Ready, set, action: what is your film about?
Savannah Yopp, Contributing Writer
For over 20 years, students have discovered creative and occupational passions in Shur Gopal’s Multimedia Production class at North Greenville University. The three-credit-hour class, originally intended for Sports Management majors, has developed into an elective that all majors benefit from.
According to Gopal, the class teaches a range of skills including audio production, video filming and editing, graphic design and scriptwriting.
The class is beginner friendly as it starts from the basics for every assignment. Gopal teaches scriptwriting and filming with a camera before assigning a video project to help students understand the creative process.
Gopal said, “First I teach them how to write a script. The script that they write will be the film that they produce.” The same process is applied to audio and radio assignments.
The class does not require expensive equipment or software. In fact, Gopal encourages his students to simply use their smartphones to record their projects.
The graphic design portion of the class is meant to teach students how to create posters, flyers and brochures for an organization. This is an important skill to have, especially for students looking for a career in sports, as it helps support and advertise teams, said Gopal.
Students have the freedom to create a flyer on any kind of organization or event. In the past, students have made advertisements for sports teams, non-profit organizations and job opportunity advertisements.
Specific assignments for students include written scripts, an audio podcast, a mini documentary, a vlog, short commercials and a narrative film.
Gopal teaches the software necessary for creating their projects, which include Audacity for audio projects and DaVinci Resolve for video projects. However, students are permitted to use any software that gets the job done.
Mary Margaret Flook, a graduating communication major, says, “That class gave me a more open mindset to creativity.” She recalls a video assignment that was only required to be five to six minutes. After starting the project, her video was nearly 20 minutes long.
She says she plans to advocate for additional media opportunities in her future job like assisting with a podcast or helping create a video for the organization.
Flook says that taking this class prepares a student for any job that requires media skills, which is becoming increasingly important as an employee.
According to govtech.com, 92% of jobs now require digital skills. These skills range from simple typing to social media content creation.
From making hype-up videos for sports teams to creating a ministry-focused production for a church, students learn camera angles, editing techniques, audio effects and production etiquette to achieve their goals.
Gopal said, “You can be from any major, but as long as you take this class and pick up these skills, it’s almost like adding a second string to your bow, career-wise.”
Gopal has seen students placed in careers all across the board that require the skills he taught them in class. From filmmakers to marketing professionals, Gopal has seen students thrive in the world of production.
Chelsea Engle, a 2014 North Greenville University graduate, has seen success in the production industry. Now an executive producer, she attributes her interest in film to Gopal and his class.
Gopal says she came into the class with an interest in broadcast journalism but left the class with a passion for all things related to video production.
He encourages students to absorb the skills they learn in class and pick just one to excel in, as it could lead to a new career opportunity, as it did for Engle.
Govtech.com finds that jobs that require digital skills will pay more according to what skills the employee can offer. The more skills the employee has, the higher they will be paid.
Gopal supports this find by saying that his graduated students that have secured jobs that require media skills are paid well for the knowledge that they have.
Aside from careers and salary, students find new passions and creative interests through the class.
Flook says, “It definitely brought out a side of me that I didn’t know I was gifted in.” She realized she has a knack for video production and an interest in podcasts. She quickly viewed the class not as an assignment for school, but as a fun creative project.
While Flook was still new to the film world, she noticed how Gopal saw potential in her and continued to encourage her. She attributes her interest in film and production to Gopal and his class.
Gopal says that technology and media is constantly changing. Every semester he tweaks the expectations and lectures to pertain to current trends.
He says, “Technology advances every 24 hours, if not even less than that.” Gopal makes an intentional effort to stay updated and inform students of movements in media.
While many young students already have some technological knowledge, Gopal says it is important to give them the best quality of education so that they can advance further.
For example, a student may come into the class knowing how to film a short video, but knowing specific editing techniques or additions to make can enhance the student’s knowledge.
This is also beneficial for students who presume that they are only gifted in one area. Flook is one of the students who realized she had much more to offer than just her writing skills. Now, she is proficient in filmmaking, scriptwriting and audio production.
Gopal says Multimedia Production is a fun class that adds to not only a student’s resume, but also their personal passions and interests.
