makezine.com: MAKE Television

Introducing Make: television

Coming in January 2009: A new national series from MAKE magazine, Twin Cities Public Television, and American Public Television

The MAKE stage has gotten a whole lot bigger! Coming to public television stations across America, Make: television brings the spirit and energy of the magazine to TV sets in beautiful HD.

Featuring stories of accomplished Makers and their amazing projects, accompanied by how-to guides that will inspire the Maker in all of us, Make: will draw viewers to delightful examples of American ingenuity and inspire them to make their own projects.

Stay tuned to this website for regular updates. And be sure to visit www.makerchannel.org for a chance to have your video featured in the show � you provide the content, we'll provide the airwaves!

Preview our first episode now >>

Shopping Kart on MAKE: television

The premiere Make: television is 8 weeks away. Here's a snippet of what you'll see in the show -- John Park transforming a shopping cart into a stylish easy chair, and then into a go kart!

Make: television will premiere on Public Television stations and here on www.makezine.tv in January.

Each station programs slightly different schedules, call your Public Television station and ask for "Viewer Services" -- they'll tell you when it will be on.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

Posted by Make: television | 1:56 PM in Furniture, Make: television | | Discuss (0)

Making television: Two-camera shoot

Hosting the Maker Workshop segment of the upcoming Make: television show has been a quick education on how TV is made.

The show is done as a two-camera shoot. This means there are two cameramen, one covering me and another covering the project. It's a great way to shoot, because it allows the editor to cut between the guy talking and the thing he's talking about. (Synchronized time-code between the cameras keeps audio and action all in sync. )

It's kind of difficult to talk to one camera and hold the thing you're talking about toward another. Try it sometime. Walk up to a friend and say "Hey, check out this crazy iPhone app!" while you direct all of that action toward someone else. It rips your mind in half. OK, not that bad, but pretty strange. I got semi-accustomed to it, but there were moments, late in the day when I had to be reminded to talk to Mike and show stuff to Butch.

Posted by John Park | 5:00 PM in Make: television | | Discuss (0)

Maker's Notebook light mod

During filming of the latest set of episodes, I gave Maker's Notebooks to some of the wonderful crew members on the set of the Make: television show. We got to talking about modding them, and someone said, "I wish the thing had a reading light". My idea is to use the embedded bookmark ribbon as a reading light platform. I've never worked with conductive thread or surface mount LEDs before, so any tips/warnings before I go down that road would be welcome!

This is an LED, battery, and thread from the new Lilypad e-sewing kit I just got. That thing puts out a pretty bright light!

Posted by John Park | 11:52 AM in DIY Projects, Make: television | | Discuss (6)

Now blogging: John Park

I'm John Park and I've been invited to blog here at Make. I'm thrilled that Phil and the rest of the incredible team are letting me join them.

By day I'm a character rigger making animated movies; by night (and early morning), I'm a father and husband, Maker, and freelance writer. Thanks to a chance encounter at the 2008 Bay Area Maker Faire, I'm going to be the host of the Maker Workshop on the upcoming Make: television show airing on PBS in January.

Topics I'm likely to post about: