Students in the University of Iowa School of Journalism and Mass Communication’s Video Production course will partner with the City of Ottumwa and community organizations to create short video profiles highlighting local leaders, artists, and other community members who contribute to Ottumwa’s cultural and civic life.

Students will identify and work with profile subjects, with a particular focus on people involved in the arts and creative community. Through interviews, observational footage, and other visual storytelling techniques, students will explore the individuals’ work, experiences, and connections to Ottumwa while developing compelling stories for contemporary digital audiences.

Working through the full video production process, students will plan their stories, conduct interviews, capture video and audio in the community, and edit their footage into polished short-form profiles. Projects will emphasize professional storytelling techniques and may be designed for distribution across multiple digital platforms, including web and social media.

The completed profiles will provide Ottumwa with engaging stories that showcase the people shaping the community’s arts and cultural landscape. The videos can serve as promotional and storytelling resources for the City, local organizations, and community partners while giving students hands-on experience producing professional video stories for a real-world community audience.