More than a dozen applicants waited in the lobby on the first floor of Allen Hall Monday night, chatting nervously about sports, the audition they were all waiting for or nothing at all. A sign-up sheet circulated around the room, which alternated between moments of quiet chatter and uncomfortable silence.
A woman exited a doorway down the hall and entered the lobby. She picked up the sign-up sheet and called out the first name on the list. Nobody moved. She called it out again. A man stood up and followed her through a door, down a short hall and through another room, which looks out onto a studio. They entered it. The 11-member “Duck U” panel, made up of show hosts, producers and reporters, was already seated, waiting for the first audition.
With the campus television program “Duck U” already in its second year of production, these auditions have become increasingly important, and more people have turned out to audition for parts as show hosts, sports and news reporters, and behind-the-scenes people.
Now that the staff of “Duck U” has made it past the first year of operation, they are concentrating on improving the programming, lengthening the show and spreading the word to the public about “Duck U,” Co-Director Jesse Harding said.
“Last year was basically just trying to get the system in place; it was kind of getting the ball rolling,” Harding said. “It’s working out those little kinks and bugs in the beginning that’s the hardest part.”
Harding said one of the things they’re working on is expanding the show from 30 minutes to an hour. Before they jump into that, however, they want to improve the quality of their current show, he said. To do that, they are trying to recruit more talented individuals.
Junior Ebba Corleto was hoping to become one of those individuals. She went to Monday night’s audition looking to land a part in front of the camera, and she tried not to let her nerves get the best of her.
“It went pretty well,” she said after reading a news story in front of the panel. “I didn’t really know what to expect. I thought maybe they’d ask more questions. The board was likable; I enjoyed being up there.”
Senior David Larson, who worked with the show last year doing interviews on the street, came to audition to be a host. Larson said the show is trying to build on its momentum from last year, and he hopes to get involved to set a standard for “future casts to live up to.”
“I wasn’t nervous,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons I like being in front of the camera; I can be myself without being nervous. I have tremendous confidence in my abilities.”
Harding explained that this year’s programming will include many of their past segments, which include sports, news, music and movie reviews, an animated show and an on-the-street interview segment. To build on last year’s programming, they will be including a dating game show segment, hosted by co-producer and on-screen talent Jordan Sandler.
Sandler, who will be the anchor and producer of the show, said he envisions getting residence hall occupants on the show in an effort to incorporate more of the audience into the programming. After that, anything’s possible, he said.
Harding said securing more funding is another goal of the group this year. Currently, “Duck U” doesn’t receive money from the University or from students not involved in the program, he said. But, organizers are talking about getting advertising for the show, possibly from student groups on campus, to help fund the construction of new sets. Currently, no one on staff is paid, and the School of Journalism and Communication provides use of the equipment and facilities.
Harding said they hope to begin shows in a week. “Duck U” airs on Channel 23 at 10 p.m. Wednesdays and on Channel 14 in the residence halls at 9 p.m. Tuesdays and
Thursdays.
In the meantime, Corleto and Larson are hoping to be some of the talent students tune into this term.
“I think it’s great experience and will definitely help me decide what I want to do with my career,” Corleto said.