Spring Break
NT alumnus, junior create movies , review, interview Web site
Jesse Reed
Issue date: 4/25/08 Section: ARTS & LIFE
What started as a pet project of three NT students has garnered the attention of huge numbers of fans and some of the people responsible for major movie advertising.
Irving junior Chase Whale and NT alumnus Rusty Gordon came up with the idea for a movie review Web site, gordonandthewhale.com, as they attended classes in the radio, television and film program.
"Chase and I are both really into movies," Gordon said, "but we disagree a lot."
While both are movie buffs, neither one knew much about creating a Web site, they said.
They turned to Chase's cousin, Haslet senior Cameron Sanderson, an advertising major also from NT.
"Chase is my cousin, and he called me and said that he and Rusty had an idea for a Web site," Sanderson said. "Since I had done some of Chase's stuff in the past, he said that he would pay me to do it. I said that I'd rather do it for free and be a part of the project."
In the year-and-a-half since starting the Web site, they went from paying for their own movies and posting reviews, after the fact, to co-sponsoring prescreenings and interviewing big name celebrities.
"I don't think that any of us thought that in six months time we'd be interviewing Will Ferrel, Eva Longoria, Jason Reitman, Sam Rockwell - huge Hollywood names like that," Whale said.
For three guys with no journalism background, interviewing celebrities can be a daunting prospect, they said.
"Well when we're getting there, you feel incredibly nervous," Whale said.
Although Sanderson is not involved with the interviews in front of the camera, he has filmed several.
He said he remembers dealing with the jitters when meeting a celebrity,
"I remember the first time I met a celebrity and I was extremely nervous," Sanderson said. "That was when I met Chase Whale of chasewhale.com and cowboyriot.com, shame. That's it."
In addition to celebrity interviews, the group also posts video reviews to enhance the viewing experience and throws parties for movies.
Irving junior Chase Whale and NT alumnus Rusty Gordon came up with the idea for a movie review Web site, gordonandthewhale.com, as they attended classes in the radio, television and film program.
"Chase and I are both really into movies," Gordon said, "but we disagree a lot."
While both are movie buffs, neither one knew much about creating a Web site, they said.
They turned to Chase's cousin, Haslet senior Cameron Sanderson, an advertising major also from NT.
"Chase is my cousin, and he called me and said that he and Rusty had an idea for a Web site," Sanderson said. "Since I had done some of Chase's stuff in the past, he said that he would pay me to do it. I said that I'd rather do it for free and be a part of the project."
In the year-and-a-half since starting the Web site, they went from paying for their own movies and posting reviews, after the fact, to co-sponsoring prescreenings and interviewing big name celebrities.
"I don't think that any of us thought that in six months time we'd be interviewing Will Ferrel, Eva Longoria, Jason Reitman, Sam Rockwell - huge Hollywood names like that," Whale said.
For three guys with no journalism background, interviewing celebrities can be a daunting prospect, they said.
"Well when we're getting there, you feel incredibly nervous," Whale said.
Although Sanderson is not involved with the interviews in front of the camera, he has filmed several.
He said he remembers dealing with the jitters when meeting a celebrity,
"I remember the first time I met a celebrity and I was extremely nervous," Sanderson said. "That was when I met Chase Whale of chasewhale.com and cowboyriot.com, shame. That's it."
In addition to celebrity interviews, the group also posts video reviews to enhance the viewing experience and throws parties for movies.
Be the first to comment on this story