Tucked away in the northeastern corner of campus, the production
of UCLA’s own television magazine show “UCLA:
Next” continues its second year at Studio 3 in Melnitz Hall
with more stories to tell and new students to produce them.
Debuting in fall 2001 to a greater L.A. broadcast audience, the
show has since become one of the few student-run productions to
earn the privilege of national broadcast. The show reaches seven
million households each week via channel 9412 on the DISH Network
and airs on local station LA36 on Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
Although UCLA produces several student-run productions, what
sets “UCLA: Next” apart from many of them is that all
students are welcome to enroll in the course, Film and Television
187B, which enables them to produce and direct the show.
“They don’t need any skills or previous experience.
They don’t need to feel like they need to come in here
knowing what’s going on,” said Julie Ann Sipos, one of
the teaching assistants for the course.
However, from the three DV Pro studio cameras on the soundstage,
to the extensive switch board, monitors and sound mixers in the
control room upstairs, the production of “UCLA: Next”
has the tools it needs to look professional, even if some students
are new to television production.
Throughout the course of the quarter, students are exposed to
all aspects of production. They get to operate the cameras, edit
video packages on the computer program Final Cut Pro, and direct
live-to-tape weekly episodes. The students rotate job positions
during the ten weeks.
Visiting film and television professor Thelma Vickroy, also
executive producer of the show, credits the success and continued
evolution of “UCLA: Next” to the diverse range of
students that become involved with the production. Many who
participate in the class are study-abroad students who came to UCLA
to further develop their interests in television production.
“I think that the quality and the caliber of it (the
production) will keep on getting better,” Vickroy said.
After students discover the opportunities that are available
within the course, it is not uncommon for many of them to reenroll
and stay with the course for the rest of the year, such as
fifth-year communication studies student Josh Mandell. He has
reenrolled in the course each quarter since the show’s
premiere more than a year ago.
“I basically came into the class and dove right into
television production which I knew nothing about before. I never
thought that I’d be interested in it, but when I came to try
it out I’ve had a blast from the very get go,” said
Mandell, who served as director for the episode of “UCLA:
Next” taped on Tuesday.
The show produces twenty-five student-run half-hour episodes a
year.
“”˜UCLA: Next’ is really the only hands-on
opportunity that students have here to produce something, direct
something, edit something and see it finished that next
week,” said Amy Duzinski, a graduate student enrolled in the
producer’s program who also returned to “UCLA:
Next.” “It’s a really fast paced
class.”
According to teaching assistant A.J. Lewis, “UCLA:
Next” may be in the running for an award this year in the
magazine category from the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences
College Competition, otherwise known as the “College
Emmys.”
“UCLA has never submitted in that category and this is the
first time. We’re pretty confident that we’ll be
competitive,” Lewis said.
Spaces for enrollment in FTV 187B are still available. Go to
Studio 3 next Tuesday in Melnitz Hall at 8:30 a.m. to get assigned
PTE numbers from Professor Vickroy. To view episodes of
“UCLA: Next” online, visit www.uctv.tv.