New ZigZag video podcast & behind the scenes by Matt McGann '00
An inside look at the new video.
A new and different episode of ZigZag, MIT’s video podcast, is up… check it out!
Let us know what you think, either in the comments section below or at the ZigZag comments box.
The idea for this episode actually came up last semester over a lunch meeting at the Forbes Family Cafe in the Stata Center. I was chatting with the folks at Academic Media Production Services (AMPS): the people behind ZigZag. Asking me for ideas for a future episode, I said, what if we did a theme episode, one just looking at the lives of MIT freshmen? I think people are very curious about what it would be like to be a first semester student on campus.
From there, we went about contacting students and setting up a production schedule. I sent out an email to a dozen random (and awesome) freshmen that I know well, to see who might be interested. I found five who would be around for the filming and who were excited to participate.
So, a few weeks back, we sat down to talk with all five students. We chatted with Jenn and Star in a classroom in Building 1, with Minh in her dorm, McCormick Hall, with Waciuma at the Pierce Boathouse, and with Evan at his dorm, Burton-Conner. Of course, this was all squeezed between my reading applications and the busy schedules of the five students.
Following the interviews, AMPS captured the B roll footage you see in the video, including Star at MITERS, Jenn rowing crew, Evan with FIRST Team 97, Minh in class, and Waciuma at the foundry.
David from AMPS produced this episode of ZigZag, working late into the night this week to cut down hours of footage into a six minute video. Alas, there was so much good stuff to show, but a lot of really cool stuff had to be left on the cutting room floor (not literally, of course — it’s all done by computer these days).
Kudos to David and the whole team at AMPS. Hopefully this episode was interesting and entertaining to watch. I know I had a good time helping to put it together.
1st post………..
How many Pakistani international students are here? reply plz!
First post. I think is great.
Sorry, I had no idea two people had already beaten me to it.OMG I am embarassed. I will not post again, never.
…well i haven’t read the entire post or seen the video..just rushed to make the 1st post……shall check it out 2mrw…1:30 am here for me matt…so g’nite….
though…that pic of you at your desk…probably reading applications…including mine…yikes…i can’t sleep now……..dang!!!!…
anyway..have a nice day…have fun reading!!!
hey anonymous…
the link below…u’ll get an idea about the geographical distribution…….
http://web.mit.edu/registrar/www/stats/geofinal.html
awwww solomon
came across this video from the mit homepage, and expected the usual generic pro-college pro-mit spiel, but instead was pleased to find a fairly accurate portrayal of a handful of mit experiences. thesereally are the kind of personalities and opportunities that i got to be around not just freshman year, but all through undergrad. it’s different for everybody and there are good days and bad days, but if you keep a good perspective and tap into your own enthusiasm and that of the people around you, there is a lot to fall in love with. (which goes for all of life and not just mit)
Amazing clip. Now I’m more convinced that MIT is like a dreamland for me.
can we know whether our application is read
Dear Matt McGann ’00,
Well!
It’s a Great!
I am ClassXII of commerce student at St.Edmund’s College in India.Since,I have been growing up Computer Hardware and Software Knowledges and experienced,I want to pursue BscIT in MIT.
So,I want to get admission in MIT,this year intake of september 2007.I do love testing interviews which MIT’s giving Tests.
But I am come from Myanmar Country and studied in India.
Please reply to me.
From Lucas gumjanaw
email:[email protected]
Great job on the Zigzag episode! That really showed me a personal side of MIT I’d been wanting to see. And you picked a good diversity of students. (Only wish it was longer, so we could see more!) Great job all around. You have one of the most amazing jobs I can think of.