2012 — seeds of change

In 2009, a few of us experimented with format and crew development. We completed programs for 6 non-profit/community organizations. The intiative was then interrupted by the evolution of WPAA into a media center (new building/location); and the crew was distracted by the creation of studioW (which is now a Piece Theatre project) and general skills retooling.
In 2010 there was an program development idea mentioned here about discovering our local farms with the storyline of Farming remains a cornerstone in Wallingford, Connecticut as it links the past to the future. (This idea has some footage, but no product.)
In 2011, the OTPG Free Speech Week documentary video did get 1st place kudoes at ACM NE. We also used 2009 footage for some PSAs and did a follow-up project with Seniors Have Dreams, Too and continued to re-tool.
In 2012, we are restarting OTPG but not as the program with that name.  A local production crew will use this name OnTheParadeGround name and the spirit it implies partnering with local resources to produce content that features localism that makes a difference one person at a time.
Today I found the 2010 story line here on the website of a local farm. So this farmer and some other content experts are being invited to making TV again on Mondays. I hope that by telling Wallingford stories and having informed conversations with locals who are passionate about sustainable food systems I will be just one individual that can begin a positive food story of my own. Posted by the remaining crew person – adele.

2011 Shows

Our year has been more random than anticipated but given we supported events that on average were 3 hours long we did produce considerable content. We also have capture/LIVE programs that get post-production attention to tell a fuller story and improve video quality.

This Year we are taking our chances on the following in the ACM-NE Video Festival.

OtPG: Voices of the People – Empty Plates Empty Pockets. Original capture Nov. 2010.

The paper plates in this video did get to the desk of the President via train via Congresswoman DeLauro’s Office. The idea and original footage was transformed into a 2 minute PSA about using community media as part of the community recipe for public policy issues.

 

 

OtPG: Home of Free Speech -Wallingford. Promo for Oct 2011 Open House – Free Speech Week.

The video uses archival footage from PSAs and Holiday PSA Days and video notes on the building renovation to document the relocation of WPAA to 28 So. Orchard. recipe for public policy issues.

 

studioW: Zombie Vs. Vampire: A Rockperetta. (Music); M&Ms in Heaven (Children); Virtual Gates – a dream play (Theater); DryDock Music Festival Heaven (Live – 1st hour);

Performance at studioW — all good

The February studioW theater performances are currently being produced for TV viewing. There was a full array of performances that evening hosted by Piece Theatre. The Visual Arts display was equally enchanting with Recycle Art by Karen J Wassmer and Ryk Wilkinson, photography by Steve Walter (his gallery is here). Adam Stone from Boston was the feature Poet.

So if you missed the event, here is a peek at what will soon be in distribution via WPAA-TV.

Piece Welcome

M&Ms in Heaven Play Preview

Social Action Art at studioW

The next event Drama & Drums is Feb 25th at WPAA-TV 28 So. Orchard St. studioW events have packed the house so plan ahead with an RSVP.

The Dec 10 World Premier debut of the parody Rockperetta Zombie Vs. Vampire can be still be viewed on-line at Video-on-Demand at www.wpaa.tv. Doors open at 8pm.

Performance Artists interested in becoming part of the studioW experience at WPAA are asked to contact the production volunteers at otpg@comcast.net.

2020 Update: Contact wpaatv at reserve@wpaa.tv

Our Volunteer Team and the WPAA-TV Board…

The 28 So. Orchard location for WPAA-TV needs to have occupancy approval for the 2nd floor before OnTheParadeGround can resume with our Monday programming. Our Team has been part of the volunteer crew designing, renovating, cleaning, and moving all things television.

In June the WPAA-TV Board did adopt a policy for Video On Demand (VOD) that we qualify for~~Locally produced at WPAA-TV; so our original 6 programs will be available as VOD as soon as the technology is deployed. The will include the Special Memorial Edition of the Relay For Life Program and the non-profit PSAs completed June 10.

Remember we are a volunteer crew trying to help the Wallingford Community tell their stories. You can join the Team. Josiah will host again for a brief time when we resume as Paul has Theater commitments in August. So consider being a host, running a camera, collecting images, editing…

More Making A Difference Shows

The On The Parade Ground Volunteer Team producing Community TV has 3 more shows in development. Informing conversations will begin Live Mondays with host Paul Braccioforte at 7:30 PM. Viewer call-ins begin at 7:45 PM (203) 265-6310. Participate.

May 3rd our four guests will share the latest about Relay for Life – how Wallingford participates in an international movement to end cancer. Surviving is making a difference for others.

May 10th representatives of the Gaylord Stroke Survivor Support Group will share how education on stroke prevention is part of what they do as they extend a helping hand to each other.

May 17th local Rotarians, members of the International Service Organization, are preparing to golf to raise funds for local causes. We caught up with some members at the Master’s Manna Grand Opening and will hear about what makes a Rotarian tick.

On The Parade Ground is on Comcast Cable 18, U-verse 99 WPAA Community Building TV and internet streaming on www.wpaa.tv

Replays Schedule-
Monday 9:30-10:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:30-8PM
Wednesday: 1:30-2PM
Friday: 4:30-5PM
Saturday: 5-5:30PM
Sunday: 11-11:30AM

We are looking forward to doing stories about Wallingford farms in August. In pursuit of these stories, we already met some 4-H members at the Williams Farm. We captured some pic. B – O- V- I – N- E (yes they were filling out forms)

Contact us at ontheparadeground@gmail.com with story ideas or comments.
Keep informed at http://ontheparadeground.blogspot.com/

~~~

Relay for Life is happening next weekend (May 21-22) so we reran their show last week and have added 3 showings to the schedule: Tuesday at 7:30, Thursday at 8:30 and Friday at 4:00. More information on the event: go here.

Some of the OnTheParadeGround crew will be stopping by the evening of May 21st after the Fireworks Dinner and before more renovation work Saturday morning at 28 So. Orchard on the new home for www.wpaa.tv.

Last week’s program featuring the facilitators of the Stroke Support Group at Gaylord is scheduled to play Wednesday at 1:30 and Saturday at 5:30. More showings will be planned for June and throughout the year to let folks know that Gaylord Hospital does provide support groups for the community, at no charge.

This week we learn about what it means to be a Rotarian. The pictures suggest teamwork in the service of others. Join us live May 17th at 7:30 On The Parade Ground. Join us by phone at 203-265-6310.

May 18th Update
Our first Make a Difference in the Service of Others Series has concluded.

One post-edit remains to be done (went out in the rain at lunchtime to get a B-roll image). A few small PSAs still to be designed. And then there is the coordination of web viewable downloads with wpaa.tv once there is a policy adopted.

Each 30-minute program had a pre-production investment averaging 15 hours, 3 -4 community crew members doing set up Sunday for one to two hours depending on what condition we found the studio in, the shoot 4-5 crew with 1 to 2 hours, then playback support & scheduling another concluding at 9:30 pm. Post-production of the final replay copy another 3-5 hours. So not counting the investment in the product made by the guest the investment is at least 1 hour per minute. Web prep is even more investment.

Local Publicity for our show – more importantly our stories

Article in today’s (4.22.2010) Local & State Section of Record Journal with 2 pics. Samaia and David did a nice job catching the essence of the story and feel of the production process.

Coming Soon: podcast-downloads of the re-edit versions (which are graphic updates or fixes of live shows) and PSAs for play on WPAA Community Building TV.

Six Mondays starting April 5th – Community Connections

The volunteer team is finalizing plans for a 6 week series to begin April 5.
The theme for this mini-series: Making Connection in the Service of Others

The conversations will reveal local stories about non-profit or community organizations connecting & serving people and using new technologies to get the word out. The discussion will make global connections to these local stories (i.e.outreach, one of many, research).

The idea for this series came from a review of the Community Bulletin Board which has included slides about Support Group for more than a decade. Two were for Gaylord: Cancer Survivors and Sleep Apnea. In addition to Gaylord we have reached out to Parents Kids Foundation, Seniors Have Dreams too, Holy Joe’s Cafe, Mid-State, Regency House, Al-anon, Mental Health Association of CT, Relay for Life and CT Celiac Support.

We hope to have the schedule confirmed soon.

A Civic Conversation Program – A Gap Exists

Community Access TV is called vanity TV by some, the electronic soapbox by others and sometimes the ‘church channel’ given the predominance of religion-oriented programming. I like the change Wallingford’s Public Access Channel is trying to make to become WPAA Community Building TV.

The Community Building theme evolved when the organization sought to find and own an in-town building to control long-term expenses. The first location volunteers attempted to purchase was literally OnTheParadeGround and is the inspiration for this program’s concept: a regular program about bringing sunshine to local topics of interest.

This far, absent from locally produced programs is one that features facilitated civic conversation related to Wallingford specific issues. My original post in March 2008 was too optimistic because the community does not understand why they have a community TV station.

So I remind anyone that makes a connection with this blog that this kind of program needs a host and crew that can put the community before their personal interests. It is a show that needs a team of people that can see the potential of community building.

Anyone out there interested in being part of such a team can reach us (no longer active)

I am looking forward to being a guest on this show when I return home.

OtPG Host