Getting Started in Non-Scripted Television

It was early 2000something and I was fresh out of college with a broadcast journalism degree. I left Colorado and headed straight for the city of dreams after selling a few items at the local pawn shop, which allowed me just enough gas money to drive there. I decided not to start in local television, but to hit the network TV circuit hard with aspirations of becoming a producer. Los Angeles always has a buzz to it. Young and ambitious transplants arriving daily eager to get their feet wet in the industry. Though the bright lights and palm tree-lined streets aren’t always your personal red carpet. Some days the dreary polluted skies feel suffocating as you sit in traffic on your way to deliver coffee to unfriendly television execs. All while knowing you won’t be able to make rent from your poor paying PA gig. The “industry” is a tricky place for both newbies and veterans (more on that later). Getting an “in” can be both invigorating and daunting. I’m often asked by interns and students on how to get a job in the industry. Honestly, half of it is dumb luck and the other half is networking. I should point out your skill set is valuable, but it’s not what often gets you in the door when you’re first starting out. Your skills come in handy once you’re on the job and someone recognizes your abilities. I landed my first gig in L.A. because my friend’s roommate was a coordinator on a television show. See, dumb luck. The gig consisted mostly of sitting at a computer screen logging clips from the now-defunct Style Network, which was a sister network to E! at the time. I was/am a pop culture junkie so it was fun, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to parlay this experience into something bigger. I stuck around Los Angeles for awhile then took a bite out of the big apple to try my hand in entertainment news, reality tv, game shows, documentary, live events and even scratched the surface in scripted television. There were so many options, but I realized that I loved how fast-paced the newsroom was. Watching a story come to life so quickly and working under the pressure of live television is something I thrive on. It’s terrifying and terrific! The journey to realizing a dream like becoming a producer isn’t always pretty. You have long days, competition and you often find yourself comparing your credits to others because you want to be the best and hardest working one out there. But there’s always someone who will catch an easier break or knows the right person to get the job. Just remember if that someone beats you to a job, even if they aren’t better than you (and many times they aren’t) you’ve got to show the execs who the true talent is. Remember networking never stops. Not only do you need to be the most aggressive PA when you begin, you need to stay in contact with everyone you meet along the way. Ask questions, make conversation and don’t step on others as you rise to the top. There may be thousands of jobs, but the industry is still small. I went from being someone’s assistant to their boss and I’m sure it won’t be long before it happens to me. I hire people now because they are skilled, but also because they don’t stop emailing me! If you want to be in the industry you better love it. If you don’t then get out because it’s not worth it. If you do end up finding your passion television then never give up. Never stop being your best. Never stop learning and never stop creating. The industry needs diverse storytellers who push us all to sharpen our minds. If you read this and are still willing to dive in then do it. I hope to meet you along the way.

It was early 2000something and I was fresh out of college with a broadcast journalism degree. I left Colorado and headed straight for the city of dreams after selling a few items at the local pawn shop, which allowed me just enough gas money to drive there. I decided not to start in local television, but to hit the network TV circuit hard with aspirations of becoming a producer. Los Angeles always has a buzz to it. Young and ambitious transplants arriving daily eager to get their feet wet in the industry. Though the bright lights and palm tree-lined streets aren’t always your personal red carpet. Some days the dreary polluted skies feel suffocating as you sit in traffic on your way to deliver coffee to unfriendly television execs. All while knowing you won’t be able to make rent from your poor paying PA gig. The “industry” is a tricky place for both newbies and veterans (more on that later). Getting an “in” can be both invigorating and daunting. I’m often asked by interns and students on how to get a job in the industry. Honestly, half of it is dumb luck and the other half is networking. I should point out your skill set is valuable, but it’s not what often gets you in the door when you’re first starting out. Your skills come in handy once you’re on the job and someone recognizes your abilities.

I landed my first gig in L.A. because my friend’s roommate was a coordinator on a television show. See, dumb luck. The gig consisted mostly of sitting at a computer screen logging clips from the now-defunct Style Network, which was a sister network to E! at the time. I was/am a pop culture junkie so it was fun, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to parlay this experience into something bigger. I stuck around Los Angeles for awhile then took a bite out of the big apple to try my hand in entertainment news, reality tv, game shows, documentary, live events and even scratched the surface in scripted television. There were so many options, but I realized that I loved how fast-paced the newsroom was. Watching a story come to life so quickly and working under the pressure of live television is something I thrive on. It’s terrifying and terrific!

The journey to realizing a dream like becoming a producer isn’t always pretty. You have long days, competition and you often find yourself comparing your credits to others because you want to be the best and hardest working one out there. But there’s always someone who will catch an easier break or knows the right person to get the job. Just remember if that someone beats you to a job, even if they aren’t better than you (and many times they aren’t) you’ve got to show the execs who the true talent is. Remember networking never stops. Not only do you need to be the most aggressive PA when you begin, you need to stay in contact with everyone you meet along the way. Ask questions, make conversation and don’t step on others as you rise to the top. There may be thousands of jobs, but the industry is still small. I went from being someone’s assistant to their boss and I’m sure it won’t be long before it happens to me. I hire people now because they are skilled, but also because they don’t stop emailing me! If you want to be in the industry you better love it. If you don’t then get out because it’s not worth it. If you do end up finding your passion television then never give up. Never stop being your best. Never stop learning and never stop creating. The industry needs diverse storytellers who push us all to sharpen our minds. If you read this and are still willing to dive in then do it. I hope to meet you along the way.

Teaching Philosophy

Some say those who can’t do, teach. That’s unacceptable. If you’re not out there “doing” and succeeding at what you do then you have no business teaching. In my line of work a professor is responsible for molding future journalists, filmmakers, artists and storytellers who will ultimately change the media landscape. That being said here is my teaching philosophy.

I believe I’m tasked with teaching the fundamentals of journalism and preparing students on how to apply them in their daily lives and careers. I understand that each student has a unique foundation or learning technique so I employ a flexible approach that still offers structure, organization and kinesthetic or hands on work. I often update my curriculum to reflect current events and new information. I believe using cutting edge multimedia helps keep students engaged. Finally, I am deeply committed to diversity in my classroom as well as in the newsroom so I encourage the consciousness of different demographics and perspectives. I teach students the importance of covering these topics as well. Ultimately this current generation holds the future of journalism in their hands and I want them to know how important their roles will be in shaping the future of news and media.

Remember your students might be the head of a network one day.

Treat them right.