Production

=Parsley Today= In the staff mailroom is a schedule for the year of Fridays for which you can sign up to do Production. Please see your Production Team for any questions or assistance. **Please read the tips below before you begin planning your show.** = = =Tips for a Successful Production= You can print out a PDF document of the information below. 1. Have a theme in mind based on something you are studying. Curriculum based shows have been very successful in the past. Include your students in the planning if possible as they will take more ownership in its success.

2. Your show can have one or more segments, but should not involve complicated set changes or major movement of the camera. Pretaping is only done in very special circumstances such as a show taped off the school premises. Set changes is not an excuse for pretaping. The entire show, from beginning to end, should generally last **no more than 5-7 minutes**, but it is OK if it is shorter than 5 minutes. Ideas for different segments include singing a song, showing/explaining a class art project, performing a skit or a commercial or creating your own game show. Students could also “report” on a topic you are studying in class. If you do have different segments, keep in mind that the camera can only move so much, and the less it moves, the better. The Production Team is available to help you brainstorm ideas for your production. Please seek their assistance two to three weeks in advance.

3. Though students can refer to their script from note cards or from a PowerPoint, this is generally not the best idea. Students who memorize their parts do a much better job and don’t sound mechanical as when they read a script.

4. Check with the technology facilitator about the set up of the area from which you will be broadcasting. Lighting, camera and cables set some limitations around which we have to work. If you have the multicolored squares carpet in your room, in order for all students to be seen on camera, set up your group so that no students are in the two outside rows. If students are lined up in rows, make sure each student has a ‘window’ (space between two other students) through which he/she can be seen on camera.


 * 5.** **Verify that you have an approved Student Media Release Form on file for all of your students appearing on camera. Students who are a ‘NO’ cannot appear on Parsley Today.**

6. It is important that students with speaking parts speak loudly and clearly with expression. Students can practice their parts at home by speaking their lines to an adult who is in another room. If they can be heard and understood, they’ll be successful for production.


 * 7.** **Practice, practice, practice.** If at all possible, students should memorize their parts. Reading from a script most often produces ‘mechanical’ reading. It is better to have a shorter script that students can easily memorize.

8. The Thursday production practice time is a FINAL run-through. This limited time is our only opportunity to run the entire show with you and your students. The more you have practiced before this time, the better your show will be. The students should have rehearsed their parts prior to this time.

9. If the “Parsley Today” jingle is to be played at the end, remind students that the keyboard does the “dun dun” at the end and not the students.

**Helpful Hints for a Super Show:**

 * Speaking:** Have students practice in slow, clear, loud voices. Students must learn to project their voices so that they will be heard on TV. **Model** the //Broadcasting Voice// and then have speakers repeat after you. During your practice, listen for this and insist on good projection even if it takes a few repetitions. **//Production Homework://** Ask students to practice their parts at home. Suggest that they be in one room and an adult in other room out of sight. If the adult can hear and understand what the student is saying, they will have the right volume and rate for the show.


 * Eye Contact:** Students should look into the camera as much as possible. This will make the show more personable. The more comfortable students are with their parts, the less they will need to read from note cards or a script and can look into the camera.


 * Stage Presence:** As you practice, remind students that the camera sees and hears all. Wiggling and rustling of props detracts from your show. Practice holding hands down by their sides or behind their backs unless hand motions are being used. Hand motions, etc. while students are singing adds greatly to the show!


 * Dress:** If possible, students’ attire may reflect the theme. **Solid, bright colors are best.** Examples include blue jeans and a solid colored T-shirt. Depending on your theme, your students may be in “costume”. Logos on t-shirts (including Parsley t-shirts) don’t read well on camera. Girls’ hair should be of a style that does not cover their face, especially if they have a key part. This way, they won’t be tempted to continually “fix” their hair during the show. If students are moving about during the show, flip flops should be discouraged as they make noise that is picked up by the microphone.

//Note:// Avoid having a window behind any part of your set. The camera will set its exposure to the light from the window thus making your students’ faces very dark or nearly black. If this is your only option, all light coming from the window needs to be blocked. First cover the window area with some dark material such as navy blue sheets (I have some) or brown paper. Then place your background over the darkened window.
 * Setting:** Think about what will be showing behind your students during the production. “Sets” can consist of your white board, sheets that can be borrowed from the technology facilitator (we have a few color options, but light blue works really well). You can even use large cardboard (refrigerator) boxes or decorate a background on bulletin board paper. Whatever you choose to use, be sure to cover more area all the way around than just the place where students will be – an extra 2-3 feet is safe. This way, if we need to zoom out, no items outside the background detract from the ‘set’. Keep in mind also that making the sheets or background go all the way to the floor and way above the performer’s heads makes a difference on how it looks when we go ‘live’.

If signs or text are a part of your setting, the text needs to be large and **bold** and contrast well with the background for it to show up on camera. Unlaminated objects are best as the classroom lighting creates a glare on the laminate and makes it difficult to view on TV.


 * Ownership:** The more ownership your students have in their production the more fun they will have. When they help you plan the show, and in some cases come up with the script, they will feel more comfortable when it comes to ‘show time’.


 * Copyright:** The use of certain materials (such as music) must abide by [|Copyright Laws and Fair Use Guidelines]. Please see us for any questions.


 * Provisions for a copy of the recorded show:** It is our policy that we make ONE copy of the show for parents. It is then their responsibility to make copies for other parents if desired. This is not something we advertise, but provide if requested. Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, we should be able to make copies on DVD.

The Production Team is here as a resource for you at any time during your planning of your broadcast. We will do the best we can working around our schedules to help make this a meaningful and FUN experience for you and your students.

=Watching Parsley Today= Students and staff work hard to prepare for //Parsley Today// and we should show consideration for their hard work by watching their presentation. At approximatley 8AM on Friday mornings, all students should be in your classroom ready to watch //Parsley Today//. If they are in the Media Center at 8AM, they will be asked to return to your room. Students may return to the Media Center after the show is over.