AG am in Kansas, produced by Farming Unlimited, Inc., is a daily broadcast television program focusing on all aspects of agriculture in the state of Kansas. Based out of Topeka, the company works with different organizations and individuals to showcase and promote agriculture.
This summer I had the opportunity to be an intern for AG am in Kansas. My job duties were to produce, host and edit television segments. I began my internship in late May and finished in early August.
During my first few days of the internship, I was asked to format a plan outlining what I wanted to accomplish this summer. Not everyone gets a chance to be on television, so I wanted to use this opportunity to inform viewers about agriculture. My goals consisted of debunking myths revolving around the agriculture industry. I also wanted to explain the importance of these agricultural processes that range from using fertilizers to using gestation crates.
I started a list of topics that I wanted to cover and individuals that I would interview. I then reached out to them to schedule a date and a location for the interview. The last step was to form questions that I would ask during the interview.
During the actual on camera interview, I not only had to conduct the interview but I also needed to make sure all of the settings were correct on the video camera in terms of lighting and audio. Often I was by myself as both the cameraman and interviewer. After conducting the interview, I needed to continue taping video footage for all of the B-Roll footage that I needed to complete the segment.
The final stage of production consisted of editing. AG am in Kansas uses the Final Cut Pro editing system. Of all the stages of production, editing is what I found the most challenging to learn. My duties were to take all of my video clips and make them into one flawless video segment.
This internship fit my goals in agriculture communication extremely well. Growing up on a cattle operation, I’m very passionate about the agriculture industry. However, in today’s society it is becoming more and more evident that people are having a harder time connecting indirectly with what feeds and clothes their world. This internship gave me an opportunity to explain different livestock and farming practicing to our television viewers.
My experience as an intern for AG am in Kansas helped me to develop professionally. The skills and lessons I learned will continue to be with me in every aspect of my life. I gained communication, technology, people, and video production skills. Each day I could say a learned something new. From this experience, I am confident that after graduation I will incorporate communications into my future career.
I would highly recommend this internship to anyone who loves interacting with people, being in front of a camera and above all loves agriculture. Your skills will be put to the test everyday but the opportunities are endless! To apply for an internship for AG am in Kansas contact Heather Newell at heather@trinitymarketinggroup.net.