PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) – This month, I had the opportunity to shadow my producer, Stephanie Cooke, at a live taping of the Hampton Roads Show. I watched her direct our talent, Tara Wheeler, by giving her cues and proper blocking so that the show ran effortlessly. I also assisted with setup before and after the show by ensuring we had all the necessary equipment. My responsibilities also included preventing people from walking into our camera shots and listening in the show as it was happening live in the studio with our other talent, Chris Reckling, and being sure to pay close attention to the script and make sure that Tara was ready for her segment as soon as it appeared on the script.
My career goal is to gain enough experience in front of the camera and interviewing to create a reel that will stand out to future employers. For my final project, I used this opportunity to record a standup highlighting this year’s Bodacious Bazaar, which featured over 500 vendors and artists. In addition to this standup, I went out with WAVY Reporter Keagan Hughes again, who has been helping me create my reel. The two of us ventured out to Virginia Beach to record my package, where I highlighted the Virginia Beach Boardwalk holiday lights that would be happening from November 15 through the end of December.
I gained more insight into how reporters create scripts for their packages and record themselves if a camera operator can’t accompany them. Keagan and I made a great team and were successful in finding restaurant owners along the boardwalk who were willing to be interviewed for the video. I was able to interview two people and record some B-roll footage; I took great notes that I will be using in the future reporting.