Darien Times Published 9:50 am EST, Saturday, March 10, 2018
At the Darien all-town band festival last week, three students were there to film the event live-stream for DAF Media. The two sophomores and a senior from Darien High School operated two high-definition cameras set up on tripods in the stands. One captured broad shots of the nearly 500 student performers in the high school gym, and the other zoomed in for tighter shots of participants, who included all band students from grades 5 to 12.
“My favorite aspect of doing DAF Media live streams is that there is something for everybody,” said Chris Benedict, a Darien High School sophomore. “There are spots for people who like to film, direct, make graphic designs, and anything you would like to try on the production side.”
The All-Town Band Festival broadcast marked an expansion in DAF Media programming, which originally focused on youth athletic games. Now, student volunteers will also live-stream school events and cultural programs. “The DAF Media Network has grown enormously since going live in the fall of 2017,” said Brendan Ross, a senior at Darien High School. “We are excited to expand our programming into other areas of the community.” In addition to live-streaming, DAF Media makes all of its broadcasts available to view via their YouTube channel.
While DAF Media is a joint venture funded by both The Darien Athletic Foundation and The Darien Foundation, the kids are the ones behind the cameras doing the work. Some 25-30 student volunteers rotate to produce several broadcasts each week, overseen and instructed by Damian Andrew, DAF Media Director of Video Programming. Andrew described it as a high-tech STEM learning opportunity with cutting-edge computer and camera technology including the green screen. He added that the collaborative nature of the productions gets kids away from their smart phones and has them interacting and working together as a team.
“DAF media has provided me with a new sense of community that I had not experienced before and has helped me become friends with people that I would not have met through just football.” said Grayden Overbeck, also a sophomore at Darien High School. “DAF Media has gotten me excited about uniting the Darien community.”
For an upcoming schedule of DAF Media programming, visit the Darien Athletic Foundation Facebook page. To suggest events for live stream or if you are a student who wants to volunteer, email Damian at: [email protected].
