Have a great tip that's been a big help to your broadcast program and made your life easier?  Share it with us!  Submit your tips and tricks (with photos and/or a headshot) to hsbj@rtndf.org and if we use them, we'll send you a check for $50! 

Check out the latest Tips and Tricks:

Nearly free hard drives!
From: Jeff Deitchman, Sherwood High School, Sandy Spring, MD

Problem: It would be very convenient if each of my students had his/her very own portable hard drive, but that’s way too expensive to even consider.

Solution: Cannabalize!! How many old computers are lying about your classroom/school/district?  How many more can you get in a heartbeat?  That's how many pocket-sized external hard drive storage units you can own.  Each holds gigs and gigs, and they're affordable enough to give to each of your students, if you'd like.

Electronics suppliers carry devices called "hard drive enclosures."  These are little aluminum boxes into which you insert the hard drive you liberate from those old computers.  This requires exactly one screwdriver and roughly twenty-six seconds of your time.  Bingo, you've got an entire hard drive to store/transfer/archive student work.  Students can save their work on these, freeing up storage space on your workstations.  You can erase all the operating system files from the drives you salvage, so you've got the whole thing available for your work. 

The enclosures come in two sizes, one to accommodate laptop-sized drives, one for desktop-sized.  They also come with a USBA cable.  The one I have cost--drum roll--about $15, though you can spend more and get nothing more for it.  Mine is made by a company called Nspire.  It works magnificently, and it is self-powered: no ac adapter needed.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Tripod Storage Solved!
From Steven Cortez, Blue Valley West HS, Overland Park, KS

Problem: Tripods stored leaning against each other in a corner will eventually fall and break. Laying them down takes too much room an they get tangled together too.

Solution: Go to the local hardware store. You’re looking for 6" sewer pipe for most tripods. Larger tripods may take 8” or more. Each tube will hold the folded tripod safely without bumping and breaking into another tripod, Cut the tubes on a table saw (your industrial technology teacher can help) about 16-18" inches long depending on your tripod, then make a box with a 4" lip on the bottom so the tubes will slant upwards, your box can vary in size to the number of tripods you have.  I numbered each tube, and engraved the same number on each tripod, I also have my cameras numbered. So when a student checks out camera #5 (they sign out the camera in another system I will share later) he takes tripod #5 and so on. I can tell at-a-glance from the number of tripods missing how many cameras are checked out. (No camera can be checked out w/o a tripod. It really helps me keep track of equipment.)

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Hiding a Lapel Mic
From Phil Harris

Problem: 
A. The mic clip for my lapel mic has been lost!
B. I need to hide a lapel mic in clothing.

Solution:
Take a piece of Scotch tape about 4” long and wrap it around the side of the lapel mic until it meets itself.  Now, reverse the move and wrap it back around the mic.  This will make the sticky side of the scotch tape be on the outside of the mic.  Flip up the collar of a shirt (sorry this won’t work on anything but a collared shirt) and stick the mic inside the collar just out of sight.  Route the cable around the collar until it reaches the back of the shirt and apply another piece of tape to secure it at the top of the spine.  Now let it drop down the back of the shirt to wherever it needs to go.  If you need to hide the cable you can just route it up to the top and drop it down inside the shirt.  Or you can make a tiny hole just big enough to feed the wire through under the collar where it would never show.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Tripods Can Wear a Toolbelt!
From Jen Cordin at Waubonsie Valley High School, Aurora, IL

Problem: In the studio, you always find it necessary for some nitnoid little stuff to be handy like extension cords, mics, masking tape, pencils, markers, etc.

Whatever it is you need, it always seems to be in another room, control room, in a drawer.

Solution: Let your tripods wear a toolbelt

Benefits: It’s better than trying to cable-tie everything to the legs of the tripod.

The power and video cables closer to the camera and stress free so there's less risk of stressing the ports on the camera.

You can keep some pockets stocked with tape labeling supplies, video cables, adapters, power cables, an extension cord, gaffer tape, extra media tapes, mics, mic flags, and anything else students might need on location. The more you can cut down on the time it takes to gather everything for a remote shoot, the better off.

The pockets can also temporarily hold anything that the camera operator or on-camera talent shouldn't have in their hands while they're in production like jingling keys or hall passes.

For more "formal" occasions like awards ceremonies, etc., the toolbelt can still travel with the tripod, but it can easily be taken off once you're on location. The pockets can still hold all the extra stuff, but the toolbelt can be tucked away somewhere nearby that is less obtrusive.

When you travel back to the studio, the toolbelt can be put back on the tripod for safe traveling. The fewer number of things students have in their hands when they are traveling with a camera and tripod, the better they can concentrate on the safe journey of that camera and tripod.

The toolbelts in the pictures came from at Home Depot for less than $20 each. They're canvas and the brand is called "WorkForce." You can get very expensive toolbelts but they’re unnecessary. These are very low level toolbelts - just one step above the little two-pocket apron with strings.

The belts are ideal for going on locations within the school building. Just wheel the tripod to the site and it doesn't need to be collapsed. But when an off campus remote shoot is required, the loose items can be packed into the camera case.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Headphone Keeper and Dongle Keeper
From Dave Ruby, Fairfax Academy, Fairfax, VA

Problem: Headphones and Dongles which must be plugged into NLE computers have a tendency to sprout legs and escape. Headphones can be replaced for about $10 for cheap ones but Dongles can cost hundreds of dollars to replace.

Solution: First, open the computer housing to gain access to the sturdy metal framework that holds the “guts” of the computer.

 

For the Headphone Keeper just find a place to Zip tie the cord which is out of reach of the average student. Typically this is at a fan vent for the computer. The only way a student will be able to steal the headphones is to A, cut the cord, which ruins the headphones, or B, break into the computer housing and cut the zip tie. . . far too much work for the average 16 year old.

 

For the Dongle Keeper, you’ll need to buy a USA extension cable at your local electronics store. The key is to find or create a hole in the computer housing which is small enough to allow the male (smaller) end of a USB extension cable to pass through, but too small to let the female (larger) end pass through. The Dongle is kept on the inside of the computer housing, and thus is never lost. In the pictures shown I happened to find a hole that was almost the exact same size as the male end of the extension cable. I fed the male end through the hole from the inside and connected the USB. Then I coiled the slack inside the computer housing to create a secondary line of defense. A student trying to get to the dongle would have to deal with trying to force the coil of cable through the small hole in addition to trying to get the dongle itself out. Again, far too much work for the average 16 year old. The only thing to be careful of with this situation is that the dongle itself does not end up shorting out your computer by bridging electrical connections inside the computer. Be sure to coil the cable and keep it away from interior components.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

A Tripod You Can Make in Seconds!
From: Phil Harris

Problem: You know you need a tripod to get a stable shot but you do not have time to set one up or you don’t have one with you. How can you get a very stable shot without a tripod?

The reason a tripod works so well is it has three legs. The three legs, when spread apart, prevent the head of the tripod from leaning in any direction. The reason you get such jerky and unsteady shots when you hold a camera in your arms is a combination of many factors working against you. You breathe, your arms get tired, sometimes you close one eye and only see the world through your viewfinder (not recommended, by the way) and you stand on your own two legs. Two legs. You naturally will sway when balanced on two legs whether you have a camera in your hands or not. The problem is made even worse if you close your eyes. You probably already know if you spread your feet apart a bit wider than your shoulders you are a little steadier. However, you need a third leg for a tripod effect.

Solution: Lean on something! Spread your legs apart and then lean back into a wall or lean forward onto an object like a car. The wall/car can function as the “third” leg of the tripod you create with your own body. How much you are leaning matters. Here’s the rule of thumb: You need to have your body’s center of gravity against the object you lean on. That is, if you try to stand back up straight, you must move one of your two feet to “rise.” If you are leaning so much that you can’t just lean back standing up straight, you are leaning the right amount and your shot is perfectly stable.

True, this solution doesn’t address the up/down motion of breathing, but it goes a long way toward solving the swaying problem.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Cheap Way to Reshape a Shadow Pattern
From: Phil Harris

Problem: Your lighting instruments have barn doors on them that cause unsightly straight-line shadow patterns on your set. If you open the barn doors all the way to get rid of the obvious straight line shadows, you’re splatting light everywhere.

Solution: Make a trip to your local supermarket! Purchase a roll of heavy duty­ (the stuff used to line barbeque grills – not the stuff used to cover a casserole). Tear off a piece that is 4 or 5 feet long (the length will depend on the size of your barn doors – experiment – foil is cheap!) and curl it into a large cylinder with the shiny side on the inside of the cylinder. Fold over the seam a couple of times and pinch it so it remains in a cylinder. Now take some metal paper clips or some small metal binder clips and attach one end of the cylinder to the barn doors of your instrument. You have effectively created what is called a “snoot” – an extension on the front of the instrument. Because it is made of thin aluminum foil you can shape the open end of the “snoot” any way you like to create very interesting light and shadow patterns.

WARNING: SAFETY ISSUE: Fire hazard – do not use plastic paper clips or any kind of tape (Scotch, Masking, Duct) to attach the aluminum foil to the barn doors. They are all flammable!

Getting a Package from a Computer to an Analog Switcher
From:  Janet Kerby, Roane County High School, Spencer, WV

Problem:  Your switcher only accepts s-video or composite inputs.  Yet, you want to to roll packages in from the hard drive of the editing computer using FCP.  The computer only has firewire out and the switcher won’t accept firewire.
 
Solution:  Use an old, inexpensive camcorder to convert the signal.  The camcorder allows pass-through and in the process converts it to a signal the switcher will accept.

Here’s how:  Connect the firewire from the computer to the camera.  Using the A/V out cables that came with the camera, connect the camera to the inputs on your switcher.  If you prefer, you can use an s-video out from the camera and the audio from the A/V out cables.  Turn the camera on in playback mode.  The packages are loaded in FCP, external video is turned on and when the script calls for the package, simply start playing it in the FCP window.  It passes smoothly through the camcorder and into the switcher.

Bonus:  This method also works in reverse if you want to capture from an analog device.  These cables are not one-way streets; they carry the signal both ways and the camera will allow the pass-through conversion.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Small Expensive Devices that Sprout Legs!
From: Louise Harrell Grant, Irmo High School, Columbia, SC

Problem: My small but expensive devices disappear way too often.

Solution: Make them too big and bulky to fit into a book bag comfortably or too dorky-looking to walk away with. Figure out a way to wrap them, using a ton of tape (to make them way too much trouble to unwrap) around basically any bulky item - an empty external hard drive; a plastic toy ball and chain; a megaphone.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Removable Backdrops
From: Chris Holcomb, Ola High School, McDonough, GA

Problem: It is time consuming to have to paint and repaint the wall behind talent when you are trying to get a different “look.”  An easily customized background is just the ticket!

Solution: Obtain fabric in the desired color, texture, and size necessary to completely cover all the background wall seen in the image in the camera.  Attach Velcro to fabric and the mate for the Velcro to the wall behind the talent.  Use at least a four foot piece of Velcro on both the top and the bottom of the fabric so the cloth can be stretches tightly.  You can have many colors of background wall as you like and can change them easily and quickly.  No longer do you have to repaint the wall over and over again to get a different “look.”If you use white Velcro and the cinderblock wall is also white the Velcro stuck to the wall will blend right in with the white paint.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Organizing Cables
From: Phil Harris

Problem: After kids use cables you usually end up with a pile of black spaghetti that takes valuable time to untangle.

Solution: You need cable ties. There are many kinds of cable ties:

There are the plastic wrapped wire “twisties” that come with every electronic item to tame the cables in the box. These are the same things that hold kids toys in their boxes. These are free until you lose them.

Hardware stores will be happy to sell you cable ties that are NON-releasable. After you coil the cables neatly, put one of these ties on the coil and it will not come off – which is the problem – it won’t come off when you need to use the tie again. It must be cut off.

You can purchase Releasable Cable Ties from electronics suppliers like Comprehensive or Valiant or Markertek but long, strong fingernails are needed to press the tiny catch to release the tie. There is an ongoing cost of these cable ties because they will be lost.

There are some cable ties use Velcro attachments. These are permanently attached to one end of the cable so they can’t be lost and once the cable is coiled, a simple wrapping of the Velcro strap will hold the cables. There aren’t cheap if you need a lot of them.

The best cable ties I’ve ever seen are Bongo Ties. These are reusable, impossible to lose because they slip on the user’s wrist when taken off the cable. They operate just like a girl’s pony tail tie except they are made with a rubber “band” made from the inner tube of a motorcycle tire. It is virtually impossible to break! They are extremely inexpensive and come in bags of ten or in bulk from the manufacturer: www.bongoties.com

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Keeping Track of Wired or Wireless Mics With Small Loose Parts
From: Louise Harrell Grant, Irmo High School, Columbia, SC

Problem: Can't keep track of the small pieces of your wireless mic set (or other multi-part items)? Do your kids mix up the different pieces of one set with another set.

Solution: Find some sort of canvas bag or other closable casing. Lowe's sells canvas bags with zippers, or you may be able to get a local bank to donate some old deposit bags - especially if the bank has changed names recently (and what bank hasn't?!)

To keep track of what parts go with which set, invest in a set of different colors of electrical tape (dollar stores are great places to look for this). Wrap the tape around the container and around each part of a set.

Phil Harris adds: Another option would be to invest in an engraving pen and a paint pen. Give each set a “number” or “letter” and then engrave each item in a set with the engraver. Then go over the engraving grooves with the paint pen. Before the paint dries wipe off the paint on the surface and the paint in the “groove” of the engraving will be left behind leaving a neat, professional looking identifier.

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!

Solution:  You can make your own hard shell case.  Here’s how.  Thoroughly wrap your camera in a plastic bag.  Tape down all the loose edges so it is a tight package.  Find a Playmate-type (one with a built in handle) cooler that the camera will fit into.  Go to the hardware store and buy a can of spray foam insulation (the kind that hardens.)  Spray the bottom of the cooler several inches thick.  Allow it to moderately harden and place your camera in on it.  Gently push down to make an impression for about ¼ of the thickness of the camera.  Leave the camera there and let the insulation fully harden.  (See the side of the can for hardening times.)  Take a piece of ¼” plywood or fiberboard Masonite and cut a hole in it that your camera will go through and then cut the outside so it will fit on top of the foam around your camera.  The idea is for you to create a rectangular “donut” with the “hole” the size of the camera.  Drill a hole through two opposite sides of the plywood and take a heavy piece of cord and stick it thru each hole and tie a knot in it to keep it from pulling out.  The loop will function as a handle to remove the top piece of foam insulation that we haven’t made yet.  Now spray more insulation in effect “burying” your camera.  Completely cover the camera and the inside of the cooler.  Make certain that you have pulled the “handle” higher than the foam.  Now let the top piece of foam harden.  The plywood separator will keep the “top” from attaching to the “bottom” foam.  The plywood actually becomes the sturdy bottom of the top piece of foam and the plastic wrapping the camera protects the camera.  After the top hardens, you will be able to lift the top foam out using the handle.  Pull it out gently and evenly.  It will “stick” a bit to the plastic covering the camera inside the mold.  When the top is finally off, reach in and gently pull your plastic-wrapped camera out of the bottom “mold.”   Remove the plastic from your camera and using your fingers or a utility knife, you can shave and trim up any loose piece of insulation making a smooth mold for both the top and bottom of your camera.  Voila!  You have made a rigid carrying case for the safe transport of your camera!

Have a Tip or Trick of your own? Share it with us!

Want to discuss this further?  Go to the Teachers Forum!