From Behind the Lens to the Future of Media: The Dynamic Career of Joseph Swift

Selena Hill, an acclaimed multimedia professional, recently sat down with her dear friend and colleague, Joseph Swift, for an insightful conversation about his remarkable career. Joe Swift is an Emmy-nominated multimedia professional with a diverse skill set, encompassing photography, videography, graphic design, web design, and television production. He has worked with prominent organizations such as BET, the New York Mets’ City Field, New Balance Track and Field Center, and Nike’s Pro City Basketball. Joe earned his New York Emmy Award nomination in 2020 for his work as a director and cameraman with Queens Public Television. Beyond his work behind the scenes, he also hosts and produces “Tech Talk with Swift,” a virtual show that guides viewers through live streaming setups and the complexities of modern technology. Swift has also been instrumental in producing Hill’s “Over the Hill” podcast and served as the engineer for “Be Hard Talk” from 2020 to 2021.

The Genesis of a Multimedia Maestro

Swift’s journey into the world of media began with a pivotal gift: his first computer in 1998. This personal computer “opened up [his] mind” and allowed him to connect with people in different cities and states, which he described as a “real eye opener”. While initially failing computer classes in school, the arrival of his Packer Bell computer at home changed everything, sparking an interest that his mother foresaw as his future.

His foray into the entertainment industry took an interesting turn around 2005-2006 when he became a professional DJ. The inspiration struck at his sister’s 14th birthday party, where he was captivated by a DJ mixing reggae music. Despite initially only knowing he needed a mixer, a chance encounter with his barber led him to a seasoned DJ named Sean from Hurricane Movements. Sean, who had coincidentally been at his sister’s party, took Swift under his wing, teaching him the intricacies of DJing, from mixing to mic work. For the next 10 to 12 years, Swift honed his craft by accompanying Sean and his crew to parties, simultaneously building his own brand and delving into graphics and photography.

The Enduring Love for Photography

Among his many talents, Swift reveals that photography is what he loves the most. He cherishes it because it pushes him out of his comfort zone, compelling him to approach people he might not otherwise interact with. He refers to photography as “freezing time,” and likens collecting photos of notable figures to collecting baseball or basketball cards. This passion has led him to photograph a wide array of celebrities and athletes, including Jamie Foxx, Noah Lyles, Nas, Jay-Z, and Taraji P. Henson.

The most memorable individual he has photographed is Usain Bolt. This particular experience stood out due to Swift’s lifelong passion for track and field, and the symbolic connection of their last names: Bolt and Swift. Meeting Usain Bolt in New York nearly a decade ago, with Bolt shaking his hand, was a “real good moment” for Swift.

The Evolution of Our World Media

A significant part of Swift’s career is Our World Media, which he co-founded with his mother. The venture was inspired by the difficulty of securing a job in the media industry. His mother suggested they “create [him] a job” by starting their own magazine company, a notion Swift initially found amusing as neither of them were writers at that level.

Swift took on the challenge, creating a rough draft in Photoshop in 2013, later discovering Adobe InDesign for professional magazine layouts. He meticulously studied the layouts, text, colors, and subject placement in established magazines like Sports Illustrated, Essence, Ebony, and King Magazine. The initial digital version of the magazine amazed his mother and friends, who couldn’t believe he had produced such professional quality.

Our World Media began by featuring local politicians and prominent figures in the African-American community, with Senator Sanders of Queens and Jesse Jackson gracing the covers of their first two issues. These interviews helped establish their credibility.

However, they soon encountered a significant financial hurdle: the high cost of printing. Swift realized that selling a physical magazine for $5 to $10 was not financially sustainable when printing costs could be as high as $25 per copy, especially with companies requiring large print runs of 5,000 to 10,000 copies. This experience quickly taught him about the business aspects of advertising and marketing. Due to these financial constraints, Our World Media transitioned to being “strictly digital on the website” after only printing a small number of physical copies.

The platform further evolved into a podcast around 2020, coinciding with the rise of podcasts and the pandemic. This shift proved more successful, as people were more willing to engage in half-hour to hour-long interviews, and it reduced the need for hiring writers, making it simpler for Swift, whose strong point was video, not writing.

Our World Media’s expansion continued, becoming a local radio station around 2022, creating WGJS radio. This idea stemmed from his mother and godfather’s long-standing dream of creating an FM station, which Swift found too financially and legally complex. His research into internet radio revealed it to be a much easier and cheaper alternative, leading him to establish the digital station.

Challenges, Pride, and the Future of Media

Swift openly discusses the financial aspect as the most challenging part of his career journey. He notes his initial “lack of understanding of how this business works” compared to traditional income generation. Another significant challenge has been networking and being outgoing, as he is naturally more comfortable behind the scenes. However, he has found that securing work is far easier when people see his skills firsthand rather than through job applications.

Despite the hurdles, Swift’s greatest pride lies in his multi-talented nature. He values his ability to seamlessly transition between different media fields, such as photography, video, music, and animation, if one area isn’t working. This versatility, he believes, is his most significant asset, even more so than his Emmy nomination.

Looking back, Swift, who has been professionally in media for about 15 years, with his earliest engagement dating back to 2000, reflects on the dramatic changes in the media landscape. He recalls the era of dial-up internet, glitchy webcams for basic video conferencing, and encyclopedia CDs with grainy video clips. He remembers a high school video conferencing room costing over a million dollars, a stark contrast to today’s capabilities. The speed at which media production has accelerated is astounding, with tasks that once took years now achievable in days or even minutes.

The conversation then shifts to the profound impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Hill points out how platforms like Riverside now allow for high-quality video recording from a phone and automatically edit and extract clips, tasks that previously took hours of manual work. Swift views AI as both “amazing” and “horrible”.

The “bad part” of AI, according to Swift, includes:

  • Job elimination: He believes AI will lead to job losses, drawing parallels to industries like pay phones, TV repair, Blockbuster Video, and record stores that have largely disappeared due to technological advancements and streaming. While new jobs will emerge, he emphasizes the need to constantly look for “what’s next” to avoid stagnation.
  • Misuse and deception: AI’s ability to create realistic AI music, clone voices, and generate fabricated scenes means that “seeing is believing” is being phased out. Swift, with his editing background, highlights the danger of controlling narratives and creating false realities, making it “very dangerous” in the wrong hands.

From a societal perspective, Hill and Swift raise concerns about AI’s impact on the human psyche:

  • Dependence and cognitive decline: Over-reliance on AI for tasks like directions, writing (e.g., ChatGPT for cover letters), or even basic information (e.g., Google as a “god”) can lead to a decline in human cognitive skills like memorization and problem-solving.
  • Elimination of human interaction: The omnipresence of technology, from phones to AI assistants, reduces the need for interpersonal communication. Swift recalls a time when asking strangers for directions was normal. Hill notes that this lack of human connection, especially with people outside one’s immediate community, can lead to a decrease in empathy and an increase in societal silos.
  • Blurred lines of reality and relationships: The rise of AI social media influencers, who are not real people but garner large followings and income, and the trend of “AI girlfriends” or friends, where young people struggle to differentiate between real and AI interactions, are deeply concerning. While AI-generated content can evoke emotions, Swift questions if its “realness” will matter to future generations as much as it does to ours.

Despite these concerns, Swift acknowledges the beneficial aspect of AI as “another tool” that helps media professionals move forward, allowing projects to be completed much quicker, saving both time and money. He emphasizes that like any tool, AI can be used for good or bad, akin to a hammer building a house or causing harm. Swift envisions AI evolving into physical, Jetson-like robots that follow individuals, assisting them in all aspects of life, from cars to homes.

In conclusion, Swift advises that young people should immerse themselves in technology and AI, as knowing how to create AI is the “end thing” and like “gold mines” today. Selena Hill commends Joe Swift for his talent, foresight, and commitment to staying relevant in an ever-evolving industry.

You can follow Joe Swift on Instagram at:

  • @JSWiftPhotos
  • @TechTalkwithSwift
  • @WGJsRadioMedia
  • @JWSWiftSports