Jocelyn Allard
Special to In Motion
Daytona State College provides many opportunities to students looking for their future career. One of those opportunities stands out because DSC is one of just two state colleges that provide students with the chance to work in a live television studio.
Staff and students at the WDSC-Channel 15 run and produce their own original TV shows, while teaching and learning hands-on skills. Starting with the basics of studio equipment operation, students eventually get in the driver’s seat by producing live television.
Faculty and staff at WDSC such as Assistant Professor Anita Bevins, Mike Rentnelli and Derek Sanford make sure scripts get written, talent is casted and extra content for videos is created. Students in the third semester classes also lend a helping hand. Each student writes their own episode and puts together content for the show, based upon the show’s theme. Bevins also hires students to take part in a work study program.
“I’ve done every single position in the studio, most positions I’ve done on a live show,” said Megan Rasmussen, a student at DSC who is part of the work study program at the TV station, “It’s like a little taste of everything.”
As Bevins sees it, her position as a coordinating producer for the TV shows is “to oversee production of shows in a series, or of like format.” In other words, the students keep the engine running and she is there to troubleshoot.
As part of the Television Broadcast Production, sports broadcasting joined the program last year.
“The sports broadcasting part of it is that we are doing a Tuesday night coach’s show and the other piece is the live sports broadcast, the games that we cover live. So that’s where the sports part of it comes in,” Bevins said.
It’s all included in the Broadcast Production certificate program. In the studio, students produce the live TV coaches show and they do a live remote that airs on Channel 15. DSC sports covered include the new soccer team, along with the baseball, softball, basketball, volleyball and golf teams.
Producing TV shows is no easy matter. Student directors and producers have to be prepared for almost anything that could happen, whether it’s finding a backup for sick talent or studio equipment acting up right before the show goes on live.
And that’s another thing — since shows are performed live a mistake in the studio is received in the comfort of home on TV. Everything has to be timed just right, everyone needs to know exactly what they’re doing and be remain focused. But WDSC is a learning experience. Mistakes made during a show are learning tools to make an even better show next time.
Graduates say that classes provided at WDSC are an amazing opportunity for students wanting to go into the TV or film industries. Showing them the ropes and allowing students to work on shows that go live over the air, offers an exceptional learning experience. It gives students the opportunity to get professional TV news station experience that may ensure their futures in the field.