Sean of WYOU

For those who don't know me, My name is Sean Bode and I'm a freelance videographer.  I joined WYOU in 2003, shortly after I became president of the Wisconsin Screenwriters Forum.   Screenwriting has been described as masochistic, with the writer devoting so much time to her/his project, only to torment themselves by rewriting and endless marketing.  I wanted to go beyond this and create my own projects without the continuous waiting game.  That's when former WYOU member Aaron Catalano introduce me to the station.  WYOU offered classes for camera and editing.    Once I learned the basics, I was about to combine my knowledge with my creativity.  Some of my projects include short films, kids' documentary and taped children's stage shows.
In 2011, the station was undergoing a transformation: it's PEG funds had been cut and staff laid off.  I felt it was important to get involved and joined the board to keep WYOU on the air.  I assisted with fundraisers and brainstormed for new ideas.  I will be stepping down this year, and I hope the new board will be able to continue with its excellence.

January Blog Post

Happy New Year WYOU community! A great deal is going on at WYOU these days. Our Kickstarter fundraiser will be up and running by the beginning of March.  This online fundraiser will allow us to upgrade to HD cameras, new Mac editing stations, wireless microphones, new monitors, and a mixing board upgrade. We’ll let you know how you can help as March draws closer. All this new equipment should bring in both old and new members. Another event you might want to be a part of is WYOU’s annual membership meeting at the end of  February. We will be contacting all members after we finalize our venue.

Teach and Learn at WYOU!

Part of what we do at WYOU is not just to bring you content on your television but to empower you to create content yourself. WYOU’s friendly and knowledgeable instructor Robert will be teaching 3 Camera/Videography classes along with 3 Video Editing classes this spring. Camera/Videography classes will be held at 5:30 to 8:30 on February 21^st, April 18^th, and May 23^rd. Our Video Editing classes will be held at 5:30 to 8:30 on February 28, April 25, and May 30^th.  Go to WYOU’s website to sign up.

For WYOU summer youth video production classes go to Wisconsin Youth Company’s website at, www.middleschoolu.org to discover what’s available when this summer’s schedules of classes are posted.

Think you have a skill that WYOU members could benefit from? Let us know. We are always looking for people to teach new classes. If the board approves your class you can even earn money based on how many people sign up for your class.

Stay warm friends of WYOU, and always be recording!

-Patrick

WYOU Lives!

Wow, it’s been 11 months since an entry was posted here. What have we, what has anyone, been doing at WYOU in those 11 months? Or the last two years? Well, lets just say that weathering the storm that hits after losing all funding isn’t easy! We did finally manage to get the dead plant out of the front window, though, among other things. . .

Let me just say that when I say “we,” I mean a handful of very dedicated volunteers - those that staff the office, those that comprise the board of directors, an invaluable business manager and a couple of former staff who continue to make huge contributions in time and expertise. WYOU would have folded early in 2011 without these people.

The past two years has been spent keeping WYOU’s head above water. Who would be there to open the doors for producers? Who is watching the mail for bills and answering the phone and email? Who will fix the signal the next time it goes down? Who is organizing the classes we offer? How will we raise funds to pay our rent? Though our current efforts are not perfect, we’ve managed to survive. While many of these tasks don’t involve rocket science, organizing people and fitting their busy schedules together can be like herding a bunch cats.

Now that we’re better organized, we’re kicking off 2013 with a major fund raiser. As one esteemed board member puts it, “With updated equipment and a high-speed Internet connection, we will be able to generate revenue by teaching community members how to participate in today’s modern media landscape.” That means better cameras, better editing software and a better signal that doesn’t freeze up, black out or otherwise “go down.”

Some may say, “Hey, why bother? The funding is gone. The signal is crap, the cameras are older than dirt, the door is locked and the plant is dead. Let’s just forget the whole thing.”

As the Federal Communications Act of 1934 states, “The airwaves belong to the people.” So what if WYOU goes out over cable, the principle is the same! Mainstream television excludes the voices of everyday people, so WYOU is here to encourage those voices. We give local people the opportunity to develop and present their ideas in video format - to air on our channel or on the Internet. We feel this is an invaluable resource that really brings a fresh perspective to a myriad of subject matter. It is local, it is Wisconsin, it is YOU.

We depend on your participation - produce a show, take classes, volunteer your time. If you have an idea for WYOU - how it can become more of what you want in the community - please do let us know. We want to know what you’re thinking out there. Become part of the exciting “modern media landscape.” Make it your own!

If you’re in a position to make a financial contribution, I can’t impress upon you enough how much we really need it. Click to donate, or send us a check!

We’ll be posting a monthly entry to our blog to keep you apprised of what is going on at WYOU. And look for us in the new year when we raise funds for our upgrade! Thank you for all your support and patience over the years. Happy holidays to you! Oh, and let me just say that our cameras are not REALLY older than dirt.

Long live WYOU!
Emily, Board Member

240th singalong @ Wisconsin's Capitol by luciano M

240th singalong @ Wisconsin's Capitol from luciano M on Vimeo.

Press conference on new access policies for protest by luciano M

Press conference on new access policies for protest from luciano M on Vimeo.

June 2011 Wisconsin Youth Company Video Class by Patrick Garvey

Interview about Driftless Film Festival 2011

Now Recruiting for a new program called "WYOU News"

Now recruiting! This is going to be really cool.

I am recruiting WYOU volunteers to be regular crew members of a new program called “WYOU News”.  This show will feature interviews with local newsmakers and news analysts and perhaps local feature stories.  To start, the show will consist of one five-to-fifteen minute video each week that will be distributed on the Web, through Facebook and Google+, on the WYOU News website (www.wyounews.org), and perhaps to a mailing list also.

We will strive for high quality in every aspect of the production.  We need videographers, editors, and other skills to help with the set (physical set and/or green screen), theme music, intro, credits, video compression, etc.  And if anyone wants to help solicit underwriting and advertising, let’s talk.

I’m looking for people with good technical skills and/or the ability to learn quickly, creativity, conscientiousness, positive attitudes, and the ability to work well on a team.

This program should be fun and interesting.  I’m hoping that we can create a team of people who work well together and who can make our shared experience even more fun and satisfying.

If you are interested or if you have any questions or suggestions, please call me at 608 251-8419 or use the contact function on the WYOU News website to send me a message.

Thank you!

Rick Marolt

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