Lights, camera, action!

“Lights, camera, action!” is what co-op student Mark Colvin has become used to with his current placement at Videon.
“I do everything,” Colvin stated, describing a typical week as editing and camera work from Monday to Wednesday, working on the TV show “Plugged In” on Thursday, and preparing for the next weeks shows on Friday.
“I do a lot of editing and camera work,” he said, although adding his favourite thing so far has been being a talent.
“A talent is a person who is like an anchorman out on the streets,” Colvin explained. “We do the show ‘Streeters’ where we go out, stop people and ask them questions.”
Such questions as “What is your favourite kind of ice cream?” or “Where would you like to go for summer vacation?” are asked.
Colvin has also done an interview with the mayor and worked with the Videon crew at many hockey games.
“There’s a lot to learn [and] some of it is kind of hard,” he said noting he has made some mistakes.
“Sometimes I edit something I shouldn’t have and then we have to fix it,” Colvin stated, “But, it’s always fixable problems.”
“The most important thing [I’ve learned] is to wrap cables correctly. They’re very strict about that,” Colvin stressed.
Colvin’s supervisor, Chuck Crocker seems very pleased with the hard work and enthusiasm of his co-op student.
“He seems to have a keen interest in [T.V. production], which is very important,” Crocker said. “And he’s everyday so he can be trained very well.”
Crocker explained that many people who begin to work in this field do not have much experience.
Colvin claims he chose this particular placement because he always enjoyed T.V. and working with cameras.
“It’s something not many people will learn,” he noted.
And Colvin seems quite enthusiastic in following this career. “I want to work for National Geographic because I like nature and movies.”
“I really like my co-op. It’s better than being in class because you learn more from hands on experience” he voiced.
Colvin stressed the importance of communication, noting he gets along well with his staff and supervisor.
“[There are] no problems because we communicate good.”
Currently Colvin is working on cue-sheets and editing for the Kiwanis T.V. Auction which is slated for this Saturday.