Today was a learning experience

I arrived at a nearby high school around noon to set up for filming a Martin Luther King Day event. I set up the camera and microphones by myself and then another volunteer showed up to help just before the program started around 2pm. I was a bit nervous because I hadn't done a real shoot on my own before. I'm glad he showed up because it meant I could sit down part of the time, eat, and use the facilities. I think the program will be okay once I edit it. I don't know if the sound will be okay though. It was hard to do this shoot because it was unrehearsed, featured video that we didn't have permission to shoot, and had audience participation (which I didn't have a mic for). Sometimes, though, it was only one person on stage for awhile and I was trying to make that interesting for a viewing audience. Also, the performers kept trying to use our mikes and then thinking they didn't work but I ended up with an earful of sound. Anyway, I learned a lot about what not to do and what questions to ask in the future. Also, I'll be able to ask the pros at the station tomorrow what they think. I'm really tired so this post is not coming out the way I'd planned. It wasn't meant to be a litany of complaints. I really did learn a lot today that will help me in the future. I also had a good time.