If you have been keeping up with my post, you may have read that I got to look into the viewfinder of a BETACAM at the age of 6 or 7. Now, I got to actually operate on at the age of 17...on my own.
When I went into "the bureau"/Greg's apartment for the tour, he explained to me how he scheduled his day and how he got stories, etc... However, Greg was such a sport....he answered all the questions I had.
Let me pause for a moment and explain to you that I am a news junkie. I was and am fascinated with television news. It was fate that led me to Greg because he was also a televsion news junkie. We instantly clicked and bonded because we could talk for hours about tv news. We were able to discuss issues we could not discuss with someone else for fear of being labeled "weird" "dork", "stupid" "crazy"... we discussed things like tv news logos, theme music, favorite anchors.... I guess that is why he trusted me to handle expensive station equipment when I did not actually work for the station.
Anyway, as Greg showed me "the studio" in his apartment....I asked about what they shot on... He pulled out the camera. I was so excited to see it. It was a Sony DXC 437 docked to a BVV-5. He said, "Well, do you want to hold it?" I was even more excited to put the camera on my shoulder. Greg then told me about his assignment for the next day. It was in a small town about 30 minutes away at the county court house. I don't remember the details of that particular story, but I do remember that I was so excited the night before that once again, I could barely sleep. In fact, I did not even go to school. I skipped and went with Greg on this story.
Greg trained me on the basics....white balance, setting focus, framing shots and interviews, etc... He was very patient with me. I was in high school and shooting news which was something I always wanted to do. After going out with Greg on many stories, shooting these stories by myself....I was getting antsy about reaching my next goal: Executing a live shot.
To be continued........
Thanks for stopping by....I know that I am no "Lenslinger" when it comes to story telling and grammar. However, I enjoy telling my story of the journey through photojournalism. In case your wondering, I did make it to a fairly large market. But, I will get to that soon....
Sunday, December 11, 2005
Friday, December 09, 2005
The Continuation
First, I want to apologize again for not posting sooner. I have to say that this is my busiest time of year.
Well, to continue with the story....Now where was I? Oh yeah! Mr. Loyd was giving me his answer about whether or not I could come and work with him. Mind you, I am only 17 years old. Greg Loyd said, "Sure, It would be great to have some help." Wow, I could not believe it. In fact, I could not sleep the night before I was to meet Greg and go out with him on a story.
I got out of school at noon and went to find the Newscenter 10 Valdosta Bureau. It took me forever to find it. I looked and looked. I thought I had the right address. I kept looking for a small strip mall with a glass door that had "Newscenter 10" on it, however I could not find it. I even began looking for building along the road that had some type of microwave tower. NOTHING. So, I called Greg. He laughed and told me to look for apartments. I found the apartments which were some how the somehow the same address that I had for the bureau. I pulled in an saw him standing on the second floor in front of an apartment door. I thought, "this can't be the bureau, maybe he is going to take me to it." I saw the "Newscenter 10" jeep parked there as well. I got out and met Greg. We went throught the formalities of a fist time introduction and he invited me in. Believe it or not, this was the bureau. He had a two bedroom apartment. One was his and the other was "the studio". We have had some great laughs about that ever since. "The studio" consisted of a folding table with a beta machine and a 3/4 inch machine, and edit controller and a sound mixer. He was also hooked into the newsroom computer system. Essentially, he would get his assignments from the main studio 90 miles away, go out and have to be back by 10:30 to write and edit his package and VO SOTs by 12:30pm. Not to beamed back by microwave, but to be couriered back! WHHEEWW! It was sometimes tough because he had 6 counties to cover by his self!
I promise I will post again soon! I will write about my first story that I ever went out on.
Thanks for stopping by, reading and posting comments! I enjoy your feedback.
Well, to continue with the story....Now where was I? Oh yeah! Mr. Loyd was giving me his answer about whether or not I could come and work with him. Mind you, I am only 17 years old. Greg Loyd said, "Sure, It would be great to have some help." Wow, I could not believe it. In fact, I could not sleep the night before I was to meet Greg and go out with him on a story.
I got out of school at noon and went to find the Newscenter 10 Valdosta Bureau. It took me forever to find it. I looked and looked. I thought I had the right address. I kept looking for a small strip mall with a glass door that had "Newscenter 10" on it, however I could not find it. I even began looking for building along the road that had some type of microwave tower. NOTHING. So, I called Greg. He laughed and told me to look for apartments. I found the apartments which were some how the somehow the same address that I had for the bureau. I pulled in an saw him standing on the second floor in front of an apartment door. I thought, "this can't be the bureau, maybe he is going to take me to it." I saw the "Newscenter 10" jeep parked there as well. I got out and met Greg. We went throught the formalities of a fist time introduction and he invited me in. Believe it or not, this was the bureau. He had a two bedroom apartment. One was his and the other was "the studio". We have had some great laughs about that ever since. "The studio" consisted of a folding table with a beta machine and a 3/4 inch machine, and edit controller and a sound mixer. He was also hooked into the newsroom computer system. Essentially, he would get his assignments from the main studio 90 miles away, go out and have to be back by 10:30 to write and edit his package and VO SOTs by 12:30pm. Not to beamed back by microwave, but to be couriered back! WHHEEWW! It was sometimes tough because he had 6 counties to cover by his self!
I promise I will post again soon! I will write about my first story that I ever went out on.
Thanks for stopping by, reading and posting comments! I enjoy your feedback.
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