Videography Blog

I am trying to think of words to say for my final blog to describe how I feel, but all I have so far is “wow’. But because I need to meet the assignment requirements of 500 words, I guess I’ll say a little more than that. I find it so hard to believe it is all over. Not just Playbook, but college in general. I try not to think about it too much, or I’ll cry, but this past semester has been the best semester of my life. One I’ll cherish forever. All because of my time spent as an ENG and technical director with Mountaineer Playbook. 

After what felt like the blink of an eye, Show 5 has come and gone, and my time with Mountaineer Playbook is officially over. Seeing how much I’ve learned and grown has been a remarkable experience, one I’m not quite ready to give up on yet. 

Going into Show 5, everything felt a little different knowing it was our last show. At this point, I feel like I’ve really settled into my role and don’t have to overthink every decision the way I did at the beginning of the semester. Instead of just focusing on getting usable footage, I’ve started to naturally think about storytelling, variety, and how my shots will actually help the final product come together. 

I feel a bit emotional writing this blog as I only have one more left before the semester is over, and graduation takes place. Filming for Show 4 started off on an interesting note because I traveled up to Dunbar, Pennsylvania, to help our adventure reporter, Andrew Hartlove, with his story on the club equestrian team. Now, you may ask what made this trip interesting... well, everything went smoothly up until we realized Andy was allergic to something in the barn. We are still unsure if it was the hay, the horses, or everything combined. His face broke out in a rash, and his eyes were almost swollen shut! He did have to leave halfway through filming to find some medicine at a nearby store. Despite the adversity, I feel that I was able to get a good amount of b-roll for his pkg. The story turned out to be one of my favorites, and a memory where we can all look back and chuckle

The process of preparing for Show 4 was filled with some of the most unexpected, challenging, stressful, and rewarding moments throughout my time in Playbook so far. Not only did I learn and grow as an ENG, but even more so in my new role as director. 

Going into Show 4, I feel like everything started to come together in a way that felt more natural and confident. At this point in the semester, I’m not just thinking about getting the shot anymore, I’m thinking about how everything connects, from filming to editing to how it will look in the final show. Show 4 really pushed me both creatively and technically, especially with trying new things and stepping into roles that made me a little nervous.

These past two weeks have honestly felt like a whirlwind in the best way possible! I really stepped outside of my comfort zone and tried something completely new by trading in the ENG cameras for a reporting microphone. That shift alone was a big change for me, but it ended up being such a valuable experience. I worked on putting together a PKG about mountain train rides in West Virginia, and I genuinely had a lot of fun with it. It was exciting to be more involved in the storytelling side of things rather than just focusing on visuals. At the same time, it gave me a whole new appreciation for how much work reporters do behind the scenes. The PKG made Best of the Rest, which was an accomplishment.

The weeks leading up to Show 3 got pretty crazy at times, but I felt like I continued getting more comfortable both shooting and working in the editing lab. I spent a lot of time helping classmates gather footage, problem-solve technical issues, and think through better ways to visually tell their stories. Each shoot felt a little different, which helped me get more confident adjusting to new situations.

Now at Show 3, I started to notice a shift in how I approach shooting, not just as someone helping capture footage, but as someone actively shaping how the story is told. This cycle felt a lot more hands-on creatively, especially when it came to stepping in with ideas, adjusting on the fly, and thinking ahead to how everything would come together in editing.

Going into Show 2, I’ve really started to settle into my role as ENG, and these past two weeks reminded me how much I enjoy the collaborative side of shooting. What I’ve noticed the most lately is how much communication matters when you’re working behind the camera. Filming isn’t just about knowing the technical side of the equipment. It’s also about working with the reporter to help bring their story to life visually. A lot of the moments that stood out to me during this cycle came from brainstorming ideas together and finding small ways to make each shot feel more natural or engaging.