The next generation of content makers at Discovery HQ
Today is the second day of V.J. training here at Discovery Channel’s main offices at Silver Spring, Md. Yesterday our 22 trainees learned how to shoot a piece – lots of important tips like: 5 shots. sequences. Don’t move the camera. Get a few important and very focused sound bites. And so on…
Then we sent them out across Washington, DC to shoot their stories – and screened their raw footage when they came back.
Today, they learned how to edit and are busy cutting their first stories.
The workshop also features speakers from Discovery, producers and executives, all of whom are interested in the people here and the work they are doing and would like to do. Everyone here has pretty much wrapped their heads around ‘how the production world has changed’ (as one DCI exec put it this morning). Another addressed the group and told them ‘you are the future of this industry’.
We think so.
And the folks here in the course run the spectrum from people with no experience to those who have been in the business for some time but want to add new skills (and get in front of some network execs.)
There’s another one of these next week back here in Silver Spring, then in the fall we take it on the road, adding to the DC sessions with sessions in NY, LA, Chicago and one scheduled for the Bahamas.
Mindy McAdams, one of the students in the class has her own blog, but she gives a pretty good assessment of the first day of class.
8 Comments
Cliff Etzel July 21, 2007
You still haven’t figured it out yet min!-me…
Jack of all trades master of them all means more than just video.
And I’m confident with where I’m at in my skill set right now.
Jim July 21, 2007
Clearly, a government-issued ID should now be required to post as “!”
! July 21, 2007
what are you doing looking in the back of magazines- looking for a leather-clad date?
! July 21, 2007
I’m sure there is a lot of interest in this kind of program from Discovery and other lower budget networks. Please don’t confuse this “Discovery” and the product it desires to the “other”. They are owned by the same group but the final product is for a CNN like destination. Lower production standards and much lower pay. Much like the Travel Channel efforts.
I had to laugh at my little 17 year old friend. I now understand all the inexperienced comments. I’m sure a good future is in store as little-! begins the learning curve journey.
There is a place for this style of production. As in TV news it is at places where budgets are tight and employees are on a constant rotation of in and out.
It is a good place to learn but those attending should use it as a stepping stone to better things. Not have hopes of a long career at Discovery or TC.
Of course the suits are interested. They make money off those with stars in their eyes and little in their heads when long term thinking is required.
This is not much different than those old ads in the back of magazines where you were asked to draw Bambi to see if you could get a chance to pay for an art course. Guess what! No one was turned down as long as they were willing to pay money out of their own pocket for “classes”.
Cliff! This is right up your alley! How soon before we see you in some of these class photos?
rosenblumtv July 20, 2007
They will continue to roll out, about twice a month, in DC, NY and LA throughout 2008. However!(and this just in), we are about to close on a deal to do one at Atlantis, the resort in the Bahamas, where we will take people as young as 16. (Apparently this has something to do with being in a ‘controlled’ situation). I should have the dates on the Atlantis deal by tomorrow, so stand by.
! July 20, 2007
that’s ok.
by the sound of it you’ll be holding these academys for awhile.
care to tell me which one will be held AFTER jan. 15th, 2008?
at that time her age will no longer be a factor.
rosenblumtv July 20, 2007
Alas, the lawyers here at Discovery tell me that participants must be 18 years old, for reasons of legal liability. Sorry.
! July 20, 2007
any further word on whether a 17 year old can participate?