"We're so Pawley's Island" - Khadijah

Rachel, myself and Marina - The Interns

Only less than a week remain for my time here at South Carolina ETV, and I'm reminded more and more everyday that this opportunity is going to do wonders for my career in the near future.

Yesterday, the girls and I had a conversation regarding the question, "What next?" Though they're going on to face the tough decisions of where to take their career after graduation, I still have two years left to figure this all out, and I honestly don't know where this road is going to lead me.

I'm so used to going after opportunities, and completely shocked once they're in my grasp. I've found that during my time here with ETV, I am open to a lot of opportunities for my future, and I'm passionate about a great deal when it comes to media.

Though I know for certain that I would like to go on and serve my time at CNN with my career, I'm aware that a person trying to break out into the media industry doesn't just get lucky all the time.

And I'm okay with that.

I don't want to be that girl that expects a handout down the road, or to rely on references from other people (though that would probably be a great help in this industry!). I'm all about proving why a company needs me, and working on ways to stand out from the crowd with my work ethic and skill.

I think the most important thing to understand through that process however is to never think that you're too good for an opportunity. Yes, expecting more for yourself is something that you always should do, and that's how I was raised, but it can also hinder some great opportunities for you if you're not careful. Though my dream is with CNN, I know that it is not the only platform out there for me to share my knowledge and to educate individuals. I'm open to working with other platforms before or after my time with CNN if it is meant for me to do so.

It's also important to love what you do.

A part of our discussion about life and our future involved discovering the difference between what a job is and what a career is. In my opinion, a career is something that everyone should aim for - it is the very thing that keeps you going. Something that you never grow tired of, no matter how demanding the job may be. It's something that you love to do - you breathe it and you live it to the very best of your ability because it's something that you care about beyond the money. Money is a tangible object that we won't always have forever - it's something that we'll always work for, but many times, we're never motivated to do when we don't love what we have to do to get it.

I can only hope that with whatever I do in life, I'll love it to the very fullest of me. I hope that what I do helps and inspires someone and teaches them that news is more than an outlet of sharing negativity only, but showing the best parts of our world that people should be aware of.

And more importantly, that it'll be more than a job to me.

P.S. Because me trying Nutella for the first time in my life was a big deal.



Last Day - Marina

Today is my last day at ETV and I still can't believe it! I don't even know how to start writing this post... Well... Let's list the top 10 things I learned during these 10 weeks at ETV:

1- Don't drop the camera (rule number 1!!!)
2- Be creative with the videos you produce, with the shots, with the editing. Put a little bit of "yourself" in the videos.
3- Producing videos is like writing. You need to find the connection between the paragraphs and create smooth translations. You have to connect the parts of the interview to create the main storyline, which can be quite challenging, but you have to trust your instincts, sometimes it's like acting on a hunch.
4- Practice, practice, practice. That's the recipe for everything you want to be good at in life.
5- It's o.k. to make mistakes.
6- Always ask people if you don't know something. Internships are meant for students to learn, you don't need and you don't have to know EVERYTHING. Even if you think what you're going to ask is a "stupid" question, just ASK.
7- Sleeping early when you have to work the next day in the morning is always a good idea.
8- Get to know people, ask about their lives, how they got where they are today, or even where they were when they were your age, why did they decide to be in this field. You learn a lot from people's perspectives.
9- Everyone has a story to tell.
10- Stay positive, even if something doesn't come as planned. Deal with it, learn how to improvise, there's a solution for everything. Stay calm.

I can't think about another place that I could have had so much hands-on experience as I had at ETV. I'm very grateful to Don, Tabitha and all ETV staff who received me so well! Here are some pics of today and yesterday.

Rach, Kad, Tab, Don and I at the Brazilian restaurant!

Kad and Rach setting up the tripod.

Brazilian Soda

Jude, Rach, Eva, Kad and I. Great meeting you, ladies!

Nutella time after the shooting yesterday!

Rach and I covering the Tomato Festival.

"I Guess This Means You're Famous Now " - Khadijah

Clip from SCETV  Interns Video

 

     How do you actually know when you've reached the point of success?

It's always been an ongoing question of mine when I made the decision that I wanted to be a broadcast journalist. There are so many avenues that can be taken with this particular decision, and there are so many different ways of achieving a successful career. There are also many definitions of what it means to be successful generally speaking. When we observe the lives of our favorite artists, writers, communicators, etc., we have a preconceived notion of what success is based upon their life and what they display on television/media outlets.

But again, I ask, how do you KNOW when it is that YOU'VE reached the point of being successful in your field of work?



Palmetto Scene episode clip (last Thursday)






 

Last Thursday, I saw my work being broadcasted on television for the very first time. Now, I've done a lot of work for the broadcast station at my school that is broadcasted through the University of South Carolina campus network, but I've never done anything of this magnitude. To have my work shown to more than the usual campus demographic that I'm used to is an extremely amazing experience. The feeling I got when seeing my work was literally that of a speechless excitement.

I got a call from my younger brother that night, and the first words he said to me were: "I guess this means you're famous now."

I didn't necessarily know how to react to that.

I knew that this was a great point in my career, especially at such an early stage in my academic career at the University of South Carolina, but did this really mean that I've reached the pivotal moment of "fame" or success?

One thing that I've always told myself is that I never want to let the defining moments of being successful overtake my mind to the point where I forget where I started. I see that happen often, and I don't want something like this opportunity to do the same.

So with that being said, I personally believe that I still have a long way to go, but to have a moment like this means a lot. It means that I am on the right track, and that should be recognized, if not by anyone else, than to myself.

With my internship ending in a little less than 2 weeks, I have a really big decision to make as far as where do I go from here?

Do I want to continue pursuing a career in journalism?
Will I come back to ETV next summer, or will I explore other opportunities?
Where do I want to be years from now upon graduating college?

I think that the most defining moments of success isn't with how much money you make, or how may followers you have on Twitter (though you're in a pretty good spot when hitting more than a few thousand!), but I think that the most important aspect of being successful is always being on your toes. Never ceasing to think about what it is that you want to do with your life, and never ceasing to work towards those goals and dreams.

This is the first step in my career, but it most certainly isn't the last.

P.S. : Apart of being an intern at South Carolina ETV is getting to share your experiences with others! Check out the internship video below that my fellow internship friend, Marina edited and put together here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MQZpetM8-U

 

 

And don't forget to check out the new episode of Palmetto Scene, featuring my work from the Barnwell School District Summer Reading Program!

http://video.scetv.org/video/2365290537/



Life Changing - Khadijah

Morgan, Myself, Rachel and Marina - The Interns


 

 

Over the course of almost two months here at South Carolina ETV, I feel that it's suitable to quote my experience as one that's been the most life changing and the most inspiring experience to date. There's nothing like being able to gain experience with this specific field of work at such a young age.

 

Last week, I got the incredible chance to step outside of the office again and to accompany Marina, Rachel, and Marina's director, Tabitha, to the Sumter showing of "Making It Grow" at Columbia's sister ETV station. The experience was more than just watching the show being filmed - we actually had an opportunity to use the production cameras (which were HUGE) to help film the live show.

 

LIVE = no big deal....right?

 

Me on operation camera duty.

 

At the same time the event was being filmed, I also had to emotionally prepare myself for my biggest project to date which is my own story on the Barnwell Summer Reading Camp Program currently taking place in Lancaster, SC.  

 

With Aimee as my director for Palmetto Scene this summer, she came to me with the task of taking over her weekly duties as Palmetto Scene Producer, and insisted that it be for the story that I arranged and set up for the program. Taking on the challenge, I spent a lot of last week going over notes and brainstorming over the many possibilities of how this story would look and turn out. I would be responsible for not only conducting the interviews, but also the editing process for broadcast.

 

This would be my first broadcasted piece, ever.

 

 

To my surprise, I was much more excited than nervous. This was an opportunity to finally put all of my skills to work on a larger platform. Getting to interview the program coordinator and Superintendent were all fun and enlightening because of how passionate they were about the program.

 

When talking with the kids of the program, and experiencing what they did firsthand, it really makes me proud that I have this opportunity to work with such a platform that pushes more of the positive things about South Carolina to the forefront, sharing a lot of useful information about the small Palmetto State.

 

 

 

Currently, the piece for Thursday's show has been edited and finalized for broadcast, and I cannot explain how excited I am that I was able to live up to my expectations, as well as Aimee's. There wasn't a day that she wasn't there for me to help me with whatever I needed, and she offered up the best advice for handling affairs like this. At the same time, she gave me the creative liberty and freedom to do this all my way, and with all of that, I believe that a great piece has emerged from it, and I cannot wait for you guys to see it.

 

I can't believe that this journey is almost coming to an end.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to have worked with such amazing individuals, and to learn from the best.

 

You haven't seen anything yet.

 

 

 

 

 



 



Time is Flying! - Marina

I few like I haven't been writing for the blog for so long, but things have been very busy here at ETV! During the last few weeks, I've shot and edited two videos, written 3 articles for the web, assisted in the production of Making It Grow, and now I am working on the interns video and planning some other stories.

I had my first video aired on Palmetto Scene program (the one about Meals on Wheels) and then posted on the web! This was fantastic, because I've never thought I'd have a video that I did myself broadcasted, but it actually happened!

This past Tuesday we went on a road trip to assist in the production of Making It Grow! It was very neat to watch the producers, hosts, and videographers doing their job! And Rachel, Khadijah, and I had the opportunity of running some cameras for the show.

And then we saw our names on the credits when the work was done... Fantastic!

Now, I'm working on a video about the ETV summer internship and it has been very fun to interview the other interns about their experience here at ETV. They did such a great job telling me about their experience that I can't wait to edit this video! Tabitha was the one who did my interview and it's such a weird feeling to be in front of the camera because all my work here has been done behind the scenes. Anyway, I think everything went well!!!

Khadijah on the spotlight.

I can't believe I only have 2 weeks left here at ETV. Time is flying!!!

The Importance of Progressing - Khadijah

Sometimes, it can be extremely surreal to remind myself of the fact that I'm an intern at South Carolina ETV!

 

I remember being a huge fan of the broadcast station when I was younger, more so with the PBS Kids affiliation. Now, years later, I'm working behind the scenes and observing the behind the scenes work involved of putting every show together and creating a platform that continues to be useful to those who watch locally and regionally.

 

With every blog, I continue to talk about how much I've learned, and how much I continue to grow here at South Carolina ETV. Now, I feel that it's important to keep that growth in mind, and to continuously find more and more ways to keep growing and striving for continued improvement on and off the field.

 

Many ways that I try to do that is through the observation of my peers. Individuals that work in my field of Content are extremely helpful with giving me tips on how to better my craft, and I'm extremely appreciative of that. Things like editing and writing will always grow and be more and more innovative as the year's go on, so getting tips on that, and being a good listener/observer will take you extremely far in the field of communications.

 

 

 

The ability to work beyond the 9-5 work hour also helps. There are days where I come home after my day at ETV and I continue brainstorming on projects that Palmetto Scene is working with, and I also try to work on outside projects that I can one day show to others based on what I've learned in my field of work, and just by putting what I've learned into action.

 

It's also really relaxing and enlightening to remind yourself of how far you've come, and to remind yourself that you have such a long way to go. It is possible. You've moved mountains before.

 

So, I say this to make a promise to myself that even beyond this internship, I will continue to grow. I will continue to progress, and I will continue to learn.

 

-K

 

 

There Are No Such Things As Slow Days - Khadijah

 

Here at ETV, there are no such things as slow days.

When the world is chanting for their country's win over a game of soccer in a native land, there's nothing more you'd rather do than sit back and enjoy a good game of soccer, even if you don't necessarily know what the correct soccer terms are.

When you hardly know which room is which in a grand palace of editing rooms and studios, it's time to stretch those limbs and put your roaming cap on. Come on, there's no such things as slow days remember?

Then, you realize that there is beauty with which you stand. That there is more to your daily job than just clocking in and editing a video, but that there is a life you can live with people that matter.

With my very last few weeks of being an intern at my fingertips, I realize that there will be a lot that I will miss upon leaving.

Like these "no such thing as" slow days.

I've gotten to get to know and love so many people here, including my fellow intern friends. There is no doubt in my mind that I would lose touch with individuals who always seem to have my back.

 

The opportunities around me are endless.

 

Each project that I take on here gives me more room to explore different points of interests that only allow me to get better and better, and I love that.

 

Personally, I learned a lot here that being at home or sitting in a classroom could never teach me, but it's only because I've applied myself and dedicated myself to the prospect of learning something new that I never had before.

 

So the next time that you find yourself scrolling endlessly through your facebook feed to pass the time,

 

STOP

 

Look around you,

 

and figure out what new things you can learn, or rather, new relationships that you can build upon.

 

Blessings,

K.

I Survived My First Month! - Khadijah

A month into my internship, I'm still just as excited as I was when I first started here. Since becoming an intern for Palmetto Scene, I've grown, a lot, and not only as far as my career experience is concerned.

One thing I'm really glad that I received is amazing friendship among the other interns. Since the beginning, we've all made an effort to get to know each other, and to develop a close relationship with one another. We're supportive of each other with everything that we do, and we really are hardworking individuals. We've all come so far on our journeys, and I'm excited for what lies ahead for them in the future.

 

 

Something about myself is that I love a good challenge, and being here at ETV, I've worked on so many different projects that I'm not used to working on at school, and I'm really grateful for that experience. A lot of the projects that I've enjoyed most are definitely the production shoots. Whether traveling, or shooting live in the studio - I enjoy seeing how live production works, and am more and more motivated to do more with live production shooting in the future. I also enjoy being able to edit the content together for the web. My most creative project was my most recent video work on South Carolina's Historic Aviation Foundation which featured an interview on the preservation of the B-25C Mitchell Bomber, which was a plane that was involved in many war projects, including D-Day.

 

 

 



The ambition that I possess being not only a woman of this field, but only being an intern is what really appeals to the directors and higher ups around me. The more work and effort that I put into my daily tasks, the more quality assignments I'm assigned that really begin to test my knowledge and skills at all angles. This week, instead of just working on editing video and writing up stories for the web, I got to play a key producer role by doing some script writing for one of the segments of Palmetto Scene. Anyone that knows me, knows that writing is a great passion of mine, and it's something that I take very seriously. Being able to do this, I didn't possess the greatest knowledge of scriptwriting as far as experience was concerned, but I applied what I knew and allowed it to work for me.

 

 

As an intern, you have to be prepared to put your knowledge and skills to work, even if you don't think it's necessary at the time. You honestly never know who's watching you and what that ambition and drive can direct you to with your career path.

 

So with all of that being said, I leave with a few tips and pieces of advice to other interns or aspiring interns not only in the field of Mass Communications, but with any career, because it's important that you know this.

 

1. Have an open mind.

With all internships starting out, it may not be your first choice as far as your career and your goals for your future. However, that doesn't mean that it can't be useful to you to work in another area of your field. Being well rounded is the new attribute that employers look for. With the way that the economy and amounts of job openings are now, employers want individuals that know how to do more than the basics. It shows that they have someone that knows what they're doing, they're well rounded and open minded about the projects that they take on, and they carry valuable skills that could be useful to the company or brand.

 

2. Embrace those around you.

Whether they're older than you, such as your boss, producers, directors, etc. or around the same age as you with the same career interests, embrace everyone with the same level of respect that you wish to have from someone else. It makes the world of a difference in the end.

 

3. Don't be afraid to say that you want to try something that you weren't necessarily assigned to do.

Much of what I've done with ETV were not my assignments at all. I learned more about the platform, and I built off of that with the skills I possessed and things that I was interested in seeing happening with ETV. The same could be extremely beneficial to your company.

 

4. Have confidence in yourself no matter what.

If you don't believe that you can do it, everyone around you will begin to question your ability to make it in your field.

 

I'm excited for all that I've learned, and I'm even more excited to put that into action. Though I have a little more than a month left here, I think it's great to acknowledge how much I've grown since I've been here, and to embrace the love and happiness and joy I have being surrounded by others that believe in me. It makes the world of a difference, and I'm excited for what's next with my career here at ETV and beyond.

- K

P.S. As a woman, I am also very interested in looking and dressing the part at ETV, so here are some looks from this week that I've done. Enjoy! xo

 

 

Busy Week - Marina

This has been a busy week here at ETV. Tabitha and I had two shootings back-to-back again in Charleston. The first shooting was for a story about a kiteboarder! We had so much fun going to interview her in her kiteboarding store and then going to the beach to shoot some pictures of when she was younger! We spent the night in Charleston because we scheduled another shooting for the next day.

So the second shooting was for a story about Robert Mason, who is a volunteer for an amazing organization called Bumper T Caring Clowns. The Caring Clowns go to hospitals and deliver smiles, hugs, and laughs! Dr. Geezer (Robert) talked to us about how powerful and effective is humor in promoting the healing process and helping to relieve some of stress and anxiety of a hospital stay.

Best prescription ever!

Today is Friday and we just got back from another shooting here in Columbia. Hopefully the video will be on the web soon! My video on Meals on Wheels will be aired for the first time next Thursday in Palmetto Scene!!! How exciting :) I can't wait to see it on TV! Stay tuned!

My First Production Shoot - Khadijah

 

 

It's been a while since I've posted about what's been going on with my side of the internship boat, so here goes a whole LOT.

 

 

After a week of getting to work on some content for the web, and ending my week with birthday celebrations, it was time to prepare for my very first location shoot in Charleston! I got to work with the greats of the Palmetto Scene Production Crew: Rickey who is a producer for Palmetto Scene, and also from what I've seen and heard, the master editor, AJ and Xavier who brought all of the great laughs to the trip, and also do a lot with camera work and audio production. It was my first time getting to work with them, and my first time working outside of the ETV Office. It didn't hurt that it was in the beautiful area of Charleston.

 

 

 

Spoleto Fest is an annual event that showcases many forms of art, from dance, visual art, music, etc. The list goes on and on. The shoot took two days, so I even got to stay the night! The first day, Rickey and I went out to the College Of Charleston to hang with some of our partners over at ETV Radio to shoot some behind the scenes footage and interviews of some of what they do to prepare for and cover Spoleto Fest.

 

I learned a lot about the planning process of what it takes to plan a radio show. There is a team that comes in during the week and they go over visually on a white board who's being interviewed and when it's being aired. Their shows are recorded up to 48 hours in advance to make sure that their interviews are in good condition for airing under review.

 

Another fascinating tidbit was learning about a Spoleto Class the College of Charleston has in partnership with ETV Radio where students gain hands on experiences with planning the show and coming up with ideas for content.

 

 

After spending some time there, we briefly had lunch and time to explore the area downtown. Once we were settled into our hotel rooms, we planned for another outing to shoot part 2 of the ETV radio sequence.

 

ARP Studio is an at home studio base that is owned by one of the participants of ETV Radio. When the production team walked in, we were amazed at how ordinary the building looked on the outside - simply looked like an outhouse or storage unit, and walking in to red painted walls, instruments, production studio and recording studios. It was definitely an advanced unit of work.

 

There, we set up lighting equipment and our camera to record the action from both inside the recording booth and through the window of the production side of the studio. It was pretty cool to see the act of recording radio come alive, and observing the people of ETV Radio, they seemed to really enjoy what they do.

 

 

 

Once we wrapped up the shoot at the studio, it was time to head back to the hotel for R and R. While X and AJ went out to explore the area more, Rickey and I stayed closer to the view of the ocean of Charleston and I got to talk with him about what I learned and what I wanted to see more of here in ETV, including hopefully being able to go on another shoot, SOON!

 

Day 2, we actually got to see some of the action of Spoleto. Though it was a pretty hot day, we managed to overlook the heat to prepare for P.A. Bennet's portion of the Palmetto Scene show, as well as some of the sights around Spoleto Rickey wanted to include.

 

 

I really enjoyed seeing the artwork of the artists during Spoleto Fest. There were work that showcased still life, visuals of the world's features, such as the ocean, sky or flowers, and it was pretty cool to see artists brushing up on some of their pieces while the festival went on. Overall, I learned a lot about how to conduct a location shoot, how to set up the lighting properly, interacting with new people for the first time and working with others.

 

I would encourage all interns to assist with a production shoot. Even if you weren't chosen to go, it never hurts to ask. I thought that I would never really go to one of these, and after I got back from this one, I was encouraged to always ask if there was something my department wasn't necessarily doing that I wanted to. This really allows you to make the most out of your experience, and can do a lot for your career.

 

Next up, I'll discuss some of the projects I've been working on most recently with Palmetto Scene.

 

Stay Tuned,

 

Khadijah Dennis

 

 



So Far, So Good - Marina

Friday!

I just realized that I've been in ETV for a month today and wow... Time flies!

Today I went to shoot my first story in Anderson, SC. I thought it would be great to do a story on Meals on Wheels, an organization that delivers meals directly to the homes of the elderly and disabled that may not have help from anyone else. Besides delivering food, the volunteers also make sure that the recipients are doing well and they offer all their support. It's beautiful! And the reason why I chose this story was because I totally fell in love with the organization's purpose. There's nothing more beautiful in this world, for me, than the practice of charity in small gestures of service. You give, without asking anything in return. This is charity. This is love.

So the roles now were reversed. I was the producer and videographer and Tabitha was assisting me. That was interesting and definitely an experience! I never thought I would be creating my own stories here at ETV, but Tabitha let me make my own decisions, create the storyline, record and edit everything for this video! After getting some b-rolls of the volunteers packing the food into the carry-out containers, we interviewed the Executive Director, a volunteer and one of the recipients. And then, more b-rolls. B-rolls are the key factors for any story! More and more I've been refining my ability of shooting b-rolls. Tabitha has been teaching me a lot of good techniques and encouraging me to use my creativity to shoot b-rolls, after all, that's what makes a good story.

It was a success! I can't wait to start editing it :)

Yesterday we had another shooting. Rachel and I went to assist Tabitha with a story for Original SC about Chef Brandon Velie. He's the chef of a restaurant called Juniper, in Ridge Spring. I was able to observe a lot of Tabitha "in action" yesterday so I could use a lot of what she was doing to shoot my story today.

Tabitha, Brandon, Rachel and I.

As you can see in the picture I was wearing my Brazilian shirt because yesterday Brazil played home in the World Cup opening!!! And of course, like any Brazilian, I've soccer in my blood! Anyways, coming back to business... The shootings and the interview went great! It was pouring rain at the end but we had to leave...

So far, so good!!! No complaints!!!

My summer at ETV has been filled with lessons that not only will be useful in my career but also in my life as a whole. Those are life lessons. And I'm very grateful for everything I've been learning. After all, learning is growing. And I'm glad ETV is part of this growth. I'm so glad... :)

Great People, Great Learnings - Marina

And another great week just flew by!

And it was an intense one... I got to write articles for Palmetto Scene website, do research for the videos, do phone calls, send e-mails, help with the political debates, and travel for shootings.. This last one was my favorite!

I always wanted an internship where I could travel, meet new people, new places... And here I am at ETV traveling every week!

On Wednesday I went to Charleston with Tabitha, Don and Mark to present a documentary ETV is producing about the Yorktown, the aircraft carrier built during World War II for the US Navy. It came along very well! After the presentation we went Downtown Charleston to have lunch and walk in the market (They have the best lemon cookies ever!!!). It was just a great day!

And the week could not have ended any better... We went to Greenville today to record a story about Rachel Weeks. Rachel is an a-m-a-z-i-n-g person, great personality! She is also a great athlete who has been running several races, marathons and even participated in an ironman triathlon. Rachel has a hearing loss and visual impairment but she does not let it stop her from following her dreams! I think I have never met someone like Rachel in my life, she is an example of passion and determination for all around her. Here is a link to her webpage,

http://theimperfectjourney.com/welcome-the-imperfect-journey/

Me, Rachel, Tab

After recording the interview in the morning Tabitha and I went downtown to have lunch and of course, we ended up getting an ice cream :)

Delicious!!!

We came back after lunch to get shots of Rachel and her guide running and practicing. Rachel's daughters were also there with us and they are simply lovely young girls :)

After everything was done we returned to Columbia with the heart filled with energy and determination to face all obstacles that may appear along the way. Thank you Rachel for being a wonderful woman, mom, athlete, and for showing that we can ALWAYS go one step further!

20 Years Young, Another Week Conquered! - Khadijah

Debate 2 - New Set Up



There truly is an art here with what we do at SCETV! I'm just so proud and honored to be apart of the journey.

Week two didn't fail to disappoint me at all. From the very beginning, Aimee, my advisor, made sure that I had every opportunity to prove myself and why I'm a good fit here.

Since last week, I managed to finalize the Smith-Lever recap which highlighted both the Senate and house Representative's honoring Congressman Smith Lever's Family for the 100 year anniversary of the Smith-Lever act. I learned that this act did a lot as far as promoting agricultural practices and establishing 4-H clubs for children. Women also played a big role as it gave them more opportunities to get involved outside of just simple housework and child care.



Palmetto Scene - Smith Lever Video
 

The video is now made available on Palmetto Scene's website, and it took the front page highlights as well. It was my first form of web work for the show, and it really made my day to see my work made readily available for others to see.

In addition to the post work, I had an amazing job learning from another internship advisor here who works a lot with social media for Palmetto Scene, Tabitha. A lot of what I took from her were basic visual editing elements that proved useful for the end result. Considering that editing is still something that I'm learning, I'm open to any help and suggestions from those who have advanced skills with editing software. It's good to know that I can reach out to others here for advice such as that.



Maya Angelou dies at 86.

 

A bittersweet moment for myself this week was learning about the passing of my favorite author and poet, Dr. Maya Angelou.

I was at work when I first heard, and it was definitely bittersweet. I had the honor of writing the update for the website, in which my favorite SC author and poet, Nikky Finney, said some kind words of the famed poet as well. Her metaphor of Maya Angelou being a "walking library" couldn't I admire. I hope to walk in her footsteps of the legacy she's left behind with her work. I can definitely say of myself that I'm off to a solid start!

Moving on to another week of debates, this week had two! A lot of changes were made to the overall set up, and I like the change very well. Tuesday's debates finished off the GOP for Superintendent of Education nominees on the Republican side. Unlike last week, Tuesday's debate had 8 candidates, so not only did adjustments have to be made for lighting, but there were also changes made to the set up of how the candidates would appear visually on screen. It was my second time watching from the studio itself during filming.

Superintendent of Education - Republican Debate
 

For Thursday's debate, I had a change of scenery when I got the change to watch the debate in the production truck!

It was a great way of seeing how things are done behind the scenes. You could see the different shots from the 6 cameras the film crew used, there was a large monitor to show how the audience sees the production, and then there was a preview monitor that was used to set up the next shot when directed.

I was responsible for keeping time of how long each candidate talked during their scheduled times. It was just used as a reference to make sure no candidate was talking longer than they needed to.

I wish I knew a lot more about production techniques, so it was really cool to be behind the scenes watching everything.

In other news, I finally added a little flair to my own desk. In honor of my birthday week, my mother's card proudly stands against my computer screen.

Then yesterday, Marina and I enjoyed a night out at the Vista eating Mellow Mushroom after a great night of debates. I wasn't expecting to be treated to dinner, so it was really nice getting to know more about her and enjoying time away from the office for a bit.

I also shared with her my Oreo Truffles, made of white chocolate chips, oreo cookies and cream cheese. She said I did well. And today, I enjoy more. 20 years old never felt so great.

-K