23: "TV Studio"

So, anyone reading these, I apologize for these next couple posts.  23 and 22 are related to a class and to work.  But I promise, starting at 21 it starts to get really fun.

Number 23 on the countdown is one of my favorite classes at the U, Screen Arts and Cultures 302: TV Studio 1.  For me, this was the perfect example of a class that never felt like a class.  It felt like something I did, twice a week at the same time, that was purely for fun.  It reminded me in many ways of band in middle school or newspaper in high school; I was putting in work but never in a reluctant or boring way.

The class was held in the basement of North Quad, in the recently-opened SAC production studios.  Basically, we have our own state-of-the-art TV and film studios.  There are, each equipped with cameras, lights, and microphones.  The TV studio also has four dynamic sets - designed by the theatre department - that can be made to look like almost anything, from a kitchen to an office to a bar.

Then, adjacent to the studio, is a control room.  In the control room, the director watches the show from a large monitor, with all the cameras on at once, and directs everyone else in the room on what to do.  There's a technical director who works the switchboard, a sound person, a graphics person, and an assistant director.

The objective in the class is to learn the basics of multi-camera, live-to-tape, studio-based television production.  We had three main units: interview, tabletop demonstration, and sitcom.  For each unit, we directed a four-minute segment in that particular style.

For my first project, I staged an interview where the head of PBS was reacting to the Mitt Romney "Big Bird" quote from the presidential debate.  That was fun.  I got to "roll-in" clips of the debate and Big Bird's response on that weekend's "Weekend Update."

My second project was the highlight of the class for me.  We were put into three-person directing teams to come up with an idea for something we could demonstrate in the kitchen set (a la Martha Stewart).  My partners - Alex and Ari - and I decided that we wanted to demonstrate the art of mixing drinks.  This was so much fun to make, because in addition to directing, I got to play a self-obsessed expert mixologist, and a drunken talk show host.  Unfortunately, we used fake alcohol.  But definitely a lot of fun.

The third project was a scene from an episode of Will and Grace.  I loved the show when it was on, so it was pretty cool to take over those characters for a couple weeks, and we got to work with actors from the theatre school, which was a real treat.

Like so many of these memories in the top 25, what I took away from this most of all were the relationships.  The single biggest reason class was exciting to come to was that - like band and newspaper before it - I thoroughly enjoyed the people in the class.  Alex and Ari, Terry, Nicole, Graam, Derek, Pam, Mary Bridget - too many people to name.

Now, I'll stop talking and instead of describing everything let you see what I'm talking about!