Ryan Pawloski, a senior from Hastings, Neb., is creating graphics packages that will create compelling visualizations and enhance the presentation of video productions while also interning for a rapidly-growing sports startup in Lincoln.
Ryan is a double major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, majoring in sports media and communication as well as broadcasting. His eventual goal is to become a graphics and video editor at a major sports production company like ESPN. As a senior, he will be applying to places like ESPN and other types of sports video production companies once he graduates in May of 2020.
His passion for sports started at an early age, especially after his first Nebraska football game.
“Growing up, college football is why I wanted to get into media and TV; I ended up with a little obsession with it after my grandpa took me to my first football game: a 2005 matchup between Nebraska and Pittsburgh,” Ryan said.
In this 2005 matchup, Nebraska would win the game in a sold-out Memorial Stadium, 7-6. However, Ryan and his family left the game early after a crucial defensive stop, so he didn’t get to see the end of the Cornhusker’s victory.
“I still haven’t forgiven them for that,” he laughed.
Since that matchup, his passion in sports has only increased.
Ryan leads the charge with video production graphics, including creation of all different types of graphics for any sort of video project. Specifically, he creates these graphics with Adobe After Effects and Adobe Illustrator.
“So far, the lower third of the graphics are done. Transition graphics and lockup graphics have also been completed. I’ll be working on other on-screen graphics, but I’m not really done yet with those,” Ryan said.
Other than his efforts with UNLimited Sports, Ryan also works for UNL’s College of Business as a video production assistant and is also an intern for a sports startup in Lincoln, FanWord, which according to FanWord’s Twitter account, is a “Creative Storytelling Agency | Stories about the lives and experiences of athletes, coaches, fans, alumni, and more.”
“What I enjoy most about interning for FanWord is that it offers me new creative freedom that no other job has allowed me,” Ryan said.
As FanWord expands, Ryan has enjoyed seeing its growth as well as being able to contribute to it. He said that the company has just started a contract with the Northeast Conference, a Division I athletic conference commonly known as an FCS conference. Additionally, FanWord has contracts with other places like Turbine Flats, LES Electric and Nebraska’s Center for Entrepreneurship.
With the semester already near completion, content is rolling out for UNLimited Sports, both in written and video format. Ryan is ready to roll out his graphics.
“My hope for UNLimited Sports is to experience an environment that simulates a high-paced newsroom,” Ryan said.
