Tram 17 has no intentions of putting the brakes on anytime soon. If you’re attuned to the buzz around campus, you’ve probably heard of Tram 17, the student-run production company that has been releasing several videos from recent DC concerts. AU School of Communication students, Jon Gaynes, Ari Jacobson, and Eli Susser are the three original members. They came up with the name Tram 17 after traveling on that particular tram to get to the Film Academy of Musical Arts (FAMU) in Prague during fall of 2011. Now, back at American University, the three guys are off to an amazing start filming live music events and showcasing behind-the-scenes footage of performers such as Steve Aoki, Big Gigantic, and Rusko, just to name a few. Since the beginning of the spring semester, the Tram 17 crew has been hard at work, attending concerts and musical appearances. They promote everything to the AU student community via Facebook and YouTube where viewers can watch the entrancing, high-energy videos from the events. We spoke with Jon Gaynes, a junior from Atlanta, about starting Tram 17.
HCAU: How did you get Tram 17 up and running?
JG: “Ari [Jacobson], Eli [Susser], and I all love anything to do with film and music, so we decided to start filiming concerts in D.C. after we got back from our semester in Prague. After reaching out through email, we filmed our first show and everything came together really quickly.”
HCAU: What makes Tram 17 special?
JG: The big idea is collaboration from people who have a passion for music and film. We want participation from anyone interested because students at AU are creative. There’s so much potential for what Tram 17 could turn into. It’s extremely exciting—there’s never a dull moment.
Although it’s only in the beginning stages, Tram 17 is something to keep a wethered eye on if you are up on the music or entertainment scene. There’s no limits to what the team can accomplish in the upcoming months. Stay tuned by checking out the Tram 17’s Facebook page viewing Tram 17’s latest videos on YouTube.