Dec 12, 2022
AUSTIN, TX – What immediately caught the judges’ attention in Cole Skelley’s National Rice Month Scholarship submission was that there appeared to be two of him. But despite how much time and effort Cole clearly put into writing, acting, and editing the grand-prize-winning video, he’s not an identical twin—he’s just one person with some cool camera tricks up his sleeve. By splicing together footage, Cole plays his own costar in a comedy of manners wherein two fancy gentlemen, pinkies raised, drink uncooked rice out of dainty teacups.
Cole hails from Bryant, Arkansas, just south of Little Rock, and in his video, “This is Basically Rice,” he tells the story of rice in his home state, from its humble beginnings in 1904 to the indispensable national industry it is today. Every scene transition utilizes a different technique to keep the viewer engaged and entertained while learning about rice history, nutrition, and economics.
So where does Cole get his ideas for these unique vignettes? According to him, it’s simply inspiration out of the blue.
“My mind that day was flowing with creative thoughts,” says Cole. “I can’t explain it. I would just go scene by scene trying to figure out how to use rice in the transitions. I was really just trying to do new things and have fun with it.”
Cole is largely a self-taught videographer who—like many teens these days—originally wanted to make video gaming content for platforms like YouTube and Twitch. He’s also benefitted from the mentorship of Billy Cannon, director of media at Geyer Springs First Baptist Church in Bryant, who Cole describes as a “tech whiz” and taught him some video editing. These skills served Cole well during his search for scholarships, and the NRM contest stood out to him immediately because, well, he loves rice.
“I don’t play any organized sports, but a few years ago I started working out and I loved it,” Cole says. “Before I did this project, I just knew rice as a good fuel for my workouts, and that I love to eat it. But I learned how impactful rice is throughout the entire world, how much of it is grown locally, and how much it profits the entire country.”
Cole’s mom, Laura Skelley, was a real MVP in this project, not only helping him sift through piles of potential scholarships to find the ones best suited to him, but also standing in as camerawoman while Cole (and his virtual body double) acted out the scenes. And perhaps most importantly, she also handmade the “I ♥ Rice” t-shirt featured prominently in the video.
Cole hopes to apply what he’s learned about film editing and media at Ouachita Baptist University’s excellent communications program next year, or possibly Arkansas Tech. In the meantime, he plans on doing some tough academic work while still having fun with his friends for the rest of senior year.
“I really just enjoy making content,” he says. “You guys enjoyed it, and that’s a win. But it’s also fun to educate people and make them laugh.”
At the 2022 USA Rice Outlook Conference annual Awards Luncheon last Thursday, Cole presented scholarship sponsor Chris Crutchfield, CEO of American Commodity Company, with his own “I ♥ Rice” t-shirt, making him a twin after all.