Posted by David Huffman on Mon, Feb 21, 2011 @ 11:46 AM
By Lisa Rich
Ohio Center for Broadcasting
Cincinnati, OH Campus
rich.l@beonair.com
So, you want to start school at The Ohio Center for Broadcasting? No, you don’t have to move into a dorm…but you do need to make sure that you pack the right stuff! Here is your short list:
- Commitment. There is no way to complete this program without it. It is like marriage. Laugh all you want, but you can’t date broadcasting. It has to be your life, your true north; your priority. You have to be willing to sacrifice. Make the commitment upfront and you will reap the benefits.
- Passion. You cannot commit without passion. Passion helps you quantify your successes in this business in bigger terms than money or notoriety. Passion helps you identify your talents—this program helps you develop them.
- Support. You need to rally the troops. Tell your family, friends and anyone else in your life that you are in broadcasting. The hours can be long and your social life will never be the same (maybe for the better).
- Realistic Expectations. Attaining your goals is what we help you do. As a consumer of broadcasting, you have certain ideas about how the industry works. If you are in the industry, the scenery is a little different. Do we want you to think that you are going to work at MTV, ESPN or CNN for your first gig? Nah, baby, nah! Baby steps, grasshopper!
- Flexibility. This industry throws curve balls. You have to be willing to adapt. You have to be willing to motivate yourself to think creatively. It is what will help you evolve in the industry.
- Confidence. You are not going to hear what you want to all of the time. You will be poked and prodded and questioned and ordered around. Get a thick skin. Most folks in broadcasting start somewhere at the bottom; surviving at the top requires you to be sure of yourself.
- Curiosity. The more you know, the more you grow. Make it your business to ask questions. Not just of one person, but of everyone you encounter. Immerse yourself in the business, and you will get a job because you are well rounded.
Ready?
Hey, you folks that have graduated from the Ohio Center for Broadcasting or are currently attending - what would YOU pack? Have anything different to add to the list?
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Posted by David Huffman on Fri, Feb 18, 2011 @ 01:19 PM
Photo: Donald Cribbs, 1996
To the Ohio Center for Broadcasting,
It’s been 15 years since I graduated from Ohio Center for Broadcasting Cleveland, and about 10 years since I have sent an update letter.
When I last updated the faculty of OCB of my career developments, I was still spinning records and trying to become the next Howard Stern. That seems like another life ago. My first full-time job was in Baker, MT.
Typical of most small markets, I was hired for one job, but would be performing 20. But this was the best experience I could have, as I learned every last trick of the trade.
After a few years, my itching to be part of civilization again moved me to Toledo, OH. I found work first as a board-op at WIOT 104.7, which was a dream, since I listened to this station while growing up. I worked my way up, eventually I was asked to host my own overnight show. I had also been hired at the local CBS affiliate as a camera op, then Master Control.
One day (here’s the luck part, at least for me) the Audio Op was in an accident at lunch time, and could not return in time for the evening news. A replacement could not be found. I asked if I could do it. With a lot of skepticism, they agreed. I had to quickly learn a new console. I’d never seen a console this size. I had two hours to learn and familiarize myself with the setup.
After the show, the Sports Host kicked in the PCR door and exclaimed “Wow, that was the best Audio I ever heard, who was in there today??” It was at that point, I decided I wanted to mix full-time. At about this same time, the FCC deregulated the markets, which to me signaled the end of my radio career,.
I packed up all my stuff in 2002, and with no job leads, moved my family to Los Angeles, CA. I knew I wanted to be mixing at the top level, and the largest concentration of Networks are in LA. At first, I could not find work anywhere, not even at Circuit City. They happily declined. I told myself that it was their loss, that I was just plain overqualified, since I had a diploma from OCB !!
My persistence paid off, it took a few months, but I finally landed a MCR job at TVG Network in 2002. This was my foot in the door, my chance to work my way into the job I wanted most of all. I continued to kindly pester Management that I wanted to mix audio. My day finally came, and I have been working my dream job ever since. I split my time between studio mixing, and road remote setup and coverage. I have had the honor to mix the last five Breeders Cup World Feeds, and I’ve been onsite for 19 of Zenyatta’s 20 races.
I have had a lot of success in my short career, and I have a lot of people to thank for that. But I think the level of preparation that Ohio Center for Broadcasting gave me during my time at campus, has been my biggest advantage.
Sincerely yours,
Donald Cribbs – Sr. Audio Engineer, TVG Network
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Careers like the one Ohio Center for Broadcasting Cleveland grab Donald Cribbs landed can be found in our 41 Careers in Broadcasting Ebook.
Posted by David Huffman on Thu, Feb 17, 2011 @ 10:36 AM
By Jodi Franks
Ohio Center for Broadcasting
Cincinnati Campus
franks.j@beonair.com
So, who watched The Grammy’s Sunday Night?
I have to admit, I had no intention of watching, but wasn’t motivated enough to dig the remote from the couch cushion and change the channel. By the time they presented the final award of the evening, I could hardly contain my over-the-top squeal of “SHUT-UP!!” when they announced that Arcade Fire won the Grammy for Album of the Year.
Yes, an Indie band took home THE gold.
A band you can easily listen to via the new media, internet radio, Satellite, or Pandora, and yet not quite so easily on a terrestrial radio station. Unless you have a pretty smart PD who is not only savvy enough to know a good thing when they hear it, and are just enough of a rebel to add it to the playlist when the VP’s of programming aren’t listening.
This morning, the first headline that caught my attention via RadioInk Magazine incited more uproar concerning the impending death of radio. While there is a boatload of data on both sides to support why or why not radio is facing its ultimate demise, I maintain that this is an exciting time for a new broadcaster to be joining this industry.
What was once just a voice behind a microphone in a studio, is changing into a multi-faceted role of
- blogging
- flip-cam shooting
- you-tubing
- texting
- facebooking
- tweeting
We live in an instant information world, and anyone who is quick enough to capture the story of the moment, gets the followers. It will be the embraces of change and technology that will see radio survive to fight another day.
As a new broadcaster who understands the importance of social media, you will make yourself a serious contender when the time comes to start your job search.
The ability to network efficiently and correctly, to join a staff with little or no additional training also adds to your marketability, and value as an employee.
Whether you are finishing a four year program, or thinking about that first step after high school, the skills you acquire at The Ohio Center for Broadcasting can become an invaluable tool as you begin your career in the media.
Take some time and check out our E-books, schedule an appointment to come in and take a tour of any of our locations, and of course, my favorite, take some time and listen to all our Underground internet stations.
You never know, we could be playing next year’s big Grammy winner.
Posted by David Huffman on Tue, Feb 15, 2011 @ 03:16 PM
By Phil Brown
Ohio Center for Broadcasting
Cincinnati, OH Campus
brown.p@beonair.com
Editor's Note: Felt like I should chime in on Phil's post. I spent the better part of my 20's traveling the country as an indie musician, which is basically just a qualifier for what I'm about to say. On twitter and in other social spheres, I heard a lot of negative remarks about, say, Lady Gaga for emerging from that egg thing. Folks were citing reasons like they wish she'd just perform, etc.
What they keep forgetting is: That IS part of the performance.
The nuances count.
And from my performance experience, it is usually what sets you apart from the crowd. Especially, if you are talented.
On to Phil's post.
***
Is the Grammy Awards an award for doing the best thing or performance?
Work with me here…
Was the best “thing” Lady Gaga coming out of her cocoon? Was the best performance Mick Jagger still rocking it at the age of 67? Whatever in your mind makes you remember this year’s grammy awards is what counts as entertainment value. Remember, it didn’t cost you anything to watch (except your normal monthly cable/satellite bill)…
Entertainment value is the key in making something memorable.
What each of comes away with from this year’s show is our own personal preference. That truly makes us individuals.
The production value in this years show was outstanding. From the staging, the lighting, the camera angles, the sets, crowd reactions, all this comes into play when dealing with what the mind perceives the “eye” sees.
If you are a part of the media, every single “nuance” of the production plays an integral part in the overall product. If in radio, the old adage of “theater of the mind”…if in television, the talent you see, the lighting, camera angle, graphics, etc. Even think of this year’s announcer (voice over) person, Ellen K from Kiss FM in LA, played a part in how the overall production was interpreted.
Being in the media is a personal choice, what you do with choice is yours. Will you give your best thing or your best performance?
If it were me, I’d advise you to do both!
Posted by David Huffman on Fri, Feb 11, 2011 @ 03:27 PM
By Phil Brown
Ohio Center for Broadcasting
Cincinnati, OH Campus
brown.p@beonair.com
Ever tried turning a :60 commercial into a :30…into a :15…into a :05?
With commercial copywriting, we are faced with taking copy points a client has set forth, and are compelled to turning those points into results driven memorable entertainment!
Sometimes the client has written the copy for you…but in most cases, you have to write the copy yourself. At times, this can be challenging with what you’re given to go on.
In years past, most commercial radio copy was for a :60 spot. Most people remember the first and last things they’ve heard, let alone what was in the middle. Presently, the :60 commercial isn’t heard too often.
The concept being that Less is More.
By removing the fluff and clutter and focusing on one thing or concept, retention of the message increases dramatically! Give yourself the challenge…take a :60 spot, reduce it down to a :30 but still get the message across. You will find it’s typically easy to get rid of clichés, crutch words, fluff, etc.
Keep this thought in your head when you’re writing: The mind does not like clutter.
Keep it simple and at the same time find emotion, find a slice of life, find something that someone can relate to. Tug on the heart-strings of the mind.
Now, take that :30 and reduce it down even further to a :15 spot. Lastly? Reduce it to a :05. You’ll see that you’re forced to really think and focus on the one thing that the client wants to have in their message to the consumer.
By practicing this exercise when you write, you’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll become at being able to deliver precise, concise results driven commercials.
Image credit: SuperDe1uxe
Posted by David Huffman on Wed, Feb 09, 2011 @ 09:14 AM
Dear Terry and Friends at Ohio Center for Broadcasting,
What a great journey it’s been so far, and it is great to know that it has only just begun. Ever since I first got into radio at The Ohio Center for Broadcasting, I knew that I wanted to work in a major market. Most people thought I was out of my mind, but I knew that with hard work and a great attitude, anything is possible.
And now here I am, a board operator, production assistant, and promotions assistant at a great company, with some great stations, in the greatest city in the world, Los Angeles, California.
Everything I learned at OCB under QFM96’s Joe Show and during my internship at 99.7 The Blitz under James “Viper” Minter has provided me with all the essential skills to succeed and climb the ladder here at CBS. Even the acting roles that I had in music videos, commercials, and our final class project have helped me get my acting career started in Hollywood. I’m here to soak up all that this city and its entertainment industry has to offer.
I just want to thank all the great people and friends that I have met along the way for the proper training and all the support, to help get me to where I am today.
Anything is possible.
Jack Zizzo – 9/15 Days
***
Posted by David Huffman on Tue, Feb 08, 2011 @ 02:26 PM
By Jodi Franks
Ohio Center for Broadcasting
Cincinnati, OH Campus
franks.j@beonair.com
@producerjodi
Last week while we were executing a video shoot at the “The Party Source”, my good friend Marsie Newbold announces, “You know, we really need to go on a George Clooney hunt while they are in town shooting this movie.” I agreed with her, but honestly, I never thought for a second that she was actually serious.
Well, she was, and tomorrow 2/9/11, we will be headed out to parts unknown on a full blown George Clooney Hunt, complete with live streaming video, tweets from the road, and more facebook updates than any female in Cincinnati can handle. We’re even taking along a hound-dog extraordinaire to assist us in “sniffing” him out.
So, if you’re up for the adventure and want to follow along here’s how you can be part of #ClooneyWatch 2011. We'll be going live at three different parts of the day 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.:
- Follow us on Twitter: Search #ClooneyWatch
Clooney Watch Live Stream Via Our Internet Station CincyUnderground.com
Watch live video from CincyUnderground on Justin.tv
Photo Credit: 365Cincinnati.com
Posted by David Huffman on Mon, Feb 07, 2011 @ 12:54 PM
By Lisa Rich
Ohio Center for Broadcasting
Cincinnati Campus
rich.l@beonair.com
You have heard about it….”#ClooneyWatch” is going down in Cincinnati, OH!
In case you are out of the loop, George Clooney has chosen Cincinnati as the setting for his new film Ides of March. I read the other day that he had lunch with 30 people in Cincinnati and I thought, “30 people?!”
I immediately imagined having a minion of 30 people following me around, hanging on my every word, waiting with baited breath to see what I would say or do next.
Then, I came back to reality.
With more thought, I came to the conclusion that they must be his production team. Now, you might be asking, “What is a production team? Who is on a production team and how can I become a part of one?” Well, it just so happens that I am going to share that with you!
(funny how this blog stuff works, huh?!)
Jobs in television, film and online media are similarly named and structured. George is an “A” list movie producer and an actor who has a film production team; but production teams support even the smallest projects. If you wanna’ work with Clooney (or, on a smaller level, on a documentary…or even the news!), here are some jobs that you should build skills for. It’s a short list of who was probably having lunch with George:
19 People George Clooney May Be Hiring For His Next Film
1. The Writer writes the script, commentary and dialogue.
2. The Producer raises the money and is responsible for the overall production.
3. The Director interprets the script or proposal into film, and directs actors and production crew through the production manager and assistant director.
4. The Cinematographer (or Director of Photography) sets up shots according to the wishes of the director.
5. The Production Manager draws up the budgets and schedules, and manages them for the duration of the shoot.
6. The Assistant Director maintains order on the set, and makes sure actors are present when needed.
7. The Line Producer coordinates all financial and scheduling aspects of the shooting phase of the production.
8. The Composer composes the theme and music for the film.
9. The Assistant Camera sets up the camera, keeps it clean, loads film, operates the clapper board and keeps the camera report sheet.
10. The Gaffer places the lights where directed.
11. The Best Boy assists the Gaffer and positions the cables.
12. The Grip moves equipment, builds scaffold, lays track.
13. The Boom Operator maneuvers microphones
14. The Sound Recorder records sounds and directs the boom operator.
15. The Sound Mixer brings together all the individual sound tracks, combining them into one cohesive master track.
16. The Sound Editor synchronizes the sound track with the visuals, and cuts in sound effects, music and narration.
17. The Picture Editor arranges the shots together into the final form, according to the director's vision of the film.
18. The Art Director creates the look of the film through the use of sets, lighting, costumes and props; and works with the Set Designer to achieve the final look.
19. The Special Effects Designer creates the spectacular stunts and effects that look so real onscreen.
I bet you think that you have to have a snazzy degree from some big film college to get one of those jobs. Yeah, that would look sweet on your wall, but it is not a prerequisite. In fact, the thing that speaks the loudest to employers in this business is experience.
Here are some tips to help you land a production or broadcasting job by demonstrating experience:
- Practice. If you are going to school for broadcasting or communications, there is no such thing as too much material. You cannot shoot enough ‘B’ Roll. You cannot lay down enough audio. You cannot edit enough. Your demo is never perfect—or, you’d have a job!
- Network. It isn’t about who you know, it is about who knows you (and what you've done to help them)! You never know too many people…
- Intern—and OFTEN! If you get an internship offer in this industry, you’re silly to not maximize it. Most job offers in this business are extended to interns. Most career networks start here. Do the math.
- Be inquisitive. If you are at a job/internship, make it your business to ask questions. The more you know, the more marketable you are!
- Be willing to relocate. There are hundreds of radio and TV markets. If you are willing to move, you will have more opportunities.
Seem easy? It isn’t. Nothing comes easy in this business. You need your family and friends. You need your instructors and tutors. You need a support system.
Say, 30 people or so...
***
Posted by David Huffman on Fri, Feb 04, 2011 @ 02:27 PM
Editor's Note: Our #1 priority with the Ohio Illinois Center for Broadcasting blog is to inform current and potential students of our program about things like:
One really important facet of all that is financial aid, and I have to say - it kind of gets left out of the discussion here. (my bad)
Anywho - Karl Wietlisbach at our Cincinnati, OH campus has tons of info for ya. And moving forward, he's going to be sharing some of that.
Sooo, here we go. This first piece is on scholarships: what they are, how to find them, and how you can hopefully grab one.
Got some questions? Feel free to get ahold of Karl by either email, twitter, or go ahead and go old school and pick up the ol' telephone.
Twitter: @OCBCincyFa
Email: wietlisbach.k@beonair.com
Phone: 513-271-6060
What Are Scholarships?
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Undergraduate scholarships are forms of aid that help students pay for their education. Unlike student loans, scholarships do not have to be repaid. Hundreds of thousands of scholarships from several thousand sponsors are awarded each year.
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Generally, scholarships are reserved for students with special qualifications, such as academic, athletic or artistic talent. Awards are also available for students who are interested in particular fields of study, who are members of underrepresented groups, who live in certain areas of the country or who demonstrate financial need.
How To Find Them
The best way to search for scholarships is to use a personalized search, like the FastWeb scholarship search, that compares your background with a database of awards. Only those awards that fit your profile are identified as matches.
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There are several free scholarship databases available online. With more than 1.5 million scholarships worth more than $3.4 billion, the FastWeb scholarship search is the largest, most accurate and most frequently updated scholarship database. If you supply an email address, they will notify you when new awards that match your profile are added to the database. You can even submit an electronic application to some of the scholarships listed in the FastWeb scholarship database, saving you time and money. FastWeb also includes a college search and numerous other student resources.
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In addition to the FastWeb scholarship search, you may want to search one of the other free scholarship search sites. It doesn't take much time to search and it's free. To find small local awards that aren't listed in any book or database, look for notices posted on bulletin boards at your school's guidance office, the public library and outside the financial aid office at nearby colleges and universities. Also ask any organizations you or your parents may belong to about available scholarships.
You can also search for scholarships using your favorite web search engine by including the word "scholarships" with your search keywords.
Do Not Waste Your Money
Don't waste your money on fee-based scholarship matching services. You won't get any better information than you can get from the free services available on the Web.
Scholarships that sound too good to be true usually are. Learn how to recognize and protect yourself from the most common scholarship scams. The number one tip: If you have to pay money to get money, it's probably a scam.
OCB accepts all outside scholarships so happy hunting!
Bits and pieces of article taken from http://www.finaid.org
Photo: GadgetDude
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Posted by David Huffman on Wed, Feb 02, 2011 @ 11:13 AM
First of all, please tell me you picked up on the metaphor in the picture above. If not, well, then boo for me.
I cherry picked it straight from the Chris and Janeen show facebook page because I thought it went great with some advice Janeen gives in the interview below: be willing to start at the bottom.
"Yea, yea" you say..."We've heard that before".
You're right, you have. But, either way, we think it's great to continue and hear it from folks that have been there and are still doing it.
Check out the interview below with Janeen Coyle of the Chris and Janeen show on 103.5 WGRR in Cincinnati, OH. It was gathered up for you by Jodi Franks at our Cincinnati campus. Thanks Jodi!
OCB: When did you realize Radio or TV was your goal?
JC: I originally started out in theater, but when I realized that i could actually do theater on the radio, I became interested my freshman year of college.
OCB: How do you prepare for a show?
JC: I keep up with things going on in the news and media all day long and I take notes all day long. I type out a brief outline for the next day and go with it spontaneously. My partner, Chris takes care of all technical aspects. We both edit things at home for the next day.
OCB: One Piece of Advice for anyone who wants to work in this business?
JC: Be persistent and be willing to start at the bottom.
OCB: Funniest or most embarrassing moment?
JC: When I asked Robert Lamm of the band Chicago," Does your daughter know who you are?" I meant "does she know you are in the band Chicago and that you are famous?" He didn't take it that way, so I asked again, which prompted him to walk away from me!
OCB: What technical skills do you need to be successful?
JC: Learn to edit audio/video and run a board.
***
Ever wondered what you can do with training from the Ohio Center for Broadcasting? Downloading our 41 Careers in Broadcasting eBook would be a GREAT start ;)