NOTE: Scott Edwards will be moderating a special event at the Bruin Collaborative in UCLA Downtown on Thursday, Nov. 20. From Buzz to Binge: How Creative Teams Build Assets that Drive Demand will gather executives from Fox Sports, Tubi Media Group, Fox Entertainment, and The TDC Agency to reveal the secrets behind some of the most talked-about and successful campaigns in entertainment and sports. The panel discussion will be followed by a networking reception.

Scott Edwards was cutting sizzle reels well before he ever thought about doing it professionally.

When he was young, he had a reputation as the guy who knew all the freshest music acts. Edwards loved to make mixtapes for classmates, and would painstakingly take pieces of songs, play them on a record player, and then record his favorite parts on a Sanyo cassette deck with “a very sensitive start and stop button.” But his patience paid off, as classmates were wowed by the hype montage before the full-length tracks began.

Edwards brings that same enthusiasm and commitment to UCLA Extension, where he teaches Marketing Entertainment: Strategies for the Global Marketplace. His goal is to live up to the example given to him by the many great educators who helped him along the way.

“Many of my memorable instructors were super enthusiastic about the subject. When they talked about it to you – whether animated or not – they were engaging because they gave a damn,” he said. “My favorite instructors genuinely had a passion for what they were doing and cared deeply about the topic. They cared about the grander outcome – that these individuals coming through their classes leave with skillsets and tools that they could use and leverage to build a better life.”

In his first job after college, Edwards took his love of music to Hoosier Hot 96.3, where he started as a member of the sales team selling radio advertising. While his sales lagged, he immensely enjoyed the second half of the job – cutting the actual radio commercials.

“I quickly discovered, as did my peers, selling was not my passion. I loved the music and content, but not the actual selling of airtime,” he said. “I wasn’t doing a great job of selling, but my ad spots were kicking butt. I realized then I needed to be on the creative side of the fence.”

Edwards also had an affinity for movies and especially movie trailers. He was emboldened by his creative success at the radio station and decided to go to graduate film school at ArtCenter College of Design. He finished with good editor’s and director’s reels that could help him land his next gigs.

Edwards landed a job as a movie trailer editor at a small agency, gained more experience, which led to bigger roles that were more about managing entire projects. He had what he calls “a one-year tour of duty” at New Line Cinema but decided he liked the culture of agencies better. After three years as a creative director at a formidable agency, he was offered a spot at Fox Broadcasting Company, where he has remained for coming up on 12 years.

“I just love movies, television and the creative advertising around it all,” he said. “During my time here the job I have now is very different than the job I took.”

The marketing profession is always evolving, and people noticed Edwards was adept at adapting, and perhaps had the perfect disposition to teach. During the 2010s, he side-hustled as an adjunct instructor at two other creative arts institutions. And eventually he was introduced to UCLA Extension, where he has taught since 2020.

“My mom was a teacher. I’ve always had it in the back of my mind what a great thing to do and a great way to spend your time,” Edwards said. “It’s an exciting opportunity to explore ideas with people who have open minds and learning mindsets.”

Edwards tries to be an instructor with an adaptive mindset, who is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and up-to-date on current trends.

“You can’t possibly know everything – maybe you know 50%. The other half is out there, and maybe your students have some of that, and together you make the whole grander,” Edwards said.

Edward challenges his students with real-world, specific, scenarios. For example: What would you do if you oversaw Patrick Dempsey’s big return to television as hitman protagonist?

“I’ve tried to mindfully pull in these threads I see from the real workplace – these crazy marketing scenarios and challenges,” he said. “My objective is to have our students be more confident if I handed them a property and asked them to bring this to market.”

His course deals with trailers and key art, social media, influencers, brand placement, brand integration, public relations vs. paid media – digging into what makes creative assets resonate. And all throughout the goal is to create a collaborative and growth-oriented environment, one that echoes Edwards’ favorite classrooms that shaped his own path.

“It’s very fulfilling and I love it,” he said.