By Serra Sowers, Journalism and Sustainability Studies 2024

As an avid sports fan and digital design enthusiast, Anabella Zorrilla has exemplified what it means to be a University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications (UFCJC) student ahead of her graduation in December 2022.

From the time she was a senior in high school, something just drew Zorrilla to the University of Florida. After touring the College, she fell in love and knew it was a great place for her. It was just the right distance from home and full of opportunity to expand her knowledge of media.

She was interested in studying journalism because she loved magazine and yearbook design, but quickly realized that reporting wasn’t for her. Then she found the Media Production, Management, and Technology (MPMT) major.

The major allows students to specialize in different areas of video production and film, including broadcast news, commercial television and sports. It also includes courses on media management and strategy, and emerging technology.

Zorrilla was active in competition dance as a teen, but never imagined herself working in sports media – until she took a Fundamentals of Production class with MPMT Lecturer Geoff Thompson and Senior Lecturer Houston Wells.

Her classes gave her the skills necessary to grow as a broadcast producer in graphic design, camera operation and how to run a show.

The course led to more opportunities like working directly with University Athletics Association’s (UAA) Director of SEC Network Operations/Production Scott Snyder in 2021, and the creative media and branding branch of the UAA, where she has been interning since August 2022.

“I never thought I would, but now I’m surrounded by sports,” she said. “In one year, I gathered experience everywhere. Once you are involved, there are just so many opportunities to choose from.”

Her experience with live sports has shaped other opportunities she has worked on and led to a special gig this past summer for the NFL. For two days, she joined CJC alumnus Jim Jenkins, B.S. Advertising 1984, at O Positive Films in Tampa as a production assistant, where she shadowed directors, camera operators, sets and props department and learned about what went into the commercial side of sports broadcasting.

“We spent two days for 30 seconds,” she said, which showed just how valuable commercial sport content can be.

Zorrilla said that thanks to her professors like Thompson, Wells and MPMT Professor Tim Sorel, she was able to learn about opportunities that would help her find her passion in sports media production. Connections have been one of her most valuable takeaways from her time at UF.

“We are used to being Gators, but outside of Gainesville and campus in the professional setting, people really respect the Gators,” she said when talking about her time with O Positive Films. “It’s truly surreal to say I’ve worked with producers from ESPN.”

While at UFCJC, Zorrilla has been a Knight Division scholarship recipient three times, which has afforded her the chance to intern in media.

Because of the pandemic, she felt that her time here in Gainesville was cut short. Zorrilla decided to stay an additional semester and will be graduating this December 2022 with her B.S. in Telecommunication.

Though she is sad to leave, Zorrilla is equally excited for what is to come as she prepares to finish out the Gator sports season with GatorVision in spring 2023. In the long term, she hopes to work on media for a professional sports team.

“I just love it here and Weimer Hall will always have a special place in my heart,” she said. “I hope I stay in touch with my professors for a very long time.”

Posted: December 9, 2022
Category: College News, Profiles, Student Profiles
Tagged as: Anabella Zorrilla, Media Production, Media Production Management and Technology, UAA