Setting up Work placement.

I had two places in mind to do my work experience - WIN TV and i98. I first applied for work experience at WIN TV and I was fortunate enough to score a week at the well respected television station.

I gained this opportunity via an old friend who has an uncle who is a director at WIN. My friend gave me his uncle's number and informed Paul Maccabei (Director), of my call.

After speaking with Paul he instructed me to write an email to him in regard to gaining work placement at WIN TV, which he would then pass on to HR for confirmation.

I was so happy when I received the call from HR informing me that I was able to do work experience at WIN TV in which ever area I chose - so I chose everything :)

After the insurance papers were sorted it was not long before I received a call back from Paul to confirm work placement details and times. My work placement was arranged for 9 – 13 November from 9am – 5 pm.

Throughout the week Paul will move me around to different areas of the station so I can learn and gain experience in more than one field of television, such as: audio, graphics, production, video editing etc.

Hopefully by the end of the week I will know more about what I want to do within the industry and know where I want to focus.

So nervous, yet so excited!

Should be fun!

WIN TV - Day 1 - 9/11/09

Today I was able to sit in the Audio room at WIN TV. I saw the audio mixed to a "fishing" DVD that was being created; and I watched the recording of VOs (Voice Over) for television advertisments, promos, and radio advertisments.

I met a lot of people that make television happen; the people behind the scenes; the people who's voices you hear when CSI, Getaway or Master Chef promos are being played.

I learnt how it was done and the process that is put in place to create the very sound that you hear on your television; the process of how the audio is recorded on the scene and how it is mixed in the audio room. I found it interesting to see what goes on "behind the scenes".

I don't think I can listen to television how I use to without thinking about the process and picking up on what is actually going on to create what we are hearing.

It was very interesting!

WIN TV - Day 2 - 10/11/09

Today I sat in with the graphics guys, Mark and Shannon.

I was able to watch them work on graphics that were needed for Television and Newspaper advertisements.

Mark created amazing graphics that were to be displayed to represent each of the news stories. I was amazed at how fast he worked.

I then got to sit in the news room to watch how it worked, and displayed on the news were the graphics Mark had just been working on 15 minutes earlier.

It really showed me how fast paced the environment is and how quickly they can work to bring something together. As fast moving and stressful as the environment can be they all seem to keep so laid back and easy going.

Mark ran through some tips and tricks with photoshop and also explained more about how they work together to get the graphics done and ready for use.

Awesome day!

WIN TV - Day 3 - 11/11/09

Today I was able to go out and watch an advertisement get filmed, by Producer Cilla and cameraman/Commercial Producer Brett Ashby.

It was very interesting to see how it all begins. The advertisement was shot in two locations. The first location was at the clients store and the second location being at the clients home, situated on an old farm he had done up into a big beautiful garden with a tennis court.

It was interesting to see the different ways things can be filmed and from different angles. Brett gave me a run-down on the camera and how he adjusts the exposure, and brightness and contrast.

I have begun picking up on more of the terminology used in the industry such as a “static” which means a still shot.

After the shoot I went back to the station and watched a promotional advert get edited for the “Fantastical Orchestra” with Editor Daniel Arts and Director Paul Maccabei.

WIN TV - Day 4 - 12/11/09

Had an awesome day.

I sat with Mark and Shannon again in graphics. Mark was doing graphics for movies for the TV guide, and informed me that WIN repeat the same movies every few months, so he has to go back and re-do graphics constantly for the same movies.

Shannon worked on graphics for the "Fantastical Orchestra" that needed to be completed and sent to the editing room.

We also discussed bits and pieces about the software used and other programs alike.

I then watched "Alive and cooking" get filmed in the studio with Dave and James (the cook). It was interesting to see what happens behind the scenes of a cooking show and how it is fimed.

There I talked to Dave about filming at different locations and offered to do more work experience at a later date to help out if ever they needed someone. I was happy to hear him say 'yes'. All I need is insurance which I can pay for yearly and if I get this it is possible I can get more work experience at WIN going out on locations to shoot, which would be really good.

The food was so good, mmmmm! I also had a go on the camera in between shooting which was really fun... I want one!

WIN TV - Day 5 - 13/11/09

So sad it's my last day. I have enjoyed every second at WIN and I am planning on going back someday soon.

On the last day I watched the advertisment we shot on wednesday get "off-lined" (logged) and edited. As I stated in a previous post, it was great to see how the process starts from the moment they shoot and now I got to see the process to the end to whitness the final product being produced and completed.

I once again sat with Mark and Shannon and watched more Graphics and learnt a lot more about Adobe Photoshop that I then put into practice when I got home.

Even though it was only one week spent at WIN I began feeling comfortable in the environment and know that I'll miss some of the people I met while I was there. But like I said, "I'll be back!"

EVALUATION!

When I first walked into WIN I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect or what was going to happen during the five days I was set to do work experience at WIN TV - but it ended up being one of the best experiences ever.

I was soon excited and had a lot of enthusiasm about being there, which I think they all picked up on. I asked questions and got the answers I was looking for.

I was talked through the production process, and also got the chance to experience it myself; from filming, to "off-lining" (logging), and then to the editing room and the audio room. And after listening to them talk, I began to pick up on the 'production lingo', for now I know what a 'static' is ... a still shot.

To watch the whole process was very interesting and I will not look at the news or a television advertisment the same again.

It was also fun to be at home listening to the television in the background and hearing familiar music playing, to turn and see the advertisement that I was lucky enough to watch get filmed, come up on the television screen.

Movies showed just a couple of weeks after watching the graphic guys (Mark and Shannon) create media texts for magazines to advertise them.

I watched Mark and Shannon for some time and Mark ran through some techniques with me that I found very interesting. Some things I already knew however to watch these guys in action showed me there is much more to learn and they definately taught me a thing or two.

I learnt how fast paced the industry is but at the same time it remains exciting and alive.

I loved watching "Alive and cooking" get filmed. That was a whole new experience for me and I got to ask how James Reason managed to start up his own television show. Although it's not exact, he said something along the lines of "My friends and I were studying film. We watched a cooking show and said, 'We can do better than this', so we did".

I have found further focus in the industry and now know where I want to push myself. Production and working on-set was my favourite part of the experience and that is where I plan to head. So I will be sure to hit up WIN again for more work experience and make sure I keep myself known. I am looking into getting insurance for myself so this is possible and hopefully I will go back very soon.

FEEDBACK:

Feedback was marked "excellent" and the following comments were made:

Amanda has a definate passion for the industry and areas relating to it like music, graphics and performance.

This work experience has highlighted how much she now needs to apply her years of learning to practical experience. She will thrive when given the opportunity.

Amanda is a courteous and respectful young lady who I hope will find a career in what she loves - production.

Paul Maccabei.