Bucks students have produced a live outside broadcast for university partners Watford FC with Audio & Music Production students Jan Oleksinski and Simon Cox crewing sound.
Buckinghamshire New University students have filmed an episode of magazine programme The Hornet Show with
Watford Football Club live for the first time at the side’s Vicarage Road ground.
The Premier League club’s pitch was the backdrop to the hour-long episode, shown live on the club’s website and hosted by Emma Saunders and Jon Marks. It has usually been pre-recorded at the University’s campus in High Wycombe.
Senior Lecturer Lorna Dean Gibbs said there was no possibility of re-takes and it was 'the first time students had been put under the pressure of providing a live show'.
She added: “Despite a few other issues on the day, and the fact time was limited as the rig and rehearsals had to be done before we went live, the students worked in a professional manner to ensure we were ready for transmission.
“There was a definite time pressure to the production – once we started streaming there was no way to start again - but that’s a good preparation for the live TV environment students will enter into when they graduate.”
The virtual set used as the backdrop for the show is designed by Animation and Visual Effects students, while Audio and Music Production students manage audio capture and sound design. The Film and Television Production students involved are studying a sports and live events production pathway in their degrees.
Student Jess Adcock said it had been a ‘fantastic experience’.
She added: “It was a massive change for us from our usual set-up for The Hornet Show, with a change of studio and no green screen background. We also had the added pressure of a live shoot and knowing we couldn’t retake anything.
“This made it all the more exciting and a very valuable experience for us all.”
Emma Saunders said she had been in no doubt that, having worked with the students throughout the season, they would oversee a well-polished production shooting live.
She said: “The students then went on to exceed these high expectations and produce possibly the slickest show we've ever done.
“I was particularly impressed with their attention to detail and communication skills - both key when working with a presenters who are about to do a live show.
“As a presenter I always enjoy shooting with this team as they are consistently polite, productive and very professional.
“It feels like I'm doing them a disservice when referring to any of these individuals as students as the work they carry out is of a high industry standard."
Photo credit: Sol Tomlinson.
