A one-minute course on how to do T.V.<\/p>\n
by Richard Freeman
\n—————————————————————————-<\/p>\n
A SHORT TIME BEFORE I DROPPED out of Anthropology, I was regaled with what
\nI now think of as suburban legends. The one I still remember concerned a
\ntribe somewhere that was shown, perhaps on a bedsheet hung from a tree limb,
\ntheir first motion picture. No one in the tribe knew what to make of the
\naction. Instead, they all followed a chicken that was in one of the scenes.
\nI wonder (not only what movie had a chicken in it but whether this story
\ncould possibly be true).<\/p>\n
What makes me wonder is my experience producing television programs. I’ve
\nhelped set up a TV station in town for almost no money at all, and I’ve
\nwatched fifth-graders learn to use all the equipment in under 15 minutes –
\nand go on to do their own shows with interviews and trivia contests and
\nmusic. Either the technology is very simple or we are watching a miracle.<\/p>\n
Whenever I teach someone how to use a TV camera, I always feel like
\napologizing that it wasn’t more complicated. That there isn’t more to learn
\nand more to say. The only trick is learning that it is this easy. What stops
\nmost people, I think, is the idea that TV is terribly technologically
\ncomplex and expensive … whereas all that you need, if you have cable
\naccess, is a camcorder and about $500 worth of sound equipment. Anything
\nelse is gravy.<\/p>\n
First you need to live in a small town with a cable access channel that
\nisn’t being used. I assume there are lots of towns like mine – Yellow
\nSprings, Ohio – that have that cable capability but haven’t used it yet.<\/p>\n
Certainly the equipment needed is simple. For the audio, we use a Radio
\nShack control board (the under-$100 model works fine) which allows us to
\nplug in three microphones, a cassette deck, and a CD player. Add a small
\npair of $50 monitor speakers, some wire, and a telephone and you can go on
\nthe air as a radio station.<\/p>\n
To do just radio (over the TV), all you need to do is plug a connection cord
\nfrom the board into the tuner that’s hooked up to the cable modulator.<\/p>\n
The next step is to produce TV. To do this you need a camcorder and a
\ntripod. It too plugs right in. Kids learn to handle the camcorder in under a
\nminute (all there is to learn is what button to push to zoom in and out).
\nAnother five minutes will be enough to show everyone how to work the control
\nboard. They already know how to use cassette decks and CD players.<\/p>\n
Kids have watched enough television (unlike those poor tribesmen) to know
\nexactly how it’s done. Whatever else needs to be taught, they’ll teach you.
\nOur studio is a basement room in the village building. Though most of it
\nstill looks like a combination of Castle Dracula and junk storage, one wall
\nhas a gray rug hung on it. With a table in front of the rug and a couple of
\nhome-made spotlights, we have a set that looks great on TV.<\/p>\n
The trick to producing television seems to be to teach the kids how to use
\nall of the equipment as quickly as you can and then, the same night, let
\nthem do their shows. When an audience shows up to watch, you can teach them
\nas well. And there is an audience. Our kids get 80 phone calls in a
\nhalf-hour trivia contest.<\/p>\n
I find it particularly funny that I can produce TV and use a computer while
\nI don’t know how to drive a car. In 1962 only a few people could do the
\nfirst two and I felt completely out of things not being able to do the
\nlatter. This century is just full of such jokes.<\/p>\n
—————————————————————————-<\/p>\n
X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X<\/p>\n
Another file downloaded from: NIRVANAnet(tm)<\/p>\n
& the Temple of the Screaming Electron Jeff Hunter 510-935-5845
\n Rat Head Ratsnatcher 510-524-3649
\n Burn This Flag Zardoz 408-363-9766
\n realitycheck Poindexter Fortran 415-567-7043
\n Lies Unlimited Mick Freen 415-583-4102<\/p>\n
Specializing in conversations, obscure information, high explosives,
\n arcane knowledge, political extremism, diversive sexuality,
\n insane speculation, and wild rumours. ALL-TEXT BBS SYSTEMS.<\/p>\n
Full access for first-time callers. We don’t want to know who you are,
\n where you live, or what your phone number is. We are not Big Brother.<\/p>\n
“Raw Data for Raw Nerves”<\/p>\n
X-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X<\/p>\n
