From the small screen to a national stage

Emmy Beck-Aden

Emmy Beck-Aden recalls that her dad’s camcorder was a fixture at every event, trip, or holiday during her childhood, always capturing their family’s special memories: “From Christmas cookie decorating to going on a ride at Disney World, I always remember smiling and waving at that small, handheld camera. I quickly became intrigued at how a short video could convey so much and how our family videos effectively shared our story simply through visuals.” 

As a 14-year 4-H’er from Athens County, Ohio, Beck- Aden participated in an array of projects, but her burgeoning film career began when she discovered FilmFest 4-H, the National 4-H Film Festival. “In 2015, I was a high school freshman and more than a bit nervous to create a documentary, fly to St. Louis, and share my work with a national audience,” she said. 

“I started making videos as a fun thing to do with friends during sleepovers, and before FilmFest 4-H, my parents and Girl Scouts troop had been the only ones to watch my videos on a small screen,” she said. However, upon arriving in Missouri, she discovered a welcoming 4-H environment that provided amazing moments for learning and a safe, positive place for viewing her work—this time on a larger screen and a national stage. 

“I will never forget talking about my choices during the filmmaker Q&A after my very first film was screened, or how much I valued meeting professional filmmakers and other 4-H’ers passionate about filmmaking,” she said. Beck-Aden went on to submit her work to FilmFest 4-H for the next four years and had the opportunity to meet more filmmakers from across the nation, learn from talented industry professionals, and showcase her documentary and promotional videos. 

“My films ranged from documentaries about the Ohio 4-H PetPALS program and food insecurity to promotional videos about 4-H events across the state,” said Beck-Aden. Over those four years, she was honored to receive multiple top awards, including the National Leadership Award for Youth- Produced Media. 

FilmFest 4-H was the catalyst for her professional career. The workshops, sessions, and networking experiences at FilmFest 4-H helped her understand that media production could be more than a hobby; it could be her future career. 

Beck-Aden graduated from High Point University in 2022 with a degree in media production and entrepreneurship. As a student, she held leadership positions with several student-run broadcasts at the university, served as communications director for a North Carolina senate campaign, and worked as a video streaming coordinator with NBC Sports during the 2022 Winter Olympics. 

After graduation, she began working with NBCUniversal as an East Coast page. During this year-long rotational program, she collaborated with teams on CNBC’s Fast Money and Halftime Report, Saturday Night Live, NBC New York, and multiplatform marketing. In 2023, she signed a contract to continue working with NBCUniversal as a production coodinator for CNBC’s Mad Money with Jim Cramer.