Production Comm 360 Blog 5

Several weeks ago in my Studio Production class, we divided up into groups and came up with a topic to do a fifteen minute story.  My group came up with the idea to do the show on the many end of the world theories and decided to shoot the second week (April 3, 2012) of shooting, which makes us group B.  Fortunately, our producer Jonathan took on the leadership role and we initially started brainstorming for questions and guests.  After coming up with several professors on campus for the show, Jonathan had everyone write one question and two job positions in the discussion forum to give everyone a chance to obtain a job they would enjoy.  Personally, I knew I wanted to be the host or the technical director.  By the next class, he had posted job positions, and I was the host.  This excited me because I knew I would get a lot of say in the script and the content of the show. 

Mayan Calender

Before doing that though, our next task was to find two professors to be guests on the show.  Another student had suggested his biology teacher and luckily, she was available and willing to do it.  We struggled to find another guest because the end of the world is a somewhat strange topic and professors are really busy.  I tried a few different times to contact an old history professor who I thought would fit the part.  After several failed attempts to find him in his office, I emailed him but he was unavailable.  Thus, after other failed attempts as well, we decided that another student could do some research about the different theories that would be discussed and could fill in as the guest.
After brainstorming with the rest of the class, we had a set list of topics we wanted to discuss throughout the show, including the Mayan calendar, global climate change, overpopulation, and others.  So, a few days before shooting, I looked at the discussion forum and took everyone's questions into consideration and came up with a final script.  Additionally, I had written the introduction to the show and another student had come up with an ending.  This is the final script I compiled (directly copied from the discussion forum):

Hi and welcome to the Shepherd Connection.  Today's topic will focus on the many end of the world theories.  Lately, with December 2012 quickly approaching, which may be one of the most publicized theories, society seems determined to figure out the way the world will end and popular movies and television shows drive that obsession.  Our first guest, Dr. Conley, is a biology professor at Shepherd University and will tell you a little about her background. (Dr. Conley speaks) Thank you, Dr. Conley.  Our second guest _________ will also tell you a little about himself/herself. (2nd guest speaks)
-Let's begin my discussing the Mayan theory that so many are talking about.  What exactly were their predictions?
-Why do you think it has become so popular in our society, are people just looking for something to talk about?
-In your opinion, does the fact that the Mayans did not account for Leap Years disprove this theory?
-Another interesting theory involves global climate change and, let's be honest, the weather this past winter has been quite odd.  Can you briefly describe global climate change and do you think it could wipe out the population?
-What can we do to prevent or hinder the change?
-In the past, there have been several epidemics, such as the Bubonic Plague, across the globe that have killed many people.  Could a terrible enough epidemic destroy humankind and what kind would it have to be (i.e. virus, plague, flu, etc.)?
-Do the United States and the rest of the world have the resources to stop an epidemic if a bad enough one started?
-The idea of overpopulation is also a world ending theory.  Could the perpetuation of the human species really be it's own demise?
-As the population expands, more food is being genetically modified.  How dangerous is genetically modified food and why?
-Is genetically modified food enough to potentially kill off the population?
-A final theory we are going to touch on today is the idea of a World War 3 that involves nuclear warfare.  Could a world wide nuclear war demolish humankind as we know it and how?
(If time permits, other questions could be)
-In your professional opinion, which world ending theory do you believe holds the most weight and why?
-Which is the least likely and why?
-Are alien invasions and zombie attacks possibilities, they sure seem to be the topic of many popular television shows and movies?
So it looks like the world is safe for another day.  Thank you for joining us today on the Shepherd Connection and thank you to our guests for being here.      

Overall, I am happy to have gotten a chance to write a script and conduct an interview in this setting.  Not only did I have fun, I also feel that I gained experience that will help me in the future.  We are currently in post-production and hopefully will be able to each obtain a copy of the show for future reference.

Writing Center Quiz Comm 360 Blog 4

     After practicing shooting a short talk show several times in my Studio Production class, we were asked to create a commercial for the writing tutoring center on campus.  We were given a script and were expected to follow their basic ideas of the shoot.  Basically, it was our job to make the commercial come to life with their vision.  Because the class had never filmed anything like this before and this was the first "nonpractice" shoot we had, I was a little apprehensive as to the quality of the final project.  After all, we are still students and are learning.  Fortunately, everyone involved truly took that into consideration.  Everything that was expected of us was more than do-able, we just had to put it all together.
     The first several days were spent planning the shoot.  Although I had few ideas about the actual shoot, I was looking forward to working with the script.  A really good idea was to write the entire script on a large whiteboard off camera so the talent could either read the script directly or memorize small sections of the script in several seconds and then say them into the camera.  So, when it came time to start blocking out the set and writing up the script, I volunteered, with two other classmates, to work with the script and put it on the whiteboard.  Because there were a lot of repeating words or phrases in the script, we collectively decided to not write every single word on the whiteboard.  Instead, we tried to put everything up on the board in order at least once and did not write the repeated words.  After all, many people were recorded reading the script, and in the final commercial different faces will be saying each phrase so the effect of repeated words/phrases can be done in editing.  Once the set up was done, production could begin.
     During the first couple shoots, I stayed out on the floor fixing any problems on the whiteboard.  For instance, the talent was having trouble reading certain words or phrases and that needed to be corrected.  After the script was completely set though, I got the opportunity to become director for the last shoot of that day.  Since I had not been in the control room, I was somewhat unsure at first, but other classmates helped direct me so the shoots looked similar to the other director.  The overall feel of the shoot was to have a close up of the person talking with little to no headroom.  After the first day of shooting was over, we had an additional chance to shoot more footage the next class, and my personal goal was to become more involved.
     For the next class, everyone was basically allowed to pick a position and then after a couple shoots, classmates would switch positions.  My first job was floor manager.  I enjoyed being floor manager before because I was in charge of ensuring everyone on the floor was doing the things that needed to be done.  However, this time I felt that I had much less direction and was standing a lot not really doing much.  The director decided to shoot footage of the talent practicing for the first couple shoots so there was less nervousness and so it was more genuine. Thus, my only real job was to lead the microphone checks.  After a couple shoots, the talent picked up on the fact that they were being recorded practicing so shooting had to commence as it had the first day, where the floor manager would give the countdown and then the real shooting began.  After a couple of shots though, I gave the floor manager headset to another student and headed for the control room.  In the control room, I did not actually have an active part, but I was content with watching the rest of the shoot transpire.  So, for the last few shots, I was more of a passive player.  I found this to be just as good a learning experience as working directly with the shoot.  For instance, I learned that the director needs to be concise and clear, especially when speaking to the floor manager and camera person.  Because those two individuals are on the floor, they have a completely different perspective and experience than in the control room.  It's the director's job to make sure those people know exactly what to do, even if it seems odd or unusual to them.  The second thing I realized was that the camera person has to have complete faith and trust in the director.  At times, the camera screen looks slightly different from the television screen, so the camera person needs to take all orders from the director to compensate.  Overall, though, I learned that shooting anything in the studio is fun and sometimes even challenging.  The production team must efficiently work together and communicate with one another to fix any problems and ensure the best shoot possible.  I look forward to shooting more in the studio over the semester.
   

Writing Center Shoot Comm 360 Blog 3

     My studio production class was asked to design an advertisement for our school's writing center.  The writing center is a place for students to meet with a tutor about a paper or essay.  We were given a script and asked to come up with an idea for shooting the advertisement and then to carry that idea out.  Because we were given a script but no real direction, we are able to use our creativity to make an excellent advertisement.  In addition, we are able to edit the script to fit the shoot if needed.  The script that was given to the class is set up so several different people will be speaking.  Basically, one person will began saying one line and another person will come in saying the second line and so on.  For example, the first person says, "Hello." and the second person says, "Do you struggle with writing?" and the third person says, "Well, you're not alone.".  From there, the conversation continues and more and more information about the writing center is revealed.  Also, the script has a lot of repetitiveness to stress the most important aspects of the writing center.  For instance, the fact that it is free for students is highlighted several times in the script.  Overall, I think the script has a great direction but needs to be slightly tweaked.  Some of the repetitiveness is too much and actually distracts from the intent.  Saying it is free twice is enough to get the message across to the audience.  Additionally, the location of the writing center is said too many times and will distract viewers.  It should also only be said twice.  With the script being edited and the talent being actual tutors from the center, next, the shoot needs to be decided upon.
     My class came up with several different ideas for the actual shoot.  One was to shoot in front of a black background and use dramatic light to catch the viewers eye.  I found this idea to be acceptable, but someone mentioned that it might not be as upbeat as the script is and I completely agree.  Another idea was to shoot in front of a green screen and put a copy of an edited essay behind the speaker.  This was also an excellent idea.  However, the tutoring center focuses more on developing thought out ideas rather then marking up an essay and it may take away from the person speaking.  So, we were left with ideas but not a completely thought out plan.  Personally, I like the idea of using a white background.  It is like the black background in the sense that it is still plain and will not take away from the person speaking, but it is also bright and upbeat and flows with the script.  An excellent example of a successful commercial using a white background is the Mac vs. PC campaign.  Here is an example.

 

There entire campaign used commercials with two individuals having a conversation.  The commercials were successful and happen to be one of my favorite campaigns.  I genuinely enjoy the way the commercials look.  It is simple and the most important aspect that the viewers will focus on is the conversation between the individuals.  It has been said that sometimes less is more and in this case I would have to concur.

Learning Studio Jobs Comm 360 Blog 2

     Before going into the studio in my Studio Production class, I had a little amount of experience there.  Basically, I had done on-camera work, post-production editing, writing a script, and operating a teleprompter.  I had worked in these positions because I had made the decision to.  However, for this class, all students were given the opportunity to try any and every job in the studio.  To be honest, I was somewhat apprehensive about being thrown into situations that I had no experience doing.  I did not want to make mistakes or be embarrassed by my lack of experience.  Jobs were systematically assigned based on a number system and my first job was a camera operator.  I had very minimal experience operating a camera, but others in the class who had more experience were able to assist and teach me.  Now, I feel much more comfortable and confident while camera operating, but it was by no means my favorite position.  In addition to camera operator, I also was able to work with the audio, be on camera, and be a technical director.  In every situation I learned a lot and gained vital experience.  My very favorite job, though, was directing.

A Director's Chair

     The director is in charge of communicating with the rest of the team via headset and calling the camera shots.  Essentially, the director is in charge of holding the team together, telling the camera operators their shots, and telling the technical director when to switch cameras.  Before I had a chance to direct, I decided that directing would not be something that I would enjoy doing or even be very good at doing.  I generally shy away from being in charge and telling others what to do.  However, once I put the headset on, I liked the fact that I could use my own style to direct the show.  I was able to look at the monitors and decide what shots looked best and which shots to use.  Personally, I like shots that have very little headroom.  Also, I was able to try new things too.  At one time, I used a close-up shot on an individual who talked for a longer amount of time.  Overall, I realized my personal style for directing.
     Because this was my first experience in directing, I was far from perfect.  In particular, I need to become better at watching the conversation and determining who is going to speak next so the transitions between shots are smoother and more appropriate.  I also feel that I can improve by being more vocal about the exact shots I want.  I am very pleased that I was able to experience so many different roles in the studio.  I found that some jobs are much more exciting and enjoyable and other jobs are not for me.  I look forward for more opportunities to direct to become better and try other jobs as well.

Multi-Camera Production Comm 360 Blog 1

     Before starting my journey at Shepherd University I was able to experience some multi-camera shooting in high school.  Each day I would play a part in producing the morning announcements and I was also able to gain crucial experience in producing a news show and a talk show.  From the time I started doing this in ninth grade, I knew it was something I wanted to keep doing for a long time.  As my high school journey ended, I was sad to see such a wonderful part of my life ending too.  However, I knew that at some point during my college career I would be able to do this again and maybe even make a career out of it one day!  In the past several weeks of the semester I have realized that although I gained excellent experience in high school, I have so much I want to learn because I generally enjoy being a part of mutli-camera production and even more I need to learn if I ever decide to pursue a career in the field.
      Before my class was able to actually jump into producing any type of show, we were able to watch some of the work of Hamish Hamilton and see the different types of things that really go on behind the scenes of a multi-camera production.  Hamilton has directed many big events that have either been broadcasted live, like award shows, or shows that were turned into DVDs, like the U2 concert.    Here is the video of a Kanye West performance Hamilton directed for an awards show. 

 

     Obviously the work that Hamilton does and the work that I will be involved in this semester lie on two completely different ends of the spectrum.  It is important to keep in mind, though, that the basics of multi-camera production stay the same.  Audio and lighting are two very important things whether you are directing Kanye West or a small talk show.  The audio needs to be checked before hand to ensure that the audience will be able to leisurely listen and a lot of thought needs to go into the lighting to ensure the best quality and look.  Also, many people are involved in a multi-camera shoot and it is vital that everyone is on board and is cognizant of their jobs.  Everyone must function as a team and corporate with one another. 

   There are a lot of differences between a shoot like Hamilton's and a shoot my class will be producing, though.  While Hamilton's work is broadcasted to millions of people live, the work I will be doing in the studio will be prerecorded and may reach hundreds of people.  In addition, Hamilton's work is incredibly fast-paced and really exciting.  Although the work I will be doing is exciting, Hamilton's work is on a whole different level.  Also, in my setting, there is room for mistakes and error.  After all, it is a college class where learning will be taking place and editing can be done.  If something does not work, the class can work together to fix it for the next show.  However, Hamilton has one chance to get it right and one chance only.  His career literally depends upon it. 

     Overall, the experience I will get out of my class is not anywhere near the experience I would receive if I worked with Hamilton.  But, I am in no way, shape, or form prepared to work with someone like Hamilton until I have much more knowledge and experience under my belt.  I sincerely look forward to learning all the ins and outs of multi-camera production during the course of the semester and maybe one day I can become involved with award shows, sports games, and concerts.

A Multi-Camera Production

 

Topic Introduction

A Diamond Made Through CVD
Photo by: jurvetson 

When determining a topic for a twenty-five page website, I knew it had to be something I enjoy and am passionate about.  After thinking about different hobbies and interests of mine, I determined the perfect subject: diamonds!  After all, I enjoy everything about them, especially wearing them.  Besides the fact that diamonds shine beautifully in the sun, I realized I do not actually know much about them.  They come in different colors, shapes, and sizes, and I do have my own preferences, but I strive to learn more about diamonds than just their appearances.  Thus, my website will be filled with information about all different aspects of diamonds, and of course, many beautiful pictures.  My major theme will be the four "c"s of diamonds: color, cut, clarity, and carat.  Other topics that will be discussed are special, famous diamonds, the mining of diamonds, and the manufacturing of diamonds.  The saying "diamonds are a girl's best friend" is most definitely true in my case and I look forward to finding and sharing much information about diamonds.    

Comm 403 Blog 7-Psychoanalysis

Sigmund Freud

     Although the term psychoanalysis may lead some to think about the field of psychology, it is important to understand that psychoanalysis deals with the field of communication as well, specifically media studies.  Psychoanalysis began with Sigmund Freud in the late 1800s and spawned similar theories from other psychologists like Carl Jung.  In its most basic sense, psychoanalysis is a way to study mental and psychic properties that cannot be studied in other ways.  According to this theory, the psyche influences a person's ideas, actions, and personality and it made up of three things, the id, the ego, and the superego.  The id is a person's basic desires and drives and the superego is a person's high morals standards and values.  The ego balances the id and superego.  This is relevant to media studies because it is important to be able to read different texts, or acts of communications, through a psychoanalytical standpoint.  One article, Not Enough Graduates Know About Freudian Subtext in 'Alien 3', Say Employers, satirizes the idea of applying psychoanalysis to media studies.

     This article jokingly discusses the importance, or lack there of, of psychoanalysis in media studies.  The article begins by stating that not enough students are studying media studies and that the United Kingdom is falling between in the number of students choosing to study media studies.  However, the article satirizes the importance of psychoanalysis and being able to apply it to different forms of media, such as movies.  Basically, it tries to expose the ridiculousness and uselessness of being able to apply this theory to media.  The article even interviewed a media studies student who agreed that understanding psychoanalysis in this way will in no way assist in him becoming employed anywhere but Starbucks after college.
     Although this article is completely over the top and does a good job at making it's point, I believe that psychoanalysis does have a place in media studies and is important.  Like the article states, it is unlikely that someone will want to know about the sexism in Pacman simply "because it's really interesting".  However, I believe it is important to understand psychoanalysis to better understand society and its values and ideals.  One may not be able to make a complete career out of it, but with an understanding of psychoanalysis, one can do the best at his or her job.  For example, a job in advertising could benefit from the understanding of psychoanalysis by better targeting its audience.  Overall, the article does make a good point that psychoanalysis can seem silly and obsolete, but it does have a place in media studies.