How After The Peak was created.

After The Peak is a relatively simple production. After working to achieve the "film look" in a number of short films over the previous five years, it was a relief to produce a project that had to look like television.

The WNOC News Studio was created at Elon University's excellent television production studio, during a quiet weekend in the summer. The studio was built to support Elon's superior program of student run television programming, its outstanding School of Communications and the other video needs of the University. Consequently, creating "WNOC" was a fairly simple matter of "re-logoing" the studio with a set of background photos and the WNOC logos. All studio segments were shot in a single day, using the equipment already in the studio. However, instead of live switching, all cameras were recorded for all takes for both simplicity and insurance. Turnip Coop staff ran the switching to signal actors which camera was considered "live" and the teleprompter was used for all takes.

The individual news segments were mostly shot by McQuaid, working alone with one or two actors. These were shot with the Panasonic DVX-100A and, in most cases, a simple wireless mike. One set of news segments, reported from the local gas station, was more complex logistically and was shot with a crew of four people, with Wayne Pecinich running the camera. Six actors total were involved in these scenes, also shot in a single day.

Craig Vance provided the moving WNOC logo for the opening title and Ajit Anthony Prem, a fellow filmmaker, created the simulated Chyron title bed. Ajit also assisted with final color and image correction work in post-production. Post-production was based entirely on Apple's Final Cut Pro. Tommy Dwight, a Raleigh-based composer, took on the challenging job of creating music that was both original and yet sounded like every news broadcast you've ever heard.

Top left: Jim King in the control room. Top right: Meagan, Darlyne, Jim and Wayne shooting at the gas station.

Bottom left: the studio. Bottom right: Wayne Pecinich, Lea Ann Walden, John Teague, Jim King, Ajit Prem, Donald Hughes.