“Put people in their wheelhouse, and they come alive.” 

The words of Station Manager Lang Sheppard are apt when describing Boothbay Region TV and Media Center’s (BRTV) newest addition: Cole Hyson. The junior is part of Boothbay Region High School (BRHS)’s mentorship program, which allows students to get school credit while working in the community. Although Hyson’s only required to be in the studio for hour-long sessions twice a week, it’s not uncommon to find him there after school troubleshooting equipment or bouncing ideas off Sheppard. 

“I'm just so lucky to have this opportunity ... If I wanted to do something like this on my own, I wouldn't have the funds for (the equipment) even if I was super knowledgeable, which I'm not. The experience, plus the equipment, is enough for me to get excited," said Hyson.  

Hyson’s interest in video production began through watching YouTube, especially small-team creative projects or deep-dive content that peeled back the veil on the filming process. In middle school, Hyson tried his hand at the craft by recording the morning announcements and playing around with the school’s editing software for personal projects. From there, it built into a passion.  

Field hockey fans may have seen Hyson on the sidelines live-streaming the games for BRTV. He is also responsible for working on the later edited versions, as well as supplemental filming and editing for the station’s other programs. His coverage of Boothbay Railway Village Museum's annual “Spooktacular,” which will feature footage, script and voiceover work by Hyson, is forthcoming. But no matter what Hyson is covering, the most “gratifying” part is seeing it published.  

“When it's going to the TV station, you can't track who's watching. But when someone comes up (to me) like, ‘Oh, I like that,’ or ‘Thanks for doing this,’ it reminds me that people do watch these productions. That's why you should give it your all.” 

Hyson has learned a lot in the short time he’s been with BRTV, not just the physical aspects of the equipment and software, but experimenting with new filming techniques he never would have considered without Sheppard’s input. “(He lets) me stumble a bit so I can pick myself back up and hopefully learn something from it.” 

For Sheppard, that is the whole point of mentorship. Community TV is not a life-or-death industry, and it shouldn’t be treated as such. “This is supposed to be fun,” he explained.  

Looking ahead, Hyson is excited to branch out from event coverage to work on BRTV’s larger story-driven productions, such as Tim Lewis’ interview show “Chasing Time,” explaining, "It's more creatively freeing, because you get to pick the narrative.” 

Narrative-crafting is also something that occupies Hyson’s free time, as he plans to create his own mixed media analog horror project. Hyson is a longtime fan of the horror fiction subgenre, which is defined by basic graphics, cryptic messages, and a visual aesthetic reminiscent of late 20th-century television. He's even procured an old CRT-TV he can connect to his laptop. “I like something about the grain, and the flickering ... Even though that wasn't my time (period), I still find it appealing, especially from a horror aspect. It can be a little unsettling.”  

Hyson has come a long way from the days when he didn't even know the region had a TV station, and that's why he offers a piece of advice: Express your creativity, you never know what may happen.

“Sometimes opportunities can come just from you being vocal about (your interests).”