by Austin B.

Editor’s Note: Mule Tube is a Mule Time Media production.

Mule Tube is a production that Alamo Heights Junior School students watch every single day during their KICK time. Mule Tube explains what is going on around the school and talks about important upcoming events, the weather, fun facts, and much more.

Ms. Bynum, a theatre arts and film production teacher, explained that some of the kids who watch Mule Tube are also the kids who put it together. “Right now, we have a second-period class that Mr. Boylan and I have fused together. He has Mule Tube, but I have film production, so we utilize both classes.” According to Ms. Bynum, Mule Tube is a student-made production.

In terms of the different roles in making Mule Tube, there are a variety of roles that contribute to making it come together. Ms. Bynum stated, “You can be on-air talent, which is kind of like a news anchor. There’s a person who runs the camera for Mule Tube. There’s a person who helps with scripting and the teleprompter.” It appears that there are many different roles that help the various Mule Tube segments mesh together.

Speaking of the different Mule Tube segments, Ms. Bynum talked about some of them, including a new one that will be added to Mule Tube soon. “We have recurring segments such as Feature Teacher, Alumni Spotlight, and some good news. We’ve got a new segment called Question Time, but it’s been rebranded as What’s the Buzz.”

The information that they use to create these Mule Tube segments usually comes from one specific source, but there are occasionally other sources used to gather information. “It’s generally from Monday Mail. We do have teachers who send in requests for us, so those are the two main sources,” said Ms. Bynum.

Ms. Bynum then described the process of how the students film Mule Tube. “They film it in the studio, and there’s a green-painted wall. So, what we do in the film production class is we put the segments that run behind it, and we change the background based on the season or what they’re discussing.” Ms. Bynum also stated, “We film a day ahead, sometimes two days ahead if we’re having a good week.” This shows how they film each segment and how they have a specific background for each segment, and how they’re always one day ahead when filming so they don’t fall behind.

However, Mule Tube isn’t ready to be played in front of the school as soon as it’s filmed. Ms. Bynum explained what they use to put the finishing touches on Mule Tube. “We use an editing-based software called WeVideo, and that is primarily what we use, and it’s exclusively what we use to put the entire show together.”

In conclusion, Mule Tube is a student-made production that gives Alamo Heights Junior School students updates on what is happening around their school. Many different roles, such as on-air talent, contribute to the creation of Mule Tube, and various segments, like Feature Teacher and Alumni Spotlight, help make the show flow.