When I began my Communications 2440 class this semester, I had little to no experience with editing videos. The first day I walked into class and heard everyone’s experience with editing, I felt nervous. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with everyone else’s pace, but I proved myself wrong. Because of Mrs. Gilbert’s help and answers along the way, and me taking time to stay after class to finish an assignment, I completed everything to the best of my ability. Although I walked into class nervous with little experience in editing videos, I can proudly say that I am finishing this class knowing how to do voiceovers, news packages, interviews, lower thirds, and several other skills.

The first post is titled, “This is Who I Am.” In this post, I introduce myself. I state my major, minor, concentration, and the variety of organizations that I am apart of. I also mention that after graduating, I hope to one day become a Broadcast Meteorologist. I believe that this class has help prepare me for the field of work that I want to pursue.

My second post is titled, “My First Post.” In this post, I was supposed to explain why I chose the specific beat that I did which is, my sisterhood, Sigma Sigma Sigma. Tri Sigma has helped me in various ways by getting me involved, creating lifelong friendships, and giving me the opportunity to serve and be a leader. Several students want to get involved on campus but don’t know how. I wanted to use my website to share with students that Greek Life can be for everyone! In this post, I included a 40 second video describing why I wanted to do my beat about my sisterhood, and the ways it has impacted my life.

My third post is titled, “Five Shot Sequence.” This is the day we learned how to do a five shot sequence video. When I heard the title of the video, I immediately got nervous because it was going to be my first time filming and editing clips for a video. After being partnered up, we walked around campus to find something that interested us to film. I remember my partner and I walking into this lady’s office asking if we could film her. She responded with, “Sure, but you better get an A!” We took five different, 10 second video clips from all different angles. After getting the clips we headed back to the class to edit them. Surprisingly, editing a five shot sequence is more fun than I thought. We edited each clip down to three seconds and added music.

My fourth post is titled, “Greek Letters Everywhere.” This post was another five shot sequence video but with a voiceover. I filmed Abbie Ramos setting up the Sigma letters in front of the Tri Sigma house. I wanted to show how sororities and fraternities showcase their Greek Letters all over campus. When recording the voiceover, I had a few challenges. I had to make the voiceover the correct length of the video, while also lining up my words with what was happening in the video. It took me a few tries, but sure enough, I eventually got it.

My fifth post is titled, “Sigmas and S’mores.” This post we learned how to include an interview into our video. I like adding interviews because I believe it makes the video more personal, and allows viewers to get a perspective from someone involved. When I added the voiceover, I muted the background noise so the viewer could focus on the images and what I was saying. I also learned how to add the lower third bar to the video. This gives the person’s name I’m interviewing, and where we are located.

My sixth post is titled, “Intramurals with Sigmas.” This post contained five shot sequence clips, an interview, and a voiceover. Although this video sounds similar to my last post, I did try something new. Instead of muting the background noise when doing my voiceover, I decided to lower the noise just enough to understand what I was saying, but high enough to where it can still be heard. This makes the viewer feel like they are apart of what they’re watching.

My seventh post is titled, “Practice Stand-up.” This week we were beginning to learn how to do a news package. Mrs. Gilbert wanted us to get comfortable by practicing the stand-up part by itself. This way when we begin the real news package, we will know what to do.

My eighth post is titled, “News Package.” This post was my first, and sadly, my only news package due to us moving class to online. I enjoyed learning how to do a News Package and including more clips, voiceovers, and interviews. I believe learning how to do this really prepared me and showed me what it is going to be like in the Broadcasting industry. The news package was my favorite assignment we did in the class.

Due to the Coronavirus outbreak, all classes were moved from face-to-face, to online. Because of this, not every student in our class has access to editing software or a computer. Mrs. Gilbert came up with a great idea to continue filming and posting videos by coming up with video diaries. I loved this idea because when someone asks what the COVID-19 Pandemic was like, I will have these videos to explain what was happening and how I was coping with it.

I have four Video Diaries, and the first is titled, “COVID-19 Video Diary #1.” In this video, I explained where I am and what I’m doing during this crazy time. The second video diary is titled, “COVID-19 Video Diary #2.” In this video, I explained how I have been dealing with quarantine. I also added clips of my family explaining what they have been doing and what this devastating time has taught them. The third video diary is titled, “Easter Sunday Video Diary #3.” In this video, I showed how my family and I celebrated Easter. It was definitely different from any other Easter Sunday we have celebrated. The fourth video diary is titled, “COVID-19 Experience Video Diary #4.” In this video I talked about where I was when I found out the seriousness of the coronavirus. I also added clips of my mom, younger sister, my boyfriend, and Survivor contestant, Keith Nale. Each video diary is different and each one progressed as I began to edit on Imovie.

For my final video diary titled, “Sisterhood Finale, Final Video Diary,” I wanted to talk about my beat. I expressed what Tri Sigma has given me and ways that it can impact those who aren’t involved in Greek Life. I mentioned how our events were cut short due to COVID-19. To end the video on a happy note, I added Big/Little reveal videos to show that sororities not only give you big and littles, it gives you friendships that last a lifetime.

I really enjoyed my Communications 2440, Video Production class. I have learned and grown so much from the first day until now. I am more confident in my editing skills and can’t wait to use them in my future.

Since my last post, The Life of a Sigma Sunday News Package, a great deal has changed. The Coronavirus Pandemic has grown and spread throughout the United States. The severe spread has caused several changes to our normal, daily, lives. Instead of living on campus in the dorms, I am now living back at home with my family in Boerne, Texas.

Classes have been permanently transferred to online for the rest of the Spring semester for safety purposes. All student organized events and gatherings have been postponed or cancelled, as well as several restaurants, stores, and buildings on NSU campus.

Because of these changes, there was no reason for me to stay on campus, when I could be at home with my family where it is safe. The week before Spring break, my parents drove down to Natchitoches, Louisiana, to help me pack all of my belongings in my dorm room up and take them to my storage unit before returning back to Texas.

It feels good to be at home with my family and know that everyone is safe and healthy. The Coronavirus has caused several changes to our daily routines, but I pray that a cure for this horrible virus is quickly created, so an end to this devastating time will come.

Sigma Sigma Sigma partners with our alumnae, who works at Eden Gardens, to help make Happy Feet for the kids in her class. This has become a tradition at the Tri Sigma house, and all of the girls love doing it. They gather in the chapter room, lay a tarp down, get the cutouts spread out, hot glue guns plugged in, and the girls ready. The Sigma girls turn on some music and begin gluing the rubber bands and colorful pom pom balls onto the cutout. When all of the components are put on, it becomes Happy Feet! The Sigma girls then grab the Happy Feet and pose for a group picture.

After the Happy Feet Service Project is complete, the girls prepare for the weekly meeting held on Sunday night at 6:30. At this meeting, the Sigma girls grab the paper that has the minutes on it, and take a seat. When it’s time for the meeting to begin, the girls stand up for the opening prayer. They then start with the officer reports, then move into committee reports, advisor reports, joys and concerns, and end with a prayer as well. The Sigma girls are then dismissed to head home. They catch up with each other and say their goodbyes.

This is the Inside Scoop of a Sigma Sunday.

This is a practice stand-up assignment for class, that will be used in the future for another project. I learned how the different aspects of videoing, such as, details, lighting, and sound, affect a good stand-up video.

A stand-up is when the reporter talks in between two stories to transition one part of the story to another part, by accomplishing a good stand-up. Not only does it take the role of transitioning between two parts, it also adds extra character to the news story.

I enjoy doing stand-ups because it is fun learning and experiencing what I want to do in the future, first hand.

Hi! My name is Hannah Angell. I am a Sophomore at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. I am involved in a variety of organizations on campus, such as, the sisterhood of Sigma Sigma Sigma, the Presidential Ambassador Program, Alpha Lambda Delta, and the National Society of Leadership and Success.

I am a Communications major with a minor in Hospitality Management and Tourism. I also have a concentration in Broadcast and Digital Media Productions. After graduating with my degree, I hope to one day become a Broadcast Meteorologist. Since the first day of freshman year, I have loved working in the recruiting office located in the Student Services Center. This job gives me the opportunity to help incoming students see what our amazing campus has to offer them, while also showing them several ways to get involved on campus.

When you think of Greek Life, what is the first thing that pops into your head? I don’t know about you, but the first thing that pops in my head is Greek letters. Every sorority and fraternity have their own Greek letters that represent their chapter. Letters are a big part of Greek Life because we can use them to show what is going on within our chapter by putting them by the football field, painting them, decorating them, and so much more. As you can see in the video, our letters are decorated with a bee theme. Sigma Sigma Sigma recently had our Spring Bid Day and the theme was “Honey I’m Home!” It is extremely fun showcasing our letters to students, administration, sisters and everyone else who is on campus. I recommend to you, whether you’re walking, biking, or driving, to take a second and look around on campus and see how many Greek Letters you notice. Were they decorated? Did they tell a story? I can’t wait to do more five sequence videos in the future.

Today during class, I got the opportunity to film and edit a five shot sequence video. If you aren’t familiar with what that is, it’s five different video clips that are ten seconds each. You take each clip and reduce it to three seconds each and combine them together to form a fifteen second video. After that, the fun part begins…adding special effects. Although, editing the video was difficult for me at first, I ended up getting the hang of it and it became very fun and enjoyable. I was able to video a lady in her office, that I don’t know, doing her daily job, and turning it into something fun. Overall, It was a very fun experience. I loved learning new ways to video and edit. I can’t wait to do more!

Who loves having someone to always count on, encourage them, and be there for them through good and hard times? Most people would say “ME!” That is why I want to take you on a journey through my sisterhood, to help girls understand what sororities are all about.

Most girls are nervous to go through recruitment because they don’t know much about it, besides what they have seen in movies. I want to show the process of becoming a member in a sorority and the ways you can benefit from being apart of such an amazing group of people. Greek life doesn’t just help you get involved, it also gives you friendships that will last a lifetime. There is no need to be nervous or think you may not fit in, because in reality we all fit in somewhere and that somewhere becomes home. Here is my journey through sisterhood.

Hi! My name is Hannah Angell. I am a Sophomore at Northwestern State University of Louisiana. I am involved in a variety of organizations on campus, such as, the sisterhood of Sigma Sigma Sigma, the Presidential Ambassador Program, Alpha Lambda Delta, and the National Society of Leadership and Success.

I am a Communications major with a minor in Hospitality Management and Tourism. I also have a concentration in Broadcast and Digital Media Productions. After graduating with my degree, I hope to one day become a Broadcast Meteorologist. Since the first day of freshman year, I have loved working in the recruiting office located in the Student Services Center. This job gives me the opportunity to help incoming students see what our amazing campus has to offer them, while also showing them several ways to get involved on campus.

Intramurals is a fun way to relive your high school sport with a new team, new environment, and a new motive. If you have ever heard a college student say they have an IM game tomorrow, that stands for Intramural. There are several kinds of Intramural games to play in, and several different organizations to play with.

In this video, the Tri Sigma girls are practicing for their big game against another Greek Life organization, Phi Mu. They warm up their dribbling, passing skills, shooting, and plays, so they can be ready and prepared to win.

McKenzie Knotts is a Tri Sigma member who plays IM basketball. I asked her the question, “Who is one sister that you can always count on in a game and why?” I loved hearing how she can count on all of her sisters.

In class today, we learned how to do a five shot sequence video with an interview, and more footage placed at the end. We also added special effects and a voice over. I love learning new editing skills, and I can’t wait to continue to progress and learn more. Check out the video above to see what an IM practice looks like!