JC TV to get new sets

If you tune into Jay Today later this year, the new sets will dazzle you.
But don’t believe your eyes.
They’re not really there.
The Jay School Board on Monday approved the purchase of software that will allow computer-generated sets to take the place of those built by hand.
“People aren’t building sets anymore,” superintendent Tim Long said. “They’re generating sets.”
Individuals on camera stand or sit in front of a green screen, and the computer software creates the illusion of a set around them on the television screen.
“If you watch ESPN, none of those sets are real,” former Jay County High School TV director Dave Reece, now a consultant, told the board.The software costs less than $18,000 and had been included in this year’s capital projects budget.
TV director Lori Reece demonstrated the software for board members at Monday’s meeting. While she sat at an ordinary table in front of the green screen, the image on a television monitor showed her at an elaborate desk in front of an equally elaborate background.
The software is so sophisticated a shiny desk will even show reflections of other parts of the set, including computer-generated TV monitors.
The software includes numerous set variations that can be used.
Reece explained that the technology involved has been around for five to 10 years.
“The difference is now it’s affordable,” he said. “It gives you a lot of capability in a very, very small package.”
In response to board questions, Long said the intent is to add software that will have a long lifespan for the high school’s TV studio.
“Part of the whole deal here was to try to future-proof it,” said Reece.[[In-content Ad]]