New Arts Programs Coming in September
We have brand-new content coming to you this month to keep you updated on the local arts scene! Three of our station’s programs are returning with new seasons: SHOWCASE with Barbara Kellar, The Art Show and Rodney Veal’s Inspired By. Learn more below, plus check out a special behind-the-scenes look from one of our producers of The Art Show, Nadya Ellerhorst:
SHOWCASE with Barbara Kellar
After a refreshing summer hiatus, SHOWCASE with Barbara Kellar returns just in time for the vibrant new arts season of Cincinnati! September marks a month of captivating conversations and inspiring stories, featuring two brand-new episodes:
Cady Short-Thompson, President of NKU
Saturday, September 21, at 6:30pm on CET
Join Barbara Kellar as she sits down with Cady Short-Thompson, the dynamic President of Northern Kentucky University. Discover the vision, challenges and triumphs that shape her leadership and the exciting future of NKU.
Terri Kern & Brenda Tarbell, Local Artists
Saturday, September 28, at 6:30pm on CET
Immerse yourself in the creative world of local independent studio sculptural artist Terri Kern and ceramics artist Brenda Tarbell. Explore their unique artistic journeys, innovative techniques and the inspirations behind their stunning works.
Don’t worry if you’re ever unable to catch the broadcast. You can stream all episodes of SHOWCASE with Barbara Kellar on the website at CETconnect.org/showcase/.
The Art Show
The Art Show is returning for a 14th season! Tune in for stories from the vibrant artists and arts communities around Southwest Ohio, as well as highlights across the country. The first episode premieres Saturday, September 21, at 6pm on CET and Sunday, September 22, at 5:30pm on ThinkTV16, and will be available on the PBS App. Watch here: https://video.thinktv.org/show/art-show/
https://watch.cetconnect.org/show/art-show
You can also catch episodes of the podcast from Rodney Veal’s Inspired By on our website, Apple iTunes, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Season Three premieres Thursday, September 12, at 9am with a live-recorded episode featuring Shon Curtis and Countess Winfrey. Be sure to subscribe to @rodneyvealsinspiredby so you don’t miss an episode!
As filming for these new episodes is already underway, our production crew has been hard at work on the set of The Art Show! Check out a behind-the-scenes look from one of the show’s producers, Nadya Ellerhorst, as she walks us through her first day at the studio:
“In Pursuit of Magic at Front Street”
A Behind-the-Scenes Look from Nadya Ellerhorst
“That was the unicorn.”
This, I’m learning, is a surefire sign that producer Ann Rotolante likes a take.
The steady hum of box fans in the converted art studio has been replaced by Rodney Veal’s monologue on this early August morning. We’re in the middle of a two-day shoot of promos and wraparounds (AKA the short clips that transition between segments) for The Art Show. I’m seated at a table a ways from the camera, closed in by lighting fixtures, a camera dolly, and multifarious set pieces that call our space in Front Street Art Studios & Galleries home.
But my mind is honestly a little bit elsewhere. I’m in charge of running the teleprompter, a device that demands extreme precision in controlling the text display (it’s all in the wrist, my friends). Somehow I’ve already managed to establish a telepathic rapport with Rodney and I’m able to scroll through his script at a speed that’s just right. But Front Street is home to more than our set and the workspaces of artists from across Dayton, and a few hours here has already given me plenty to ponder.
There’s an “Art-o-mat” in the lobby of the building we’re working in today, just one of many reconverted vending machines across the nation that allow anyone with a crisp $5 bill to purchase a mini masterpiece. This served as a delightful Art Show easter egg on this day of filming, as the Art-o-mat situated in The Contemporary Dayton has been previously featured on the program. This Art-o-mat, however, wasn’t up and running yet – next time…
Then, in the very same lobby, there’s Lord Grumbletusk.
I have so many questions, but, given my responsibilities on set, so little time. I’m not here for trolls, anyway. We’ve come for unicorns.
Today is my first experience shooting at our space in Front Street. What it lacks in central air conditioning is made up for with cool knick knacks. Off-camera, the room is jam-packed with couches and arm chairs, shelves brimming with books and pillows, art pieces of varying media and a wardrobe with numerous options for Rodney’s on-camera appearances.
Throughout the two-day shoot, we cycle props in and out to create new sets for differing episodes within the same space. (It should be noted that much pillow chopping and fluffing is involved). A great deal of consideration is put into each set piece we use, including the disturbingly realistic faux lemons Rodney brings along. The group discusses what furniture and objects to include in a given shot, bearing in mind factors like color and reflection. It’s up to Ann to scan what shows up on camera to make sure everything’s in order and as aesthetically pleasing as we can muster. There’s a few close calls with visible wires and sunlight glares, but all it takes is a minute or two to make adjustments, and then we’re back on track.
A fun piece of The Art Show trivia: the art featured on set aren’t pieces you’d find in your retail home décor store. It’s real art by real local artists. These sets of promos and wraparounds feature works by Gary Hinsche and Ann Luken.
Our set up includes a camera fixed with a teleprompter and mirror that allows Rodney to look into the camera and talk directly to viewers like you (think Errol Morris’s Interrotron, only a bit less intense). We go chunk by chunk in our script, with Ann making notes about which takes are best along the way.
One aspect of the set I found particularly intriguing were the complex lighting set-ups. On your TV, it may look like sunlight is pouring into the set, but in reality, only a small portion of the space we’re in is actually lit, and painstakingly so. Whenever the set-up or framing changes, chances are so does the lighting. There are even custom-built screens that go over the windows to regulate how much light streams in from outside. Needless to say, it takes careful planning and execution to bamboozle you.
If you can’t already tell, corralling those unicorns is no walk in the park. Production demands aside, Front Street is a round-the-clock workspace, and sometimes the external buzz of productivity finds its way onto our own set. Doors slam and delivery trucks arrive at really inopportune moments. A sneaky ray of sunshine may infiltrate our shot, and occasionally we just need to turn off the cameras and switch on the fans for a few minutes.
But, stuffiness and circumstance aside, the set environment is ultimately what I can only describe as fun. We’re a show about creatives, aren’t we? Don’t think it’s all “Action” and “Cut!” Between takes and set-ups, we find time for Facebook Lives, forays into the complex in search of caffeine and gummy bear snack breaks. We stay on track, but we also actively strive to enjoy the process, and I think that inherent positivity shows on the footage you’ll see in this upcoming season. This was only the first batch of promos and wraparounds we filmed for Season 14. The next time I find myself in Front Street will likely be in (hopefully) cooler months, with a (hopefully) stocked Art-o-mat and (hopefully) more adventures in getting that perfect take.
