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HCTV Temporary Pull Back on Services

Dear Valued Community,

Hardwick Community TV’s executive director (that’s me) will be taking maternity leave this January, expecting to return by May 1st at the latest. We have been working hard to find new staff so that we can continue our services as usual during this time. Unfortunately, those circumstances haven’t come to fruition on time. What this means is that we are forced to pull back some of our services this winter.

The biggest difference is that we won’t be able to offer live streaming service for basketball and Hardwick Select Board. For the select board meetings, you will still be able to join on Zoom if you can’t be present in person. All basketball and meetings will be recorded and made available the following business day or as soon as possible. Woodbury Select Board will also be recorded and made available the next day as usual.

We won’t be able to take requests for filming special events during this period. We plan to only cover the prescheduled basketball games (hopefully accommodating rescheduled games and play offs whenever possible) and regular select board meetings. We will try our best to record Town Meeting in person meetings as well.

For boys basketball, there will be a password to watch the games. There will be more information to follow about how to watch these games once the systems are put in place, no later than next week when our first home games are happening.

Making this decision was very hard because I know well how much people love watching the basketball games live, enabling friends and family from afar to participate in the moment. I did everything I could to avoid this scenario, so it’s with a heavy heart that I am sharing this news with you. I am so grateful for your understanding and support. I hope for another great season for our students!

Gratefully,
Elizabeth Rossano, “Liz on Tech”
HCTV Executive Director

*Update* Please read more about how to watch our programming during the leave period here: https://hctv.us/how-to-watch-hctv-coverage-this-winter/

Why work for HCTV?

💵If you’re looking for a side job with competitive wages, HCTV might be a great fit  for you.

📺Working for HCTV gives you an important role in the community. We need people to record our local events and meetings, and you will be highly valued for being that person.

📰By recording local events and meetings, you will find yourself better in touch with what is happening in your own community. This is a rewarding feeling and leads to more connections and better integration within your community, contributing to a sense of wellbeing.

📹Working for HCTV can be a lot of fun for the person who wants to utilize the skills involved with video production!

🌱We provide a  compassionate work environment and value nurturing the employee, not just the organization. We want your job to meet the needs of the organization but also mold to your strengths and interests. HCTV is in a good position to grow and evolve, and we’d love you to come along for the ride!

➡️Please see our full job description and application instructions HERE

HCTV Is Hiring!

Job Description: HCTV Part-Time Field Producer

About HCTV

HCTV is Comcast Channel 1080, the P.E.G. (Public, Education, Government) Community Access Station for Hardwick and Woodbury, and Greensboro Bend, Vermont. We cover municipal meetings, high school sports games and arts performances, and many other community events. We offer public video training and equipment resources to anyone in our service area looking to create their own content. Our station is located in Hardwick’s municipal building at 20 Church Street. This is where our cable channel broadcasts from as well as where we store our equipment and edit our programming. 

HCTV has a new director as of 2022 and we are looking to grow. We hope to become a source of inspiration for our community, increasing positive dialogue and strengthening our community’s identity and pride. Your talents and creativity could become an essential part of our new direction. The sky is the limit! 

Summary

HCTV seeks a new part-time team member to round out our crew. The main role of a field producer is to help record public events and finish them with some basic editing. This person often works solo but frequently works on a team of two or three for live events. The right person doesn’t need to have the exact related experience, only the capacity to be trained on our video equipment and software. If you have no experience with film production or broadcasting, there will be a lot to learn but you still might be a great candidate. This job is ideal for someone who wants to supplement their other work and doesn’t mind a schedule that changes frequently and ebbs and flows. This is a very part-time job at about 5 hours a week on average (our best estimate). 

Duties

  • Operate cameras and audio equipment to record public events, indoors and outdoors
    • Examples include Hazen sporting events, arts performances, presentations and talks, local municipal meetings
  • Use streaming software to live stream public events
  • Edit recordings to final form using Adobe Premiere
  • Pick up gear at station and return all items using a checklist
  • Be responsible for a set of station keys
  • Have a reliable vehicle to get from station to event location
  • Be able to lift at least 20 lbs
  • Occasionally be available for short notice changes to the schedule. For example when sporting events get rescheduled due to weather. 
  • Troubleshoot on the occasion that there is an equipment malfunction
  • Plan ahead by bringing snacks or what’s needed to be comfortable in case later hours are unexpectedly required, such as if a meeting goes long or a game goes into overtime 
  • Be a public face for the station, showing kindness and respect for all people
  • Depending on interest, potential for the position to grow to include:
    • Creative production projects to increase engagement with our channel
    • Graphic design and web design projects
    • Teaching workshops
    • Administrative assistance 
    • Professional development opportunities

Compensation and Perks

  • $16-$20 per hour depending on experience
  • Hours: Shoots are generally 3-5 hours from gear pick up to edit export, occasionally longer but that is rare. During busy times shoots can be several times a week. During slow times shoots may be as few as one every other week. Our busiest times are during sporting seasons with peaks in December–February, May and September-October. Estimated average: 5 hours per week. 
  • Mileage is compensated for on shoots that require traveling to towns outside of Hardwick
  • Access to HCTV’s inventory of video & audio recording gear and an iMac with Adobe Suite when the office or gear isn’t otherwise in use
  • Flexible hours
  • Casual work environment, compassionate coworkers/supervisor 
  • Filming public meetings and events keeps you in touch with what is going on in your community and gives you a sense of having a meaningful role in it (speaking from experience). 

The right person will:

  • Be a values based, community-minded person
  • Have the ability to learn new skills if needed
  • Be comfortable with computers and new technology
  • Have some experience with video production or a transferable skill combined with a desire to learn the field 
  • Have an artistic sensibility – ability to make things look nice
  • Be alert and detail oriented or highly sensitive, having an high level of awareness for what is happening in the room, on camera, and often the stream as well
  • Be organized enough to keep track of one’s own schedule and show up to shoots on time
  • Enjoy being part of a team
  • Have education about diversity and inclusiveness with an openness to always learn more and take feedback when necessary

HCTV is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, marital or veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

How to Apply

Please respond to this questionnaire to the best of your ability. 

Responses are accepted in audio or video form, should you prefer a different mode of communication. 

Resumes or cover letters are optional and can be emailed to info@hctv.us. 

We will contact qualified candidates for interviews. 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis but we would like to begin training ASAP. 

HCTV’s Example Productions

Check out our sports coverage and new “Hazen Hi-lites” reels here: 

Hazen Sports

We often film local talks such as these: 

Greensboro Community Library

We would like to do more local documentary projects like this: 

Hardwick Village Market

Collaboration with local theater groups:

Charlie & Margaret – The Real Vermont Etiquette

Modern Times Theater 2021

We sometimes do concert recordings such as these: 

Roy MacNeil and Friends 2018

Craftsbury Vibrations 2021

Pete’s Posse 2021

Honeybee Steel Band LIVE

We hope to restore kids camps in the future: 

Vid Kids

Workshop description

We hope to partner more with the Hazen Drama Club and Music Department in the future: 

Hazen Drama Club

Hazen Winter Concert

Special Event Coverage

Woodbury Teacher Appreciation Day

Spring Festival Parade 2022

Much more and much more potential!