoot, film their own stories. It was a great pleasure to work with Joey, his staff, and campers and I’d love to work with them again in the future. For more information on Inclusion film click here and for OU Cares click here
2012 Detroit 48 Hour Film Success
I was a participant in the 2012 48 Hour Film Project: Detroit and this year I worked with BROBIEfilms. Our film “Detective Diaries” collected a total of three awards. We won 3rd Place Overall, along with Best Sound Design, and Best Costumes. My primary job on this project was the Assistant Editor. I transcoded footage, synched audio, organized footage, and put together a rough cut of the film to allow the director more time to film and to have an easier time editing. I also acted as boom operator/sound mixer for a small portion of the film shoot. I’m very proud of the work that I and the rest of BROBIEfilms team were able to accomplish in such a small period of time.
Ryan T. Smith 