This five session course, taught by experienced music video producer and instructor Prince J. Charles, is the ideal way to practice fimmaking skills using professional cameras and post-production software. Students will start by visualizing a song and planning its aesthetic style through storyboards and a shot list. The course guides the students from the initial concept through to the finished project, covering all aspects of production, both creative and business-related. Within five weeks, including independent work between class sessions, students will write, direct, shoot, and edit their own three-minute music videos.

The completed videos will be shown on Channel 3 and pressed onto DVD’s to impress friends and industry contacts. All levels of production experience are welcome, although some shooting and editing experience is required. The class is open to SCAT producers and non-members of SCAT.

 The SCAT studio puts out incredibly clear video now that the new JVC GY-HD250U cameras have been installed. These cameras can be used in either high definition or standard definition modes, but either way they are a big improvement over the old analog cameras. Included in the package are new flat-screen camera monitors, built-in intercom's, and new camera control units for the control room.

Studio producers do not need to be intimidated by the new gear because the production process remains the same. If you are not yet studio certified you can take the next four-session Basic Studio Production class which will begin on July 30.

 Somerville Community Access Television will be relocating in the next few years as a result of the anticipated redevelopment of Union Square. To plan for a future facility, SCAT has undertaken a process to determine the community's current and future technology needs and interests for cable access TV. We are reaching out to community leaders, organizations, and SCAT members by holding a series of community focus groups led by a professional facilitator.

The SCAT member focus group will be held in the SCAT studio on Wednesday, July 9 from 7:00 to 8:30pm. If you have ideas for how SCAT could better serve the community over the next ten years through new programs, technology, and/or outreach, please attend this important meeting.

 Somerville Community Access Television launched its new website on June 24, 2008. The site was designed by Somerville artist/designer V Van Sant and implemented by web designer Peter Bull. It uses an open source content management system called Drupal, which is becoming very popular in the web world.  Drupal is a free software package that allows an individual or a community of users to easily publish, manage and organize a wide variety of content on a website. The SCAT site has many new features such as an events calendar, links to community and media organizations, and many opportunities to sample on-demand TV programs produced at SCAT. SCAT members may request a log-in to access a crew call blog where they can post notices about their productions.

Somerville Cares About Prevention, a City agency, held its 5th Annual Community Addictions Speakout about how access to alcohol and other drugs affect Somerville Youth. The Speakout was held at Somerville Community Access Television and the recorded program can be seen on Channel 3 on Wednesday, April 2 at 5:00pm and Monday, April 7 at 4:00pm.. The program includes a discussion with a panel of experts on teen addiction, including two teens who are now in recovery, and a video presentation by the Somerville youth group SPF100. A studio audience and at-home viewers were invited to ask questions.

This year the SCAT Annual Meeting included an Award Ceremony hosted by Jimmy Tingle to recognize excellence in numerous categories of programming and activity at SCAT. "Volunteer of the Year" is Andrew McLeod; "Rookie of the Year" is Candice Leonard. Congratulations to the winners of the “Best of 2007” awards!

Documentary: "Mel King" by Andrew McLeod

Hot Set Show: "Fruit or Breast: The Game Show" by Adam Azia

Talk Show: "ERA" by Joe Constantine

Music/Variety/Entertainment: "This Whats Up TV" by Stacey Cohen adn Alex Joshua

Youth Oriented: "Hands Together" by Hans Elmidor and youmi Odivin

Religious: "100 Women of Spirit" by Wallace Amarante

Drama: "Ithaca" by Michael Van Devere