They tackled the inner workings of the camera, whipped stubborn video into shape, and participated in an intense rowing race.

Never mind that the race was just on the green screen — the competition was fierce!

It was all in a day's work for four Wareham High School sophomores who participated in Wareham Community Television's week-long video production boot camp, which wrapped up on August 16.

The students learned their way around new cameras, which WCTV donated to the school last spring, conducted interviews, and produced video clips with WCTV's new editing software.

"We wanted to get the cameras in their hands as quick as possible so they could learn by doing," said Tom Tricker, advisor of Wareham High's AV Club. "Then they can show their friends how to do it."

WCTV Production Coordinator Steve Ruiz echoed that sentiment.

"They'll mentor the younger kids and help them help us," he noted.

The AV Club has approximately 20 members, Tricker said.

Though "boot camp" was the title of the training session, WCTV Education Coordinator Christian Fernandes explained: "The idea was to teach them fundamentals, but keep it fun."

And, well, the group got a little silly.

"We interviewed a tree," said student Andrew Tricker, son of Tom Tricker.

Student Michael McInerney quipped: "Some interviews were better than others..."

As unusual as it sounds, Ruiz noted, the students learned valuable shooting and sound recording skills during that outing with the oak tree.

And, while learning how to make an image appear instead of a green background when using a green screen, the students pretended to row in the boat race that Ruiz digitally projected behind them. (It wasn't easy rowing in an office chair...)

The students said the boot camp was as helpful as it was fun.

They'll "spend less time trying to figure out the cameras" once school starts, the younger Tricker said, and overall, will "do everything faster."

The AV Club will produce a weekly news program that will broadcast throughout the school and simultaneously on WCTV on Fridays. Club members will interview students of the month and athletes, produce weather forecasts using a green screen, and do other creative productions.

Wareham Week will let you know just when to catch the students' work when the schedule becomes available!