Do you remember that one of the characters in a famous Soviet film “Moscow does not believe in tears” insisted that the future belonged to TV? Certainly this TV future came long ago and we know now a lot about the TV itself but there is always a genuine interest in how it is made, coming from children, especially.
Fifteen children from the Zaporozhye boarding school #3 went on an excursion to learn more about TV professions in the scope of the project “I want to be”. They were to find out what profession in TV making is the most important and the coolest one. Alex TV became a specific training ground for this.
Any TV program starts with the editor long before it goes on the air. The profession of the editor is hidden from the eyes of TV spectators. The editor works on the choice of the program topic, its script and artistic design. Further this person participates in the organization and the process of shooting, post-scoring and acceptance. In accordance with the unwritten law, the editor is the cleverest person on TV knowing everything about the program. Dmitry Ivanov who met us and was our guide in the TV world during the excursion is one of such editors.
The first room where we found ourselves was a small studio. We were warmly welcomed by a man of a medium height with grayish hair who appeared to be a director. He told us about his profession. The director’s work on TV is complicated and many-sided. It includes stage works with both professional actors and general public; online broadcasting and, of course, montage and post-scoring. The studio had two video cameras and certainly they attracted the boys’ attention. One of them came up to a camera and started to study it in detail. The director though carried away by his narration, immediately noticed this and switched his captivating story from his profession to the operator’s duties. After all, the operator is a constant companion and helpmate of the TV director and his profession combines creative and technical skills. On the one hand, the TV operator should wield the composition laws; on the other hand he needs some perfect knowledge of the advanced digital technologies and optics. So, the children understood that to become a successful operator one must know physics well.
Later all the boys were allowed to put themselves in the shoes of the operator. In turns, with childish curiosity they looked into the view finder which reminded me of the “Sea battle” game machine from my childhood. At the same time, the girls were intently watching the work of a TV make up artist: the specialist was making up a participant of a program. This profession is required so that TV presenters, journalists and studio guests could look their best for the spectators. This profession is one of the most beautiful on TV.
In the sound recording studio, all the children were recorded one after another. They sat down at the table, put the headphones on and read the offered printed text about sale of some useless things. On the other hand, everyone had a lot of fun and understood that the sound and the sound producer profession accordingly, should both be kept in mind: everything the spectators hear they hear through the ears of the sound producer.
Indeed, the main activity during our visit to the Alex TV became our recording in the virtual studio. For this occasion, the children learned in advance a poem by Vasyl Symonenko called “You know that you're a Human” in advance. But before the final recording the children were given an opportunity to read the text from a speeding up and slowing back down autocue – the same as real TV presenters. After this, in a group, they touchingly recited their homework, and it took them only three takes.
When the shooting was completed, the material got in the hands of the program’s film cutter. This profession is among the most called for ones on television and it always stays in demand. The film cutter should know computer hardware and newest software well; he also should be well informed about multitudes of existing cutting options and many other things.
At the end of our the excursion Dmitry told the children – newly lighted “small stars” by the time – that one should always clearly define a goal and pursue it working and studying hard on the way. In such case, eventually this person is going to get positive results.
We wish the seed planted by Dmitry would grow, bloom and give fruit. But for this, children should weed their fields and water the shoots themselves on a daily basis. As for the adults, they should do simple things for them: bring the water and now and then show the children clean springs.
Saying goodbye to the Alex TV the children understood that what profession is the coolest one is not important because all of them are needed and important.
P.S. I think the children after their visit to the TV studio will burn with the desire to study and will not become afflicted with “stardom”.
We are grateful to the Alex TV management in the persons of its administrative board president, L. Efremova and the chief editor of TV series D. Ivanov.
You can support development of touring and educating programs for children of “The Happy Child” foundation. Here, you can get detailed information on how to support the unique project.
