Students take a crack at television production

By Johanna Mitchell

The brains behind on-campus channel 58 brought you all-new 24-hour content during the fall. Starting this week, they will bring some fresh ideas to the mix under a new name: BroncoTV.

At Monday's weekly meeting, members of the BroncoTV club, formerly known as Millennial College Television, or MCTV, discussed the possibility of a series based on MTV's "True Life," as well as the addition of a weekly news program. Club President Mike Schroeder and Vice President Brian Fisher said they are also interested in airing Santa Clara sporting events that are not typically broadcast on professional news stations.

Late-night viewers may get a treat as well. BroncoTV may begin airing old movies during the midnight hours, including the campy 1960s horror film "The Brain that Wouldn't Die."

"There is so much we could do," said Fisher, who chooses the channel's weekly programming. "There is so much potential."

To aid the on-campus channel's expansion, BroncoTV members said they hope to involve students of all ages and academic realms, including marketing, music and theater. Schroeder said he has witnessed several drastic changes in the club since he joined his freshman year. The current atmosphere is more professional and communal, he said.

"With all these creative minds flowing, there is never a shortage of ideas," said Schroeder, who club members affectionately refer to as "the Godfather" because of his leadership role and knowledge of film.

Though the club started about four years ago, most members agreed that this year the club is bigger, more organized and more democratic. Schroeder touted this year's larger freshman class as the main reason the club has expanded so rapidly, growing from 15 members last year to more than 30 currently.

This year, Schroeder and Fisher are trying to increase not only the club's size, but also member participation in the club's productions, which includes encouraging every member to work actively on at least one project each quarter.

The club has had trouble retaining members because, as students, their schoolwork has to come first, said Schroeder.

He said he spends an average of four to five hours a week on production, which adds up to more than 10 hours during a project, a schedule he described as "like a production company, but without payment."

Freshman Caitlyn Alexander, a scriptwriter, said she is currently working on two projects, including a Bollywood-style romantic comedy about a businessman and a female tech supporter from India and a comedy about Japanese sex robots.

New members may lack experience working with equipment, but club participation can certainly remedy that through a process Fisher calls "trial through error."

"We're not only learning how to make things, we're learning how to work with people and get things done," said Fisher, who completed the beginning video and studio production course this fall.

The course, a requirement for communication majors, gives students a crash course in several aspects of filmmaking from start to finish, including script drafting, filming techniques, lighting, sound and editing.

During the course, students produce a three-minute short film and a five-minute news show or other studio production. Fisher said the production of his video project, "Lost in the World of Warcraft," gave him a new appreciation for the art of video storytelling. He now carries a small red notebook in his pocket at all times to keep track of ideas for potential future films.

Schroeder, who was also in the course, produced a short film titled "Stretching the Dollar." Both films can be seen on the club's YouTube page, along with the many other videos broadcast on BroncoTV.

In the making of a BroncoTV film, students can gain real-world experience by playing a variety of roles during the stages of the production process. Before filming even begins, the students are writing scripts, creating storyboards, scouting locations and forming a cast of actors, who are usually fellow club members.

The length of a film shoot varies, but along the way, club members work together to help each other learn to navigate cameras, lighting and sound equipment during production and share tips on framing techniques, all the while developing their own personal styles as filmmakers.

The final stage of the production process is editing.

Though Schroeder likes all steps of the video production process, he said he excels at editing footage. He said he enjoys having the final say on how the film looks and having the "feeling like you're controlling time and space."

Katherine Tolentino, a freshman who has been involved in video production since high school, serves as one of the few editors for BroncoTV segments. Editing roles are hard to fill because of the unique skill set the craft requires, said Schroeder.

Club editors use their own editing software or utilize software provided by Media Services, which also provides a high-quality camera for use exclusively by BroncoTV.

Computer engineer Craig Gower, who manages media systems in the Arts and Sciences Building, said in previous years the communication department had waived the $250 per hour fee to use the full studio space for the club's monthly news program. However, the club is required to pay Gower's engineer hourly wage of $75.

The club survives on the annual budget allotted to all clubs by Associated Students, but the communication department has also provided an important support system, said Fisher.

"(Director) Nancy Cutler has been great. She wants to help and see us grow," said Fisher. "And (Cable TV Manager) Terry Benton is the brains behind Media Services. He has the industry knowledge."

For Schroeder, the production road doesn't end with BroncoTV. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in video, film or television, and he said he will take his experience and leadership role in the club straight to the bank.

"Without (Mike), the club wouldn't be where it is today," said Fisher.

Contact Johanna Mitchell at (408) 554-4546 or jjmitchell@scu.edu.