In the control room you may be tasked with deciding which cameras to cut to, when to roll recorded tape as well as how and when to use the on-screen graphics that so many who watch the nightly news have become accustomed to. You will also learn to communicate with the people working the cameras in the studio.
As mentioned above, most of the hands-on learning is done as though you were filming a news program. However, the basic skills that students learn in these courses can be carried with them to any kind of television programming.
Working a camera is far more difficult than simply aiming the lens at the person on screen. Camera operators have to know how to make slight, seamless adjustments on the fly to capture the best image. They will also have to learn "silent communication" with the control room to let the people in the back room know they can hear their instructions.
The basics of being a sound man should also be covered during the course. Techniques on holding a boom mic or properly miking those in front of the camera are vital toward getting the best possible television product.
While you will certainly have your fair share of people who take these courses because they want to learn about what goes on behind the scenes, a fair amount of those who take these classes do so in order to get a feel for how it is to be in front of the camera. Many pointers covered in the course include how to read cue cards and teleprompters, how to carry yourself with confidence through posture and tone of voice, and even were to place your hands whether you're sitting or standing.
Anyone can learn how to carry himself in front of a camera, but not everyone has the ability to have a true presence on screen.
Lots of television shows film outside the comfort of the studio. Television dramas may go to an outside location to film scenes, and just about every news program has individuals who specialize in doing live reports "on location." It's informally referred to as being "in the field" and requires its own set of skills. Productions need to be able to quickly put up and take down camera and microphone set-ups, and sometimes you may be called on to hold an over-the-shoulder camera.