Video: Look out, Today Show. Here comes TJ Today in Morristown!

It’s only a matter of time before agents start calling the fifth-graders at Morristown’s Thomas Jefferson School. A new wave of broadcasting talent is emerging on TJ Today, a monthly video magazine of school happenings.

“I think it’s fun,” said Mia Scalia, one of the roving reporters. “It makes you feel special.”

“I like to be in the bloopers,” said Kyle Swift.

The second episode of TJ Today premiered at a school assembly last week. Students whooped and cheered  throughout the lively 10-minute production, which included segments about a science class, an international dance presentation and Rachel’s Challenge, a national campaign to promote compassion and understanding to honor a girl killed in the Columbine High School massacre.

Kid reporters also interviewed classmates about their extracurricular exploits, from martial arts to dance to Mozart. The blooper reel, at the end of the show, was a huge crowd-pleaser.

The assembly gave the producers–teachers Jeff Brown, Brad Marullo, Diego Salas and Gerald Brown–a taste of network deadline pressure. School Principal Cristina Frazzano, a big fan of TJ Today, asked them to make sure it was ready for prime time, on time.

And so Jeff Brown was up until almost 4 am on Thanksgiving, fine-tuning the edit.

“You always want to make it better. You can always tweak this or that,” said Jeff, who teaches in the school’s gifted and talented program. While he has organized many innovative programs, from financial lessons to earthquake experiments and Earth Day fairs, video always seemed daunting.

“This summer I said I’m going to suck it up and learn. I’m so glad that I did. It’s a ton of fun,” he said.

The TJ Today “studio” is a testament to the empowering vision of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.  It consists of an iMac computer from the school Parent Teacher Organization and the Morris Educational Foundation, running basic iMovie editing software.  The footage–dozens of hours’ worth– is shot with the teachers’ iPhones and an iPod Touch.

Music teacher Brad Marullo, who plays guitar in the Brian Markey Project band and competed in last year’s Morristown’s Got Talent show, is the most experienced video editor of the team. Diego, who teaches fourth graders, and Gerald, the gym teacher, have dabbled with home movies.

They all confess that video production has addicted them. Taking turns as editors, each will excitedly summon the others to the iMac to share every new triumph, from a slick intro graphic to a “blue screen” scene depicting a giant hand “grabbing” the Empire State Building.

But the eye candy serves a purpose, packaging serious messages–anti-bullying, drug dangers, mutual respect–in a funny wrapper for kids hooked on The Annoying Orange and The Pooter.

“We have a vision of how we want it to go,” Brad said. “The kids are really into it.”

Fifth-graders conduct the interviews and narrate segments that often feature third- and fourth-graders. For now, everything is scripted, shot and edited by teachers. That may change.

“It’s evolving,” Jeff said. “It was going to be a short thing, to give lunch menus and the weather. Then we put in Rachel’s Challenge, so kids would remember. We want them to script it themselves, and help with the editing.”

Story ideas for future episodes will be solicited from the student council,  he added.

“I like it best when it highlights the talents of students, especially the ones who are not always in the limelight,” said Cristina Frazzano, the principal. “It gives them their shining moment.”

Some of the young reporters already appear to have their sights set on anchor chairs someday.

“I like to see how I look on camera,” said Eloise Rencarge.

Added Sammie Vides: “I like to be in front of the camera. I look good!”

READ MORE ABOUT THE THOMAS JEFFERSON SCHOOL

The debut episode of TJ Today: