Happy New Year

Happy New Year! I'm ready for another year to fly by. This time I going to try to accomplish my New Years resolutions.

Thanks for reading my boring rantings for the last six months.

A New Year

The older I get, the faster years zip by. It seems like it was only yesterday when I was getting ready for 2005 to arrive. Man, has it flown by fast! It seems like they just made the announcement about the VJ thing and now it has been almost six months. Wow.

The end of 2005 comes with no new resignations that I'm aware of and if fact, we have hired at least three former News 2 employees back. I think morale is pretty good around here now since most everyone who did not want to become a video journalist has moved on.

I'm excited to see what kind of challenges 2006 will bring with it.

Happy New Year!

Interview with a VJ

Okay, once again I will tell everyone that I like this vj thing. I recently sat down for an interview with myself and I have included it in this post.
VJ- Did you ever think you would be a reporter?
TD- I never had a desire to report or be on camera at all so I never would have guessed I would be a reporter. I was really content being a news photographer because I enjoyed my job and the creativity that came with it.
VJ- How do you like reporting?
TD- I really enjoy it so far. I think it is cool to start with an idea and then see it become a finished story that goes out on the news.
VJ- What is the hardest thing about being a VJ?
TD- For me the hardest thing about being a vj is writing. I never enjoyed writing because I'm not a very good writer. Writing the story is definitely the longest part of the process for me. The next hardest thing is coming up with story ideas.
VJ- What is your favorite part of being a VJ?
TD- My favorite part of being a vj is the size of my camera and support gear. I went from a 28 pound camera to a five pound camera and I love it.
VJ- Some people would say the quality is not as good. Want do you think?
TD- I can notice a difference in the quality sometimes but other times I can’t tell a difference and I have no desire to go back to the heavier gear.
VJ- What about editing?
TD- I edit my stories on a Dell laptop computer and really enjoy it. I’m getting better on the editing software we use. It is called Pinnacle Liquid 6. If I had my choice, I would have preferred to edit with Final Cut Pro but Liquid 6 is a close second.
VJ- I understand some of the employees are leaving. Is that true?
TD- Yes. We have had quite a few people leave. I think it is a good thing in a way. I have always said if I’m working at a place were I’m not happy then it's time for me to move on. Working somewhere I’m not happy is not good for anyone. I wish people would have stayed but I certainly cannot fault anyone for moving on. I would like to see people replaced quicker than they have but I don’t know anything about that process.
VJ- How is the vj process working?
TD- I think it has been working well. I have a beat that I cover and I am slowly starting to get story ideas from the contacts I have made. I think the key to doing the stories I want to do is to bring my ideas to the daily meetings.
VJ- Is there anything you were told to expect that hasn’t happened yet?
TD- I was told the producers would take an active role in my stories and actually help me produce them but that has not happened.
VJ- You seem to enjoy your job but what is the mood around the station?
TD- It seems to be pretty good. I don’t think there is any more complaining now with the vj system in place than there was before the vj system. There is always some complaining no matter what because it is just human nature.
VJ- I have one last question for you. It seems like you are doing more work now than before, so have you gotten a pay raise?
TD- Not yet! I’m keeping my fingers crossed. I would like a pay raise just like anyone else but for now I'm just concentrating on improving my new skills.

11-29-05

Last week one of my friends decided to quit his job as a VJ. It is an unfortunate loss because he is very talented and did a great job. He has a great voice and a very natural delivery plus he could put together a story very fast. I was sad to see him go but his heart was no longer in it. I have always said if I get to a point were I’m not happy doing a job, then it is time to look for different work.
I’m not at that point yet and I still enjoy my job even with all the recent changes around here.

Stories

I feel like I’ve been fortunate during the first phase of becoming a video journalist. I’ve had ideas to present in the meetings which for the most part have turned out to be good stories. Lately though, I’ve noticed I am more nervous and anxious about the possibilities of not having any ideas for stories.

The management is moving from the “Oh, they are still learning” phase into a “performance” phase where we are expected to “get'r done” so to speak. Heading into the weekend I find myself worried about Monday and whether or not I’ll come up with stories to do. I been working the same beat for several weeks now so hopefully I will start getting good tips from the contacts I’ve been making.

There is a new discussion board for vj issues at blueprintpost.com. The board was created by Tim French, who trained the VJ's at WKRN and is currently training at KRON. The discussion board is a place were VJ's can go and post questions or comments. Check it out here.

Computers!

There are days when I love computers and can’t even remember how I ever managed without them. Then there are days like today when I could take a 10lb hammer and smash the living day lights out of my computer. Boy would that feel good until the boss wants to know why I can’t edit any stories.

I’m sure most of my problems are from my lack of computer knowledge and not knowing what I’m doing. I have come a long way in a short amount of time. Compared to just a few months ago I’m a whiz now but that’s not saying much.

It is hard to spend any extra time on the computer other than what I need to do for work. I think that is one of the reasons writing a blog has become a chore. The computer and the fact I’m not a very good writer! Writing is a laborious process for me. I keep hoping it will get easier and I guess it has a little but not as easy as I would like.

Still Learning

I’m almost four months into this vj thing and I still enjoy it. I have even become a little faster in the writing process and feel more confident about hitting deadlines on time. I’m making progress with my voice and how I sound but I still have a long way to go.

I had an opportunity to do my second career live shot this week from Clarksville, TN. My first live shot was also from Clarksville but I was not as good the second time around. I haven’t looked at the tape yet but the feed back I heard said I looked and sounded like I felt. I felt nervous and lacked confidence in what I wanted to say which unfortunately showed on TV. I'm will working on the areas which need improving and continue to learn.

On the plus side, I have my new car assigned to me and on Friday night, I’m getting ready to go jump it and head for home.

Halloween Past

Here is our little Gracie, dressed up as a ladybug for Halloween. She was a big hit with everyone who saw her!

Guess who's back?!

Thanks for those who have been checking in to see if I am still around... it's nice to be missed! It's amazing how quickly time passes and with each passing day, I tell myself, I will get on here and post an entry. Things have been busy but who can't understand that, especially this time of year with the holidays right around the corner?

The week of October 23-29 I was down in Slidell, Louisiana with my church helping with disaster relief. What an awesome opportunity! As many of you know, this is an area where Neil, Davis and me spent some time right after Hurricane Katrina first hit. You would be amazed at the amount of work that still needs to be done for the next several months - it really surprised me. This trip was easier on my heart since I felt like I was able to make a tangible difference, even if it was one yard at a time.

The vj thing is going well. I'm getting a new car any day now- it's getting the windows tinted and radios transferred. I feel like I'm becoming a faster writer but it is still my weakness. It certainly doesn't flow out of me like I would hope.

This is enough writing for now because I don't want to overwhelm anyone on my first day back.

365 and a Wakeup

I have been reading the blog of a soldier in Iraq who has been providing security for an election site. He has some great stories posted which make you feel like you are there with him. Check it out at 365 and a Wakeup

TGIF

I'm glad it's Friday even though this week went by really fast. I stayed pretty busy which always makes my days fly by.

I have a new respect for those of you who write interesting daily blogs. Recently I have felt like writing this blog is more of a chore than anything. One reason could be because writing doesn't come easy and I'm not a very good at it either.

Have a good weekend! I be back on Monday.

Ft. Campbell

I'm starting to get a feel for my beat area. I've been covering the 101st Airborne in Ft. Campbell, Kentucky. Since I'm new to the beat I've been trying to make contacts and meet people in the area. Tomorrow is a big day on post! The 4th BCT (brigade combat team) is becoming the 506th which was made popular from the book Band of Brothers. The book was about Easy Company of the 506th infantry. The soldiers feel it is a big honor and responsibility to take on. The 506th has produced a lot of heroes in the past. I'm looking forward to being there for the ceremony.

Very Fast

I'm back at work after a week of vacation which like most seemed to go by in fast forward! It hardly seems like I was gone at all. We went to Disneyland with the family which included a niece and nephew's first trip to see Mickey Mouse. The pictures show Raven all smiles riding the Grizzly Rapids in California Adventure and Odin hamming it up with his favorite Aunt during dinner.

Back at work today, I spent my morning setting up stories for this week and catching up with contacts and such. This afternoon I put on my live truck operator hat and ran a truck for the 4:30 and 6pm newscast.

I would've like to had more time off but I'm glad to be back to work.

MR

Here is a picture of me and Michael Rosenblum in the news room. The picture was made before he headed to KRON.
I'm officially on vacation and heading to Disneyland. I will try to do a post or two from the road.

Love of my Life

Behind every great man is a greater woman. I’m far from great but I definitely have a great wife. Ember is always there when I need her and is very understanding of my job. She is supportive when I start talking about going on some not so safe assignments like covering hurricanes. Even though she is worried about my safety while I’m gone, doesn’t sleep well and has to get up earlier than normal to take care of the pets she always tells me to go. She even gave me her blessing to be an embedded photographer with an artillery unit of the 101st during the beginning of the Iraq war. I think she was worried sick the whole time I was gone.
I love her so much and I don’t know what I would do without her. I learn something new from Ember all the time but she made me laugh last night after reading my blog entry. I made mention of wireless internet connections or a wifi hotspot. When I got home Ember asked me, what is a wiffee? I smiled and explained it is pronounced whyfi. Just another reason why I am crazy in love with her.

I'm Back

I'm sorry for not getting back to my blog sooner. I left last Thursday on a trip to Louisiana for hurricane Rita coverage and did not have internet access. I became spoiled on the Katrina trip because we had a wifi hot spot at the satellite truck we were using. During Rita, News 2 sent our own satellite truck for us which was awesome.
I know some of you might be wondering how the vj concept was implemented on this trip. News 2 sent three vjs, Neil Orne, Alex Lucas and me. Our main goal was to help our sister station KLFY in Lafayette, Louisiana. We also did group live shots for many of the Young Broadcasting stations (a live shot where more than one station across the country tunes in at the same time to have Neil do a live shot for them). We arrived in Lake Charles, LA as one of the first tv crews in the area and were even there before the fire department was back in the area. The first thing we did was find a live location that offered shelter from the tropical force winds. We found a wind break at the Lake Charles Civic Center which later became the hq for the flooded fire department and also media central as more than a dozen sat trucks later showed up.
Once on the scene, Alex ran the camera for Neil's live shots while I gathered video from the area. We ended up doing live shots for the rest of the day. On Sunday, Neil and I worked together and Alex did a few vj stories that were really good. Alex is a good writer and I hope to be as fast as he is when I'm writing my stories. Since our primary goal was to assist our sister station, we did a lot of live shots on the trip and we didn't have the chance to split up and each turn a story.

With a few more hurricane trips under our belts, Neil and I will have the drill down. We come back with better ways to get things done after each trip. If you get a chance go to Neil's blog and read his perspective.

Big Joe

I have found a new respect for my friend Joe Dubin. Joe has always done well at anything he sets his mind to. I'm always laughing around him. Joe has made some down right hilarious Tennessee Titans promos in the past.

Since I started blogging I have been reading Joes blog. He is a great writer. His entries are relevant and funny. If you have not been reading Big Joe on the Go's blog, check it out and set your bookmark to it because you will want to visit daily like I do.

wifi

Don't you love technology? I'm sitting at a pizza shop eating lunch and writing this blog while connected to the internet. I love it. I have been assigned a beat area to cover so today I'm meeting people around town and getting story ideas. I don't have many contacts yet so this time has been valuable. In the old days, I would not be able to check my email until the end of the day. Now, the internet is a useable tool while away from your desk.

I know a few places already where I can use wireless internet connections. If you know of a business that offers wifi, please let me know.

A Proverb

I read this the other day and thought I would pass it on.
Proverbs 21:13 says, Whoever shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will also cry himself and not be heard.

Life

Life is not fair! I’m sure we have all heard that statement before. I trust God to lead me where I need to go, play the cards dealt to me and keeping moving forward. Whining or complaining isn’t good for anyone so I try not to do it.

I would like the attitude around News 2 to be like a sports team. An underdog team that everyone expects to beat easily, until they face us and realize they have seriously underestimated our team. I think we are on the way to that attitude around here. As a staff, we were blind sided by the switch to video journalist. I have been a video journalist for nine weeks and I still like it. Those who didn’t want to do the vj thing have moved on and that is okay too. I would much rather work beside someone who is happy with their job!

If you have a good attitude and see the glass is half full, then send me your resume and I will be happy to put in a good word for you.

The feedback from friends and people on the street has been really good. I think our audience likes the changes they are seeing on the news.

Last Thursday

Here are a few images from last week at Camp Causeway. It hardly seems like a week ago.

More Pics

The dog is one part of a family that Davis Nolan rescued. He drove two dogs and a couple all the way to Nashville where they found an open hotel room. The other shot is a picture of the satellite truck we used and the rv that saved our rear ends.

On the Lighter Side

I told you the sad part of the New Orleans trip so I thought I would share a funny moment. Last Thursday, after a long, hard, sweaty day, Davis took a shower and put on clean clothes. Next thing I know, he is out of the rv doing what Davis does best, constantly looking for ways to help people. As usual, it didn't take Davis long to find someone in need of help. One of the ABC affiliate crews got their car stuck in the mud so Davis tried to keep innocent bystanders clean by blocking the mud splatter with his body .
He came back to the rv and told us what had happened and we all had a much needed laugh.

Home Again

The trip to New Orleans proved to be the hardest assignment I have ever been on. During the last ten years I have witnessed the aftermath of countless storms and even seen the loss of life. I’ve felt sadness and been touched by those stories in the past but the trip to Louisiana hit me like a ton of bricks. I wasn’t prepared for it!
I believe the combination of several ingredients came together and reached a boiling point early Friday afternoon. Friends calling with names and numbers of people missing from the area who I wasn’t able to track down, wanting to help the evacuees but not being able to do anything for them, feeling guilty because I was sleeping in an air-conditioned RV with a home to go to and seeing pets abandoned because they weren’t allowed in shelters.
My wife Ember, gives me a hard time because I don’t show any emotion. The lack of emotional displays was involuntarily changed for me last Friday. While talking with Neil Orne and Karen Carlson, a reporter from Los Angeles, I was overcome with sadness. I started crying and couldn’t stop. I called my wife and cried even harder. I told Ember I loved and missed her and after hearing her voice I felt a better.
Since being home I’ve been able to tell my story a few times which has been good medicine. I can finally talk about the experience without tearing up. Please keep the evacuees and rescue workers in your prayers.

Devestation

We had another long day today but it’s nothing compared to what people down here in Louisiana. I have nothing to complain about. I was walking through a neighborhood looking at the destruction and I felt the emotion welling up inside me.
We were able to offer a little help to a few. News 2 sales staff hooked us up with extra water to hand out and we were able to give water to a few families that needed it. It wasn’t much but it helped in a small way. I have a list of names and phone numbers of people to call and tell them their loved ones are okay. Cell services has been non existent for the most part. We got into New Orleans around 3pm and found cell service but it has been spotty because of the volume of calls going on.
We are at the spot were people are being evacuated from the city. There are about 1500 people waiting to get on a bus to Houston, TX. I have never seen any thing like it.
The picture is Carol Weller finding a destroyed Bible that meant a lot to her.
ps. please pardon mistakes because I am not getting much rest.

Covering Katrina

I am down in Slidell, LA with Davis Nolan and Neil Orne covering the aftermath of the storm. We spent the day looking for Davis’s parents who had to be rescued from their rooftop near the 17th Street Canal. The storm has all of the communication knocked out and it is hard to get anything accomplished. To make a long story short, we found the Nolan’s in Baton Rouge and they safely got on an airplane and went to Russell Nolan’s house in Pensacola, Fl.
As usual, when covering a disaster with out our own truck it is a nightmare. We are working together well and making the best out of a hard situation. I have not gotten much sleep since yesterday morning and I am starting to feel it.
The pic is from a standup from my story today. I did a simple story about the mess and tried to paint a picture of what it looks like down here.
I am going to go for now. More later when I can get a connection.

Highs and Lows

The last part of Wednesday was one of those times when nothing goes right. Everyone has a day like this occasionally. Here is how mine went down. I finished a story about the Walking Horse Celebration earlier in the day which ran in our 4:30 news cast. I was asked to drive a live van and set up a shot for a fellow vj from the horse event. No big deal because that is nothing out of the ordinary.
My first problem started in Shelbyville, about an hour drive from Nashville, when I couldn't establish a live picture. Still nothing to worry about, I just went to plan B, move the live van to the Courthouse Square where I have set up before. The only problem, we couldn't get the shot tuned in from there either. Now, it is getting pretty close to the dead line so time to switch to plan C which is not a very good option at 4:05pm. Plan C was to physically drive the story back to the station. I set off, hoping to not run into any police along the way, and decide in Murfreesboro, still thirty minutes away to set up the live truck from an exit on I-24. Fifteen minutes to spare. No problem, mast is up, got a strong signal, shot looks good. I wish I could tell you the story made air but it would not be that easy.

In the field we edit on lap top computers which I love but our live trucks are not equipped to play audio from the computer and it sounds crappy. It is now five o'clock and the story hits in less than fifteen minutes so I call Keith, an engineer, who attempts to instruct me how to connect cables to the back of the equipment rack. Not an easy task under normal situations and it's even harder in 90 degree temperatures, under a fast approaching deadline, hunched over in the back of a television truck trying to figure out which one of a hundred cables is the right connection. Even with Keith's expert help, I was not able to pull it off in time. At this point, I am drenched in sweat and mad because I have cracked my watch face and was not able to get the story in. I hate ending a day with such a big disappointment.

There is good news though. My boss has asked that all of the live vans be equipped with match-boxes so the audio will sound good. No one else should have to go through the mess I described.

The high for me came on Thursday. I did my first live shots about an alligator who escaped his captors and is loose in KY. For the complete story go to WKRN's web site and click on top stories to watch the video. I was very nervous about going live but I did not have any time to worry about it because I was trying to finish my story on time. For the first time, I think it came out pretty good. I do have a few things to work on. I am curious to hear your opinion on how I did so let me know what you think.

Announcement

Today the station announced it is buying fourteen new cars so all the vjs will have a vehicle to drive. I think that is pretty big news. I am excited because my news car currently has 154,000 miles which means I will also be getting a new company car.

I had another great weekend. As usual, it went by way to fast though. I went wake boarding on Center Hill lake with Ember and friends. Ember continues to get better at water skiing. She wants to be able to jump the entire wake before the summer is over. We had a double decker pontoon boat, two personal water craft and a ski boat. It was a great time to relax and enjoy the day. I even got to see fellow vj Neil "Big Brain" Orne water ski. He's not to shabby of a skier!

I was able to turn another story today. I found a married couple who worked for a lawn mower plant which will be closing its doors for good because of bankruptcy. Debbie Durrentt, who was laid off last Friday,has worked for Murray for over 27 years. Debbie decided to go back to school so she can get a better job. Nearly 1200 people will soon be unemployed. I hope that I never find myself with out a job.

National Guard

I have not posted much lately. I have been busy at work and not taking the time to get on the computer when I get home at night. It seems like I have been on a military beat this week, having the privilege of telling stories from soldiers and their families. Wednesday, I met the father and fiance of Kevin Downs, a 21 year old specialist in the Tennessee National Guard. Kevin is the only survivor of an ambush attack in Iraq that killed three of his friends. Kevin has a long, hard fight to recovery because of the severity of his injuries. His dad told me the only reason he is alive is because he was the gunner of an armored humvee and the blast threw him clear of the vehicle. He has 2nd and 3rd degree burns over his body. Burned eyes, throat and lungs. Two broken legs, left arm and pelvis. Keep him and his family in your prayers.

I am again reminded of the great job our military is doing. If you get a chance to talk with soldiers and their families you learn most soldiers believe in what they are doing. For example, in Iraq, the soldiers feel like they are making a difference in the lives of the local people. You also learn that we (Americans) take a lot for granted.

Today I did a story about a Tennessee National Guardsman who lost his life in a mortar attack over the weekend. Freddie Hawn was one of three soldiers that answered a call for help from a unit who had been attacked by insurgents. When Freddie and the others arrived on the scene they were immediately ambushed with RPGs and motors. Asbury Fred Hawn leaves behind his wife Angie and two sons 12 yr old Johnathan and 4 yr old Spencer. Say a prayer for the Hawn family as they deal with this huge loss.

Next time you see a soldier give them a hug and tell them thanks for the job they are doing.

A First

I accomplished a first in my career Friday. For reporters it is no big deal but I am proud that I was able to write 5 stories in a week.

I went to a Promise Keepers meeting being held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville this weekend. Almost 15,000 men met together to worship and renew their relationship with God. I went with a couple of guys from my church and had a great time. News 2's Alex Lucas did a story on Promise Keepers that should be on the web site if you want to check it out.

I am working on a story for today about the first day of school in Davidson county. I found a first time principal and followed her around during the busy morning.

New Experiences

I have been able to turn four stories this week. My stories have all been day turns which lead some to question the true intentions of using vj's . I still believe we will be able to take more time for stories when necessary, once everyone is trained and working at full speed. Right now we are short staffed during the transition so everyone is working fast and furious. Yesterday, I experienced a benefit of the vj plan. I was sent to check out a potentially dangerous situation so I teamed up with a coworker and left as part of a two man crew. The danger never materialized, so we spilt off and went separate directions.

Even if vj plan does not work (I think it will flourish) I'm gaining valuable experience I never thought I would have. If I keep working hard, I could eventually get a job as a reporter or a go back to being a news photographer. If I want to get out of TV, I will have writing experience and even more opportunities open to me than ever before.

Turn around

I am getting faster at writing stories with each time I do it. Whether or not I am getting better at writing is still up for debate. I was able to turn a story on the first day of school in Cheatham county for the 5pm news. I decided to tell the story through a teacher who was teaching for the first time.
I was asked yesterday if I am enjoying my new job. I am enjoying my new job! It is more work than I ever had to do before because I am so slow at the process. It is hard to find the time to check on story tips, make calls and get the basics done. I could use longer days. As a matter of fact, I need to get busy right now.

Relaxing weekend

I've had a wonderful weekend with my wife and friends. Saturday we went out to Center Hill Lake which is perfect for skiing because it is usually very calm. We did have a mean thunder storm that sent us scrambling for cover. We pulled into a marina just as the sky unloaded a huge down pour complete with very loud and scary lightning bolts. 45 minutes later the storm passed and we had the lake to ourselves with water like glass! Perfect for wake boarding which I am trying to master (I'm not even close). Ember is a new skier but you wouldn't know it by watching her ski. She learned to ski and ride a wake board her first attempt. Pretty impressive! She's a natural. So, I decided to take advantage of the smooth water to learn to barefoot. My friend Derrick gave me a good lesson and I was able to get up and barefoot for about 100 feet. Barefooting is the fun part, it is the unexpected sudden stops that get you. I was being pulled about 38mph so you can imagine what it might feel like to fall. It hurts and you get water under your eyelids. I fell hard twice and was seeing stars both times. It was worth it though! I had a blast and can't wait to try it again!

The East Bank

I took this photo about a year ago with a 35mm camera on a tripod and a thirty second exposure. The streak in center of water is from a barge going by while I was taking the shoot. It is the best photo I ever made so I thought I would share it with you. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Ratings

Based on my informal news poll, I have found that people are sick of doom and gloom stories on tv. That is why I think that the video journalist thing is going to work. Every viewer I have told about the idea on the street seems to like it. For the short term, viewers might see more feature stories than usual but only until everyone is fluid with the equipment and able to write stories quickly. Once we are up to full speed, I think the model for stories will be just like the NPPA model. Good stories told through a central character with steady, sequenced shots.
Once the staff is up and running, we will have more options than ever. For example, yesterday, I was asked to run a live truck for some breaking news. Fine with me, I already know how to run a live truck and it was the best thing for the team. I will also be able to jump in as a reporter to help if needed.
While I was writing my story today, Ken Wilson’s story about Metro’s new water spray park played during a newscast and everyone stopped to watch it because the characters he had drew everyone in. Nice job, Ken.

More Opinion

I wanted to respond to some of the comments Rick from Philly left. "Shooting an interview by yourself is awkward for the journalist and makes the person being interviewed look uncomfortable." I have had to shoot interviews on my own for years now. The fact that I am doing the interview solo does not make anyone more or less comfortable. I believe people are more relaxed with a smaller camera around instead of the large tv cameras I am used to working with.
Rick say, "Many of the interview shots, from the other VJs, are wide or out of focus. The writing is OK, but isn't up to the standard of seasoned reporter." I know how to use a video camera to get good shots. Everyone is still learning equipment and dealing with all the information that comes with training. I have brought back some interviews that I was not pleased with but I have identified the problems that I made so hopefully I will not do it again. With a little time to learn we will all get better and not shoot anything wide or out of focus.
This, of course, is just my opinion. To read Rick’s entire comments go to The Train is Coming and click on comments.

Week two as VJ

I made it through my second Monday as a vj. I did a neat story about five year old Jacob Hall and his first day at school. The story came out pretty good but I am more excited that I finished the story with a four o'clock deadline. I am slowly getting faster and I see a little improvement each time I write a story.

I think that my voice track is getting better but I still have a lot of room for improvement.

Train is coming

Joe Gregory said "I heard the train coming and I am not one to be in harms way so I decided to hop aboard. When I got on the train I noticed I jumped onto the luxury car." Joe is my chief photographer or I should now say, Chief Video Journalist, and he is finishing up vj training this week. He is optimistic about the change and thinks it is here to stay. I agree.

The second week of training is coming to an end and I have seen some great stories from group two. Reporter, Melissa Penry, shot and edited a few great stories and the photographers wrote and sounded very good. I know you will want to judge for yourselves so check them out on the internet at WKRN. I am curious to hear what you think about the stories so please let me know.

The Rest of My Family

Riley, with Fish in the background on the left and Gracie on the right. Since I shared some sad news today I thought I would end with a few reasons to smile. I will get back on subject tomorrow.

Today started very sad but then again I knew that it was going to be one of those days before it began. You see, our dog Casey has lived a long, happy life with us but his age finally caught up with his spirit as his health declined. Ember and I decided that we would take the trip to the veterinarian's office on Thursday morning if Casey did not make a miraculous recovery.

He was pretty frail by Wednesday evening but we made him as comfortable as possible and tucked him in for the night. This morning we found him laying peacefully right were we left him.

I have been trying to go on as normal, but I know it will not be the same at home without Casey running around.

I will have another story that airs at 10 tonight. I think you will be able to find it on WKRN.com by tomorrow. Let me know what you think.

One of the things that I like about the vj transformation is the equipment. The size and quality of the camera can't be beat. The picture of me is a good example of what I am talking about. I grabbed the picture from the video I was shooting from the back of a motorcycle. Since my new camera is small, I am able to get shots that were not possible with my old 25lb sx beta cam. The problem with the new equipment is that I do not know its limitations and full capabilities. The limitations are more of an operator problem than any thing else and I will be fluent with the camera in no time.

I wanted to thank everyone who has taken the time to comment and share constructive criticism. I will admit it is a little strange to have the feedback. I have never had to deal with it before because it has always been a reporters story and I just went home. Please keep
it coming though, and with your advice and some hard work on my part I will be able to get better. Thank you for throwing out some story ideas. I definitely can use more of that.

I set out today with the goal of completing a story in one day and I did it! Thanks to great teachers and the help of my fellow vjs I was able complete the story for the 10pm news. It aired around 10:19 Saturday night. Keep your eye on News 2's web site to view the story about motorcycle riders who joined together to show their support for our troops.

It has been a long, hard, yet rewarding week and I have not seen my supportive, beautiful, loving wife very much so I am out of here!

If you would like to see my first vj story go to WKRN's web site and click on As Seen On Two and go to TennCare protesters remain resolute as sit-in enters 32nd day.

My first video journalist story is set to run during the 4:30 news cast. I think it turned out pretty good. I am not expecting to win an emmy with the story but I feel it is as good as anything that I have done this year. With practice I will only be able to get better at writing and telling the stories.

The image to the left was taken while I was voicing the Tenncare protest sit-in pkg.

The hours of the training sessions this week have caught up with me and I feel the effects. Besides not being able to think clearly, the muscles in my legs and back are aching. I think I am sore from the long hours of sitting in front of a computer trying to make tv magic.

Check out the blog of Tim French who is one of my video journalist teachers. You will be able read his perspective on what I have been going through.

It is Friday morning and I am still alive. After reading some industry message boards I thought that I might spontaneously combust if I went into vj training. Seriously, I am having a great time. The hours are long, I am tired, my eyes are red and blood shot, but I have completed my first news story. I have shot, written, voiced, and edited 3 stories and I feel pretty good about what I have accomplished. I would like to tell you guys more but I need to get on to story number four. Let me know if you guys have any good story ideas for me.

Wednesday was an interesting day for me. I understand that the feelings I am having are not always rational or sane but they are messing with me none the less. For awhile yesterday I was pretty discouraged because I felt like the other kids were playing in the deep end of the pool and I was stuck in the shallow end wishing that I could swim. Writing the story is new to me and I struggled with it. We are receiving first class training and Kelly is reassuring me that I am doing fine and also reminded me that it was only the 3rd day of training.

As of right now I have shot, edited, wrote and voiced two stories that were completely mine, which came out pretty good considering I have never wrote or voiced a story before. I will say again that I am going to like being a VJ.

Cutting the voice track of my narration seems weird. I must have done 50 takes yesterday trying to get it just right. I tried voicing the narration as if I was telling the story to my wife. I am sure I will get better it with time. I always admired how my friend Luke Duecy, an anchor and reporter in Richmond, Virginia voices his narrations. Luke makes it sound like he standing next to me telling me about the story.

I am off to see what I will learn today.

It is 11pm central time in Nashville and I just got home from training a few minutes ago. Whew, I am worn out! Today was another productive day, similar to yesterday, with assignments to shoot and edit our stories. I had a few snags in story gathering part of my day and ended up going on a re-shoot. The second time was the charm because I found a better story. The rest of my class was more successful than I was and I am looking forward to seeing their work.

The photograph above is a picture of our work space with George Mitchell and Mike Browning hard at work between Kelly and Tim French who are expertly instructing us on how to implement the VJ tools.

I am on my way to talk to the sandman to get some rest. Last night I dreamed of vj training so I am curious about tonight's dreams. I had better get to bed quickly or I will be day dreaming during the lessons tomorrow.

Today was an exhaustive day of training as we were at it for nearly 12 hours with tons of information to digest and cultivate. With the first day of training quickly coming to an end, I remain positive and honestly, somewhat excited about the future.

I would try to explain what I learned today but it is getting late and my eyeballs are bloodshot already! I will share a few of my thoughts though. For those of you who are an NPPA photographer and have been to the workshop in Norman, Oklahoma, it is easy to understand because you have basically been through the training. The ideas and principles of telling a good story were drilled into our head and we were even sent out to shoot and edit a story with a public critique session to follow.

The day zipped right by even though it was really long. I am anxiously awaiting the things that the rest of this week will have in store for me. The photo was taken by VJ Neil Orne.

I am back to work after a wonderful week on vaction which means I am almost three hours into the vj training. I am even more optimistic about the new experience and I will have more details later on this evening. For now I have got to get back to work.

We had a photographers meeting with the boss last night. I received answers to many questions that have been on my mind since the big announcement was made. Several of the topics were internal policy issues that I do not need to share but I did hear some very exciting info about the future.

Most of the negative comments that I have read are based on the old, standard way of gathering news. I believe you will see a huge change in the way that the news is covered and collected. The vj system will allow us to work together in new and creative ways to make a better product. I would not say that the possibilities are endless but the options are plentiful. Management expects personalities to be seen in our work and our stories to be varied based on individual style.

How many of you are sick of the doom and gloom of local news? The attitude of "if it bleeds it leads" has strangled the news viewing pleasure from more than a few people I know. I think TV news viewers are going to enjoy the impending changes as much as me, if not more.

I am going to be on vacation next week so I will be rested, relaxed and ready for my vj training starting the 18th.

I was up late last night reading the discussions about the vj transformation at WKRN on TVSpy.com. Since I work at WKRN I was curious to see what was being said. I found that the majority of those who were posting were negative with the exception of oldcbsguy who left very defensive yet positive posts. It was pretty apparent that oldcbsguy is Michael Rosenblum who has been leading the charge for more stations to change to the vj format. Mr Rosenblum has been at my station to observe and his company will be training me and my coworkers.

Let me get back to the negativity that was oozing out of the watercooler on TVSpy. I guess it is human nature to be skeptical of something completely different from what we are used to doing but I would hope people keep an open mind. I on the other hand have been accused of drinking the red Kool Aid that the management has been passing out around here but I try to think positive which does not mean that I am not worried, scared and concerned about the future because I am. I also know there is nothing that will stop the process from happening here, short of a record speed unionization of my cowokers, so I have decided to face this change like a man with my arms out wide to embrace this "vjdom" with a big fat hug and make the best of it.

I have been playing with the camera that the vj's will be using (Sony zu-1) and I am going to like it. The best thing about the new camera with accessories is the size and weight. Currently, the equipment that I use weighs 54lbs. Camera, tripod, fanny pack, microphones, and extra tape. The Sony ZU-1 is a mini-dv format which makes everything smaller and lighter. I guess that the total weight will be under 15lbs.

I have shot one story completely with the ZU-1 and I do not think many people will be able to notice the difference in quality. News 2 has purchased several Dell lap-top computers which will be used for editing. I have seen them in the building but I have not had a chance to play with one yet. We will be using pinnacle editing software to edit our stories on the laptops. I am told we will be able to email the stories into the station and on occasion, not even have to come into the building.

I am scheduled to go through an intensive, six day, training session. I am on vacation next week so I will be to rest up and then hit the ground running with the vj training. I will be in the first class on training which is exciting itself. Feel free to include me in your prayers.

Here I am with my wife Ember who is the Love of my life. 

Nashville, the city I work in. Photograph that I took last July.

I have started a blog to keep a public diary of the evolution of my career from television news photojournalist into a television video journalist or vj. If you are wondering "what is a vj?" the short answer to that question is a person who works as a one-man band, reporting, shooting and editing a news story. I have worked as a TV news photojournalist working with a reporter and being primarily responsible for shooting and editing daily news stories for eleven years.

I work at WKRN News 2 is Nashville, TN where the whole station is converting to the non-traditional vj format, which is more than a little scary. News 2 will be the first station in the country to completely switch to this format. I guess a lot of the fear is of the unknown, will I be able to adjust, will the vj concept succeed and will I still have a job in six months?! are just a few of the many fears that are knocking around in my head. The management of the station has done a good job of reassuring our staff that the vj concept will work but there are a lot of people who are very skeptical.

I know there will be a lot of people watching the transformation to see how it turns out. I am excited about the new opportunity and hope it goes well.