You may see a green screen in the Learning Commons, but I doubt you know the whole story behind it. Here’s a little look of what goes on behind the scenes of the Crusader Nation News Broadcast.

The broadcast began in 2016, with an iPad and nine green posters taped together. We filmed in the “hobbit hole,” more commonly know as Mrs. Kelly Faulkner’s room.

It has come a long way since then. Now we have a Nikon D 550—I like to call it a fancy camera—and a real green screen. Junior Brooke Wood does all the magic behind the camera.

“Being on the broadcast team has been a really good experience because it has taught me real life skills like working with the camera and the green screen… I wanna do journalism in my career, that’s why I enjoy doing the broadcast,” said junior Brooke Wood.

Writing is the first step to what you see in your check-ins every Tuesday. It takes a lot of work to be creative, gather information and put it all in a script!

“Being a part of the broadcast team is a really cool experience. It can be kind of awkward sometimes to go back and watch myself, but I enjoy it because it’s an opportunity to get involved in the school in a new way,” said sophomore Delaney Wehde.

“The best part about filming the broadcast is how much it pushes me out of my comfort zone. I have never really enjoyed being on camera, so doing the broadcast has helped me get over that fear,” said junior Catie Poli.

The filming is a the best experience. If you see the journalism students before school using the green screen, I can guarantee we are saying the line “Welcome Crusader Nation” over and over again to get it right on film. Sorry to disappoint, but we do not memorize the entire broadcast.

“The hardest part about the broadcast is the talking. It’s actually kind of funny to mess up the words. One time, we were filming and I had to say “Walk of Darkness,” and I kept saying “Warkness.” It creates inside jokes for the journalism gang,” said junior Nick Bone.

High school broadcasting is a great way to explore your passions and get some time in the limelight. If you want to get involved in the magic, take Journalism!