Getting Basic in Basic Television Production Class

 

We've hit the ground running in Basic Television Production. In just our third class... It's lights, camera, action! 

Click here to listen to this post. 

I call this project "Me in 30 Seconds." 

One by one students go in front of the camera and talk about themselves...giving their names, hometowns, interests, hobbies and aspirations. And also maybe what they like best about going to SC State. 

This is Nia Smith speaking in our classroom in Turner Hall. 

Then we see Jalon Kimbrough in a second setup in the hallway. That's Chantelle Simpkins holding the boom microphone. 

During our second class, I instructed the students in how to set up and operate our professional-grade Panasonic video cameras. 

This is Joshua Shaw talking about his interests that include being a running back on SC State's football team. 

The students also learned how to adjust the camera's settings when using a plug-in microphone versus the built-in mic. 

Faith Davis speaks on camera in this shot. 

The students are also shown how to properly set up a tripod to ensure the recordings are nice and steady and not shaky. 

Stand-up lights give the video a more polished and professional look. 

The students' videos needed to be 30 seconds within a few seconds, so that required practice and multiple takes for some of them. 

I feel this is a really good early assignment in being in front of the camera and behind it as well. 

Plus we all learned more about each other, such as how during the summer Bulldog softball player Taylor Ames-Alexander (seen here) won a homerun contest at a minority softball prospect event!

Here's a still from Taylor's short video.