Broadcast Communications Students Present Mini-Movie Showcase

Students in Westminster College's Broadcast Communications 251-Video Production presented a showcase of mini-movies Dec. 4 in the Sebastian Mueller Theater in McKelvey Campus Center.

Students in the class were assigned several group projects, including a 30-second movie filmed on a cell phone and a two-minute-or-less mini-movie shot with video equipment. Requirements for each project were the same: Students were free to choose the genre, and had to follow the protocol of pre-production, production, and post-production.

In addition, students secured personal releases for all people appearing in the movies.

"Not all of the students in this class are broadcast communications majors or minors," said Bradley Weaver, Westminster instructor of broadcast communications. "Even if they never go into this field professionally, they will have the basic skills to produce a professional video. They have learned the importance of shooting close-ups, how to avoid shaking and zooming video, and most important, they know how to tell a story."

Ryan Hitchcock, a sophomore broadcast communications major from Erie, said, "Our group brainstormed ideas and agreed on what we all thought would work for the topic. My role ranged from filing and editing to acting."

Kelly Corbin, a senior public relations major from Bettendorf, Iowa, said, "I learned how to shoot and edit footage with professional video and audio equipment. The curriculum focuses on becoming a good storyteller as well as learning how to use the technical equipment."

Jordan Early, a sophomore broadcast communications major from Lake Worth, Fla., said, "Learning to make movies is so cool. We started from scratch, developing a script, a storyboard, and producing each movie. Nothing was random."

Corbin added, "We made a lot of mistakes and learned a lot. We had lots of do-overs!"

Weaver, who has been with Westminster since 2000, earned an undergraduate degree from Alderson-Broaddus (W. Va.) College, and a master's from the University of Kansas. He is currently working on a Ph.D. in English/communications at the University of Pittsburgh.

Contact Weaver at (724) 946-7238 or e-mail weaverbl@westminster.edu for additional information. Videos can be seen at http://bc251.blogspot.com and will be uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday.