Rob Giampapa created Next Up NoVa, a nonprofit arts and athletics facility for the youth of Northern Virginia, combining his passion for creativity and filmmaking with his partner Travis Simoes’ passion for athletics.
“We wouldn’t be where we are without those things in our lives, and we want to help more kids discover themselves,” said Giampapa. “We needed all the help we could get growing up, and we want to provide the local youth with a safe, creative, and high-level instructional experience.”
Next Up NoVa and the Next Up NoVa Youth Center in Gainesville, VA, deliver just that, with 10,000 square feet dedicated to production and athletics. The centre includes a cyc wall, two soundproof podcast studios, a state-of-the-art control room, and gym space. In addition to athletics, the program offers free classes in videography, photography, podcasting, and audio/video production, powered by Blackmagic Design gear, including ATEM Mini Pro ISO live production switchers, Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K digital film cameras, Blackmagic Video Assist 5” 3G monitor/recorders, and DaVinci Resolve Studio editing, colour grading, visual effects (VFX), and audio post production software.
Bridging the Gap
According to Giampapa, “Access to the arts has been shown to have positive benefits in the classroom, for academic achievement, and with life skills, but oftentimes funding gets cut. That’s why we’re here.”
Next Up NoVa aims to bridge the gap between visual arts programs in schools and the number of students in the area. “We don’t do it with written homework or assignments; we do it through hands-on learning, from pre-production to post,” said Giampapa. “Luckily, there are affordable and powerful tools, like our Blackmagic Design gear, for the students to learn on.”
Using professional-grade Blackmagic Design products, students learn the arts of filmmaking, production, and post-production, creating their own content with the same tools used by industry professionals.
Transforming Education with Blackmagic Design
Giampapa has a long history of championing arts education, beginning with West Potomac Academy in Alexandria, VA. “The program was 20 years behind on technology when I got there, and students had barely used DSLR cameras,” he explained. Turning to Blackmagic Design, he equipped the program with Pocket Cinema Camera 4K, 6Ks, and 6K Pros, Blackmagic Video Assist 5-inch 3G, and DaVinci Resolve Studio.
“In 2020, I purchased the first Pocket Cinema Camera 4K and a Video Assist, and it completely changed the quality of what students were able to do,” noted Giampapa. “By 2023, four students had their own Pocket 4Ks and 6Ks, with many making the switch to DaVinci Resolve. That’s a huge transformation in a short time.”
The impact was remarkable, with students gaining acceptances into prestigious film programs, winning national video contests, and earning substantial scholarships. “West Potomac has had students accepted into film programs at a rate that is shocking for one classroom,” said Giampapa. “We’ve had multiple national video contest winners, several hundred thousand dollars in scholarships, and, most importantly, students who might not have graduated high school did so because of a camera and the class.”
A New World of Production
“The historic broadcast format prepared a few people for careers each year. By opening the field to all disciplines like film, music video, commercials, and social media, we can prepare hundreds of people annually,” said Giampapa. “Almost every company now has a social media or video production department. Schools need to catch up.”
With plans to open two additional Next Up NoVa Youth Centres to serve all of Northern Virginia, Giampapa remains dedicated to empowering the next generation of creators. “Arts funding often gets cut, but I know how important it is, and I will do something about it, one centre and one program at a time,” he concluded.
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