The Story Behind the Story: What It Takes to Produce Social Media Content

The first two weeks of Mountaineer Playbook have been an experience. Between planning content, creating graphics, filming TikToks, and going into the field, there has been a lot to learn in a short amount of time. While it has definitely been challenging, it has also been one of the most fun aspects of being a part of the Playbook team.

As a social media producer, one of the biggest things I’ve learned so far is how important time management is. With everything happening quickly, it can be easy to focus on what needs to be done right in front of you and lose track of what is coming next. During my first round of content, I didn’t manage my time as well as I could have, which meant some of the content I submitted felt rushed and didn’t reflect the quality of work I wanted to produce. That experience gave me a better understanding of what to expect moving forward. Now that I have a feel for the routine and how the production process works, I can plan ahead, give myself more time to create and make sure I’m capturing everything I need.One part of the process that I’ve really enjoyed is creating graphics. After taking the time to go through feedback and make adjustments, I was able to submit work that I felt much more confident in. The ENG graphics were some of my favorites to make because they gave me an opportunity to be creative while still fitting into the overall look of Mountaineer Playbook. 
The TikToks also have been a highlight. Getting Playbook team members involved has made the process fun, and everyone has been willing to jump in and be part of the content. It has been a good reminder that social media is not just about creating something to post, it’s about finding ways to make the people behind the production part of the story. 

Going into the field has been another valuable part of the experience. While working with Matt and Jordan, I was able to capture behind-the-scenes footage of them doing their jobs and telling stories in the field. Those clips came together into a TikTok featuring Matt and will hopefully give viewers a look at what happens beyond what they see in the show.
Another part of the production I’ve been learning more about is audio. I’ve never really had a specific interest in audio before Mountaineer Playbook, but I’ve found it surprisingly interesting. I’ve learned just how important good audio is to a video and how much it can affect the overall quality of the content. It’s been a new area for me to explore and has given me a better understanding of everything that goes into producing a show. 

The first show also gave us an opportunity to learn from things that didn’t go exactly as planned. Overall, I think the show went well, but there were a few small mistakes along the way with audio. One thing we discovered afterward was that the music wasn’t set to continuously loop, which caused it to cut out early in the last taping. Now that we know what happened, we can make sure the music is set up as a continuous loop for future shows.

There is still a lot for me to improve on, but that is part of what makes this experience so valuable. I’m learning how quickly a sports media production can move, how much goes into creating content for an audience and how important it is to be prepared for whatever comes next. After just a few weeks, I already have a much better understanding of what it takes to be a social media producer. I’m learning, improving, and finding new ways to show audiences what happens behind the scenes at Mountaineer Playbook.