John M. Woody dedicated thirty years to James Madison University, where he served as a full professor of Media Studies until his retirement in 2015. Specializing in advanced video post-production, he built a reputation for combining creative storytelling with emerging technology in the classroom.
In 2001, Professor Woody was named an Apple Distinguished Educator(ADE), an honor awarded to a select group of innovative educators nationwide. The distinction recognized his leadership in integrating new technologies to enhance student learning and media production.
Over the course of his career, his productions earned 28 national awards from leading organizations, including the Broadcast Education Association, the National Broadcasting Society (AERho), the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Association of America (PMAA), and the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA).
In addition, Professor Woody developed the BEA Technology rooms that included training from Apple, Avid, and other software companies.
Following retirement, Woody turned his creative focus to mobile phone production and music photography. In 2023, he released the feature-length documentary A Year in the Pit, shot entirely on an iPhone and highlighting 40 established pit photographers. The film earned 12 festival placements, including the Paris Film Festival, New Creators Film Awards, SF3 - Smartphone Fest, London Lift-Off Film Festival, Culver City Film Festival, and the California Music Video & Film Awards.
Today, Woody’s newest passion is landscape photography, where he continues to explore visual storytelling through the lens of nature.
