When Jacob Rosdail first started producing videos, he wasn’t thinking about film festivals or academic awards – he was just trying to make his high school assignments a little more fun.
What began as a creative workaround has since evolved into a lifelong passion for storytelling and teaching.
Now chair of the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Department of Communication, Rosdail shares that passion with the next generation of media makers. A filmmaker and professor, he teaches courses in video production and multimedia storytelling, helping students learn how to inform, engage and inspire through their work.
Raised outside Knoxville, Iowa – the “Sprint Car Capital of the World” – Rosdail earned a bachelor’s degree in electronic media and public relations from Wartburg College and a master’s degree in documentary film from Wake Forest University.
“I went to graduate school with no intention to teach, but to help pay the bills I ended up being a graduate assistant in both film studies and documentary production courses. I quickly discovered that I enjoyed helping others on their own projects as much as working on my own,” he explained.
Rosdail joined UNK in 2014 and became department chair this semester.
Outside the classroom, he’s an active member of the local creative community, serving on the board of directors for the historic World Theatre and even working a weekly shift at Buffalo Records in downtown Kearney.
“The World is really one of the best parts about living in Kearney, and it’s been a great way to bond with students and fellow faculty over independent and classic films,” he said. “Serving on the board has given me a greater appreciation for all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into making this local treasure available and affordable.”
What drew you to videography?
In high school, my friends and I figured out that our teachers would sometimes accept video presentations for assignments, so any time we saw that opportunity we took it. Somewhere there’s a VHS full of homework facts delivered via bad “Wayne’s World” impressions that I hope never makes it to YouTube.
I later went to a summer camp where I discovered I could study media production in college, and I never looked back.
Who is your favorite documentary filmmaker?
Errol Morris was one of the first documentarians I remember starting to follow with as much anticipation as I would a narrative director like Spielberg or Scorsese. He takes subjects that could seem opaque or eccentric and makes them compelling, layered and often surprisingly funny. His work often deals with the impossibility of objective truth, which is one of those topics documentary academics love discussing.
Why is this your preferred style?
I always wanted to make movies and tell stories, but I chose documentary because you can make them anywhere and with very few resources. The nature of documentary is forging a narrative out of real elements – you want to be going in with a plan, but life doesn’t always follow that plan, so there’s a problem-solving element to it that I’ve always enjoyed.
What are some of your most recent projects?
This summer, I received an award from the University Film and Video Association for a documentary/music video hybrid for local band WastedWitch. Lately, I’ve been working alongside students on commissioned projects for a local nonprofit that I can announce at a later time.
How does a UNK degree prepare students for a career in this field?
UNK’s media studies program is very hands-on and creative. Students can start creating from their first semester, gaining valuable experience that builds their skills project by project. Many of our students work at local stations or companies well before graduation, which gives them a professional edge.
Likewise, our communication studies degree helps students develop skills to lead, collaborate and solve problems in professional settings. These are skills that fit into any career.
What do you love about working here?
I tried really hard to come up with an answer more creative than “the students,” but it’s the honest answer and the reason we’re here. I love that UNK is a place for students in central and western Nebraska to earn a bachelor’s degree, something that still makes a real difference. After more than a decade here, I’ve seen that difference. I’ve met students while they were still in high school, worked with them through graduation, and have watched them build careers, families and lives of their own.
Where is your favorite spot on campus?
Our video production studio is my favorite place to teach. I have many memories of students collaborating, experimenting and growing their confidence in that space.
Share something unique about yourself:
My midlife crisis recently manifested itself with me starting a VHS collection. On the positive side, it’s a pretty affordable hobby because there are still a lot of places just trying to get rid of them. So, you can often leave a thrift store with a tub full of tapes for under $10. The downside is my wife is getting annoyed with me filling our basement with old movies.
PHOTOS BY ERIKA PRITCHARD, UNK COMMUNICATIONS
