EDITING
As the most experienced anchor on the News Crew, I also manage the editing of special segments. I’ve spent countless hours before and after school and during my lunch period sitting in front of a Mac, eyes glued to Davinci Resolve as I drag and drop video clips and engage in the tedious process of making the best video production I can — all of which certainly fuel my perfectionist tendencies.
Davinici Resolve is an editing software developed by Blackmagic Design. Admittedly, when I first began using the software I was frustrated — I mean what the heck (pardon my French) is chroma keying, fusion vfx, resolve fx, and fairlight audio?
Firstly, with my two years of experience, I learned that the best rendered product can only come from quality video, audio, lighting, and framing. It doesn’t matter how many transitions or effects you slap on a production, if the foundation isn’t solid, nor will the finalized product.
With that, I mastered using the Canon EOSR7 with both a 50 mm and a 18-35 mm lens, a Shure SM7B mic, and a Nan Light FS300 to ensure our audio and visual quality is up to par while being filmed with 4K resolution. I learned to do on-site interviews with a portable Nan Light, the 18-35 mm lens and a Canon EOSR7 camera, a tripod, and a Rhode NTG5 Boom mic.
Broadcasting is about clear communication through the marriage of visual and auditory aspects and if one facet is lacking, you lose your audience.
Once there is a quality foundation, there can be quality editing. To chroma key, I have to remove the color in the background and replace with the NCHS Live! logo.
There is some unavoidable static that can hum in the background of a video when recording in a busy space, even if quality mics are used. To remove that hum and capture conversation better, my go-to is a noise reduction effect with the speech mode and learned audio toggles on. If the hum is still a little loud, I’ll add a de-hummer or de-esser to clear that up.
I learned to use transitions appropriately as well as lower-thirds and titles. I also learned how to effectively incorporate B-Roll to develop a story or allow a deeper connection with the audience by providing a sense of context or setting by clipping and inserting it at a proper time.
Finally, there’s fusion. The beast, blessing, and curse of all editing. It is fun and adds such an exquisite touch to any rendered production, but it is very difficult to navigate. I admit, it is still a skill I am trying to master, and I won’t stop until I do. Essentially, fusion is, hence the name, the fusion of motion graphics, 3D modeling, and effects into a singular output.
I realize editing often refers to the exhaustive review process before publishing articles and social media posts, which I do engage in before I submit my work to be reviewed, but I am solely responsible for editing those segments on the News and therefore invest my time in the video editing, broadcast, and productions processes.
My favorite editing moment was when we were short-staffed on news anchors and I was the only one available so I did what any lone reporter would do…
Yes, I edited myself to be on the screen twice, simultaneously, by using a split screen. These are the moments I will miss most about editing for my high school news.
LEADERSHIP
I never want peoples’ respect for me to be based in fear or a sense of inferiority. As John Maxwell delineated in one of his books, The 5 Levels of Leadership, the first and lowest level of respect comes from positional leadership. The idea that just because “you’re an editor” or “you’re my boss” I will work hard and follow you. The leader I strive to be is a pinnacle leader, which as Maxwell explained, is the highest, most genuine form of leadership in which people follow you because of who you are, what you represent, and your actions, and perhaps more importantly, you as the leader feel genuinely fulfilled when your followers surpass your accomplishments.
Being the face that North Central Panthers start the school days off with is a lot of responsibility: nearly 4,000 students everyday, regardless of what classes they’re taking, what diploma track they’re on, or what extracurricular activities they indulge in, see and hear what I have to report on. I don’t explicitly tell the student body to be modest, respectful, courageous, honest, moral, or thoughtful, but I hope that through my actions and the way I carry myself I am a leader to all the students who sit from their varying first period classes with their heads lifted to see the screen.
And better yet, when a student I have never known before comes to me and asks how to be a part of the journalism program or for general advice on school itself, I feel honored and give the most wholehearted, thoughtful response because I hope and pray for their success just as much as my own.
Within the journalism program itself and as the senior, most experienced, anchor for NC News, I have accepted a leadership role to designate which anchors will report at which games and who will be involved in which special segments. I sometimes take a step back and, instead of being the interviewer myself, I will train an onboarding anchor so once I leave they will be able to keep the quality and honor of NC News going.
LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE
TEAM BUILDING
Nothing says team building like spirit week. And no one does spirit week like the NC student journalists.
Whether the theme is Barbie vs. Oppenheimer, favorite holiday, tropical, pajamas, teacher-student swap, red-out, journalism hoodie day, or dress like an athlete, the spirit ambassador will always be a journalist student.
It’s not just because we know how to dress well — which is most undoubtedly an accurate statement — but also because we know how to work well together and are willing to go the extra mile to build upon our sense of community.
In addition to our commitment to coordinated dressing, we also bond through our posters. Allow me to explain — each semester there is a new prompt aligned with a relevant topic in popular culture or simply an idea that tickles our creative, journalistic minds and we make posters that reflect that.
For instance, in the first semester of the 23-24 school year when the remnants of the summer-type Barbie and Oppenheimer hype still floated in the air, we made posters where half of the staff were Barbs and other half were secret agents. This collectible-card themed poster allowed students walking by the journalism room to appreciate our humor but allowed us, the staff, to laugh a little while making good-natured nicknames for one another and watching our alter-egos come on print. I was Super Salsabil Barbie that time around. Second semester I was no longer a Barbie but I did earn a new nickname — Swagalicious Salsabil — and it makes sense since I am pretty swag.
The journalism staff is like a loving, extended family. We are also like a never-complete Jigsaw puzzle in the sense that we are always getting new pieces each semester yet, regardless of its changes, there is always a beautiful, cohesive image that can be admired for all the work that went in to piecing it together.
My immediate journalism family, however, will always be my first News Crew in the 22-23 school year. Age wise, I was the youngest of us five and felt like the younger sister of the group. Our on-screen chemistry and small talk came naturally and allowed lots of laughs not just amongst ourselves, but to all the students watching. It was like the first season of your favorite comedy show where the original cast is all happy and the plot line is immaculate.
It was amazing working with them and our work ethic balanced with our amazing teamwork and humor allowed that school year to be the best of my high school experience. We practically embodied the definition of team bonding.
SALSABIL QADDOURA 