I’ve had more experience than the average student producer in a capstone course, but with our first show of the Fall 2026 semester, my focus was getting back into the groove of writing a cohesive script and translating that script into a finished show in the studio.
This was my first time back in the producer’s chair for a WVU capstone since producing West Virginia Today last year. I took a break from capstone courses to work as a producing intern at WJAC in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. I enjoyed working in a professional newsroom and gained valuable experience, but I did not get much opportunity to booth. Because of that, I knew boothing was a skill I would need to refine as I returned to the capstone environment.
Having produced for four previous capstone classes, I know how much my confidence in boothing typically develops throughout a semester. By the end, I usually become comfortable enough that I stop taking detailed notes before a show. I might mark reminders for shot changes or anchor movements, but I can generally anticipate what needs to happen and rely on experience and muscle memory.
For Show 1, I did not have that same confidence going into the taping. Instead of letting that become a weakness, I adjusted my preparation. I spent significantly more time marking up my script with cues for both the anchors and myself.
That preparation helped reduce the stress of boothing because I knew exactly what I needed to do and had something to reference if I missed a cue in the moment. Timing can change quickly during a show, especially during a live interview segment, so I knew I could not anticipate everything. Preparing detailed notes for the things I could control gave me more time to focus on the things I could not.
This was an important reminder that strong producing is not always about being able to react quickly; it is also about preparing well enough that you can make good decisions when something unexpected happens.
Our capstone courses do not have a newsroom computer system to help create rundowns or stack the show, so we rely heavily on paper documents. We also do not have a shared content bank through that software, meaning we use a physical hard drive and Vimeo folders to organize content.
Because of this, detailed script notes are especially important. This semester, I also spoke with my professors about incorporating more camera angles and visuals than previous courses have used. To keep those changes organized, I track which anchor is on camera, where they are positioned on the set, and which camera they are using. I also plan anchor movements ahead of time so they have enough time to get into position while their microphones are off and so the director has enough time to frame each shot.
Beyond managing my own cues, I learned again how important communication is between the producer, stage manager, and director. I met with Maria and James before the show to discuss the camera changes and my expectations. That preparation became especially valuable when I could not attend anchor rehearsals on Tuesday. Because I had already communicated the show setup to Maria and the anchors, they were able to rehearse without me while still having the information they needed.
Ultimately, I did not reference my notes as often as I expected. However, creating them still helped me rebuild my confidence in boothing and reminded me that preparation, organization, and communication are some of my strongest producing skills. Show 1 gave me a chance to identify an area I needed to improve and develop a strategy to address it before it became a problem.