PHOTO DIARY

I'm a producer/editor for KOBI NBC 5 television, in the creative service and promotions department. I meet with clients, write scripts, put together shot lists, shoot digital footage and edit it on Adobe Premier 2.0 software. I also work with After Effects software, which can be tedious and graphic-intensive, but it's fun for me. My overall goal at my job is to stay happy with what I'm doing and my work goal is to make clients happy. I'm able to achieve both of my goals by constantly learning new things.

Each day is different: Sometimes I go to meetings, write scripts, go on video shoots, or just edit all day long - it really depends. Hypothetically, my day could go like this: When I get into work I usually receive a production order, which is paperwork that tells me that a client wants to make a commercial. Then I call the client and take notes on what they want me to do for their commercial. Types of commercials vary. Some use actors and talent and some we simply “voice” the spots. After the meeting I sit down at the computer and write a script for the commercial. Once I'm done I send the script to client for approval or changes. When it's approved, I can start shooting the ad. On the shoot I use a dsr 390 Sony camera, lights and maybe a dolly track to make some really dynamic shots. After I am finished shooting, I go back to the editing station and piece together the spot. I send the spot back to the client for approval and move to the next production order.

It all goes back to 7th grade when I made my first homemade Star Wars video with my next-door neighbor as a class project. When I turned it in, my teacher was amazed. I didn't think much of it then, but I'll never forget how impressed he was that day. Flash forward to my junior year of high school when I took the new “video production” class. My teacher was not skilled in video production so the students pretty much had free reign on what they wanted to do. A friend and I put together an action movie, which made it to the finals for the “Best of the Northwest” movie contest. We didn't win top prize, but I knew then that I wanted a career in video editing. So, I went to Southern Oregon University (SOU) in Ashland and studied video production in the Media Arts department. At SOU I learned lighting, editing, shooting, studio work and script writing. My high school work helped me advance quickly and as a freshman I was taking a 300 level production class. I graduated from SOU and started working at KDRV in the news department. Three months later I accepted a full-time job at NBC 5 as a Producer/Editor.

Lots of things get me excited. I get to do what I like to do and I get paid for it. I would do this exact same thing on my free time so it's nice receiving some green in exchange. Also, I think it's cool editing with the After Effects program. I like learning and practicing my craft everyday. Some days, though, it can feel repetitious, tedious and frustrating-but I wouldn't have it any other way. It's what I like! I am most proud when I hear that one of my commercials has actually saved, improved or skyrocketed someone's business to a new level.

Doing more of what I've been doing-practicing my craft and hopefully getting better and better. I may go back to college at SOU and study 3D animation and other artistic applications. My big unrealized goal in life is to be a guest on a late night TV talk show. All I've got to do is some crazy human stunt or get better at my craft to make it. I think that's reasonable.