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Sound Engineering
Corporate Site

Recipe for an Interesting Broadcast
As Presented at the 3^rd Annual SmartSystemÒ Users Group Meeting by
Kathy Campbell, Media Specialist Miller Elementary School Dearborn Public Schools
Start with the principal. Let him/her stand in front of the camera and say whatever needs to be said – announcements, for example.
Add the Pledge of Allegiance. We began with 5^th graders – each day, three students were chosen (alphabetically, for simplicity’s sake) from a classroom and told to come downstairs to the broadcast area and lead the school in the pledge. Over the course of the year, everyone gets a chance to lead the school this way. Pledgers state their name and homeroom so that introductions are kept to a minimum.
Begin training a camera crew to take over filming. (See *Directions For Camera Crew* – two camera operators is good; that way you have an extra one on hand in case one is absent.)
Add a weather commentator. Ours usually accesses the Weather Channel first, then paraphrases the weather once she is being broadcast.
Time for Carmen Harlan – appoint an anchorperson. We also appointed a person in charge of rounding up the 3 pledge students for the day and beginning the pledge segment.
Sit Down! Time to get everyone in a panel format. We use a conference room adjacent to the office. Background banners saying "WMLR" and "Weather" add a professional look.
Right about now you can dispense with the principal. Students should be carrying the responsibility for the whole production.
Season with special announcements, promotions and performances. Some that we’ve tried in the past – Raffles Special Appearances Poetry/Essay Readings Awards Pep Talks & Promotions Introduction
Simmer along all year. Morning broadcasts will pretty much take care of themselves.
*- Directions for Camera Crew*
Camera Operator 1. Take the lens cap off the camera 2. Set up the shot so that you can see your subjects at least up to their waists. Make sure they’re centered, too. 3. Go to the office phone and push: PAGE - 8 - ENTER 4. When subjects are ready, switch from POWER POINT to LIVE VIDEO. *BROADCAST* 1. As soon as the broadcast is over, switch back to POWER POINT. 2. Put the lens cap back on the camera 3. Go to the office phone and push: PAGE - 8 - CANCEL	Narrator 1. Go get today’s students if they do not show up in the office. 2. Show the students where to stand. Explain that you will pass them the microphone so that they can say their names slowly and clearly. Remind them to look at the camera, not the TV screen, and to SMILE. 3. AFTER the camera operator has switched to live video, and you are on TV, turn the microphone on. The light will blink and go out. Make sure you can hear the sound – jiggle the microphone if necessary. *BROADCAST* 1. AFTER the camera person has switched back to POWER POINT it is ok to move away from the set. 2. Turn the microphone off! Replace it on the cart. (Take it away from Dr. Hardie, if necessary)