From Heidelberg to PBS

TIFFIN – Heidelberg University can now say that it helped to make the first independent female producer from Northwest Ohio with a nationally distributed show on PBS. Haylie Robinson is a 2015 graduate of Heidelberg University from Clyde, and the PBS Independent producer of "Finding Festivals": a series that aims to unite communities through education and entertainment as Robinson travels throughout Ohio and Michigan, experiencing and sharing the story of many well-known festivals and events. The series is available to stream for free on www.pbs.org/show/finding-festivals/. Cultural Exploration Haylie Robinson is bringing a fresh perspective on local traditions with her series "Finding Festivals." With support from organizations like the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA), the series explores the heart of America's community traditions through vibrant celebrations. According to a press release, "Finding Festivals" transcends traditional travel shows by exploring the cultural depths of each event that it features. In an interview, Robinson said "We really try to figure out how these traditions are woven into the community," adding that she feels festivals are "often reflective" of who the community is. An excellent example of this, she said, would be the Cleveland Thyagaraja Festival, the largest classical Indian music festival outside of India. During her time in Cleveland, Robinson said that she had learned the city is home to over 120 different ethnicities, which she said very much makes Cleveland "an immigrant land of hope." Demand for such programming is at a high, according to a study done by UCLA according to the press release. Her Story Robinson has always had a passion for festivals, starting back in high school when she went on tour as a Festival Queen for her hometown with the Clyde Fair her senior year. In a recent interview, Robinson said "After touring Ohio for a year, I just kind of thought this would be a good travel show." She went on to note that though at first it was met with criticism, with people asking things like "Aren't all travel shows the same?" Twelve years later they are still here. However, Robinson's journey as a producer began with her media management studies at Heidelberg University. "I'm really grateful for the program because it was a blend of communication, media, and business", all three of which she utilizes today, Robinson said. When asked how she discovered the university, Robinson said "Really it was my mom", noting that the school's colors and show choir were the deciding factors. She also shared some of her favorite things about Tiffin, one of which was Bailiwicks Coffee Co., saying "I have to stop every time I'm in town." Some of her inspiration and role models include: Samantha Brown, a TV host, inspired by her over 20 year run in the industry as a woman; Mickela Mallozi, an independent PBS producer, for teaching her how to shape her audience engagement; Ray Miller, the director of content and creative services at WGTE, for helping to get the program going; and Zak Kolhoff, filmmaker, for collaborating with her in 2017 and helping to take "Finding Festivals" to the next level. For the first season of "Finding Festivals," she used Dead Shark Productions for her film crew, a brother duo based in Tiffin. Alex and Brady Doepker managed the sound and camera work on set. Alex is also a Heidelberg University alum, while Brady attended the University of Toledo. Unwavering Commitment When asked about challenges, Robinson said there are two main challenges: Being an independent producer and being a female independent producer. "As an independent producer, there are a lot of parties involved to make something like this happen," Robinson said. She noted that while yes, her gender has given her trouble within the industry, especially because of the lack of females in travel television, a majority of problems came from things like funding. Robinson left a final piece of advice for recent or soon-to-be grads, "Just say yes. Say yes to collaboration, say yes to learning, say yes to maybe looking like a fool the first time you try something; you have to be okay with not being perfect in order to get good at something."