The final show of WVU News is in the books. After a rough start to our semester, we found a way to finish strong and produced another good-quality show just after our first come-up.
Despite the ups and downs, I'm proud of what the team has accomplished this semester. We've all done a lot of learning and growing that not many others could say they have achieved. Between this show and the last, it's hard to say which one was our best. Personally, I would say Show 4 is our best show, but others might say this show was. There's an argument to be made for both, and it's perfectly valid to find either or better. In the end, we were able to get two quality shows produced, and that's what we should be proud of.
My personal focus for this show was keeping the pieces tied together, which I have learned and perfected throughout the semester. Lighting, audio, framing, sequence shooting, creativity, and unique shots; these were all my focus for Show 5. And with the growth I have displayed throughout the semester, it has allowed me to expedite being out in the field with my reporters to only a few hours.
Each show having a different area to focus on improving allowed me to use these last two shows as a way to tie them all together and show that I am capable and know what I am doing. That being said, it let me be more creative with my shots, which just helps produce higher-quality work for both myself and my reporters. That is the type of role I thrive in, where I can show that my work means something on its own, but it also allows me to elevate the “stars of the show” and be that supporting pillar for them.
Overall, this semester has been taxing mentally, but WVU News gave me a light to find my way out of the tunnel of darkness. And though the work itself was a lot, it showed me how much I matter and thrive in a team environment.
WVU News was a stepping stone in overcoming my anxiety and other mental health issues, and because of that, I can't be any more grateful for the people I have met, the things I've accomplished, and the new friends I have. Without it, I don't know where I would be right now. But because of it, I can end this chapter of my life on a high note, knowing that I have been set on the right path with the ability to hold my head up above the crowd.
It's a melancholy feeling knowing that this is only a “small milestone” in improving at getting on the path towards a professional career; nevertheless, it has been one of the most important ones in my life. I can say without a doubt I have the skills not only to be a professional videographer but also a supporting player and a newscast director from all the experience I have gained throughout my undergraduate career.
The memories I have made both in and out of the classroom will be ones I cherish for the rest of my life, especially because it was the one place in a long time that gave me a chance to prove that I am more than just a product of my past.