Some examples:
- Students now seem to understand the need for an external mic, but when some of them edited their story on Carey, the young girl who lost her mother to alcoholism, the audio was recorded on two channels and for whatever reason, they didn't notice this when they edited so no adjustments were made.
- I see more and more students putting their subjects next to a light source and/or using light to enhance their subjects. You can see this is the Ivy League vs. Traditional College story where students used the window as a primary light source for their interviews or as a really nice aesthetic element for b-roll of a student, yet the framing of the interviews didn't allow for enough nose room for their subjects.
- Students are using writing techniques like nat sound breaks and "parallel parking" in their stories yet still don't understand how to use the basics of b-roll to cover jump cuts or backtiming with their SOTS.
- And my personal favorite...I SEE a lot of tripods leaving the room, but I see more shaky video than ever, as if my students had been shooting during an earthquake. Note to students: a tripod is not a fashion accessory!
Eagle TV is in its 8th year. When we started in 2001, we were in a science room (room 524 in the Magnet building) without any equipment or books. For an entire semester, I taught video production using old college textbooks, videos and my experience. The room that is now our studio was used as a technology lab and there were no edit rooms, no carpet in the control room, no stairs to the control room, no shelves in the equipment room, and nothing but old drill presses and aerodynamic wind tunnels littered among ancient computers on modular tables sprinkled about the room.
Now, all my students and I have to do is look up in the front of the classroom to see a smattering of award certificates, look in our equipment room, hear former students talk about their favorite stories and experiences and sit in an edit room with state of the art Final Cut Pro workstations to know that we've come a long way in a short amount of time.
Many stories have marked the timeline along the way. The Six Flags documentary, the story for the S.E.T.S. program, the Hawks Press Pass Program, The Crazy Story, the beginning of our annual senior videos among other milestone accomplishments have all made their mark on Eagle TV.
I think that the bar is higher when students enter this beginning class than it was 8 years ago when they entered for the first time. Many students have paved the way for excellence and shown, by example, how it's done. Certainly much more is expected of my advanced class than ever before, but I've seen them rise to the challenge...as long as they don't forget the basics.
We can measure success in years, months, weeks or days. Eagle TV sure has improved in the last several years. I hope that my students are better now than they were 6 weeks ago when they stepped into this classroom in January. Will the students that I take to the STN convention be better journalists when they return 5 days later? I hope so.
There is a saying in this business that you must run fast just to keep up with the guy running next to you and that's no joke. If you want to be serious about this class, and certainly this business, you must always strive to get better, to learn more and to do more. Be better and more professional than the guy running next to you. Constant improvement. This is the proving ground...not after you graduate. How do you measure your success? Are you better now than you were 6 weeks ago? Are you a better editor? Shooter? Writer? What do you need to get better at? What did you learn today? Yesterday? Last month? What do you want to learn tomorrow? Do you have what it takes to be competitive in this class and in this field? What kind of experiences are you having in here? How will YOU make your mark on Eagle TV?
You must do your best work. Every time.
I haven't been in Video broadcasting that long, but from what I have learned after finishing my first package is that there is a lot of work you must put in the package to get good results. I made many mistakes and learned a lot from them. I also learned new techniques and methods of doing things that will help me do things easier in my next package. I have taken my first step as an editor, which to me is success beccause i can now say that I got something out of being in this class so far. By the end of this semester, I want to be able to say I have the work ethic of a level 3 or 4 student, and possibly have a part in broadcasting an Eagle TV episode. (Are they called episodes?)
ReplyDeleteBTW: 1st Post!
I am in level 4 of video production and i have learned so much from being in this class. I am finally able to answer the most important question when growing up, "What am i going to be when i grow up?"
ReplyDeleteI am noticing the lack of drive in the students that are the class now. I know when i first joined the class the only reason i joined was to be able to walk around the halls and not do anything for a class period. Man did what i got myself into was the complete opposite but i am so grateful for it. But i say that because i still think alot of students still feel that way and didnt fall in love with the class and the program like i did and i know some other students did. They dont care what happens with the program next. its just a another elective to them.
Back to your blog. we need to go back to the basics and remind how to do the simple things like check audio. framing a shot. good and bad broll. why we white balance. the simple things will better our program.
Well im a vet in bvp this is my fourth technically but im actually like bvp 6 with the amount of time ive helped out and bettered myself through it. But as it is always said there is more to learn no matter where u r in life the learning never stops. I dont really have one thing that i want to b better then the rest of at in bvp. i never just to b known as a writer or a photographer, i want to be very balanced in all the fields so that i can handle any and everything that is thrown at me. So i believe i would like to for sure just take time to improve on my flaws in all areas and learn new tricks in them as well.
ReplyDeleteTheres a lot of work that i'm now noticing that has to be down in broadcasting. Like the Carey story. I had to keep running back and fort in homeroom just because of the sound. I see now that little details like sound (which isn't even little) matter. We all need to check and re-check everything were doing before you say its all ready to go and be put on the air!
ReplyDeleteOkay so this is going to be my second time blogging on this one blog beacause i see that i didnt show up...or wasnt approved i dont know which one but im going to make sure my grade get in....
ReplyDeleteI say that because what i said was very important there are many people talking about the Carey story and how bad this and that was about it. The first thing i have to say in that the sound did work on final cut pro. And we dont log the tapes so it is not our responsiblity to make sure that the sound was trasfered over to put on the show. I was extremely up set on how it looked on air and it disrespected Carey terribly there she is explaining her mothers death and the she could not even be heard.
So we as a class need to work together to make sure that all elements of our show goes as good as possible. That means everybody needs to put in work it doesnt matter if you have enough outside projects to go around for everybody. everyone should be treated equally regardless of their rank in the class.
hola
ReplyDeletewell i think there is alot of work that can be done while were in here. Although i might not be here on busy days i still know that there's work to be done and i think we accomplish it with alil more effort. So basically i agree with da girl above me
I think there is alot of work for us to get done in here. I have alot a different experiences by doing t.v broadcasting work in here like: learing new and all kinds of different stuff by doing stories and packages and by doing story ideas every other weds. I dont really know how i will make a mark on Eagle T.V.
ReplyDeleteProgress in the news and film industry is what have you done while your in that field. Eagle TV has done a lot. the emmys on the wall says a lot. and the other accomplishments and awards are what tell if a program has mad any progress in its field.
ReplyDeleteThere's a saying that some people say and it sometimes makes sense but in this case it is the exact opposite of what we need to do. The saying is "don't sweat the small stuff." In this class we absolutely have to "sweat the small stuff" the "small stuff" is the foundation of what we do in here. We need to perform the simple functions or basics before we proceed with our work. I think of it as a house. Without the foundation it will not stand. So as a program we need to improve on our approach to how we do things and if we do the simple things or "sweat the small stuff" the program will improve greatly.
ReplyDeleteWhile in video production I try my best to do what it takes to be a professional journalist. Everything from writing a script, to editing, to shooting I want to do the best that I can. I believe that I can do a better job at editing. There is so much to learn in final cut, it's crazy. Everyday I learn something new from one of my classmates when it comes to editing. I don't think the class should be so much about competing, but rather being creative in what you do, while exceling at it. I believe with my abilities that I would be able to succeed in a film and video field. My experiences in here differentiate. I experience hard work, slacking, bad attitudes, positive attitudes, determination, prejudices, and creativity. On eagle tv I want to contribute all that I can, but everyone knows that tape operating and audio are my thing, but I am willing to learn new things.
ReplyDeletei think your success shouldnt be measured because like you said we can always do better. U should be better after 6 weeks in every subject because learn more and new techniques with the equipment each time you use it. I need to improve on getting better story ideas. Today i learned don't rely on tye lol, but yesterday i learned to use better lighting techniques. Last month i learned a new skill with editing. tomorrow i want to learn how to pick better story ideas. i think we all have what it takes to be in a competitive class or we wouldnt be here. i am having fun experiences in this class. my mark on eagle tv is to have the best packages
ReplyDeletedat one up dere is malik's dat say mrs watson i messed up
ReplyDeleteI always strive to do my best because i feel that there is no point in doing something unless you are going to do it to the best of your ability i think that if you constantly do your best all you can do is get better and thats how i plan to progress
ReplyDeleteI think I am better than I was 6 weeks ago... Because 6 weeks ago I didnt know ANYTHING! Now with the help of my team member Candice shes helped me learn how to edit & a lot of other things. But I still need a little more practice. I also I think I have what it takes to be competitive in this class if I work hard & put my mind to it. And overall Ive had some good experiences is this class [:
ReplyDeleteThe way i measure my progress in this class is in how well i can do the different jobs that come with putting together a package. When most people see a story whether its only eagle tv, or on headline news, all they see is the reporter, even though there are so many other people who have very large jobs in putting together a package. I started out only being able to write scipts, but now i can edit, produce, and am learning how to be a better photographer.
ReplyDeleteI think you measure your success by comparing your work to the last project you did. for instance if i did a story on carey and then i did a story on josh and carey was better than josh i know i am improving and what i need to improve on. i this is my 4th time in bvp and there still stuff that i need to improve on. like writing(i am a horrible writer) but i think i improved like 2% on my writing skills in the last 6 weeks. I think i have what it takes to be in this field because i may seem soft and passive on the outside but on the inside i am someone who will ATTACK when threatened. also if you want to make it you have to depend on nobody but yourself. I dont think im going to know what mark i make util i leave eagle tv.
ReplyDeleteThrough out my time spent in BVP I have learned so much. My skills have flourished but the possibilities and opportunities for learning in this class are endless. I feel as though, for me personally, learning has come to a standstill. Putting together a package has become so routine. The basic skills acquired in level one and two are sometimes taken lightly. However these are elements that can make or break a package. I have browse through videos on school tube and have notice that there is a lot more to be learned. Yes Eagle TV has done great things but there is always room for growth (for everyone!). I look at these videos from other schools and wonder, "how did they do that". And this is where I and most of my classmates have gone wrong. We need to challenge ourselves, stop wondering and find out.
ReplyDeleteAll though we are given the same tools and fair opportunities (sometimes), success in this class is not measured the same for everyone. You measure your success by comparing what you contributed in one package to the next. If you do only what you have already succeeded at, to me that is not success. For those who have fallen in love with the class, we can not make others feel the same but we can do what we can to encourage them to represent Eagle TV in a positive manner and leave are mark while doing so.