Wheaton teen picks up a camera for MTV's 'College Life'
Looking back, most people are probably glad cameras weren't filming their behavior in college.
For Wheaton native Jordan Ellerman, though, filming his college experience is a blast.
Ellerman is a cast member in "College Life" -- the latest reality show on MTV. The series premiere aired on Monday.
Like a number of previous MTV shows, "College Life" follows attractive young people as they navigate the dramas of everyday life: dating, friendship, work/school, growing up. The difference is that in "College Life," the subjects do all their own filming.
"The camera is sitting here in my room right now," Ellerman said with a laugh during a phone interview. "It's actually been pretty cool. It's like we get to decide what stories we want to tell."
The 19-year-old Ellerman, a graduate of Wheaton North High School, is a freshman at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. He's one of eight students, all of them freshman and sophomores, who are participating in the show.
Ellerman was recommended to the producers of the show by a friend of his in the dorm. He went in for a quick audition/interview, then got the job. The stars of "College Life" started filming their experiences at the beginning of the school year, and they'll continue through the day they pack up and go home for the summer.
"Generally, I film the positive stuff that goes on," he said. "When I get together with friends, when we all go out somewhere - anything that might set up an interesting story line."
Ellerman said he has shied away from filming his more stressed-out moments, adding that he hasn't received pressure from MTV to record more of that.
"They've pretty much left it up to us," he said.
Does he act differently than he otherwise would when the camera is rolling?
"I don't think so," he said. "If I feel really uncomfortable with something, I just won't film it."
Other students on campus have generally been open to appearing on film in the cast members' stories, Ellerman said. Since commercials for the show started airing, the campus has gotten pumped to see the show, he said.
Ellerman plans to study creative writing at Madison, but he's also interested in making films and documentaries. Being on "College Life" is the perfect experience for that career, he said.
"I'm happy I've gotten this experience. At the very least, it will be something cool to look back on."
New episodes of "College Life" air at 9:30 p.m. Mondays.