Memory Lane: Lights ... Camera ... Action!

I've written a number of posts about the memorable things I experienced being involved with Central, but some forget that I also spent a few years at North, and was duly impressed by a few things there, as well. Not the least of those experiences was the amazing series of elective courses that are Viking TV (or Vtv), skillfully guided by an amazing teacher the kids simply refer to as Emslie ... these days, you know that you've made an impression of high school students when they drop the Mr or Mrs and you're know solely by the your last name. Dave Emslie is genuine, compassionate, caring, charismatic, funny and really hard working, all traits that endear him to the kids at North. I am thrilled that we were able to foster a friendship during the years I taught at BNC.

For those that have zero clue what Vtv is, let me attempt to do it justice. Every high school has some manner of relaying information to its students and staff in a daily manner. When most of us grew up, that took the form of announcements over some sort of public address system. At North, that is accomplished via a daily live action newscast, affectionately coined Vtv, via an open-stream senior Comm Tech (Communications Technology) course available to gr 10 through "victory lap" that teaches students everything needed to know about preparing, creating and broadcasting a live news show. It is my understanding that Vtv was the brain child of Dave Fitt, a former BNC teacher who is now a Comm Tech consultant with the SCDSB, and has undergone significant improvements over the years to arrive at its present form.

Dave Emslie IS Vtv. While a loaded statement, from this adopted ex-Central viewpoint, it is an easy assessment to make. He is the visible face of it, he is the organizer, he is the energy, he is Vtv. His ever changing group are affectionately known as the Tech Crew and even have the wardrobe to go along with the moniker. Rare is the day that small groups of camera toting, energetic, zany Tech Crew'ers aren't occupying some space in the halls of BNC in preparation for the daily spectacle. If it is special, significant, or newsworthy, the Tech Crew will be there to capture the action, interview the participants, and create a professional looking journalistic expose to be broadcast that day, or at worst, the next day. All of this is possible thanks to Emslie's super power of magnificent multitasking. Having worked for a time in the industry, Emslie brings unparalleled experience to the daily problem solving that is Vtv, a process that appears to these eyes, as easy as herding cats.

If you pass through the main doors of BNC, continue straight ahead through the new Cafe, and veer slightly right, you'll immediately recognize the entrance for Studio 168, the home of Vtv. If you have zero experience with live broadcasting, you'll be surprised by the technical components at play in the studio. There is a computer lab, an editing suite, a control booth and set room that are filled with the latest and greatest equipment suitable to the task. On my various visits, I have witness the nervous energy of the most creative BNC'ers as they navigate the trials and tribulations of preparing for a broadcast that goes live each school day at 9:15 am. Some of the students gravitate toward to the filming, some toward the editing, some toward the microphone, some toward the control room and its telecaster, but one of the necessary components of a good grade in the course is taking a turn "on the desk" as one of two anchors of the daily show. Lovers of the limelight are free to volunteer to take on the roll, even if not registered in the course, but by and large the anchors are nervously manned by that semester's learners.

If you've not spent any significant amount of time in a high school, you'd be astounded by the level of improvisation that happens hour by hour, minute by minute, as the need to disseminate information is an organic process with ever present last minute changes. To navigate that mess, organize it into a sequential and professional broadcast, and solve the myriad of technical glitches that happen when communicating via the Internet, all in a time frame of 75 minutes each and every day is miraculous. All of the teacher/admin announcements have to submitted before 8:00 am each day so that the components of the 9:15 am broadcast can be written, edited and produced in time. It is the personification of organized chaos and requires the proverbial "patience of Job" to be at the helm. Now add in the fact that a significant proportion of the Vtv class changes each semester and have to be brought up to speed quickly, you should quickly understand that BNC has been blessed. Dave Emslie is that and more ... and he'll humbly tell you that it's the kids who are the real heroes.

Don't take my word for his wonderfulness ... Here's an article from BarrieToday.com about what he's been able to accomplish through Vtv on the national stage. CLICK

If you're interested in seeing the magic for yourself, you can visit the Vtv YouTube channel because why wouldn't you like to complicate your life by adding more to your plate if you were Emslie? You can find CLICK HERE to watch the daily livestream or catch up on previous features and broadcasts.