Photo by: Mississippi State Athletics
Lights And Cameras Get Dawgs Ready For Action
November 03, 2024 | Men's Basketball
A look inside MSU men’s hoops’ intro video shoot.
STARKVILLE – With a subtle breeze and hints of fall in the Starkville air, the stars shining in the sky were not the only source of light beaming on the night of Thursday, Oct. 10.
If you drove down Spring St., you likely spotted a plethora of spotlights and bright LED lights glowing and flashing on the basketball court at Gorge Evans Park. That was not an illusion. It was the Mississippi State men's basketball program filming a special intro video for the Maroon and White faithful to view on the Humphrey Coliseum video board when a new season of hoops tips off on Monday night.
The project's goal was much more than throwing in flashy lights and neon signs, however. State's creative mastermind and associate director of creative video Morgan Mills wanted to incorporate and highlight the style of play Chris Jans has established with the MSU program heading into his third year at the helm for the Bulldogs.
"I came up with the idea of shooting it at an outside court because it helps with the identity coach Chris Jans is trying to push [of] being a hard-nosed, grimy, grit type of team," Mills said. "Doing the outside court with the chain-link fencing and stuff like that, I felt was the best way to tie that in."
That idea gave newcomers and veterans alike an opportunity to display their personalities and get into the gritty mindset that Jans wants to instill in all of them heading into this season. But for the fresh faces especially, the crowd of State's cheerleaders and other spectators allowed them to experience their first taste of what it will be like when they enter through the crowd and onto the court at Humphrey Coliseum against West Georgia on Monday night.
As players like Cameron Matthews, Josh Hubbard, Dellquan Warren and so many others strolled up to the court surrounded by seemingly endless feet of chain-link fence, the bright neon logos, flashing strobe lights and fog machines filled their bodies with adrenaline as they stepped on the court to film hype videos and promos for the upcoming season.
"I always knew this court was here and for us to finally put it to a good use is always good," Hubbard said. "Mo had the intelligent mind to put this idea together. And to finally see it, see all of the lights driving up here and all that, it is incredible."
Hubbard and the other members of MSU's roster were also instructed to bring their own creative touch to the court for the shoot. And for some, the screams, dunks and crossover maneuvers performed in front of the camera signified more than just filming a hype video with sick lighting and effects.
For seniors like Matthews, it was another reminder his incredible career in the Maroon and White is about to begin its final stanza.
"This is going to be my last, first-time seeing it so it's going to be a surreal moment," Matthews said of the season opener Monday night. "I'm really excited to get the season started and I'm really excited to see what the [creative team] puts together."
This is not Matthews' first rodeo, however. He has been in the spotlight for the Bulldogs for the past four years and has become one of the best forwards in the Southeastern Conference developing under Jans.
As for those who don't quite have the experience level of Matthews and others, they made the most of the chance to take everything in as they entered the gates to the court on the chilly Thursday night.
"This is surreal man. I've never been through a photo shoot or a media day like this, so I feel like this is a great first experience for my first media day as a freshman," Warren, a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, said. "I feel like there's great things going on around here and it just keeps getting better and better."
The countless hours preparing and brainstorming ideas to promote MSU's teams takes dedication, hard work and creative thinking. Mills and his team are some of the best in the country at what they do, which was proven yet again by Mills' incredible creative thinking behind State's video shoot at one of the old courts in Starkville.
"They're pros man, at the highest end of their craft," Jans said. "Mo and his crew, those guys have been with us since I've been here, and they do such an excellent job. They keep it creative, they keep it changed up on us and [give] different ideas. I have no idea what they're up to, but certainly, like everyone else, see the results and you can tell they care about their craft and work hard at it."
If you drove down Spring St., you likely spotted a plethora of spotlights and bright LED lights glowing and flashing on the basketball court at Gorge Evans Park. That was not an illusion. It was the Mississippi State men's basketball program filming a special intro video for the Maroon and White faithful to view on the Humphrey Coliseum video board when a new season of hoops tips off on Monday night.
The project's goal was much more than throwing in flashy lights and neon signs, however. State's creative mastermind and associate director of creative video Morgan Mills wanted to incorporate and highlight the style of play Chris Jans has established with the MSU program heading into his third year at the helm for the Bulldogs.
"I came up with the idea of shooting it at an outside court because it helps with the identity coach Chris Jans is trying to push [of] being a hard-nosed, grimy, grit type of team," Mills said. "Doing the outside court with the chain-link fencing and stuff like that, I felt was the best way to tie that in."
That idea gave newcomers and veterans alike an opportunity to display their personalities and get into the gritty mindset that Jans wants to instill in all of them heading into this season. But for the fresh faces especially, the crowd of State's cheerleaders and other spectators allowed them to experience their first taste of what it will be like when they enter through the crowd and onto the court at Humphrey Coliseum against West Georgia on Monday night.
As players like Cameron Matthews, Josh Hubbard, Dellquan Warren and so many others strolled up to the court surrounded by seemingly endless feet of chain-link fence, the bright neon logos, flashing strobe lights and fog machines filled their bodies with adrenaline as they stepped on the court to film hype videos and promos for the upcoming season.
"I always knew this court was here and for us to finally put it to a good use is always good," Hubbard said. "Mo had the intelligent mind to put this idea together. And to finally see it, see all of the lights driving up here and all that, it is incredible."
Hubbard and the other members of MSU's roster were also instructed to bring their own creative touch to the court for the shoot. And for some, the screams, dunks and crossover maneuvers performed in front of the camera signified more than just filming a hype video with sick lighting and effects.
For seniors like Matthews, it was another reminder his incredible career in the Maroon and White is about to begin its final stanza.
"This is going to be my last, first-time seeing it so it's going to be a surreal moment," Matthews said of the season opener Monday night. "I'm really excited to get the season started and I'm really excited to see what the [creative team] puts together."
This is not Matthews' first rodeo, however. He has been in the spotlight for the Bulldogs for the past four years and has become one of the best forwards in the Southeastern Conference developing under Jans.
As for those who don't quite have the experience level of Matthews and others, they made the most of the chance to take everything in as they entered the gates to the court on the chilly Thursday night.
"This is surreal man. I've never been through a photo shoot or a media day like this, so I feel like this is a great first experience for my first media day as a freshman," Warren, a native of Erie, Pennsylvania, said. "I feel like there's great things going on around here and it just keeps getting better and better."
The countless hours preparing and brainstorming ideas to promote MSU's teams takes dedication, hard work and creative thinking. Mills and his team are some of the best in the country at what they do, which was proven yet again by Mills' incredible creative thinking behind State's video shoot at one of the old courts in Starkville.
"They're pros man, at the highest end of their craft," Jans said. "Mo and his crew, those guys have been with us since I've been here, and they do such an excellent job. They keep it creative, they keep it changed up on us and [give] different ideas. I have no idea what they're up to, but certainly, like everyone else, see the results and you can tell they care about their craft and work hard at it."
Players Mentioned
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