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21 Dec 2009 11:29:39
The pressure and excitement of producing ‘live’ television was brought vividly to life for a day for University of Bedfordshire students.
The six-hour marathon event was a joint assignment between TV Production level one and Media Performance level two students at the Luton campus.
Former students Justin Chinyere (a presenter and actor), Kelly Bretts and Brendan Murphy (both radio presenters) were three of the six people available to be interviewed.
There was also the co-director of the Filmstock Festival Neil Fox, BBC cameraman Lawrence Leedell and Radio One Extra presenter Ace. A trio of band members from ‘Da Clique’ were unable to attend due to illness.
It was the second year that Maria Wiener, Lecturer and Course Leader Media Performance, and Kathryn Wolfe, Senior Lecturer in Media Performance and Senior Lecturer and Course Leader TV Production, had run this assignment.
Maria said: “The three former students are all recent graduates and have established themselves in their chosen careers. They enjoyed the atmosphere of the day and didn’t want to leave! And Lawrence was extremely impressed at the facilities which is great coming from someone who works for the BBC.
“The students were very enthusiastic and enjoyed this assessment and left smiling which is unusual! They embraced the challenge of ‘live’ interviewing in a studio and everything was done on a professional level. It built on the recent visits from (television presenter) Pam Rhodes and her workshops.”
Kathryn said: “It’s very successful as an example of realistic learning. The Media Performance students find ‘real’ interviewees, and the TV Production students record the six 10-minute interviews in a multi-camera studio, using four cameras, as a live event.
“There is only one chance, no retakes, it is ‘live’ and as a result the production values are high, the pressure is on, and the students feel that they are making ‘real television’.”
The TV Production level one students were divided into groups and took on roles such as director, vision mixer, sound recordists, camera operators, crane operators, floor manager, video tape recordist, autocue operator, production assistant and assistant floor manager - roles decided by ability and rehearsed in previous weeks.
Kathryn said: “In only 11 weeks, the TV Production students have learned the technical skills required, taken on different roles, formed production teams and are able to work together to produce 10 minutes of good quality TV.”
TV Production level one student Katie Shore took on the roles of director and assistant floor manager. She said: “There was the whole class working together like a real-life crew, on an aired live show! I had great fun as exams go! I really enjoyed it and I can’t wait for the next one so I can try even harder.”
And another TV Production level one student, Sadie Jones, said: "Whoever thought of having an exam where the whole class works together is a genius! It allows us to interact with each other and also gets us a hands-on experience for what the industry is actually like."
There was also appointed professional make-up artists on the day. The quartet of Cianca Cayle, Ummul Naqvi, Natalie Klein and Charlotte Crame are current level three students in Media Performance and also graduates from the Foundation degree on Specialist Make-up Design from Barnfield College in Luton.
Top photo: TV Production student director Katie Shore checks shots on the crane with TV Production student camera operator Olufemi Omotoso.
Second photo: Former student Kelly Bretts is interviewed by Media Performance level two student Emily Blake.
Third photo: Brendan Murphy in the safe hands of make-up artist Charlotte Crame (Media Performance level three).
Bottom photo: TV Production student director Sadie Jones gives instructions to TV Production student camera operator Cressida Jones (no relation).
Latest news» 2009» December» Students produce their own live television
