On camera and off: explore the magic of television with a Broadcasting class

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Kee Min

Mr. Kyle Berger’s 3rd period Broadcasting/ Video Production class practices their project while Berger points out camera moves

Every Friday morning, North Penn High School is treated with Mornings from the school broadcasting team. While the student body may be more aware of the familiar faces on screen, it’s the people behind the scene that make the show happen.

Broadcasting and Video Production is a major elective. There is two year worth of classes, which are Broadcasting and Video Production 1 and 2.

“The goal of the first year class is to give every student different opportunities within broadcasting and television production and filmmaking,” explained Mr. Kyle Berger, who teaches both BVP 1 and 2 and advises the production of the Morning Show. “We do a mix of studio production and editing, the post-production work, using Final Cut Pro.”

While the students in the classes may choose to be a part of the morning show, there is more to it than just the production aspect.

“There are two different paths you can take,” said Berger, “one [of those paths] is studio production, like the kids who eventually produce the morning show. We like to highlight student’s creativity as well. You make a music video. You’ll make a documentary. You’ll recreate a scene from a favorite movie of yours. The class, at the end of the day, is a fun one.”

As fun as the class is, it is also incredibly productive and informative. The class sets you up for future successes in the industry, proven by the fellow alumnus.

“We’ve had, in last fifteen years or so since the class started, so many students that go on to work in television or film or radio across the country, and it all started in D10!” exclaimed Berger. “I think we give students, especially those who can take two years of the class, a really good head start on their peers when they get to college. They’ve already received two years of experience in editing, running cameras, directing, being in front of the camera, and that’s such a valuable experience to have when you are in a competitive business like television.”

Pullquote Photo

It’s such a unique class… not a lot of school districts in the area do what we do with our television program.

— BVP teacher Kyle Berger

Jake Loburak is a sophomore in a BVP 1 class and is also involved in NPTV production. He not only helps out with Mornings, but also covers North Penn sports games.

“I want to be involved in television production,” commented Loburak, “whether it is [something like] announcing, which is what I do in North Penn television. I announce the football game or all kinds of sports, or running cameras. It’s just exciting and fun to me.”

While the course is designed for students interested in communication fields in the future, it is open for anyone interested. With the quality and quantity of contents produced by NPTV, it is a rare opportunity for the students to take part of something they will not see in many other school districts.

“Anybody can take this class,” claimed Berger. “There is no pre-requisite for Broadcasting and Video Production 1. This year, both of my class have sophomores, juniors, and seniors in them. I think any students who have interest in creating something, whether it’s a short film or documentary or they just want to be on air and help out with NPTV, it’s a great opportunity and gain lots of experience doing it. The class did not exist when I was a student here. Now that the class is here, it’s such a unique class… not a lot of school districts in the area do what we do with our television program, so certainly you want to take advantage of the resources that are in front of you. So anybody interested in television production of journalism or film making, I think it’s a good class for them.”