Michael DeTerra is the Senior Video Producer in Marketing and Communications at California Lutheran University and has been in the position since July 2015.
Originally from Eagle River, AK, DeTerra was exposed to video production in his middle school broadcast news class where he was a part of a small team of students who produced the school’s daily broadcast news.
At his middle school, he met his mentor Augie Hiebert, who would later become his biggest inspiration. DeTerra found a passion for broadcasting and videography which led him to where he is today.
He said he works with specific content for social media, streaming, and large-scale events. DeTerra said he also brings the pieces together for photo projects used for advertising, the Cal Lutheran website, or social media.
In addition to advertising, DeTerra is also the drone operator in Cal Lutheran’s Marketing and Communications department. DeTerra said he started filming and capturing drone content in 2016 to help give another view of the campus and elevate his work with aerial photography and videography.
DeTerra said the ultimate goal of video marketing is to get prospective students interested in applying to Cal Lutheran. Other creative pieces DeTerra films are student testimonials for both undergraduates and graduates that show the programs Cal Lutheran has to offer. He said he also works on pieces for donor and alumni audiences, as well as filming messages from university President Lori Varlotta.
“It’s a wide range of different things that I record and then edit throughout the production process,” DeTerra said. “In order to give our campus partners a product that they can use to tell a story about their student or their program, to pull on the heartstrings of those that are wanting to watch our content and learn more about Cal Lutheran.”
Besides making videos, DeTerra said his favorite part of what he does is hearing Cal Lutheran students’ stories. He said that he can create connections with them through their experiences, and help lead future students to start their journey at Cal Lutheran.
“It’s the most rewarding part of getting to hear and interview students and capture these testimonials and put together a piece that tells their story,” DeTerra said.
In addition to DeTerra’s work, he is a part of a creative team that consists of two graphic designers, and his supervisor Sherri Matsumoto, associate creative director in Marketing and Communications. On DeTerra’s individual team, he works with two student workers, a student videographer and photographer, and a digital media assistant.
“My work is a team work and it’s something I couldn’t do without those other members,” DeTerra said.
Matsumoto said that DeTerra is focused, talented, and gets along with a lot of their clients and campus partners.
“When we work on a video project I can trust that he goes out there and is professional and connects with the students and the staff to get the assets we need,” Matsumoto said.
Matsumoto said DeTerra has produced many videos that have brought her to tears. When working with DeTerra she said she can see the hard work he puts into the content he creates which makes it very emotional.
Junior and Student Videographer and Photographer Henok Tesfa said DeTerra is always there to help and easy to work with.
“He just makes everything feel easy and not too hard, he goes through the process. If I have any questions he’s always there to explain it,” Tesfa said.
DeTerra said he loves every video that he does, but he said his favorite is the commencement ceremony video from May 2023.
“We partnered with students and the commencement committee to create a piece that was not only inspiring but creative in the way it was delivered,” DeTerra said. “What we did was work with a student poet, Angelina Leanos, to solicit her to write a poem about the community at Cal Lutheran,” DeTerra said.
Matsumoto said the video was one of her favorites since it sparked a lot of emotion from the graduating students and those involved with the project. She said the video talked about the excitement of reopening Cal Lutheran post-pandemic, captured the emotions and hardships of trying to stay connected with the university, and welcomed students back onto campus.
“He is a perfectionist, he is creative, he’s dynamic when it comes to engaging people to create any of his videos, and he’s extremely collaborative,” Matsumoto said. “Besides from all that he’s just genuinely a good person, he is one that you always want in your circle of close friends and colleagues.”
