Campus News 2006-2007 Academic Year

Media Studies Major Zachary Miller '09 Wins Jeep Compass in Video Competition

Zachary Miller '09 (center) with team members Carter Rubin '09, music composer, and Kim Bautista '07, set production assistant

Zac Miller says it pays to read the postings on the bulletin boards at Pitzer College. That’s where he found out about Jeep’s video competition titled Free Your Thoughts.

The competition called for the production of a commercial that was thirty seconds to two minutes in length. Miller, the director, writer and producer of the commercial, along with his team produced a minute and eighteen second commercial. For Miller’s part, he invested approximately seventy hours in the project. “The students involved in the process were great and their talent contributed to the commercial’s success and popularity among the viewers who voted,” Miller said.

The commercial produced by Miller and his team received 1,856 votes in the competition whereas the second place winner only earned 403.

The Jeep with special adds-on is valued at $25,000. Miller intends to sell it to pay his crew members. He may also donate some of the proceeds to charity.

Miller, a native of Newton, Massachusetts, wrote a script that was picked up by Paramount Pictures during his first-year at Pitzer. He is listed on IMDB.com along with his film credits.

Pitzer College students who assisted Zac throughout the film production process include:

Kim Bautista, Set Production Assistant
Carter Rubin and Gordon Anderson, Music Composers
Magee Clegg and Pete Melief, Talent

Students from Chapman College, Pomona College and Scripps College also participated in the production process.

To view the commercial, click on http://www.freeyourthoughts.com/

--Susan Andrews