And cut!

Despite receiving a lot of interest in the station and high attendance at our post-Freshers Fayre Information Meeting, nobody was keen to take on my role of Production Manager.  The majority of attendees were just beginning the same course that I was about to finish, and I had high hopes that they would like to carry the baton, but nobody put themselves forward.

History was beginning to repeat itself, as I received two requests to make a film and nobody offered to help.  I was highly disappointed but I understood that people may have been apprehensive.  I decided to take on the role of producing both videos, despite the filming for each taking place on the same day, in the hope that this would demonstrate to the new members of the group how fun and easy the role is.

The first video I was asked to produce was for the Experience Aberdeen Culture Fair, which took place at Aberdeen Beach Ballroom, and invited students from other countries to attend and learn what Aberdeen has to offer.  There were a large number of stalls, and, although the event was quieter than the organiser had expected, I still managed to produce a video that she was really pleased with.

After the Experience Aberdeen Culture Fair, I travelled to Prohibition Nightclub, as I had been asked by the RGU Gaming Society to film their 'Rocktoberfest' event. The night involved inviting people to perform different songs through the the popular 'rockband' game, with guitars and drumkits acting as the remote controls, in order to raise money for the disability charity, Special Effect.

The event was extremely enjoyable to film, as there were so many aspects that looked great on camera, such as the lights at the smoke machines.  The video received high praise from the RGU Gaming Society and the organiser of the event, as well as my media group peers, which really boosted my confidence.

It was this praise that reinforced my decision to leave this as the last video I produce for RGU:TV.  It is always better to leave on a high, and I knew that the increased pace of my studies would mean that I would be forced to sacrifice quality in any future videos I would produce. But it wasn't just a high in terms of praise - it was also a personal high for me as it was a video that I extremely enjoyed making.

I have left RGU:TV with the hope that creative-minded students will continue the work that I have put so much passion into and that the station will continue to expand and reach new audiences for many more years to come.

Making the most of it

As I began my fourth and final year, I knew that I would not be able to commit as much time to the station as I would like.  I decided to throw myself in at the beginning of the year and make the most of it whilst I still could, as I knew that my workload was going to increase significantly.

I started the year by producing a short video for RGU:Nightline, a service being launched by the union which allowed students to phone in for help and advice during the night.  The shoot involved interviewing founder of the service, Steve, and filming the Nightline mascot, Robbie the Bear, in action, which was a lot of fun.  In order to produce the video quickly, I used my editing software at home - it did not provide the highest quality finish, and it is one video that I would have loved to have the opportunity to re-do, but Steve seemed really pleased with what I had produced and it became an effective promotional tool for the service.

The next video I produced was of the Freshers' Fayre, which was another really fun video to make due to the lively atmosphere of the event. With the help of the Vice President of Entertainment & Events, Edward, we set up a 'booth' where students could share their views on Freshers' Week. This was a really simple and effective way of getting students involved and boosting the awareness of RGU:TV.  I expected students to be quite reluctant to speak on camera, but the excitement of the Fayre seemed to make people more keen to get involved.

We also received the largest number of sign-ups out of the Media group, so I left the Fayre feeling positive that RGU:TV would be in good hands when my schedule increased and I could no longer manage the station.  Unfortunately, it did not work out this way...

Going Live

The first time I really felt that people were excited to get involved was when we took on the challenge of broadcasting live from The Big Independence Debate that was being held by the university.

The event, held in February, involved a panel of MPs and local Councillors debating the issues surrounding the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum, with students asking questions and airing opinions.  The event was a huge success, and with limited seating in the auditorium, I felt pleased that we were able to broadcast the event to students who were unable to attend.

We were able to borrow equipment from the university technicians, and we used an online source called 'UStream' for the broadcast.  This allowed us to add a 'button' to our Facebook page that users could click in order to watch the broadcast, so the whole programme was integrated with our social media presence.  This was very positive for engaging students, but it also meant that our Facebook page was where people chose to message us if they were experiencing problems watching the programme.

We only had two cameras for the broadcast: one focused on the panelists and one on the audience.  These didn't need to be maneuvered a lot during the broadcast, so I was able to answer people on social media during the programme.  There were only a couple of complaints - the majority of people said that the broadcast went very well.  Either way, I was pleased with how it went considering it was our first attempt at broadcasting live.

The event really ignited my passion for a career in television.  Despite the fact that it was a very small scale production, I really enjoyed the buzz around it.  The whole RGU Media Group pulled together to source equipment and ensure that the broadcast went smoothly.  The Radar Magazine group covered the event on social media, and RGU:Radio also did a live broadcast, so the three of us worked really well together.  I enjoyed the feeling of being a valued aspect of an event, as everybody involved showed their appreciation, and I was happy that I was able to pass that appreciation onto the people in the RGU:TV team that came to help out.

In March 2014, I was awarded a Half-Scarlet with Distinction Award at the Student Achievements Ball for my efforts in launching RGU:TV. It was completely unexpected and it felt fantastic to be rewarded for the time and effort that I had put in, although it was a hugely rewarding experience for me regardless!

Priorirites

That day, I went home after the Re-Freshers' Fayre and immediately uploaded my clips onto my computer so I could begin editing the film.  The software on my computer was just a standard version of Windows Movie Maker, and its capabilities were extremely limited in comparison to the software I had been using on the computers at university, but after the success of my digital camera, I decided there was little point in me waiting until I was back at university to edit the film.  Besides, I was far too excited to wait.

I edited the video the best I could and uploaded it to the YouTube channel, and the response I got was fantastic.  Paul and the rest of the Media Group team were enthused that RGU:TV had finally uploaded its first video. I regretted waiting so long to build a team when I was capable was making the video on my own, and I knew I couldn't do it alone forever, but I was motivated that my video had engaged people to hopefully become involved too.

Over the next few months, I continued to produce videos on my own.  With its increasing presence, RGU:TV started to receive requests from other societies asking us to film events they were holding.  This provided great opportunities for us and it was exactly the sort of thing that I wanted RGU:TV to cover.  I'd always had a vision of RGU:TV producing a 'Society of the Week' programme, and, although this was not going to be achievable at such an early stage, it looked positive for the future as other societies were acknowledging us.

I filmed a video for the Nassau Business Society with the help of another RGU:TV member, who asked if we would cover an event they were holding. I also produced a video of the charity bungee jump held by RGU:RAG on my own which was very enjoyable to film.  Both videos, although short, received a great response and added to our gradually growing catalogue or programmes.

As the requests continued to come in, it quickly became apparent that I was going to need a bigger team in order to fulfill them all.

Re-Freshers Fayre 2014

Freshers' Fayre had been a huge excitement, but it wasn't the turning point that I had hoped for.  We had become recognised as a television station, however, we had no content to engage people's interest.

When Re-Freshers' Fayre came around in Semester 2, I was dubious that we would gain any new members with us having so little presence. I set up the stall with the sign-up sheets and promotional leaflets that I had created, and stood quietly whilst people glanced at the stall and then moved onto the next one.  Nobody was interested in what RGU:TV had to offer, I wasn't asked any questions and we received very few sign-ups.

After about an hour of this repetition, I decided to do something about it.  We had no content, and that was something that I decided to change on my own without the help of a team.  I had my camera in my bag - I have a passion for photography and I always take it with me so I don't miss a moment - and I decided to use it to film the atmosphere at the fair.  My camera is just a regular digital compact camera, and its filming capabilities were no match for the university cameras, but it was adequate and I didn't want to miss the opportunity.

I informed Paul of my plans, and he was very enthusiastic, even offering to help film using his phone. The members of the Radio and Magazine groups were at the stall, so I wouldn't have been leaving it unmanned.  With my camera in hand, I walked along University Street, filming shots of each of the stalls and the small crowds of people who were engaging with them.  I walked upstairs to the balcony outide RGU:Sport and took some shots from above.  I walked outside and filmed through the glass.  It was my chance to experiment with different shots and I found it really exciting.  

People asked me where the video would be seen, and when I informed them of our YouTube channel, it got people to engage with RGU:TV in a much more effective way.  Seeing the filming in action made people much more likely to look us up, than it did before when we were just showing them leaflets.  It was a pinnacle learning curve for me and it made me much more excited for the future, as opposed to doubtful and scared.

A New Beginning

In terms of my own work experience, I had a successful Summer. I achieved a four-week placement at the BBC in London, and I returned with a renewed confidence in launching the television station.

A new university year brought a new President of Communications & Democracy, who was both extremely friendly and encouraging. He was also very understanding of the struggles I'd had the previous year and promised to support me in the project.

He suggested that I set up a social media presence using Facebook and Twitter.  I had definitely planned this for the future, but as we were yet to film any content, I thought it was too soon to promote the station online.  But, I set up the accounts and generated a number of 'likes' and 'followers.' Now all I needed was videos to post on the pages and for that, I needed to recruit passionate students.

RGU:TV's first ever Freshers' Fayre was an exciting and energetic experience. It felt fantastic to finally have a presence alongside all the student societies and sports clubs.  We didn't achieve a huge number of people signing up to get involved, but we had finally become established in the student body.

Student Involvement

In March, I held a meeting with interested members to discuss ideas and how we could promote a station, but there was very little contribution from the few people who attended, and I felt like I was just sharing my own ideas while everyone else nodded along.  I was hoping to leave the meeting with motivated positivity, but it was a deflating experience and I found myself feeling embarrassed sharing my ideas with people who seemed so disinterested.  

Student interest in a television station was always strong at the beginning of a new semester, but the weeks always flew by and when the time came to go out and film something, everyone was too caught up in coursework and exam revision.  The Radio team was continuing to develop and expand, and the magazine soon caught up with it.  With every Media Group Meeting we had, I felt more and more lost in the actions I had to take to start up the station.

When second year ended and Summer began, I found that no one was interested in meeting up to carry out filming projects and, with many students not being from Aberdeen, a lot of people had gone back home. Demotivated, I temporarily abandoned the project.  I felt that when I returned, the other members of the Media Group would be disappointed in my lack of progress and would hand the position to somebody else. But, what actually happened was quite different...

Creating an Identity for RGU:TV

I had been handed the reigns of RGU:TV.  I was responsible for content, branding, platforms, contributors and everything inbetween.  In my initial excitement, I saw this as a blank canvas and, in turn, an incredible opportunity.  But, I struggled to find a starting point. With so much work to do, where do you begin? 

In February 2013, I attended an event at the BBC in Glasgow called "BBC Get In!" 

The event provided information and helpful advice for people who were interested in applying for BBC talent schemes and work experience opportunities.  At the event, I noticed a number of people wearing hoodies with 'GUST' written on the back.  After the research I had already carried out, I realised that these people were from Glasgow University Student Television, and after the event, I plucked up the courage to go and speak to them.

I asked them about what kind of films they make, which type of films gain the most interest, and how they promote their station and recruit students.  However, 'GUST' is already a well-established student television station. They couldn't really give me any answers that were useful to me as the station had already been set up when they joined and the interest was already there. I was aware of the station's long history but I was surprised that the students couldn't answer any of my questions.  They then rushed off to attend an important meeting, and I left feeling overwhelmed at the task I had taken upon myself.  

But, being the shy person that I am, I felt pleased that I had been brave enough to speak to them.  This reassured me that this task was achievable.

How did I get into this?

After deciding that a television station was something I would like to get involved in, I started researching who to contact.  

At the beginning of my second year, I went onto my email account and realised that I had an email from the President of Communication & Democracy at the time asking for people to join the RGU Media Group, which consists of the magazine, the radio station and the television station. I was surprised to learn that a television station was already in existence and I hadn't heard of it, so, intrigued, I went along to the first Media Group meeting.

But, my surprise was mistaken, as there was, in fact, no television station at RGU, and I left the meeting with the responsibility of starting one.

Initially, I was pleased with the position that I had been trusted with, as it is a role that I had intended to take on in the first place.  But, I now had the added pressure of the Media Group behind me.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my blog.

I am a Media student in my fourth and final year of study at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the content of my course and the facilities that RGU has to offer.  We've spent time creating our own films, from filming the content right through to adding the finishing touches in the editing process.

But one thing was always missing.  RGU had all these great facilities, modern workspaces and beautiful surroundings, but no medium to show them off.  It also had a significant number of students and no way of voicing their opinions.

In my second year, I took it upon myself to use the skills I have learned throughout my course and start up a television station at RGU with the aim of broadcasting the views and opinions of students, news direct from campus, events and information on student life.

This blog details the journey from an idea in my mind to the launch of RGU's first student television station.