Screening:
Sunday, April 30, 10:30 AM, Charles 1

Shot almost eight years ago to the day, this video by Robert Goald provides an in-depth exploration of one dramatic day behind-the-scenes at WJZ-TV, Channel 13 on April 29, 1992. The morning begins quietly as a reporter and videographer head out to cover proposed budget cuts at a recreation center in a crime-plagued inner-city neighborhood. Interviews with kids, cops, and a local councilman are abruptly interrupted by an attempted robbery on the grounds. The team scrambles to cover the hand-cuffing of a suspect and the recovery of a handgun. The young suspect the nabbed later turns out to be the victim-raising crucial issues of individual rights and journalistic responsibility.

Back at the station, the reported logs her tapes and picks "bites" to fill the story's time slot. Suddenly, chaos breaks out in the newsroom. What had been a routine news day is suddenly transformed as the Rodney King trial verdict is announced in Los Angeles. Disgruntled citizens erupt into riotous violence-Los Angeles is up in flames.

Producers and editors scramble to piece together a new lead story-including a live network feed from Los Angeles. They race against the clock to meet the fast approaching 11:00 PM deadline. The half-hour news cast is shown in real time from the control room. We watch as Newscast Director Guy Raymond orchestrates the program, and anchors Denise Koch and Al Sanders deliver the news.

Bio:
Robert S. Gould is a Maryland-based producer with more than 20 years of documentary and independent, low-budget feature film experience. Gould also teaches Visual Media at the college level and is a freelance writer.

Short:
Special Report (dir. Bryan Boyce, 1999, 4 min., Beta SP) America's favorite news anchors possessed by the spirit of old-time exploitation cinema.Click here for a clip of this short