Edward Lewis



Projects by Edward Lewis

Journalism Story

From Small-Town Dreamer to Hollywood Success: Angelo Pizzo’s Journey

By Brady Owen, Phoebe Hyun, and Edward Lewis

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (Apr. 3, 2025)

As the lights in the theater slowly started to dim, so did the voices in the audience. All Angelo Pizzo could do was take deep breaths in order not to let his worries take over. The air in the theater was thick with anticipation. This was the moment he fought for, a test screening for the film he had poured his soul into. If the audience didn’t like it, well, that was it; it was over. His heart pounded, each beat louder than the last as he watched his film unfold on screen. His mind was restless as he thought about all the challenges he had faced up until this moment. As the end credits rolled and the lights slowly turned on, the entire theater erupted. For a full five minutes, all you could hear were cheers and claps, he had done it. The fight had been worth it. His dream had come true. 

Angelo Pizzo and colleague viewing hoosiers.
Angelo Pizzo and his colleague viewing Hoosiers.

It’s the kind of story you’d see in a classic movie: a small-town dreamer with big dreams fighting against all odds to make it in the industry. But for Angelo Pizzo, it wasn’t a movie, it was his life. From his small-town childhood to becoming the creator of arguably the most iconic sports films, Hoosiers and Rudy, Angelo’s journey is one of a dreamer who faced all his challenges head-on. His story is more than just about making movies – it’s about dealing with setback after setback and proving dreams are achieved through persistence, passion, and lessons learned from failure. 

Growing up in a small town, Angelo Pizzo never dared to dream of a career that was not “traditional.” It wasn’t until later in life that he found his true calling and was willing to jump into a world of unknowns. Angelo said, “I’ve always loved film, but I’ve never thought of making a living doing it.” He explained how for a good portion of his life, his plan was to work in politics. However, that plan took an unexpected turn after his involvement in the anti-war movement, which shifted his perspective entirely. Disillusioned with politics, he took a step back from the conventional path and decided to “ski a season in Aspen, surf a season in Hawaii, and live on a commune there.”

It was during this time of exploration and self-discovery that Angelo began to reconsider his future. After returning home, his father told him that he’d “support him no matter what, but [Angelo] had to pursue something he loved.” This moment of encouragement marked a turning point in Angelo’s life, propelling him toward a career in a field he never imagined — filmmaking.

Early Struggles

Like many success stories, Angelo’s journey was filled with setbacks. For years, he worked with companies like Warner Brothers and 21st Century Fox until he felt ready to go off and create something on his own. 

Initially, Angelo’s approach to filmmaking was more academic. After being told by the head of the comparative literature department that he needed a doctorate from one of three specific schools, he was motivated to do just that. After years of working toward that very goal, he ended up scoring an internship that was usually for production students, he soon began questioning his career choices once more. 

Collection of props and pictures from over the years.

After being told by one of the people he was fortunate enough to work with that he “doesn’t belong in academics, you’ve got to be in this business”, he was able to start gaining work experience in development, which led him to become vice president of production. 

During the early years in his career, Angelo faced many challenges, rejection and uncertainty being two of them. Yet, he didn’t let anything deter him. Instead, he used it as fuel to push himself forward.

The Importance of Persistence and Passion

For Angelo, the most important lesson in his career was learning to keep going, no matter the odds. He stressed how important determination is for anyone looking to make it in a competitive industry like filmmaking.

Angelo said, “The one thing I was told really early on was you’re going to face a lot of rejection. You’re going to get a series of nos and people discouraging you that you’re not going to make it. And if you allow other people to define what you’re capable of…then you’re finished”.

Despite the setbacks, he refused to let others define his potential became the foundation for his success. By embracing his failures and pushing forward, Angelo ultimately found his place in the industry, creating some of the most beloved and iconic films in sports history. His journey reminds us all that success isn’t about avoiding failure, but about having the grit to rise again and again, no matter how many times you’re knocked down.

A media and plaque earned by Angelo Pizzo for his work.

Behind the Scenes: Quinley’s Perspective

To truly understand what it’s like to work with Angelo, we spoke to Quinley Bowden, his stepdaughter, who had the chance to work with Angelo on his most recent project. Quinley, who has witnessed Angelo’s journey up close, shared her perspective on what it’s like to see him both at home and on set. “Well, I think that both on and off set he’s a different person… in real life he’s kind of nonchalant… he’s just a guy. But on set, he’s very locked in”.

When asked what Angelo’s previous work means to her, Quinley said,  “…these are really inspirational movies. I always feel really good after watching an Angelo Pizzo movie”. We also asked Quinley how working with Angelo on set had impacted her understanding of filmmaking and storytelling. She reflected thoughtfully, “I was involved… for a long time. I read the script months beforehand, seeing the way the movie morphed and changed throughout the whole process was really cool”.

Posters of Hoosiers and Rudy.

A Legacy of Hope

Today, Angelo Pizzo’s name is synonymous with inspiring stories of hope and perseverance. His films continue to resonate with audiences around the world, showing that the greatest victories often emerge from the greatest struggles. His journey serves as a powerful reminder to anyone chasing a dream — whether in film or any other field — that success doesn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of hard work, passion, and never giving up.

As Angelo reflects on his career, he connects the story of Rudy to the challenges many people face in their own lives. “Rudy seems to inspire people to do a couple of things,” he explains. “To go after their dream no matter how impossible it seems, and no matter how little support you have from your friends and family.” He adds, “Rudy never gave away the power to let others define not only who he was, but what he was capable of. And I think a lot of people are looking for that in their own lives.”

For those just starting out, Angelo Pizzo’s story proves that success in Hollywood—or in any field—isn’t reserved for the fortunate few. It’s for those who dare to dream and have the persistence to make those dreams a reality.

Angelo Pizzo on red carpet for film All-American.

Pizzo highlights important pieces of his film career and how he has reached the tip of the mountain from his humble beginnings

Public Relations Story

Apple CEO Tim Cook Reveals Apple’s Newest Product the Apple Watch

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts
Edward Lewis
Chloe LaVelle
Olivia Weiss

CUPERTINO, California (September 9, 2014)—Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the creation of the Apple Watch on Tuesday, September 9th, in Cupertino, California, where its digital crown’s abilities take the main stage.

Tim Cook’s confidence on stage is perceived positively by the audience as he receives applause through the announcement of the Apple Watch. Cook targets not only the functionality of the watch, but the sleek look it provides on a person’s wrist. Prior to Kevin Lynch’s introduction, Cook finished off by explaining how no detail was missed with this watch, there is fluid movement and access throughout the use of the watch. Vice President, Kevin Lynch, who is also wearing an Apple Watch like Tim Cook, is able to provide a detailed run-through of how the watch works. This announcement of the Apple Watch provides abundant information about its abilities and what makes this form of technology incredible.

The digital crown takes the prize for being the best functionality of the Apple watch. The crown is essential to the usage of the watch and movement. The digital crown includes infrared LEDs and photo dials. When you turn the dial of the digital crown, it zooms in and out of the screen, this way the screen is not blocked by the user’s fingers. The crown allows fluidity of getting in and out of apples, it enables precise adjustment, and pressing down on the crown returns you to the home screen.

An Apple Watch user scrolls through their texts using the digital crown.
Deshna Venkatachalam scrolls through her text messages on her Apple Watch using the digital crown. Apple created the digital crown to give the users of the Apple Watch a better overall experience than a touch screen.

The Apple Watch is said to be incredibly customizable, with it having the ability to reflect the user’s personal style. It has the ability to not only connect directly with the wearer but to other Apple Watch users as well. This happens from the communication aspect of the watch, with the digital touch aspect that provides an entirely new way to connect intimately with others. Kevin Lynch, the design chief, discusses different ways to interact. Examples of this can be, sending a quick sketch or sharing your own heartbeat. You can also get someone’s attention with a gentle tap, where he shows sending three taps to his friend, to go to lunch together.

The watch holds very personal technology, allowing users to add their style and taste to their watch. The watch faces can be customized just how the user would like. The appearance of the faces can be changed through different colors and functionality. One example of functionality, which Kevin Lynch explained to be his favorite, was the astronomy watch face. The astronomy watch face allows the user to look at the Earth, the phases of the moon, and even the entire solar system.

An Apple Watch user checks the time during her work shift.
Shannon checks the time on her Apple Watch using the extremely accurate time function during her shift at the Indiana Memorial Union. The time function on the Apple Watch is stated to be accurate by 50 milliseconds.

The display also has the ability to sense touch and force. Its navigation is fluid and allows very lightweight interaction from the user. There is access to a wide range of specific controls, one being built in Siri. The access to Siri allows access to whatever question you need answered with the simple touch of a button, like asking, what movies are playing near me? The user also has simple access to notifications, with a subtle buzz on the wrist and a simple raise of the wrist, the notification will come in. The notifications then come with quick replies, which are picked out for the best response, easy to tap on and send back. The display also provides the ability to see any collection of photos the user wants, like the favorites collection. Lastly, the display provides a fascinating interaction with directions. The watch provides feelings on the wrist that can tell the user which direction they need to go without having to look at the map.

Kevin Lynch finished his description of the watch, “We have been working with third-party developers to extend their apps onto the Apple Watch” he stated. He explains how connecting to other applications is what will take this app to the next level. The watch holds the app titled, “the watch kit,” which enables developers to create actionable notifications with those buttons.

Lynch provides many examples of this; American Airlines allows you can check into you’re flight with the touch of a button and Starwood Hotels lets you check into your hotel and unlock your hotel room with one wave from your watch.

Tim Cook finished off the announcement of the Apple Watch with his favorite feature, “Apple builds great products that enrich people’s lives, and arguably we can take that to a whole new level with the Apple Watch” he states. This leads to the health and fitness feature of the watch, which gives the user the ability to motivate people to be more active and healthy. There are two new applications to this, the fitness app, which monitors all fitness and activity, and the workout app, which allows you to set specific goals for specific workouts. The custom sensor can sense the user’s heart rate, and the tracker allows the user to see how far they have moved. These three aspects of movement are provided to push users to sit less and move more, along with delivering intelligent reminders to keep the user on track.

Apple is prepared to release the Apple Watch by early next year, 2015. The starting price of the watch is going to be $349. Apple is very confident in this product and believes that society is going to be very satisfied with it, “Apple watch is the most personal device Apple has ever created” Cook says. Apple believes that this watch is incredibly functional and also beautifully aesthetic, with the ability to empower its users.

Tim Cook introduces the Apple Watch by going through the top features. Cook explained the new digital crown and all of its capabilities.

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