Recently, the creators of the popular web series, Pittsburgh Dad, (Chris Preksta & Curt Wootton) visited my course, Digital Culture, which is an upper level Communication course that examines how the internet has changed the way society engages media.
David Safin
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The Monastery Run Improvement Project Video Project
One of the symposium's coordinators was Dr. Caryl Fish, associate professor of chemistry, and she opened up the festivities with a brief history of the project. As part of her presentation, she showed a video that I put together at her request.
This style of video is my preferred style because the story telling is born in the editing. We didn't start with a traditional script. Dr. Fish gave me an outline that I used when I conducted the interviews. Then, once all of the interviews were complete, I was able to weave a narrative from their answers. A professor of mine once dubbed this style of editing as "organic editing" because the content dictates the flow of the story telling.
This style can be more difficult to put together because it can't fall back on a voiceover. I have to find the story in the subjects' words. That is where I benefit from being the interviewer. I know what I need, and I can continue to ask questions until the interviewers fill in the gaps.
In this case, I chose to interview Br. Norman last. That way, I could use his interview as the contextual glue for the others. (Learn about the origin of this painting of Br. Norman at the wetlands in the video.)
Very early on in the video, Dr. Cynthia Walter, professor of biology, says that the MRIP was a "great story about how students initiate and foster projects at Saint Vincent." The same could be said for a good portion of this video.
I relied on footage taken from two student-produced documentaries produced about our wetlands. The first was When the Water Ran Orange, which was produced in 2005 by students, Brandi Lux and Becki Polaski. The cutaways to participants, Bob Hedin, Greg Phillips and Wes Gordon were taken from that project, along with some graphs and charts.
The second was from Where Are We? The Wetlands produced in 2007 by students, Jared Bundy and Alex Byers. They shot remarkable nature footage at the wetlands in the summer of 2007, and it is footage that I could not have shot myself because of I produced this later version in the fall.
Watch their version to see what shots of theirs I used.
Topics: communication, digital media, broadcasting, filmmaking, degrees in communication, communication degrees, video, videos, documentary, science, nature, wetlands, students
Tessa double-majored in Communication and Spanish, then went on to American University where she received a Master's Degree in International Communication. Currently, she is the Communications Officer/Web Content Coordinator for The Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. in Washington, D.C.
Topics: communication, degrees in communication, communication degrees, media, spanish, international communications, washington d.c., study abroad, public relations
Jared and me circa 2007.
So, what are you up to these days?
Topics: college, communication, digital media, broadcasting, filmmaking, degrees in communication, communication degrees, video, videos, media, media studies, public relations, social media
It is for that reason that we invite members of the media to campus so we can brief them on what we are doing to prepare for this massive influx of people.
President Br. Norman Hipps, O.S.B. (above) leads the press conference. Behind him (from the left) are...
- Mr. Steve Brown, Director of public safety
- Fr. Paul R. Taylor, O.S.B., executive vice president
- Fr. Anthony Grossi, O.S.B., bookstore manager
- Mr. Larry Hendrick, director of facility management
- Mr. Dan Keeley, executive chef
- Ms. Julia Molnar-Bish, catering director
Of course, I was there recording the comments made by Br. Norman. Fr. Paul (below right) was also kind of enough to do an interview with me and my volunteer assistant for the day, Luke Fetkovich (below middle).
Here is the video I put together from the two clips.
For the complete camp schedule, visit the Steelers official website.
Photos taken by Jack Krall. Visit Flickr to see more from this set.
Topics: communication, digital media, broadcasting, public relations, Saint Vincent events, Steelers, Pittsburgh
His visit was the subject of a feature in our most recent magazine.
The following is posted with permission of the editor of our magazine and was written by Simon Stuchlik.
Saint Vincent College may be known as the summer home of the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it also set the groundwork for a member of one of the Steelers’ fiercest rivals. Eddie Coughlan, C 08, spent four years learning and refining his video capabilities as a student at Saint Vincent before joining the Baltimore Ravens as a production coordinator after his senior year. On April 12, he was back on campus to talk to David Safin’s Field Production video class about his path to being on the sidelines during Baltimore’s Super Bowl win this February.
Coughlan, who was offered the job upon completing an internship with the Ravens, stressed that it takes hard work and dedication to excel in a career in video. “You have to love what you do,” he told the students. “In this field, only people that want to make themselves better at all times and constantly look to gain experience can truly shine.” Two Emmy awards from the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, won for features he produced for the Ravens’ broadcasting department RaveTV, reveal his dedication.
But beyond the determination to get better, Coughlan acknowledged that his college experience laid an important foundation for his success. He credits two people in particular. “Dave Safin gave me the tools and vision to do what I do,” he said, “while (sports information director) Jeff Zidek gave me the opportunity to execute them.” Working as a student for Zidek allowed him to gain experience in videotaping sports games, which he calls “invaluable” for excelling in his career.
Coughlan’s work, which consists of seven-day work weeks with 12-14 hour days during the NFL season, is not always glamorous, but the rewards are fulfilling. Responsible for shooting sideline footage during games and a member of the broadcast team that produces, shoots and edits five TV shows per week, Coughlan interacts with players and coaches on a regular basis. He travels all over the country. And in June, he will receive a Super Bowl ring with his name on it.
(Bloggers note: He got his ring. I saw a photo, and it was impressive. Eddie also visited the White House.)
Telling Ravens stories to a roomful of Steelers fans may be a difficult task, but the students walked away with a deeper understanding of how classes and internships contribute to a successful career. “It was great to get a perspective about where to go in life after college and how to get there,” Eric Arbore, a senior multimedia student, said. “It really made me hopeful for my personal future."
See what else was in the magazine by clicking below.
Topics: communication, digital media, broadcasting, filmmaking, degrees in communication, communication degrees
In September of 2009, we hosted internationally-acclaimed poet Jose Kozer, and in one of his talks, he said that he "measures his life in poems." That makes me think I should start measuring my life in videos. You'll start to see why as you progress through the blog.
I will begin with a video that concluded a series begun the previous year, and that was actor Phillip Winters discussing his role as Art Rooney, Sr. in our summer theatre's production of The Chief.
The next video I'd like to highlight also has a Steelers theme to it. It was the video that played on the big screen at Heinz Field during all home games. This ranks as one of the coolest videos I have ever had the honor making, especially when I saw it play at a Steelers pre-season game.
Once the semester begins, I start documenting many of the campus events that take place, such as...
- Freshmen Move-In Day
- Service to the Community Day
- Homecoming
- Founders' Day
- December Commencement
This brings me to the winter of 2012-13, which goes down as one of the most productive and rewarding of my entire video-producing career (professionally and personally).
It begins with a road trip to York, PA, to report on our Wimmer Scholarship Recipient.
All the while, I was producing this informational video about our Doctor of Nurse Anesthesia Practice (DNAP).
And finally, Fire and Ice: The Saint Vincent Fire of 1963. I can say with all humility that this is the video I will most be remembered for. It was a daunting project that involved collaboration of the highest level with Jerome Oetgen, Albert Oetgen, Jordan Hainsey and Kim Metzgar.
And as I was wrapping production on the fire documentary, I began production on my thesis film for my Master of Fine Arts degree from Chatham University - The Birthday Present.
On evenings and weekends in February and March, I worked diligently on my thesis, while at work, I continued producing videos for...
- Threshold Lecture
- Academic Conference
- Honors Convocation
- Commencement
- Summer Theatre
Because the end product of my work lives on the internet, there is no physical product that I can stack on a shelf, so it is a blog like this that lets me document what I have done.
In putting them all in one place like this, I hope all who helped me can appreciate how much they have done as well.
Topics: college, communication, digital media, filmmaking, degrees in communication, communication degrees, video, videos, screenwriting, commencement
Last summer, I lent my skills as a videographer for two days worth of shooting for their video series, Early Literacy Quick Clips. These videos, which were created for the Fred Rogers Center Early Learning Environment™, use real world examples to illustrate best practices in early literacy in a variety of settings.
I shot the videos in a handheld direct cinema style for a variety of reasons.
- I wanted the videos to feel fluid and natural.
- I was able to react quickly to what the children and their caregivers were doing.
- I felt a tripod would distract, intimidate and possibly frighten the children.
The videos were produced by Jude Shingle, a talented artist/filmmaker and an Early Career Fellow for the Fred Rogers Center. He and I worked together to craft the look of the videos. It was a pleasure working with him. He was cheerful, energetic and open to any ideas thrown at him. Here is Jude introducing the videos (yes, that is my voice preceding Jude).
The experience of going to these daycare centers was also very rewarding. To see the time, effort, energy and enthusiasm put out by these caregivers gave me a greater appreciation for the work they all do. We were there for two days, and I left exhausted. They do this EVERY day.
Take a few moments and check out all of the Early Literacy Quick Clips (and please pass them along to anyone who might find them useful).
Topics: digital media, video, videos, media, pennsylvania, fred rogers, ele, child care, daycare, fred rogers center, Pittsburgh
Bearcat on the Street 3.0 | Advanced Multimedia Production
The students "on the street" were Carly Marsh, Eric Arbore, Charlie Kurtz, Nick Higgins, Pete McGee, Dillon Monier, Max Schrenk, Krissy Mazzenga, Rory Mitrik, Josh Spellman and DP Harris.
Here is a playlist featuring the series in its entirety.
I call this series version 3.0, because it is the third iteration of the Bearcat on the Street videos.
The series was originally produced in 2009 by students such as Ale Muzika and Sarah Ralutz. Here is one of the more popular episodes produced by them.
The series was revived the following year by students such as Sadie Stresky, Jeremy Smith and Rob DiVincenzo. Take a look back at some of their work.
I hope to continue producing this series as part of my Advanced Multimedia Production course. The videos are at their best when they are made for student by students.
What was your favorite episode?
Topics: college, communication, digital media, broadcasting, filmmaking, degrees in communication, communication degrees, video, videos, media, pennsylvania, media studies, internet marketing, public relations
On Friday, April 12, I hosted former student Eddie Coughlan, Broadcast Coordinator for the Baltimore Ravens. On game days, he shoots bench audio and game action and is part of the broadcast team that travels with the Ravens and produces, shoots and edits five TV shows per week.
Topics: communication, digital media, broadcasting, degrees in communication, communication degrees, video, videos, media, media studies