Nerd Acumen

Steal that Space Needle!

Hi! My name is Matthew Stringer, and I’m an online producer focusing on video content.  I earned a Master of Communication in Digital Media from the University of Washington during the Fall of 2009.  I’m the blogger behind Nerd Acumen, as well as the crazy behind other obscure Web ventures.  I’m also highly gifted at self-promotion, LOL.  Mattso is my nickname.  I also go by Matt.

In 2004, I first earned a bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of Southern California, where I combined research and hands-on experience in the fields of animation and creative writing to develop an undergraduate thesis on “Animated Interactive Narratives”.  This self-designed degree program carried a emphasis in interactive media, including video games and Web-based entertainment.  My undergraduate studies gave me the opportunity to examine pop-culture, sequential art (aka, comic books), and fiction, among other media-related subjects.

I also acquired a minor in Cinema-Television through the USC School of Cinema-Television (now called the School of Cinematic Arts).  I was never cool enough to be an official film student at USC, but I spent most of my time at the film school and worked there in the Operations office.

While in school, I took part in the first-ever Buena Vista Games “Think Tank” with The Walt Disney Company as an intern. We focused on concept development for platformers based on popular Disney intellectual properties, including the upcoming game “Epic Mickey”, a concept the first think tank gave birth to under the direction of Chris Takami.

After college, I found my first big job with LA-based GoldPocket Interactive as an Event Operator for one- and two-screen interactive television programming.  Goldpocket, later acquired by Tandberg/Ericsson, was a pioneer in iTV solutions.  I basically cut my entertainment technology teeth in iTV broadcast operations.

Before entering the University of Washington’s Master of Communication in Digital Media program in 2008, I held a position in Los Angeles as a render coordinator at Academy Award-winning animation and special FX house Rhythm & Hues.  I worked on such classic films as “The Incredible Hulk” and “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.”  Yep, classics!

In Seattle, I helped the University of Washington’s Media Relations and Communications Department share the University’s insights and knowledge with the outside world through various Web video projects.  I also helped develop the website and social media strategy for the first-ever UW Pocketmedia Film Festival, a contest of films made by students, faculty, and staff with devices that fit in their pockets.

Following my time with the University, I interned at Seattle’s own world-renowned Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, helping produce and edit Web video, sharing the Center’s research and discoveries in the fields of cancer science and prevention.

Considering myself a “professional” (hey, I just got out of school!) online producer and student of all things media, I’m working to develop both communal and personal narratives through Web video, on-line storytelling, and social media production, helping to pioneer new media for institutions and individuals in the 21st century.

You can reach me via email at matt@matthewstringer.com.  Or, visit my Connect page, http://matthewstringer.com/connect.

Here’s my YouTube Highlight Reel: