Indiana: Morning webcast offers students daily information | school news

Despite being involved in so many classes and extracurricular activities here at IHS this year, seniors Alyssa Carloni and Cadence Ullman are serving as directors for the IHS webcast, speaking with IHS Instructor and Digital Media and Productions Coordinator, Mr Erik Puskar, collaborate and communicate. Carloni and Ullman work independently and reliably to assume responsibility for planning and staffing the webcast, reporting to the IHS webcast studio, and operating the various equipment required to record the webcasts.

After the students involved in each webcast have successfully captured video files using professional video cameras, video mixers and audio boards, Puskar undertakes the necessary post-production to “digitally stitch together” the captured video, create and add accompanying infographics to the content presented in each announcement, add commercials created by various IHS student organizations, and edit and render a final video file that can be delivered electronically to any classroom teacher, IHS student and staff for any school morning.

The webcast is not only a way to engage students in school communications, but also a way to present the announcements in a visual, content-enhanced format, rather than traditional public address system announcements.

“I love that it allows everyone, no matter what grade they are in, to feel involved in school activities,” Ullman said. Her favorite part of filming the webcast is the opportunity to meet new people at school.

“I attended the IHS webcast last year when I was a student in Digital Media II,” said Carloni. “I started watching the students film the webcast last year and found it interesting and fun, so I decided to help out this year and asked Mr. Puskar if I could learn how to do it.”

When not directing, Carloni also controls or assists the students’ technical crew members with the video switcher and teleprompter, and occasionally controls the audio board for proper volume and quality of lapel mics worn by on-air talent will.

Although each IHS webcast is limited in length to no more than four minutes to fit within the time slot allotted during classroom procedures prior to the start of the first lesson, it quickly becomes apparent that the webcasts require a great deal of effort and preparation by many individuals .

Describing the process, Carloni said, “The first thing we need to do in order to complete the webcast is to find talent throughout the school to go on the air. Many students really want to do it, so it’s not difficult. Once the students take their places behind the news desk, we need to make sure their microphones and cameras are ready. We also need to ensure that the teleprompter script is called so that the correct date is captured. We then test the audio and explain the process and flow of recording the webcast to the on-air talent. Then we start recording each webcast as a collaborative effort, and once we’re done, Mr. Puskar edits the edits at school and mails them out for everyone to watch in the classroom the next morning.”

The IHS Morning Webcast is a daily event at IHS and is in many ways one of the school’s most timely sources for school-wide updates on events and happenings. As a result, it is a successful opportunity for all as the students involved in each webcast have a fun yet educational experience while all IHS students and staff benefit from the information from these webcasts.

“The main goal of the webcast is to start the morning with important school news in a fun way for everyone,” Ullman said.

The IHS webcast is greatly appreciated by both students and IHS staff.

“I think the webcast is cool because it’s mostly student-led,” said freshman Elizabeth Major.