By: Hannah Iverson, March 16, 2021
As a child, Preston Fisher always loved a good story. Now, years later as a junior at Olivet Nazarene University he is learning to tell stories through film. The driving force of his work now and going forward – connecting with people.
Finding His Passion
Coming from the small tight knit farm town of Catlin, Ill., the emphasis for involvement was placed on participation in sports. After spending time trying his hand at the athlete lifestyle, Preston knew that his passions were elsewhere.
“My family always encouraged me to be creative whether it was in the games that I played or the stories I told, and while it took me a while to be okay with not playing sports, I knew I was meant to do something else,” he said.
While his creative journey in high school began with writing and producing his own music, Preston distinctly remembers a key inspiration for his future career: his dad.
“Every week, on Saturday, my dad would introduce me to one of the movies he grew up watching,” he continued. “When we would finish watching a movie, I remember going through all the behind the scenes to see how they would shoot each movie and why directors made the decisions they did for certain scenes. I was hooked.”
Preston’s long-time love of storytelling now had a new purpose. He wants to use it to make a difference.
“Telling a story and being able to affect people with that story is the most important thing that we as film makers and we as content creators can do. It’s about really trying to speak to the person and meet them where they’re at, even if it just impacts that one individual. That’s what matters to me”
Preston Fisher, Olivet Junior
Faith Film and Finding Community
As Preston’s dreams and passions for film grew, the time came to choose the university that would help him build his foundation and launch his career. While he was hesitant to visit Olivet Nazarene University at first and follow in the footsteps of his family, the moment he stepped onto campus he knew this was where he belonged.
“There is a community that you can sense immediately when you walk onto campus and it’s so different from any other university,” he says. “As someone who has always placed a value on faith and family, Olivet was a perfect choice.”
As a student, Preston did not hesitate to get involved in life on campus. Aside from picking up on new knowledge and appreciation for the film industry, Preston has been able to serve as a men’s Resident Assistant and a class representative for the Associated Student Council. He has even been able to use his musical talents as an active member of the worship team for the Upper Room, a student ministry on campus, and at Cornerstone Church.
Through his faith-filled and community-based involvement here on campus, Preston’s desire to tell impactful stories has only grown stronger. While other people attribute their successes and inspiration for their work to a single mentor or person, Preston credits the day to day people in his life.
“I am continuously inspired by the people around me especially when it comes to the content that I create,” Preston said. “My friends and my community are always so quick to encourage me to be at my best.”
While Preston is inspired by those around him, his friends are in turn inspired by the person he is.
Landon Labaw, a childhood best friend and fellow student at Olivet said, “Preston has always been a person who has genuinely cared about those around him. He always shows kindness and respect to others easily, even when it’s difficult.”
Planning For the Future
Going forward, Preston hopes to take all of the things he has learned at Olivet both in his interactions with others and from the lessons in the classroom to apply them to a job as a director someday.
“As long as I can tell stories that matter, I will count it as a win,” Preston said.
For more information about Life at Olivet or the Film Studies Program at within ONU’s Department of Communication, contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@olivet.edu
