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One of the advantages that Meadows offers its students is the ability to major in more than one discipline with ease. This access to multiple programs enables them to create a distinctive educational experience, which can give them certain leverage on their chosen professional path upon graduation.

Alum Ryan Blitzer’s combined studies in the Divisions of Film & Media Arts and Advertising gave him the perfect toolkit to tackle his current role as a freelance TV commercial producer and production supervisor. Having insights into both industries gave him the well-rounded foundation and unique knowledge to hit the ground running with his career.

“My experience has allowed me to adapt to the constantly changing landscape of commercial production, as well as better understand from both sides how commercials are truly made,” says Blitzer, who also earned a +1 master’s degree at Çàɬֱ²¥ in Popular Film & Media Studies after completing his undergraduate studies. “I was able to feel comfortable walking onto my first film set without feeling like I was completely lost, and in a world where sets are generally described as ‘organized chaos,’ I felt that I was prepared for those challenges.”

Between managing the budget, hiring the crew and vendors, and ensuring everyone’s safety on set, Blitzer is one of the key players executing the director's creative vision of any given commercial he works on. He has been involved with several national commercial campaigns and has recently worked with Dick's Sporting Goods, Dave & Busters, Fitness Connection, Poland Spring, H-E-B, and Pioneer, among others.

Blitzer works on set during a recent commercial shoot.

In addition to his television work, Blitzer is also the Managing Director for the Dallas-based nonprofit organization Pegasus Media Project. The organization, whose mission is manifested primarily through free film education for youth and adults, champions cultural diversity and transformative storytelling in film and media arts, empowering diverse communities with comprehensive education, collaborative works and career pathways. 

“My time at Çàɬֱ²¥ experiencing different forms of arts at Meadows has aided in my capacity working at Pegasus Media Project, where film is our central focus but we also incorporate many different arts forms throughout our different programs,” explains Blitzer, who leads and teaches the organization’s Multimedia Apprenticeship Program (MAP) offered to underserved communities who may have not had traditional access to film education. “I'm honored to be in a position where I can help disrupt the industry by introducing and growing the next generation of artists whom I hope to work with personally.”

Blitzer’s involvement with Pegasus Media Project is just another example of his dedication to community. During his time at Çàɬֱ²¥ he was a Resident Assistant, Caswell Leadership Fellow, a Hunt Scholar, and a Meadows Scholar, in addition to the involvement he had in program-related projects and extracurriculars.

Now, as an alum, Blitzer is also involved with Meadows Mentor program and regularly attends Meadows engagement events. He has even been featured as a guest lecturer for courses in the film and advertising programs: Media Production Workshop, which serves to increase a student's business acumen in the film industry, and Commercial Film Production, co-taught with Mark Allen, where advertising students and film students were paired together to create four commercial campaigns.

In all of these endeavors, his message to current students is clear.

“Be aware, be creative, but also be kind,” he says, noting that the unfair or rude treatment of people in the industry is beginning to shift. “It's very possible to have a very successful career in any part of the film industry but it takes a lot of guts, tenacity, and kindness.”

Learn about the Division of Advertising here and Division of Film & Media Arts here.