Saugus High TV production providing fun, experience

SAUGUS – Students eating lunch in the Saugus High School cafeteria have a chance to catch their classmates on TV, as this year?s video production class launched a new show on Saugus Community Television.The 12-minute show, called Saugus High School, Inside Addition, airs on Channel 10 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., which is during the three lunch periods at the school.On Tuesday, students in Ken Webb?s video production class were working on the final touches of their second show, and today, they?ll regroup and start planning out next week?s show.?It?s all done,” said senior Steven Essery, as he looked over clips of the show on one of the school?s new iMacs. “This is the entire episode. It?s fun learning how to do TV shows weekly? I?ll take this over math.”The show takes an in-depth look at life at Saugus High, and includes teacher interviews, sports highlights and school events.So far Webb said he and his students are still trying to smooth out all the bumps that come with producing a show for the first time.?We?re kind of feeling our way through the process of how much we can do in the amount of time we have, and can we produce something that we can actually show?” said Webb. “We spent a couple weeks going over how to set up the studio, the lighting, how to use the cameras and white balance them. I want to get it to the point where everything (in the studio) is off and they can go in and turn everything on.”For many of the students involved in the show, the class is an important stepping stone to a future in production.?Hopefully this will transition them in and make them more familiar with the tools they?re going to see,” said Webb. “It?s exposing kids to a variety of different potential careers. Being able to have access to SCTV gives them more than just classroom exposure. It?s a legit studio in there and it?s a totally different feeling for them.”Essery, who wants to major in video production in college, is finishing up his application for Fitchburg State University and said the class is perfect for what he wants to do for a career.?This is what I?m going to college for,” said Essery. “I want to do video production, but I?ll do anything. I hope to be a director someday.”With about a dozen students in the class, everyone has his or her own job on the show, whether it be teacher interviews, weather, sports or behind the scenes production.As they learn more about the equipment and what it takes to be on camera, Webb said he?s hoping his students will be able to master every aspect of the show.?One week we?ll have three people on camera and the following week we?ll have three different people on camera and those three will be in the control room working the switcher or manning the audio equipment,” said Webb. “Hopefully by the end of class everyone will be interchangeable.”Senior Kevin Maggiore, who also hosts the Sports Lounge on SCTV, said the new show will help him get a head start in college next year.?I?m good behind the camera and I know how to do stuff in the control room,” said Maggiore, who?s looking to apply to Southern New Hampshire University. “I want to be on radio actually, but this is a good start. This is a good experience. I like doing all the videos and the stuff in the studio is fun too.”While producing a TV show in school is a unique learning experience, Webb said it also provides a nice change of pace from the regular curriculum.?With so much focus on testing and MCAS? This is kind of an escape from that,” said Webb. “It?s a little less stressful for them. It?s a little more enjoyable.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected]. You can follow him on Twitter @MattTempesta.