The video lab is buzzing with creative energy: one group huddles in the green room, cooking up another silly skit; another pores over a stack of storyboards, outlining the shots needed for the next sports segment; others load fresh media cards into cameras and head out into the halls with headphones and boom mics to shoot. A new LSN is in the making.
LSN stands for Liberty Student Network–and it is just that: a student-run weekly broadcast for the school, shown in Advisory every Tuesday.
“Since the LSN is completely student-led, it leads to a lot more fun, creativity, and variability in the content,” junior Beatrix Davis said.
The video production students begin brainstorming for the next cycle as soon as the previous week’s segment is complete.
“First off, I look at what’s going on in the next upcoming week and see if there are any big events,” senior Conrad Schwenk said. “If there aren’t, I look at clubs or teams that haven’t been covered, or just anything I’m interested in.”
“We come up with something we need to cover, and then we figure out, how can we make this super funny?” junior Eli Gelinas said.
The students then gather up a crew, grab the gear, and start filming. Depending on their beat–such as sports, clubs, ASB, and many more–groups may decide to film during class in fifth period around the school, or after school during the events they are covering.
Each group edits their own segment, then gives it to the senior editor, who then combines all of the segments.
“The most valuable thing I’ve learned from being in these video classes is teamwork,” Gelinas said.
Everyone’s individual efforts come together to create the final product that Liberty sees. With the various moving parts, it can be challenging to finish everything in a timely fashion. But by Monday, things always come together.
The perpetually moving nature of the LSN challenges students to stay on task and meet the weekly deadlines.
“There’s always a new thing that you have to be thinking about. Managing that while being able to tell stories that matter is what I want to teach the students,” LSN advisor Michael Butterworth, Ph.D. said.
All of the hard work is a labor of love. For those who are committed, it is a very rewarding experience.
“I teach the basics, but the basic stuff never goes away,” Butterworth said.
From those who have never handled a camera to those who are interested in filmmaking as a career, the LSN is a place where everyone can hone their skills and connect to the Liberty community.
