Video Production Students Graduate at KGEM Studio
By Monrovia Weekly
Published: Thursday, June 25th, 2009
There’s a new group of locals in Monrovia, representing all ages and walks of life. Some are in high school and some are in retirement. But most of them are working people just trying to keep up with a difficult economy.
But they all have at least one common experience: They are all graduates of Monrovia’s “Film and Video Production” program, a 5-month course of study and hands-on training offered by the Monrovia Adult School and the ROP Career Technology Program.
Now, as trained television producers, the first of several shows the graduates plan to air on the local cable channel, KGEM-TV, is “Bear! Be Prepared”, an educational show that looks at the bear encroachment in the foothills.
“We received a training experience in video production that parallels what full-time students receive at the big film schools,” said Don Kramer, one of the graduates and full-time insurance professional.
The 10 graduates held their graduation ceremony inside the studios of KGEM-TV, Monrovia’s Public Access, Educational, and Government station where they met after work two nights a week and, sometimes, more often when projects they were working on necessitated extra hours.
The program, which was held two nights a week last February to June, exposed the students to the basics of visual storytelling through the creation of storyboards, script writing, basic shot types, camera movements, lighting, audio, and techniques of editing. Each received opportunities to learn the skills necessary for jobs within the entertainment industry such as producer, director, art director, set designer, camera operator, script supervisor, and editor.
“I took the course to expand my opportunities,” said Stephanie Ryan, an entertainment industry voice over actress. Ryan is producing a showcase television show about Monrovia’s historical homes along with another student, Rena Delgado, a real estate professional by day.
“I happened upon this video class and been hooked ever since”, said Marc Berry, a sales professional, graduate of the program and videographer. “I’ve come to enjoy the training and the people involved in the classes. This has proven to be an interesting hobby with media opportunities developing as a result.”
“KGEM provided the working environment for real ‘on-the-job experience’ in the television studio environment,” says Roxanne Rogers, the course’s instructor who says there’s more to come
“We want to offer a course in script writing, too,” adds Roxanne Rogers, who will also return as the instructor for the next session, which the Community Adult School is planning to offer again this fall.
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