Brandon Schantz
Encyclopedia
Brandon Scott Schantz was a broadcaster
, sports director
and television producer
. He was, perhaps, best known as an on-camera host
for Movies.com
and for producing music videos for the rock band Rooney
. Schantz had previously become the youngest local news station
sports director in the history of the CBS
network.
in the East Bay
neighborhood of Danville, California
.
Schantz graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
with a bachelor's degree
in broadcast journalism
in 2002. He worked as a production intern
with KEYE-TV
, an Austin, Texas
, CBS
affiliate
from 2000 until 2002 while attending the University of Texas. Additionally, Schantz also interned within the sports department
at KXAN as an undergraduate.
at KGWN-TV
, a CBS
affiliate in Cheyenne, Wyoming
, upon his graduation from college. In doing so, Schantz, who was 22 years old when he was hired by KGWN, became the become the youngest local news station
sports director in the history of the CBS
network. He also appeared on camera at KGWN as a sports reporter and Sportscaster
.
Schantz departed KGWN in the mid-2000s and moved to Los Angeles
to pursue a career as a producer
and television host. He established a production company
at the age of 25, Brandon Schantz Productions and established a production headquarters with partners Kevin Dobski at Santa Monica Studios in Santa Monica, CA. Collectively Schantz produced projects, music videos and live television events in during 2006 and 2007, including a music video
for the Rooney
single, "I Should've Been After You", a Southern California
based rock band
. Brandon Schantz Productions BSP
specialized in music videos, television
, and short form digital web content..
Schantz was also hired as an on-camera host and producer for Movies.com, which was acquired by the Walt Disney Company.
in the Spring of 2007, and underwent surgery for the disease in October 2007. He continued to work on his production company and Movies.com while undergoing treatment. During this time, he made a brief appearance in the seventh episode of The Real World: Hollywood
, which was filmed in 2007, and aired June 25, 2008. Schantz, who was working as a host and producer for Movies.com at the time, gave internships to three Real World cast members, Kimberly Alexander, Nick Brown and Sarah Ralston, who sought to become on-air hosts. Schantz died on December 6, 2007, at the age of 27. His death, and Brown's reaction to it, was chronicled on-camera. He was survived by his parents, Sean and Kim Schantz, his siblings, Ryan and Kaylee, his grandparents and his fiancée, Christin Anderson.
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
, sports director
Sports Director
A sports director is an individual at a television or radio station who is in charge of the sports department. In local news, the sports director is typically the station's primary sportscaster, and often anchors the primetime newscasts on weekdays. They are in charge of sports programming and...
and television producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
. He was, perhaps, best known as an on-camera host
Presenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
for Movies.com
Movies.com
Movies.com is a website in the Fandango family, operated by Comcast. It was acquired from Disney in June 2008. It is the second-most visited movie-related website, second only to IMDb. The website has information about movies, upcoming movies, and theater information...
and for producing music videos for the rock band Rooney
Rooney (band)
Rooney is an American rock band from Los Angeles, currently self-produced and formerly signed to Geffen Records. The band is now composed of Robert Schwartzman , Louie Stephens , Taylor Locke , Ned Brower , and Brandon Schwartzel...
. Schantz had previously become the youngest local news station
Local news
In journalism, local news refers to news coverage of events in a local context which would not normally be of interest to those of other localities, or otherwise be of national or international scope.-Television:...
sports director in the history of the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
network.
Early life
Schantz was a native of San Francisco and graduated from San Ramon Valley High SchoolSan Ramon Valley High School
San Ramon Valley High School is a four-year public high school located in the East Bay neighborhood of Danville, California, USA. San Ramon Valley High School is one of the schools in the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. It is a National Blue Ribbon school from the Blue Ribbon Schools...
in the East Bay
East Bay (San Francisco Bay Area)
The East Bay is a commonly used, informal term for the lands on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay, in the San Francisco Bay Area, in California, United States...
neighborhood of Danville, California
Danville, California
The Town of Danville is located in the San Ramon Valley in Contra Costa County, California. It is one of the incorporated municipalities in California that uses "town" in its name instead of "city". The population was 42,039 in 2010. Danville is one of the wealthiest suburbs of Oakland and San...
.
Schantz graduated from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
with a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in broadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism
Broadcast journalism is the field of news and journals which are "broadcast", that is, published by electrical methods, instead of the older methods, such as printed newspapers and posters. Broadcast methods include radio , television , and, especially recently, the Internet generally...
in 2002. He worked as a production intern
Intern
Internship is a system of onthejob training for white-collar jobs, similar to an apprenticeship. Interns are usually college or university students, but they can also be high school students or post graduate adults seeking skills for a new career. They may also be as young as middle school or in...
with KEYE-TV
KEYE-TV
KEYE-TV, digital channel 43 , is the CBS affiliate in Austin, Texas. It is owned by the Four Points Media Group, LLC Sinclair Broadcasting Group has announced a purchase of the the Four Points stations, and has begun operating KEYE-TV through a local service agreement in anticipation of FCC...
, an Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate
Affiliate
An affiliate is a commercial entity with a relationship with a peer or a larger entity.- Corporate structure :A corporation may be referred to as an affiliate of another when it is related to it but not strictly controlled by it, as with a subsidiary relationship, or when it is desired to avoid...
from 2000 until 2002 while attending the University of Texas. Additionally, Schantz also interned within the sports department
Sports journalism
Sports journalism is a form of journalism that reports on sports topics and events.While the sports department within some newspapers has been mockingly called the toy department, because sports journalists do not concern themselves with the 'serious' topics covered by the news desk, sports...
at KXAN as an undergraduate.
Career
Schantz was hired as the Sports DirectorSports Director
A sports director is an individual at a television or radio station who is in charge of the sports department. In local news, the sports director is typically the station's primary sportscaster, and often anchors the primetime newscasts on weekdays. They are in charge of sports programming and...
at KGWN-TV
KGWN-TV
KGWN-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Cheyenne, Wyoming. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 30 from a transmitter in unincorporated Laramie County, west of Cheyenne, between I-80/US 30 and WYO 225. The station can also be seen on Bresnan Communications...
, a CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
affiliate in Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Cheyenne is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Wyoming and the county seat of Laramie County. It is the principal city of the Cheyenne, Wyoming, Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Laramie County. The population is 59,466 at the 2010 census. Cheyenne is the...
, upon his graduation from college. In doing so, Schantz, who was 22 years old when he was hired by KGWN, became the become the youngest local news station
Local news
In journalism, local news refers to news coverage of events in a local context which would not normally be of interest to those of other localities, or otherwise be of national or international scope.-Television:...
sports director in the history of the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
network. He also appeared on camera at KGWN as a sports reporter and Sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
.
Schantz departed KGWN in the mid-2000s and moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
to pursue a career as a producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
and television host. He established a production company
Production company
A production company provides the physical basis for works in the realms of the performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, and video.- Tasks and functions :...
at the age of 25, Brandon Schantz Productions and established a production headquarters with partners Kevin Dobski at Santa Monica Studios in Santa Monica, CA. Collectively Schantz produced projects, music videos and live television events in during 2006 and 2007, including a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the Rooney
Rooney (band)
Rooney is an American rock band from Los Angeles, currently self-produced and formerly signed to Geffen Records. The band is now composed of Robert Schwartzman , Louie Stephens , Taylor Locke , Ned Brower , and Brandon Schwartzel...
single, "I Should've Been After You", a Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
based rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
. Brandon Schantz Productions BSP
BSP
BSP is a three-letter abbreviation that may refer to:Computers and technology* Bell System Practices, technical documentation series published internally by the AT&T Bell System* Board support package, software needed to operate motherboards...
specialized in music videos, television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, and short form digital web content..
Schantz was also hired as an on-camera host and producer for Movies.com, which was acquired by the Walt Disney Company.
Death
Schantz was diagnosed with lymphomaLymphoma
Lymphoma is a cancer in the lymphatic cells of the immune system. Typically, lymphomas present as a solid tumor of lymphoid cells. Treatment might involve chemotherapy and in some cases radiotherapy and/or bone marrow transplantation, and can be curable depending on the histology, type, and stage...
in the Spring of 2007, and underwent surgery for the disease in October 2007. He continued to work on his production company and Movies.com while undergoing treatment. During this time, he made a brief appearance in the seventh episode of The Real World: Hollywood
The Real World: Hollywood
The Real World: Hollywood is the twentieth season of MTV's reality television series The Real World, which focuses on a group of diverse strangers living together for several months in a different city each season, as cameras document their lives and interpersonal relationships. It premiered on...
, which was filmed in 2007, and aired June 25, 2008. Schantz, who was working as a host and producer for Movies.com at the time, gave internships to three Real World cast members, Kimberly Alexander, Nick Brown and Sarah Ralston, who sought to become on-air hosts. Schantz died on December 6, 2007, at the age of 27. His death, and Brown's reaction to it, was chronicled on-camera. He was survived by his parents, Sean and Kim Schantz, his siblings, Ryan and Kaylee, his grandparents and his fiancée, Christin Anderson.