Middle Tennessee State University earned a regional Emmy Award Saturday, Feb. 17, for “We Do It All,” its one-minute spot showcasing the College of Media and Entertainment.

The commercial, which debuted last year, was made possible by a huge collaboration between faculty and students across departments in the college and the university’s Division of Marketing and Communications. It is the university’s first Emmy.

The 38^th annual Nashville/MidSouth Emmy Awards ceremony, presided over by MTSU alumnus and National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences chapter president Nic Dugger, was held at Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

Here’s a short clip of MTSU faculty and students accepting the award and backstage celebration:

You can watch the spot below:

“We Do It All” started with a concept from Marie Barnas, chair of the Department of Media Arts, said Allie Sultan, an associate professor in the Video and Film Production Program, who directed the commercial.

“It’s been a thrill,” Sultan said. “Freshmen filmmaking students in my class worked for two days filming their first commercial!”

Then, Emily Rink, an animation student, worked with Paul Griswold, professor and campus visual effect guru, to create the featured anime character. 

Finally, the onscreen talent — all students — come from the recording industry and media arts departments and the School of Journalism and Strategic Media.

Featured prominently in the spot is overall narration and onscreen appearance from recording industry student Liliana Manyara.

Bess Rogers, an assistant professor in the Department of Recording Industry, worked with students in her Songwriting for Film, TV and Gaming course to create the music for the commercial.

“This commercial was a fantastic opportunity for the students,” Rogers said. “It was our first project of the semester, and the students had no prior experience with this!”

Kelty Greye, a Commercial Songwriting Program major, and Peter Van Wyk and Phillip Beima, Audio Production Program majors, wrote and recorded the selected song submission, titled “We Do It All,” Rogers said.

Student Nick Edgerson, who records as Legendary Nedge on the student-run record label Match Records, performed the commercial’s centerpiece song, said Rogers. It was recorded in Studio D, one of MTSU newest recording studio facilities, with the assistance of professor Bill Crabtree.

Students then completed the audio mix of the commercial in professor Matt Foglia’s Advanced Sound for Picture course.

“Almost everything you hear on the track was written, recorded, played and produced by students,” Rogers said. “I’m incredibly proud of them and of everyone who lent their talents to make this happen.”

Also, in another True Blue tie to the event, students from Media Arts professor Bob Gordon’s advanced production class crewed Saturday’s live broadcast of the ceremony along with video film production alumni — including the executive producer, director, graphics producer and playback producer — using MTSU’s Mobile Production Lab.

— Andrew Oppmann (Andrew.Oppmann@mtsu.edu)

* Story updated Feb. 18, Feb. 19