Last week, I called Cory Osborne (aka Cory O. or coryocincinnati on Skillcount and YouTube), the first place winner of the SkillCount Promotional Video Contest. I spent sometime getting to know him better and learning how he became interested in video production. Enjoy!
Brad at SkillCount (SC): How did you get interested in Video Production?
Cory Osborne (Cory): Video Production basically started with me through High School. I did two years at a JVS Career Center and did Graphic Design and everything… kind of got into the whole thing. Then, after I graduated, I went into radio broadcasting- did radio and TV through college. So it been video production pretty much from High School on.
SC: I could tell from your voice in the video… and this phone call- you definitely have a good radio voice.
Cory: That’s all I do. I actually have my own studio here at my house. I did three years on air for a large market here in Cincinnati, a country station called B105, it’s like huge heritage station- it’s been here forever. But then the economy hit me and I lost my job there and I’m still trying to battle my way back up, so I have my own DJ business right now.
SC: DJ, huh? Cool! So what kind of tools do you use when making videos?
Cory: I have After Effects, Adobe Premiere, Photoshop… most the Adobe programs. I mean, that’s all I’ve done since I was in school, so that’s my niche.
SC: What film or director inspires you and why?
Cory: Directors, definitely would be like Tim Burton, Steven Speilberg; lo-LOVE their movies. Their imagination is just crazy. Anything can be made, its just putting your mind to it and doing it. That’s one of the things I really like about film is you can take something out of your life and put it into a movie and inspire other people to do things like that. Kind of makes me want to do what they do… once I get out of the cornfields here in Ohio.
SC: What is your favorite part about the filming process?
Cory: Definitely the production. Being able to take a piece of something tiny and make something really awesome out of it- where it’s just like- when someone watches it they are like “Whoa- how did you do that?!”
SC: And your least favorite part?
Cory: Uh, I wouldn’t say there is a least favorite part… OK- maybe forgetting to hit “Save.” That might be the worst part- is not saving something and having to go back and do it. Have been there many of times.
SC: Of the films you’ve made, what is the one you are most proud of?
Cory: I’d have to say that video I did for you guys because that’s like the first time I’ve done something and actually got something back out of it. Other than that, I mean its just been stuff that I’ve made here-and-there… Well, actually, no- I had a video on America’s Funniest Home Videos through our radio station- I forgot I did that last year! We had our higher-ups from Utah come out [to Cincinnati] so, it’s the main owners of the entire company is in this huge meeting. My buddy was kind-of like the stunt boy for the morning show at the station and we rented a cow and donkey suit, ran into our higher-ups meeting dressed as a cow and donkey and crashed the meeting. And then we ended up taking the suit and going out to one of the DJ’s farms. My buddy was in the donkey suit and he tried to get on a miniature horse and when the horse took off, it clotheslined him on a tree. It knocked his head off [of the costume] and everything. I had the video and sent it in and they actually put it on the TV. So, it was pretty sweet. Not that it’s a film I made- I just happen to catch it on camera.
SC: Is Video Production something you aspire to make a career in?
Cory: I’ve always wanted to. Really, when I got of High School, I wanted to move to California, go to USC. Problem is- didn’t have the money to do that and financial aid was not working out. I’ve always wanted to do radio too, and radio is a big thing that inspired me and I found a school that was around here that was cheaper and I was like “You know what? Lets do that.” I did that, next thing you know, I’m at large market station- Market 28. Loved it, but then there’s always that part of me that’s wanted to do video. But it’s hard out here- where I live at, like I said, I look across the street and I see a corn field right now!
SC: What are your current projects?
Cory: I’m trying to find some work. I’ve got the DJ business, so trying to work on that. My camera actually broke, so I’m in the process of finding a new one.
SC: What advice do you have for someone participating in a SkillCount contest?
Cory: Just use your imagination, take something small and make it big. Because, it’s always the smaller things that make the biggest stuff. I got to thinking, your whole site is about the site and getting people to do it- so why don’t I show people what the site is? So that was the whole thing. I was like, “You know what- I’ll throw my voiceover behind it, short, sweet- to the point.” That’s something I didn’t like about the other videos- and I’m not downing the other videos. But- and I learned this from radio and through commercials and stuff- whenever you are actually promoting something; people don’t like to sit there for a long time. Their attention span is zero. So you always have to hit it quick. That’s why I did mine really short, 30 seconds in-and-out because that’s about the length of a commercial.
SC: How do you plan to spend the money?
Cory: Haha, actually, it’s already been spent and it’s on bills- paying for the car payment! And I used a little bit of it for a family vacation when we went to Mexico.
SC: Congratulations on a great video and thank you for taking the time to talk!
Cory: Oh no problem, and if you know anyone who’s hiring, let me know- I’d be happy to move to California!
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Cory runs his DJ/Video Production studio, My Core Productions, from his home outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. To read more about Cory’s experience, you can visit his bio at My Core Productions. When we last spoke with Cory, he had just received a lead through is video on SkillCount and is currently working on a new project. Below you can find Cory’s contact information: |
Thanks for the great video Cory and we wish you the best of luck!
![[Step-by-step picture]](https://i0.wp.com/lh6.ggpht.com/_jW2TZW-rvDs/TPbe2OunGNI/AAAAAAAAAEg/4bgYl328lGs/s800/how_to.png)
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