Grad Gets Behind the Wheel in Making the Driver
Computer Animation grad Scott Stenzel partnered his web development company with racing giant Charlie Patterson
As President of Orlando-based web development company Digi Craft, Full Sail Computer Animation grad Scott Stenzel has seen his fair share of success in the industry, servicing 125 clients both locally and nationally, including Disney, NBC/Universal, Live Nation, and GRAMMY®-nominated recording artist Mary J. Blige.
But long before he entered the world of 3D graphics, website maintenance, and advertising, Scott had another huge passion in his life: race car driving. And now, through an initiative stemming from Digi Craft’s partnership with digital media agency Gen2Media and Charlie Patterson (president of NextGen Motorsports), Scott is getting a chance to live out his dream; he'll learn how to become a professional race car driver as he stars in his own upcoming reality television show, Making The Driver.
The genesis of Making The Driver began when Scott was working on a project with Digi Craft in the mecca of all things NASCAR-related, Daytona Beach, Florida. A chance meeting with Patterson, the man who helped forge the careers of notable drivers like Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart, was instrumental in helping Scott get the project off the ground.
“A lot of people have ideas for reality television shows, but I always had a passion for the entertainment aspect of motorsports. I don’t think that current broadcasting really captures that drama that occurs behind the scenes,” Scott says. “The average person might catch a race on TV and just see some cars running around in circles. But who is the person behind the wheel? You might know the name Jeff Gordon and recognize him from movies or advertisements he’s appeared in, but who is he really? That’s the story that I wanted to tell with Making The Driver.”
Scott originally pitched the idea for the show as an American Idol-style competition that would feature 50 drivers competing against one another to make it to the big leagues, but financial and logistical challenges forced him to rethink the angle of the show. Scott’s team decided to narrow the focus down to just one driver – and it was Patterson who suggested that Scott himself sit behind the wheel.
“Charlie knew that I had a passion for racing, and after getting to know him throughout our conversations, he also felt that I had the personality, devotion, and marketing know-how to be able to carry a project like this,” he says. “He basically offered to take me under his wing and help walk me through the process in the same way that he did Tony Stewart or Ryan Newman. But first he needed to test me.
“We tested in New Smyrna Beach, where I went up against five other drivers. I had my video team out there to document it, just in case this was an angle that we wound up going with,” Scott says. “After three days of testing under a NASCAR instructor, I was the fastest and most consistent out of all five. The stopwatch never lies. It was at that point that Charlie felt comfortable moving forward with it.”
Despite the opportunities that may present themselves in the next few months, Scott doesn’t necessarily see himself leaving the Digi Craft’s world of web development behind.
“I’d really like to see Digi Craft head in the direction of [web hosting company] GoDaddy.com, particularly because of their heavy involvement in the world of motorsports,” Scott says. “Of course, launching a network television show into the limelight is also a goal, too. We’re already working on developing the second season of Making The Driver; we’re going to work with a female driver from the Philippines and help start her career.
“I know my Computer Animation degree may not necessarily match up exactly with what I’m doing at the moment, but the core fundamentals of what I learned at Full Sail have greatly helped me get to where I am today,” he continues. “In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what you specialize in – Full Sail gives everyone the fundamentals to succeed. I definitely took that from my experience in school, took advantage of that knowledge, and applied it immediately.”
With two episodes of the season completed, Making The Driver will document the entire progression in a professional driver’s career, from negotiating sponsorship deals all the way to making it to the Daytona 500. The show is set to air early in 2010. For more information, go to www.makingthedriver.com.
But long before he entered the world of 3D graphics, website maintenance, and advertising, Scott had another huge passion in his life: race car driving. And now, through an initiative stemming from Digi Craft’s partnership with digital media agency Gen2Media and Charlie Patterson (president of NextGen Motorsports), Scott is getting a chance to live out his dream; he'll learn how to become a professional race car driver as he stars in his own upcoming reality television show, Making The Driver.
The genesis of Making The Driver began when Scott was working on a project with Digi Craft in the mecca of all things NASCAR-related, Daytona Beach, Florida. A chance meeting with Patterson, the man who helped forge the careers of notable drivers like Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart, was instrumental in helping Scott get the project off the ground.
“A lot of people have ideas for reality television shows, but I always had a passion for the entertainment aspect of motorsports. I don’t think that current broadcasting really captures that drama that occurs behind the scenes,” Scott says. “The average person might catch a race on TV and just see some cars running around in circles. But who is the person behind the wheel? You might know the name Jeff Gordon and recognize him from movies or advertisements he’s appeared in, but who is he really? That’s the story that I wanted to tell with Making The Driver.”
Scott originally pitched the idea for the show as an American Idol-style competition that would feature 50 drivers competing against one another to make it to the big leagues, but financial and logistical challenges forced him to rethink the angle of the show. Scott’s team decided to narrow the focus down to just one driver – and it was Patterson who suggested that Scott himself sit behind the wheel.
“Charlie knew that I had a passion for racing, and after getting to know him throughout our conversations, he also felt that I had the personality, devotion, and marketing know-how to be able to carry a project like this,” he says. “He basically offered to take me under his wing and help walk me through the process in the same way that he did Tony Stewart or Ryan Newman. But first he needed to test me.
“We tested in New Smyrna Beach, where I went up against five other drivers. I had my video team out there to document it, just in case this was an angle that we wound up going with,” Scott says. “After three days of testing under a NASCAR instructor, I was the fastest and most consistent out of all five. The stopwatch never lies. It was at that point that Charlie felt comfortable moving forward with it.”
Despite the opportunities that may present themselves in the next few months, Scott doesn’t necessarily see himself leaving the Digi Craft’s world of web development behind.
“I’d really like to see Digi Craft head in the direction of [web hosting company] GoDaddy.com, particularly because of their heavy involvement in the world of motorsports,” Scott says. “Of course, launching a network television show into the limelight is also a goal, too. We’re already working on developing the second season of Making The Driver; we’re going to work with a female driver from the Philippines and help start her career.
“I know my Computer Animation degree may not necessarily match up exactly with what I’m doing at the moment, but the core fundamentals of what I learned at Full Sail have greatly helped me get to where I am today,” he continues. “In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what you specialize in – Full Sail gives everyone the fundamentals to succeed. I definitely took that from my experience in school, took advantage of that knowledge, and applied it immediately.”
With two episodes of the season completed, Making The Driver will document the entire progression in a professional driver’s career, from negotiating sponsorship deals all the way to making it to the Daytona 500. The show is set to air early in 2010. For more information, go to www.makingthedriver.com.
