Recent SMAD Grads Have
Landed Jobs Where They’re
Living the Dream
SUV Documentary Offers Off-Road Opportunity
E
ngines roaring, clouds of dust
spewing, all tires airborne – it’s a
herd of Land Rovers in flight.
Capturing it all on film is Jamie
Brown, 2008 Digital Video graduate and
Director of Photography for the docu-
mentary “Search for the Experience.”
The film follows a group of scientists
and engineers who took on some of the
most rugged terrain in America in modi-
fied versions of current Land Rovers
and lovingly restored older models.
The name of the film aptly describes
Brown’s career. His range of projects at
JMU included making his own horror
movies and producing anti-drug com-
mercials for a local sheriff’s department.
Brown took his talents to L.A. right
after graduation and found the Land
Rover opportunity on Craigslist.
Shooting the documentary, Brown
travelled to eight states in 30 days as
the Land Rover en-
thusiasts searched
“I had a great
for “an off-roader’s Roving reels: Since graduating in ‘08, Jamie Brown’s camera work has taken him through eight
time (in SMAD);
paradise.” He slept
states filming a Land Rover documentary and into the horror genre for a Stephen King short
in caves by the
film.
you have to get
Great Salt Lake and
in there at 2 a.m.
was on board as the
documentary didn’t end with the
drivers challenged
camera work. He also edited the film
and play with
45-degree slopes
under a deadline that he joked at the
everything.”
over rocky terrain
time “might kill me.” But the film was
with 200-foot drops
released in time for Land Rover’s 60th
on either side.
anniversary this year.
“It was definitely a ‘jack of all trades’
In addition to chasing SUVs, Brown
job,” Brown said, describing the experi-
has continued to pursue his interest in
ence as both “brutal” and “beautiful.”
the horror genre. He shot video and still
“You had to edit, and shoot and light,
photos of celebrities being transformed
but it was all really fun because I got to
into ghouls by Hollywood makeup com-
do everything,” he said.
pany Cinema Secrets, and he recently
Brown credits his range of skills in
shot video for a Stephen King short.
large part to SMAD professors Tom
One job that ultimately fell through
McHardy and John Woody and the
called for Brown to spend the night in
a haunted house, a prospect that scared
facilities and classes JMU offered.
even him. But he was as ready for that
“I had a great time (in the SMAD
as he was to tumble off a cliff in a Land
program), but you have to bleed it dry,”
Rover.
Rough-roading: The Land Rover docu-
Brown said. “You have to get in there at
“I just had to have fun with it,” he
mentary Brown contributed to as director
2 a.m. and be able to play with every-
said.
of photography is now available in DVD. A
thing you can get your hands on.”
--Caroline Blanzaco
portion of the proceeds from sales benefit
Brown’s involvement with the
the American Red Cross. Preview the film at
insearchoftheexperience.com
17 The School of Media Arts and Design
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