Monday, April 26, 2010
XPOSE Photography: Amanda Chamberlain
Posted By Gavin Sheehan on April 26, 2010, 8:56 AM
While
there's always a model search or two going around town, most of them
are localized and very few branch out into a nation wide search.
And the ones who do are usually either a gimmick or part of a reality
show and 99% of the time aren't even worth the effort. Which is why
the recent Bud Girl Search has seemed like a nice change of pace as
Budwiser has been looking for a new model out of Utah for its
campaign.
--- Leading
the charge for the search has been XPOSE Photography (with local
division company Studio One), holding competitions all building up to
the finale this Wednesday night. In preparation for this week's
event, I got a chance to chat with the current Modeling
& Promotions Director, and former In This Week writer, Amanda
Chamberlain. Talking about her career in publishing and the work
she's doing now, the competition, thoughts on local media and a few
other topics.
Amanda
Chamberlain
http://www.xposellc.com/
Gavin:
Hey Amanda! First off, tell us a bit about yourself.
Amanda:
Hi, Gavin! Wow, it's so surreal to be on this side of the interview!
This is my first time being an interviewee, besides a few college
paper features. So let's give this a go: I am happiest when I'm on my
motorcycle, hanging out with my fiance/family, writing, TV hosting
and traveling. I have a few tattoos, I love heavy metal, and I will
stop at nothing until I reach my dreams. I love people and aim to be
kind to everyone I meet.
Gavin:
What originally drew your interest in wanting to be in media, and
what inspired you to make it a career?
Amanda:
In high school I was into art, so I signed up to be the cartoonist
for the student newspaper. It was Spring Break and a writer went out
of town early, so the adviser asked me to write an article in
addition to my weekly comic. I fell in love with arranging words in a
way that felt as artistic as drawing cartoons, and I got addicted to
making up these little creative "zingers" that made the
articles my own. I was so addicted to it that after high school, I
dropped my initial plan of art school for a journalism program at
SLCC and signed up for the school paper. Even when I got the job at
In, my addiction kept me finding for other ways to showcase
creativity, leading me to meddle in TV, radio and social
media.
Gavin:
You put yourself through college at SLCC. Why did you first choose
community college as opposed to heading to a university, and what was
it like for you taking part in things like the school paper and
television show?
Amanda:
It was cheap! My family couldn't afford to send me to college, so
after I graduated I worked full-time and payed for my full-time
classes as I went along. My schedule was intense because, as I worked
my way up at the SLCC’s newspaper to Senior Editor, I basically had
three full-time jobs. I'd work from 8-4, go to school from 4-9, then
work at the paper until 2 or 3AM. But I had the support of mentors
like Nina Edgmand - a professor who recommended me to host campus TV
shows - and Nick Burns - the paper's adviser who taught me everything
I know about print journalism – to help me along. I can say with
100% conviction that it was my SLCC family and the experience working
at The Globe newspaper that have helped me achieve a degree of
success.
Gavin:
How did the opportunity come about to work with Cosmic
Pictures?
Amanda:
I was working at a West Valley call center for Smith's Corporate
Office. One day, I turned an article in to the corporate newsletter
(as I did every month); this one about how the company advertised
that they gave all this money to charity when in fact, the amount
consisted almost entirely of employee and customer donations. After
that realization, I got pretty jaded and started looking for a new
job. I interviewed with Cosmic Pictures, a great production company,
and loved the fact it was a creative, family-owned business. Luckily,
they liked me, too!
Gavin:
What was your experience like working there, and what was it like
creating and working on the "Stalking Santa" project?
Amanda: It blew my
mind, the change I felt switching from a cold environment to a
creative one. I learned loads about the production process from pros
like Cosmic Pictures owner and renowned director Greg Kiefer. I got
to entertain my growing passion for on-camera work by stepping in for
commercials when they needed a small part (I'm the hand that dips a
fry into the sauce in an Arctic Circle commercial, which I still see
on late night TV sometimes!). And it ruled working there as the team
wrote, filmed and edited the feature film "Stalking Santa" narrated by
William Shatner. I can’t claim credit for any of the film, but I
did promote the hell out of it at Vail when we made it into the Vail
Film Festival, and I also started its first marketing campaign by
setting it up a MySpace, through which I’d contact film critics for
reviews.
Gavin:
What made you decide to head to the U for your Journalism degree?
And how was their program compared to SLCC?
Amanda:
I wanted a full bachelor's degree, and read that the U boasted the
best program in Utah (it's also a top-100 rated school). I'm grateful
for the scholarship and hands-on classes with which the U provided
me, but I really think that without those years spent at SLCC with my
mentors and The Globe Newspaper, I wouldn't be as
well-rounded.
Gavin:
At this time, how did you eventually get the job working for In
This Week?
Amanda: In launched during my last year at SLCC, and I remember my
professor Nick Burns telling me about the new publication. Even when
I was doing hard(ish) news at The Globe, I'd slip in articles
about Cradle of Filth and Arch Enemy. So when it came time for an
internship at the U, I thought of In because I wanted to
further explore that type of journalism. I approached In's
then-editor Michael Yount, who hired me as an intern/freelancer. He
patiently helped me transition from the news world of The Globe
into wider-spanning entertainment coverage, and encouraged me to hone
my passion for music, style and nightlife into magazine-grade
articles. If SLCC was the impetus for my journalism career, then
Michael Yount was the one for my entertainment career. When the
semester ended, he unexpectedly offered me a job as one of the four
in-office staff writers, which my 20-year-old self gladly accepted.
I'll always be very grateful to him for giving me what, really, was
my first big break.
Gavin:
What was it like coming into that publication, becoming one of the
main staffers and having an influence over content?
Amanda:
It was a collaborative editorship over at The Globe, so it
was a relief to find out In was the same way. I appreciated
the freedom I had to choose my own content, and I believed in the
magazine so much that I made it my life to not only write and
research articles, but also tell people about them. I started finding
new ways to do this, which led to my radio, TV and event appearances.
I’d write, then promote, which - at the time - was an unheard for
someone on the editorial side of things. I did a lot more than was in
my job description (and my paycheck), but since I believed in the
product so much, and genuinely enjoyed meeting all these great local
scenemakers, I didn't mind. And content-wise, I feel the direction I
tried to take was more relatable to our readers since I was
the demographic: The somewhat-mainstream yet culture-curious
20-something who liked to go out.
Gavin:
Over time with promos, photo shoots, radio gigs, appearances and
overall exposure, you arguable became the most recognized face of the
magazine. How did you deal with the sudden local fame and recognition
that comes with that?
Amanda:
Psh, I’m no celebrity! But I am a people-person, so I genuinely
love when people introduce themselves to me at clubs, events, the
grocery store, wherever. There are people who think I’m this total
attention whore because of my amount of Facebook friends or whatever,
but in reality, I simply enjoy meeting people because I can learn
from them, so in my opinion, the more, the better! Oftentimes, I’ll
go places alone to keep myself free to meet new people and reconnect
with those I’ve already met. What I don’t like is when people ask
me for favors all the time without ever reciprocating. I’m happy to
help, but there’s only enough time in a day, you know?
Gavin:
Most recently you left In with not much public knowledge as to why.
What led to your eventual departure, and what's your take on your
experience at In as a whole?
Amanda:
After three years at the mag, I started feeling creatively
frustrated. In was a small staff of four, and with a weekly
deadline and large workload (which also included designing the
magazine every week), I felt that I did not have enough time to
produce quality work. I pushed management often to utilize freelance
help, but a “lack of budget” prevented them from action. Couple
that with the fact I was doing all of this additional promoting and
content directing without any reward (on the contrary, I often got in
trouble for promoting efforts), and you can see how I grew weary of
it. It was a tough day when I realized that I had given all of my
identity and time to a company that did not reciprocate. And
apparently, I was replaceable, as my managers made very clear to me
one day. That blew my mind, given the amount of time and loyalty I
devoted to the magazine.
Gavin:
How did the opportunity to work with XPOSE come about?
Amanda:
Up until about last November, my Facebook and MySpace albums were
dominated by pin-ups and drink-in-hand party-girl photos. I realized
I needed some professional photos for my budding TV career, so a
friend referred me to Studio 1 Photography - a division of XPOSE
Photography. I was so happy with the experience (getting professional
hair/makeup, two incredible photographers and a great batch of
photos) that I kept in touch with the general manager Russ Smith. I
found out that they were hiring, and recommended myself for the job.
They hired me so fast that after leaving In, I was technically
only unemployed for one day.
Gavin:
Right now you're the Modeling & Promotions Director for the
company. What exactly does your job entail on a daily basis?
Amanda:
It’s a pretty nebulous title that entails everything from managing
the modeling department of a photography studio (the other department
does weddings) to partnering with other brands to create promotions
and events. At In, I built relationships, promoted and helped
plan events, so I had the foundation required for this position. But
now, I get to be a manager to four wonderful employees, as well as
interact with all of the same local movers and shakers on a business
level. I feel I’ve grown not only as a professional, but also as a
person. I’m more assertive, have tougher skin, and am more
confidant in my decisions. I kind of grew up.
Gavin:
What kind of events and promotions and services do you usually
handle, and what major companies do you work with?
Amanda:
XPOSE has a very unique business model. Not only is it a
full-service studio with a staff of respected photographers,
hair/makeup artists and photo editors, but with the amount of young,
beautiful models and brides who come through its doors, it’s also a
gold mine for businesses seeking direct contact with that
demographic. So the promotions part of my job entails creating model
searches and events that not only gives aspiring models exposure to
brands like Budweiser, but also pairs these third-party businesses
with XPOSE’s desirable clientele. In addition to that, we are a
preferred photographer for all of the reputable agencies in Utah who
send us their talent to get portfolios done, and the wedding arm,
Studio 1, books more weddings than any other studio in Utah.
Gavin:
Speaking of, tell us about the Utah Bud Girl contest and what you
have planned for this final round.
Amanda:
XPOSE, Urban Talent and Budweiser launched the Utah Bud Girl Search
in February, which gives models the opportunity to be a part of the
Utah Bud Girl promotional modeling team and win $8,500 in cash and
prizes. It’s a real job that Budweiser is really hiring for, so
it’s a prime opportunity for models looking to launch their career.
It’s incredible that there’s so much buzz around both the search
and the preliminary events that we’ve held over the past three
months. I’m biting my nails to their beds with how excited I am to
announce the winner on April 28! We’re holding the grand finale at
Elevate, which will entail a Personality Pageant with the top fifteen finalists judged by Bev the Bud Mama who runs the promotional
modeling team, and Urban Talent who represents them. Clubgoers can
expect to mingle with some of the loveliest, friendliest ladies and
be truly entertained with the candid (and probably humorous) answers
contestants give during the pageant. All of the local scenemakers
will be there, so if there’s an event to kick off the summer right,
this is it.
Gavin:
After this, what other major events does XPOSE have planned
throughout the year?
Amanda:
I’m currently working on our next two model searches, since we aim
to have them year-round. Hint: One deals with fitness and another
with tattoos. Also, we’ll be launching our own TV show in May, for
which I will be the host. And there’s never a dull moment around
here, so I’m sure there will be other things that pop up in between
all of that.
Gavin:
Going local for a bit, what's your take on local media in Utah, both
good and bad?
Amanda:
I think we have a vibrant alternative media scene with a diversity
that would make a big city jealous. You have SLUG reppin’
the underground, City Weekly reppin’ the underdog, Catalyst
reppin’ the new-agers, QSaltLake reppin’ the GLBT
population, and In acting as - according to one club owner -
the “nightlife newsletter.” And as long as they make sure their
online and event presences are as strong, if not stronger, than their
print, they should survive. At least I hope they do.
Gavin:
Is there anything you believe could be done to make things better or
more prominent?
Amanda:
I feel that print and TV news staffs need to get out more in order
to stay in touch with the people and places they profile. Radio DJs
are great at this - always out and about - which I think makes them
relatable and thus worthy of their local celebrity. And to hard news
journalists, please try to be as unbiased as possible. People deserve
to form their own opinions, not have you do it for them.
Gavin:
Considering the number of events that have been coming to SLC in
recent years, do you believe we'll become a hotspot for major
publicity down the road or stick to being more of a secret
location?
Amanda:
Until Ozzfest comes to Utah, I’m not convinced. Just kidding. I am
really digging the thickening skyline (I love skylines) and think
that the Downtown Rising initiative has improved Salt Lake’s
repertoire with tourists and locals alike. I do think, though, that
local nightlife needs to step it up. Things are dead right now. Us
clubgoers used to be able to count on certain clubs for certain
nights, and now clubs are focusing less on honing in on a niche night
and theme, and more on generalizing. I’d like to see us get back
into that groove where every night of the week, there’s one or two
clubs killing it. Not a bunch of clubs just going through the motions
Tue–Sat. People want to be entertained, not filed in like dollar
signs.
Gavin:
Who are some of the people in our local scene that you believe people
should be paying attention to for their efforts in promoting the
city?
Amanda:
I think you’re doing a great job, Gavin, in seeking out people who
deserve good press but are often bypassed by the media. I think local
business owners in general should be recognized for enriching our
local economy and culture. I have the pleasure now of working for a
local business and I appreciate their transparency and individual
attention. Also, Salt Lake is lucky to have DJs like Juggy, Brisk,
JSJ, Sayo, DC, and many more. As well as nightlife veterans like Mara
Marian, Dustin Esson/Camila Grover, Bryan Borreson, Vaughn
Carrick/Konstantine Deslis, Shaun Kimball, Adrian Chiaramonte, etc.,
who give clubgoers a reason to go out.
Gavin:
What can we expect from you over the rest of the year?
Amanda:
Personally, I'm going to continue to support the scene by attending
events and spreading the word through social media. I’ll also
continue to do TV and event hosting gigs, and I hope to have a book
published by the end of the year.
Gavin:
Aside the obvious, is there anything you'd like to promote or
plug?
Amanda:
Well, I guess you know where to find me, Facebook or Twitter, as well as AmandaChamberlain.tv.
I’d like to thank you for the interview, Gavin, and thanks to your
readers for taking time to get to know me! I’m very humbled.
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