TV Studio in a Small Room

Changing the way the video production class works. A video production classroom reinvented.

(Great ideas for anyone wanting to create a small TV studio)

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Video Production/ Student News Classroom• Provides school/community with news• Gives students the opportunity to explore careers opportunities• Often includes multiple cameras• Connects to school via CCTV, Educational Access, or the Internet• Often has computers for research• Has a studio area for producing the broadcast

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Our “Traditional” set up included• Stage• News Desk for talent• 3-4 Cameras• A Green Screen• Mics with audio mixer

• Light grid with Control Console• A control room• Teleprompter• Communication devices • Research Area (computers)

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Students Learned Various Crew positions• 3-4 Camera Operators• Audio (mixer/boom operator)• Lighting Director• Director• Technical Director• Floor Director• Talent (including weather)• Teleprompter Controller• And more Brought to you by:

Problems with this set up:• Every production was a “big production” requiring 10-15 students

to participate• Limited number of productions• The studio is in our classroom—While shooting it shut down.• Students not engaged is a problem• Complicated set up• Inauthentic– in a real news room, the process has been

streamlined and most of the “crew” positions have been eliminated or automated.

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Goals and Desired Outcomes of a New Solution• Increased authenticity to truly prepare students for the real world• Increased number of broadcasts (Our Goal is Daily)• Keep students engaged in active learning• Increase individualized learning• Increase classroom learning time• Students develop more skills• Create broadcasts without shutting down classroom• Better prepare tomorrow’s workforce

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The Solution: Create a “Mini News Room”(This is a work in progress)• Converted old closet into a mini studio where as few as 2 students

can produce a news broadcast. • Room is set up so that students can produce a daily news

broadcast while the rest of the class is working, learning and developing skills

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Converted Closet into a “TV Studio in a box”• We had access to a 9x14 storage closet we cleaned it out, and painted it black

(to prevent light from bouncing around)• Added sound abatement material to the walls, and (carpet tiles to floor)• Put a green screen on one wall, one hung a curtain in front of the green

screen• Set up 2 Cameras- with possible 3rd overhead (used c-stands)• Added iPad Teleprompters (Voice Activated)• Set up basic 3 point lighting system• Set up video switcher on laptop and 2nd monitor• Connected mic to computer via USB XLR adapter• Essentially made a “News room in a box” Brought to you by:

“TV Studio in a box”

Image Not to Scale

14

9 USB/XLR

Our “New” News Broadcast Process• Students are broken into groups of 3 each are in charge of creating

a news broadcast for that day. (If it is a snow day they are excused from that day)• Each week the requirements for the news broadcast increases

(builds upon previous weeks)• Students are graded based on their skill development

• 7 Points Novice (they can answer questions) 8 points Proficient (they can demonstrate the task correctly) 10+ points they can teach others or demonstrate high level of ability

• Edpuzzle.com is used for individualized learning and for students to achieve Novice level• When not recording a news broadcast students are working on ENG,

Developing skills or planning their next news broadcast Brought to you by:

The Teacher’s Learning Process• As this is a new approach for me I am learning as much as my

students• I take their feedback and try to improve the broadcast based on

what they say • Assigned days/groups• Mics• Teleprompters

• Technical issues• Hardware compatibility• Software log in and user rights

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The Students’ Learning Process• Students are more engaged• More time is spent on learning, developing skills, and

troubleshooting problems (Sharing suggestions to teacher)• Students are stretched but motivated to do well

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The TV Studio in a box•Crowded? Yes!•A lot packed in a small space? Yes!•Effective? Yes! •Replicable? Yes!

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How can you duplicate this? • This set up can be duplicated in a classroom, media center, home

office or corner room anyway. • The following slides go through the equipment used and tips to help

you set up your own “TV Studio in a box” • The slides will have affiliate links to the items used (or replacements if

the items are no longer made) **Full disclosure: If you buy from those affiliate links I do receive a small finders commission from the purchase. Don’t feel obligated to buy from them. But they are a good starting point for finding the equipment/software that is right for you.

Overview of Equipment That We Use• Switcher: Wirecast Studio by Telestream• Canon Camcorders (2)• Black Magic Design Mini Recorder HDMI to Thunderbolt Converter (2)• Aputure Amaran 3-Point Daylight HR672 3-Light Kit• Shure X2U XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter• Shure SM93 Lavalier Mic• Audio-Technica AT875R Shotgun Mic• IPad for each Camera/Teleprompter Mount/Voice Activated App

Overview of Other Items Used• Thunderbolt Cables (2), HDMI Mini To HDMI cable (2) XLR Cable 1• Sound Abatement Panels• Black Paint• Green Screen (Green paint works too)• Carpet Squares• C-Stands• Tripods/ Light Stands

Video Switcher• We use Wirecast Studio Made by Telestream

*Links to products in this presentation are affiliate links

Canon Camcorders• Canon Vixia HR R50 (Discontinued by Canon) • Similar Camcorder Canon VIXIA HF R80

*Links to products in this presentation are affiliate links

HDMI to Thunderbolt Converter• Black Magic Design Mini Recorder• Thunderbolt Cables (I recommend 2M)• HDMI Cables (Included with Camcorder)

*Links to products in this presentation are affiliate links

Alternate Converters• Alternative converter to Black Magic Studio Mini recorder (if you have

a PC or Mac Model that does not support thunderbolt) • Magewell XI100DUSB-HDMI USB Capture HDMI 3.0 HD Video Capture

Dongle

*Links to products in this presentation are affiliate links

All in one Systems• Build your own system• Prebuilt Systems by Telestream (Maker of Wirecast)• Black Magic Studio HD

3 Point Lighting System• Aputure Amaran 3-Point Daylight HR672 3-Light Kit

*Links to products in this presentation are affiliate links

Mics• Shure X2U XLR-to-USB Signal Adapter• Shure SM93 Lavalier Mic• Audio-Technica AT875R Shotgun Mic

*Links to products in this presentation are affiliate links

Ipad Teleprompters• I have Older iPads mounted beneath the camera using our old

teleprompter equipment that was designed for iPads. • They have Prompt Smart Pro installed on them. ($15) I tried the free

version and it works, but the pro version is worth the cost.• We load scripts to Google Drive.

Miscellaneous• Thunderbolt Cables (2), HDMI Mini To HDMI cable (2) XLR Cable 1• Sound Abatement Panels• Black Paint• Green Screen (Green paint works too)• Carpet Squares• C-Stands• Tripods/ Light Stands

Keep it simple with:

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