On an otherwise quiet Cal State Monterey Bay (CSUMB) campus, multimedia student-run organization Otter Media has brought in what some say is much needed noise.
The student-run multi-media outlet has been a bastion of creativity with video productions, their radio station, SONAR, free media equipment services, live events and concerts.
“Our motto is for the students, by the students. That’s a core part of us because we’re students too,” said Jillian Hintz, live events manager and ethnic and gender studies major. “We just want to throw and do cool stuff and why would we keep that to ourselves?”
Hintz, along with SONAR manager Daniel Shiva and art director Charlotte Donk, represent new leadership for Otter Media. Echoing their motto, their aspirations for the organization’s future haven’t changed and continue to be solely rooted in student creativity and entertainment.
“For me, this is an outlet for creativity…a space for people to be creative and not have to worry about what they’re going to say or do,” said Donk.
The three have been working together on events since joining. At any Otter Media event, you’ll more than likely see Shiva helping set up audiovisuals, Donk leading the art booth and Hintz somehow controlling the chaos of running an event with relative ease and grace. For them, comradery means everything.
“This is so corny, but these are my favorite people on the planet. I love all of them individually and that’s what makes it good because we’re all so different but we come together,” said Hintz.
The trio has played a part in the majority of Otter Media campus events the past two years. Spring 2023 featured a punk show, one of their most notable events, which brought in over 200 people crammed into CSUMB’s Meeting House.
“I still meet people to this day who are like, ‘Otter Media threw that punk show right?’ I’ve [even] had transfer students come up to me.” said Hintz.
Success also comes from eventual mishaps. Last fall, their second annual Halloween-themed concert Monte Mash was interrupted by North Quad’s sprinkler system activating, spraying water on attendees along with thousands of dollars of Otter Media equipment. The incident resulted in the event being canceled and was a significant blow to the organization’s morale for the rest of the academic year.
According to Shiva, “It’s been hard to get back in the groove of things after [what happened].”
This year, they are looking ahead, putting the past behind them. They hope to start the year off strong with an open house at Divarty Quad on Sept. 27, which will feature local student musicians, art and general Otter Media information. Monte Mash will also make its third annual appearance in late October, hopefully, this time without a hitch.
“This semester, we are back,” Shiva said. “I want [Otter Media] to be something that people can come and do cool and creative, and fun and culture feeding things for everyone else.”
You can find Otter Media at Wave Hall, across the Otter Student Union in between the wings of freshman housing. While you’re there, management encourages everyone to get involved with them through their events and radio station SONAR. Through and through, being a vessel for student creativity is what they strive for and what they’ll continue to do for students long after.
“We’re trying to let the student body be creative and give them the necessary tools to have a creative outlet because it’s hard to be able to do stuff here,” Hintz said. “So come in and see what equipment we have that you can utilize to be creative. Come in and draw something in one of our sketchbooks, come in and tell us an idea for a concert.”