Bp. Fenwick students launch school TV program

PEABODY – Finally, television viewers have something else to watch on the boob tube other than reruns and reality TV.Students at Bishop Fenwick High School offer some relief from the Writers Guild strike through their first ever television program. Their weekly, half-hour broadcasts are completely student-run, from shooting to editing to launching it across the Peabody Public Access Television airwaves. The content focuses primarily on the Fenwick community, but covers a large variety of topics, such as athletics, award ceremonies, and school productions.Each segment follows a different theme that centers around the school?s mascot, The Crusaders. For example, interviews are called “Inquisitions,” sports coverage falls under “Crusaders at Arms,” current events come direct from “Crusader Hill,” and documentaries are told as “The Knight?s Tale.”The project just began this past September, although English teacher Sarah Phipps said it?s been an idea brewing within Fenwick hallways for some time.?This is my first year teaching Mass Communications,” said Phipps, who has integrated the program into her class and serves as the students? advisor. “It was one guidance counselor?s idea that sort of fell on my lap, so I ran with it.”Phipps said she?s been quite pleased with how things have turned out.?The kids are doing the majority of the work. I just do my best to make sure it?s coordinated,” she said. “They?re getting to learn what is cutting edge on state-of-the-art equipment.”Phipps also said she?s been impressed with the amount of dedication the students have.?For these kids to come in here on a Friday afternoon, even holidays and vacation time, they?re really enjoying it,” she said.Senior Jon Luti was told of the TV program last summer and knew it was something he?d be interested in.?Since I?ll be majoring in broadcasting when I go to college, I thought it?d be a good idea to join,” he said.The program quickly piqued the interest of 14 others who also have a genuine interest in TV production.?I?ve been editing since I was seven-years-old,” said junior Courtney Kent, who also works part-time at the Peabody studio. “I?m sort of an advisor to (the students). I teach them how to edit, etc.”For two hours each week, the group works with Ashley Triffletti, Training and Production Coordinator at Peabody Access Television and part-time Digital Filmmaking professor at Emerson College in Boston.With his expertise and guidance, the students learn the ins-&-outs of editing, develop camera skills, and work on production theory, which includes shot composition, camera movement, and the overall flow of the program.?These kids have accomplished a lot in a short amount of time,” said Triffletti.Triffletti said he enjoys working with the Fenwick students and thinks that this opportunity is of great importance to them, especially in this day and age.?It seems as though video media is the first language of the 21st century,” he said, noting the shift from the written word to the digital image.?They?ve all been really good to us here,” said Luti of the Triffletti and the rest of the studio staff. “They?ve definitely been helping out a lot. This was my first time in a studio working with cameras, and it?s been pretty fun.”Fenwick Crusader TV airs every Monday night at 4 p.m. and sporadically throughout the weekends. They are currently working on their second episode, which will run about an hour in length and feature scenes from the school?s Christmas concert and volunteer work at Sunrise Senior Living.