Name: Heesoo Yang
Major: Film, Television and Digital Media
Hometown: Little Elm, Texas
Class: Class of 2021 

In an age where the camera quality on many iPhones is better than the professional cameras of five years ago, photography has never been more accessible or easy to attempt. However, while anyone can take photo, not everyone is a photographer. The talent, precision and passion necessary to create digital content is often overlooked. In the case of Heesoo Yang, a film, television and digital media major, photography and editing photos have a greater significance than just capturing memories. “Whenever I am stressed, editing photos gives me a calmness that frees my mind. It gives me a place to sit back and reflect positively on my experiences in life,” he said. “This avenue of positive thinking strengthens my mental resolve and gives me confidence of my worth.” 

Yang has always loved cinematography and his passion for creativity led him to Texas Christian University. “I love creating visuals that evoke meaning and purpose to those around me. It provides me an opportunity to live the life that God has laid out for me,” he said. 

After getting accepted to TCU, Yang immediately knew the Bob Schieffer College of Communication was the right place for him. His major has given him many incredible opportunities including working for TCU360, the student-run news site. “As a staff photographer/videographer, I’m able to travel for sporting events and work with incredible people in the Journalism department,” he said. “I have truly cherished every opportunity I have been given and I am grateful for being entrusted to help tell the stories of this campus.”  

Yang has also loved working with TCU faculty, staff and alumni. One experience that made an impact on Yang was learning from TCU alumni. “Jonathan Nicholas is an established director of photography in the industry and a TCU alum. He came on campus to lead a workshop and I was lucky enough to attend. It was amazing to hear from a professional and really soak in knowledge from what he had to say,” Yang said. “I took a lot away from how he approaches video, his knowledge of cinematography, and overall philosophy on how to give back as a filmmaker.” 

Yang has also loved the practical applicability of his classes. His favorite class that he’s taken has been Business of Media with Dr. Kimberly Owczarski. “The class was a great opportunity to get insight into the intricacies of the media industry. Dr. O attends many conferences and has a plethora of connections that allows for students like me to get an accurate glimpse of the complex industry that is film, television and digital media,” he said.   

These practical experiences and classroom activities have translated directly to internships and other opportunities to hone his craft. “I have had a few opportunities throughout the years. I worked at Golfswing.com, a golf media company based in Plano, Texas. I was in charge of editing and re-branding their content, migrating content from different host sites, and cataloging their entire media library,” Yang said. “This past summer, I also had the opportunity to intern at a church in Kentucky as an assistant director of media. I helped in all aspects of visual media for the church like helping in creating a new website. Along with that, I produced photo and video content for church services, social media, and the website.”  

When asked to reflect on his time, Yang wished students understood the rigor and personal fulfillment that comes with his major. “It requires a lot of time outside of class,” he said. “It pushes me to be my own teacher and I can say with confidence that my craft is my own.”  

Click here to find out more about being a film, television and digital media major in the Bob Schieffer College of Communication.