Before Digital Storytelling class, I had never heard about FUNC. That might be because I haven’t been at Furman in a while due to COVID-19 and studying abroad for an entire year. Attending a FUNC taping was an insightful experience and there were some unexpected turns of events I was not anticipating. I had never witnessed the filming and set-up for a televised production before which is why I imagined my only task would be to help with the smaller tasks. Once I arrived on set, I was immediately told I would be one of the anchors. That is no small task. The camera crew showed me where to sit, where to look, gave me a Cardioid microphone, and showed me how I should read off the screen. We were only allowed a few takes and my co-anchor, who I had never met, was just as lost as I was. After a few takes, we got through the taping and reported everything we were supposed to that night. It was beneficial to get to experience being an anchor instead of a “helping hand” because it brought me out of my comfort zone in the best way possible.
I never had the dream of working on any televised production set and I still do not necessarily have the desire to. Getting to actively participate in one production made me appreciate all of the work, teamwork, and effort production requires. I had to branch out of my comfort zone by being in the spotlight, talking with strangers, and energizing myself to sound more excited/animated. My voice, as I have learned from the projects in Digital Storytelling this semester, is quite slow and relaxed. When reporting, I had to speak much faster and add a bit of a flare to my tone to draw in the audience. This entire experience will be beneficial down the road because I am more comfortable going out of my comfort zone and can understand how the way I speak can impact people.
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