The Miller-Driscoll Morning Show aired it’s 500th episode on Valentine's Day. It’s first show ran on Monday March 7, 2016 and it has come a long way since then. “In the beginning there were two go-pro cameras and two tripods donated from the High School, we bought our own lights at the hardware store and volunteers painted the green screen onto a wall’ said Mr Skip, one of the two advisors for the MDTV club.
From humble beginnings a truly amazing, award winning, school phenomenon has been created. MDTV has its own dedicated studio space with space for the two teams to work to create each daily show. The birthday squad announces birthdays every day. The anchor desk crew cover lots of ground, from the weather, to what’s for lunch to motivational quotes and noteworthy things that have happened on this day in history.
During their first full year of operation, the team showed determination and patience as they worked around the school renovation. ‘We had to put stuff up and take it down every day’ reminisces Mr. Skip ‘We were sharing our space with the staff lounge!’ During school year 2016-17 the team upgraded their green screen to a hand-made green felt screen and managed to secure a grant from the Wilton Education Foundation to buy their first professional camera. Wilton Continuing Education provided more lights for the group.
Now in it's fourth 'Season' MD-TV has 20 students in each before school club that runs 4 sessions a year. Whether you are in kindergarten on 2nd grade, you are welcome to submit an application to the lottery. The crew does everything on set from directing, sound, anchors, prompter, lighting, sound, marker and camera director.
Examples of the morning show can be found here
Watching the first show and the 500th show highlights the amazing transformation that has been achieved in three short years. There are no more rustling scripts, the sound is perfectly recorded and the video is professional quality.
MDTV was the vision of Skip Ploss and Bryan Ennis who came up with the idea of the Morning Show that would be in charge of announcements that were previously delivered over the school’s PA system.
The show changes organically over time and has grown to incorporate inspirational quotes and commercials for events happening in and around the school. The show has even borrowed the idea of a Cold Opening and sometimes starts with visits to classrooms and enthusiastic greetings from 20 students.
‘The eight weeks the kids are involved in the show really boosts their confidence’ Said Mr Ennis ‘They leave here feeling that they really can do anything and that it’s OK to make mistakes’
The grown-ups are in charge of the scripts and editing the show but the kids do everything else. ‘The kids sometimes edit on-air if they don’t like the way something sounds’ said Mr Skip ‘We encourage ad-libbing’
The show is driven by life in the building, the adults hope one day that the kids will edit more of the script. During their 8 weeks on the show, each student undertakes a range of roles. Everyone gets a chance to be a news anchor. Parents love to watch the shows and send the videos to proud relatives.
There is also an after school club run through Wilton Continuing Ed called On Air.
