Andrew Tropeano ‘02 can be best described as a creative entrepreneur. The Flint Hill graduate stands as the co-founder of the thriving DC-based NWT Media Group and Scree Studios, which formally specializes in video production and advertising for notable organizations and government entities. However, his true work lies in storytelling, a love that has motivated him to take bold risks and mentor the next wave of video creators.
“Humanity is built on stories being passed down,” he says to me as we sit down at a table in his office. “This is the next evolution of storytelling with technology.” It’s hard to miss his eyes lighting up as he dives into the intricacies of video production, explaining his path from an American University graduate, sales and marketing intern, to creator of his own company with his brother in 2010 after graduating with an MBA from New York University. Like any good story, Andrew’s told it before. In fact, it was his recent visit to talk about videography and filmmaking in Mrs. Huber’s New Media Class at Flint Hill that inspired Damian Snell ‘25 to ask Andrew to be his mentor for his senior project.
“I thought he was a big inspiration and did things I would love to do in the future as well,” Damian says, recalling his first impression of Andrew. “During his presentation I loved everything about his work and his process.” After most of his classmates left the room, Damian hung around to speak with Andrew. “I just went ahead and took the step to go talk to him to see if he had an opening for my senior project. Next thing I know, I got an internship here.”
Andrew remembered what it was like to be a high school senior, and what it took to have the courage to get knowledge from an experienced professional. “I appreciated that,” he says with a grin. “There’s a really large network from the Flint Hill community. As you get older, you start to realize the importance of connections.”
There’s a really large network from the Flint Hill community. As you get older, you start to realize the importance of connections.
Andrew Tropeano ‘02
The instant chemistry between the two has only grown as they’ve worked together since May. Taking me through a tour of their studio set, consisting of a sprawling control panel, flashing lights, and more cameras than I can count, Damian explains what he’s enjoyed most about his senior project. “My favorite part is videotaping the behind the scenes of all of our recordings. I get to see things you don’t really get to see on the regular camera.”
That behind-the-scenes perspective is what first drew Andrew into video production. “The people who make these stories are the ones who are the most interesting,” he says, recalling a piece he did for Impossible Foods, a company focused on sustainable meat production that transformed the fast food industry. “There was a good story behind that. Letting them tell their story and finding the nuggets that make this cohesive arch are what I find the most fascinating and what people gravitate towards.”
Andrew’s enthusiasm for storytelling can be traced back to his own mentor, his father, who worked for 60 Minutes and CNN before starting his own news organization. “I was around it all the time, I always thought it was a possibility that I was going to do it,” he says, reflecting on the impact of his childhood on his career. “I started an advertising company, that turned into a television show, that turned into video production. As an entrepreneur, you just follow the path that makes the most sense, and excel in that path.”
Letting them tell their story and finding the nuggets that make this cohesive arch are what I find the most fascinating and what people gravitate towards.
Andrew Tropeano ‘02
Of course, the path hasn’t always been smooth. “Being an entrepreneur and starting your own business is kind of terrifying,” he admits. “When you start your own company you have to have an inherent amount of confidence in what you’re doing and the product you’re providing. I knew we could create and provide something that people need, want, and is different from others.
This mindset, along with extensive hands-on work, has allowed Andrew to develop the entrepreneurial and production expertise that he has instilled in his mentee. “As a videographer, the best thing you can do is to find ways to get experience, get on-set, do what Damian’s doing,” he says. “Get in the studio behind the camera and learn what your skill set is. It might not be videography, it might be a producer, it might be writing scripts. The industry always needs young people bringing new experiences.”
The rise of modern technology permanently transformed several fields, including video production, as many companies have recognized the need to engage in the evolving media landscape. Andrew sees both challenge and opportunity in that. “Everyone has a phone, everyone has a camera and thinks that they can be a videographer so it’s a shrinking profession and a growing industry.” Andrew says. “My hope was to add a skilled person to the mix to learn the ropes and have another contact to work with.
Damian, who will be attending Kenyon College next fall as a football player and marketing major, is already thinking ahead. “I’d love to be like Andrew” he says, gesturing to his mentor. “An entrepreneur owning his own business, working with video production.”
Andrew smiles at the same motivated attitude he recognizes in himself, and has convinced the mentor that Damian will serve as a valuable resource in the growing video production industry. “When you get to my age,” Andrew says, “the 18 year old you help out now could be someone you work with in the future.”
Damian’s access to professional experience is already opening doors for him, and will establish him as an innovative videographer in the years to come. “It’s a great step forward. Everything [Andrew’s] teaching me right now will help me in my future, wherever it takes me.”