Clarion 2006-12-07 Vol. 82 No. 11

              NEWS
Preparations behind
chapel
-page 2
Views
Is technology taking
over?
-page 3
CULTURE
Aiming for Aurora
competes
-page 4
THE  BETHEL UNIVE
Thursday, December 7, 2006
Volume 82 • Number 11
Benson Great Hall was beautifully decorated to showcase the amazing musical talent that exists within Bethel's community.
Behind the production scenes
50th Festival of Christmas performance shines thanks to production
preparations carried out by Benson, Twin Cities Public Television
By Steph Schmidt
As Bethel was bustling like
normal, last-minute preparations for the 50th Festival of
Christmas were underway. And
underneath all of the excitement, unbeknownst to many,
the depths of Benson Great Hall
were being invaded by Twin Cities Public Television.
I arrived behind stage at 4
p.m, to meet Dianne Steinbach,
executive producer, and learn
what it required to make a large
production run smoothly. While
the musicians' preparation for
Festival had been little different this year, I knew the technicians' efforts to make the event
ready for television were much
greater.
"Lighting is very different
for TV than it is for theatrical
productions," said Tony Duck-
low. Ducklow is a Benson student manager and takes care of
most of the lighting.
"Everything has to be lit up,
because TVs don't do well with
black," Ducklow said. "Normally we hang about. 100 fixtures.
This year we hung well over 300
fixtures."
Lighting crews also had to
light architecture, he said, which
was never necessary before. Risers were built for the orchestra
so everyone could be seen by
the cameras. Because the show
would be aired in high defini-
Photosby Danica Myeres
Dr. Dennis Port conducts the crowd to sing "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing.
tion, even the slightest details
had to be perfect.
Steinbach and the TPT
crew reinforced what Ducklow
explained. They had been planning the project for approximately 18 months, and currently the project required the help
of about 40 workers. Before
Thursday's performance, they
had been on campus all day setting up cameras and adjusting
lights and sound in preparation
for taping.
For the show, TPT was using seven cameras and about
35 microphones. They were
also renting a large trailer from
Milwaukee   Public   Television,
another PBS affiliate, for their
entire control room.
TPT is one of many affiliates
of PBS. They receive programming to air on their stations,
and in return they provide local
programming for other PBS affiliates to air. The Festival concert is one such local event that
will be aired on various stations
around the country.
"We've had a 20-year history with producing Christmas
specials," Steinbach said. "Each
year when we offer one, they all
take it."
The evening of Dec. 1, I
arrived backstage and watched
the crew buzz back and forth
with coffee in hand, finishing
last-minute details. The lighting on stage had been adjusted
so that a mannequin, sitting in
the corner of the choir section,
could be seen perfectly. Each of
the cameras had focused on a
lighting board so that their light
levels were the same. Everything
was ready to go as crew members were eating and cracking
jokes.
I entered the control room
in the production trailer to find
Cindy Reents, a Bethel music
department employee, trying
to stay warm. Reents' job was
to follow director Jeff's musical
score, which had been marked
At the time I had arrived, most of the crew could be found staring at
the "jib"—a camera attached to a long arm that moved out over the
audience. Its operator, Paul, had to move the arm up and down while
managing small buttons for the direction of the camera with one hand
and the zoom and focus of the camera with the other. The director and
many crew members watched in awe as the jib sailed over the audience to produce shots that the other cameras couldn't.
Over the next two weeks, TPT crew members will work to edit the
show and send it to PBS via live feed on Dec. 18. The show will air in
the Twin Cities on:
•TPT17Dec.23
•TPT2 andTPTHD on Dec. 20,24 and 25.
ahead of time with every shot he
wanted, with her finger for the
entirety of the production.
The director's list of shots
was also given to assistant director Theresa, whose job during the show was to read them
ahead of time to all of the cameras via headset. In addilion,
each camera had a small scroll
listing the upcoming shots.
I joined Reents in trying to
stay warm in the small control
room. As 8 p.m. drew closer,
more people entered to prepare for the show. Bill Hanley,
TPT's executive vice president
for Minnesota Productions and
a former Bethel student (and
Clarion writer), could hardly
contain his excitement about
the production.
"Benson Hall is made for
this kind of thing," he said.
Producer Lisa Blackstone
donned a French beret and
wrapped herself in blankets
with a pen in one hand and a
stopwatch in the other. Technical director Clayton sat at
the switcher, prepared to push
Festival continued on page 8
Toy drives provide for children
affected by Katrina, poverty
Gallery director Lundin
given major art grant
Cherith Lundin received $9,000
to aid her work.
By Marie Hansen
Eveiyone has a passion. Imagine receiving thousands of dollars,
expert help, and support of a finished project, all to help achieve a
dream. This boost into the world of medicine, sports, music, politics, or any other field would immeasurably benefit an emerging
talent.
Cherith Lundin, art gallery director and assistant professor of
art, will experience such a boost into the art world during the next
year. She recently received one of five 2006-2007 Minnesota College of Art and Design /Jerome Foundation Fellowships for Emerging Artists.
Lundin was awarded $9,000 in grant money to spend on art
materials and supplies. Three art critics plan to mentor her and review her work throughout the year, beginning with a curator from
Gallery continued from page 8
Photo by Danica Myers
Print Services are collecting Toys
for Tots through Dec. 15.
By Cory Streeter
The season of giving continues on campus this December with
two toy drives, one organized by Print Services and one by Andy
Johnson's Psychology of Religion class.
Toys for Tots
Print Services will be donating collected toys to USMC's Toys
for Tots, the popular holiday charity providing gifts to disadvantaged children. Last year alone, 18.5 million toys were given to 7.4
million children ihrough Toys for Tots, according to its web site.
Unwrapped toys appropriate for kids and cash donations of Sl
or more will be accepted at Print Services until Dec. 15.
Print Services is always known for its elaborate annual Christmas decorations, usually overtaking most of the hallway in its AC
third floor location. This year, though, the gingerbread decorating
Toy drive continued on page 2