Central Tech’s Digital Media class had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to host a visit from three distinguished actors, Bryan Withiam, John Gibbs, and Daniel Adam Warrior, all from Cushing, OK. The actors, on the eve of the highly anticipated movie premiere of “Killers of the Flower Moon,” generously took time out of their schedules to connect with students and share insights about their roles and experiences in the film.
During the engaging session, Daniel Adam Warrior, in particular, imparted several life lessons and inspirations to the aspiring media professionals. He began by sharing his life story and telling students, “It wasn’t easy. That’s it.” If you want something…You really want to do what you say you’re going to do…show up. Show up.” And he noted, “I’m here.”
This statement set the tone for a series of inspiring quotes that connected with the class emphasizing they control their decisions.
“When you say, ‘I can do it,’ you empower yourself because whether you say you can or whether you say you can’t, you’re right.”
Warrior encouraged the students to embrace failure, stating, “It’s almost…people are afraid to fail, but that’s exactly what you need to do. Hard. Totally wipe out. Scrape your knees every once in a while.” Then he encouraged by saying, “If you fall seven times, get up eight.”
Withiam discussed the meaningful connections formed on set, particularly with members of the Osage Nation, shedding light on their discussions about the importance of the sunrise as a symbol of new beginnings. He told students that, “This time of life you’re in is your building block for the future.”
Gibbs shared his thoughts on this remarkable project, stating, “Just for this to be in Oklahoma, in our own backyard, it’s a big part of Oklahoma history that hasn’t had light shed on it until now. A film of this magnitude, it’s unreal that it was filmed in Oklahoma.”
The actors stressed the importance of purpose in their digital content creation, with Warrior stating, “You have an opportunity.” Generate content with a clear purpose and intention driving it.
Addressing the central theme of deadlines, Warrior emphasized, “Deadline. Deadline. Deadline is your future if you want to get into media. That’s the thrill of it! You can condense a really good story, a good project, and streamline it if you find an efficient way to do it.”
Warrior concluded the inspirational visit with the words by asking the students, “How big would you dream if you knew you couldn’t fail? Go for that!”
The Central Tech Digital Media class is designed to provide students with a thrilling journey into the world of storytelling. The program focuses on collaboration, allowing students to produce captivating streaming content, podcasts, and short films. Students also learn videography, photography, and editing techniques, enabling them to create and share live broadcasts, podcasts, and commercials while honing their creative communication skills.