"When I was a child growing up in Colorado, I was fascinated by film"
-Brennan Dicker
It all started with a Super 8 camera in Colorado. My childhood friend, Spencer, and I spent our weekends hunched over that borrowed camera, crafting makeshift monsters out of play doh, and attempting to make LEGO contraptions fly. Those early experiments with stop-motion animation might have seemed like mere childhood play, but they were my first steps in a journey that would span decades and transform me from an aspiring filmmaker into eventually leading a media institute.
Brennen Dicker
When I was a child growing up in Colorado, I was fascinated by film. Getting an opportunity to go to the theater and be transported to another world was always very exciting. Like many children of my generation, I was captivated by blockbusters like Star Wars, James Bond, and Grease. But I wasn't content to simply experience the magic – I wanted to understand it.
Together with my elementary school friend Spencer Shaver, we would borrow his grandmother's Super 8 camera for weekend filming sessions. "We had no idea what we were doing," I laugh now, thinking back, "but when we would get the Super 8 film developed and watch the end result on a projector, it was magical."
Breaking Into the Business
While my teenage years were filled with typical pursuits – friends, music, and sports – my mother unknowingly fueled my passion by introducing me to art house films. Cinematic masterpieces like "Das Boot," "Raging Bull," "The Mission," and "Citizen Kane" opened my eyes to more nuanced storytelling, profoundly deepening my love for cinema. A chance encounter with a commercial director at age 16 would prove to be a transformative moment in my early creative journey.
This unexpected meeting led to weekend stints as an unpaid Production Assistant at IMS Productions in Colorado, working between summer jobs to support my college aspirations. It was here that I discovered something far more compelling than the technical aspects of filmmaking – the people. They were some of the most fun, creative, and smart individuals I had ever encountered. The tight-knit community quickly embraced me, dubbing me "YB" (Young Brennen), a nickname that would become a cherished part of my early career narrative. During this period, I also completed an internship at the local CBS station (KKTV), which definitively confirmed that news production was not my calling.
After graduating from Cornell College with a multidisciplinary background in English and Theatre, with a concentration in Economics, my persistence ultimately secured my first full-time position as an Assistant Editor at IMS. Although I quickly realized that editorial work wasn't my true passion, this role proved instrumental in guiding me toward my professional destiny. The position evolved into an Assistant to the Producer role, where I found my true path under the mentorship of seasoned production professionals, including the invaluable guidance of Denise and Ted Ferrari, Arthur Arens, and Steve Bowlby.
The Windy City Years
Like many young professionals seeking bigger opportunities, I set my sights on Chicago. The transition wasn't easy – it took over a year of catering jobs and odd work before I landed a position at Sports Channel Chicago. Starting as a studio camera operator/audio tech, I worked my way through various roles, eventually moving into production during the golden era of Chicago sports, with the Bulls' championship dynasty featuring Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and Dennis Rodman.
Working on iconic shows like "Sportswriters on TV" was a prelude to the ESPN shows that would later highlight sportswriters discussing sports. This experience was formative in understanding the dynamics of sports media and storytelling.
While building my sports television career, I maintained a connection to the independent film world, working on features like "Thieves Quartet" with Joe Chappelle (who would later direct and produce acclaimed TV series like "The Wire" and "CSI: Miami"). My most significant independent film experience came as Production Manager and Producer on "Sacred Hearts," a project by Filmmaker Patrick O'Connor. The film premiered at prestigious venues including The Lincoln Center in New York City and was recognized at the Boston Film Festival and earned special honors at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival before eventually being sold.
A New Direction
My career took an unexpected turn when Carole Cartwright, General Manager of WYCC, one of Chicago's PBS stations, brought me on board to produce and report for shows highlighting untold stories from Chicago's urban areas. We did stories on education as well as the rough urban areas – Cabrini Green, Robert Taylor Homes, Southside – highlighting successful youth and people that made it out of poverty. The work earned our team several Emmy awards and deepened my understanding of television's power to effect change. At the same time, this also gave me an opportunity to create my own production company, American Mongrel Productions, where I had the opportunity to produce and direct commercials/projects in Chicago.
The Southern Strategy
After a decade in Chicago juggling multiple roles in sports, PBS, and commercial production, I felt ready for a change. A move to Atlanta, intended as temporary, became permanent when I met my future wife, Kelly Caudle, on my first day in Georgia.
My expertise and connections (that included Tia Powell, Bill Thompson, and Dave Warner), led to roles at Crawford Communications, where I rose from jr. acscount executive to Director of Business Development, working with major networks and hit series like "The Walking Dead" and "Vampire Diaries." Later, a meeting with Ann DeGuire (President of SIM) led me to The SIM Group, where I managed a great post-production facility team. SIM contributed to the success of numerous iconic TV series and blockbuster movies, including "Stranger Things," "Watchmen," "The Gifted," "Dynasty," "The Originals," "True Detective", and the critically acclaimed "Get Out."
The Next Generation
In 2018, I took on my most transformative role yet as Executive Director of Georgia State University's Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII). CMII stands out as the nation's most diverse media institute, starting with 150 students when I came on board and now catering to over 800 students pursuing studies in media entrepreneurship, game design, game development, and an MFA program focused on Virtual Production and VFX.. We've attracted artist-in-residence luminaries including Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, India Arie, and Dallas Austin, while providing students hands-on experience with industry giants like Francis Ford Coppola, as well as visiting dignitaries from around the world. We have also created opportunities for our students globally through our students going to Ghana for study abroad to opportunities for our students to get internships in England.
The idea of a team of people helping create the next generation of storytellers through emerging technology – that's what drives us. Having an amazing faculty and staff that include lecturers, PHD’s, and Prof. of Practice (Prof. that are working in their respective industries at the same time while teaching our students.). CMII recently celebrated a milestone with "Rejuvenation," a feature film written, produced, directed, and edited by GSU students, led by Tom Luse, CMII Artist in Resident and EP of The Walking Dead, now streaming on Amazon and Tubi.
Looking back on my journey from that borrowed Super 8 camera to leading a cutting-edge media institute, it's difficult to see how the beginnings of a kid doing stop-motion photography with his best friend led to a career in the film industry, but it really was just being curious and trying to figure out "how did they do that?"
That same curiosity now drives me to explore emerging technologies and generative AI, always seeking new ways to tell stories. I see that same curiosity in the students at CMII, and I hope that I'm lucky enough to be a part of that evolution. Because in the end, intuition led me to where I am today.
Through every stage of my career – from production assistant to executive director, from Chicago sports to Georgia film – I've maintained that wide-eyed wonder of the boy with the Super 8 camera, always asking, "How do they do that?" Now, I'm helping the next generation answer that question for themselves.
