Goodbye Old. Hello New!

Yesterday was an exciting day at WHNT-19!  We made our transition from our main news set to our temporary set while construction begins to re-vamp our old set.  I'm not quite sure how all the engineers, and others who helped move all the, cameras, set, teleprompters, weather equipment etc. because I know that was a BIG job!                            

Here is a look at the old set :

Here is a look at the temporary set that we are currently using:

I mentioned in my earlier post that after my internship I was hired to work in production, until the end of December, because I resume classes back in January.  While I was interning I helped answer the phones, go out with reporters, help write a few stories for some shows, and help with some stuff for our website, along with running teleprompter (for those who aren't familiar with what the teleprompter is that is the screen that is the size of a flat screen monitor that shows the anchors what to say, during the news cast.  After I was officially hired to work for them, they informed me I would be working on the "chyron", and graphics, which I mentioned in my previous post.  Thursday night I got to work a different job: Floor director.  It was so exciting!  We just recently got new cameras that are robotic meaning you don't have to have someone move them, and focus them, the camera operator can sit in the production booth, and it looks like a joy-stick that he uses to move them.  It looks quite strange seeing them move on their own with no one touching them!  In our temporary set however, we did not move the robotic cameras in there, we used some older manual cameras, so I learned yesterday how to focus, and get the right shot, along with making sure that the anchors know which camera to look at, at the right time, and when it comes time for weather letting our weatherman, Dan Satterfield know how much time he has in weather.  Did I mention that I feel real "official", because I get to wear a head-set, and can communicate to the director ha! I am really going to be sad when I finish, and have to begin back classes :(

This is the temporary weather studio

Our News Director: Denise Vickers took these photos of the evening production crew learning the new set up for the cameras

Denise also took this photo as we were in our 5:00 news show as Dan was doing weather (not my best angle lol)

Here I am making sure the shot is focused and where it needs to be for "Dan the Man"

If your in our viewing area tune in, and catch our newscasts at 5:00,6:00,9:00, and 10:00!  You can also check out the progression of our new set as it goes on by visiting: http://www.justin.tv/whnt#r=-rid-&s=em 

Hello December!

Where has this year gone?! I cannot believe that in a few short weeks it will be a new year, and not to mention that Christmas is in 21 days!  Speaking of Christmas I have done absolutely no Christmas shopping,but that is not unusual for me, because you can usually find me a day or two before Christmas out picking up some last minute gifts!  Changing subject...I wrote about me doing my internship in a few earlier posts, well I finished my internship at News Channel 19, and they hired me work part-time in production until the end of December, and I resume classes at JSU.  I had an amazing experience during my internship from the people I worked with to the stories I was able to go out on with reporters it was amazing!  As awesome as that experience was it is even more awesome to get to work for them, and get paid (internship was unpaid)! I have learned a lot about what goes on behind the scenes in the production aspect, and I never realized how hectic it can be!  I have been learning the "Chyron", which is the machine that puts the graphics in for the director to take, and put on air. Example: When it shows at the bottom of your screen someones name, and their title, a mug shot, or any type photo onto the screen that is what I help design, and have ready for the director. Here are some photos I took with my phone of the temporary control room we are in until they finish remodeling our old control room.

  This is the view I have.  The "chyron" on the left, and the other screen shows me the lineup of the show, and allows me to create graphics, that I then transfer onto the "chyron", and then back to the computer on the right.

This is where the director sits.  I have no clue what all of these buttons do,but thankfully "Tater", the night director knows.  You have to be on your A-game to direct a show, there are so many things to keep up with.

This is where the producers sit.  They are responsible for writing all the news stories, so what you hear the anchors saying from the teleprompter is what they have written, and they are also responsible for keeping up with if we are over or under on the show time, and if we are over they usually have to decide to "kill" some stories so we won't go over our time allotment.

This is to the left of where I sit.  At the bottom left is where our camera operator sits.  He is in charge of camera 1- which in a two anchor show is the one the male usually looks at.  Camera 2- is used when you have a two shot of the male, and female anchor.  Camera 3- Is usually used for the female anchor.  

 

I hope you enjoyed the photos!