I am showing the behind-the-scenes of my boss, who is the Assistant Director of Communications and Digital Media for women’s golf, men’s golf, volleyball, women’s basketball, and women’s lacrosse. I asked her questions about her favorite part of her job, her favorite behind-the-scenes moments, and what it is like to witness the bonds between athletes and coaches. The main theme of the video is to show the relationships that occur behind the scenes. Most people only see the games, performances, or final results, but they do not get to witness the emotional moments, trust, humor, and connections that are constantly happening off camera. These athletes and coaches spend almost every hour of the day together, so the relationships they build become extremely meaningful. Showcasing those quieter moments is one of my favorite parts of working in athletics media, which is why I wanted this slideshow to focus on that perspective rather than just competition itself.

All of the videos and pictures I used were content I captured while working as a social media assistant, so I already had a strong archive of authentic moments to work with. I chose the clips and photos that felt the most personal and emotionally genuine because I wanted the audience to feel like they were getting access to moments they normally would not see. I also intentionally organized the slideshow in a way that created a gradual emotional progression. I originally had a much faster opening sequence, but after feedback from my partner, I realized the story needed more time to build. I slowed down the beginning so the audience could settle into the story before the more emotional and energetic moments appeared later in the slideshow. This helped create a more linear story arc and made the narration feel more connected to the visuals.

For the audio, I wanted the interview to feel authentic rather than overly scripted. I selected portions of Sarah’s answers that best reflected the emotional core of the project and then paired those sections with visuals that directly supported what she was describing. The narration guided the pacing of the slideshow, so I edited the visuals around the audio rather than the other way around. I kept the volume of the original videos in to add the depth of the experience with their cheering, screaming, and conversations.

The slideshow itself tells the story of the emotional and human side of college athletics. Instead of focusing on gameplay or highlights, the photos and videos emphasize moments of connection: conversations between coaches and athletes, celebrations after wins, reactions on the sidelines, team interactions during practice, and quieter candid moments that reveal personality and trust. The project aims to show that athletics are not only about performance, but also about relationships and community. By focusing on these smaller moments, I wanted to reveal a side of athletics that fans and audiences rarely get access to.

Overall, the process worked very well because I already had experience with Premiere Pro and sports storytelling. The editing itself felt natural to me, but the most difficult part was narrowing down which clips and photos to include because I had so much content available. I learned that pacing is extremely important in emotional storytelling, especially when combining interviews with visuals. Slowing down the opening and allowing moments to breathe made the final project much stronger. If I were to do this project again, I would probably capture even more intentional audio in the field, such as natural sound from practices or sidelines, because I think that could make the audience feel even more immersed. I also learned how important feedback is during the editing process because the adjustments I made after peer feedback significantly improved the flow of the story.