Deer Run Media: University of Mississippi Talent for Hire

The Oxford Film Festival enthusiasts will remember these names: Jordan Berger, Houston Settle, Gavin Fields, and Daniel Russell. Their short film “Tube” won the first place award at the festival last year. Neither their recognition nor their work ended there though. They now offer their talents through Deer Run Media, a cinematic film production company.

Deer Run’s story begins at David Brainerd School in Chattanooga, Tenn., the town where the company currently resides. Jordan Berger and Houston Settle became friends there in high school. They began experimenting with videos. They then enrolled as Theater majors at University of Mississippi where they met Gavin Fields. Berger and Settle met Daniel Russell at the screening of their first short film: “The Ninth Floor” at the Powerhouse. Despite Russell not majoring in cinema his skill in music theory presented him a cinematic opportunity: film score composition.
The first film all four collaborated on is Current which won the screenwriting competition at the University of Mississippi in 2011 to 2012. The Theatre dept. rewarded them with funding. Still abounding with energy the four formed a collective, Cine Persona, with their professor, Alan Arriveé.
“The group considers Arriveé to be their most influential mentor as well as a close friend,” said Russell.
The collective then produced three projects: The List (a cinematic play), I.Q. Tester and The Surface. The Surface was an official selection for the European Independent Film Festival in Paris, France this past summer. Russell said the movie was well-received by the audience and judges but The Surface lost first place by one vote. All who knows the university campus in Oxford and watched the movie may recognize the Turner Center pool which they filmed the movie during sleeping hours.
The Surface has been shown at the Oxford Film Festival, the Louisville Film Festival and the Sun and Sand Film Festival as well as Orlando Film Festival on Oct. 24th to 25th.
“Submitting to festivals can be an expensive endeavor,” Russell said. “(B)ut more submissions increase the likelihood of being awarded or recognized.”
Here is a video of their narrative films, most of which were recognized by film festivals.

This past June the four university graduates relocated to Chattanooga where Berger and Settle met to form Deer Run Media, LLC. The creative company specializes in video production including videography, video editing, screenwriting, sound design, film scoring and graphic design. Deer Run also offers acting services. The company has done wedding videos to product advertising for larger companies. The goal is to build a company that will help their ultimate passion for film-making.
“Also,” Russell ribbed, “the four young men are extremely handsome.”
Jordan Berger is the creative director with love for all background to cinema: writing, shooting and directing and editing. Houston Settle is the art director who creates through acting, writing and editing and shooting and coming up with visual concepts. Gavin Fields is the conceptual director who also writes and acts as well as directing, shooting and editing. Daniel Russell is the music and sound director as well as “the handy man” for the company. Russell’s film score and other compositions can be heard here.
Their portfolio is expansive, including Ole Miss Athletics Dept. Micah Ginn, department’s creative director said in a testimonial: “I can’t say enough about the guys at Deer Run Media. Their talent is evident in their work, but their biggest strength in their creative energy. They’ve helped our productions receive national recognition through the quality and creativity of their work.” The team has experience with SEC documentation and promotion.

Their portfolio also includes music videos from Bella Machine to The Eisenhauer Band, documentaries, live events from concerts to weddings and advertisements from Brown Brothers LLC to CLC Tech Gear and Solar Bag, especially including L.B. Meat Market here in Oxford.
For more information contact Daniel Russell at 423-521-2508 and at contact@deerrunmedia.com.
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Callie Daniels is the staff reporter for HottyToddy.com. For comments, criticism and compliments she can be reached at callie.daniels@hottytoddy.com.