Hi there. I’m Courtney, a recent graduate of Temple University’s Media Studies & Production program, and a new addition to the massive pool that is the media production industry. To quote my favorite TV show, Frasier, “Whether our journey together lasts for years or just one day, I can’t tell you how excited I am to take this first step with you.”
Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get started. Hopefully this blog is more successful than Frasier Crane’s one-episode foray into private practice psychiatry.
As a newbie in the media production field, I have kind of a unique perspective on the industry. I know much more about how production works than your average Joe, but I’m certainly no expert, and my practical experience is limited to class projects and a few freelance videography jobs here and there. I’m here to learn just as much as you are, so we’ll learn together. How sweet.
There are many misconceptions about video, one of the biggest being that it’s as simple as showing up with a camera and pointing it at stuff. I’ve had many conversations with people explaining how the industry works, what happens at shoots, and exactly what my options are with a production degree, particularly with a focus on television (there are considerably more jobs in this field than being a news anchor, I promise). Just about everyone I talk to is surprised by how complicated it can be.
So that’s why I’m here: to help those of you who may not be familiar with the industry to understand just what it is that we do. I’ll try not to bore you too much with theory and history—I sat through those classes so you don’t have to, right? I’ll use examples from projects I’ve worked on or things I’ve heard from people I know, and along the way, I’ll fill in some gaps in my admittedly limited knowledge with experiences I have with MLP.
I’d like to help you gain a new appreciation for the TV, movies, and videos you watch every day, because there are a ton of people whose lives are spent bringing those things to life. If you’ve ever sat through the end credits of a feature film, you’ll know. I hope there was at least an easter egg at the end for your troubles.
To help you to see your media in a different light (a Kino Flow, maybe), I’ll be writing some explanations of each step of the production process. I’ll include descriptions of the kind of equipment that’s attached to video-making, and the kind of work that goes into editing. I’ll explain some of our lingo. I’ll even give you some pointers about how to react when you see someone making a video (hint: don’t wave at the camera).
So the next time you catch a movie, stream a TV show, or log onto YouTube, take a moment to appreciate the hard work that somebody put into writing and rewriting and re-rewriting the script, making sure the equipment was set up and working, putting the audio and video in sync and in the right order, and making sure that the colors look right. Much of this work often goes unnoticed, but you can change that. I hope you enjoy these blogs, and that you will learn from them as much as I will.
Until next time!