Jonathan Short keeps athletes in spotlight with highlights and clips

JJonathan Short usually finds himself behind the scenes, but his passion for capturing sports highlights in the local community has brought him to the front of the camera with Nxt Up Nation.

He decided to become a videographer in order to provide exposure for local athletes.

“There is a lot of talent in our area that deserves recognition. I wanted to give these kids a chance that I never had in my high school days and what better way to do it than with a video-based platform. It’s something that has never been done here,” Short said.

His favorite part is helping student athletes pursue their favorite sports in the future.

“I really enjoy capturing the plays of the night, the dunks, the touchdowns, and more, but the opportunity to get our student athletes to the next level with the proper exposure is what I enjoy the most. I can’t put in the work for them or do their classroom work. I can’t spend countless hours in the gym and on the field, but I can be there for them. When I show up to their games, I capture their highlights and their sportsmanship, character, and the way they carry themselves when things aren’t going their way. These things make them a true athlete. At the end of the day, if I can give the kids a chance I, along with many others, never had, then I will be content.”

In addition to sports videography, Short also makes cinematic videos with his drone.

“I have also done photography for different clients whether that be sports-related, portraits, car photography, etc. I am currently in the process of filming a small documentary right now. I am soon looking to start shooting commercials for businesses in our area. I really enjoy the drone videos because it is a big change of pace for me versus the sports videos. It is night versus day,” he said.

He added that he is self-taught through countless hours of online research.

“I credit a lot of my learning to YouTube. A lot has also come from trial and error, which is sometimes the best way to learn. Go film any game and miss the play due to user error or equipment malfunction, and see if you ever let it happen again. I have learned the hard way. There is a lot to learn out there as long as you’re willing to put the hours in.”

Short called it a true blessing to be able to work with and highlight local athletes.

“To see kids from this area take pride in their hard work as well as their school and community brings me a sense of joy. I want to help put these athletes on the map. I want colleges to look at my videos of our athletes and see exactly what they’re offering in all aspects of the game. I feel like I have a responsibility to help these local schools and student athletes as much as I can.”

He currently captures highlights and makes videos with the Sony A6400.

“This is a very good entry-level camera that can shoot in a very high 4K resolution. It also has the capability to shoot in 60 and 120 frames per second, which comes in handy when wanting to slow some of the footage down. My primary lens is a Sony 18-105 with a constant aperture of F4. That is very useful for having to constantly zooming in and out. I don’t have the worry about adjusting the lighting with a fixed aperture. I am looking to upgrade all of my gear to provide a higher quality video for my viewers soon and also make it easier on me with a better camera and lens,” Short said.

He works around his full-time job in order to find time for videography.

“I try to cover as many schools and athletes as possible. I have to leave work early to make some games the majority of the time.

I cover as much as possible, and if I have the ability to be there, I will be there. There is no set limit for me.”

He chose the name Nxt Up Nation because he wanted it to be catchy and sports- related.

“Many have asked me where the name came from, and to be completely honest, it was something I came up with one night when I first started all this two years ago. NxtUpNation to me means who is next up. The opportunities are out there. Put the work in. Why not you?”

While most of his videos are produced on the fly, some take time to come together.

“Many of my videos are run-and-gun videos. Some of my other videos such as private workout sessions are planned out days in advance, and I have the chance to go in with ideas in mind. You never know what to expect when filming games. It can take anywhere from a day to a week from filming a game to uploading and editing. It all depends if I am behind on some videos, work, and other things. I am a one-man crew and operate on my own. It is a big task to take on by myself, but I get it done. I have rushed on some videos and wasn’t satisfied with them, so I feel like the ones I take my time with are ones that are more enjoyable to watch. A good video typically takes me about three days,” he said.

He currently promotes Nxt Up Nation through Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.

“I look forward to also uploading on Twitter soon. I usually average 2,000 to 5,000 views on all social media platforms, but I have some videos on TikTok that surpass tens of thousands of views with some doing numbers in the 250,000 to 600,000 views range.”

Although Short has dreams of becoming a videographer/ content creator for college and professional teams one day, he strives to grow more locally.

“At the same time, I still want NxtUpNation to be thriving. I want to have a full team of videographers and editors doing what I do now but on a much larger scale. I would love to make a lifelong career out of videography and content creation.”

A 2019 Red Level High School alumnus and LBWCC MacArthur graduate, he is the son of Brandon and Janie Short of Loango with a younger brother, Braydon.

He credited his family, friends, and the community for helping him reach this point.

“I would like to thank my mom, dad, and brother for being very supportive of me and NxtUpNation. Thanks to all my friends who support me and always want to see me succeed. Thanks to all the schools and coaches who have welcomed me with open arms. To those that have denied me coming to schools, I hope by now you know I am offering you and your athletes an opportunity they have not had. I am not asking for anything in return and only want what’s best for our students and athletes. To all the parents, thank you for allowing me to help your child showcase their talent on a platform that will only help them and leave a positive impact. To the younger kids that may be seeing this, work as hard in the classroom as you do in the gym and field. If you put the work in, results will come. Do not give up on yourself. Lastly, I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Without Him, none of this would be possible,” Short said.

For more information email nxtupnation1@gmail.com or call 334-542-3127. n