Again, I find myself as the newcomer (the previous title of this post). I now work for my third television news station as a PJ (photojournalist) for my third different affiliate (NBC, ABC, & now FOX). I’m still making the adjustment back into the fast paced environment of working in news. And living in a state not named Illinois for the first time. My first two weeks living and working in a new city…new state proved to be a true challenge.
CHALLENGES
My biggest challenge is the battle of time management and being creative. Do I have time to use a light kit? “Hold on…just one more (shot),” me begging to the reporter. Sometimes I have to realize that I simply just do not have enough time to get the perfect shot. I want all of my shots to be well lit. I want every package to have at least two nat (natural) sound pops. But making slot takes priority. Am I complaining? Not in the least. I love my new job and have the opportunity to work with some the best in the Midwest. I am doing what I love every single day. Some stories will be more visual than others and when those stories come along I seize the opportunity.
Rule 1 of Newsroom: DO NOT MISS SLOT! A lot of work for nothing if your story does not make it’s deadline. Flipping stories for both a 9PM and a 10PM show adds pressure onto us FOX photojournalists (most stations just have a 10PM show). We simply have one less hour for editing or setting up a live truck. In my first two weeks, I had to be complacent with my subpar work being aired. That will change. I will learn how to be faster. It’s in my DNA (Doellman Naive Attitude). Working in news forces you to do your best the first time around. There are no re-shoots…no mistakes. At least not for a photojournalist seeking perfection.
OPPORTUNITIES
There were two aspects of my transition that I eagerly looked forward to. The opportunity to discover a new city. I had never even been to the city of Milwaukee until my interview, but I had heard really great things. Trying to navigate around a new city really hasn’t been an issue yet (I GPS everything).
The second facet was the opportunity to learn. I am now surrounded and work alongside some very talented professional journalists and photographers. Learning a new camera is like unwrapping that huge box under the Christmas tree with your name on the tag. I have never shot on a Sony camera before, but the XDCAMS are very powerful and an excellent choice for a digital newsroom. Each photojournalist is given their own MacBook Pro for editing. We bring these laptops with us to every shoot just in case we have edit in the field. At my two previews stations and also in college at Illinois State (TV-10), I used AVID. I now edit on a personal favorite of Final Cut Pro 7.
WHY LEAVE CHICAGO?
My experiences while living social in the Windy City for over three years has provided me with a book full of wild tales. Watching the Blackhawks hoist the Stanley Cup twice. My personal freelance projects were highlighted by filming two live shows with three cameras (Lincoln Hall, The House of Blues). I went to my first Lollapalooza…Taste of Chicago…Wicker Park Fest…etc. Have I experienced everything Chicago has to offer? Absolutely not. However, after I completed my masters at DePaul University, it was time to start a new chapter in my professional career. Yes, lots of opportunities in the city, but Milwaukee is the 30th most populated city in the United States and largest city in Wisconsin. With an exception of the town’s overnight parking restrictions, I’m a fan of the Brew City! A hop, skip, and a jump from Chicago, Green Bay, Madison, the Dells, and several scenic cities along the lake.
PACKER COUNTRY
I was not on the streets longer than 15 minutes for the Wisconsin locals to remind us that we were no longer in Chicago. “Bears still suck!” A comment that was pleasantly blurted out towards us by a passing by car. Let’s just say the colors of orange and navy blue stick out amongst the sea of green and yellow. Overall I find the cheese people to be extremely pleasant and kind. My move north just so happened to fall on the same day of the regular season finale between the Packers and Bears. After myself and Mr. Dan Bayer finished unloading the U-Haul we met up with another Fox 6 PJ in an attempt to catch the end of the game at a local east side bar. I was the only one in all three of the bars we went into that was supporting Bears gear. Surprisingly not a single person said a word to me about it. And yes three bars because we couldn’t find a place to sit or stand in the previous two.
FUN FACTS:
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by Kevin Doellman
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digital newsroom, fox 6 news, kevin doellman, milwaukee