Southeastern Louisiana University

Zoom Into Television is designed to train participants in the various techniques of television and video program production. The course focuses on the production of an original newscast.  Participants will receive introductory exposure and information about the television and video production industries. They will also be introduced via demonstration and hands-on exercises to different aspects of production such as script research, script writing, reporter interviews and standups, shooting story B-roll, and visuals elements. Additionally, participants will learn the operation and proper use of camera, lighting, audio equipment, and they will learn the process of digital editing, shoot logging, voice-over recording, newscast formatting, anchoring, studio and control room operations, and the studio production of a newscast.  Participants will then be required to produce their own story segment packages on location for inclusion in a studio newscast, which they will produce on the final day.

Participants will be organized into five two-person production crews for the production of two-minute news story segment packages, with each student having the benefit of producing his or her individual segment and receiving hands-on experience in every phase of production from beginning to end- from script writing through editing.  The students will then participate as a 10-person team in the studio production phase of a newscast, where each student will receive studio experience as an anchor, director, assistant director, camera operator, teleprompter operator, tape operator, audio mixer and graphics operator.  In this phase student preproduced 2-minute stories will be rolled into the news show in live fashion.  A DVD, including the newscast anchoring and segment reporting of each student, will be provided as demo material at the end of the workshop.  These newscasts will also air on the Southeastern Channel and on the channel’s web site.