Published: May 25, 2008 01:32 am      

LCTV: You can produce TV show

LCTV can teach production techniques and encourages volunteers

By Bill Wolcott

wolcottb@gnnewspaper.com

Want to produce a cable television show? LCTV has the program for you.

Lockport Community Television provides the expertise to teach, the equipment and the cable access through Time Warner. The local shows are on Channels 20, 21 and 22.

There were a variety of takers at the Spring II orientation on Tuesday. Further sessions will be held in portable field production, editing in Final Cut Express, studio graphics, studio camera operation, studio audio and lighting basics and studio directing.

Robert Bartoo of Lockport sailed the Great Lakes for years before opening a restaurant, the Sea Shanty, in Buffalo in 1960. Many of his customers were Vietnam veterans, and he wrote their stories.

Bartoo, 74, wrote and directed a play at the Studio Arena Theatre that was produced for the Vietnam Veterans Convention in 1969.

“I want to do technical work and haven’t got the background,” said Bartoo, who signed up for four classes. He wants to be able to do the editing for putting stage plays on video.

“I’ve got a lot of ideas for making a TV program eventually, but I don’t know anything technical. I hope to be producing eventually, with some of the ideas I’ve got.”

The Faith Community Nazarene Church in Sanborn put a group together to learn production procedures. “We want to get something going in the church for film worship service and Bible study,” said Gary Kephart. “We’re all going to take all the classes.”

Charlene Kephart, Tim Filer and Forrest Milligan have no background in TV production work. Filer, a machinist welder, said, “It’s a new experience. We’re pretty much greenhorns here.”

The group hopes to put together programs for the Alcohol Victorious meetings on Thursday nights.

Debrah Cole of Lockport has some experience working with Brian Dana’s cable show “Green Room.” Cole is the president of the Amherst Players and has her own company, Those Working Actors.

“I have an idea for my own show,” she said at orientation. “I love the station. It’s a lovely resource for the community.”

Greg Larson, the production trainer at LCTV, recommended that prospective producers recruit volunteers to help them out. “The program is user-friendly, but technical in nature,” he said.

Prospective producers must take the orientation class before registering for the other programs. They can pick and chose what programs they wish to take. They may also be picked to volunteer at the station.

The summer orientation is at 7 p.m. July 22.

Contact reporter Bill Wolcott

439-9222, ext. 6246.