Profile: Sara Pellegrino and the Superior Seniors

by Julie DeForest
June 1998

There's no such thing as "over the hill" when it comes to making video.

At a time when most of us hope to relax and enjoy the finer things in life, one ambitious group of Connecticut retirees is taking on a new career. Meet the Seniors is a video production group that produces local programming for cable access television in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Using the Fairfield Senior Center as home base, the group's 20 members have been documenting local events and personalities for 10 years. They are a diverse group of people with many talents and experiences to offer. The current president of the group, Sara Pellegrino, is a retired teacher and social director who leads the monthly brainstorming sessions that make their productions a success.

"We cover subjects from start to finish," Pellegrino says. "We can do something as simple as an anniversary or [as complex] as a community project."

Each idea is developed from concept to completion, beginning with a storyboard to give the project shape and direction. Members make it a habit to jot down ideas for future shows whenever they come to mind. Those ideas usually become the subjects of brainstorming sessions and allow everyone to add to the creative process.

The group works as individuals or in small teams to cover a project and create weekly half-hour programs. More than 80 shows have been aired and Pellegrino says the group enjoys tremendous support from other seniors and the community in general.

The idea for senior programming came from a similar program suggested by the American Association of Retired Persons; it's supported by the local cable company which oversees the group's training.

Lessons Learned
Experience is the best teacher, according to Pellegrino, who has many stories to tell of adventures in the field.

While shooting a piece on the renovation of a historic district, one of the members strolled casually into a pool room with a camera on her shoulder. The customers glared and thought they might be the subjects of an investigation. But after a brief explanation, the patrons became participants in the project and offered information and help.

"Even if you have permission to tape," Pellegrino says, "know your territory."

Sometimes nature has something to say about when and where a shoot can happen. Jack Kennedy spent 43 years as a programmer and sales engineer before he became a camera jockey.

"We were shooting old ruins on Charles Island, the legendary burial place of Captain Kidd's treasure. Access to the island is at low tide by a mile-long sandbar," Kennedy explains. "We had a two-hour window to return to the mainland before the tide came in. With water up to our knees and the equipment on top of our heads, we made it back just in time."

Not all of the group's mishaps are as glamorous, but the details make for hilarious happenings. Forgetting to turn off the camera is a common mistake, resulting in endless footage of the ground as the crew walks away from a story. Even Pellegrino has firsthand knowledge of video gremlins. While shooting an air show, Pellegrino noticed right away that the battery in the camera was very low. "I had to trek back to the parking lot for another battery and missed part of the show I'd wanted to shoot," she says.

Challenges Faced
Once the group has faced the challenges of shooting in the field, they're ready to begin the time-consuming post-production process.

"It takes about a month or two to put together a show that involves location shooting," Pellegrino says. "In-studio productions go more quickly."

Former insurance executive Sylvia Wettenstein says editing is her biggest challenge because the group's equipment is old. Pellegrino also feels that the equipment is a challenge and adds that getting editing time can be difficult with such a large group working on so many projects at once.

Most post-production is done at the Cablevision studio and once a week Fairfield University allows the group to use its television facilities for editing.

The Meet the Seniors group has covered just about everything in and around the community of Fairfield. From "Facelift with a Forklift," which documented the renovation of a historic neighborhood to "Anatomy of an Art Show," viewers have learned the stories behind the events happening around them. Visiting dignitaries have also been a part of the program including "Interview with Hillary Clinton" and "On the Campaign Stop with Elizabeth Dole." Pellegrino is researching how to package and distribute the shows to other markets.

Eye on the Future
Goals for the future are both technical and personal. During monthly meetings, the group keeps up-to-date with the latest technology.

"With all the new digital and computer advanced technology," Wettenstein says, "our equipment is already obsolete."

Kennedy agrees that the biggest change in the near future will be the availability of low-cost digital video cameras and editing equipment. He hopes to add hardware and software to his personal computer to create his own post-production suite for making high quality video at home.

Like the rest of the group, Pellegrino craves the digital age but says the ultimate goal for Meet the Seniors is to continue producing programs that are interesting, informative, educational and entertaining for the community.

"We want to continue to produce quality programs," she says. "And to increase and expand our capabilities for video production."

Julie DeForest is a television producer and journalist.

Public Access Made Easy
Whether you're new to video production or looking for a way to get your show on the air, public access is a great starting place for videographers of all kinds. The most important factor in public access is its cost--it's usually free to those living within the service area. Your local cable company (or an educational institution under contact) provides training. Once you've passed whatever test and requirements are necessary to participate, you can use the cable company's equipment to produce your own video productions. The company will provide you with guidelines about what can and cannot be aired under the terms of public access but the rules are general enough to encompass most ideas as long as they are free of any blatant advertising, product or service recommendation or company logos.

Step-by-Step
Most cable companies who offer public access service have prepared materials to get you started and can usually provide a schedule of training classes when you can learn the basics and get your hands on the equipment. Some companies are required by their franchise agreements to offer public access service. The cable company usually must provide interested parties with all the materials necessary to understand and participate in public programming.

Once you've completed your tape, you will have to submit a number of forms to the cable provider--usually a request for programming time and a statement of compliance that says you know the rules and have followed them. Some of the more advanced public access groups publish a viewer guide and will ask you to submit a synopsis telling what the show is about. It will be printed in the guide and give you the opportunity to generate interest in your show.

Program Guidelines
While many go-getters plan and produce a series of similar programs like a talk show or a regular series on golf, don't be afraid to pick a topic you care about and do one good show. Programmers value quality and will remember you the next time you offer a production.

Often there are limits or guidelines on the program length. The access provider will inform you as to the standard lengths of programs commonly aired.

Guidelines for content are almost uniform throughout the country when it comes to what isn't allowed on public access. They are: no endorsements of political candidates; no program that contains obscene materials as defined by the U.S. Supreme Court; no material that constitutes libel, slander or invasion of privacy; and no program which includes copyright or trademark material without written permission. Oh, and one more thing, you can't air a program that advocates violation of any law.

To find your public access provider, call your local cable company. If they don't provide a public channel, contact the local governmental agency that oversees the cable operator's franchise (the legal contract that allows the operator to offer exclusive cable services). Lobbying of the franchise agency can be an effective way to bring public access to your community.
--JD

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