Videography Blog

With another week of filming and a show under our belts, I would say this past week I learned the art of being adaptable! We had a shorter turnaround time for our show, so we all had to adapt to that compared to our first show, when we had more time to gather content. I also learned the importance of being adaptable in the moment when out filming because sometimes our reporters rely on us when things get stressful, so it’s important as an ENG to have a level head. 

The words I would use to describe show one would be confidence, adaptability, and communication. For this being our first show, I can’t speak for my classmates, but I was definitely nervous going into it. More so for the live filming as a camera operator but also when it came to helping my fellow reporters. As their ENG I wanted to get them the best footage I possibly could to help their vision come to life. With show 1 now under our belt I’ve gained confidence moving forward and while I still have a lot more to learn I’m excited to see how I grow over the semester as an ENG/camera operator and how we also grow as a class.  

This past week had several projects that required strong teamwork and adaptation quickly out in the field. Between getting adjusted to my first show as ENG, trying to help my classmates make their stories better, to learning how to be the technical director for playbook, I had plenty of struggles to overcome, but I have learned a lot from the experience that will be helpful for the upcoming shows.  

For Show 5, I began the week by assisting Joey Bray at the introductory press conference for new basketball head coach Ross Hodge. My primary responsibility was ensuring that the audio setup was handled correctly. I made sure the XLR cable was securely connected to the audio box, which allowed us to pull a clean audio feed from the soundboard. Sound bites often carry the bulk of the storytelling, especially for a story based around a press conference. Having clear, reliable audio from the podium meant Joey wouldn’t have to worry about background noise or inconsistent sound levels during editing. The biggest challenge we faced during this shoot was variety. Press conferences can be visually limited because they typically involve people speaking at a podium with minimal movement. It forced me to think creatively about how to frame shots and look for moments that added visual interest. I captured Coach Hodge shaking hands with President Gordon Gee and mingling with others after the official remarks, which helped add some human elements and variety to the b-roll. 

This past week was full of projects requiring adaptability and teamwork. From helping classmates with their stories to working my first show as a technical director, I encountered several challenges but also gained valuable experience.

After having show one under my belt, I felt way more confident shooting out in the field. I started with Jackson in Clarksburg, WV at the MK Airsoft arena. It was my first time traveling for this class which was interesting. It created more pressure because we knew we needed to get everything right because there was a good chance we wouldn’t be able to go back and reshoot everything. The main positive of the trip was that the owner gave us full access to the arena and helped us out with the shots we wanted. This was my first time working with Jackson and he was very easygoing and knew what he wanted. Since the arena was 72,000 square feet, we split up and shot in different areas. I focused on getting more close-up shots because that was the number one thing I needed to work on from the last show. Once again, there were some audio issues during the interview, but I moved quickly to get the problem resolved. Jackson had a clear image of what he wanted his stand-up to look like. He wanted to “clone” himself. We worked together to make sure the framing was right and that he would be able to edit it afterward. I think the final product of the stand-up looked great and our creative side was shown through it. After the interview and stand-ups, we had a lot of downtime before the players got there. We had to manage our time and find other things to do while we waited. Once the players got there, we had to wear safety gear, but we were allowed to go into the arena and get the shots we wanted. We had to stay up in the catwalk while the games were going on, so we didn't get hit with any pellets. Because of that, we had to utilize the zoom on our camera to still get some close-up shots even though we were further away from the action. 

Show #2 has been a lot of fun to navigate. I learned and experienced more than I expected. Whenever I put my camera on the tripod, I learn something new. Going into Show #2 I was much more confident than I was two weeks before. I felt more comfortable around my classmates, equipment, and new locations. One of the biggest parts of being an ENG is moving around a lot to new places and adapting quickly. I’ve had to adjust to this but after Show #1, I was comfortable doing this. One place that tested this was the Coliseum. Unfortunately, I am not as lucky as some of my other classmates who work for ESPN+ and work on the court a lot. When I arrived with Cam on the floor for the women’s game, I was a bit overwhelmed. This is a new environment for me, and Cam had already shot a handful of games and knew his way around. I had to move past my timidness and get to work. Cam showed me around and answered any questions I had regarding filming. After this, I felt much more confident and got ready to film.

Over the past week, I had the opportunity to work on various shoots, each presenting unique challenges and learning experiences. From navigating tight filming spaces to capturing an all-day tennis event, this week reinforced the importance of adaptability and problem-solving in video production.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a variety of shoots, each presenting unique challenges that tested my adaptability, problem-solving skills, and ability to work under pressure. From dealing with last-minute technical malfunctions to navigating difficult shooting conditions, I’ve learned that sports media production is often unpredictable but that’s also what makes it so rewarding. One of the biggest takeaways from this experience has been the importance of staying calm and adjusting on the fly. When helping Tanner Mountz with his package, we encountered an unexpected microphone failure just as his interview subject arrived. With time running out, I had to quickly step in, set up my own camera and mic, and ensure Tanner could still conduct his interview as planned. Moments like these reinforced the value of being prepared for anything and thinking quickly under pressure.