Magnified societies: Tuning in with Trinity TV

One of the most friendly and open societies in college, Trinity Life takes a look at Trinity TV and the role they can play in improving your media skills

Illustration: Isabelle Griffen

“[…]it is not only desirable to have a handle on skills relating to producing media content, it is fast becoming necessary.”

Trinity TV (TTV) is a presence in college which deserves more recognition than it receives. For some students TTV is an elusive society, a mysterious entity you could miss in your four years at Trinity and yet this is a mistake. Unearthing one of the gems of Trinity’s society world will give you an opportunity to get involved in creating videos and other pieces of media, meeting experienced fellow students as you do.

Trinity TV’s selling point is that they create  their own original video content. Some of the most popular videos they can claim credit for include “Arts Block vs Hamilton”, which gained a notable level of attention from students. The society is more than willing to give a platform both to students who wish to make videos to share with the rest of College, as well as to those who just want to learn about film and video-making in general. Members can make use of the TTV camera and computers, and work alongside other members to make their ideas come to life. The content TTV produces ranges from the humorously brash “Which course has the biggest rides?” to more the serious, such as a touching informative video on Body and Soul week in Trinity.

“TTV is a pleasure to be part of, especially if you aspire to work in media or  journalism.”

With an immeasurable rise in the influence of technology, it is not only desirable to have a handle on skills relating to producing media content, it is quickly becoming necessary. Trinity TV can be a useful way to build upon the skills one has acquired through the use of social media which you can then take to the next level with film and video-making. It is quite a luxury to have the level of creative license that you have at University level, and students interested should certainly take advantage of this opportunity.

“Many societies may appear difficult to break into because of the strong friendship groups already formed within them, but this is an example of an open society.”

TTV is also highly accessible to any student. Many societies may appear difficult to break into because of the strong friendship groups already formed within them, but this is an example of an open society. If you’re an aspiring actor who can’t get into any of the shows you want in Players or an aspiring writer who finds LitSoc is not for you, TTV is for you. The society is run by a small number of committee members who love meeting new people and hearing new ideas. While you may know the society best for its famous Vox Pops , it’s open to anything television-related. All varieties of creative input are welcome, including short sketches, series-long dramas, short films, news reports, and many more.

Speaking to the head of TTV, Adam Keane, I learned how much the society values new members and ideas, indicated in how many roles there are in making the videos. It’s not just about acting and writing, there is also filming and editing to be done, and that’s for the simpler videos. Lighting and stage management are a key element for more complicated videos. When asked about what he values most about the society, Keane said: “People I’ve met have been the best thing.” Speaking about how he himself got involved, he referred to how helpful the society’s members were. He added that each and every committee member helped him grow as he got to learn about filming, working with the camera, acting and editing videos. He argued that every time a new member joins the society they add something that helps to make the society.

To mention some of the events TTV hold, every Thursday at 6pm the committee host an open writing session in the society’s room, located in House 6. This meeting is usually a brainstorming session where the committee and new members alike throw ideas out in the open and then work together to write a script, set a scene and form an idea together as a collective to create a video. They also have free biscuits, as well as tea and coffee, every week.
For this writer, TTV is a pleasure to be part of, especially if you aspire to work in media or  journalism. Whether you have dreams that you want fulfil on the big screen, or simply want to know what it would be like to work in the studio creating content, head down to the meetings on Thursday night. If you want to see more of what Trinity TV is like, most of their content is available on their Youtube channel.