By Kimberly Wheatley
FSU Communications Group
Just two weeks after she graduated from Florida State, Christy Rumbley, 21, was on her way to Los Angeles to look for her dream job. She wants to be an actress.
Now, she thinks she has the kind of experience to break into the industry. She's already worked on the production side in a communication class she took for her media performance major.
"I think it's a great opportunity for students to learn how it is in the field to work at a production site," Rumbley said. "It gave me a chance to learn how to organize an important video. That will go on my resume."
Video and Television Workshop classes gave Rumbley and the 25 other students who took the class this summer experience in the production of television programs and video projects, in addition to earning credits toward their degrees. They get this experience by working at Seminole Productions, a university production center that makes television programs and videos for campus use and network distribution.
Students in the class have made such videos as the FSU Card used in orientation and NCAA Recruiting Rules used by the Athletic Department.
Seminole Productions also makes sports series, nature and historical documentaries, informational programs, training programs and entertainment programs.
"When you graduate from here, you get more than a piece of paper," said Jeff Munson, a Media Production major who is training to operate television equipment. "FSU is one of the few universities where the students do the production work and assist in the decision-making process."
Munson and Rumbley worked this summer in the chilly basement of the Diffenbaugh Building, where the temperature is kept at 65 degrees to protect state-of-the-art equipment. Students also use equipment at Seminole Productions in Moore Athletic Center.
The classes are taught by General Manager Mark Rodin and Academic Coordinator Charles Sawyer.
"This is a two-tier program," Sawyer said. "Tier one involves teaching the foundations of TV Production and tier two is applying tier one. Most places rely on an internship for that second tier."
"We have real deadlines and quotas to make," Rodin said. "All those involved must act in a professional capacity. We don't compromise our standards. From our students, competent leaders emerge."
Indeed. According to the Gourman Report, which rates undergraduate programs, the FSU College of Communication ranks tenth in the nation for academic excellence. The Radio-TV Program is number six alongside powerhouses such as the University of Southern California and New York University.
Many FSU departments have reaped the benefits of Seminole Productions.
Seminole Uprising, a football highlights show, has aired over 200 shows locally on Fox 49, statewide on Sunsh[[exclamdown]]ine Network and regionally on other sports networks. Seminole Productions has also produced The Pat Kennedy Show and The Mike Martin Show , which broadcast coaches' reviews, highlights and previews of their teams' progress.
"Our greatest success in football began to rear its head in 1987," said Head Football Coach Bobby Bowden. "This is about the time that Seminole Productions joined us. They have played a big role in selling our program to the nation, and we are proud that they helped lead us to the top."
In the fall, Seminole Productions will begin its eighth season of Football Season Highlights. In addition, live productions will include the FSU Pow-Wow and the Football Banquet. Pre-production has begun on FSU's 50th Year of Football and in the Fall.