STATEMENT

NAME: JOSHUA J CAMPBELL

MAJOR: NEW MEDIA

SEMESTER:                SPRING 2020

EXPECTED GRAD:        FALL 2020

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Growing up in Los Angeles, I was surrounded by many cultures that shaped my social understanding and sparked my creativity. I definitely can attribute much of my creative problem solving to the landscape I grew up around. I spent a lot of time working with my Dad, who was a roofing contractor at the time. I would look out across the horizon from on top of buildings located all around Los Angeles and contemplate the world, the people in it, and how things worked and were interrelated. I also learned to think like water. When you are looking for the source of a leaky roof, you must be able to recognize the path of least resistance. Water always finds a way to get in, and it never takes the hard way to do it. This simple concept isn’t easily recognizable in my work, but it is an extremely important part of my process. 

Most of the work I did before attending the University of Tampa was with music and audio engineering. While I’ve been able to rely on and utilize these strengths at UT, I don’t feel that I have developed much in this area. I feel that the majority of my growth as a creative professional has been in illustration, photography, video, and coding, which I had very little to no training in before attending UT. These areas are still quite a bit less developed as compared to my musical and audio engineering skills, but have grown rapidly with assistance from several professors at UT.

My recent work reflects an interest in hybrid production, blending both old and new techniques and technologies together. Professors Blanka Roundtree, Warren Cockerham, and Santiago Echeverry, introduced me to foundational and historical methods of content production in addition to cutting edge techniques and technologies. They provided constant inspiration and opportunities to creatively incorporate different techniques into projects. Foundational classes in FMX were instrumental in preparing me for the more advanced classes, as skills, software knowledge, and techniques build upon what I’ve already learned. 

My future work in FMX will incorporate concepts and techniques that I’m learning in my 3D design and printing, and installation art and multimedia classes with professors Mikhail Mansion and Joshuah Howard (Jest). As I dig further into FMX production, these professors along with Santiago Echeverry, have entertained my questions and guided me beyond the curriculum. I’m now learning touch designer, and processing software in addition to learning raspberry pi and basic electronics, which will greatly expand my future production abilities. While I’m not sure exactly where I will land in 5 years from now, but I’m confident I’ll be prepared to make engaging and professional content.