Dothingsatyour ownpace.
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Monthly Spotlight:Jordan Godfrey
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Monthly Spotlight:Jordan Godfrey
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Monthly Spotlight:Will Leggs
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Monthly Spotlight:Will Leggs
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Monthly Spotlight:Will Leggs
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Monthly Spotlight: WillLeggs
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What’sThe CultureFeelin?
“Charismatic. Receptive. Light.”
Whenaskedtodescribehimselfin threewords,Jordansuppliedthese ashisanswer.Hehighlighted“light” specifically,stating“Isaylightto meanabeacon,aswellasbeing lightheartedandcarefree”. Throughmytimegettingtoknow him,thatkindofattituderearedits head; acarefreeoutlookthat focusedonthepositives,with negativesexistingonlyaslessonsto becorrected.
Inhiswork,thatsamepositivity shinesthrough.Jordanisan aspiringfilmmaker,with titles alreadyunderhisbelt suchas “Loadshedding”,a documentary focusingonhis timeinSouthAfrica.Having graduatedfromTexasTechthis pastfall,Jordanhashissights setonabiggergoal:freedom throughthepursuitofhis passions.
Whenaskedabouthowhefound himselfonthepathofcreation, Jordan’sanswerwassimple:“Why notdowhatIlove?”.Hailingfrom Grenada,Mississippibuthaving livedacrossmultiplestates,Jordan grewupwithmediaasacenterpiece. “GrowingupIwaspassionateabout thestoriesbeingtold,whetherthey wereinmovies,games,orTVshows, Icouldn’tgetenoughofthem.”.
“Thebiggest aspectforme? Relatability.”
Throughthat,whenhefelt confusedaboutthepathhe shouldtakehefoundthat leaningintowhatheloved helpedbest.“Ifigured,whynot givepeoplethesamefeelingI had?WhenI’maskedwhatthe biggestaspectformeis, relatabilityisalwaysmyanswer” Hestates.ToJordan,filmmaking isthebestformofstorytelling, “allowingforawiderangeof sensoryfeedbackthatallowsthe audiencetobestgraspthe message.”
Themessageisthemost importantpart,itishisbrandafter all.Jordanfeelsa“naturalflow” whenitcomestotheartof storytelling,comingasnaturally tohimasbreathing.Hiswork speaksforitself,everyphoto holdingmeaning.Beitthetaleofa prairiedogsearchingforfoodora lonerideronamotorcycleblazing asolitarytrail,thereisataletobe toldwitheachsnapofthecamera. Theaudiencewoulddowellto searchformeaning,as Jordan “preferstobelievehisaudience isn’tstupid.”
P A G E 3
Jordannowfindshimselfonthe pathtobeinggrantedthat audience. Havingalready securedmultiplemedia positions,Jordanalsoworksasa freelance photographer, videographer,editor,and director.Beingmultifacetedis importanttoJordan,as“anyjob thatallowshimtotravelwhile alsocreatingcontent”isworth histime.
Inadvisingthefuturegenerations, Jordanadvisesthemtotakefull advantagesoftheresourcesattheir disposal.“Talkingtomyprofessors helpedmeimmeasurably,their connectionsareridiculousandthey genuinelywanttoseeyouwin.”he states.Afterspeakingwithprofessors, headvocatesforleaningintoones passions,andusingthatasajumpingoff pointforthefuture. Beyondallthat, Jordanisafanoftakingtimeofftomake surethecreatorisalright.“You’dbe surprisedathowgoodtheresultsare whenyoudetachfromyourego.”
“Idon’twantto dowhat everyone’sdoing justbecause they’redoingit.”
WhenyoufirsttalktoWill,you mightthink:“Thisguysoundsa littlefunny.”Don’tworry,Willis havingtheexactsamethoughts. HailingfromChicago,Illinois,Will bringsacertainfreshnesstothe roomwhenhewalksin.Asolitary northernerdroppedintothedeep South.Beinglikeeveryoneelse isn’tpartofWill’sbrandhowever, andit’sinthat“otherness”thatwill excels.“Ialwayswanttoputmy owstamponwhatIcreate,Iwant myviewerstounderstandthatthis istheauthenticme.”
“It’sallinthefamily.”
For Will,creatingissomethingthat’squiteliterallyintheblood.Fromayoungagehewas immersedintheworldofvideoandphotoshootsbywayofhisfather,adirector. AccompanyingtheseniorWilliamon variousvideoshootsas ayoungchildhelped introduce Willtotheprocessofproduction.Thatway,whenhisinterestincreatingwas trulysparkedbytheYoutubersandstreamershewatchedgrowingup,hewasalready equippedwiththeknowledgeneededtomakehisvisioncometrue.
Withthat,itwasofftotheracesfor Will,whoremembersmakinghis firstvideosasearlyaselementary school.“Wewouldplaybasketball outside,andIwouldmakesureto recordthevideos.”Willstates, “ThenonceIgethomeI’deditit togetherandcomebacktoschool thenextdayandshowitto everyone.”
Fromthere,Will’spassionfor entertainingwassparked,and itwasofftotheraces.Now,he findshimselfcreatingcontent forYouTube,aswellas streamingonTwitch. Throughthis,Willhopestouse hisuniquebrandofhumorto entertainaudiences,and impartthesameblissful memoriesthatthecreatorsof hisyouthgavehim.
“My fans are getting an authentic version of me.”
MostimportanttoWillistheauthenticityofhisbrand,ashebelievesbeingtruetohimselfiswhat makeshimhim.“IseeallofthetrendsbeingchasedandwhileIdon’tmindit,Ican’tbeapartof that”Willcontinuessaying“It’simportantthatmyfansaregettinganauthenticversionofme,and notjustmedoingwhateverispopular.”ThroughthatWillhasfoundthathispassionfor entertainmentishisdrivingforce, constantlyprovidingthesparkneededtoprovidehisaudience withasteadystreamofvariedcontent. Willleftmewithapieceofadviceforthoseinhisshoes:“If it’syourpassiondoitaslongasitmakesyouhappy,don’tworryaboutthenumbers.”
FEELIN? FEELIN?
It’sbeenalong,LONGtimecoming,butithasfinallybeen broughtbacktous.I’mtalkingofcourseaboutNCAA25! Afteradecadelonghiatus,thebelovedcollegefootball franchisereturnedtohomesaroundthecountry,andI’m happytosayitseverythingfanswishedfor.Thenewentry intheEASportsCollegeFootballisabreathoffreshairinan otherwisestalemarketofsportsvideogames.Playersused tothestiffnessofMaddenwillbepleasedtohearthatthe gameplayisfarsmootherinNCAA25,allowingformore precisemovementwhenattackingthefield. Thedifference betweenonfieldperformancesisanotherwelcome change,withplayeroverallratingsactuallyplayingarolein howtheymeasureuptooneanotheronthefield.There’s nobetterwaytoexperiencefootballthanthroughthelens ofafutureaccountantguarding anAll-Americanwide receiverinoneofthemostimportantgamesoftheseason.
PlayerswhoweremissingtheRoadtoGloryandDynastymodeswillbepleasedtohearthattheymadeareturn,andinglorious fashion.Dynasty’soverhauledrecruitingsystemadds newdimensionsto buildingaroster,withplayersbeingabletochoose fromamultitudeoftacticsinordertosecurethebluechipprospectthatwilltakethemtothenextlevel.SadlyofferingHellcats isn’toneofthosetactics,whichexplainswhyGeorgiatakesallofmyrecruits. RoadtoGloryisbackandgetsdeeperintothe studentsideofstudent-athletelifethistimebyhavingaGPA,havingtodecidewhetherornotyou’llgoout,andmultipleother decisionsandresponsibilitiesbefittingthatof collegefootballplayer.AllinallNCAA25isagreatreturntothearcadeyfootball gamesweenjoyedasyouths,andisagreatbaseforfutureinstallmentstobuildon.
Atlantaisoneofthe greatest placesonEarth.Whereelse canyouseeapresidential campaignrallythatincludesa performancebyMeganThee Stallion,andaspeechfrom Quavo?Quiteliterallyno whereelse,becausethis hasn’thappenedbefore,and won’thappenagainuntilshe bringsoutKendrickLamarin California.
Inallseriousness,itiskindofcrazytoseetworapperstakecenterstageasguestsatapoliticalevent,letaloneapresidentialrally. Onthesurfaceitseemsludicrous...butIseethevisionhere.Letmeexplain. Winningthevoteof youngpeopleandblackpeople isessentialtoasuccessfulpresidentialcampaign,andVicePresidentHarrisdecidedtokilltwobirdswithonestone.Inacitylike Atlanta,Quavodoesholdacertainamountofculturalsignificancewhetherwelikeitornot.Bringinghimouttospeakaboutgun violence(especiallyfollowingTakeoff’sdeath)isa movethatappealstotheyouthwhilestatingherpolicyonahotbuttonissue. TheappearanceofMeganTheeStallionisusedinasimilarvein,whatbetterwaytostateyourstanceonbodilyautonomythan havingapopcultureiconsingitforyou? VPHarris’campaignseemstobebuiltuponthefoundationofrelatability,andonlytime willtellifhereffortsprovesuccessful.
Whiletheelectionsmaydivideus,watchingthesonsanddaughtersoftheredwhiteandbluedominatethecompetitioninthe Olympicgameswillalwaysbringustogether.TherealreasonfortheOlympicsisunityandcomingtogether,butformostAmericans it’stheoneofthefewtimesthatpatriotismflowsthroughourveins.AfteralldoeswatchingLeBronJamesnotinspirevisionsofred, white,andblueglory?NottomentionwatchingSimoneBiles(continueto)utterlydominatehercompetition,tothepointwhere she’sliterallyouttherejusttryingstuff!Thatbeingsaid,thegamesarefarfromover,so fansofworldclassathletesgoinghead-toheadhavealottolookforwardto.