You’re in the dim auditorium, headset snug on your head. You hear a multitude of voices in your ear: ‘Pan the camera. Center the shot. For goodness sake, stop moving!’ You stand there, one hand at the ready to move the camera, when a sudden voice jolts you out of your stupor. ‘Camera 1, follow the person walking!’ You don’t move a muscle until you realize—you’re Camera 1! This scenario is just one of many experiences students in ISTV go through during each shoot—work that junior Avery Liebowitz calls “simultaneously fun and stressful.”
ISTV is a television production crew composed of students and a few staff members. This educational program films various events throughout the district, from musicals to graduations, and edits them into short videos available for the district to view. Staff Robert Zahn, Paul Derych, and Dean McCoy lead the program and help, yet what truly makes the program run is the students involved.
A few weeks before an event shoot, the teachers create a list of students who will participate. The number of students varies depending on the shoot, but it’s usually around 6-8. On the day of the shoot, students arrive two hours early to get their roles and set up the equipment. Roles are assigned by Mr. Zahn prior to the shoot, usually based on prior experience. However, for more high-level positions such as Director, Assistant Director, and Technical Director, Mr. Zahn sometimes assigns them to students who are relatively new to the program to see what they’re capable of. Cameron Fein, a two-year student of ISTV, states, “sometimes [Mr. Zahn] likes to experiment and put people who are new or don’t expect themselves to be in a top spot.”
Many jobs don’t require as much experience, such as the students operating the cameras. Nevertheless, these positions can still be stressful at times, especially if someone’s new to the program. “I had no clue what was going on procedurally…the terminology wasn’t explained to me adequately beforehand, and it took me a significant way through until I actually understood what [the directors] were talking about…the unfamiliarity made it stressful,” Liebowitz said regarding his first shoot in ninth grade.
Fein was once thrust into a high position at a young age—during eighth grade, he was assigned as director for The Addams Family. Fein said, “I was freaking out…for this big job, only the seniors or juniors do this.” Although he felt super nervous about taking over this important position, he ended up liking what he did. “I did it, and surprisingly, I didn’t make that many mistakes,” Fein said. “I really surprised myself…it showed me that I knew my stuff and I can actually do things that I didn’t think I could do.” Now, whenever he’s called upon to be a director, he isn’t as stressed as his first time. Fein said, “I’m really acclimated. I’m used to it now.”
After the shoot, students linger for about 30 minutes to clean up and pack the equipment. Microphones must be retrieved, tripods and cameras must be packed securely, and wires must be rolled up and placed in their respective cases. The packed items also have to be securely transported to South Middle, where they’ll have to be charged for next time. It’s a group effort—without everyone’s help, the same process could take up to an hour.
ISTV also allows students from different grades to meet people they wouldn’t have met otherwise. Many students stress that the social aspect was a major reason they joined and stayed in the program. Liebowitz said, “You get to work closely with other people who you would not have met otherwise…I met a student from another grade during a shoot. You get to know people better…this is just part of why I love this program.”
