Welcome to my portfolio! I hope you have enjoyed checking out all of my work so far! Now that you've seen what I can do, it's time for you to get to know me.
My name is Austin Orr, and I currently work as the multimedia manager in the Natalie L. Haslam College of Music at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. I was raised in Estill Springs, Tennessee, and I currently live in Knoxville.
I graduated with bachelor of arts in communication summa cum laude in May of 2022 and a master's of science in communication in 2024.
As multimedia manager, I capture professional photos and videos for our college's marketing and communications team. I started this role in the fall of 2024.
I am also responsible for overseeing our technology library, which consists of over one thousand pieces of equipment.
My role as technology coordinator fostered my professional growth, as well as that of the students I advised. In this position, I was responsible for training student journalists to use industry standard cameras and softwares. I was also responsible for maintaining our equipment, security cameras, digital news stands, and websites. These duties encouraged me to grow as a photographer, videographer, webmaster, and teacher.
Many of the students who worked in our office started with little to no experience. My top priority was to ensure that each students received the one-on-one training they need to be successful in our office and after they graduate.
In addition to training, I was on standby each day to be the IT support member of our team. Inevitably, there were technology problems that occurred in our office each day. I have become very adaptable and resourceful in response to these issues. I like to always leave the students with a solution to their problem, and strived to provide them with one whenever something goes wrong.
Lastly, I also managed our commercial video production unit, Lumos Media Services. This student organization produces professional videos and photos for clients on campus and in the greater Knoxville area. Leading Lumos gave me invaluable leadership experience and required me to learn more about the business side of managing a production company. Serving as the advisor to Lumos also allowed me to capture a multitude of behind-the-scenes photographs, that have helped students to showcase their work.
Overall, the best part of being an advisor was watching my students grow. The relationships I built with my college mentors were so beneficial to my development, so I'm glad that I could provide that same resource to new students. I have already seen some of my students secure fantastic jobs and internships because of the great things they learned in Student Media. I can't wait to see just how far they will all go!
Two of my favorite projects I worked on with the our students was our video series with The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and our partnership with the team behind the novel, Red Dead's History. Be sure to read more about these projects on their dedicated pages!
I currently volunteer for The Great Smoky Mountain National Park as a videographer and photographer. I helped to produce a documentary for the park in the summer of 2023 titled "Story & Storyteller." You can watch a teaser from the project below.
In 2024, I was able to arrange a partnership between the park and my department at UT. The grant allocated a substantial budget for our video team to produce a variety of projects with the park's staff. You can read more about our first shoot here.
The documentary is currently used as a part of the parks training resources for new employees. I have loved visiting the park ever since my grandparents took me to Cades Cove when I was younger. This project was very fulfilling, because I got to capture a lot of amazing shots. I also created some very detailed animations for the project, took photographs, and designed the title card.
At the beginning of 2024, I began volunteering for the media team at RIO Revolution Church in Maryville, TN. I was able to use some of my volunteer work for credit towards my master's degree. I started attending Revolution in the fall of 2022. At Revolution, I helped with the setup and production of the church's 3 weekly broadcast services. This includes operating cameras to capture live worship performances and sermons.
The above livestream is an example of a service I helped to capture. On Sundays, I worked with a team of videographers, audio technicians, directors, and musicians to produce the livestreams. During my time with Revolution, I learned a lot about the equipment and software used to stream to online platforms and Revolution's alternate campus. I had the opportunity to serve in many of the various roles on the production team, including roaming camera operator, on-stage camera operator, video switcher, and setup crew.
Serving with the team at Revolution was very fulfilling because of the difference we made in the community each week. Revolution's online outreach initiatives are very impactful and reach far beyond our local community. The livestreams are even played in correctional facilities and prisons across the country.
While I was an undergraduate student, I spent the summer of 2021 working as a production assistant for the digital media services section of the Office of Information and Technology at the University of Tennessee. While there, I got to work with videographers who had made a career in the video production industry.
As a production assistant, I got a lot of hands on training with Final Cut Pro. This was super helpful since I had only ever used Premiere Pro. I think that learning several different video editing softwares has helped me to develop a stronger strategy for teaching new students in my current role. I also learned a lot about captioning, which I was also able to apply towards my current position. Based on this experience, I was able to work with Student Disability Services at UT to develop a plan to caption all of the Daily Beacon's videos in 2023.
In 2020, I served as the creative director at Bowman Broadcasting, LLC in Southern Middle Tennessee. Bowman Broadcasting manages several radio stations and a new website in the area. As creative director, I worked closely with the social media and sales teams to develop graphic designs that met their needs.
During my time as creative director, I was also instrumental in refreshing different aspects of their websites. I implemented the very first ads on their news site On Target News, which the sales team has continued to monetize.
Lastly, I was also able to voice and edit several radio commercials while at the station. I wrote a few commercials as well. It was really neat to hear myself on air since I am an avid radio listener!
As a student, I worked as the digital producer for the Daily Beacon in 2019 and 2020. In this position, I managed a team of videographers and created weekly video content. This was a great leadership experience for me as a student. I hosted a weekly news recap show titled "The Weekly Wrap-Up." I also co-produced an entertainment segment called "Busted." On Busted, we interviewed several high-profile members of the Knoxville community including the UT Dean of Students and the Knox County Mayor.
You can also check out the feature story I produced about John Jackson Miller here.
During my time at the paper, I also got the chance to take some great concert photos. These shoots were a great way for me to sharpen my photography skills early on.
Additionally, I wrote a few articles for the paper. This was a great way for me to sharpen my journalistic skills through interviewing and writing. I also got the chance to take a few photography assignments, including several concerts.
I graduated with a bachelor's in communication from the University of Tennessee in May of 2022 summa cum laude. As a student I served on the student advisor council to the Office of the Provost where I represented my college. I also served as the president of the National Communication Association Honors Society chapter at UT. During my undergraduate studies, I took classes in advertising, journalism, communications, and American Sign Language.
As a student, I was also participated in the Hagan Scholar Program. The program is a competitive scholarship program that is offered to students from small towns across the nation. As a Hagan Scholar, I learned a lot about investing and preparing for the future. I was able to use the funds earned through the program to graduate with very little student debt.
In 2022, I started pursuing a master's degree in communication at UT. I graduated in 2024, alongside my fiancé who completed her bachelor's degree in journalism. The college featured us in a story you can read here.
In my personal time, I love to draw, read, watch movies, exercise and spend time with my family. I also love to go on adventures with my wife. We enjoy hiking, kayaking, and going to the movies. I have a cat named Piper, and I'm a member of Crossroads Baptist Church in Estill Springs, TN.
