Videography Blog

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.

This week allowed me to assist several classmates with their shoots and spend time in the editing lab helping others troubleshoot different aspects of their projects. While there were definitely some successes, there were also a few moments where I realized things I could have done better. Overall, it was a productive week that helped me learn more about both the shooting and editing sides of the process.

This was the craziest two-week period I have had thus far in college. It all started off when we went to Snowshoe Mountain Resort on Saturday, Feb. 21, for the USASA snowboarding and ski event. We left Morgantown around 6 a.m., and I had pulled an "all-nighter,” so I knew I was in for a wild day. When we got to the mountain around 9:30 a.m., we started to build our equipment and pair off in groups because there were at least three reporters covering something mountain-related, and they all needed different content. I was paired with adventure reporter Andy Hartlove, who was covering the USASA event. 

This week was one of the busiest we’ve had so far, but it was also one of the most productive. Between helping multiple reporters shoot interviews, adjusting to new cameras, troubleshooting editing issues, and working through the fast pace of Show 1, I felt like I was constantly learning and adapting.

When I found out I got the role of ENG this semester, I was thrilled! One of the main reasons I chose to major in Sports and Adventure Media is because I’m fascinated with working behind the camera, shaping visual storytelling, and being part of the crew that makes everything come together. Going into this show cycle, I felt confident from the start that I could capture strong shots and contribute creatively, while also knowing there is still more for me to learn.

This past week, I learned so much about basic camera operation and the responsibilities of a technical director while in the television studio. For context, I am taking the prerequisite class (JRL 380) this semester, as I am also taking the capstone, which is a challenge. As this was my first week in the field as an ENG, there were lots of things that I learned by making mistakes. 

  It’s crazy to think that we just wrapped show 4 and only have one more show of the semester! I think show 4 in particular is really where it became evident to me how we all have grown over the semester and continue to improve! From pre-planning, to getting creative shots, to edit lab, I just feel like as a class we have improved so much, and it really shows with show 4.