Live TV Sitcom

Today was the big day. I schlepped seventeen overly-energetic teenagers to the local TV station and herded them through the basics of TV production. And despite massive amounts of chaos, when we emerged five hours later, we had a half-hour tape ready, with only a few nips and tucks, to be shown on local cable.

Once they saw the real studio and control room it didn't take much prodding or scolding to get them down to business. I showed them the basics and let them loose, more or less, with only occasional bursts of mother-hen behavior and bossiness, because I can't help it.

We had seven of our best student videos with us, and we showed them one at a time, interspersing them with live introductions and chatter. For each of the seven segments, the kids took turns doing different jobs, so by the end they had each tried several, if not all of the skills; in-front-of-camera talent, director, cameraman, sound, switching, lighting, floor director.

It was interesting to see which students gravitated towards which jobs. Some students really wanted to be talent, some really wanted to direct, some were much more interested in the technical aspects. One was tremendously reluctant to be a cameraman. His English isn't great, and I think he was scared he'd mess up, but he finally did it. Another was scared to do the sound board, but I had his friend help him, and they got through it. My favorite part was watching as students who had just done a job showed the next student how to do it.

I'm so tired now that I'm going to immerse myself in a hot bath and get to sleep. I wouldn't be surprised to suddenly wake up at two a.m. and find myself sitting in a tub full of tepid water. I'm that tired. (switch to the voice of Arnold Swartznegger) IMMENSELY tired. UBER tired. (it's an in-joke mimicking one of the student videos.)

I'm going to have to put a few on my website, but not tonight. No. Not tonight.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz