Millbrae boasts media classes: Video courses teach students how to produce TV programs

“The benefits are endless,” said Ken Milch, who started the class in 1995. “Public speaking — they’re in front of 850 people every morning, learning about how to be a sound tech, camera operating not only in the studio but in the field, graphic making and story writing. They’re working under pressure and meeting a deadline every single day.”

The students put on 175 11-minute shows a year out of 185 school days. Students control the sound, live text, camera and other aspects of the show.

“The special bond we share going through 175 shows a year, we’re like our own little family within the school,” he said.

The daily shows began in 1997 with parental donations such as TVs, microphones and small purchases from RadioShack. Last year, the program received $13,000 worth of state-of-the-art equipment from the school’s PTA and the Peninsula Chinese Business Association, helping the student keep up with the flow of technology, Milch said. Angie Lee of the business association had two children go through Milch’s class and he said she has been a huge supporter of the program. Randy Sahae, Millbrae Community Television’s chief engineer, helped to upgrade KTLR’s outdated analog equipment for contemporary digital television production.

The program has definitely evolved over the years. Since the students now have a green screen, they no longer have to make large backgrounds out of construction paper, he said. In 2009, the program even won the San Mateo County School Boards Association’s J. Russell Kent Award for broadcast journalism.

Students keep people informed by covering everything from school sports team scores to science labs, KTLR students say. It’s also helped those participating gain skills that come from working as a team and using technology.

“It’s unique to get to work together,” said seventh-grader Giselle. “You face your fear and go on screen.”

Eighth-grader Ryan, who serves as a teacher’s assistant in the class, said he likes the atmosphere of the class, as it’s more open than a regular classroom, he said. He’s learned how to use Google Drive and navigate through technical difficulties.

Milch enjoys seeing his students blossom. He recounts how one boy wouldn’t say a word and is now much more open.

“His mom emailed me and said she’s noticed a change,” he said. “When you can reach a student and make an impact — when the parent notices it — that’s some internal pleasure you get.”

Mills program

At Mills High School in Millbrae a similar, but newer, program is taking the school by storm. The beginning art of video and advanced art of video classes offer students an opportunity to learn about video production. It came about because of an equipment grant Principal Paul Belzer wrote about five years ago. Jane Scott-Jones teaches the advanced class, along with photography and web design. Students run a YouTube channel, a closed circuit at-school broadcast and a direct stream to MCTV. The classes run out of the 2-year-old Mills professional grade television production studio where the school’s old auto shop used to be located.

“The really cool thing is to make something out of nothing,” Scott-Jones said. “They’re more professional than some professional broadcasts.”

Students learn director calls, how to operate a virtual set, teleprompter and soundboard, along with other skills. Their final for this semester is to write a manual for each studio position, further helping to define the roles in the production.

Advanced video student sophomore Tiffany Yu said she likes to learn about making videos and has acquired other skills.

“I’ve learned a lot about persistence and never giving up,” she said.

Another sophomore advanced video student, Orion Huang, has been interested in video production since he was in seventh-grade and has been pursuing it since. He makes short drama and horror films in his spare time.

“I’m looking forward to taking this class every year,” he said.

Senior Nick Wong said it is a very liberal class and Scott-Jones pretty much lets students run the course in the creative sense.

“The freedom to do what we please in making videos is awesome,” Wong wrote in an email. “I enjoyed making videos prior to this class, but I do believe the time I spent in the intro class and in this class really helped me develop some fundamental skills that allow me to create the best videos I can. … It is not your ordinary class, or is it your ordinary art class. There are no strict rules on how to edit or produce a video like there are in standard high school art class. There isn’t a specific style you have to conform to; it is very free form.”

Scott-Jones said the students try to run their five- to six-minute news broadcasts that run every other week like real news programs.

“It’s a really fun class and the perfect career and technical education class because it’s hands-on,” she said.

Students trade positions all the time to get to experience different roles, she said.

MCTV assistance

These Mills programs have gotten help from MCTV as well. Andy Pitman, the general manager of MCTV, has been volunteering for them, providing technical assistance as well as guidance on creating content. He offered to help Scott-Jones learn how to use and maintain the equipment and to assist with class productions. In exchange, he asked her to put out volunteer requests to her class for them to participate in MCTV productions at Mills.

“This has been our arrangement for over a year now and I think it is of great benefit to both sides,” he wrote in an email. “For Mills, the students get professional training in a professional work environment and also something unique to put on their college applications. For MCTV, we save money on hiring crews, we get to produce interesting local content to play on our channel, and we let people know about some of the good things we do in the community.”

Many of the students have come to work for MCTV as volunteers or interns and a few have had their first paid work experiences at MCTV as it often hires recent high school graduates during the summers, he added.

angela@smdailyjournal.com

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