If you asked me the question ‘where do you see yourself after you graduate’ three years ago I would have probably answered ‘in a lot of debt, but if you don't think about it, it doesn't exist because three years is a long time right ?’. WRONG! These three years studying Television and Broadcasting at the University of Portsmouth have been the quickest three years of my life. Back when I started I didn't really have any idea what I wanted to specialise in and the dreaded four letter word AVID used to be my biggest enemy. However I persevered through the 3792871 hours of lectures learning how to use the software, how it functions, neither did I think I'd be a one woman match of the day by graduation'.
In my second year we do a unit where we can work with a client. I knew I had the skill set to be an effective freelancer. As luck would have it I was contacted by a client who wanted me to produce a promotional video for the university’s women's football team. .one of my units was to find 80 hours of work experience. I knew I had the capability to take it upon myself and somewhat become a ‘freelancer’ and specialize in every single role required to produce what they were looking for. I agreed and came up with a plan. Paperwork was completed and filming began. The interviews from the players told the story on what's it's like to be a member and I decided to be extra fancy and work on green screen. The other shots were from location and everything married nicely together where AVID and I got to spend more quality time together.
The video was a success and the following year over 90 new members signed up. With this I was contacted again by the same client asking if I could film the women's home matches each week. I was delighted but going into my final year knowing the amount of workload that was required of me It was a challenge I had to think about deeply as I will always give 120% of my time and effort into everything I produce. The dreaded words ‘final year project’ loomed over me as I really didn't know what I wanted to do but I knew i'd always had an interest in sports broadcasting.
“We ought to be able to switch on the TV on a Sunday afternoon, and watch a major women’s event just as easily as a men’s competition. How refreshing would that be” - Lisa O’Keefe
Football seems like a very male dominated sport and is broadcasted a lot more frequently than the women's game but why ? Believe it or not there was once a time when women dominated the sport in WWI as the men were off fighting for their country . The game became so popular that over a million fans would come to watch. This become very short lived as the war ended and the FA banned women from playing football which changed the game forever. Nearly almost 100 years on, women are starting to attract the crowds and attention they once had. The olympics also help contribute to this as people become more interested in watching the women's game. TV channels are starting to broadcast the matches and the future's looking bright again.
I decided I would combine sports broadcasting with the weekly matches. I would be filming for the women's football and essentially get my own camera crew together, produce, direct, and turn an edit round within a couple of days for my final year project. A great interest was shown from people who wanted to work with me (some had never used a camera before). I taught them how to use the JVC GY-HM600E with ease and directing on location was a skillset I mastered quickly. When bringing the footage into AVID I cut the footage using the multicam mode (essentially what they do in industry live). This gave me a taster of what it's like to work quickly and to turn an edit round even quicker.
So far it's going really well for me and I absolutely love working with different people whilst combining my love for the women's game.
