Practicum III Final Paper

Maggie Sutton

News Media Practicum III

Final Paper

December 2, 2011

Oprah Winfrey is My Home Girl

            As cliché as it might sound, I grew up watching the Oprah Winfrey show. From the time I was very young, my mom and I religiously tuned in to her 4 p.m. broadcast every single day after school. As ridiculous as it seemed, I cried when she closed her last show. For me, the end of the Oprah Winfrey Show symbolized the closing of my childhood and the beginning of working towards the realization of my own dreams. I know it’s a BIG dream, but I think eventually somewhere along the line of my career I would love to be a talk show host like Oprah. I know it’s a long shot, but my mom always tells me that going for the “big dream” is always worth a try. 

            Oprah’s career in broadcast started when she was only a senior in high school. She got a job at a radio station in Tennessee, a local black radio station called WVOL, which hired her part time. Then she began co-anchoring the local evening news at the age of 19. Working in the local media, Oprah was the youngest news anchor and the first black female news anchor at Nashville’s WLAC-TV. She moved to Baltimore’s WJZ-TV in 1976 to co-anchor the six o’clock news. Her first appearance on a talk show was when she was recruited to join Richard Sher as the co-host of WJZ’s local talk show People Are Talking. The show premiered on August 14, 1978. She also hosted the local version of Dialing for Dollars.

            In 1983, Oprah relocated to Chicago to host WLS-TV’s low-rated half-hour morning talk show, AM  Chicago. After the first episode aired on January 2, 1984, the show quickly went from last place in the ratings to the highest rated talk show in Chicago. She was persuaded to sign a syndication deal with King World by Roger Ebert, a movie critic. The show was renamed The Oprah Winfrey Show, and expanded to a full hour. The show was first broadcast nationally on September 8, 1986. The show grew and expanded until she finally retired in 2011.

            When I can take from Oprah’s story is the way she started small and worked her way to the top. Even if I start out with a small job in the new industry, like a local radio or TV station, as long as I keep working hard and looking for larger job openings, I can work my way to the top of the broadcast. And maybe, just maybe, someday I will have my own talk show like my Home Girl Oprah. 

Information courtesy of www.oprah.com  

Wellness TV Show 5: Package Done!

Today I worked on my Wellness TV package from 8:45 a.m. until 10: 45 a.m. I edited my entire package. Kirstyn stopped by with the camera so I could shoot my voice overs, and Trice was there getting grades ready. Needless to say, I had lots of company! Shannah stopped by and I shot my stand up with her, and then sent my little print major to help Shannah shoot her stand up while I continued editing. Then we came back and saw Cynthia in The Southern office. She looked over what I had so far, said it looked great, and then I plunged onward. My package is done! Hooray! Now I'm ready for Turkey Day!


Total hours to this date: 38 hours and 35 minutes

Wellness TV Interviews and Broll

Yesterday I worked with Taylor Sullivan from 3:00 until 4:00 p.m. We shot broll and another student interview for our "Cards vs. Cash" package. To my surprise, the ladies in the book store allowed us to shoot inside! So we got lots of great broll. I was very relieved! We also loaded all the footage into the computer, and I plan on editing today and tomorrow. I really enjoyed working with Taylor. She's a sweet girl and very helpful!


Total hours to this date: 36 hours and 35 minutes


HOORAY!!!

Wellness TV Student Interview

I interviewed a student in Tu Tu's this afternoon from 3 until 3:30 p.m. She said that she thinks that students should use cash rather than debit cards because that way students would spend less money. Dr. Miller had recommended the cards over cash. Hopefully, this will be a very interesting package!


Total hours to this date: 35 hours and 35 minutes

Wellness TV Interview

Today Olivia Q. and I had an interview for the Cards vs. Cash package. We worked from 9:15 until 10:15 a.m. We interviewed Dr. Miller, a new adjunct to the Finance portion of the Business department. She did a great job and was very easy to talk to! Olivia set up the camera all by herself; I only had to help her with a few things, and I directed the interview because my hand writing is kind of hard to read. This afternoon, I plan on shooting as much broll as I can and selecting two victims to be student interviews, and then log and transfer all the footage into the computer so I can edit Thursday and Friday.

Total hours to this date: 35 hours and 5 minutes

SO CLOSE!!! :)

Wellness TV Meeting: Show 5

Today I met with Wellness TV from 4:30 until 5:00 pm. We talked about our ideas for show five, and some improvements that we need to make to our packages. Unfortunately, we can't air show 4 until Thursday because Dalton and Dakota have a lot of conflicting days this week and that was the only day they could both shoot the anchor stand up. For the next show, I will be heading Financial Wellness "Cards vs. Cash," and helping Shannah with the "Consequences of Chewing Tabacco (sp?)" packages. I want to get started right away, because my big 2-0 is this Friday and I don't want to have to do too much work on my birthday weekend!

Total hours to this date: 34 hours and 5 minutes

Wellness TV Show 4 Package Complete!

Today I worked on my Wellness TV Package at two different times. I worked from 1:30 until 2:00 pm after my Spanish class, and then I worked from 2:30 until 4:30 pm. From 1:30 until 2, I cut out all of the interviews and placed them along the timeline in the way I thought they would best fit. Then, when I came back at 2:30, I filled the holes in with broll, wrote my voice overs, placed my voiceover, shot my stand up and put that in the right spot. Then I cleaned up all of the editing. Kristin McIntyre was my savior today because she drove all the way from her house to give me a Wellness TV shirt and help me shoot my stand up. It was really nice of her, and I definitely owe her a favor because if she hadn't have done that I would have to wait until tomorrow to finish it. My package is finished! HOORAY!! :)

Total hours to this date: 33 hours and 35 minutes

Wellness TV Show 4 Interview

Today I interviewed Desirae and logged the info into the computer from 2 until 2:30 pm. Originally I was going to interview her at 2:30, but since my advising meeting started earlier and went ahead and did the interview at 2. Nadine helped me a little bit with the shoot. The camera almost died but, much to Desirae's dismay, we were close enough to a power source to continue the interview :) she did a really awesome job!

Total hours to this date: 31 hours and 5 minutes

Wellness TV Show 4 Editing

Today I started putting together the broll and the student interview for the coupon package. My 9:55 am class was cancelled this morning, so I worked from 10:00 am until 11:00 am. I started trying to figure where I want the voice overs to be and what I want them to say, but I really need Desirae's interview this afternoon before I can start really working on it.

Total hours to this date: 30 hours and 35 minutes

6 more to go!

Wellness TV Show 4 Shoot

Today I worked on Wellness TV from 2:55 until 4:00 pm. My package is on coupons, so I enlisted some practicum students into cutting coupons while I took different shots. Intro to Broadcast techniques! I worked with T.J. and the little blond cross-country runner. I can't remember his name! Then I interviewed a print student for my student interview, who is a die-hard couponer and in desperate need of broadcast practicum hours. I showed her how I set the camera up, how to set up and test the mics, and I let her follow me around while I took shots of T.J. and blondie. I have been having some trouble getting an expert interview; my last professor fell through because she couldn't do an interview until next week. But while we were working Ms. Desirae went on and on about how much she loved to coupon. So, I've talked with her and she's agreed to be my expert interview. Hooray! I am interviewing her tomorrow after my advising meeting.

Total hours to this date: 29 hours and 35 minutes

Wellness TV Meeting Show 4

Today we met for show 4. Unfortunately, Cynthia is in the ER so Michelle led the meeting. We talked about show 4 and starting planing for show 5. I was going to shoot coupon broll today, but Cynthia has all the coupons so I couldn't do that. I am going to draft some interview questions and see if I can find an expert interview. I'm going to ask some print journalism students if I can interview them. I'm sure they need some hours! The meeting lasted from 4:30 until 4:45 pm.


Total hours to this date: 28 hours at 35 minutes

Wellness TV show three editing

Today I edited the healthy eating package for Wellness TV fro 10:45 until 11:30 am. I finished the entire package except for lower thirds. I know that my packages may seem shorter than others, but I think that shorter packages are better. People aren't going to pay attention to five minute packages and retain much information from them. I think sometimes the staff makes packages that are too long. But alas, that is just my opinion.


Total hours to this date: 28 hours and 20 minutes

Wellness TV Show 3 Editing

Today I worked on show three which is scheduled to air next week from 3:00 until 4:30 pm. T.J. and I shot the stand up, but we had to shoot it twice because the microphone picked up the wind. Then, I started plugging in voice overs and editing the healthy eating package, but I didn't get to finish it today. I will finish it up after intro to broadcast tomorrow!


Total hours to this date: 27 hours and 35 minutes

Wellness TV Meeting Show 3/4

Yesterday, I attended the Wellness TV meeting from 4:30 pm until 5:00 pm. We assigned new packages for show 4 and found people to wrap up the unfinished things for show 3. Show 3 will air as soon as possible and show 4 will air on November 7th. I am not working on anything for show 3, but for show 4 I am heading a coupon-ing package for Financial Wellness, and Shannah, Michelle and I are working on a package for college life on Weather Safety. This was inspired by my friend Justin Inversso who passed away after being struck by lightening. In Florida, weather safety is very important and something that people don't really think about. This will be an emotional package for me, so I'm glad to have Shannah and Michelle to help me out!

Total hours to this date: 26 hours and 5 minutes

Wellness TV Episode 3

Yesterday, I attended the Wellness TV meeting from 4:30 until 5 pm. The show this week is going to be short since it is a short week. Cynthia decided that I will be shooting Fitness with Sarah by myself this week. I was intimidated, but excited for a relatively light week! Then, today I shot Fitness with Sarah from 3:45 until 4:15 pm. I log and transferred the footage from 4:15 until 4:30 pm. After doing this, I noticed that the audio was not working at all. After crying a little inside, I played with it, and realized that their WAS indeed an audio track, so some audio was recorded but for some reason it's not playing. Cynthia is meeting with me tomorrow to look over it and see if we can fix it. Worst comes to worst, I'll have to reshoot it again!

Total hours to this date: 25 hours and 45 minutes

Wellness TV Episode 2 Editing

Today I shot broll from 3:00 pm until 4:00 pm, and then edited with Kristin from intro to broadcast from 5:00 pm until 6:00 pm. I shot broll from various places around the financial aid office, and suffered a little verbal abuse from the ladies who work there. Then I showed Kristin how to work final cut pro, since her old school didn't use it. I learned how to do a lower 3rd today, and constantly had to ask the print majors to be quiet while I was doing my voice overs. Eventually, they got the message. Hooray! My episode 2 package is done!

Total hours to this date: 24 hours and 20 minutes

Wellness TV Episode 2

Yesterday, I went out with Taylor Sullivan and Kristin from Intro to Broadcast to shoot Mr. Healy, the head of the financial aid office, for the financial wellness package on student loans. We struggled a little bit with the new camera, but we came about fifteen minutes early so we were able to start the interview right on time. The audio and the picture turned out great! Afterwards, Kristin went to class, but Taylor stayed with me and watched me log and transfer the video. We worked from 1:30 pm until 2:30 pm.

Total hours to this date: 22 hours and 20 minutes

Wellness TV Final Editing

Tonight I finished up my first package for Wellness TV from 9:30 pm until 10:50 pm. I shot my voice overs, edited them, and put them into the package. Then I shot some more broll to fill in the gaps that need more broll and edited those in. I don't think the last minute broll shots were the best since I didn't have a tripod, but I used some of the tips I learned in Intro to Broadcast and tried to use other objects and my hip as a tripod. I edited some of the audio that was uneven and did an overall clean sweep of the package. It's done! Hooray! Time to start the next one!

Total hours to this date: 21 hours and 20 minutes

Wellness TV Editing

Tonight, I edited my Wellness TV package from 8:00 until 9:30 pm. My first ever package solo! I completed the entire package except for voice overs, and I decided after putting my package together that I need a little more broll. Hopefully I can finish it all up Thursday or Friday afternoon!

Total hours to this date: 20 hours

Wellness TV Editing

Today after Trice's News Reporting class (we got out 15 minutes early :) I log and transferred all of my footage that I've shot for my financial wellness package into final cut pro. I also did some very basic editing. I worked from 3:00 until 4:00 pm. I'm not really sure how I want to put the whole package together yet, but at the meeting this afternoon I'll be sure to get some ideas from Cynthia.

Total hours to this date: 18 hours and 30 minutes

Wellness TV Business

Today I shot broll from 9:30 am until 10:30 am. I shot broll of people swiping in to the caf, using their swipes in tutus, and in the undercaf. I also shot broll of the atm machine and of dollar bills and debit cards. Then, I did my reporter stand up with Dakota from 10:30 until 11:30. I texted Kristin and Kati twice to tell them I shooting but I got no response. Hopefully they just didn't get the message or they are busy with something else!

Total hours to this date: 17 hours and 30 minutes

Student Interview for Wellness TV

I conducted a student interview last night for Wellness TV from 8:30 until 9:30 pm. He talked about how he pays his major expenses up front, and uses the rest of the money for leisure. That way he knows that the mandatory stuff is taken care of. He also has a part time job at Publix and makes extra money by doing yard work and odd jobs for his grandparents. Today I plan on enlisting Kristin and Kati to get the rest of the student interviews done and a stand up shoot.


Total hours for to this date: 15 hours and 30 minutes

Wellness TV and SNN

Today I went to the SNN meeting from 10:40 am until 11:40 am. We were not able to tape the show because the studio isn't quite ready, but we did go through a "moc" show. John and Lauren read the scripts and we pretended like we were working the different pieces of equipment just like we would during a normal tape. Our next meeting will be next Friday before practicum because of Convo. Then I shot my first Wellness TV interview of the year with Kristin McKay from 3:30 pm until 5:00 pm. We interviewed Dr. Clements for our Financial Wellness package. I let Kristin read the questions and direct the interview. I also showed her how to set up the camera and how to test the sound. Then, when we came back to the Comm department Cynthia was there to show us how to log and transfer the footage and how she would like us to save our packages. It was overall a very productive day!

Total hours to the date: 14 hours and 30 minutes

The Southern Interview

Today, I interviewed Erin Maready from 1:30 until 2:00 pm for my story on Panallenic recruitment. Erin, who serves as Vice President of Recruitment on Panallenic, thinks that a formal sorority recruitment is absolutly necessary. "I would have never known what the other houses had to offer if I didn't go through a formal recruitment," says Erin. Just a few more interviews, and I can start piecing this thing together!


Total hours the this date: 12 hours

Wellness TV and Southern News Network

Today, I attended the Wellness TV meeting from 4:30 until 5:00 pm. We talked about our new anchors, Dalton and Dakota, our upcoming packages, and assigned groups and package heads for each package. I am in charge of the Financial Wellness "broke college student" package and my teammates are Kristin and Katie. We have an interview scheduled for Dr. Clements on Wednesday at 4 pm. I have also written and emailed to her a list of questions that we will be asking her. I also wrote three more stories for the Southern News Network. I wrote one about the Gamma Phi Esta for Camp Fire USA on Thursday, the Sigma Chi ADPi "Welcome Back Barbeque" on Friday, and the Theta Chi-GLOW on Friday night. Hopefully these organizations will appreciate the free publicity!

Total hours to this date: 11 hours and 30 minutes

Pink Party Shoot

Yesterday, I helped Meg Bragg shoot the Zeta Pink Party for her project. We worked from 5-7 pm. Bivens was there taking pictures and John had a camera also. Meg and I shot broll around the party, the limbo contest, the Mr. and Miss Pink contest, and the Pie and Zeta game. I manned the camera for Pie and Zeta because Meg was one of the Zetas being pied! I got close ups of the girls' faces covered in whipped cream and long shots of the kids aiming for every Zeta senior that was getting a pie in the face. It was a lot of fun, and it was nice to work with Meg because I don't get to work with her very much!

Total hours to this date: 8

The Southern Article, Camera Overview, and Dakota's Project

Today I worked with Dakota from 11:00 until 12:00 pm. Since we got out of practicum super early, I took the opportunity to interview Dakota for my story that I want to put in The Southern. I am asking a serious of independent and Greek women if they feel that sororities need a formal recruitment. Dakota was on the fence on the issue, saying that their were many good things and bad things about sorority recruitment. Then, I worked with John from 12:45 until 1:00 pm. He showed me how to put together the HD cameras, how to put in a tape, manage the audio, and how to turn them on. Then he took the camera apart and watched me put it together by myself so that I would remember. Finally, from 1:00 pm until 2:00 pm I helped Dakota with her project. She interviewed me as her student interview, and then together we interviewed Dr. Lynch. I set up the camera and directed Dr. Lynch during the interview and asked him the questions that Dakota had come up with. I'm glad that we have so many upperclassmen who are willing to help us!

Total hours to this date: 6
Just 30 more!

Southern News Network

Today I attended the Southern News Network meeting from 10:40 until 11:30 am. We decided who was going to write what blurb, refreshed our memories on how a blurb should be written, and chose which parts we would play during the shoot next Wednesday. I will be running the teleprompter, if the part comes in for the new one that is! Otherwise, we will probably have to hold up big posters. I wrote two stories for the show today also. One was about applying for Lambda Pi Eta and the interest session coming up, and another for the new art group that is starting up in the counseling center. It will now be available to students on Tuesday evening.

Total hours to this date: 4

Southern News Network and Wellness TV

On Monday, I attended the Southern News Network meeting from 11:00 am until 11:30 am. We discussed the purpose of the show, how the show was run, what kinds of stories we want on the show, and positions for the new semester. We decided to turn in stories on Tuesdays rather than Mondays because the campus events email usually doesn't come in until Monday afternoon. Anna will lead us all in a camera tutorial and a tour of the studio at our meeting next week. I also attended the Wellness TV meeting from 4:30 pm until 5:00 pm. Cynthia discussed the changes we will be making this year, including adding a Financial Wellness, Mental Wellness, and Fitness for Your Dorm Room segments. Our goal is to expand the TV show and increase our facebook "likes" to 600 this year!

Total hours: 1

Only 35 for to go!!

Southern News Network

This week I worked with Southern News Network from 10:40 until 11:30 am. I wrote three stories, one about "Daddy's Dyin' Who's Got the Will?", one about Phi Mu Alpha, and one about the Tobacco Free Florida program. Three hours for me! I worked the teleprompter again today during our taping. I think I want to try the camera next time!

Total hours to this date: 45 hours

Southern News Network

Today I worked with Southern News Network from 10:40 am until 11:30 am. This show was a shorter show because Colleen was unable to be here, and we didn't have very many stories. John was the only anchor. I worked the teleprompter by myself today with minimal difficulty! I think that's one piece of technology in the department that I have conquered!

Total hours to this date: 41 hours and 15 minutes

Wellness TV

Yesterday, I finished editing, adding voice-overs, adding broll, and wrote the anchor scripts for mine and Dakota's Wellness TV package. It was great that Dakota trusted me enough to do this work on my own! I worked from 12:00 until 1:30 pm. It was great to make a very large contribution of work to this package!

Total hours to this date: 40 hours and 25 minutes

Wellness TV

Yesterday morning, Dakota and I interviewed the Chef at Wynee's bistro and his associate from 9:30 until 10:30 am. They gave us lots of interesting information, and even some paperwork with more facts on it that we could use for our package! Last night, Dakota and I worked from 7:30 until 8:30 pm doing stand-up interview shots. Dakota has been very nice and let me be the reporter the past 3 times. It is so much fun! I couldn't stay and help Dakota edit last night because I had another meeting to go to, but this afternoon I will be editing, adding voice-overs, and finishing touches to our package!

Total hours to this date: 38 hours and 55 minutes

Wellness TV

Today was super productive in way of my Wellness TV package! I grabbed the camera at 12:00 pm, and shot broll, 4 student interviews, and 2 expert interviews until 1:30 pm. I have another expert interview scheduled for tomorrow morning. Consuelo logged and transferred all of my shots for me when I came back. Just because the big kids are busy, doesn't mean the package can be put off!

Total hours to this date: 36 hours and 55 minutes!

Mr. Southern Video

Tonight, Colleen and I edited and completed my video for the 14th annual Mr. Southern pageant. We worked from 5:30 until 8:30 pm. Dakota taught me basic editing, but Colleen taught me lots of tricks that I didn't know before, like how to edit audio. After the video was completed, John helped me burn in on a DVD using Quick time and iDVD. I don't know what I would do without these wonderful upperclassmen who are so eager to help! I am very thankful!

Total hours to this date: 35 hours and 25 minutes.

Southern News Network

Today I worked with Southern News Network from 10:40 am until 12:00pm. We taped a show today following Monday's meeting, and my story about Mr. Southern was used. One hour for me! We had some problems switching from one shot to two shots with the cameras, so it took a little longer than usual. I helped Shelby learn how to use the teleprompter, since I have already used it for two shows. I'm hoping one of these days I will know how to use all of the equipment in the studio!

Total hours to this date: 32 hours and 25 minutes

Southern News Network

Today I worked with Southern News Network from 10:40 until 11:00 am. We talked about the next show and scheduled a shoot for 10:40 am on Wednesday. I will be writing a story about Zeta Tau Alpha's Mr Southern Pageant. Then, I log and captured and edited my video for Mr. Southern from 11:00 until 11:40 am. I am very excited about my first solo project! I have edited the entire introduction of the video. I have scheduled one last interview for Thursday at 2:00 pm and then I will be ready to really get down to editing!

Total hours to this date: 30 hours and 5 minutes

Up Til Dawn

Yesterday, I did some work with John Luti from 8:30 until 9:45 pm. I needed to learn how to use the Comm department cameras for my Mr. Southern project. The deal was that if I came and helped John shoot  at the event Up Til Dawn, he would teach me how to use the camera. He even let me take some of my own shots, and some of them were really cool! I now know how to attach the mixer to the camera and use most of its accessories, so I feel much more comfortable pursuing this project on my own!

Hours to this date: 29 hours and 5 minutes!

Midterm Paper

Maggie Sutton

February 18, 2011

Midterm Paper

            As much as I learned first semester, I have learned a whole lot more this far into second semester, which I didn’t think was humanly possible. I think a lot of this is to do with the fact that I’ve started to branch out a little bit more on my own. I still depend on the upperclassmen I have worked with, such as Dakota, for help, but not nearly as much as I used to. Thanks to working with Wellness TV and the Southern News Network, I now know how to use all of the functions of the Wellness TV camera, including all the functions that go into the audio mixer, how to write a proper stand-up script and anchor intro and outro, how to use a soundboard, how to use the teleprompter, and how to do some basic editing on Final Cut Pro.

            Justin Bivens has started showing me the ropes on operating the campus TV channel “FSC TV.” During this semester, he has taught me how to edit, delete, and upload slides onto the campus channel, how to import and play new movies, how to schedule programs, and how to change hard drives for the two computers that run the channel. It is dedicated upperclassmen like him who have held our little Communications community together, and for that I am ever thankful.

            This semester, Anna started a new show called Southern News Network, which will air on the campus channel. The show is a newscast consisting of events that go on campus. It started off as just a series of blurbs which were read by an anchor on a teleprompter, but as the show begins to progress, we have now added mini packages and Public Service Announcements. While working on Anna’s show, I write an average of 1 to 2 stories a week, and I have also learned how to work the soundboard and the teleprompter in the studio. I thought at first that the soundboard would be hard to use because I am hard of hearing, but it was very easy to figure out. The teleprompter proved to be more of a challenge. It is very hard to predict how fast or slow an anchor will read, and the teleprompter keeps the pace of the entire broadcast. 

            My love and hate relationship with Wellness TV has continued and grown stronger, on both accords, through this semester so far. I love it because I love the work that goes into putting together a package, but I hate it because I feel like something always goes amiss. Perhaps many television studios have the same audio and various other frustrations, the public is just never made aware of it. With Wellness TV, Dakota has very much allowed me to start venturing on my own. I now can conduct my own interviews, I know all the odds and ends of the camera, and I can pretty much edit my own packages, with a little fine-tuning. She also occasionally gives me “pop quizzes” to make sure I’m retaining all that she teaches me.

            I am so thankful for all the upperclassmen, whom have taken my enthusiasm for learning and patiently taught me many, many things. I love the Communications department on our campus and I never want to leave!

Wellness TV Stand-ups

Dakota and I shot stand ups for our Wellness TV package from 3:00 until 4:00 pm. We decided to shoot the stand up in the caf next to the food, since we were talking about seafood. We plugged the stand ups in and... presto! Our Wellness TV package for Show 37 is complete!

Total hours to this date: 27 hours and 50 minutes

Wellness TV

Today, Dakota and I edited our Wellness TV package from 3:45 until 5:00 pm. We decided to go ahead and edit the package normally and let Consuelo fix the audio when she does the final edit, because she is the one who knows how it should be done. We added our voice overs and broll into the interview. All we have left to do are two stand-ups. We could not do them today because Consuelo took the polos home to be washed and forgot to bring them back. We will be doing our stand-ups tomorrow afternoon when the shirts are returned.

Total hours to this date: 26 hours and 50 minutes

SNN and Wellness TV

Yesterday I attended a meeting for the Southern News Network from 10:40 am until 11:40 am. We did not tape a show because we didn't have enough stories, but we discussed some things that we wanted to do for the next show. I will be doing a PSA for the "Drink Coffee, Do Good" Fair Trade Coffee house event that will be held in the JRB. I'm very excited to be taking on my own little PSA! I'm a big kid now! Anna is letting us each have an hour for our stories, even though she didn't use them, because they were good quality stories. I wrote one story last week, so I get an hour for that! Dakota and I interviewed Dr. Lynch for our seafood package from 3:10 pm until 4:10 pm on Monday as well. She gave me a pop quiz, and told me to set up the camera and the mics all by myself. All went well, except there is some fuzziness on the audio that is troublesome. We are supposed to meet again today to see what we can do about that. So, after only a semester and half, I now know how to set up a camera, mics, use the camera, log and transfer shots into final cut pro, how to write an anchor/reporter script, use a soundboard, work a teleprompter, and very basic editing. Wow!

Total hours to this date: 25 hours and 35 minutes!

Wellness TV

On Saturday, Dakota and I worked from 2:30 until 3:30 pm getting broll for our package on sea food. We started off at Publix trying to take shots of their seafood on display, but the manager told us that we would have to go through corporate in order to be aloud to do that. Since we do not have that kind of time, we decided to try a local seafood market. I had to call the place beforehand, which was very nerve-wracking because I was worried the owner might get mad at me! But she said she had no problem with us taking broll, as long as we didn't get in the way of the other costumers. This week, I learned that being a reporter has a lot to do with negotiating with other people!

Total hours to this date: 22 hours and 35 minutes

Southern News Network

Today I worked with the Southern News Network from 10:40 until 11:30 am. Anna also used my story about Zeta Tau Alpha selling chocolate chip cookies this week for breast cancer awareness, so I get an hour for that too! During the shoot today, I learned how to use the teleprompter. It is a little harder than it looks, and it took a couple of tries before I got at the right speed for John and Colleen, but it was fun learning how to use it! My goal is to learn how to use a new piece of technology every week, until I know how to use everything in the studio!

Hours to this date: 21 hours and 35 minutes

Wellness TV

Yesterday, Dakota and I worked from 5 until 10:00 pm. It was an exciting day, because Dakota let me edit all by myself for the first time. I didn't realize how much I had actually learned how to do from watching her first semester. I even put in my own voice overs and chose which shots of broll to use. It was very exciting! I'm very proud of my little package, and I can't wait until it airs!


Hours to this date: 19 hours and 45 minutes

Wellness TV

Today Dakota and I shot broll for Wellness TV from 4:00 until 5:00 pm. For the very first time, Dakota let me have total control over the camera and the shots. Our package is about wellness in relationships. We stood around in Badcock Gardens and waited for various couples to come by. I took some shots of them holding hands, no faces of course. I also decided to take some shots of some of the surviving flowers in the gardens next to Spivey, since flowers are usually associated with relationships and it might be nice to have those shots if we ned some more broll. It was very fun to get the chance to shoot some broll on my own, and I'm anxious to see how it turns out!

Total hours to this date: 14 hours and 45 minutes.

Wellness TV and Southern News Network

Today Dakota and I worked on Wellness TV from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. We interviewed Dr. Mackie and then edited the interview Dakota got from Dr. Smith to jive with Dr. Mackie's interview. I then worked with Anna from 5:00 to 6:00 pm on Southern News Network. We took broll of the blood drive, as well as the penny wars and gatorade donations for our package on Week of Impact. It was very interesting to work with the two different shows and their different dynamics.

Total hours to this date: 13 hours and 45 minutes

Southern News Network

Unfortunately, we were unable to tape a show this week because Anna felt our stories were not complete enough for a high-quality production. Our meeting took place today from 10:40 to 11:15 am. We disucssed topics for next week show, and Anna and I have decided to coperate together and do a package on an overview of "Week of Impact." We are scheduled to get broll during "Kick Off" at 5:00 pm and the first blood drive on Tuesday at 5:00 pm. Anna lowered everyone's hours to 30 minutes per story because of the low quality, but Anna told me after the meeting was over that my stories were very good, so I still get an hour for each. It pays to work hard!

Total hours to this date: 11 hours and 45 minutes

Dr. Smith Interview Questions

Today I worked from 1:00 until 2:00 pm writing interview questions for Dr. Patrick Smith. Dakota and I have decided to interview him, as well as Dr. Mackie for our package for Wellness TV. I sent the questions to Dakota so that she can look them over and make changes as she sees fit. I will be giving Dr. Smith his questions tomorrow so that he can look over there and prepare some answers for his interview on Tuesday at 11:15, which Dakota will be conducting since I, unfortunately, have Elementary Statistics at that time.

Total hours to this date: 9

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Wellness TV

Today Dakota and I discussed our Wellness TV project from 4:30 pm until 5:00 pm. Our topic is whether or not people tend to exercise and eat healthy more or less when they are in a relationship. We have decided to interview Dr. Smith, a psychology professor, and Dr. Mackie, who teaches interpersonal communication. We will also to a random survey of students to see how they feel about the topic.

Total hours to this date: 8

Southern News Network and Cooking with Bivens

Today was our very first taping of the Southern New Network. Anna decided to use my story about James in the show, so I get an hour for it. Hour or no hour, I am very excited that my work was included in the very fist show! My job during the taping was the work the sound board. John Luti showed me which mics were hooked up to where, what levels the mics should be on, and how to adjust the mic levels if they were too high or too low. Then throughout the taping, I listened to Coleen while she anchored the show and monitored her microphone, making sure that the mic wasn't too low or too high, and alerting the producer if I heard additional background noise being picked up by Coleen's mic. It was a different job than I am normally used to, but it was exciting to get to learn how to use such an essential piece of equipment. The show trial taping and final taping lasted from 10:40 - 11:30 am. For the last half hour, Justin Bivens held a meeting about his cooking show that he wants to get started. We bounced around ideas for the first show, and decided to promote the campus channel by having our first show be a movie night theme and using the movie "Eat, Pray, Love," which is played often on the campus channel. Our food would be sandwiches, we were considering some kind of sub, and popcorn. Our meeting lasted from 11:30 until 12 pm.


Total hours to this date: 7 hours and 30 minutes

More FSCTV

Yesterday, Bivens and I worked in the studio from 2 until 3:00 pm. We got some new movies for the TV channel, so Bivens showed me how to put in the new hard drive, upload the videos, and then schedule them in with the rest of videos. He was able to keep his hands off the computer and let me try it myself, such a brave soul! Hopefully, I'll get the hang of it before Bivens graduates so we can continue improving the channel.

Total hours to this date: 5 hours and 5 minutes

Ana's New Show

Today I went to the studio to meet with Ana and the rest of the crew who will be working on her show. We met from 10:40 until 11:10. Ana explained that we would be shooting every Monday by 10:40. Each of us is to right 1 to 2 stories and turn them in to her by Friday at 4:00 pm. We discussed topics today, such as the Magician that is coming this weekend and Justin's favorite topic, Chick-fil-a Friday. I have decided to write a story about James, the Communication student who passed away this past week. Ana explained that each useable story will be equivalent to one hour. Sounds good to me!

Hours to this date: 4 hours and 5 minutes

Wellness TV/FSC TV

Our very first Wellness TV meeting was on Friday, January 14, from 10:00 am until 10:35 am. Consuelo mentioned this semester she was thinking of introducing a chain of command. This way, if she is out there will be someone who can handle things until she comes back. I think that this is a great idea, because when Consuelo was in her car accident first semester, it did feel like things were falling apart. We also talked about having the possibility of having permanent anchors and editors. I have decided to audition to become a permanent anchor. Why not at least try? Bivens has taken it upon himself to teach me everything I need to know about FSC TV, so today I met with him in the studio from 1:00 until 4:00 pm. He showed me how to edit the power points that role on FSC TV, take them down, and put them back up, he showed me how to play a movie or a broadcast project on the channel, how to properly name the files and schedule them, and he went over a brief demonstration of all the parts of a Studio Camera, and added in his own belief that he feels a manual zoom lens, like the ones in the studio cameras, is better than an automatic one, but much trickier. John Luti was working on his own project in the studio and he filled in the gaps that Bivens may have missed. Ana also came in during this time and I shared with her my story idea for her news show. I will be meeting again with her and the rest of the crew tomorrow at 10:40 am. 

A busy semester is ahead of me, but I'm so excited to get started! 

Hours to this date: 3 hours and 35 minutes