PNN Media camp returns!

The PNN Media Camp, as part of the Penn Robotics Camp, is hosting a one-week camp where campers will write, shoot, edit and produce news stories about camps at Penn High School, specifically, the Robotics Camp. We will focus on Week 2 of the Robotics Camp (4th-8th grader), so we will be meeting from 12-4PM, Monday, June 14th. through Friday, June 18th. Sign up for this week-long camp here (or at the bottom of this page).

Kevin McNulty | PNN The PNN Media Camp campers and volunteers in the PNN Studio.

Monday

Campers begin with team-building exercises to start the week off right. They will get to know the volunteers and each other as they get ready to build a real product. After that, they will begin with a “staff meeting” and plan their week. It won’t be long before they get their hands on some equipment: a reporter’s notebook, a camera, tripod, and microphone. They will be shooting on the very first day with mentors from the Penn News Network. By the end of the day, campers will be dropping footage on a computer and planning their stories.

Gary Babcoke Jack, Orlando and McNulty are busy interviewing campers in the robotics lab.

Tuesday

On Tuesday, students will grab their equipment once more, only this time, they will be shooting interviews. Out into the field they will go to talk to the news-makers, face to face. They will continue to shoot “b-roll” to capture the atmosphere of the Robotics cam, but they will also gather “soundbites” to help tell their stories. Students will also be snagging “frame-grabs” for social media and post about what they are experiencing as they cover their events.

Kevin McNulty | PNN PNN Media Camper Ted voicing over his video project.

Wednesday

On the third day of camp, a guest speaker will help campers see the big picture of their work as campers begin logging and editing the footage they shot. Students will use their interviews, their b-roll, and their field notes to “assemble” a story in their editor. These stories will try to capture the action around the corner in the Team 135 Robotics lab. At the same time, some of the team will begin writing the script for the news show that will bring their stories to life on Youtube.

Kevin McNulty | PNN

Thursday

With a new sense of urgency, editors will be trying to wrap up their stories and publish them to Youtube as standalone “packages.” Some students will return to the field in order to get crucial last-minute interviews and footage to polish off their story. Those completed packages will be embedded in web stories at the end of the week, but they will also be placed in the “rundown” for the show that students will begin shooting in the PNN Studio.

Kevin McNulty | PNN PNN camper, Nick, learns the teleprompter from PNN Producer, Roberto.

Friday

On the last day of camp, all stories will be finished, all segments shot, and the show edited and published. We will publish social media posts to celebrate the show and its stories, and we will finish the day and week with a parent tour of the facility and the work students did. Campers will get to show their parents the work they did over the course of the week, and parents will get to tour the studio and news room.

Kevin McNulty | PNN PNN Producer Gary teaches camper Orlando how to use the TriCaster.

If you are interested in this camp, please enroll here. Let Mr. Langfeldt and Mr. Carlile know that you are interested in doing the “Media Camp.” We look forward to meeting you and telling the stories of Penn Camps, 2021!

Here are a couple of blasts from the Media Camp past. The first is a promo film produced by PNN students, and the other two are created by campers and PNN Volunteers.