It's already August 9th; the table read for Episode 3 is this coming Saturday and this week is all about getting that prepared.
I'll be reviewing the script tomorrow through Tuesday, getting final numbers for attendance and then getting prepared for the dinner itself later in the week. Believe it or not this is going to be a ... long week.
I've been filming a bit more for Rogers TV recently. Saw the Barrie Baycats beat Kitchener and move on to the Intercounty Baseball Semi-Finals. Also did a Celebrate the County shoot in Heritage Park. Apparently Barrie has a small Carribana festival, and a steele drum band was playing in the park. It's actually quite a nice area and depending on how the footage is edited, you might see one of the better-kept areas of Barrie. I believe it's on Saturdays at 5pm on Rogers TV, which is channels 10 and 53 on cable. Barrie OHL starts up soon too, and I think there would be something challenging about filming hockey, so I'm excited to be signing up for that. Plus, it gets me into every Barrie Colts home game this season.
I've been writing Episode 5 lately, and have been wrestling with the idea of combining Episodes 5 and 6 together. I'm not confidant that I have enough material to actually make a 45 page script for Episode 6, but I'm sure that overlapping the plots of both would come out to longer than 45 minutes. It's actually been quite the dilemma that hasn't exactly been resolved.
Episode 5 is coming along great so far. It's the first opportunity I've had to characterize Danielle 'Lidless' Parsons as a tragic villain. I had always intended to her to be ruthless, yet sympathetic. Furthermore, the 'plot' of the show has always been about her political machinations, which are revealed in Episode 5. Though it's fun to write, there's also some critical thinking that has to go into this script that isn't exactly present in its predecessors.
Been doing some local travelling lately; was up in the Blue Mountains last weekend and managed to catch the sunrise from a particularly nice view. Was also doing some very-local sight-seeing at the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport, located in Oro-Medonte. I mention these because I think there's a lot of potential in showing the natural resources of this area in the show. Though there's plenty of shows filmed in and around this area, very few shows take place here. I think it would be fun to try and incorporate the Blue Mountains into the narrative of the show somehow, maybe further down the line, just to have an excuse to go out and film there.
I had intended to have August be my big month for blogging, but in full compliance with the law of economics, as a recently laid-off individual, I enjoy spending money I don't have on things I don't need. This involves a lot of unproductive days. I'll do my best to get a full eight blogs out over the next 23 days and see if I can't make that goal of having August be the most productive month for the blog.
Think that's gonna wrap things up for tonight. Hope you all had good weekends despite the return of the wet weather.
Showing posts with label Local Television. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Local Television. Show all posts
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Underground Local
I recently submitted a proposal to produce a program on Rogers TV titled Underground Talent or Underground Local.
I also happened to drop the address of this website on the proposal, so with that in mind I'm dedicating a post to the Rogers TV program I hope to produce someday.
Underground Local
My name is Dustin Bell and I have lived in the Barrie area for all but four years of my life which were spent at Carleton University in Ottawa. I’ve seen this city’s population quadruple in my lifetime, but haven’t gotten a sense of the city itself becoming bigger. The city has plenty of shopping malls, but few local businesses, less industry and a virtually unheard of arts scene. The local musicians, artists, poets, comedians and creative peoples of all sorts have never had an accessible forum to showcase their talents to the city. I propose that Barrie Rogers TV develop and produce a low-budget once-a-week program that would feature aspiring artistic entrepreneurs.
Underground Local would be a half-hour weekly program that featured local bands doing a one-to-three song set, artists of all types showcasing their work, comedians performing a short routine and theatre troupes enacting short scenes from locally produced plays. The show would also be a forum for local poets, fashion designers and photographers.
It would be produced in-house, running primarily on volunteer efforts. A host would introduce the show, each guest and then close the program. It would require three videographers, a sound technician, a producer and a director. I would happily serve as either of the latter two.
As a volunteer at Barrie Rogers TV, I am familiar with the studio-setting and have always had a passion for television production and local talent. The Barrie Rogers TV studio already has the resources necessary to accomodate the show, including a stage, multi-channel soundboard and dedicated volunteers.
I've often talked on this blog about the potential that Barrie has to become something more than a suburb. There are more than enough people who believe this is possible - but I feel that this is one step that will bring us closer to that dream.
I sincerely hope that we want the same things for Barrie and I can't thank you enough for your consideration.
I also happened to drop the address of this website on the proposal, so with that in mind I'm dedicating a post to the Rogers TV program I hope to produce someday.
Underground Local
My name is Dustin Bell and I have lived in the Barrie area for all but four years of my life which were spent at Carleton University in Ottawa. I’ve seen this city’s population quadruple in my lifetime, but haven’t gotten a sense of the city itself becoming bigger. The city has plenty of shopping malls, but few local businesses, less industry and a virtually unheard of arts scene. The local musicians, artists, poets, comedians and creative peoples of all sorts have never had an accessible forum to showcase their talents to the city. I propose that Barrie Rogers TV develop and produce a low-budget once-a-week program that would feature aspiring artistic entrepreneurs.
Underground Local would be a half-hour weekly program that featured local bands doing a one-to-three song set, artists of all types showcasing their work, comedians performing a short routine and theatre troupes enacting short scenes from locally produced plays. The show would also be a forum for local poets, fashion designers and photographers.
It would be produced in-house, running primarily on volunteer efforts. A host would introduce the show, each guest and then close the program. It would require three videographers, a sound technician, a producer and a director. I would happily serve as either of the latter two.
As a volunteer at Barrie Rogers TV, I am familiar with the studio-setting and have always had a passion for television production and local talent. The Barrie Rogers TV studio already has the resources necessary to accomodate the show, including a stage, multi-channel soundboard and dedicated volunteers.
I've often talked on this blog about the potential that Barrie has to become something more than a suburb. There are more than enough people who believe this is possible - but I feel that this is one step that will bring us closer to that dream.
I sincerely hope that we want the same things for Barrie and I can't thank you enough for your consideration.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Lizife
Been keeping busy. Been writing too! Managed to squeeze out the entire rescue of Detective Nathan Davis from a moving transport truck. The way it's written shouldn't be too expensive. I hope not anyway. I had always envisioned it to be the most expensive scene in the entire series, but as I was writing it I realized there's only.. five expensive/dangerous shots that I think can be accomplsihed using tricks of the eye. The way I look at it is George Lucas made the Death Star blow up in 1977, so the least I can do in 2009 is make two trucks look like they're driving real fast.
Rogers is fun. Developing a patience for D.S., and I'm not exactly patient. I just accept the role between directon and camerawork and try to shrug it off. Live television is a little bit different I suppose, a lot more stressful for the production room. I'd really like to get an opportunity to shadow directing before Daytime is out. I'd really like to get a try at trying to communicate what I want from the camera crew. I'm sure if I ever got to do it I'd have R. on audio, then J., C. and M. on camera so they'd all be pro by now, which means they'd all be good at catching what I say.
Rogers has a section about proposing a show, and although I think it's a little early to be thinking Soundtrack right now, I wouldn't mind proposing a show. I think it'd be interesting to have a show completely about local talent. Local bands, poets, artists, singers, theatre troupes, comedy acts could fill the half-hour segment, and it would contain only the same costs of operating the studio on volunteer work. I should talk to someone about it. I know it seems a little obnoxious, but I do have a Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communication and I'm trying hard to make a good impression on the staff there. I feel like I've come a far way in these past few weeks. If anything I've realized just how much more there is to know. Which is why I think I should start with something small. Get some experience behind me. I'm going to write yup a business model this week, and submit it sometime after.
I feel I must at least make a public statement that Soundtrack is not, I repeat, NOT on hiatus or the backburner in ANY way. Soundtrack is a destination I will arrive at, at exactly when I expect myself too. I told P.L. on March 26th, 2009, I wanted to be casting one year from then. I believe I can still meet that goal. Here is my attempt at an original moment of zen for your pleasure.
The path is long and has many turns, but it is always right in front of you.
I don't know if I'll get a chance to mention this before I go, but I'm attending a seminar at City Hall this week on how to receive arts funding! Barrie's fortunate enough to have a great MPP, Aileen Carroll, who sits as the provincial government's Minister of Culture, so this is a great town to live in to be an aspiring artist. I use the term loosely by the way, that's just the government's definition of me.
So hope you all had a good weekend and enjoyed the weather, and you'll be hearing from me soon!
Rogers is fun. Developing a patience for D.S., and I'm not exactly patient. I just accept the role between directon and camerawork and try to shrug it off. Live television is a little bit different I suppose, a lot more stressful for the production room. I'd really like to get an opportunity to shadow directing before Daytime is out. I'd really like to get a try at trying to communicate what I want from the camera crew. I'm sure if I ever got to do it I'd have R. on audio, then J., C. and M. on camera so they'd all be pro by now, which means they'd all be good at catching what I say.
Rogers has a section about proposing a show, and although I think it's a little early to be thinking Soundtrack right now, I wouldn't mind proposing a show. I think it'd be interesting to have a show completely about local talent. Local bands, poets, artists, singers, theatre troupes, comedy acts could fill the half-hour segment, and it would contain only the same costs of operating the studio on volunteer work. I should talk to someone about it. I know it seems a little obnoxious, but I do have a Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communication and I'm trying hard to make a good impression on the staff there. I feel like I've come a far way in these past few weeks. If anything I've realized just how much more there is to know. Which is why I think I should start with something small. Get some experience behind me. I'm going to write yup a business model this week, and submit it sometime after.
I feel I must at least make a public statement that Soundtrack is not, I repeat, NOT on hiatus or the backburner in ANY way. Soundtrack is a destination I will arrive at, at exactly when I expect myself too. I told P.L. on March 26th, 2009, I wanted to be casting one year from then. I believe I can still meet that goal. Here is my attempt at an original moment of zen for your pleasure.
The path is long and has many turns, but it is always right in front of you.
I don't know if I'll get a chance to mention this before I go, but I'm attending a seminar at City Hall this week on how to receive arts funding! Barrie's fortunate enough to have a great MPP, Aileen Carroll, who sits as the provincial government's Minister of Culture, so this is a great town to live in to be an aspiring artist. I use the term loosely by the way, that's just the government's definition of me.
So hope you all had a good weekend and enjoyed the weather, and you'll be hearing from me soon!
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Storage Facility
I got off my ass today and wrote a couple of pages in Episode 3: 401. I gave some subtance to the exchange between Eddie and Cain. I gave Eddie a reason to be in this and something to bargain with. I gave Cain a reasonable reaction to the information about Derek - and a decent way for him to hear it.
It wasn't much, but I was happy with what I put out today and I thought I'd mention it.
It wasn't much, but I was happy with what I put out today and I thought I'd mention it.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Collingwood
May 17 2009
So I'm currently in Collingwood at my friend E.B.'s chalet. The group of them had wanted to see Star Trek again, but I've already seen it twice and that's enough. So I'm staying here, taking some time off drinking for the weekend and blogging some thoughts about television and life.
I started spreading the word about the third dinner. Camp-out at Dustin's, tents, fire, smores the whole shabang. But unfortunately I haven't been making the progress I'd like to on Episode 3. What I should try and remember is that I had this problem with Episode 2, and I was honestly happier and more satisfied with Episode 2 than 1. I'll make an effort on Tuesday to put some solid ideas on paper and finish the skeleton and first draft of Episode 3 before moving on to a more refined version.
In the news; Barrie Mediagate 2009 seems to be winding down. I've read most of the responses to my editorial, and I have one only rebuttal; learn the difference between internships and volunteering before you make it the cornerstone of your argument. I haven't been compelled to write any counter-arguments to the Examiner because I simply feel like no one has given me something worth responding to outside debating semantics. The blog is certainly a better place to hold these debates.
The Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission released a notice this past week that it would not seek to implement whats being called the "1-for-1" rule. This rule essentially seeks to correct the bidding wars for foreign programmes by Canadian stations. The CRTC claims that over three quarters of a billion dollars is spent each year by Canadian networks on purchasing foreign shows. What the 1-for-1 rule would essentially impose is for every dollar Canadian networks spend on purchasing American productions, they spend a dollar on purchasing Canadian productions. This is excellent news for me and it comes at a perfect time.
Next week American networks begin screening the slate of Fall television pilots for purchase by domestic and foreign networks. I'm sure this means there's some very lucky people watching some very rudimentary television pilots very soon, but it also means it's too soon for the CRTC to be implementing a new rule such as this. It would give Canadian networks a little over a week to reconsider their scheduling, production and budgets - which I'm sure isn't enough time. The CRTC in their infinite wisdom have decided to instead reschedule the 1-for-1 rule to be implemented in 2010 rather than the coming 2009 season. This gives me both time and hope to continue working on the series for a Fall 2010 debut. That also means this time next year I should be coming off the tail end of putting in a hell of a lot of work into the pilot - which makes me think I should get on to some of the more important aspects of pre-production. All in good time.
Rogers is going fine. Nothing really new to report there. Getting the hang of camera operation; starting to feel a little bit more comfortable behind the camera and being at the studio in general. R.M., the Director of Volunteer Services for Rogers Barrie couldn't have been more sincere when saying how respectful employees of the studio would be towards us volunteers. With competence comes confidence, but I couldn't have done either without the instruction and support of the Rogers program.
Not sure what else there is to say lately. Been having a good weekend, still one more night of fun drinking times to go! Then back to the 9-5 life. Hope everyone is well and having a great weekend. Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you all again soon.
So I'm currently in Collingwood at my friend E.B.'s chalet. The group of them had wanted to see Star Trek again, but I've already seen it twice and that's enough. So I'm staying here, taking some time off drinking for the weekend and blogging some thoughts about television and life.
I started spreading the word about the third dinner. Camp-out at Dustin's, tents, fire, smores the whole shabang. But unfortunately I haven't been making the progress I'd like to on Episode 3. What I should try and remember is that I had this problem with Episode 2, and I was honestly happier and more satisfied with Episode 2 than 1. I'll make an effort on Tuesday to put some solid ideas on paper and finish the skeleton and first draft of Episode 3 before moving on to a more refined version.
In the news; Barrie Mediagate 2009 seems to be winding down. I've read most of the responses to my editorial, and I have one only rebuttal; learn the difference between internships and volunteering before you make it the cornerstone of your argument. I haven't been compelled to write any counter-arguments to the Examiner because I simply feel like no one has given me something worth responding to outside debating semantics. The blog is certainly a better place to hold these debates.
The Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission released a notice this past week that it would not seek to implement whats being called the "1-for-1" rule. This rule essentially seeks to correct the bidding wars for foreign programmes by Canadian stations. The CRTC claims that over three quarters of a billion dollars is spent each year by Canadian networks on purchasing foreign shows. What the 1-for-1 rule would essentially impose is for every dollar Canadian networks spend on purchasing American productions, they spend a dollar on purchasing Canadian productions. This is excellent news for me and it comes at a perfect time.
Next week American networks begin screening the slate of Fall television pilots for purchase by domestic and foreign networks. I'm sure this means there's some very lucky people watching some very rudimentary television pilots very soon, but it also means it's too soon for the CRTC to be implementing a new rule such as this. It would give Canadian networks a little over a week to reconsider their scheduling, production and budgets - which I'm sure isn't enough time. The CRTC in their infinite wisdom have decided to instead reschedule the 1-for-1 rule to be implemented in 2010 rather than the coming 2009 season. This gives me both time and hope to continue working on the series for a Fall 2010 debut. That also means this time next year I should be coming off the tail end of putting in a hell of a lot of work into the pilot - which makes me think I should get on to some of the more important aspects of pre-production. All in good time.
Rogers is going fine. Nothing really new to report there. Getting the hang of camera operation; starting to feel a little bit more comfortable behind the camera and being at the studio in general. R.M., the Director of Volunteer Services for Rogers Barrie couldn't have been more sincere when saying how respectful employees of the studio would be towards us volunteers. With competence comes confidence, but I couldn't have done either without the instruction and support of the Rogers program.
Not sure what else there is to say lately. Been having a good weekend, still one more night of fun drinking times to go! Then back to the 9-5 life. Hope everyone is well and having a great weekend. Thanks for reading and I'll talk to you all again soon.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
A-Channel, Rogers and Community Media
Stardate, May 14th, 10:24pm:
Captain's log. I've been involved in volunteer efforts with Rogers Television for the past week or so. It's a terrific program. Really, I can't say enough about how great this experience is. One week ago I'd never stepped behind a camera, now I can somewhat operate one. That's a good skill to have when you're trying to get in to television production.
I was published by the Barrie Examiner in a Letter to the Editor in response to a similar letter first published by Peggy Hebden, Station Manager of A-Channel. You can find the link to that here; http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1564892 ; but since this was an edited copy, I'd like to attach a copy of the full version I had e-mailed to editor Bob Burton, but was told it would only fit if it was half its size(that's what she said).
The economic crisis has taken its toll on many industries, media included. The most recent Letter to the Editor from A-Channel Station Chief, Peggy Hebden, although informed, reeks of bias from a network that has failed to meet the needs of its community.
Local media serves one of two purposes. It either acts as a companion to mainstream media, or as an alternative. The simple question in determining A-Channel's worth to the community comes in identifying which of these two services the network is providing to Barrie and its surrounding area.
As this is an editorial, I'm going to save myself a lot of words and jump straight to the conclusion that A-Channel is a companion to mainstream media. The stories A-Channel has been reporting on are nothing short of the same headlines reported on national and local broadcasts coming out of most major cities. The bulk of its non-news programming is imported from larger networks unable to accommodate them in their scheduling. Its efforts to reach out to the community are becoming substantially insignificant.
A-Channel stands alone in the Barrie area as one of the only media outlets which does not co-ordinate a volunteer program to educate local youth in media production. It stands alone as one of the hardest networks to reach for comment, as evidenced by several personal attempts to receive network feedback for a paper based on the value of local media. Throughout the years, its programming has become more and more distant from the community it serves.
So what alternative is A-Channel providing the residents of Simcoe County? Its news programming mirrors that of national networks. It's non-news programming mirrors that of national networks. Though A-Channel, formerly The NewVR has provided an alternative in the past, its growing reach into York Region and national headlines have left us with nothing more than an expensive sister-station to national networks.
Hebden pleads in her final paragraph for the support of its audience during these tough economic times. I have only one response; No Peggy, we need YOUR support. A shift to more community-based broadcasting and providing an alternative to the mainstream networks we can find anywhere else is what we both need - or A-Channel will simply become increasingly unnecessary, and obsolete.
There have been rebuttals by A-Channel high-ups, including evening news anchor Lance Chilton and while I'm going to avoid an all-out Barrie Examiner editorial war, I'd like to defend my position here.
When I first started watching A-Channel it was known as CKVR and provided local news to Barrie and the surrounding area. Somewhere between CKVR and A-Channel, we lost that same local station. For one, the news isn't about Barrie and surrounding area anymore. It's occasionally about Barrie, and more often about the '905 Belt' and the municipalities south of Simcoe. I can't remember the last time I saw a locally-produced program on their primetime lineup.
As the former employee of what I'll leave to be an unnamed public-service, I'll tell you personally that A-Channel is one of the most difficult media outlets to get in contact with regarding issues important to Barrie's citizens. Furthermore, as a communications student at Carleton this past year, the cutbacks to A-Channel earlier this year inspired me to write a paper about the importance of community media and the need for networks like the former New VR to exist. After several attempts to reach the network for comment, I received no word back. The conclusion I reached at the end of the paper is A-Channel no longer fit the criteria for community media. If A-Channel is unwilling to help itself, why should we pay the bill via bailout funds to assist it?
I opened this entry with a paragraph on my experiences with Rogers for a reason; that is that there is a difference between an intern and a volunteer. This is for you, Mr. Lance Chilton; A volunteer comes in whenever he or she wants to, and participates only as much or as little as they wish. They decide their own level of involvement, commitment and create their own schedule that works around them. An intern is the equivilant of an unpaid employment position, with set hours and menial duties.
I'm going to at least send a link to the Barrie Examiner, Bob Burton, to this blog, as I feel that in this digital age we don't need to continue this bickering through a newspaper. For those who've come here through the Examiner, thank you for taking an interest in community media, and I hope you realize how little A-Channel fits that profile. Thank you so much for reading and stay tuned for updates on
Soundtrack.
Captain's log. I've been involved in volunteer efforts with Rogers Television for the past week or so. It's a terrific program. Really, I can't say enough about how great this experience is. One week ago I'd never stepped behind a camera, now I can somewhat operate one. That's a good skill to have when you're trying to get in to television production.
I was published by the Barrie Examiner in a Letter to the Editor in response to a similar letter first published by Peggy Hebden, Station Manager of A-Channel. You can find the link to that here; http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1564892 ; but since this was an edited copy, I'd like to attach a copy of the full version I had e-mailed to editor Bob Burton, but was told it would only fit if it was half its size(that's what she said).
The economic crisis has taken its toll on many industries, media included. The most recent Letter to the Editor from A-Channel Station Chief, Peggy Hebden, although informed, reeks of bias from a network that has failed to meet the needs of its community.
Local media serves one of two purposes. It either acts as a companion to mainstream media, or as an alternative. The simple question in determining A-Channel's worth to the community comes in identifying which of these two services the network is providing to Barrie and its surrounding area.
As this is an editorial, I'm going to save myself a lot of words and jump straight to the conclusion that A-Channel is a companion to mainstream media. The stories A-Channel has been reporting on are nothing short of the same headlines reported on national and local broadcasts coming out of most major cities. The bulk of its non-news programming is imported from larger networks unable to accommodate them in their scheduling. Its efforts to reach out to the community are becoming substantially insignificant.
A-Channel stands alone in the Barrie area as one of the only media outlets which does not co-ordinate a volunteer program to educate local youth in media production. It stands alone as one of the hardest networks to reach for comment, as evidenced by several personal attempts to receive network feedback for a paper based on the value of local media. Throughout the years, its programming has become more and more distant from the community it serves.
So what alternative is A-Channel providing the residents of Simcoe County? Its news programming mirrors that of national networks. It's non-news programming mirrors that of national networks. Though A-Channel, formerly The NewVR has provided an alternative in the past, its growing reach into York Region and national headlines have left us with nothing more than an expensive sister-station to national networks.
Hebden pleads in her final paragraph for the support of its audience during these tough economic times. I have only one response; No Peggy, we need YOUR support. A shift to more community-based broadcasting and providing an alternative to the mainstream networks we can find anywhere else is what we both need - or A-Channel will simply become increasingly unnecessary, and obsolete.
There have been rebuttals by A-Channel high-ups, including evening news anchor Lance Chilton and while I'm going to avoid an all-out Barrie Examiner editorial war, I'd like to defend my position here.
When I first started watching A-Channel it was known as CKVR and provided local news to Barrie and the surrounding area. Somewhere between CKVR and A-Channel, we lost that same local station. For one, the news isn't about Barrie and surrounding area anymore. It's occasionally about Barrie, and more often about the '905 Belt' and the municipalities south of Simcoe. I can't remember the last time I saw a locally-produced program on their primetime lineup.
As the former employee of what I'll leave to be an unnamed public-service, I'll tell you personally that A-Channel is one of the most difficult media outlets to get in contact with regarding issues important to Barrie's citizens. Furthermore, as a communications student at Carleton this past year, the cutbacks to A-Channel earlier this year inspired me to write a paper about the importance of community media and the need for networks like the former New VR to exist. After several attempts to reach the network for comment, I received no word back. The conclusion I reached at the end of the paper is A-Channel no longer fit the criteria for community media. If A-Channel is unwilling to help itself, why should we pay the bill via bailout funds to assist it?
I opened this entry with a paragraph on my experiences with Rogers for a reason; that is that there is a difference between an intern and a volunteer. This is for you, Mr. Lance Chilton; A volunteer comes in whenever he or she wants to, and participates only as much or as little as they wish. They decide their own level of involvement, commitment and create their own schedule that works around them. An intern is the equivilant of an unpaid employment position, with set hours and menial duties.
I'm going to at least send a link to the Barrie Examiner, Bob Burton, to this blog, as I feel that in this digital age we don't need to continue this bickering through a newspaper. For those who've come here through the Examiner, thank you for taking an interest in community media, and I hope you realize how little A-Channel fits that profile. Thank you so much for reading and stay tuned for updates on
Soundtrack.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Blog!
May 10, 2009
So why has it been over a week since the last blog update? Because I’ve been busy! Television production requires money and skill – and I’m trying to get as much as both of those as I possibly can.
I applied to volunteer at Rogers Television in Barrie at the suggestion of a former coworker, E.S. The next day, I got a call from their volunteer program about an orientation being held that night and I was welcome to attend. Not even 14 hours later I was operating a camera for the live-television program, DAYTIME.
During the final weeks of university I was trying to complete a paper on the value that local media provides in community, especially considering these troubling economic times. I had attempted to reach A-Channel for contact through several different venues, trying to reach a producer for comment on the story. I received absolutely no feedback, and when I was trying to find volunteer programs for media outlets in Barrie, I couldn’t quite decide if I was surprised or not that A-Channel didn’t offer one. In the days following my positive experiences at Rogers, I’ve come to understand a major difference between the two if both are to be considered local media. A news article in the Barrie Examiner motivated me to write a letter to the editor about A-Channel’ s value to the community is diminishing, and labeling itself community media is an outright lie to justify its budgetary expenditures. I was contacted by the editor to be assured the article would be published in Mondays edition, and so I’ll link to that as soon as it becomes available.
Volunteering at Rogers Television has been a tremendous experience. I never thought that on day one I would be operating a camera for a live television show. On a side note, it didn’t go very well, and I was kicked off after failing to deliver a shot that the director wanted, but that’s how this business goes. The director isn’t as mean as she sounds, I just think she was uninformed to my lack of experience on the camera.
Apparently everyone starts out on camera operating – but there are several things I’ll be learning. Directing, producing, sound and visual editing. It truly sounds like a wonderful experience that will be absolutely invaluable by the time I’ve committed a few months to the program. On top of the education, it’s got an accommodating schedule. I’m able to go in at 10am, prepare for DAYTIME and then assist with its filming and production and be out by noon. There are also so programs that film at 6:30. In short, it’s a perfect opportunity for me to learn the hands-on things that University just can’t provide. On top of that, it’s free! So in advance, thank you, Rogers Television!
I made some changes to Episodes 2 and 3. Eddie and Cain are now headed for a storage facility located near Toronto’s lakefront. I figured cops would be sitting on Davis’ house, or at least have investigated it. The point is, the Superhero Closet would be either too hard or too easy to find and thus an alternative needed to be presented. Cain and Eddie are still going to stumble upon the same wealth of information and equipment – just in a different spot.
I’m a little nervous to continue writing episode 3. It’s quite important in the scheme of the whole series, and needs to be treated with that in mind. In a nutshell the whole episode is about Derek and Riley rescuing Davis, and Eddie and Cain finding the info and equipment. Those are literally the only two important events in the episode – but they’ll shape everything to come.
Davis is on the verge of discovering what happened in 1986, Derek’s year of birth. While he’s aware of the precognitive born around the time of 1970, he hasn’t made the connection between the precognitive’s self-awakening and Derek’s birth. Derek is the result of a timeline being disturbed and a physical manifestation of its intent to protect itself. While all this information is going to be in the files that Eddie and Cain have by episodes’ end, no one’s going to make the connection for some time.
One of the most difficult exchanges I’m trying to write is Cain’s reaction to the information. He’s unaware that Derek is a superhero, he has his suspicions but they’re nowhere near the true explanation. Stumbling into Davis’ secret hideout is going to leave him with some questions about the detective, as well as Derek. Eddie, armed only with a single handgun, is either going to have to do his best to explain things to him. It’s quite the difficult exchange to write, because I mean, how would anyone react to it? I think I need to spend a little time getting to know Eddie and Cain a little bit more before I can know how this conversation is actually going to happen. Unfortunately it happens at the end of the first quarter of the episode, so it’s putting a damper on the rest of the episode coming out.
Not sure if there’s anything else to report on really. Today is Mother’s Day, so make her breakfast and clean the house!
So why has it been over a week since the last blog update? Because I’ve been busy! Television production requires money and skill – and I’m trying to get as much as both of those as I possibly can.
I applied to volunteer at Rogers Television in Barrie at the suggestion of a former coworker, E.S. The next day, I got a call from their volunteer program about an orientation being held that night and I was welcome to attend. Not even 14 hours later I was operating a camera for the live-television program, DAYTIME.
During the final weeks of university I was trying to complete a paper on the value that local media provides in community, especially considering these troubling economic times. I had attempted to reach A-Channel for contact through several different venues, trying to reach a producer for comment on the story. I received absolutely no feedback, and when I was trying to find volunteer programs for media outlets in Barrie, I couldn’t quite decide if I was surprised or not that A-Channel didn’t offer one. In the days following my positive experiences at Rogers, I’ve come to understand a major difference between the two if both are to be considered local media. A news article in the Barrie Examiner motivated me to write a letter to the editor about A-Channel’ s value to the community is diminishing, and labeling itself community media is an outright lie to justify its budgetary expenditures. I was contacted by the editor to be assured the article would be published in Mondays edition, and so I’ll link to that as soon as it becomes available.
Volunteering at Rogers Television has been a tremendous experience. I never thought that on day one I would be operating a camera for a live television show. On a side note, it didn’t go very well, and I was kicked off after failing to deliver a shot that the director wanted, but that’s how this business goes. The director isn’t as mean as she sounds, I just think she was uninformed to my lack of experience on the camera.
Apparently everyone starts out on camera operating – but there are several things I’ll be learning. Directing, producing, sound and visual editing. It truly sounds like a wonderful experience that will be absolutely invaluable by the time I’ve committed a few months to the program. On top of the education, it’s got an accommodating schedule. I’m able to go in at 10am, prepare for DAYTIME and then assist with its filming and production and be out by noon. There are also so programs that film at 6:30. In short, it’s a perfect opportunity for me to learn the hands-on things that University just can’t provide. On top of that, it’s free! So in advance, thank you, Rogers Television!
I made some changes to Episodes 2 and 3. Eddie and Cain are now headed for a storage facility located near Toronto’s lakefront. I figured cops would be sitting on Davis’ house, or at least have investigated it. The point is, the Superhero Closet would be either too hard or too easy to find and thus an alternative needed to be presented. Cain and Eddie are still going to stumble upon the same wealth of information and equipment – just in a different spot.
I’m a little nervous to continue writing episode 3. It’s quite important in the scheme of the whole series, and needs to be treated with that in mind. In a nutshell the whole episode is about Derek and Riley rescuing Davis, and Eddie and Cain finding the info and equipment. Those are literally the only two important events in the episode – but they’ll shape everything to come.
Davis is on the verge of discovering what happened in 1986, Derek’s year of birth. While he’s aware of the precognitive born around the time of 1970, he hasn’t made the connection between the precognitive’s self-awakening and Derek’s birth. Derek is the result of a timeline being disturbed and a physical manifestation of its intent to protect itself. While all this information is going to be in the files that Eddie and Cain have by episodes’ end, no one’s going to make the connection for some time.
One of the most difficult exchanges I’m trying to write is Cain’s reaction to the information. He’s unaware that Derek is a superhero, he has his suspicions but they’re nowhere near the true explanation. Stumbling into Davis’ secret hideout is going to leave him with some questions about the detective, as well as Derek. Eddie, armed only with a single handgun, is either going to have to do his best to explain things to him. It’s quite the difficult exchange to write, because I mean, how would anyone react to it? I think I need to spend a little time getting to know Eddie and Cain a little bit more before I can know how this conversation is actually going to happen. Unfortunately it happens at the end of the first quarter of the episode, so it’s putting a damper on the rest of the episode coming out.
Not sure if there’s anything else to report on really. Today is Mother’s Day, so make her breakfast and clean the house!
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