Lights, camera, action pay off in live television

Chris Tropea
In Motion Staff Writer

Twice a week at Daytona State College there are live television programs being filmed and broadcasted on the college’s television station. Those wondering “Who’s running the show?” might be surprised to know, it’s students.

Participants in the Television Studio Production Certificate program crew the live shows on a weekly basis. Professor Anita Bevins, program instructor, describes it as a state-approved College Credit Certificate program consisting of three courses and concurrent labs.

In each of the labs students get hands-on learning experience in running professional production equipment. “In the RTV class you learn how to run a live show, with the same equipment that you would use in the real world job. The first semester is the basics while the second and third semesters are teaching you to produce and direct your own show,” says Zack Wilson, a current student in the program.

Throughout the program students learn things that they will need to know for working in a live television studio such as creating and crewing a live broadcast production, says Bevins.

“The skills learned include studio and field camera operation, videotape playback, camera shading, prompter operation, phone screener and initiator, studio and field lighting, audio, graphics, technical directing, jib operation, nonlinear editing, associate directing, producing and show directing,” she explains.

With live shows being broadcasted every week, the students get to use the skills they have learned on a live set, not only giving them practice, but also live show experience to add to their resumé. “The hands-on aspect of the classes is something for sure that I enjoy. It makes the class exciting and engaging, and all the professors there make you feel like you are a part of something special,” Wilson says.

To accompany the hands-on experience students get to do some creative work. For example, in the final semester of the program, students are given the opportunity to produce a show to be aired live each week on the college’s station. Student produced shows from the past include “Expedition Central Florida,” featuring places of interest in the area; “Call It Improv,” a collaborative effort with the Daytona State College Improv Club where student actors appeared each week; and “CreARTivity,” a program spotlighting local artists across a variety of mediums.The students create the show their final semester and run everything behind the scenes as well.

Wilson adds, “After visiting the studio and watching the live broadcasts I saw the potential for career that I could be passionate about.”

With the program, including all the aspects of crewing a live show, the students get to try out every aspect of production so they can discover what part of the process truly interests them. From running cameras all the way up to being the associate producer of a live show, there is a field of interest for every student.

“I have always been interested in audio and I am looking forward to putting that interest to use on a live TV program,” Wilson says enthusiastically.

The first live student program will be ‘Pet Owners Hotline,’ airing on Feb. 10 at 7:30 p.m. on WCEU-Channel 15.