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Gearing up to shoot the great outdoors
Red Arrow, a hunting show created by Chad Day '06, and Kip '04 and Kat Campbell '04, recently won the Sportsman Channel's Best Combination Show Award at the company's fifth annual awards ceremony in Orlando, Florida.

Red Arrow is produced by Shotfish Productions, a video production company formed in 2006 by Day and the Campbells. Red Arrow features Kip and Chad hunting large and small game with bow, rifle, and shotgun and began airing on the Sportsman Channel and WildTV (Canada) in June 2008. The show reaches 17.3 million homes in the U.S. and 11 million in Canada.

"Chad and I grew up in the woods," Kip explained. "We started hunting as children, learning from our fathers and grandfathers." "It's a family tradition for both of us, Chad said, "and there is nothing like the camaraderie you have with other hunters." Both say hunting experiences involve more than stalking and killing an animal. "When you're out hunting for eight or nine hours, you get to see a lot more of nature than the average person," Kip said. "We see things many people don't even know exist in the wilderness."

Kip had wanted to make hunting videos since he was in the ninth grade, but it wasn't until he came to Lynchburg College that he realized he could actually do it. He met Chad when the two of them played on the LC lacrosse team, and they immediately became friends and hunting buddies. Kip shared his interest in producing hunting videos with Chad, who caught the fever. "As we watched more and more hunting videos, we said to each other, ‘We can do this,'" Kip recalled.

High tech sportsmanship
When Kat entered the picture, Kip and Chad were already making big plans for their future business. Little did they know that she would be key to the success of their plans. An exercise physiology major, Kat had never hunted a day in her life, but she fell in love with the sport -- and with Kip -- after one outing. Now Kip's wife and the mother of Addison, Kat is as committed and enthusiastic about the venture as Kip and Chad. Kat does all of the public relations work for Shotfish and even films some of the shows, a skill she learned from her husband. "It's incredible to watch the two of them work," she said, "and amazing what they have already accomplished."

Kip and Chad are quick to acknowledge that Lynchburg College made the difference for them. "I can't give enough credit to the professors in communication studies," Kip said. "They supported us and allowed us the freedom to pursue our off-the-wall-ideas." Chad agrees. "Even now," he said, "Bill Noel [associate professor of communication studies] and Paul Spaulding [technology manager in Schewel Hall] help us when we run into problems and allow us to take advantage of their extensive know-how and the College's equipment. We couldn't have done any of this without them."

"Shooting" the shooter
Although multiple sponsors have contributed financially to the venture, all money received has gone back into building the business. The three say that individual financial rewards for their seventy-hour work weeks are yet to be fully realized, but they knew from the beginning that sacrifices would be necessary. "We love what we do," Kip said. "We've created this business from scratch, and now it's time to sink or swim." To keep the bills paid, Chad and Kip both have part-time jobs. "Kat works about sixteen jobs to keep us going, and we wouldn't be where we are if it weren't for her," Kip added.

All three share the same goal - to see the company grow and become financially successful. "The larger we grow, the easier it will get," Kip said. "I would like to see Shotfish grow to where we do three to four different shows and have a production crew. Then our main job can be hunting."

Check out Shotfish Productions at www.RedArrowTV.com