Tech Team Stories: Our Badge System

As of today we have 31 members of the Falmouth High School Tech Team also known as FalTech.  Our members train asynchronously  and at their own pace. We use a badge system, which is pictured below.

Tech Teamers choose what trainings they want to work on.  When they have completed a training with proficiency they receive a badge.   We have badges for all kinds of different tech team tasks.  We have a customer service badge, a MAC operating system badge, a film editing badge, and a take apart badge, to name a few.  Below, you can see several Tech Teamers working on their take apart badge. 

 

More Film Equipment for Checkout

Anchor Studios(off the library) continues to purchase film equipment that is available to all students and staff for checkout.  Pictured above is Liam Jacquet(2019) using a shoulder rig.  This device allows the cinematographer to obtain moving shots while lessoning the shakiness of the footage.

Above you can see Natou Rudenberg(2016) in front of our portable green screen.  This green screen is available for checkout.  We hope to have a green screen permanently installed inside our new audio studio, 

In this picture you can barely make out Max Abramson(2016) pointing two of our new studio lights at the camera.  We have two sets of these lights and they are available for checkout.  

Patrick Doyle - Writer for Rolling Stone and FHS Alum

Falmouth Students were lucky enough to hear Patrick Doyle, a FHS Alum and writer for Rolling Stone, share his professional experiences. Students learned how Mr. Doyle found his passion for writing while at FHS and then carried his passion forward thru college and into a career. Mr. Doyle also shared some challenges inherit to interviewing famous people like Mumford and Sons, Willie Nelson, and others. Most importantly, Mr. Doyle shared his advice for up and coming writers.

Oh Yeah!

Guest Speaker Thursday

World History students are being invited to hear a guest speaker give a talk in the library on Thursday, Dec 17 during P2 and P6. Reza Jalali, USM Coordinator for Multicultural Student Affairs and FHS parent, will talk about traditional mosque architecture, the unique challenges faced by mosques in Portland, and the experience of being a Muslim in southern Maine. He will be giving the same talk twice, once during P2 and once during P6. Attendance is not mandatory.  

Students should only attend the talk for ONE period. Students who are interested in attending the talk can obtain a permission slip from Mr. Walsh or Ms. Hilinski.

Equipment for Checkout

Perhaps you were not aware that our library supports all your video needs.  Below, you can see what the library has to offer.  All equipment except our editing machines are available for check out so you can film on location if need be.   You can reserve equipment by emailing Mr. Wolotsky.

First, we have two types of film recorders, DSLRs and Camcorders.  A digital single lens reflex camera or DSLR pictured above looks like an old 35 millimeter camera.  A DSLR camera requires more expertise but can be used to capture video with a cinematic effect.  Camcorders, while HD, may not produce as good a picture as a DSLR.  However, camcorders are easy to use and good for almost 100% of your school assignments requiring you to produce video.



Currently, we have two types of equipment that can be checked out to stabilize either type of camera.  We have tripods as seen below.  Tripods can used in a variety of ways and are essential to produce stabile professional looking video.

We also have sliders which can be used with camcorders or DSLRS.  Sliders allow the cinematographer to make smooth moving videos.  A slider can be used on the floor, on a table, or set up on top of a tripod.  They can be used in a horizontal or vertical direction with a tripod.

For students wishing to produce the best quality video  we have some sound equipment for checkout as well.  Pictured below you can see a complete audio set up.  Students can check out booms, mics, mic extensions, headphones, and audio recorders.

Finally, many of your personal computers are not equipped to edit video.  For you we have three machines dedicated to video editing in Anchor Studios.  See Mr. Wolotsky and he will be delighted to make you your own account on one of these machines.  These machines are equipped with both iMovie and Final Cut Pro.

Back at it!

Welcome back!  One gigantic library change this year is the expansion of the tech offices.  Now located in the old tutoring center, the tech offices have expanded.  To go along with their room expansion, the Falmouth Tech Team(FalTech) has more responsibilities. Besides supporting BYOD and approximately two thousand student and staff devices, FalTech is now supporting LCD projectors, copiers, printers, and more.  Additionally, the tech team is going to set up a Help Ticket System which will support all Falmouth Schools in real time.

The old tech office now holds Anchor Studios, our student maker space.  The maker space has video editing computers, a copy stand for art students, a green screen, a large screen TV, and space to meet. Further Josh Simensky(2016) and Harrison Goss(2017) are working to turn the room in the back of the maker space into a full sound proof recording studio.