The Skilled Cinematographer

You’ve probably seen Connor Morgan ’21 around the NYC Campus. As a communication studies major, he’s eagerly immersed himself in student life by taking on a wide variety of jobs, most notably as a cinematographer for Pace’s University Relations (UR) department. He was even named the Student Spirit Award Winner for 2019—and he has some serious Setter pride. Initially, though, he wasn’t so certain about applying to Pace. That changed pretty quickly.

“It wasn’t the spaces, the residence halls, or my major that [...] attracted me to it. It was the people I met,” Morgan said, having attended a PaceBound event when he was still in high school. “Every professor I spoke to, member of staff I passed by, and every student I had any kind of interaction with truly seemed so happy to be here. For me, Pace was the only place I saw myself truly succeeding.”

He nearly left mid-semester in his first year, however, when his small business began to take off. Morgan is an exceptionally gifted cinematographer, having launched 18 Mile Media when he was still in high school. But one last-minute decision “would literally change my life,” he told us, explaining that he applied to be an Orientation Leader—ten minutes before the deadline. Needless to say, Morgan was accepted. “It has opened up an incredible amount of doors for me, [and] it’s how UR found me and how I got so involved on campus,” he said.

Since then, Morgan has held numerous positions on the NYC Campus. He’s been a Pace Abroad Leader (PAL) tour guide, an Educational Media technician, and most recently, as a cinematographer for UR. “They had been working to introduce President Krislov, who was entering his second year here, to the Pace Community in a fun and light way. That’s where I came in.” Morgan worked on several videos since, including an ongoing five-part Pace Path campaign highlighting the program’s many unique opportunities. The internships portion was published just last spring.

“It’s my first time taking the lead on a large-scale project like this,” he enthused. Morgan is not only the cinematographer on the Pace Path campaign, but also a producer. Of all his projects with the University, he noted the Convocation 2019 video as one of his favorites to make. “It was so much fun to make, and really got the Class of 2023 ready for a fun two days. It was exciting to see how many parents and students spoke about it after it debuted.”

These days, Morgan is incredibly busy. His wedding videography business is booming, and it’s quite different compared to the work he does for Pace. “Weddings fall into a category [that] I like to call ‘event coverage,’” he explained. “You [can] have an idea of what you want to make in the editing room, but all you can really do is shoot the best you can and nail everything on the first try. There are no retakes on the wedding day.” He spends time crafting the narrative after he works a wedding, whereas for Pace, “it’s a little more lax. We can make our talent feel comfortable, and we have a pretty solid idea of what the final product will look like before we even start shooting.”

We’re certain Morgan’s diverse skill set and inspiring enthusiasm will lead him to endless opportunities in the future. He’s even giving back by awarding scholarships to other students, something he’s passionate about because “I wanted to give back to my high school by sharing just a little bit of my success, and to let them know that no matter how big they get, the community will always support them.”