Southmoreland graduate wins regional Emmy award

A newsroom the size of a closet located in a corner of the science hall in Southmoreland High School was only the starting point of Joel Jackson’s career. Little did he know that his high school journalism class would weave its way into helping him become a freelance illustrator, graphic designer, and ultimately the recipient of the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of TV Arts and Sciences regional Emmy.

Jackson, a 2000 graduate, teamed up with central Ohio’s number one kid’s rock band “The Shazzbots” to help illustrate and design for their TV show production “We’re The Shazzbots!” Jordan Schmeltzer and Matthew Hubbard won regional emmys in the categories of editing and directing, and Jackson reigned in the category of set design.

“We knew we made a quality product,” said Jackson. “That’s a great marketing opportunity, and I’m really proud of it.”

Jackson and other members of the crew didn’t know that a “regional emmy award” existed until Schmeltzer told them that their show could be eligible to enter.

“I was looking into it and saw we had an opportunity to submit our stuff, so I contacted the Ohio Valley chapter to see if our program fit the bill,” said Schmeltzer. “None of us knew what to expect. We were all approaching it very humbly.”

And sure enough, the show did more than just meet the organization’s expectations; it went above and beyond.

Even though Jackson recognizes that every judge has their own opinion and sees artistic ideas differently, he views this as a great opportunity for the group.

“If you’re confident in something you created, go ahead and do it,” said Jackson. “We just kind of threw caution to the wind and entered it. They saw the quality, and it paid off.”

The TV show series has aired every Thursday on Youtube for six months now.

The concept of “We’re the Shazzbots!” consists of an intergalactic kids rock band that travels through the galaxy to perform at different gigs. Characters such as Captain Captain, Luna Stardust, Professor Swiss Vanderburton, Watts Watson, Navigator Scopes, Space Chicken, and Peanut Butter the cat overcome obstacles onboard the spaceship while learning life lessons along the way. Creative art, music, and science segments such as “Drawin’ Bots,” “Science Facts with Professeur Swiss Vanderburton,” and “She’s Crafty” use a “short attention span kind of approach” throughout the show to keep the viewers’ attention while adding additional educational elements in the process.

“That’s one of the things I wanted to do was break it up into sections where you’re not in one story line for 20 minutes,” said Hummel, also known by viewers as “Captain Captain.”

Although Hummel had the idea for the TV show, it takes more than just the thoughts to make it a reality. That’s when Hummel knew he needed help.

“I always had this bigger, grander idea, and my goal was to always have a TV show that explores all the stuff I loved as a kid,” said Hummel. “That’s when I reached out to Joel, Matt, and Jordan to help with the creation. I needed these two guys to help.”

Jackson remembers was “super involved” in the school’s newspaper, the Tam O’Shanter, by not only writing news articles, but also illustrating a full page of comics as a “natural extension” of his creativity.

“It was just another creative outlet to draw and write,” said Jackson. “And that’s just what I do, and it has prepared me for what I do now.”

The Shazzbots crew has a fun time working together and recognizes that each person brings something different to the table.

“We couldn’t have done it without Joel,” said Hummel. “Somehow, he was able to take things I saw in my mind and put them onto paper, and nine out of 10 times it’s exactly what I saw in my head. He’ll stay up all night working on something that needs to get done. It’s a great partnership, and I love working with him.”

Visit www.theshazzbots.com to download the TV show, listen to the band, review event dates, and much more

Click here to watch a 90 second trailer https://vimeo.com/153312072

 

Bailey Geehring

I am a senior and a second year editor for the Tam O'Shanter. I will attend California University of Pennsylvania in the fall to pursue a career as a Speech-Language Pathologist.
"Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud"- Maya Angelou
Bailey Geehring
About Bailey Geehring
I am a senior and a second year editor for the Tam O'Shanter. I will attend California University of Pennsylvania in the fall to pursue a career as a Speech-Language Pathologist. "Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud"- Maya Angelou

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