Training #2: May 11th, 7 PM

Despite the three-judge panel issuing their Coleman v Franken ruling the night of our first training, it went well.  We're doing it again!  Monday, May 11th, 7 PM CDT.  We'll walk you through camerawork, editing and -- this week's special topic -- storytelling.  All levels welcome. 

 

Please RSVP jennifer.whigham@theuptake.org with your name, contact info, interest (camera, editing, storytelling or some combo thereof), and your experience level (novice, medium, advanced.)  Trainings will be the second Monday of each month at our HQ in downtown St. Paul: 411 Main St, Suite 307.  Call 651-224-2479 if the doors are locked when you arrive for the training.

Volunteer Opportunities

- We still need people to help us cover the legislature.  You can do this from home!  Here's the info.

- Not interested in Minnesota, but still want to help?  The White House now offers live streams throughout the day: http://www.whitehouse.gov/live/.  Take a look each day, and let us know if you find something you think we should put on our front page.  Drop us a line at info@theuptake.org.

- Calling all programming geeks!  We need some PHP help.  Check out this post in our tech group.

House Party!

Our first house party fundraiser!  Hosted by Sue & Greg Skog, and Coleen & Ross Rowley.  The party's on May 16th from 4-8 PM.  All are welcome.  Contribute what you can, and stick around for live music and food & drinks.  Kids welcome.  RSVP with Jennifer at jennifer.whigham@theuptake.org, or on the Facebook invite.  Hope to see you there.  (The party's at 1591 Mallard Drive in Eagan, MN.)

Oh, and in case you were wondering: we've raised nearly $10,000 of our $16,000 goal.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  We've had so many kind donations that I haven't been able to thank you all personally via e-mail.  (I will.  No worries!)  We -- no, really -- couldn't do this without you.  (Our donation wish list is here.)

 

Hello, UpTakers! If you haven't been watching lately, you've missed out: we've been broadcasting the Minnesota Legislature live, live-tweeting the sessions (on our UpTake MN account - http://www.twitter.com/uptakemn), and producing pieces featuring debates, quips, silly moments and serious oratory. As you saw with the Coleman v Franken trial, government is thrilling. (I think you'll find yourself getting sucked into this coverage as you did with the trial.)

And just like the trial -- in true UpTake style -- we need your help! Here's what we're looking for:

Watching the Coverage

 

In order to find the gems, we have to watch the coverage and take notes -- via Twitter or the Live Blog. You'll watch the coverage, and note the following things: what topic/bill is being discussed, if the bill passes or doesn't pass, and the interesting quips, speeches and witticisms along the way. Check our http://www.twitter.com/uptakemn for an example of what we've been doing so far. This is easy, can be done from home, is more fun then you'd think, and immensely helpful to us. The MN Senate and House have ever-changing schedules, but the shifts would look like this, more or less:

 

8 AM - 12 PM

12 PM - 4 PM

4 PM - 8 PM

Last day of the session is May 18th, though they may go into special session. If you aren’t available for an entire shift, let us know and we’ll work around your schedule.

 

If interested, e-mail Jennifer at jennifer.whigham@theuptake.org for more details.

Editing the Coverage

 

Do you have a broadband internet connection? Do you have a Mac or Quicktime Pro on a PC? Our distributed video newsroom needs your help. This work would involve taking large video files and cutting them down into manageable chunks. This is quite easy after some training and extremely helpful. Available editing shifts:

 

12 PM - 2 PM

2 PM - 4 PM

4 PM - 6 PM

6 PM - 8 PM

 

Please email noah.kunin@theuptake.org for more information and to sign up!

This is a fun, easy way to get involved in another of The UpTake's grand experiments. Even if you're not from Minnesota, this is a great way to help build a model for future coverage in other states and nationwide.

 

* * *

 

Operating and Staff Costs: $4000 per week ($533 per day, $22 per hour)
-This includes rent, misc operating costs and potential salaries for four employees

 

Internet (T-1): $200/week
- A T1 line is necessary to handle the large amount of video we process.

Phone, for landline and three iPhones: $125/week
-We use the iPhones not only for calls, texts and interaction with our audience, but also for live-streaming

EQUIPMENT:

Canopus Audio Analog to Digital (A/D) and Digital to Analog (D/A) Converter Box. (2) - $200 each
   - Model 110 - $200, $240 with plug in.  Model ADVC-300 is $420 with plug in.
   - We may need two of these.  We can always use them even if they aren't installed
     in the capitol closet because we may find a combination device.

TV tuners to broadcast 2 cable channels at one time. - $200-400 each
 - We need 2 tuner cards.
 - We currently are using borrowed equipment to get one channel up.
 - We may have one tuner per channel or we may have a dual tuner install.  

PC to operate the tuner cards with.  - $250
 - Most tuners are PCI cards and are only compatible with a PC. Mac solutions are
   limited in choice and expensive.

Remote Desktop Software (VNC) for the computer.  - $50
  - One license per computer that is accessed.

Secure cabinet to use for our equipment hold in the basement at the capitol - donated, or $100 - $500
 - Can be wood or metal
 - Must be secure with a lock.  We prefer a combination lock
 - Must have ventilation holes for air flow.
 - Should be big enough to store our broadcast equipment, plus a area for temporary gear
   storage.
 - our area size is two 4-drawer vertical file cabinets side-by-side.... up to 18" from the
   ceiling.
 - See Mike McIntee for more information on our needs.

Beachtek Compact Audio Adapter for each of our cameras. - $200
 - we currently have 2.
 - we need 1 adapter per camera - we currently have 9 cameras both owned and personal.
 - allows us to plug in ‘pro’ style plugs
 - allows us to use line level signals with our mic level cameras
 - Can mix both right and left sides

Sennheiser Compact Shotgun Mic -- “Sennheiser MKE 400 Shotgun Microphone” - $200
  - one for each camera
  - we currently have one working and one broken

An AudioVideo (A/V) distribution amp (1:4) - $110 each
  - We need one for each show we produce.  Currently we have 2 shows.
  - We have one donation on the way.

Audio Mixer  - $400 each
  - We need one for each show we produce.
  - We currently have one on loan for Tom’s Show that has to go back.
  - We would like to have at least 4 XLR inputs plus other source inputs.
  - We are thinking this will be an 8 channel mixer.

Tripods - $20-$50 each

- Need one for every camera set.  Currently have 2-3 semi-working tripods.

Set Lights - $1000 each
 - We need at least 3 lights for each set. 

Replacement SM57 Shure Mics - $100 each + $15 for windscreen.
 - We'r missing quite a few of our SM57 Shure Mics.
  -Need 6+ mics

 

Camera Kits - $100-$200 each

PZM Soundgrabber Microphone - $80 - $200

-Great for our Weekend UpTake show

Lav Mike - $30-$100

-Great for interviews/roundtable discussions

Tapes - $110 for a box of 50

 

 

1 TB Harddrives - $100 each

-All that video has to go somewhere.

 

We're working on our wrap-up pieces, but we're missing a major part of the story: you. If you have a webcam or camera, we'd love for you to film yourself on camera answering these questions: Why are you interested in the trial? Why is the trial important to you?   What role has The UpTake played in your ability to watch the trial?  We'll include them in a later piece about the MN Election Contest.  Once you've filmed your say, e-mail us at info@theuptake.org

 

If you don't have a camera, come on down to the UpTake's offices this Saturday, March 14th, and talk about the trial on camera for our trial wrap-up piece!  1 - 4 PM CDT.  411 Main St, Suite 307, St. Paul.  The UpTake staff is having a Saturday work day - come meet the staff, and record your bit for our piece.  Note: the building may be locked.  Please call The UpTake office at 651-224-2479 when you arrive.

 

Questions?  Let me know: jennifer.whigham@theuptake.org

In response to the Minnesota House media access debate, The UpTake has released the following statement:

 

"Freedom of the press" is a citizen's freedom more than simply the freedom for professional organizations and their employees. Citizens attempting to record at the State Capitol should be protected as "press" as is any media organization, and should not be prevented from recording proceedings as long as they conform with the regular rules of decorum.

 

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was written to protect the activities of pamphleteers, not professional journalists, nor media organizations as they were not yet developed in a significant way at that time. The modern equivalent of pamphleteers are citizens who maintain and distribute their own journals - i.e. bloggers (citizen journalists etc.)  Modern equivalents of the printing press include the video camera and the internet.

 

If the Minnesota Capitol building is "our House" as they say at the beginning of every tour, then the public should be able to access and record (using whatever tools they need) from the proper areas citizens are allowed - any public area.  Anything less denies citizens their constitutional right and creates a government that is less instead of more transparent.

 

 

Jason Barnett
Executive Director
The UpTake

What: The UpTake Meet and Greet!  Come meet The UpTake staff and mingle with other UpTake volunteers, fans, viewers and more.   Nothing formal - we just want to meet you!

When: February 18, 2009.  8-10 PM CT.

Where: Groveland Tap, in St. Paul.  Come for just the meeting, or order from the menu.

RSVP: Drop Jennifer a line at jennifer.whigham@theuptake.org. 

All are welcome.  Hope to see you there!

Hello, UpTakers! Ah, it's nice to relax. The recount's over; Election 2008 is at a close. Let me just put my feet up on this ottoman - oh, wait? What's that you say? Norm Coleman is filing an election contest? Millions are descending upon Washington DC for an inauguration? The Minnesota Legislature quietly convened in the last week? No sleep for the wicked! Or, in this case, The UpTake.

Here's what we've got in store for the next months:

1. Quick on the UpTake: after popular demand, we'll now be broadcasting a regular live show starring the UpTake team, and whomever we drag on with us. Our first show, hosted by our Mike McIntee, will be this Thursday, at 2 PM CST. Join us live, right after MN Governor Pawlenty's State of the State Address. Mike will recap the week, and take your questions.

2. Meet-Ups: Sometime in the next month, we'll be hosting our very first UpTake meet-up for volunteers and fans. We'll have speakers. We'll have a training session. We'll have the entire UpTake team at your mercy. Come meet the faces behind The UpTake, and your fellow UpTake fans. More details to come.

3. State of the State, 12 PM CST, Thursday, January 15th: We'll be live as MN Governor Pawlenty presents his State of the State. How bad are things, anyway? Join us live, and on the blog.

4. Inauguration: Oh, we'll be there. Will you? We'd love to have your input! Have a camera? What's your inauguration story? How about the guy next to you? Want your footage on The UpTake? Contact us at info@theuptake.org.

In between all of this, we'll be covering the Minnesota legislature, the upcoming election contest and more. Stay tuned to The UpTake - 2009's going to be an incredible year.

Thanks for watching!

http://www.theuptake.org

jennifer.whigham@theuptake.org

PS: Tonight (Monday) join Mike live on The UpTake as he broadcasts from AM KNTF. 6 CST - 7 PM CST. You can watch him live on our site, or listen at http://www.am950ktnf.com/ (put in 55104 for your zip).