My New Talk Show

[AndyC]

Something I convinced my boss to let me try on a shoestring budget. This first show is rough, and has a few focus and sync problems, among other things. As an experiment, it provided lots of ideas for improving the next show, including cue cards, so I'm not always looking down at my notes. 

http://209.200.253.26/special/huntsville/videozone/index.php?id=123

The intro and the commercial were also done by me. If the coffee thing doesn't make sense now, it will when the production moves from my upstairs hallway to someplace we can sit around a table with a pot of coffee. If I can lay my hands on a couple of laptops, I wouldn't mind even shooting in an actual coffee shop at some point.

[trekgeezer]

I've got sound, but no picture.   Like the funky theme music, sounds live.

[AndyC]

The site seems to do that sometimes, and I have complained about it before. Try clicking one of the other links to the same video. It might take a couple of tries.

The theme music I put together from sound loops. Has a nice, jazzy coffeehouse feel to it.

[Rev. Powell]

Very impressive!  The opening graphics/music are very professional.   

Next time, make the topic bad movies, though.   

[AndyC]

Oh, I'll find a way to work bad movies into it somewhere.

[trekgeezer]

Yea!! It works now.   Good job Andy!!

[Sister Grace]

Very cool, let me know when you have another episode on and i'll tune in 

[AndyC]

Just did a phone interview with a former colleague of mine at my old paper. They're running a story about this. My column used to have a bit of a following there, and I'd also get invited to appear about once a year on an actual TV debate show (that I partly based my show on), so I could pick up some viewers there.

We've just announced the show in our own print editions, and I'm hopeful that stirs up interest.

[CheezeFlixz]

 

Good job!


You could start out with ...

"Ok answer me, these questions three."

[Ash]

If the coffee thing doesn't make sense now, it will when the production moves from my upstairs hallway to someplace we can sit around a table with a pot of coffee.

Pot and coffee???     Now that would be interesting!

Oh...you meant "pot of coffee".  


Try to invest in some reasonably priced pin-on mics for you all to wear to improve the sound.

[Mofo Rising]

Oh my God! You're last name is Campbell?!

Pretty cool. I'd love to see more home-brewed shows featuring intelligent discussion of local issues. Certainly a welcome answer to the frantic bleating of most mainstream news programs.

I'm definitely looking forward to the movement of location. The fact that everybody looks like they are sitting in front of a closet is distracting. I like the simplicity of the Charlie Rose show. One table, black background. I don't know your camera set-up, but I'd also recommend a group shot. You make good use of reaction shots, but I don't think anything beats a shot where all speakers visible and reacting to each other. Still with the individual shots of course. With just a bit more pizazz in presentation (as much as possible in a no-budget outing) you should have quite the enjoyable little show.

Ah, intelligent discussion. I'd really like to see online shows like pop in every locale. Morning news programs kill more brain cells than beer, and aren't nearly as fun.

On the plus side, I now now what poutine is. At least once I figured out how to spell it.

[AndyC]

The new location will make a few things possible. Being in the upstairs hallway, everybody was in front of a closet door (actually a closet, a bedroom and the attic). Not much I can do about  backdrops, but the next show will likely be in a boardroom with fairly plain walls.

The group shot is something I've been thinking about. It couldn't be done in the hallway, because we were crammed in any way we would fit, and thus not exactly in a group. Check out the directions people look when they talk, and you'll see. I'm still not sure about the group shot, simply because it would add to the editing and the equipment requirements. Part of this experiment is to make a show fast and dirt-cheap. I'm also not sure I want to reveal the equipment setup for someone to copy.

The sound will also improve. I have good USB mics for everybody. The first show had a few technical difficulties that led to my using a single mic in the interest of time. I had two guests sitting around, so it was necessary to go ahead.

I'm hoping to have a new show up early in August, and my boss has already asked that I get something similar set up at one of our sister papers soon as well.

[Jack]

Very entertaining show Andy, good job!  So what is this poutine stuff?  Sounds like cheese curds and some sort of chips?  With gravy?  Good ingredients all 

[AndyC]

Exactly right. French fries topped with cheese curds and smothered in gravy. Delicious. There are a few other variations, but that is basic poutine.

It's a dish out of Quebec that quickly spread across Canada in the last decade or two. It can be found at pretty much any chip stand and many restaurants. Even the fast food chains carry their own versions.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poutine

[Jack]

That Italian version sounds awesome - cheese curds, french fries, spaghetti sauce and sausages.  Mmmmmmm