This was my first semester at Florida Southern College. To obtain my practicum hours, I became a reporter for our weekly news show "Mocs Talk". I met with Austen Snodgrass back in August and explained my lack of availability. I told him that I would try to do a news package each week for him and that I really wanted to showcase the better sides of Lakeland. It was then that the concept for "Menus and Venues" was created. It was my task to go around and pick the hot spots I felt college students would enjoy. It was free advertisement for the community and fun to shoot.
My first segment was on Lakeside Village Plaza's newest restaurant Burger 21. I wasn't really sure what I was doing, but I put on a smile and went with it. On that particular day of filming my tripod broke, but as the saying goes you must "roll with the punches". I continued to film and improvise. I also wanted to do an over the shoulder shot when interviewing the restaurant's manager, but it is hard to set up shots like that without a camera man. So I learned from this package to plan ahead, include a back up plan, and when possible carry an extra tripod or accessories with you. Also, I learned to only do one stand in (preferably at the end) and make each shot count (meaning, make sure each shot you use has purpose). I was also told to never pan (unless necessary) or zoom.
My second news package focussed on FSC purchasing the Lake Hollingsworth apartments. It was a quick, spare of the moment story that I felt was important for the students to know about. I called the manager of the apartments to see if I could film the inside of their "model apartment", but instead I got an ear full of complaints. Instead, I went to their property and got as many exterior shots as I could without being kicked off the premises. I learned from this incident that It is always good to network and know as many people as possible. It will make it easier in the future to gain access for filming or interviews.
My third package was on Lakeland's first Zombie Fest. Because the event had not happened yet, I didn't have any B-roll footage on hand to use. I had to improvise and shoot several locations in downtown that seemed creepy already or would be transformed for the event. I did meet a great contact through this segment named Tiffany. She works for the Downtown Lakeland Partnership and she and I now network together. The only thing I was unhappy with in this package was some of my shots. Even though they were on the tripod, they seemed a little shaky. I learned from this package that it is great to make professional friends in places you know will be beneficial to your stories. All you have to do is go up to them, introduce yourself and your purpose. It's about being outgoing and personable. People will then be more willing to open up to you. After meeting Tiffany, she felt what I was doing was great and started naming off future events that lakeland would be throwing. She gave me a ton of story ideas and said she would call me whenever a new attraction was in the works and in return I would give them publicity and recommend them to the college students. I also learned that even on a tripod, shots can be unsteady. My new rule from that moment on has been to push record and remove my hands for 5 to 10 seconds. That way I can not interfere with the shot.
Other things I learned from trial and error include always charging up your batteries, turning off your mic after each interview and look where you are standing (yes, I did film my closing once while standing in a pile of ants). Last but certainly not least, I learned that the whole purpose of any segment is to tell a story. Tell a story that will entertain or gain interest. Whether it's a fun story or a sad one, always keep your audience in mind. It's not about seeing yourself on camera or being able to say " I am on TV". It should always be about the viewer.
I am looking forward to next semester. I will have more free time to dedicate to the weekly news show. I am hoping to participate more in the studio for the experience and I am still excited about reporting. It is something that I love and want to gain more knowledge of.
