Eagle Media has more to offer than their student-led newscast or sports broadcast—they also help produce television shows.
Students from Eagle Media are assisting in production of“The Verdict,” a weekly television show hosted by former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett and Kent Meyers, an Oklahoma lawyer who co-founded Oklahoma Lawyers for Children.
The show has recently begun production in Oklahoma Christian University’s Crehan Studio, with select Oklahoma Christian students assisting the production team in taping the show.
Blake Mayfield is the student manager for Eagle Media and the primary student assistant for the production. He recently sat down with the Talon to discuss the show.
What is “The Verdict”?
It is a talk show broadcasted on Cox Communications channel 3. It is hosted by Mick Cornett and Kent Meyers; they talk about different political and social events that are happening in Oklahoma City or Oklahoma in general.
For example, they [invite guests] such as President deSteiguer, Susan Shields, who is the OBA Bar President, or Jeff Dismukes, who is the director of communications for the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services.
They range from political topics to social stuff that affects Oklahoma. It gets filmed here, edited, then aired and reran throughout the month.
Why did they choose to film at Oklahoma Christian?
Their studio in Tulsa was in the process of closing down. We are a close studio to the Oklahoma City area. Another possibility was Norman, but we are closest to Oklahoma City so more people could come in. Also, we do broadcast [Eagle Angle] on Cox, so they put two and two together that we are a Cox studio.
How did you start working on the show?
Since I am the Eagle Angle director and student manager and technical support for Eagle Media, it kind of fell in my category, and I took it as a project that needed to be done; getting all the lights set up, making sure all the cameras are clean. I knew this was a great opportunity to get this experience as a student to work with a professional crew and meet their standards.
What are your duties in production?
It changes from show to show. The last taping I was in charge of graphics operations, such as title cards, as well as timekeeping. Their show is 28 minutes and 30 seconds long, and they have certain breaks, and I have to keep track. I have a timer, and I have to talk with the talents saying, “Hey, you have five minutes to toss this question,” or, “After this break, you will have one minute to close the show.”
What have you learned from working on the show?
One of the things I have learned is how to be flexible. Coming into this, I thought I was going to be a supervisor; I would be sitting in the back and spectating, helping, maybe running a camera. The day of the show, they said they needed me to timekeep for a show I have never seen. I thought, “OK, I guess that is my job now, and I have to be a little flexible.” That is one thing we get taught here: how to be flexible and if that is the job that needs to be done, then do it.
Some students in other departments may not be familiar with Eagle Media. What should others know about this production?
It is a cool opportunity that Eagle Media and Oklahoma Christian have been chosen for this production. Even though there are other schools, there is the University of Oklahoma or Oklahoma City University that they could have selected, they picked us as their home for “The Verdict.” It brings a lot of notoriety to our department, and I am excited to see how it grows even after I graduate.
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