tv producer
IT Support and Consulting
Organization:
U Mass Boston/College of Public & Community Service VISTA Name:
James Fishwick
Program Start:
8/2002
Program End:
8/2004
Project Description:
James Fishwick’s VISTA assignment began with a focus on development support for the Greater Boston Broadband Network, support for the growth of the College’s technology use by faculty and staff and in programs related to the Community Media and Technology program, and CTC VISTA project web site support. Over the course of his last six months, James continued to do very impressive work in all three areas and concluded his term of service by becoming the project’s VISTA Leader for a second year of service and attending VISTA Leader training at the end of August.
Project Outcome:
James took on major responsibility for CBC coordination, project web site development, and the monthly pilot cable and web cast “First Tuesday” program, undertaking the latter while serving as the Assistant Producer.Overall project coordination involved assisting with monthly meeting arrangements and follow through with subcommittee needs and support. Web site development included not only design and technical maintenance but content development as well. As Assistant Producer for “First Tuesday,” James undertook a wide range of tasks insuring smooth program production, including serving as live-time chat coordinator and on-camera contributor, set design, plant, and web cast coordination, and post-production assistance.
With regard to the College, James continued to provide a good range of support to individual faculty and programs and helped give visible, tangible testimony of the value of the Community Media and Technology program. In addition to special help to five faculty/programs, James assisted the CPCS IT Task Force, a committee dedicated to a thorough review of the current IT landscape at UMass and its effect on the college. The task force makes recommendations to the college on how to move on various IT issues, especially the establishment and subsequent development of the Clark Taylor Center. James has served as secretary to the committee and has helped to facilitate discussions on needs for the Center with CPCS faculty.
Finally, as the web master for the CTC VISTA Project itself (www.cpcs.umb.edu/vista), James initiated a number of design and content contributions that have contributed to the project’s aesthetic and programmatic presentation for VISTAs, supervisors, and the general public. His work with the VISTAs in encouraging and helping them develop their own web pages and resources, along with his moderation of the metroBoston and national CTC VISTA member electronic discussion lists and general communication have given him a major leadership status among his fellow VISTAs and in the overall project.
Volunteer Coordinator and Program Producer
Organization:
Malden Access TV VISTA Name:
Ilirjan Qirici
Program Start:
4/2001
Program End:
4/2004
Project Description:
Ilirjan (Liri) Qirici has completed his second year with MATV as part of the CTC VISTA Project. Whereas a good part of the first year involved finding ways to adapt the work environment to meet Liri’s physical needs so that he could develop to his full potential as a staff member, the second year was marked by Liri’s complete immersion in his daily worklife at MATV. Liri has made tremendous progress in his professional and personal goals and has contributed in great measure to the expansion of MATV’s volunteer and community programming capacity. It is not an understatement to say that Liri’s presence alone has attracted and inspired a great many volunteers to participate at MATV.
Project goals for both years are as follows:
Goal 1: Tutorial Production Instructor for MATV members/interns
Goal 2: Executive Producer of Community Show Malden Square
Goal 3: Producer/Director of Community Show “What Is…? “
Project Outcome:
Presently, Liri is in the midst of developing two critical projects that could have an impact on underserved populations in greater Boston and beyond. The Massachusetts State Association for the Deaf has been meeting regularly with Liri and other MATV staff to develop and train its members to begin production of a new TV program – Deaf Community News – a show to be produced by and for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Secondly, Liri is coordinating the staff and clients from Triangle, Inc. (a non-profit organization providing employment, residential and social services to people with disabilities) in the production of a monthly magazine TV show to be produced entirely by developmentally and physically disabled adults.
This past year, Liri has produced and directed a monthly program entitled What Is…? that focuses on medical illnesses, disabilities, and disease prevention. He has developed a crew of ten volunteers that handle all aspects of the production process. The program involves and promotes many local non-profit health-related organizations and medical institutions. This program won first prize in the “Talk Show” category at the Alliance for Community Media Northeast Region Video Festival in the fall of 2002. Liri will continue to produce this quality program in the coming year.
Liri’s work at the Cyber Café @ Malden Square has been as an ambassador of communications technology – teaching, nurturing, and challenging volunteers and patrons from all backgrounds to learn and utilize technology to improve their lives.
Liri is working with MATV to acquire additional assistive technology, in particular, voice-activated digital editing software that will increase his independence and productivity at MATV.
Note: Liri produced a segment of the Commonwealth Broadband Collaborative’s “First Tuesday” program that was cablecast throughout eastern Massachusetts and webcast on May 4, 2004 that covers his own VISTA work and can be seen by going to the project’s video archives at .
Impact Quote:
Liri has made tremendous progress in his professional and personal goals and has contributed in great measure to the expansion of MATV’s volunteer and community programming capacity. It is not an understatement to say that Liri’s presence alone has attracted and inspired a great many volunteers to participate at MATV.
Youth Learning and Cablecast Development
Organization:
Grand Rapids Community Media Center VISTA Name:
Amy McKenzie
Program Start:
9/2002
Program End:
9/2003
Project Description:
This month will end the VISTA tenure of Amy McKenzie with the Mobile Learning lab for Information Education (MoLLIE) of Grand Rapids Community Television (GRTV).
Amy’s year with MoLLIE was characterized by a maturing of the project, both in its partnerships with area schools and its facility with linking MoLLIE efforts to the area mandated curriculum. Relationships that were begun with area teachers in our first year of operation continued and thrived. Those teachers that utilized MoLLIe in the first year actively promoted the MoLLIE project to their colleagues leading in turn to an expanded clientele of teachers in a broader selection of schools.
Project Outcome:
Amy played a crucial role in this path to success for the MoLLIE project. She produced an eight minute promotional DVD for the MoLLIE project. The DVD has been extensively utilized over this past year to immediately familiarize area teachers, principals, and school administrators with the educational services provided by MoLLIE. Amy’s production has been crucial in spreading the word in our community of the availability and the successes of the MoLLIE project. Not only is the promotional DVD an accurate portrayal of the efforts of the MoLLIE project but it also represents the talents of Amy as a film and video artist. This year, in national competition, Amy’s DVD won the Alliance for Community Media award for documentary video.
Amy has also provided stellar service to MoLLIE by producing for cablecast a weekly program entitled MoLLIE Matinee, a showcase of the works of students and NPOs produced with MoLLIE assistance. By the end of this reporting period there were 44 thirty-minute episodes of MoLLIE Matinee, with more in production.
The MoLLIE office underwent major changes this summer with increases in staff and a move to a much larger office. Amy did a superb job of handling the logistics of the move as well as developing and implementing new organizational procedures for all aspects of the operation, including staff, equipment, and scheduling.
Additionally, Amy has taken charge of making sure that the work on each project in completed, compiled, put to tape, and aired on GRTV as part of “MOLLIE Matinee” which airs every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. In many ways, the most important part of the video process (including script, story board, shooting, and editing) is watching the final product air on TV, and Amy makes sure that this part happens each week.
Finally, though it hasn’t been mentioned the biggest part of Amy’s work (as it is with every member of our team) is going to the schools and after-school centers and working directly with the students. Amy has a gift for working with students, and a strong background in video production that results in both high-quality student videos and high-impact learning.
Impact Quote:
Amy’s professionalism, demeanor, talent, and organizational skills have secured her a full-time position with GRTV to continue on as the office manager and instructor for the MoLLIE project upon the expiration of her VISTA tenure.
As a long time supervisor and department head, I have seldom had a team member that consistently performs at the high levels of excellence as does Amy McKenzie. The VISTA program should be very proud to have her as an alumna.