Nicholas Smith (second from right), with his student crew (from left) Anthony Derby, Conor Clary and Samantha Zotara in the McEwen Hall film studio.
Adjunct Lecturer Nick Smith produced and directed SUNY Open Education Resources (OER) videos and engaged Communication students in their development.
A three-student crew assisted Smith, of the Department of Communication, in creating 11 short videos for SUNY that highlight various aspects of OER services, encompassing librarians and counselors to administrators and instructors across the system.
The students were Samantha Zotara (senior, Communication: Audio Production and Communication: Video Production, minors in Film Studies and Visual Arts, of West Valley, NY), Conor Clary (junior, Communication: Digital Film Production, minor in Visual Arts, Fredonia, NY) and Anthony Derby (junior, Communication: Digital Film Production, minor in Film Studies, Fredonia).
Aside from a resume highlight, the students learned a great deal about working in different locations, using varied equipment and interacting with a wide variety of articulate interview subjects.” - Nicholas Smith
SUNY selected Fredonia to compile the videos following a review of Communication programs across SUNY to take on the project. Smith’s team visited numerous campuses to conduct on-site interviews.
Camerawork, lighting and sound recording were among tasks taken on by the trio who responded to a “call for crew” issued to upper-level Communication majors to work on this project.
“Aside from a resume highlight, the students learned a great deal about working in different locations, using varied equipment and interacting with a wide variety of articulate interview subjects,” Mr. Smith explained.
Working on the OER project was a great opportunity, according to Mr. Derby. “We got to learn real-world skills, such as setting up lighting and camera placement, as well as build connections for our future careers.”
“The SUNY OER Video Internship allowed me as a student to grow beyond the Fredonia/Buffalo area and introduced me to new perspectives and experiences. This opportunity greatly assisted my development not only as a media professional but as a person in general,” Ms. Zotara said.
“Being able to apply skills we learned in class to a real-world application helped boost my confidence when working with film equipment,” concurred Mr. Clary. “Working on the OER internship was truly a really great experience.”
Department of Communication Associate Professor Mike Igoe provided voice narration.
Open Educational Resources are teaching, learning and research resources that reside in the public domain or have been released under an intellectual property license. A SUNY OER course section provides students with a cost-effective alternative to traditional textbooks.
Derby said working with Smith was a pleasure, and he hopes to collaborate with him soon. “He was extremely helpful in teaching us, and I’d recommend him to anyone wanting to study the field of film.”
