We're Trippin'

We are two days away from getting on an airplane and flying to Florida to attend the 6th annual Student Television Network Convention.  It's the only convention of its kind devoted only to high school and middle school broadcasting students.  We've done this for 5 years now. Just to make sure no one is caught off guard, I'm here to tell you that this convention is a lot of hard work, both before we go and while we are there.

The first year we went, I couldn't believe how exhausted I was.  I needed a couple of days after the convention to recover.  It took several full days of packing before we left; labeling, checking, cleaning....the mics, firewire, the cameras, the lenses, tripods, wireless lavs, cables, cleaning cassettes, lens wipes, tapes, batteries for cameras, batteries for mics, etc. At the convention, I was the first one up and the last one to bed.  I hooked up our editing system (yes, we brought our own edit system that first year complete with monitors and vcrs) and missed countless breakout sessions that I wanted to go to because of equipment malfunctions or student meltdowns.

Students worked their tail off every second we were there.  Contests were hard and deadline oriented (no there's not extending deadlines here!) Students aren't allowed to even speak to their teachers during contest day or they face disqualification.   If there's a problem, students have to figure it out on their own.  Meanwhile, there is a lot of competition from students who are really good, so stakes are high!  If students weren't participating in a contest, they were attending a breakout session or they were getting their equipment ready or they were stuffing down a quick bite before opening ceremonies, or they were getting ready to load the buses for the dance, or a tour, etc.  There is NO DOWN TIME. 

Every year it has been the same.  This convention is the best learning experience these students can get in video production.  Stakes are high, time is short and excellence is the rule, not the exception. Your work is up for public scrutiny.  Nothing but the best work will fly here.  Its fierce competition and they love it!

And, as always is the case, students come back to the classroom energized and excited  and more than willing to share their experiences and new knowledge with the ones back home.  There is a different feeling in the air at Eagle TV for weeks afterwards.  I love that.  I love that my students get a real world experience.  I gave them the tools, here is where I sit back and watch them use those tools, hopefully.

I can't wait.  I don't care that we'll spend hours packing, checking, labeling and tirelessly going over rules and expectations.  I don't care that I'll be exhausted for the entire trip.   I don't care that we may not have the latest software or our batteries can't seem to hold a charge for very long.  I don't care that our tripods are old and one leg seems to not want to stay extended.  It doesn't matter because what is being judged here is not the equipment you use but what you do with that equipment.  Your knowledge and artistic expression. Your talent.  Your expertise and your creativity.  South Cobb BVP kids can do THAT.  We got that part down!!

So for those of you going, tell me what you want out of this trip.  What do you want to learn?  Do?  See?  Hear? as it relates to video production or this field.  

For those of you not going, what do you want us to bring back for you?  For Eagle TV? What do you want us to learn and tell you about?  How do you think it will benefit you and Eagle TV? How do you want Eagle TV to change as a result?

Because we're all in this together.  We're a team and what benefits one, benefits others.  We all have an investment in each others' excellence and fine work.  We are all part of something very special.  A special family that are making some pretty special memories whether we're in Austell or Orlando.  

Just let us get a little sleep after the trip before you start asking us questions.