Print publication date: 03/24/2006
`I'm 21, I'm new, I'm hip'
By Rita Pearson ,
The tall, lanky figure looks artistic.
Clothed in black with a gray scarf wound around his neck, the young man swung into the room with a videocamera strapped to his side.
Beyond his striking appearance is what Justin "Crazy Eyes" Anderson sees through his camera lens with clear gray-blue eyes. The world looks a little differently to the 21-year-old son of a Lutheran minister.
The young videographer started his own media company, Crazy Eyes Productions, Feb. 1 in his Bettendorf apartment. With low overhead and a rented camera, his plan is to offer "a new wave" of graphics-based television advertising and local programming in the Quad-Cities.
"I'm 21, I'm new, I'm hip," he says.
With roots as an artist and a background in graphic design, he believes his work offers something different to the Quad-Cities market. The name "Crazy Eyes" comes from his nickname first etched in television credits. He said the name fits what he's trying to do.
Steve Grubbs of Victory Enterprises Inc., Davenport, knew the moment he met Mr.Anderson that he had "a special gift."
"Justin is one of the most talented videographers I've ever met," he said. "His work is of national quality. He's able to master the art and design of the medium."
For two years, Mr. Anderson filmed television commercials, produced independent, feature-length films and designed Web sites for Victory Enterprises before the itch to own his own business won out.
Although he still does work for Mr. Grubbs, he's trying to expand his horizons by offering television advertising and feature-length films for Quad-Cities area businesses. "I want to bring companies effective and affordable TV advertising," he said.
Cable company Mediacom also calls on Mr. Anderson when it needs small production videos, Fred Klauke, production associate for Mediacom of the Quad Cities, said.
Where Mr. Anderson shines is in graphic design and producing documentary-style films where he can spend time filming and then editing the work into a shorter format to tell a story, Mr. Klauke said.
Mr. Anderson produced and pitched an original television program, "Live in Quad-Cities," featuring Quad-Cities bands to Mediacom for a possible local cable series. Mediacom is considering the project.
Born in Montana and educated in six states as his father moved from one appointment to another, Mr. Anderson studied graphic arts at Concordia University, a private Lutheran liberal arts institution near Chicago.
While in college, he worked in campus security and bought his first video camera with some extra cash. One night on the job, he and some friends taped an undercover cops spoof and sold DVDs of the parody, which became a campus hit. He subsequently lost his campus job, earned good grades, but quit school after landing a job with Victory Enterprises.
He moved to the Quad-Cities in 2004. His father, Steven Anderson, is principal of Christ Lutheran High School in Davenport and vacancy pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church and School in Rock Island.
While there seems to be an adequate supply of commercial videographers in the Quad-Cities, the test for success is not the artistry but the ability to bring in work, Mr. Grubbs said.
"That will be the real test for Justin,"he said. "Can he be a good videographer and a good businessman?"
Justin Anderson
Age:21
graphic artist, videographer,
Bettendorf resident
son of Rev. Steven and Sara Anderson, Sherrard
Founder, Crazy Eyes Productions
Specializing in graphics-based advertising and television production
www.crazyeyesproductions.com
email:Justin@crazyeyesproductions.com
phone: (309)507-3848