From DSLR cameras to LED lights, PBS Broadcast Promotion Manager Ty Woodson was fully prepared to show the students how to turn a video from mediocre to professional.

Students participating in the PBS NewsHour Student Reporting  at Daniel Pearl Magnet High School joined in room 21 during periods two, three and four, to learn how to use proper equipment while making news videos.

Woodson is a man of many jobs, all of which he does alone. He sets up the camera, fixes the lighting, interviews the subject and edits his work, so he isn’t used to teaching students.

“Sorry this is my first time,” Woodson said.

Woodson started off by having students be the subject. He set up a two-camera shoot.

“It’s boring if the shot is from one angle. You need to switch it up to keep the audience interested,” Woodson said.

He guided students in aligning the camera, letting them know that you need just the right amount of noseroom and headroom in your shot or the video will be awkward.

Next, he let the students conduct interviews giving each of them different roles:  Main camera, off camera, boom microphone, interviewer and interviewee.

Prior to the interview, Woodson and Coordinator of Education and Outreach for PBS SoCal Alyssa Torrez told the students about the spiel they must give to the person they are interviewing.

“You want to make them comfortable, so talk to them first,” Torrez said.

In their first trial run, student Jade Bell asked The Pearl Post Editor-in-Chief Elitza Batchiyska questions to prepare for their PBS video.

“Listen and ask follow up questions. A question is only as good as its answer so let the person you are interviewing talk and take you somewhere that you may have never even thought off,” Torrez said.

After all of the students had the opportunity to interview or be interviewed, Woodman and Torrez moved onto the critic portion. Their goal was not only to help make the PBS videos a success but to also help with The Pearl Post’s new Virtual Voice feature.

Students really appreciated all of the advice given to them by Woodman and Torrez.

“I really liked that they came out to help because I learned how to conduct an interview properly and I feel much more confident about my work,” Bell said.