College: Missouri State University
Major: Cinematography
In the front row of the bleachers, holding a sign to get everyone to cheer, stands Jed Holliday. He attends every football, basketball and hockey game, ready to pump up the student section and make the night unforgettable. When he isn’t making the crowd roar, he devotes his time to the field, capturing amazing moments of student athletes with his camera. Holliday says his interest in videography started when he got a camera for his birthday last year, and his journey as Pep Nation videographer began.
“[At the] beginning of the year I told [the pep nation teachers], I really wanted to make all the theme drop and hype videos for sports,” Holliday said. “They gave me free reign, so I used my creativity to make cool content.”
According to Will Long, senior, Holliday works hard in class and is dedicated to filming and editing. He said Holliday spends almost all of his time making the best quality videos and editing for a “postable” result.
“When it comes to filming, Jed is extremely talented and knows what he’s doing,” Long said. “You can tell from the way he works with the camera and computer that he’s especially skilled in the field.”
Holliday’s hard work doesn’t go unnoticed by his peers and teachers. Zach Kirk, one of the KHS business Pep Nation teachers, says Holliday is a collaborator, leader, and all around good student.
“What I have appreciated the most about Jed this year is his willingness to take on projects without the fear of failure and his willingness to be coached up when asking for feedback,” Kirk said. “He has a talented [and] creative mind, coupled with the curiosity, passion, and desire to become good at what he is doing.”
At the end of the day, Holliday simply enjoys being a part of cinematic projects and making a difference for his viewers. He said it gives him a creative outlet and he appreciates how it impacts KHS.
“I like the feeling of creating something that people can see,” Holliday said. “[I like] the feeling that people enjoy the videos I’m making.”
