Tears Aren’t Always A Bad Thing
After taking this producing class, I can conclude that it is by far the most important and eye-opening class you can take in the broadcast journalism program. You really have no idea what you’re getting into when you sign up, trust me. All those MJ shifts where you talk to producers and ask them to watch your video or read your writing- you have no idea all that they have on their plate.
That being said, I highly, highly recommend this class. If you want to know how the industry works and what you should expect, this is the class for you. It’s as close to the real world as you can get. You are up at 5:30AM following the stories that all the major news stations are covering. You’re sending out reporters to cover what needs to be covered. And you’re picking stories for a newscast catered to your audience.
This class is all about teamwork. I wish I could say you could pick up the slack for a slower teammate, but that’s just not the case. You all have to be in constant communication with one another. And as a Video or Graphic Producer, you must be ready to take on other tasks. Without you writing and editing a few extra stories here and there, the show would never get done.
So take this class. If you absolutely hate it, it’s probably a sign that producing, or maybe even broadcast journalism, isn’t what you want to do. But put everything you have into this class. Fight for the stories you want to see done. Step out side the box; come up with new and exciting elements on your own. Remember, it’s okay to go home and cry after a show every once in a while. If you’re not putting everything you have into it, then maybe producing isn’t for you. Take this class. You won’t regret it.