Faculty
Ryan Watson
Instructor
CONTACT
Office: CIS
Email
BIO
A native of Baltimore Maryland, Ryan Watson is an award-winning videographer and filmmaker, working in the Tampa Bay area since 2006. His areas of expertise include narrative film production, documentary production, cinematography, fight scene choreography, videography and drone videography. He has been a post-secondary educator since 2012 teaching various aspects of TV and film production in Tampa, Fl. Currently, Ryan is a Full-Time Instructor at the University of South Florida's Zimmerman School of Advertising and Mass Communications.
Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in mass communications from the University of South Florida in 2006. He obtained his Master of Fine Arts degree in Digital Cinematography from National University in Los Angeles in 2015. Professor Watson is an FAA certified UAS pilot and in the spring semester of 2018 he launched USF’s first drone videography course. In 2021 he launched USF’s first virtual production course, Vū at USF.
His professional experience began at WTTA-38 as a creative services producer before working for the Seminole Tribe of Florida as a Video Production Coordinator in 2009. During this time, he produced hundreds of segments documenting the activities of the Seminole Tribe of Florida as well as other Native American tribes around the country. Ryan also served as the primary Video Producer for the Seminole Hard Rock Tampa.
In 2015 his film, Florida State’s 1st Seminole, won the Audience Choice Award at the Gasparilla International Film Festival graduate student showcase. He has since directed two award winning films; The Ivory League: Confessions of a Black Faculty (2021) & Paper Line (2022).
Ryan continues to be invested in his native hometown of Baltimore, MD working as a freelance videographer/film director when he is on summer vacation from teaching.