UNCW prides itself in being an institution that encourages creativity and innovation among students within wide-ranging disciplines. Whether new ideas and collaborations come to fruition during undergraduate studies or post-graduation, it can be satisfying to see what happens when peers or friends come up with ideas stemming from their college education.
UNCW class of 2020 graduates Isabella Galletto (B.A. Film Studies), Ricki Nelson (B.A. Film Studies and B.F.A. Creative Writing) and Brea Perry (B.A. Communication Studies) are the founders of What It Is Media, a Wilmington-based digital media company that produces social experiment projects that serve as “dope content for dope people.”
“What It Is Media has been an idea that has been floating around in my mind for maybe two or three years,” Nelson said. “And it just comes from my love of social experiments and content creation channels like Jubilee, Buzzfeed [and] Cut. And feeling like we have a great community here in Wilmington, that can kind of replicate—while at the same time, originating its own sort of community and source material for fun experimental social-type content.”
Contestants compete on ‘Booed Up’. (Boyce Rucker)One of the company’s first projects is a blind dating reality show with the working title “Booed Up.” As a local production, the cast and crew for the two episodes that have been filmed so far are UNCW undergraduates and alumni that viewers are sure to recognize.
The criteria for the show’s dating applicants is that they must be a single person in the North Carolina area between the ages of 20 and 30. Once the episodes have completed post-production, they will be available to watch on platforms such as YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. There are plans to make the show ongoing with multiple seasons that will allow for more experimentation and expansive ideas that will hold viewers’ attention and keep them guessing about what will happen next. The episodes are filmed in the Rich North Digital studio in Wilmington, owned by Andrew “Dru” Richard.
“Booed Up” is the company’s launch project that may certainly gain attention from Wilmington locals, particularly college-age people who enjoy dating shows like “The Bachelor” and would like to see North Carolina as the backdrop for a similar concept. One can see the show carry similar stakes as one might see in “The Bachelor,” but it’s more relatable in a sense due to the Wilmington setting and the viewers’ shared age range with …….