Chris Willis
UTC Television
615 McCallie Avenue, Dept 5255
Chattanooga, TN 37403
(423) 425-5286
1997-present The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Division of Continuing Education. Technology Specialist responsible for writing grants used for funding the UTC Television Digital Media Studio and studio management; producer of UTC Television--20 hours per week of cable TV programming including Mocs News, MetroCampus, In the City, Point of View, Live Town Hall Series, Take Five; producer of various recruiting and training videos; consultant in developing online courses; installation, troubleshooting and maintenance of Distance Learning interactive video classrooms; grant writing for Distance Learning upgrades; marketing of videoconferencing facilities to public entities; instructor in Continuing Education computer courses.
2000-present The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Communication Department. Adjunct faculty instructor for COMM 345 Video I and COMM 445 Video II, lab instructor for COMM 400 Documentary Production, and faculty advisor for individual studies projects, directed projects, and COMM 199-003 - Mocs News.
1996-1998 Tennessee Valley Authority, The Synterprise Group.
Training Specialist responsible for computer skills training for participants in TVA’s Career Transition Center, and web site development for TVA intranet and internet sites, as well as production assistance for IT.
1996-1997 The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Continuing Education.
Graduate assistant responsible for operation, maintenance and upgrade of Distance Learning classrooms.
1992-1995 The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Media Resources.
Student worker. Filmed, edited, and produced a variety of campus events. Scripted and produced campus promos. Engineered and directed live-to-tape video productions for later broadcast on cable access channels. Wiring and installation of edit bays, satellite dish and receivers, fiber optics network, and sound and video projection systems.
1994-present Consulting and Freelance projects.
Video production for RealtyCenter, Omni Home Medical, UT Institute for Public Service, and local non-profit agencies; filming adventure sports; 35mm photo/videography; computer training and website development for local businesses.
1995-1997 Disc jockey. Chattanooga State’s 91.5:WAWL. Weekly radio show spotlighting new artists.
Doctorate of Education: Learning and Leadership. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Expected graduation in May 2010.
Master of Arts in English: Writing. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Graduated Cum Laude.
Bachelors of Sciences in Sociology and in Environmental Science. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Courses Taught:
Credit Courses
COMM 199 Special Projects – Mocs News
COMM 199 Special Projects – Producing Theater for Television
COMM 345 Video I: Television Studio Production
COMM 445 Video II: Television Field Production
COMM 480 Directed Project Advisor
How to produce your short film.
Computer Concepts – 1 day workshop
How to Make a Webpage – 2 day workshop
Microsoft Office – taught one introductory course to MS Office, and individual courses in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and Frontpage.
How to Make Your Movie – 1 day workshop
Participated in writing grants that were funded for a total amount of over $500,000. Over $467,000 over the last 10 years has been awarded for the UTC Television Digital Media Studio and over $50,000 for equipment and software to be used facilitating students in Communication courses.
Advisor for independent studies projects involving production of short films and documentaries, creation of television programs, and TV news series.
Supervision of interns in the UTC Television Studio. Interns receive on-the-job training by shooting and editing commercials, fundraising videos and programs for local television.
Hypertext: New ways of reading and writing for the twenty-first century. Academic Exchange Quarterly. Spring 1998 Volume 2, Issue 1.
How to make your independent film. The Chattanooga Pulse. September 12, 2004.
Reel commentary. The UTC Echo. January 1995 – April 1996.
2006-2008 Chattanooga Film Commission - Local projects
committee.
Focused on helping local filmmakers produce projects and to introduce young people to film-making.
2004-present Publication Review Board.
Voting member representing Mocs News, UTC’s newest official campus publication.
2001-present Technical Support.
Providing video production facilities and expertise to non-profit agencies such as GEAR UP and Upward Bound to help inner-city high school students create short films.
2004-2005 Videoconferencing Support.
Facilitated interactive language-learning videoconferences in partnership with The Bright School in which their students learning Spanish were able to converse with students at a sister-school in Mexico City.
2003, 2005 Video Production Support.
Helped analyze and enhance security and surveillance footage for TVA Police and UTC Campus Police that led to arrests.
2002 Video Production.
Conducted interviews for the Veteran’s History Project.
REFERENCES
Chuck Cantrell
Director of University Relations, (423) 425-4363
Dr. Peggy Roblyer
Professor, UTC Graduate Studies Division, (423) 425-5567
Dr. Betsy Alderman
Department Head, UTC Department of Communication, (423) 425-4238