IDEAS for Video News Casts at Schools
How to select the children
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At the beginning of the year, you might ask for children that need a pat on the back or
need something positive happening in their lives. Does not have to be the top students in
the class.
Application process just like applying for a real world job with interview.
Write an essay.
Teacher recommendation.
Look at discipline record.
Parents’ permission.
Broadcast, Video, Fine Arts, or Enrichment class.
Willing to work any position.
They must know it is a commitment, just like an everyday job. They NEED to be there
each day.
Audition for Anchor.
Younger students are guests and learn from the older ones.
How many?
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8 each week, 30 in all. Posts crews on Thursday for the next week. Does not make them
fret if they cannot get a ride one morning.
Team: 2 anchors, 1 camera, 1 controller. (4 most popular number)
Team: 2 anchors, 1 weather or interviewer, 2 cameras, 1 sound, 1 director that runs
PowerPoint with teleprompter, 1 switcher between cameras and PowerPoint.
4 teams-each work once per month.
6 to 7 with 4 to 5 groups.
Same team for 9 weeks and then switch.
“Crew Chief”-Knows all positions.
VBrick Operator to watch and listen to what is going out.
Pacing person
“Ace Group” so if Librarian or teacher is out, they can do it all by themselves.
Flip Chart person or PowerPoint person.
How Often?
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Every day or once a week. Sometimes live. Sometimes pre-recorded. Finding elementary
schools generally run live but some high schools pre-record.
Monday-Thursday is students. Principal does show on Fridays.
Arrive at 7:30 and Live at 8.
Wednesdays and Thursdays are planning and practice. Friday is live.
Or live every day except Friday which is pre-recorded.
Pre-record the day before. Play the next morning.
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IDEAS for Video News Casts at Schools
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Fine Arts/Elective/Enrichment class sets up show the day before for live broadcast the
next morning.
Viewing
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Through Building Distribution Systems (BDS).
Live through their VBrick portal.
Record it through the VBrick video portal and save it in the school folder. The teachers
can watch it later in the day. (Note: Only 2 recordings may be happening at the same time
in the district.)
Record on the camera. Save to computer (copy from memory card or USB cable).
Convert to WMV (Windows Media). Add video to local VBrick portal server and put in
school folder. Or Upload to Media Share in Streamline just for your school. Can remove
after a few weeks when no longer needed.
Record on the camera. Save to the computer (copy from the memory card or USB cable).
Run through Movie Maker (convert to WMV, if needed). Save out as WMV. Add video
to local VBrick portal server and put in school folder. Or Upload to Media Share in
Streamline just for your school. Can remove after a few weeks when no longer needed.
Critique
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After the show, critique it. May be teacher or “Crew Chief.” Teaches students how to be
a leader, a boss, how to not be too harsh.
Conversion programs
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Many, many free ones.
Any Video Converter: http://any-video-converter.com/products/for_video_free/
Or iwisoft’s video converter: http://iwisoft.com/videoconverter/
Studio Programs
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Adobe Visual Communicator
Wirecast (little more high-tech)
How do the students learn the jobs?
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Train them during their recess. Asks them to watch National and Local news programs
and then they discuss them.
First few weeks of school. Start news show a few weeks into school.
Check lists.
Train the year before-the students that will be coming up.
Previous group trains new group.
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IDEAS for Video News Casts at Schools
Who does what?
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Some do not want to be the anchor at first but generally everyone learns to do all the jobs.
After a few weeks, the librarian is purposefully “late” so the students must run it by
themselves.
Benefits
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How to be on a team.
How to take care of equipment. If it breaks, its gone. No more news.
Mistakes are OK. Always get another chance. Learn from mistakes. And keep going!
Responsibility to be there.
“Movie Star” role-Role models.
Poise.
Leadership.
Supervising.
If they act up, GONE. No second chance. (Rarely happens.)
Tips From an ETV Producer/Director
This should be fun! First, I would tell them to watch the national and local news casts. Look at
the way the anchors and reporters handle themselves on camera. Also look at the way the shots
are framed (not too much head room, space on either side of the subject – don’t always center
your subject unless he or she is talking directly to the camera). Avoid shooting people in
complete profile if possible. If they are going to do any field reporting, tell them to try to keep
their light source BEHIND the camera operator. In other words, avoid backlighting the subject
(i.e. having them stand in front of a window where they will be silhouettes). If they are using lav
mics (clip-on mics), HIDE THE CABLE!!! Run the cable up the speaker’s shirt or behind their
back. It will look much more professional. Listen to the room or the location. If an air
conditioner can be turned off, the sound will be much better.
Don’t be afraid to get creative. Have fun!!!
Background colors-not white.
Celebrate a Job Well Done
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End of the year is a trip to WIS and watch their news shows in progress and tour.
Visit a college studio. Maybe be part of the college broadcast team one day.
Have guest speakers like college professors or TV personnel.
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IDEAS for Video News Casts at Schools
Content
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May have “Stay Tuned” up show teachers can tune in ahead of time. Music playing.
Some make an announcement when ready.
Sometimes use Flip cameras for video around the school. Role the video, “B” role, and
students can narrate over it.
Celebrate what is happening in the classrooms-Science experiments. Skits. 1 to 2
minutes. Live or pre-recorded.
Athletic or Band events-Student wears jersey or uniform and announces the game/event
time to encourage attendance.
Announcements-read from paper or teleprompter. Could use PowerPoint on a computer
with big monitor/TV they can see and read from so they are looking up.
Birthdays-students and teachers-might get to come to library or office for small gift.
College Bound, Core Essential, or SAT word for the week.
Celebrate the “Month” or “Day” event like Valentine’s Day or Thanksgiving.
Terrific Kids – Annouce the “Terrific Kid” award for the week. They come to the library
for a small prize-maybe school tee shirt.
“Awesome Authors”-students read their own work. May record ahead of time.
“Life Skill Leader”-why/when did they show leadership in the classroom? The teacher
knows when it is their week to nominate so they can be watching for a student to
recommend.
Published Author of the week.
College Day-Select a college to highlight each week or month. Wear the jersey. Give
away the jersey in a drawing. (any age)
College Bound message.
Theme song at beginning and/or end.
Historic event from that day or week. See the Calendar in Teacher Center in
StreamlineSC.org.
Lunch menu (if it does not keep changing on you)
Math or History Trivia. Ask question at beginning of news cast. Give answer at the end
or next day.
Aerobics one day a week-maybe Monday. Could show before the news. Slim Goodbody
has Deskercise on Streamline for each day. Might could use the beginning of that or all of
it.
Joke
Thought for the day or Words of Wisdom for the day.
Life Skill Pledge or School Pledge. Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence.
Student Council Candidates.
Nurse. Principal. Coach.
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IDEAS for Video News Casts at Schools
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Librarian is a “character” that makes the library exciting. Like a “book diva.” May dress
up and use a different voice.
Shots: Position main subject in the frame where the lines cross on a tic-tac-toe board.
“Rule of 3rds”
Equipment
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Start small. Then add gradually.
Video camera-small one is fine. Great ones for $150 to $500. Can add another camera
later.
 Tripod.
Later add:
 Mics-sitting on desk in stand or hold it or wear lapel wireless or wired.
 Switcher between sound and video sources.
 Computer or TV for teleprompter. (Consult an Audio/Visual company for setup.)
 DVD or VCR for pledge or video viewing.
 Boombox for music intro or ending where sound is picked up by a mic or patched
through switcher.
 Controller/Switcher has LED’s for sound/audio levels.
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IDEAS for Video News Casts at Schools
MANY, MANY options. Ask a vendor. Here are just two possibilities. Your rep will know best
what you need for your equipment.
Connecting a camera, DVD
player or VCR to a VBrick
unit.
Video RCA (yellow) to BNC
Audio RCA (red and white) to
Mini-Mono-Headphone
Or Y-connector from 2 RCA to 1 mini-stereo headphone
To talk about News Shows options, contact Donna Thompson at dthompson@scetv.org.
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