Blaise Ormond

What is your background and why did you choose Media Ventures to supplement your future endeavors?

I’m originally from Northridge, CA (suburb of Los Angeles) and in May 2016, I received my bachelor’s degree from Boston University in Film & Television. Why film school in Boston? Well I knew that if I would have attended a local film school, I would have never had the opportunity to experience living somewhere new to start my post high school career. I came into college planning on becoming a director, but I soon figured that being a producer would be a more lucrative career. My love for creating and visualizing my own stories ultimately reverted me back to the idea of writing and directing in the future. Two summers ago, I started a music blog/radio show/freelance production company with fellow Media Ventures student Davi de Azevedo which helped me keep my creative juices flowing, but I was also able to meet some pretty incredibly talented people from the New England area. Davi and I are currently working on projects for MIT’s Martin Trust Center for Entrepreneurship and it has been inspiring to see other innovators in action right across the river.

Media Ventures has been on my radar for some time now. I was constantly thinking about the next step after school, and my parents had always pushed for me to attend graduate school before entering the work force. I considered it, but then the pieces started to fall into place. During the first semester of my senior year I attended a event with Sergio Floris, a Media Ventures alumnus, and I was truly impressed by his journey from Production Assistantship on NBC’s The Apprentice to Media Ventures/MBA dual-degree to now the Head of TV at Twitter Brazil. Although I was inspired by his journey, I told myself I was still going to work for a couple years, and then return in the future. That changed when I landed back in Boston after Winter Break and I received an email saying : “It’s not too late to apply to the Media Ventures Program.” So I did.

In a few words, describe your thesis project and what’s been the most challenging/fun aspect so far.

My thesis project is a platform for college film students to collaborate with one another to complete projects on time and highlight their work to the greater filmmaking community. The most challenging aspect of this project I think is that we’re currently working on it on our own. We’re the only ones 100% passionate about our projects so we know what we love, but we have to convey it to other people so that they understand why we’re so passionate. The great thing about this program is that because it’s so small, we (MV students) are with each other everyday and we can give each other constructive feedback every step of the way. I don’t mean to sound cheesy, but we’ve become a little family and just being with everyone while working on this project is the most fun I’ve had in school.

What are your hobbies and/or what do you do for fun?

I am a UGE foodie, so I love watching Food Network and finding awesome restaurants in the city. Recommendations in Boston: Terenga, Franklin Cafe, and Suya Joint

Other things I love include: basketball, music, and of course, movies!

What is your advice for future applicants?

A lot of seniors here at BU have been asking me if I would recommend this program, and I always leave them with the same story: I had the idea of graduating college and going straight into the film industry, but Media Ventures has helped me realize that I have a much larger purpose than to be just another employee in show business. I can put my dreams into action and make a positive change and progressive impact in ventures that go hand in hand with my passion of visual storytelling. The professors we have are all inspiring in their own way and they really push us to be successful, so it’s great to have them on our team. Simply put, my advice would be to definitely apply because this experience is unlike any other!