Five Questions

 In class, we did interviews in class and used two shots, and learned how to use cutaway and listening shots. My version had Dante interviewing Carol. Check it out! I think this is one of my best works so far using Adobe Premiere Pro. 

Action Sequence

 I worked with Shawntravis direct and edited an action sequence for this project. It was rather easy. Trying to do things differently from my friends was the only problem I had. I only needed to put what I had learned into practice, and as I kept improving my trade, I would be able to combine them. It wasn't necessary to be highly complex or creative.

I edited using Premiere Pro, and since I'm much more at ease with its seemingly straightforward features, I had no trouble at all. I added some cool transitions so you should check it out.

Three-Point Lighting

 Good lighting has become one of the many vital elements in video creation. It helps create an expert and purposeful appearance and impacts the audience's perception of the subject. Using a key light, fill light, and back light, the students worked on creating a three-point lighting setup in class. My classmate, D'Vonte Allen, acted as the subject for all images, providing us with an actual demonstration of how lighting choices affect the look of an on-camera talent.

Before anything gets switched on, our first picture shows the whole lighting setup. The key light, fill light, and back light are the three studio lights that surround D'Vonte while he sits directly in front of the camera. In addition to establishing our starting point, this picture shows the setup of the lights compared to our focus.

There are no studio lights on in this close-up. D'Vonte is bland and dull, and the camera fails to catch good detail. This image highlights how brightness is important—without it, the shot loses quality and visual impact.

The primary and strongest bulb in a three-point system is the key light, which we've then turned on. The main light shapes the subject's face and produces the main lighting. In this shot, D'Vonte gets light from one side, generating powerful shadows on the opposing side. Although this lighting creates visibility, shadows are too strong and uneven in the absence of other lights. 

Next, we placed the fill glow, which is gentler and set across the primary light. The fill light eliminates or “fills in” sharp shadows caused by the main light. D'Vonte's face is more equally lighted in this picture, while the black shadows in the earlier one are much lighter.

Lastly, we turned on the rear light, frequently referred to as a tire or hair light. It is behind D'Vonte and aimed at his shoulders and back of his head. He stands out from the scenery because of the rear light, which also produces a glowing glow that gives him depth and character.

The model is positioned in the middle of the last image, which portrays the whole production setup with the 3 lights on. This picture shows how the entire setup appears from afar and reveals how thoughtful positioning and lighting decisions provide an ideal fit for a broadcast.

From this routine, I learnt how vital lighting is in broadcasting. The key light produces the initial form, the fill light balances it, and the back light isolates the subject from the background. Without any one of these features, the photograph lacks its weight and professionalism. I have learned why three-point lighting is seen as an industry standard. I
t offers video producers the power they need to make everyone on camera seem planned, clear, and visually defined.

Bounce Light

 Lighting in outdoor news locations isn't always perfect. It might be hard to get clear images when there are dark shadows, dim lighting, or uneven exposure. By using sunlight as a natural key light and redirecting it onto the reporter's face, our team saw firsthand how a foldable bounce light reflector could help these issues.

To start, we shot a picture of our guy Dante standing with the sun above him and no reflector in use. His entire face is toned down and poorly lit, making it hard to tell his expression properly. This “before” image highlights the usual light problem reporters have during outside live coverage.

Here, we get a great view of Dante’s face before the reflector is set up. His features look dull, and shadows cover essential facial characteristics. This comparison image serves to highlight the importance of controlled lighting in news production.

A close-up to see the reflector placed so it bounces vibrant, nicely diffused light straight onto Dante’s face. The effect is strong. You can see it in his face. His complexion is more precise, shades are eliminated, and his emotion is a lot simpler for viewers to see.

Next, we got a wide picture taken from behind the camera, handled by Shawn, our cameraman. Dallas places himself close to the lens with the reflector while Dante stands in front of it. This graphic shows the general organization of the crew and how a reflector fits within the camera gear.

This picture, which was taken from Dallas's point of view, displays Dante's face with the white reflector directed upward. The shot shows how the reflector collects sunlight and focuses it, boosting light where the natural daylight falls short.

Standing behind Dante's perspective, you can witness the three-person team working together: Shawn shooting, Dallas fixing the reflector, and Dante ready to provide a live report. It highlights the cooperation necessary to make sure that the light, cameraman setup, and talent placement all blend to produce a professional-looking image.

30 Second Ad

 

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POS Interviews

 This week, I went around campus to talk about the security here at SC State. It's a topic that may be difficult, depending on who you talk to. Recently, the university announced that it will begin checking for student IDs at the gate, and those who don't have one will be turned around. Here's what the students had to say.

Now, in hindsight, the students were right. Those interviews were before our homecoming, and their concerns were right. A bright day turned tragic for all students here. Since these interviews were done, the school has added more safety precautions. We all hope that we can soon put a stop to the senseless violence and become a functioning community again.

Grove Park House of Pizza Review

    Robot food servers? Welcome to Grove Park House of Pizza! I was hungry so I decided to try out Grove Park House of Pizza. Blown away by the unique servers and club in the back, it was a no-brainer for me to try out this spot.

    After I was sat, it took about 10-12 minutes before the waiter got there. The service definitely could've been better on the inside of the restaurant. My waiter wasn't very friendly considering it was my first time there. It was uncontrollably cold inside the restaurant, so I advise you to bring a jacket. As you saw in the opening picture, we had a robot server named Rosie bring the food to the table.

    Based on the name, you can tell pizza is a key to the menu but don't let that fool you. The menu is extensive and you can customize your pizza any way you want it. I'm a pizza lover so that is music to my ears. I ordered my pizza and I wasn't blown away. It was okay but not worth $14 in my opinion. The quality was just a little underwhelming and the 30-minute wait didn't make it any better. 

    Overall, I would rate Grove Park House of Pizza a 6/10. It won't be the best thing you've ever had but it's food. Personally, I don't know if I will go back. The prices aren't bad and they have a good menu but the quality of the food may not be what you're looking for.