I am a big believer in the fact that you can learn something from every assignment, every video you shoot, edit and produce and you can learn something from every reporter you work with. This is one of those video packages (or otherwise, I wouldn’t have posted it).

In Fresno State’s MCJ curriculum, broadcast majors are either photogs or talent. You are either behind the camera or in front of it. And the best way to give both type of students experience is to combine the two into one class and have them produce packages in the field together. It’s MCJ 115 /128.

When I took the class I was on the photog side (MCJ 115) and there were so few of us in the class, we were probably out-numbered by reporters at a good three-to-one ratio. That meant we had to shoot, edit and produce a video package in the field every week while the reporters worked about once a month.

The workload as a photog was hectic enough that when a reporter came to the table prepared and excited about a package he or she found, it gave you a surge of energy. It carried you through the week as you worked along side the reporter. Unfortunately, the opposite was also true. Put a story together at the last minute that has no energy and no potential for decent SOTs or b-roll and it shows in the final product.

This is one of those pieces.

The entire b-roll was shot by who knows who and “acquired” by the reporter approximately nine months after it was shot. We used it to cover the SOT because it was a preview package and it didn’t allow us to go out and shoot our own b-roll.

I understand schedules get hectic and stories fall through. My point in all this is not to criticize, but when you rush a package just for the sake of putting something together, it shows. It shows to your boss, your professor and the viewers. Yeah you get a package done, but at what cost? Is it something you want to be remembered for? Is it something you want to put your name on?

 

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