I worked as the production assistant for the Friday morning shows 2:30am to 7am during the Fall 2011 semester.
While working at KOMU, I cut the international, national, NBC show promos (i.e Today Show, Bloomberg Business Report, and CNBC News), medical, and political segments. The job was very simple but detail oriented and crucial to making sure the show was a success. Upon arriving every morning, I would always check in with the producer(s) to let them know I was there, ask if they had any specific instructions, and figure out the video that needed to be cut.
There are two PA computers in the newsroom and often two people editing and cutting video. The overall job is to import video either from the NBC channel server or CNN for use on the KOMU server. In order to find what stories I needed to cut, I would always log into iNews and look at the run down for videos that had a Vidsource ID and offline media. The Vidsource ID is the way the NBC labels and organizes their video online. The column in iNews that tells if the video is offline is crucial as it tells whether the video is uploaded into the server for the newscast. If I had questions about a specific task, I would ask the producer who would often write special notes within the story if they were looking for specific video or requests with the story. Some video took longer to edit, as they required resizing, adding KOMU curtains, and adjusting audio levels. Video always needed to be in 16:9 and depending on whether it was a tease, package, VO, or SOT, the audio levels would need adjusted accordingly.
The NRCS tool is how the station gets video onto its server for use elsewhere in the station. Once entering the NRCS, you drag the specific sequence into the bin you’re working on, cut the video, and then upload the video using "Quickdub". The PA is responsible for making sure that the video is routed to the correct place by checking the ID numbers in iNews and Avid. You should always double check that it uploaded correctly as wrong video.
The hardest parts are making sure everything is done on time, correctly, and look good with the video provided. If you feel like you are behind or need help, it is crucial to communicate to the producer immediately. Do not wait until the last minute. If the producer is busy, many other students and staff in the newsroom can help cut video and make sure you are doing everything correctly.
The computer system at KOMU is usually reliable and usually never fails. If for some reason the system is not working correctly, you should always restart the computer. But if a compute restart does not immediately work, tell a producer who can then investigate the issue. The sooner you tell them the easier it will be as you may have more time to edit the show and they can solve the problem. The last time I worked as a PA I actually had an error message saying, “Server drive full”. And had to have Stacey delete old video from the server as I did not have the correct access to solve the issue myself. I immediately told Stacey and it was an easy solution.
The best way to get along with reporters and producers is by introducing yourself, making sure you understand the assigned tasks, and asking for help. There is room for side conversation but it is usual minimal as everyone is usually busy and working for the next cast.
The other role of the production assistant is running prompter. While this should be easy and can get boring during the long morning shows, it is important you keep up with the people speaking so the newscast runs smoothly and the reporters and anchors do not have to read off of their scripts. You can look at iNews while doing prompter and can listen to what’s being read to know if you are following along. If all else fails, the onset people do have their scripts but they are backups.
The production assistant is a vital role and is the backbone to a smooth show. It is a great introduction to learning the basics of video editing in Avid at KOMU.
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