SC State "Bulldog Walk" Fashion Show

My TV Production/Editing students here at South Carolina State University produced quite an entertaining fashion show in class today.

Mufasa Shaw and Kyre Cox were the hosts, with Alexis Rabb in the control doing a smooth, professional job setting up everything and executing the production to perfection.

Alexis ran the production by way of the NewTek Tricaster "studio in a box" unit we have.

Thanks to all of the models for participating in the "Bulldog Walk" fall fashion show. Thanks also to the rest of the production staff today: Ericka Moore, Terrance Hamlet, Lynn McGrier and Devante Williams.

Stephen and Craishaud's Entertainment Chat!

Today, my Television Production and Editing students did another "live" program in the TV studio. Stephen Wells and Craishaud Foulks hosted (click here!) "SC State Sound and Sight", an 8 minute discussion of current and past favorite movies and music and performers.

Kiiyah Skywalker Invades Crawford Communications!

It's a bird, it's a plane...it's a Skywalker!?

Thanks to communications student (and SC State cheerleader) Kiiyah Stokes for demonstrating her cutting-edge transportation device. She let several students try it outside. Fun for all, and no one get hurt either!

Check out this Skywalker music video I found on YouTube.

It looks like Skywalkers and similar boards range in price from $200-$300- so you have better been really nice to get this expensive gift!

SC State Sports Talk with Devante Williams and Javonte Neal

This is a second TV production interview we shot and recorded in the SC State Communication Program's studio on the second floor of the former Crawford Engineering Building.

Christian Manning jumped at the chance to direct this sports talk segment with classmates Devante Williams and Javonte Neal. Everyone did a great job, including the students operating the studio cameras and the ones in the control room assigned different tasks.

This week the class, divided into three groups of five students, will begin to organize their own studio interview productions. What a great facility we have for such excellent hands-on learning!

Here are some photos I took during the production:

Video Interview: Kyre Cox- Student/Soldier

In my Basic Television Production (BC 320) course a few weeks ago, we did our first production in the Communication Program's fine television studio. Students operated the three cameras, another was the floor director, and several others were with me in the adjacent control room.

On set was Christian Manning and the classmate he interviewed, Kyre Cox. In October Kyre's National Guard unit was called up to help with the flooding disaster that swept South Carolina earlier in the month. Kyre spent two weeks collecting debris and helping homeowners dealing with the unprecedented- in its scope and destructiveness- natural disaster.

For this first production, I set up the control room's  NewTek Tricaster "studio production in a box" unit. Students observed and were later given step-by-step instructions and one of them, Christian Manning, would be at the helm for the next studio interview.

This first production has plenty of glitches! I was a bit rusty on running the board, doing the switching and directing. Lots more hands-on experience in the weeks ahead for the students- and I.

"Green Screen at S.C. State" Prezi Presentation

SCSU's colors are red and white but today in Columbia the school color was green as S.C. State senior communications major Kris Bennett and I gave a Prezi presentation at South Carolina Educational Television to members of the South Carolina Media Educators Association.

I gave an overview on the Communication Program's television studio. Three of the studio's four walls are painted bright green to allow for chroma key, which is a special effects/post-production technology for layering or compositing color hues. Think local TV weather reports in front of a big map- the meteorologist is standing in front of a green screen.

I also highlighted some of my classroom green screen projects and students who come to the studio to shoot against the green walls for various school, club and other projects.

Kris spoke about the "Bulldog Bite" YouTube show she produces on campus for her fellow SC State students.

At SCETV in Columbia with senior Kris Bennett

Here is the Prezi I put together for our presentation to the S.C. Media Educators Association.

Lighting- It's Essential to Quality Video Production!

In my television production class we are getting into lighting. Proper lighting must be achieved or your video is going to look shabby and unprofessional. We are fortunate at South Carolina State University to have a wide array of studio and field lighting gear, including some Smith Victor KT1500U lighting kits like the one below.

Communications senior Jasmine Dodd checks out a field lighting set up

Students will be doing an exercise in three point lighting. They will post photos of themselves and classmates in various lighting arrangements. Three point lighting is a professional configuration commonly used by both photographers and videographers.

SC State student Khadijah Johnson used our TV studio for a project having to do with her hair fashion business.

Khadijah Johnson backlight! 

Tweaking the light locations and brightness levels can help achieve desired effects. In this case, her hair is highlighted by some backlighting. 

I'll try to get a nice smile out of Khadijah next time! 

Action Sequence Video

In my Television Production and Editing course textbook, Chapter 4 is titled "Shooting Video in the Field." The video assignment I gave the students is one of the options in the chapter, which is to "shoot a simple sequence in which you edit action in the camera. Shoot only those scenes you want to use on the air, in the order you want them to appear, with action as closely matched as possible."

With the help of S.C. State communications major Lynn McGrier, we produced this video. The simple concept is to shoot Lynn going in and out of shots, as she leaves a classroom and makes her way out of the building.

A little bit of editing was necessary to make the clips and sequences tighter. I also added title and end pages and found a piece of music on my favorite royalty free music website to accompany the action. Fun little Friday class exercise for the students and I! 

SC State's TV Studio Comes To Light!

In my television production class, the students are learning the thought and planning processes in videography. Whether for film, television news, sports or features, or commercials, there are common processes. Among them is the idea of sequences and steps in accomplishing an act.

As a demonstration, I put together this video showing the various steps involved in opening and turning on the Communication Program's television studio.

Once the raw footage was shot, the next step was to trim each shot to three or four seconds and arrange the clips in an orderly, logical flow. Editing is much easier when the video is shot in sequential order. That's not always possible, but in this case it was.

Communication Program Get New Audio Equipment

S.C. State's Communication's Program continues to make improvements in facilities and resources.

This week the program took delivery of three high end Allen & Heath XB14-2 Compact Professional Broadcast Mixers. The consoles have vast audio mixing and broadcast capabilities. They will be used in classes taught by Mr. Gil Harris, a longtime SCSU instructor and Bulldog football public address announcer.

Program director Dr. Shafiqur Rahman praises the school's Title III staff for helping acquire this professional equipment that will enhance the learning experience of communications students and help consolidate classes to the second floor of the former Crawford Engineering building.

Communications Instructors Gil Harris (left) and Patrick Harwood with the new broadcasting equipment

Time Lapse Videos (iPhone 5)

One of the many cool and fun features of smart phones is the time lapse video capabilities. I've only done a few of these, but they are neat to do. Minutes of video is condensed to six seconds. Here are some examples. I call this first one, simply, "I-26", a route I am very familiar with through my daily commutes from North Charleston to Orangeburg (and back). This was taken in June 2015, my first-ever iPhone time lapse effort.

Next is time lapse I made in August 2015 at a spooky old abandoned house I came across off Highway 17 north of McClellanville. The videos are six seconds in length.

Finally, here's my "Day at the Beach" (Sullivans Island) time lapse made this summer. For some reason, this clip is only two seconds, so watch quickly!

I'm looking for more opportunities for time lapse videos!

Video Sequence Example: TV Studio and Control Room Set Up

To demonstrate a how-to step-by-step sequence shooting and editing video, I chose to show the steps involved in getting SC State's Communications Program's television studio set up for a production.

The studio is on the second floor of the Communications Program facility in the former Crawford Engineering Building.

Here is what's involved before the "lights, camera, action" can take place!

I can't wait to see the sequence videos my students produce and share on their blogs!
Also, the music in this video, a tune called "Daily Beetle," is courtesy of the free music website Incompetech.com.

5 Shot Sequence Shooting Method

In my TV production class this semester we are learning about video sequence shooting, or what the author of this article calls  the "five shot method."  By whatever name, the thought process involves planning shots, step-by-step and seeing the video in your mind before and during the shoot.

For my example, I chose to show five steps involved in turning on the department's TV studio:

Wide Shot: This is a wide shot of the TV studio in use. I would use this shot first in a sequence because it lets the viewer see right away where the action is taking place.

Medium Shot: Now we take you inside the control room where the director/switcher runs the show!  A microphone-headset connection allows the director and/or other control room people to communicate with the camera operates and "talent" on the set.

Medium Shot: We clearly see both the interviewer, Destinee Chambliss, and her guest Jessica Edwards, an ROTC student at SC State.
The studio is green so that different sets can be brought up digitally. Click here for more on green screen effects. 

Close-up Shot: Tight shot through a monitor of Jessica Edwards, with her name at the bottom. The Tricaster video producer is used to create the "virtual set" background by way of chroma key technology.

A true behind-the-scenes- image from behind the set with a view of the studio cameras, the crew operating them, and some studio lights.

Improvements in the Communications Program!

Over the summer there were many improvements to the Communication Program's second floor classrooms, labs and other facilities in the old Crawford Engineering Building. Plus, a new staff member has been added to assist in all areas of students services and faculty support.

A major upgrade is in the three main classrooms, rooms 203, 205 and 208. New StarBoard systems have been added.

It's All About The...Lighting!

In my television production class we have been studying the importance of lighting. As an experiment we went into our TV studio and the students and I took pictures of each other with different lighting arrangements. Here are some of the results:

Cailyn Barnes is shown with lighting just from the studio's ceiling lights. None of the powerful and subtle TV studio lights are turned on in this shot.

Cailyn is lovely (as always!) but if this was for a real television interview or program, the lighting on her needs to be much better.

Some main studio TV lights have been turned on now. The lighting on Jessica Edwards is noticeably better than Cailyn's. But it's almost too harsh. The main or key light is too much directly in her face.

This is an example of flat lighting, which our textbook says produces "uninteresting pictures with little depth and modeling."

So we need to make some adjustments to achieve a nicer, more flattering lighting combination.

This is much better with a three point lighting arrangement. We've adjusted the key light so it's more at an angle to her face. A fill light, with a less bright, softer exposure, is to her right and high, so the right side of her face is lit. And another subtle light was placed behind her to her left. This backlight shines on her hair and helps give her a nice glow.

Jessica seems happier too about this lighting set up!

Another example of effective three point lighting is this image of Franklin Haigler.

You can see how the fill light to Franklin's right illuminates the right side of his face.

The backlight behind him on his left side gives Franklin an interesting glow around his head.

Looking pretty GQ FH!

I like this YouTube video on three point lighting.