School Open Day??

[tomo2607]

Ok, heres my issue.

I have recently become the one and only creative arts technician for a well established high school. We have an upcoming opening day in October. As the only technician I am being stretched thing by Music, Drama and Media to set up various functioning items that can "WoW" the prospective students.

 

So far I need to do the following...

 

Demonstrate the music studios

Demonstrate green screen and video editing

Demonstrate the Drama performance space (sound and lighting equipment)

 

I have a few ideas to help get the attention of a few students such as a camera linked to a mac / pc running greenscreen, so students can see themsleves next to various world landmarks. I have also set up a small Music studio demo so new students can record some simple things via midi and or karyoke style voice.

There will also be a camera set up for media allowing students to see them selves when they walk into the media room.

 

Does any one have any examples of things that they have done for school open days. Preferably something that can be done without the need for me to be there all the time. The less places I have to be in at one time would be very helpful.

 

 

Any sugestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[Unfathomable]

things I have set up in the past (not sure if they will be helpful but I will stick a short list in.)

 

-Green screen weather reporting. run a loop of weather shots through pc (available on bbc website among others) and allow new students to have a go.

-in the drama studio get a group to perform, this is more for the parents, but then who makes the choice?

-a rock band in the studio "recording" an album. kids can listen through headphones and a student or teacher can explain whats happening.

-continuous improv performances inc sfx and lighting. got to have good students for this though.

-photography students have done modeling shots in the past which can be printed off. greenscreened demonstrating the technology etc.

[kerry davies]

Not a direct response to your request but please be very careful that you do not bust a gut to give them a one-off spectacular. If everything goes to plan, the rest of your career might be filled with comments about your singular achievement having led them to expect the same at all times.

 

I don't mean do not do your best but once you produce a miracle you might be expected to produce one on a daily basis. Set yourself achievable and repeatable goals.

[w/robe]

Having been picking a school 2 years ago I would say have things done by the students. While you can show them in front of world landmarks will you ever do that in class, does it relate to anything or is it just a gimmick?

 

The children may think these things are fun but it is PARENTS who choose schools.

[sleah]

I can't be much help, as apart from video, I don't deal with these things for Open events, as the teaching staff deal with it!

I'm suprised you're being asked to do what amounts to a teachers job

 

As Kerry says, don't go mad. Apart from the points raised, although you wish to make the school look good you don't want to make out you can do things that you actually can't.. :o

Hence if it's something the teaching staff can't do - then it's hardly a fair reflection of what is achievable and may actually work the opposite way. Prospective parents may take a poor view of teaching quality if the teaching staff can't even arrange their own open day demonstrations!

Your job should be assisting teaching staff to set up demonstrations, not to do it for them. Concentrate on a video demo, that's something teaching staff are unlikely to have specialist knowledge of and rely heavily on tech support, so you can really show off your skills with that ;) :)

[Russ83]

... If everything goes to plan, the rest of your career might be filled with comments about your singular achievement having led them to expect the same at all times.

Maybe a little overkill but I completely agree with what you are saying. Open evenings are about showing what happens in the school on a weekly basis. Schools that have equipment to show off must be fairly successful as that is how they have the funds to buy the equipment in the first place. Your reputation has attracted the potential students/parents so the evening is there to show them what you do.

 

Our evening is something like:

Drama Studios - GCSE/A Level performance rehearsal with them operating their own lights/sound

Recording Studio - A couple of the A level music tech students working on their coursework

Music1 - Open band rehearsals

Music2 - Info on peri lessons, full subject info, talk to staff about the faculty etc.

Main Hall - Excerpt from recent/future show during each presentation with full lights/sound

 

This year will have a definite Hairspray theme as the dress rehearsal is the next day!

[tomo2607]

I can't be much help, as apart from video, I don't deal with these things for Open events, as the teaching staff deal with it!

I'm suprised you're being asked to do what amounts to a teachers job :)

 

As Kerry says, don't go mad. Apart from the points raised, although you wish to make the school look good you don't want to make out you can do things that you actually can't.. :o

Hence if it's something the teaching staff can't do - then it's hardly a fair reflection of what is achievable and may actually work the opposite way. Prospective parents may take a poor view of teaching quality if the teaching staff can't even arrange their own open day demonstrations!

Your job should be assisting teaching staff to set up demonstrations, not to do it for them. Concentrate on a video demo, that's something teaching staff are unlikely to have specialist knowledge of and rely heavily on tech support, so you can really show off your skills with that ;) ;)

 

If im being honest, I have had issues with where my role ends and the teachers begins before. Ive only been in the job 7 months and during my first 3 months I was backing in to a corner and ended up teaching a 1hr studio techniqes lesson once a week for 6 weeks. :o Im a theatre technician and sound engineer (in now what feels like a past life), and now I seem to be taking small groups aside every week to teach them how to use the auditorium sound system and lighitng, or how to record in the studio...

 

wouldnt be so bad if I wasnt also chassed by staff who cant turn on a DVD player too.

 

Im not going to try and creat something I cant repeat. If I cant do something ill make it plain and clear to the staff.

 

 

Having been picking a school 2 years ago I would say have things done by the students. While you can show them in front of world landmarks will you ever do that in class, does it relate to anything or is it just a gimmick?

 

The children may think these things are fun but it is PARENTS who choose schools.

 

I agree, it is the parents that choose the school. I have picked up ideas from a few lessons that I have assisted with. In media, at A level, we have had a lot of students using the greenscreen to produce there own animation or self made movies. This is the reason for that. I can see your point about making the demostrations relevent, in most cases this is what im trying to achieve.

 

 

Not a direct response to your request but please be very careful that you do not bust a gut to give them a one-off spectacular. If everything goes to plan, the rest of your career might be filled with comments about your singular achievement having led them to expect the same at all times.

 

I don't mean do not do your best but once you produce a miracle you might be expected to produce one on a daily basis. Set yourself achievable and repeatable goals.

 

 

 

Yeah, that is a bit of a concern. They only problem is, because I come from a technical theatre background the teaching staff now expect the same standard, whilst providing substandard equipment for me to use.

 

Thankyou all for the advice, I appreciate that there are others out there that have already gone through similar situations, so im greatfull for all the input.

 

:D

 

)? Ive only used it in a record and edit sence, not in a way that allows someone to see themselves on a screen with the chroma key in use real time

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

 

Just a bit more food for thought??

 

What software and methods would you suggest for green screen. Ususally a student will record infront or a green screen and then use either an imove 09 plugin, or FCP for the more advanced students.

 

IS there any way of doing this in real time. so I can set a loop for weather report (a mentioned above

[Just Some Bloke]

"WoW"

 

I don't understand what War on Want has to do with anything?

[paulears]

Oddly - I'm very up with the idea of doing something technologically advanced, even if the teachers can't switch on the light!

 

Reasons are quite simple.

 

My own view is that I'd rather be an underpaid, unappreciated, magician, able to create excellence from zero budget than a safe path taker, leaving it up to the teaching staff who still think powerpoint is your WoW factor.

 

The plus point is that when they're doing the next round of redundancies and are looking to lose a technician, they won't want to lose the one who can work magic - they'll look for somebody who does just enough.

 

Sure - you will be asked to do everything, but if you like your job, I'd rather be doing fun exciting things than dull boring ones.

 

If you liked the teaching bit - tell them and they'll probably arrange for you to get a proper teaching qualification for free. You might not want it now, but it could be very handy for the future.

 

The greenscreen idea sounds a great one to me (doing it live of course needs either a hardware device (like MX50/MX70 or the Edirols - whatever you have) or software. I'm still hanging on to a pre-Adobe keying package by Serious Magic and this had a live video option - which the Adobe taken over version doesn't have.

 

For the music studio, glorified karaoke with auto-tune on full for the cher/craig david sound - the kids will love singing for you. Performing Arts could be prosthetic make-up - hanging off skin and scars, blood and guts always go down well with the kids. Special effects work well - maybe a UV scene?

 

If the idea is to make a good impression - this will work on prospective students and their parents. The key is to make the place look busy, full of quality work and a great atmosphere. Parents will want to talk to the staff about UCAS points and the dull stuff, leaving you to just make a noise and have fun!

 

If you do a great job - then of course, it becomes expected - but there's only so many hours in a week, and would you be happier working hard on exciting stuff, or counting paperclips and tuning in TVs for the fortieth time?

[tomo2607]

Oddly - I'm very up with the idea of doing something technologically advanced, even if the teachers can't switch on the light!

 

Reasons are quite simple.

 

My own view is that I'd rather be an underpaid, unappreciated, magician, able to create excellence from zero budget than a safe path taker, leaving it up to the teaching staff who still think powerpoint is your WoW factor.

 

The plus point is that when they're doing the next round of redundancies and are looking to lose a technician, they won't want to lose the one who can work magic - they'll look for somebody who does just enough.

 

Sure - you will be asked to do everything, but if you like your job, I'd rather be doing fun exciting things than dull boring ones.

 

If you liked the teaching bit - tell them and they'll probably arrange for you to get a proper teaching qualification for free. You might not want it now, but it could be very handy for the future.

 

The greenscreen idea sounds a great one to me (doing it live of course needs either a hardware device (like MX50/MX70 or the Edirols - whatever you have) or software. I'm still hanging on to a pre-Adobe keying package by Serious Magic and this had a live video option - which the Adobe taken over version doesn't have.

 

For the music studio, glorified karaoke with auto-tune on full for the cher/craig david sound - the kids will love singing for you. Performing Arts could be prosthetic make-up - hanging off skin and scars, blood and guts always go down well with the kids. Special effects work well - maybe a UV scene?

 

If the idea is to make a good impression - this will work on prospective students and their parents. The key is to make the place look busy, full of quality work and a great atmosphere. Parents will want to talk to the staff about UCAS points and the dull stuff, leaving you to just make a noise and have fun!

 

If you do a great job - then of course, it becomes expected - but there's only so many hours in a week, and would you be happier working hard on exciting stuff, or counting paperclips and tuning in TVs for the fortieth time?

 

 

 

Thanks for the comment paulears, That really is my sentiment exactly. I love doing all the funky stuff that makes the teachers appreciate the job I do. Id rather get on with that then following teacher around setting up one projector to the next. Plus its something that I can always add to the CV if it goes well. I dont think redundancy is a problem, Im the only creative arts tech, and the IT tech's dont have a clue when it comes to sound, lights or ... anything creative really.

 

:wacko: