Winter 2024-25 Sports Media Day
On Monday, November 25th, Mrs. Rottkamp’s Advanced Photo Class partnered with Mr. Ambrosio’s Tornado News Multimedia students to create Winter Media Day 2024-2025. In what we hope will become a seasonal and annual tradition in the spirit of HF Media Days-past, we coordinated with Athletic Director, Mr. Franco, to schedule all of the winter teams to visit Mrs. Rottkamp’s Advanced Photo Studio and Mr. Ambrosio’s Tornado News TV Studio to capture content that is now available here and has already been used in promotional videos posted here as well and used as segments on our daily live morning show.
The entire day, was planned and executed by the students. Photo Art Directors Elle Dall and Kaia Nikolic assigned roles, established a registration process for the athletes, set the photo schedules and shoot plans, and oversaw the individual photography sessions. AP Photographers Ben Oren, Patrick O’Brien, Jared Lynch, Liam Terry, Christian Kolev, and Genesis Jackman captured the images (along with Elle and Kaia) and all of these students worked feverishly over the next two weeks to edit the photos available here.
Ben Oren, a film and photography student in both Mrs. Rottkamp’s and Mr. Ambrosio’s classes, worked as Executive Producer bridging the logistical gaps between the photo and video studios as well as establishing and assigning roles to the studio engineers and directors: Ainsley Batsford, Finn Murray, and Mckena Sung.
Photography students were occupied the whole day signing kids in and out, telling them the poses and takes they needed to do, and most importantly, organization. With so many videos and photos it was necessary to keep everything under control and make sure none of it went to waste. During the swim section, Genesis Jackman was asked how the day had been treating him, “It’s been good. We’re three teams in, still have lots to go. We’re getting loads of good!” His partner in crime, Ben Oren, echoed that “We’re moving right along, it’s going ‘swimmingly.’ I’m having a lot of fun. I love the photography class and I love the media class!”
This was an inspirational and collaborative project as these students not only gained valuable ‘workplace’ and ‘career-readiness’ experiences, but engaged in something valuable to their peers, their school, and their community.
NOTE: We are still editing photos and building this site! There’s more edited photos and videos to come here and to be added to our shared Google drive. Check back periodically for new content or contact Mrs. Rottkamp or Mr. Ambrosio if you are interested in seeing/accessing specific photos or videos from Winter Media Day 2024-25!
What Went on Behind the Scenes?
Kayla Biggica and Yoselin Benitez Almendares are here with your video backstage pass to the inside story of Winter Media Day 2024-25.
Kayla’s take:
Media Day was an incredible experience. In Mrs. Rottkamp’s room, I was assigned to take behind-the-scene footage and interview athletes. It was so much fun getting to work with students from different classes in a professional environment. I loved getting to talk to the different athletes and learn about their sports and personal goals. It was so cool to watch how the photography students took photos and enhanced them by using different props such as green lights and their athletic gear. Overall, Media Day was a really well put together and fun event. I am so glad that I got to be a part of it.
Yos’ Take:
As both an athlete and a member of the media class, it was nice experiencing both ends of the production. Being a part of a project that dealt with what I’m most passionate about, that being, promoting wrestling and other things I love.
Being able to experience what other teams and other sports get to do such as their own proper picture day or having the whole team talk about a meet rather than just making it an announcement was truly a nice bonding moment. In addition, seeing everyone getting ready such as the cheerleaders doing their hair together and touch ups, or seeing swim having a good time and being all bubbly made me realize how rewarding it is to allow others to simply be themselves.
2023-2024 Photos
View and download HF sports photos taken by members of the HFPress Yearbook Club