NAT SOUND REDEMPTION, Part II

Life On the Outside of News

LEAVING

Five years ago this February I left my job as a TV news videographer.

The coolest thing about walking out of the newsroom for the last time was that I came face to face with WVEC-TV Assistant Chief Photographer Mike Babcock -- a tough ex-navy guy who'd worked there almost 30 years; a stern disciplinarian; the one I dreaded to tell about such things as lost batteries or broken tripods -- but also a guy I deeply respected. Saying nothing, Babcock looked me in the eye and saluted me. The salute caught me by surprise. It was at that moment the finality of the situation hit me; this was the end of my career as a news photographer. I saluted him back, shook his hand, and walked out.

That's all, sergeant Messina, you are dismissed.

Then me and some friends went to a bar and got hammered.

The funny thing about leaving the job I loved was that never I dreamed I would leave it. News videography was my life. I was a betacam packin' - tape eatin' - sequence shootin' - Slap-a-Pak crankin' - reporter hatin' - downtown 6pm live shot broadcastin' machine. In my prime, I had worked 12 years as a news cameraman for ABC, NBC and CBS affiliates. Shooting news was my dream job -- I was good at it, I took pride in it. There was no other job for me. I bore easily, and news videography filled my need for variety, kept me pumped, and let me get paid for it all. No other job I could think of -- and get hired for -- could give me the same adrenaline rush as being a news photographer.

But I left it still. The Nat Sound Redemption story I wrote out of frustration in the mid 1990's tells why. The essay was rejected by News Photographer magazine, but my friend Kevin Johnson posted it on his fledgling website, b-roll.net.

"Yeah, that's cool, post it on that 'web' thing of yours," I told him, back then.

A lot of photogs wrote in to comment on it. At first I was flattered by the huge response to my obviously deft writing abilities. Then I realized it wasn't my writing talent, but that I had simply tapped into a universal truth -- that the news business is the same everywhere, and sometimes, it sucks. All across the U.S. and even in Canada and Australia, there were guys just like me, toiling every day in the video fields, slaves to the whim of consultants, wanting to do good stories but prevented by management interested only in ratings, profits and live shots. I've been out of the business for five years now, but I don't think it's changed.

LOOKING FOR THE NEXT JOB

Soon after I wrote Nat Sound, I started a job search. To my surprise, a few years later, in Spring 1998, I found one, and the past five years have gone by quickly for me, working for a state agency, the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, where I shoot & edit videos, and help edit Virginia Wildlife magazine.

I found the right job when I left television, but it was a long search. Along the way I learned a lot about how to land a job outside of news, about the good and the bad of leaving television, and what it takes to be successful in a new career.

If you are thinking of leaving, the first bit of advice I have for you is, better search your heart and be damn sure you want to leave news videography. Most of the photogs I know love their jobs. Probably for most of you reading this, getting out of the job you love (or love and sometimes hate) is not even a consideration. Being a news photographer is an honorable job in what I consider a screwed up industry. I look back fondly on my days as a news photog, and all in all, they were good days. A 9-to-5 gig is definitely not for everyone, especially most high-energy news people. What changed the dynamics for me was my family situation. I guess somewhere along the way my priorities changed. But that's not the case for everyone. So, if you're doing good work, and making a difference, don't leave. We need people like you to stay in television news. On the other hand, if it is time for you to leave you will know it.

If you are seriously considering leaving news, think about this: after working in a field where you get paid to ask questions, expose truths, and be objective, are you the type who could work for, and be an advocate of, just one company? Also, without your news camera, you no longer have a ticket to every dance in town. Are you ready to put that behind you?

DON'T YOU MISS IT?

When I first left, people would ask me all the time, "Don't you miss news?"

The quick answer: NO. It surprised me that I didn't long for the whiff of fresh car accident, the headrush midnight flash of cop light, the mad dash across the newsroom to hand the story that airs in 14 seconds to the Tape Op (OK, on second thought, I do miss that). But also, I don't even seem to miss the cool assignments, the out of town trips, the satisfaction of making a 1:30 package "sing."

Maybe part of the reason is my new job has similar good qualities to replace the ones I left behind. Maybe the whiplash of being spun from assignment-to-assignment for 12 years left me wanting a more "mellow" existence. I don't know. All I can say is, it's all good now. A new job makes up for a lot.

Occasionally, when the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries holds a press conference on something exciting like the "Invasion of the Snakehead Fish," we will end up shooting some event with a gaggle of news photogs. Yes, there may be a pang of remorse, talking with friends and reminiscing about old times -- but when they all have to leave immediately to edit their stories and "go live", I'll go have a coffee and usually, the sentiment will leave.

In truth, the one thing I do miss about leaving news is the camaraderie of the newsroom. I do miss that. In a typical newsroom you interact closely with 20-30 people daily in a fun, wild and sometimes tense environment. My new job is not like that. I miss some of that human interaction. Also, there are a lot of old people working in state government. I don't know what the deal is with that. Maybe I'm one of them, I'm not sure. I miss young people --- young girl reporters and producers mostly.

Another thing about working in the outside world... the pace is slooow out here, and it takes getting used to. There is no daily newscast or deadline. You can actually put "work" things over to another day. It's weird, but I'll have DAYS or even WEEKS to finish a project. On bigger documentaries, I may have months to complete it. I have the time I need to do the job right.

I'll stop now, because I know it's probably hurting you, but suffice it to say that, the outside world is a whole lot more laid back than the news industry. But understand, there's a tragic downside to the timeline of the outside world: In news, at the end of the day you can go home feeling the satisfaction of being done with your story, and that's it, finito-never again--go have a beer or whatever. You saved the world. Tomorrow you will have a clean slate, a completely different assignment to work on. And that's kind of a refreshing feeling. If you get a bad assignment in news, you know it's usually only for one day. On the other hand, where I work, sometimes projects never seem to go away. It's spooky, but I have a schedule book and know what I'm doing most days for weeks in advance. That takes some getting used to.

LIFE ON THE OUTSIDE

The biggest transitional problem for me in my new job was twofold. First, I felt I was being overwhelmed by nagging little details. It's a state government job and that means a lot of red tape I wasn't used to and didn't even know existed. Most jobs outside of news probably have similar hassles. Time accounting, new computer programs, and sadistic purchasing regulations -- I'd rather be shooting high school football than doing that crap.

Second, and this is worse, I was overwhelmed by not having the savvy to handle and prioritize multiple assignments. This is where a great boss or mentor within the new company comes in. We would have four or five big projects going on at the same time and I was acting like I had a 5pm deadline on all of them. My boss, speaking with all the wisdom of Yoda, would tell me which one I needed to address and to hell with the rest. And it worked. It all goes back to that "slow down" thing.

If you can believe this, it was hard for me to get used to not being on-call, and not having nighttime assignments and call-outs. When I first left news, I went home to hearth and family every night around 5pm with a big fat smile on my face. And I felt guilty about leaving that early. (I'm over that now, though). When the phone used to ring late at night, I remember getting a sick feeling (that it was a producer) followed by anger (damn, a call out!) followed by something like more anger / revenge (I'm going to stick them for four hours OT!) Now, when the phone rings, it's just a phone call.

WHAT TO DO? WHERE TO GO?

Lets back up for a minute. How did I find my great job in the first place? It took over two years of searching for jobs outside of television, mostly in the production and public relations field, before I found "my dream job." Looking back, I was not qualified for many of the jobs I applied for. And if I had gotten others, I wouldn't have been happy. All I can say is, I got lucky. I'd done a trout fishing video on the side, taking a considerable risk and spending my own money to produce the project. I phoned a wildlife magazine to try to get a review of the video, and the editor told me about a great job that I should apply for. Finding my job was kind of like fate, as much as anything. But if I was able to do it, you can too. Stretching out your abilities and taking a chance sometime yields great results, as does being in the right place at the right time.

It takes a certain amount of courage to leave a job you are good at-news photography-for a job you know little about. In my case, I stayed a videographer / editor and it's worked out great, because I don't have many other marketable skills. To go without the camera would've been harder, but that's what my friend Duncan Wynne did.

Duncan worked with me in two TV markets, and was definitely the most disciplined NPPA style shooter I knew. So I never dreamed he would leave television. In 1996, he became a freelancer, which is a pretty tough way to make a living. After doing that for two years, he decided to quit and enroll in a couple of specialized computer classes. Simple as that, he found a good job with a private company and has since been promoted through the ranks. I was surprised at the smooth transition Duncan made into the world of 40-hour weeks, and how well it's worked out for him. Now he's a manager, and the boss of another former news photog from WVEC. One of the cool things about going into a career outside of TV is the chance to challenge yourself, and start over.

Freelancing is a job most news photographers can transition to, without completely starting over again in a new career. And it must be getting easier now that small DV cameras are so good, and edit systems like Avid and Final Cut Pro are so cheap. Back in the old days, those who left news to go into business for themselves often had to take out huge loans. It would seem that you could make the move pretty inexpensively these days. But freelancing always has been competitive, and, above and beyond your people skills, you need to be a whiz at marketing and business management to be successful. So that won't work for everybody.

Don't leave news photography for just any job. If you are looking to get out, I can't stress this enough, find a job that's right for you. Don't sell yourself short. It may take years of searching, but don't give up. Be patient. Remember, the outside world does not run on news time.

Life "on the outside" has been good for me. The transition worked. I found a job where I can go fishing and shoot video and get paid for it. While it was great when I could do the occasional nat sound story, now I have the time to really craft a wildlife documentary, and that feels good. Sure, it's not all peaches and cream on the outside world -- my new job doesn't have the "rush" of news photography -- but that's all part of the balance.

GOING BACK

A couple of years ago, I was out on the Chesapeake Bay shooting video for the Game Department when a "Mayday" came over the radio. A small boat was sinking, and my boat was the first on scene to rescue a guy in the water. Since I had great video of the rescue, I called my old friend Bruce Moore, a favorite reporter at WVEC, and now the TV station's assistant news director. He said, "absolutely, bring it in, we'll run it."

It was kind of spooky being in the station for the first time in two years. Except for a few new faces, everyone was in exactly the same place as they were when I left. There were producer / troglodytes, sitting in the same windowless office; there were painted-up reporters; there were soul-less managers about. And it was wonderful to see all my old pals after so long. Upon greeting everyone, I realized there was a crunch on to edit the 5pm news, and I offered to cut a tease. It was great to be back in the saddle again... in one of the old edit bays... working on deadline. Just as I finished the tease, and was starting on a vo-sot, a producer walked in and asked me if I could go shoot a tornado. The producer was serious. That's when I knew television news makes it's own rules. I finished my vo-sot and fought my way out of there -- before they handed me a live shot -- and I haven't been back since. My boss at the Game Department had a good laugh.

PROUD TO SERVE

It's a blast to work as a news photographer. I would not trade my time in television news. I believe you photogs do a public service and I'm happy and proud to have served. It's a fun and honorable job. It took me places I never would been able to see. Cool places, like Africa, and Monte Carlo. Hell, once before a concert, I got to picnic with Crosby, Stills and Nash, and got paid for it!

I would've stayed a news photog for 30 years. Things just didn't quite work out that way.

I've learned a lot since I left. One thing I can tell you is, it's OK to leave TV news if you want to. Just prepare yourself as much as possible for your new career--do your homework, sharpen your computer skills, don't be afraid to take risks, and above all, persevere. Sooner or later a good opportunity will present itself. Try not to wait 12 or more years like I did to change careers. It's kind of hard to put in 25 years at a new job when you've already worked 10 or 15 as a photog. Plus you may have to start out at the bottom again, working your way up to a week of vacation a year.

There are good things about being away from TV news. I can go fishing whenever I want and not have to worry about being paged. I have more time to be with my family. I don't have to be "on call."

There are bad things too. No more lunching with Crosby, Stills and Nash. I don't get to go to places like Africa and get paid for it. I work with old people. Working for state government and its red tape somehow reminds me of the movie "Brazil."

News is all in the past for me now, but I still get to do nat sound stories. They just don't air on the 6pm news.

I wish you all the best!

Ron Messina
virginiawildlife@earthlink.net
rmessina@dgif.state.va.us

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