Cameras steady, audio synced and headphones on. The members of Audio-Visual Production team have to stay focused and steady with each different movement carefully and calculated as there is no room for error once the pep rally begins.
The Media Students, specifically those enrolled in the AV Production classes, work behind the scenes to make each pep rally a spectacle. From the audio manager to the assistant cameramen, each of the seven members has a purpose.
“If everyone is doing their job and everyone is doing a hundred percent, then you have a quality production, just like a team sport,” AV Production teacher Brandon Jackson said.
Before each pep rally starts, the students gather and test all of the equipment. Audio boards, cameras, videos, microphones and scripts are passed out, all in preparation for students to fill the gym.
“As soon as the bell rings we have pretty much all of our equipment gathered to take it upstairs from the basement to the gym,” Sophomore, Technical Director Kennedy Delpho said.
During the pep rallies, each group member has a specific role. The audio manager has to follow a specific script of sounds and songs given to them, and manage the volume of each. The cameramen have to stay steady and make sure they have an interrupted shot at all times.
“The most important thing is to pay attention,” Jackson said. “Camera operators have to be constantly paying attention to what’s going on.”
Integral to each pep rally is leadership. As each event is student-led and under intense time constraints, clear instructions and leadership are vital. Audio Manager senior Ryan Moore works to make sure AV team members work in tandem with each other to produce a seamless show.
“You have to be willing to be a leader and find out what’s going on,” Moore said. “I spend most of my time running around to figure out what people need.”
The nature of a live broadcast doesn’t allow for individual work, but collaboration and focus instead. If one person makes a mistake, it can affect the whole team.
“If you are not on the same page with everyone in the production, things can go downhill so fast,” Delpho said.
Once the pep rally concludes, the Media team works to pack up all of the equipment, and return it back into the basement, ready for the next event. In addition to pep rallies, AV Production students also make hype videos and and coordinate livestreams, all under the HP Media Program.
“They’re reporters, they’re going out and getting video footage of an event,” Jackson said “So depending on the students and the level, what I depend on them for might adjust.”
Parents who aren’t able to watch their kids’ extracurricular activities can access the livestreams of each pep rally, and videos through the HPHS website.
“I think that a really important part of the pep rally is parents, who don’t get to see their kids perform in band, cheer, bells or any of that.” Delpho said “They can watch the live streams.”
Working behind the scenes in any production can come without recognition or thanks, but the success of each pep rally ensures that their hard work is recognized.
“It’s kind of a thankless job for some of these kids,” Jackson said. “I really do feel like the pep rallies would not be the same without my team.”
