KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (TVC) — Sometimes the best ideas come together at the last minute.
For Noah Halford, assistant director of creative video at the University of Tennessee, a rushed project to unveil the football program’s “Dark Mode” uniforms in 2024 turned into a national award winner.
Halford said the creative team always tries to reveal new uniforms in a unique way. But when the concept involving a Venom-style theme was first proposed, he wasn’t convinced it could be completed in time.
“Our window was only about two to three days to make it,” Halford said. “I didn’t think we were going to be able to do it in that amount of time.”
Despite his doubts, Halford pushed forward with the project. He finished editing the video at about 3 a.m. on a Sunday morning. It was released just hours later, around 8 a.m.
Balancing the demanding schedule with family life was difficult, he said.
“Being a dad and being a husband, and also trying to be a great employee, was pretty hard during that moment,” Halford said. “But my boss, John, pushed me hard to get it done.”
The effort paid off. The video quickly gained attention and was later recognized with an Emmy in the Sports Promotion category at the 40th annual Midsouth Regional Emmy Award ceremony.
Tennessee Football’s Director of Social Media and Creative Strategy John Gargiulo embraced Halford after their project was recognized at the awards ceremony.
“It was one of those moments where you realize it was all worth it,” Halford said. “People across the country saw that video and thought we did something special.”
The recognition meant more than just a trophy, he added. It served as motivation for the creative team to continue raising the bar.
“It was a nice push for us to get better and keep it going,” Halford said. “Let’s keep the ball rolling.”
Looking back, Halford said it’s ironic that he initially resisted the idea.
“It’s funny that I didn’t want to make it,” he said. “I never thought I’d have something like this.”
For Halford, the experience reinforced why he loves the work he does.
“As long as you love what you do,” he said, “it doesn’t feel like a job.”
