O Stecina
SO HERE'S ME
Personal Profile
On September 22nd, 2000 I was born to an english teacher and a part-time-tech-teacher-part-time-rock-musician. It was also canonically the day that the plane on Lost crashed!
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I grew up in suburban Colorado, graduated Erie High School in 2019, moved to Chicago to study at Columbia College Chicago for 3 semesters, then took a semester off (hooray COVID) and transferred to Toronto Metropolitan (formerly Ryerson) University. I absolutely love it here and I've made so much cool stuff!
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I was a huge nerd. Still am. I took a massive pile of AP Classes and had stellar grades, in addition to my extreme dedication to my school's choir program and my time as Senior Class President. But as my pile of Blu-Rays grew ever taller, I realized my true calling would be in the arts. So here we are!
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I've done a lot of fun jobs in my day, too! I've been commissioned to edit YouTube videos and Podcasts, I used to run the livestreams for CU Boulder's College of Music, I planned a queer prom, I ran shoots for an arts-and-crafts channel, and I even was a certified popcorn-slinger over a summer at an AMC.
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Come work with me! I add joy and creativity to any space I inhabit and I have a passion for kindness, accessibility, and innovation. Oh, and I've got a knack for troubleshooting and love trying new things!
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Education
Courses I've taken at Toronto Metropolitan University
Intro Single Camera Production, Intro Multi-Camera Production, Media Theory and Practice, Creative Processes, Digital Media Production, Intro Audio Production, Intro Psychology I and II, Media History, Production Theory, Media Writing, Immersive and Interactive Audio, Sound Media, Media Aesthetics, Psychology of Sexuality, Child Development, Children's Programming, Positive Psychology, Media Audiences, Radio Broadcasting, Project Development, Audio Post Production, Live Audio, Psychology of Art and Creativity.
Courses I took at Columbia College Chicago
Radio Storytelling, Intro to Journalism, Photographic Practice, Introduction to Documentary, Documentary Production Module I and II, Creative Non-Fiction Beginner and Intermediate, Music and Media in Chicago (Honors), Writing and Rhetoric, Evolution of Sex (Honors), Quantitative Reasoning, Ballet Technique for Non-Dance Majors, Documentary Storytelling, Gay and Lesbian Studies, Intro to Dance Studies, Joyfulness and Well-Being
2021-Ongoing
Toronto Metropolitan University (Formerly Ryerson University)
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Pursuing a BA in RTA Media Production with a Specialization in Audio and a Minor in Psychology
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Expected to graduate in 2025
2019-2020
Columbia College Chicago
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Attended from September 2019 to December 2020 in the Interdisciplinary Documentary program
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Was accepted into the College's Honors Program
2015-2019
Erie High School
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Graduated with an AP Capstone Diploma and as an AP Scholar with Distinction and an AP Scholar with Honors
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Cumulative Weighted GPA of 4.31
Employment
Podcasting Technical Support - Mass Culture
June 2023 - April 2024
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Using 8 hours of previously recorded interview audio, plotted and assembled 7 half-hour episodes of a podcast presenting the Research In Residence: Arts Civic Impact project
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Assisted in ideation, oversaw and directed all scripted voiceover sessions, and recorded the final interview in the Allan Slaight Radio Institute
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Contracted through TMU's "Catalyst" graduate research space
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Utilized iZotope RX 7 to enhance, clarify, and repair previously recorded interviews
Production Assistant - Supernow
October - November 2022
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Assisting in the planning and execution of low-budget shoots
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Creating crafting tutorial content designed for young children
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Videos hosted on Supernow
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Unfortunately, Supernow as a project was pulled from development.
Usher, Greeter, Concessions - AMC Flatirons
May - June 2022
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Preparation, organization, and service of various concessions items
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Cleaning theatres between showings
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Scanning tickets and assisting guests in using box office kiosks
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Issuing refunds
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Assembling various concession equipment and performing opening duties
Livestream Operator - CU Boulder
September 2017 - April 2019
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Operation of 4 remotely controlled cameras and assembly of a live feed.
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Archival of each show on a DVD and a hard drive.
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Working with staff and students on performance recordings
Co-Owner - LiviFilm Videography
August 2018 - Ongoing
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Website (includes digital portfolio)
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Official Videographer of Erie High School, Black Rock Elementary School, Red Hawk Elementary School, Pioneer Ridge Elementary School, La Bella Dance Academy, Tara Cluck Dance Center, DanceSpace, Longmont Dance Theatre Academy, Centennial State Ballet, Reverence Academy of Dance, Malachi WinterGuard, and Move By Morelli
Youth Dance Intern - Out Boulder
February 2019 - May 2019
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Worked with adults and other youth to plan and organize an LGBTQIA+ Youth Dance
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Organized catering, decoration, and volunteers
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Attended the 2019 Out Boulder "Gayla" as a guest
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Managed advertising and communication with sponsors
Figure Drawing Art Model
June 2019 - August 2019
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Modeled 1-minute, 5-minute, 10-minute, 20-minute, and 30-minute poses
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Worked with professional artists for donations
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Out Boulder Program: Nudes With Tudes
and the winner is..........
Awards and Accolades
Software & Hardware Proficiencies
Software
Adobe Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop, Audition, Illustrator, Photoshop, Media Encoder, Avid Pro Tools, REAPER, iZotope RX 7, iMediaPix, Unity, OBS and Streamlabs OBS, Pinnacle Studio, Pinnacle MyDVD, iMovie, Cyberlink PowerDVD, DVDFab, MuseScore, VirtualBox, ProMovie Recorder.
Hardware
Owned Equipment: Nikon D5600 DSLR, Zoom H1N HandiRecorder, Blue Yeti USB Microphone, StreamCatcher HDMI Capture Card, Sennheiser HD280 Pro Headphones
Hardware Experience: Behringer X32 Board, KiPro Video Recorder, Vaddio Board, Canon VIXIA Camera, Sennheiser EW100 G3 Wireless Lav, Audio Technica AT897 Shotgun Mic, Panasonic AC90, DVD/BDR Duplicator, VHS/MiniDVD/MiniDV/Video8/Cassette tapes Conversion.
Volunteering and Creative Practice Hours Work
Audio Editor
Power in Heels Podcast
Season 7 & 8, 7/2022 to 5/2023
Responsibilities
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Mixing audio from 3 different sources
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Condensing interviews
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Rearranging and clarifying segments
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Creating intros, outros, and stingers
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Assembling drafts and final edits based on feedback from hosts
Festival Volunteer
Chicago International Film Festival, 2019
Responsibilities
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Assisting patrons at a Virtual Reality Cinema demonstration and cleaning equipment between uses
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Assisting in sale and information distribution regarding festival memberships
Dance Volunteer
Canada's National Ballet School Adaptive Dance Program, 10/2022 to 2/2023
Responsibilities
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Engaging with children ages 4+ with various physical, mental, and developmental disabilities in a creative movement class
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Protecting instruments and equipment during classtime
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Utilizing PPE and sanitization during and between classes
Talent
RTA Intermediate Single Camera Production, 2022
Responsibilities
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Learning and performing speaking and extra roles for student productions
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Taking direction from director and crew
Usher
Fall For Dance North, 10/2022
Responsibilities
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Guiding patrons through the TMU theatre building and to washrooms before showtime and during intermissions at a live dance performance
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Protecting musicians and equipment during an open-stage dance session
Board Op
For Ex-Sample & Camp or Cringe, 2022 Ongoing
Responsibilities
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Using remote controlled cameras to set up shots of radio show hosts and guests
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Selecting and executing various transitions between shots to create a cohesive video feed
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Providing occasional commentary for the radio show
THE REVIEWS ARE IN!
See what people are saying about
"O"
Kaitlyn Gentert
Social Studies Teacher at Erie High School
"O has the accolades and accomplishments sought after in top-achieving individuals, however, it is the individual’s love of learning, ability to learn, and all encompassing intellectual curiosity that sets O apart from the other candidates you have and will read about and consider."
Julie Singh
Librarian at Erie High School
"O has grown and matured into an incredibly talented student and person. They have intelligence, creativity, technological know-how and perseverance such that they can to easily grasp concepts and in-turn transfer and apply these skills to non-related problems."
High School Extracurriculars
Grade 9
2015-2016
Activities
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GSA
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Auditioned Treble Choir
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Pit Orchestra (Violin, Hello Dolly)
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Theatre Department (A Christmas Carol & Student Directed One-Act)
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AP Human Geography (Score: 5)
Grade 10
2016-2017
Activities
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District Honor Choir
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Auditioned Treble Choir
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Theatre Department (Student Directed One-Act)
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AP US Government (Score: 5) and AP Seminar (Score: 3)
Honors
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Choir Marketing Chair
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First Chair of Violin II Section in School Orchestra
Grade 11
2017-2018
Activities
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District Honor Choir
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Called Back for All State Jazz Choir
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Auditioned Acapella Jazz Choir
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Auditioned Treble Choir
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Green Team Environmental Club
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GSA
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AP Chemistry (Score: 3), AP Language and Composition (Score: 5), AP Research (Score: 4)
Honors
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Choir Alto Section Leader
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GSA Vice President
Grade 12
2018-2019
Activities
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GSA
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Auditioned Acapella Jazz Choir
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Auditioned Treble Choir
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Student Government
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National History Day
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Varsity Swim Team
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Pit Orchestra (Violin, Blood Brothers)
Honors
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GSA President
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Senior Class President (Elected Position)
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Education Foundation Student Advisory Board Member
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Varsity Swimming Conference Finals Alternate for 500 Freestyle
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Speaker at Senior Night of Reflection
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News Director for Erie Tiger Network
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Semi-Finalist at National History Day Regional Contest