Another two weeks have come and gone and the newscast, I’m pleased to say, has come out still better than the one before. While I typically have some remark or comparison to deliver I have to say my diction falls short in this case. Many of those who struggled early on seemed to find their footing this time and others who were on the cusp of making show, finally found their way to the light. Even those who didn’t came a close second, making my role difficult in a new and less expected way.
The pitches at the news meeting have become a thing of pure instinct, it would seem. Like a well-oiled machine, everyone knows precisely what the expectations are and how to put across their ideas in an effective way. I would stop short of calling the process perfect but it is just one of the many ways we have collectively moved forward. Writing conferences went over, by all reports, with similar ease compared to the first two. This time the appointments were spread across 2 days which put a little more on Kassy Taylor’s plate but it was a task she was more than prepared to handle
On Thursday evening final edits were prepared and like the great beasts of the African plains our little herd migrated to the edit lab and made the final push before package critiques. I was to be found right across the hall with my face buried in my computer as I soullessly ripped apart each submission in turn. In the name of betterment Professor Dahlia then took my critiques and went through again adding her own observations. It was certainly the most thorough review to date.
After the fourth or fifth package I noted a problem, but a happy one. I was completely unsure who to choose for Show and BOR. I had far too many candidates and, what’s more, many first timers who had shown remarkable improvement that I desperately wanted to reward. To that end there were six total packages chosen and three were awarded “Best of the Rest.” If there was any greater single testament to the improvement of our class as a whole, I’m sure I’m at a loss to recall it. The following Friday I met Noelle Forde at the Media Innovation Center to film Studio B. You may recall she was live from Studio B once before and the improvement could be marked purely in terms of time spent filming. She has come a long way and promises to surpass herself with each story.
Once packages were selected I again faced the challenge of writing up the script and creating a flowing dialogue to carry the newscast through. A place where Professor Dahlia again claims I have improved in spite of my overwhelming self-doubt. In any case, some things were switched around and to my delight I found that the alterations to the final script were subtle overall. It was then time to plan for show day and get into rehearsal. For anchors Patrick, Kendall and Kyleigh this has become an all too familiar tradition.
In an effort to prevent a sense of drudgery over the course of a dozen read-throughs and blocking, it was agreed we should take a break and allow a few minutes of non-cerebral entertainment serve as a pallet cleanser. I have also promised that good rehearsals will be rewarded with stories of myself in ridiculous situations, a promise I’m sure I will come to regret.
It seemed that the taping for Newscast 3 had arrived too soon, but we were better prepared than ever before. We also had the Reed College’s in-house photographer, David Smith, on site to record the day’s events and, not to mention, a separate film crew profiling our very own Kendall Lewis. I became acutely aware of their presence when I managed to ruin one of their shots by stepping into the hall at a poorly chosen moment.
Much of the preparation for show day went much more smoothly than in prior tapings. While we still had the occasional technical hiccup, it helps to bear in mind that technical jobs are among the most thankless sort. Often the only time we are aware of technical directors, audio, and camera people are when there is a problem. To that end, a tip of the hat to those operating behind the lens for this and all future tapings this fall.
In closing my thoughts on Newscast 3 I want to avoid repeating myself from prior blogs, but the fact is we are steadily making the climb. We have shown improvement yet again but it’s of the utmost importance to note that with greater success comes greater expectations. While I feel like we have nearly eliminated some of the more common mistakes of the past it is my greatest desire that we don’t slip now. Newscast 4 is beckoning and we are all obliged to make it outshine its predecessors.