A quiet confidence exudes from Benjamin Rodriguez as he offers his thoughts during a planning meeting for Richmond's latest video series. Passionate about storytelling and the creative process, Benjamin is the newest member of the Workforce Development team as the Audio/Visual Specialist. When asked what inspired him to work at Richmond, he says, "Here, I can do what I love while helping out a community."
An average week for this recent NYU graduate consists of planning video and training projects alongside colleagues, as well as filming, editing and finalizing video content. The enthusiasm he has for his craft is palpable as he relishes the amount of creativity required to complete each project. "I'm especially excited to share some of the longer, more detailed trainings we've made," he says, "At the moment, I am working on demo reels...which will help us bring in other companies who are looking to use our services."
Working at Richmond does have its lighthearted moments, too. When asked about bloopers during filming, Benjamin recalls his first day of recording where he forgot to plug the microphone into the camera. "I only had the receiver attached to the camera and turned on, but not plugged in. We ended up shooting the entire day with the regular camera audio and not the microphone audio," he recalls with a wry laugh.
Whether in get-down-work mode or enjoying the more humorous moments, Benjamin says he appreciates his colleagues at Richmond and finds it to be a friendly and welcoming environment. "Everyone is working for the same purpose, to enhance the lives of others. It creates a very warm community where everyone is willing to help each other out," he says.
Outside of work Benjamin enjoys soccer. Not just any casual fan, he engages with the sport by both watching his favorite teams and as an active player. He credits soccer player, Lionel Messi, as his role model, "The greatest of all time, in my opinion." He describes how he admires Lionel's determination and grit and how it helped the sportsman overcome adversities, ultimately allowing him to accomplish his goals. "I hope to do the same in my life," Benjamin says. When asked what gives him a sense of purpose, Benjamin notes "Being really in tune with the world and myself," as of utmost importance. "Traveling and down time make me feel like everything I'm doing is for a reason. It helps keep me moving forward."
As he begins his career, Benjamin is looking to support himself financially while he grows professionally. But, most importantly, he adds, "...is to be able to continue doing what I love to do, which is create."