The Mane - Season 9 - ID# 297

Metea Valley
News Program
Entry Description

This episode of The Mane explores Moose & Me, Fortune with Emir, JoJo's Shake Bar, and more!

Copyright Info

Recent Teacher Comments

  • 4/17 10:48 am - Matthew has a great on-camera presence—confident and engaging. He interacts naturally with the camera, and the b-roll enhances the visual appeal, especially in community stories. In the Downtown Naperville segment, labeling someone only as an “employee” weakens the story—always try to include names and titles. Audio was clear and well-balanced, which is a big plus. Watch out for jump cuts; while they’re fine for social media, they’re generally discouraged in traditional news formats. The intro looked sharp, though watch the headroom in framing. The Moose and Me feature was a highlight—great job getting into the community and telling meaningful stories. Compared to that, the fortune segment felt out of place and less polished. While it might aim for humor, it didn’t match the tone of the stronger pieces. Consider if it adds value or distracts from the overall quality of your show. Keep pushing your strengths!
  • 3/3 7:15 am - Matthew does a nice job on camera and has a good persona and interacts well with the camera. Nice b-roll in in segments. In the Downtown Naperville one you just call the person an “employee.” You should identify the people so we know who they are. Did the reporter forget to write down their name? Audio is good. You have a number of jumpcuts. Jumpcuts are OK for social media and YouTube, but in traditional newscasts is it still frowned upon.
  • 3/1 10:26 pm - Nice intro, looked great. Picky, but watch the headroom on Matthew. Great story with Moose and Me. Love to see you get out into the community. Honestly, your community packs were much stronger than the fortune feature. It could be funny, but I think it cheapens your show. The stories are so good that surround it.
Judge 1

Positives: The news packages on Moose & Me and JoJo’s Shake Bar were solid with in depth, professional interviews and a commendable amount of b-roll. Using more voiceover from the reporters the would help tell the story of the businesses. The Summer Smash segment was a creative overview of the festival. Anchor Matthew Bigham has a strong, energetic and professional delivery.

Improvements: Few news programs just string together different segments. Try letting the anchor deliver some short news stories, such as school announcements, and adding sports and weather for a more well-rounded program showcasing a variety of news-gathering skills. One fun segment, like Emoji Pictionary, is appropriate for a student audience. It introduced viewers to some of the student body. However, the fortune teller segment was more appropriate for a comedy variety show.

Judge 2

Positives: Different sort of show, had more of a magazine feel than a regular newscast. Having said that, the students did a great job. Very strong production. stories were interesting, anchor had very good energy

Improvements: I would have put the fortune teller story last...seems more like an ender than something in the middle. Plus the shake shop story naturally would follow right after the donut store.

Judge 3

Positives: Matthew’s Hosting Overall positive feedback, but considering pacing adjustments helps viewers follow along better. Moose and Me Baking Company Story The story itself is inspiring, and you express appreciation for it overall. Summer Smash Story Cool post-production edits with effective use of audio to enhance changes in visuals. Well done on adding energy and engagement. Emoji Pictionary Story Fun concept that is engaging and creative. The idea is strong and adds an entertaining element to the newscast.

Improvements: Matthew’s Hosting Slow down your pace a little to ensure viewers can follow and understand more clearly. Moose and Me Baking Company Story For the interview shot with Megan, she should be looking across at the interviewer, not directly at the camera. This makes the interaction feel more natural and conversational. Eliminate the ping pong b-roll during the interview and instead cover the interview with more content of the bakery to add depth and relevance. At around 0:58, ask the owner for photos of when her daughter was young to add a personal and emotional touch to the story. Always try to gather more content than you think you’ll use—this gives you flexibility in editing and ensures you have enough material to tell a complete story. Consider revisiting for extra content if needed rather than trying to make do with what’s initially captured. Break down Megan’s story and tell it yourself to add more polish and coherence to the narrative. Consider interviewing another employee to evoke more emotion and offer additional perspectives that could enrich the story. Fortune with Emir The shot feels one-dimensional; consider adding a light on the back curtain to create depth of field and make the scene more dynamic. Unclear purpose of this piece in the context of a news-related package. Clarify its relevance or adjust its framing to make it fit the overall theme. JoJo’s shakeBAR Improve interview angle, lighting, and environment: Use a lighting kit to enhance the shot and bring the camera to eye level with the interviewee. Ensure the interviewee is speaking to the interviewer, not directly at the camera, for a more natural interaction. After establishing the interviewee, cover more of the interview with b-roll. Avoid leaving the interviewee uncovered for more than 10 seconds. Show the shakes that are being discussed in the story—this visual element is missing, which makes the story feel incomplete. If the shop can’t provide shakes without a purchase, use social media platforms (Instagram, TikTok) to showcase the shakes and add visual appeal. Emoji Pictionary Story Ensure that the background music doesn’t overshadow the answers from participants; balance the audio so the focus remains on the responses. Use a stick mic for a more dynamic interaction. Having someone man the camera could also help improve mobility and avoid the repetitive hallway shot as a backdrop. Ensure consistent placement of participants so the graphic doesn't cover them up, and their responses are clearly visible.

Judge 4

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Judge 5

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