Bob Asmussen: And now, live from DACC, the news
Jun. 27—When he started teaching Introduction to TV Production at Danville Area Community College last fall, Pete Barrett worked again with an old "friend."
The "friend" was actually a studio set from Barrett's days at Champaign's WCIA, where he was production manager for eight years. In fact, he actually donated it to DACC during his time at the local CBS affiliate.
"I walked in there and I said 'Hey, I know this stuff,' " Barrett said.
Instead of ending up in a landfill, the set is serving a useful purpose as one of the tools for Barrett's growing class, which is held in the basement of the Clock Tower building.
First semester, four students signed up. Then eight in the second semester. There is room for 12 in the upcoming fall session. It is an elective worth three credits.
"Word of mouth gets you more students," Barrett said.
The goal of the course?
"What we're doing here primarily is teaching young people how to tell stories with pictures and sound," Barrett said. "My belief is that it removes it from the worrying about the media it is delivered in. The media is constantly changing. The thing that will remain a constant is the ability to operate a camera, to light a picture, to edit, to select music, to tell a story using those tools."
Students taking the class come from all different degree programs at DACC.
"When you get people in here, you see how they acclimate to the work," Barrett said. "Part of the reason you go to junior college is to figure out where your sweet spots are. It's just as valuable to find out where they aren't as it is where they are.
"I'm bringing in people and hopefully I get as many people as I can who find 'Wow, this doesn't feel like work. I love this.' Those are the people I'm looking for."
At WCIA, part of Barrett's job was hiring of entry-level camera operators. He got to know broadcasting educators at Parkland College and the University of Illinois.
"I was always hiring their people," Barrett said. "I'm hoping to get to the point where people want to hire mine."
Close
From left, with camera operator Nomorya White looking on, former WCIA producer Pete Barrett answers last-minute questions from Emily Jordan, creative content coordinator for Danville Area Community College, and guest Tonya Hill, executive director of the DACC Foundation, on the set on campus.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
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Shelves of paraphernalia line the studio at Danville Area Community College.
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Nomorya White, right, fastens a microphone to Tonya Hill, Executive Director of the DACC Foundation, before Hill is interviewed on the set at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
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Former WCIA producer Pete Barrett talks about teaching DACC students about TV journalism using the old WCIA set at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
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The lights behind the backboard on the old WCIA set at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
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L-R-Student Levi Omundson, instructor Pete Barrett and student Layla Martinez work the controls during Emily Jordan, Creative Content Coordinator for DACC, and guest Tonya Hill, Executive Director of the DACC Foundation interview in the studio through the window at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
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DACC student Layla Martinez keeps an eye on the monitors during production.
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Former WCIA producer Pete Barrett talks about teaching DACC students about TV journalism using the old WCIA set at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
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Emily Jordan, Creative Content Coordinator for DACC, and guest Tonya Hill, Executive Director of the DACC Foundation, are shown on the screen next to what has replaced a cue card with Jordan's opening monologue before the interview at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
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PHOTO GALLERY: And now, live from DACC, the news
Longtime WCIA production manager Pete Barrett is using a familiar studio to help teach students at Danville Area Community College the ropes about TV journalism.
From left, with camera operator Nomorya White looking on, former WCIA producer Pete Barrett answers last-minute questions from Emily Jordan, creative content coordinator for Danville Area Community College, and guest Tonya Hill, executive director of the DACC Foundation, on the set on campus.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Buy Now
Shelves of paraphernalia line the studio at Danville Area Community College.
* Robin Scholz photos/The News-Gazette
Buy Now
Nomorya White, right, fastens a microphone to Tonya Hill, Executive Director of the DACC Foundation, before Hill is interviewed on the set at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Buy Now
Former WCIA producer Pete Barrett talks about teaching DACC students about TV journalism using the old WCIA set at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
The lights behind the backboard on the old WCIA set at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Buy Now
L-R-Student Levi Omundson, instructor Pete Barrett and student Layla Martinez work the controls during Emily Jordan, Creative Content Coordinator for DACC, and guest Tonya Hill, Executive Director of the DACC Foundation interview in the studio through the window at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
DACC student Layla Martinez keeps an eye on the monitors during production.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Former WCIA producer Pete Barrett talks about teaching DACC students about TV journalism using the old WCIA set at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Emily Jordan, Creative Content Coordinator for DACC, and guest Tonya Hill, Executive Director of the DACC Foundation, are shown on the screen next to what has replaced a cue card with Jordan's opening monologue before the interview at Danville Area Community College on Tuesday, June 13, 2023.
* Robin Scholz/The News-Gazette
Band plan
Levi Omundson, a 32-year-old freshman from Parke County, Ind., took Barrett's class to help with his alternative rock band: Burdens Within.
"Knowing how to make videos and streaming," Omundson said. "I'm working toward building to make my own record label.
"It's important for my career. You learn how the production works to where you're better at it. If you're the person that's in the music video, you know how to talk to the cameras."
What grade did Omundson earn?
"I got a B," he said.
Omundson will be back at DACC in the fall, taking psychology, pep band and guitar lessons.
His future plans include traveling as Burdens Within's lead singer.
"Next year, I'm touring in Europe," Omundson said.
If Omundson hits it big, Barrett's class will have provided a boost. Perhaps a song dedication is coming in the future.
Origin story
Barrett, 68, was recruited by DACC to teach after he retired from WCIA. His 44 years in the TV biz included stops in Rockford, Washington, D.C., Cincinnati and Kansas City, Mo. He was creative services director in charge of marketing campaigns for the stations. Production was a secondary responsibility for Barrett, one he is making full use of at DACC.
Why teaching?
Part of it is personal. Barrett's family lives in Chicagoland. As retirement approached, he decided to move back to Illinois. DACC provided the perfect opportunity.
"I've been living all over the country and was only home for special events," he said. "Now, I can go out there every weekend,"
Barrett and wife Sheila live in Champaign. They've been married 38 years.
Lights, camera, action
Besides his teaching duties, Barrett is also involved in DACC's deal with Comcast's Cable Channel 5. He supervises content for the station.
"We have been using that to display the work we do here for the students as well as to run the sporting events coming out from Mary Miller Gymnasium," he said.
There are also shows and promotions for the college. And a cooperative effort with the community. The city of Danville is sending all of its videos.
"I want people to feel this is the place you can go to find out stuff about Vermilion County," Barrett said. "I'm going to put in stuff that's relevant and timely."
Turns out, DACC has talent — both in front of the camera and behind it.
On a Tuesday in June, Barrett and his students produced a taped segment with Tonya Hill, executive director of the DACC Foundation. She discussed how to land scholarships from the school.
The interview was conducted by Emily Jordan, DACC coordinator of creative content, and will be used both in-house and on Channel 5.
The studio is now fully functional with students taking the lead.
"I needed to teach them 'Everything you're going to be messing with when you're working in a studio environment,' " Barrett said.
Designed television sets aren't cheap. A station can spend $100,000 on an elaborate model.
"This is not that," Barrett said of the DACC studio. "This is what a TV station would have done 15, 16 years ago. Nowadays, everything is going with full-screen, plasma displays."
Maybe the fancy equipment comes later at DACC. Barrett's priority was getting the studio up and running. It is good to go.
Next item on his wish list is to add a second class. The planned course is currently being reviewed by a state board,
"A more advanced lesson plan where I can go out in the field and do parades and do it live," Barrett said.
Big fans
When Barrett asked students to help with last week's production, Layla Martinez and Nomorya White answered with a quick and enthusiastic "Yes."
The course has been a hit with students.
Martinez is a 19-year-old from Bismarck. The class gave her a new career path to consider.
"I think it's a great opportunity," Martinez said. "It's something I had been looking for since the class was introduced in the fall of last year.
"Honestly, it was one of my favorite things I've ever been able to do. I feel like it's opened a lot of windows for me. It was really exciting for me to take."
She enjoyed the creative freedom the class offered.
"I feel like I made a lot of fun, silly, interesting videos," Martinez said.
White, 22, a sophomore from Danville, had long been interested in TV production, both on-air and behind the scenes.
On screen, she became comfortable on camera.
"Sometimes, it's like it's not even there depending on what we're doing," White said.
Martinez plans to transfer to the University of Illinois after completing her work at DACC. She is majoring in communications with a minor in marketing.
Broadcasting "is something I'd definitely be interested in," Martinez said.
White wants to either go into business or accounting. Her experiences in Barrett's class will help.
"I can always take this with me," White said. "I kind of love it all."
When there is an advanced class, Martinez will sign up.
"There is just so much we have left to learn and so many things we could do, but we're not ready yet."
What's the most important lesson Martinez learned in the class?
"The value of teamwork," she said. "Going into it, I was really worried about getting along and working together. By the end of the semester, I felt that I really grew to learn everyone's strengths and weaknesses. It was my favorite thing about it."
Having Barrett as their instructor was a highlight.
"Pete's great," Martinez and White said in unison.
