Has this whole idea of making your own TV show been kind of
gnawing at you? What are these CMAP people talking about? You mean,
I can really make a TV show at CMAP, for free, and put it on
Channel 20?
Absolutely.
Has this whole idea of making your own TV show been kind of gnawing at you? What are these CMAP people talking about? You mean, I can really make a TV show at CMAP, for free, and put it on Channel 20?
Absolutely.
In fact, I’d say getting your show on the air would be a great New Year’s resolution, and tomorrow you can get started!
At 11 a.m. Saturday, CMAP is holding a free two-hour orientation class for all of you budding producers and crew people. Is it a talk show you want to do? Maybe you want to get your kid’s school play on the channel? Or maybe you’d like to start covering sporting events at the local schools.
Better yet – maybe you’d like to promote your business. Yes, even on non-commercial public access TV you can do it. We’ve got a real estate agent who’s working on her program and a couple of home improvement gurus who are toying with the idea of doing Gilroy’s version of “This Old House”… and why not! This is your channel. We’d like to see your face on it!
One of the big worries that people frequently have when they walk in the door is that producing a TV show is time consuming. Sure, there’s an initial investment of a few hours to get trained, but once you know what you’re doing, a well-organized producer can keep it simple; and you’ve got the CMAP staff to help walk you through it.
The investment of time and energy is minimal, if you consider the fact that your program will be aired dozens of times and seen in 15,000 households. So whether it’s a movie, a public service announcement, or a talk show, it’s doable through CMAP. Don’t be afraid of the technology! That’s why we’re here.
After taking the Orientation workshop, you can move on to our Producer’s Seminar, where you’ll learn the ins and outs of being a producer for Channel 20. Our next Producer’s Seminar is from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Jan. 13. We’ll teach you about getting a crew for your show, how to script a talk show or movie, and how to start looking at TV shows from a producer’s and director’s perspective. Once you really get into it, you’ll be calling out camera shots the next time you watch 20/20!
Just remember: You don’t have to do it all yourself. There are staff and volunteers here to help you.
The next decision you have to make it whether you’d like to shoot in the studio or on location. The equipment is available to you for free for either type of show. You may want to do both … perhaps do a talk show with a panel about local issues in the studio, but include “clips” from man-on-the-street interviews you did earlier that week. It’s completely up to you.
So … what’s your New Year’s resolution TV show going to be? A documentary? A Public Service Announcement for a charity you’re involved with? A talk show about local issues? Rest assured, whatever your idea, CMAP is ready for you! Check out our Web site for more workshop and channel guide info: www.mycmap.org.
For examples of some great public programming, tune-in to these programs coming up this week: Today at:
6 p.m. – Connie Martinson Talks Books;
8:30 p.m. – How to with Cast & Crew;
9 p.m. – South Valley Sounds;
And Saturday at:
5 p.m. – In Focus
6 p.m. – Give Your Walls Some Soul
8:30 p.m. – Gold Coast Hot Rods.
Suzanne St. John-Crane is the director of CMAP. She writes a regular column for publication in The Dispatch highlighting the news from our local television station.
