By: Matthew Cunha – Spectator
Screenshot Courtesy of WABI 5
Bangor Police and the students of the New England School of Communications have teamed up to create a new recruitment video. The video is aimed at drawing new recruits to Bangor.
“[We have got to] use stuff that you usually need to email this person or talk to this person and schedule and plan to use for the two hour period you have. We can just use it,” said project producer and NESCom student Holly Guadet. “It has been really cool getting access to their special equipment and special teams.”
The video incorporates police technology such as the bomb detection robot. The bomb detection robot was included in their first shoot they did said Gaudet. “It was a good way to start the shooting process; having that cool robot and their truck and their bomb squad being there.”
“We knew we were going to be recording it and recording them operating it. We went to a open parking lot and asked them how it works,” said Gaudet. “We learned on the spot.”
According to Brian Sullivan of WABI-TV 5, Sergeant Wade Betters said that recruitment video needed to be updated. “Getting this video done will hopefully go a long way to attract qualified applicants.” said Sgt. Betters.
For the NESCom video production students, the video is a capstone project for NESCom video production seniors. One half of the students get to work on the police project, while the other half are working on a narrative short film. Video professor Frank Welch prefers his students to do a client based project said Gaudet. Working on this video allows us to adhere to others needs said Gaudet.
“It’s very different from narrative work,” said Gaudet. “When you work with a client you do not have to worry about setting up locations or figuring out actors because they supply and own everything.”
The NESCom students and the Bangor P.D. have had no problems in communications said Gaudet.
The video students have shot the airport, a car stop, a tact team, training exercises, and K-9 units. “[The video] is meant to show to possible prospects that Bangor is a great place to work,” said Gaudet.
The team of NESCom students includes project producer Holly Gaudet, Assistant Producer Maggie Tao, Director Daniel Sinclair, Director of Photography Avery Ring, and two assistants for Ring on camera. The projects also includes a writer, a graphics manager, an editor, and an audio manager.
“The coolest thing is being able to have access to all of these cool things. We have gone into the police station many times. We have had access to the airport. We have had access to this building were they do training exercises where they throw flash bangs in,” said Gaudet. “Having that access to all these things has been really cool and the best part of it all.”
The New England School of Communications is home to 500 students working on degrees. The video production students are featured on this project. NESCom is also home to students pursuing careers in Audio Engineering, Live Sound Technology, Entertainment Production, Sports Journalism, Journalism, Marketing Communication, and Radio Broadcasting.
