Kristen Finn did her homework. When she applied for a “Room For Improvement” makeover last fall, she knew that as of that time there had only been one other front porch done and no makeovers had been done in Wilmington. On Wednesday, June 13th that homework paid off when a Channel 7 news team, spent several hours filming what will be a two-minute television makeover of her front porch at her Wilmington home.
Finn’s husband, Jay, credits her with going with the idea and making it happen. “It’s Kristen’s project. I really look forward to it,” he said.
Channel 7 Producer Jennifer Savio chose the front porch from a pool of applications received at the station. According to Savio, the goal of the segment is to “showcase different rooms, families and designers; to give viewers different ideas, a variety of things they might try at home, so that it benefits viewers as well as homeowners.”
Savio brought her team of Cameraman Kurt Hartwell and Production Intern Kim Beson to the Finn family home at 70 Glen Road to film the most recent segment of “Room For Improvement.”
The transformation of the Finn family’s dilapidated front porch, by designer Melanie Murphy of Redecorating By Melanie (www.redesignyourhome.com), was captured using a series of camera shots taken throughout the day.
Newspaper and a sheet were placed over dining room windows while the design team, aided by the donated services of D&D Electric, transformed the room. Finn and her children Patrick (10) and Ashlyn(6) remained in the back of the house. “It’s not Extreme Makeover, it is just a mini makeover, so I went to Dunkin Donuts” said homeowner Kristen Finn, laughing. Finn’s husband, Jay, returned home from work and slipped in through the back door just in time for the family interviews to begin.
Afternoon shots included an interview with the family before the reveal, one with the designer talking about what she had done, a shot of the family welcoming the designer into their home and of course the reveal and reaction interviews.
“It’s been a good experience for us” said Finn who indicated that everyone who worked with designer Murphy had been so nice.
Producer Savio said that in two hours they had taken about 30 minutes of interview tape that would be edited down into approximately a two-minute segment. Savio watches the tape and her intern, Beson, will transcribe it. After the segment airs, it is archived on the Channel 7 website along with a transcription of the story and a list of everything used in transforming the room.
The Wilmington Room for Improvement segment will air three times next week. On Thursday, June 28th it will be on the The New CW 10:00pm news. On Friday, June 29th it will air during Today New England, which airs from 5:00 to 7:00am (usually near the end of the 5:00 hour). It will also run in the Channel 7 afternoon block between 4:00 and 6:00pm (usually near the end of either the 4:30 or 5:30 show).
Watch for a follow-up story with photos and an inside look at the final reveal and the family’s reaction after the show airs late next week.
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