Marie Elliott Shares Highlights of Television Academy Foundation Fellowship

Valdosta State University’s Marie M. Elliott was among 20 educators from colleges and universities across the United States selected by the Television Academy Foundation to attend its 27th annual Faculty Seminar Fellowship Nov. 10-14 in Los Angeles, Calif. Getting to hold an Emmy was one of the many highlights of her week on the West Coast.

VALDOSTA — Valdosta State University’s Marie M. Elliott was among 20 educators from colleges and universities across the United States selected by the Television Academy Foundation to attend its 27^th annual Faculty Seminar Fellowship Nov. 10-14 in Los Angeles, Calif. She spent the week immersed in the entertainment industry, learning the very latest about such topics as how producers and writers function, developing ideas and sources, the similarities and differences of directing different genres, program selection, digital entertainment, and more from the industry’s top professionals.

“This was probably one of the best things I’ve done for my professional development,” noted Elliott, an assistant professor of mass media in the Department of Communication Arts. She said that her week at the seminar “consisted of panels, hands-on demonstrations in renowned studios, evening mixers with entertainment professionals — and some famous stars like Geena Davis — and meetings with studio executives.”

Highlights of Elliott’s Television Academy Foundation Faculty Seminar Fellowship include the following: 

• Watching a live airing of Dancing With The Stars. Elliott said, “The movable sets, production techniques, and camera choreography is something I can't wait to share with my classes. The equipment they ran and the sets they changed out were so simple and streamlined. It made watching the three-minute and 20-second commercial breaks so interesting, and I can't wait to show my MDIA 2050: Introduction to Electronic Media Production classes diagrams and examples of how professional reality shows are staged today. It was probably one of the most valuable experiences I've had behind the scenes of a televised studio production.”

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• Participating in directing activities with Michael Lange, who is known for his work on a number of television shows, including such  1980’s classics as The Fall Guy, T.J. Hooker, and Dynasty; the 1990’s Knots Landing, Northern Exposure, The X-Files, Beverly Hills 90210, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer; and the 21^st century’s Dawson’s Creek, The O.C., One Tree Hill, Drop Dead Diva, Greek, The Mysteries of Laura, and Switched at Birth. Elliott said, “I will use these exercises when I teach MDIA 4240: Directing and Acting for Film, and my students will benefit from these techniques, which really excites me as an instructor.”

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• Being on the set of The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men. Elliott said, “Now when I watch those shows I see exactly how the cameras and other equipment work with the staging on set. For example, The Big Bang Theory uses only dolly tracks for camera movement while Two and a Half Men uses pedestal mounts for mobile filming. It was awesome seeing all the lights and equipment and staging during rehearsals, and I can't wait to relay what I saw to my students.”

• Meeting Geena Davis, who founded the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, at a See Jane exclusive parlor event. Elliott said, “We had a very substantive conversation about women in media. I asked her about her new role on Grey's Anatomy, and then a panel of industry professionals discussed current trends and issues with diversity and equality in media. Afterward, I also chatted with the executive producer of Orange Is The New Black about writing the characters on the show. It was a really cool event.”

• Hearing from executives in charge of scheduling and programming from NBC, ABC, FOX, CBS and the CW. Elliott said, “It was very informative and will enhance my future lectures about network structure and prepping seasons of multiple productions.”

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The Television Academy Foundation’s mission is to chronicle and celebrate the history of television and to inspire and educate the next generation of television leaders.

Contact Marie M. Elliott at (229) 249-4876 or mmelliott@valdosta.edu to learn more.

On the Web:

/colleges/arts/communication-arts/mass-media/

http://www.emmys.com/foundation

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Valdosta State University’s 2013-2019 Strategic Plan represents a renewal of energy and commitment to the foundational principles for comprehensive institutions.

Implementation of the plan’s five goals, along with their accompanying objectives and strategies, supports VSU’s institutional mission and the University System of Georgia’s mission for comprehensive universities. 

Faculty participation in national fellowship opportunities helps the university meet the following goals: 

Goal 1: Recruit, retain, and graduate a quality, diverse student population and prepare students for roles as leaders in a global society.

Goal 3: Promote student, employee, alumni, retiree, and community engagement in our mission.

Goal 4: Foster an environment of creativity and scholarship.

Goal 5: Develop and enhance Valdosta State’s human and physical resources.

Visit /administration/planning/strategic-plan.php to learn more.