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.
Over the week I helped Riley the most, but I think that was mainly due to us having tech issues and having to return to reshoot interviews as well as b-roll. Riley was the first classmate I filmed with and she was honestly so understanding when we had issues happen with our audio equipment. I communicated with our TA as well as my professors to figure out and fix my issues so that my audio would be working when we returned to reshoot. I feel like Riley was really open to my ideas for locations for her interviews and other aspects of her package. All in all, she was a good first person to help as she soothed my nerves going into this class.
A few days later I helped Hank collect some b-roll as well as one of his interviews for his story. We showed up the WVU men’s hockey team to collect b-roll from their practice as well as get his interview. I set up the equipment while Hank chatted with his interview subject and was telling him what to expect out of the interview as he seemed a little hesitant to be on camera. After having audio issues with Riley I let out a breath of relief when the interview for Hank went smoothly! Once we finished that I walked around the ice arena and gathered various clips he could use as b-roll.
Aside from having to adapt when it came to audio issues this week I also adapted when I helped Anthony with his soccer story. I had never filmed anything for WVU athletics before, so it was really interesting to get to go film from the sidelines during a soccer game! There were a lot of do’s and don’ts to learn throughout the game like where you can and can’t stand on the sidelines. But I left there with a new understanding of how to gather content at athletic events vs with Riley we were filming outdoors.
Near the end of the week I went back to the ice arena to help Parker reshoot some b-roll as well as his stand up. He had audio issues during the week and was kind of nervous about the redo clips ending up the same way, but I feel like I was able to reassure him that the equipment was working well. We filmed a few test clips of him speaking and then listed to those before we filmed the ones he wanted to use in his package. Getting this reassurance that the audio was working well really lifted both of our spirits for the rest of the time there.
For edit day there wasn’t much that I helped with besides providing moral for my classmates. Everyone seemed to be prepared and come to the edit lab with their editing mainly done, if some needed help it was very minor fixes. I did help Riley figure out how to add a photo and make it move on and off the screen as well as how to get text on her clips.
The most nerve wracking but rewarding day was our first show day by far. I arrived and helped Ali, our social media producer, film a TikTok to tease our show 1 which was cool to see what she had created! After that it was showtime! Luckily, we had some time to adjust and settle in before we jumped into the first take. I wouldn’t have been able to be as successful as I was if it wasn’t for the help of my professor and other camera operator helping me. My professors were quick to answer questions and give reassurance when they sensed I needed it. My partner in crime, my camera operator co-pilot helped me stay on track and focused all show. This show it was Riley and she would read through the script as the show was going on with me to make sure we had the right cameras set on the correct people.
We made it through show 1 and while it was a whirlwind of stuff happening, mistakes being made, tech failing, there were also friendships and bonds being built. Having helped so many of my classmates with just show 1 has brought us closer together than we were at the beginning of the class. At the end of the day, we are classmates but we are also a team and we will have each other’s backs for the next 4 shows coming up and inot the future. I can’t wait to see what content we create, and how much better we all work our respective positions during a show day in the coming weeks!