Student Producers

The student producer becomes your partner in your classroom presentation. In order to avoid confusion and interruption, we hope you will take time to familiarize the producer with your planned activities before each class. Within a short time, the producer will become familiar with your teaching style and will be able to respond quickly to your cues and needs. However, you should feel free to speak directly to the producer at any time during your class.

You can ask a question ("is my mic working okay?"), give a command ("Could you zoom in on this picture?"), or cue the producer to an upcoming change ("We're going to take a break in a few minutes, but first, are there any questions?"). The producer can speak to you over the intercom. Occasionally your producer may need to interrupt your presentation to inform you of a problem.

RESPONSIBILITIES
The student producer is primarily responsible for ensuring that video and audio signals are sent to the appropriate destinations. The speed at which the producer puts the view you want on program is related to a number of factors; the skill and attentiveness of the producer, the variety of media being used in your presentation and events in the control room. A producer at the far site may have telephoned to report a slight echo or ask for a fax number, and your producer did not hear you say you wanted the computer screen until your second or third request.

Feel free to ask the producer, "Are we having technical difficulties?" Use your producer's first name when you speak to him or her. Let your students know who is providing the technical support, and your student producer will naturally be more conscientious in his or her duties. If your students need any assistance in giving presentations, they will also feel more comfortable speaking to your student producer if they've heard you use his or her name.

The production quality of the videotapes reflects the educational and professional standards of the University of Tennessee. For quality control purposes, all videotapes begin with the same start up procedure. The tape we roll in this procedure lists the necessary administrative and legal information and lasts about one minute. During this minute, the audio is turned down. The result is that you can hear the far site, but they can not hear you until the start up tape ends and you see your image appear on the program monitor. When you state that the class is over, the producer should quickly cut to a color background and turn down all audio. If your far site begins to ask questions at this time, this "end of tape" procedure may be delayed.

Your student producer should always be trying to anticipate what you and your students want to see and hear. This mindset enables your producer to more quickly execute the necessary procedures. Your willingness to comfortably and regularly communicate with your producer can also affect the quality of his or her work.