Standard Workshops and Sessions
Below is a sample of sessions Phil and Janet have presented. Please Note: They can create totally new sessions of varying lengths and content catering to your specific needs or alter these standard sessions as well.
Phil and Janet’s successful training sessions address production, journalism, and school-based enterprise. This includes actual content, teaching techniques, funding, classroom management, and grading systems. In addition to their traditional presentation topics, they can customize a presentation and resources to meet the particular needs of the sponsoring group.
Their presentations have received rave reviews for content, humor, energy, and interaction with the audience.
“…shared practical strategies,” “…intelligent and entertaining,” “…audience participation,” “Funny,” “…relatable events,” “…loved Harris’ and Kerby’s chemistry,” “Amazing tips,” “The session was jam-packed with useful information,” “…great resources,” “Wonderful presentation overall.”
The TV Production Classroom: Make It Work for You!
Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators
This session provides curriculum and classroom management suggestions to help a new course to get off the ground or help an established course become more efficient. This session includes a walk-thru of the Instructor’s Manual for the high school textbook Television Production. This session is real "teacher talk" and includes group discussion and Q & A.
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Designing the Studio, Equipment Purchasing Decisions, and Funding
Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators
This session provides a strategy for choosing the type of equipment to purchase, how much equipment is needed, and the order in which equipment should be purchased. Suggestions will also be offered for designing a school television studio and locating sources of funding. As time permits, there will be opportunity for Q & A.
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How To Upgrade and Expand Equipment Inventory
Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators
Do you have questions about production operations or studio layout? Are you now considering expanding? What equipment in what quantity will best serve your purpose? How can you find the funds? Explore your options in a discussion with veteran teacher and textbook author Phil Harris.
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Solving the Money Problem in the Television Production Class
Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators
Let’s face it, our courses cost a lot of money! English teachers need books that cost $50; we need cameras that can cost $5,000. In this session, Phil shares with you how he started his program with $16,000 worth of equipment and expanded it to an equipment inventory worth of over $2.5 million. He also shows you an effective method to solve the money problem, too!
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Tips and Tricks for Video Productions
Intended Audience: Instructors and Students
This prime time session is ALL good stuff and the production tricks come at you so fast, we guarantee you’ll want to hit the pause button to ask questions. Attendees are provided lots of quick and easy tips and tricks to improve your show and impress your audience.
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Don't Just Enter Video Contests—Win Them!
Intended Audience: Instructors and Students
A veteran video contest judge discusses the most common errors in contest videos and how student producers can avoid making those same mistakes. The quality enhancements discussed carry over from winning contests to winning in the real world of broadcast production and journalism with high quality productions.
Music and Copyrights: To Use or Not to Use?—That Is the Question
Intended Audience: Instructors and Students
This workshop is designed to help students and teachers stay out of legal trouble when it comes to using copyrighted music in video productions. Using music can “spice-up” a show, but copyright laws get in the way. Issues like educational free use, music licenses, and transformative use are explained. There will be time for Q & A, so bring your own unique scenarios.
Production Techniques that Keep the Audience Watching
Intended Audience: Instructors and Students
What does it take to make a news or feature package that won’t let the audience’s eyes leave the screen? This session gives you some insider writing and editing tips to turn that interview tape into a story that your audience can’t ignore.
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Industry Convergence Calls for Multimedia Approach!
Intended Audience: Instructors and Students
Order up some quick and easy strategies to reach multimedia audiences. This session offers a full menu of techniques including how to create and add video files to your website and how to create podcasts for regular subscribers.
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Storytelling Tools and Techniques
Intended Audience: Instructors
Effective storytelling for television and web requires that students develop skills in shooting, interviewing, and writing. This session covers valuable techniques to use in every step of the process, as well as tips for teaching those techniques to your students.
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Finding New Audiences and More Contests!
Intended Audience: Instructors and Students
Interested in scholarships? Prize money? Free Equipment? Expense paid trips to places like New York or Washington DC? Got room on the shelf for another trophy or two? Are you ready to take your finished show to a larger audience and enter more contests? We’ll give you information on some of the many outlets.
Start-up Suggestions for New Broadcast Journalism Classes
Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators
Do you have a new broadcast journalism program? Two veteran teachers offer suggestions about curriculum, programs, projects, funding, instructional resources, equipment purchases, and other common issues involved in developing a class. Depending on the number of attendees, the session may include a round-table discussion of common issues related to growing a broadcast journalism program. Experienced teachers are also invited to attend and contribute.
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Time for Teacher Talk
Intended Audience: Instructors and Administrators
If you’re a broadcast journalism teacher or about to become one, this is the time for teacher talk. This session focuses on classroom management, instructional techniques, grading, staff organization, and funding sources. Whether you're just starting out or coming into education from industry, if you're a brand new teacher or have taught for several years, you are sure to find some valuable alternatives in this intense session which is exclusively "teacher talk." Ideas will be flying...grab some to take home!
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Broadcast Journalism/Television Production Grading Options
Intended Audience: Instructors Only
Attendees are offered many suggestions to streamline the complicated grading processes in a broadcast classroom. Whether you're just starting out, coming into education from industry, or have taught for several years, you are sure to find some valuable alternatives in this intense session which is exclusively "teacher talk." Classroom Management techniques, organization options, and Q & A are included in this session.
Classroom Management
Intended Audience: Instructors
How do I keep everyone on task when I don't have much equipment? How do I find time to TEACH? How can I grade when everyone does something different? This session is "teacher talk" and gives you some techniques for managing your classroom to maximize both production and instruction.
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Show Off Your Show
Intended Audience: Instructors and Students
Has your show reached its peak? If you think so, that’s a sure sign it’s time to climb a little higher. Bring a short sample of your work and share with the group (we’ll show as many as time permits). Learn how to critique your own shows. Enjoy showing your strengths and get a fix for any weaknesses. This session gives you some very strong footholds to improving your work.
