Producer Shines in Role Behind the Camera

A performer lounges on a neon green vinyl couch strumming a guitar as a producer consults actors in preparation for filming.

Amidst the flurry of activity -- in his true element -- Station Manager Rick Ward surveys the scene.

In his position, Ward is responsible for much of the behind-the-camera action. He devotes anywhere from three to eight hours a day running the station, answering mail, ordering equipment, helping with renovations and some nights running the programming from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m.

So for Ward, a senior from Martinsville, Va., STV has become a home away from home during his four years at UNC.

Ward can pinpoint the exact moment he fell in love with production. "We watched 'Dead Poets Society' in 10th grade. If you read it on paper, it would be so fake sounding, but they did it so well," he said. "I want to be able to move people like I was moved, to let them feel, let them think."

When he arrived at UNC as a freshman, Ward stumbled upon the STV booth at Carolina Contact. Thinking it looked interesting, he signed up and began his career at the station.

During his first year he operated cameras and did odd jobs around the studio. As a sophomore he produced two shows, "Random Acts of Violent Entertainment" and "Not Quite Midnight," a weekly call-in show.

"RAVE was like watching a bad kung fu movie. It was so over the top, anything would work," Ward said with a grin.

During his junior year, Ward gained more experience as station engineer, training new members and keeping the cameras in good shape.

Ward earned his job as station manager last spring after passing a screening test and being selected for the position by the STV Board.

After more than three years of work, Ward remains optimistic about STV's potential. "When I was a freshman, we had pretty primitive stuff. We have come so far since then -- we have gone such a long way," he said. "The future looks great."

STV has grown from 30 to 110 active members during Ward's stint at the station but still looks to expand membership with an open house 7:30 p.m. on Jan 22.

STV now produces 11 television shows, which will premiere new episodes in March.

Elesha Barnette, producer of the station's soap opera "General College" said Ward manages STV well. "He is one of the most hardworking people I know. He won't accept anything less then perfect in the way he runs the station," she said. "Coming from a producer, he is very supportive."

In the future, Ward hopes to increase STV's schedule. It currently airs seven hours a day, five days a week.

"I want to expand production as much as possible. To use the camera to tell stories, report on the news and much more" he said.

A highlight for STV this semester will be the coverage of UNC's student elections. And Ward looks forward to covering the results of the elections live.

"We would like to have a live call-in debate; it would be an important event," he said.

Ward will be working as an intern at a Hollywood production company this summer.

Through this program, called UNC Hollywood, he will work for companies that produce such shows as "Just Shoot Me" and "King of the Hill."

Ward's production work has been an integral part of his life at UNC, and it will shape his future career in the field. When everything comes together, Ward knows all his time and dedication has paid off.

He said, "When you've spent six weeks on a project, have people not show up, blow lines and edit until you have something that people will enjoy watching, it's the best feeling."

The Features Editor can be reached

at features@unc.edu.