The End Is Near But It's Still Not Clear

Before taking Television News Production, I knew I wanted to pursue production in the entertainment industry, but was interested in producing for a live news broadcast to learn how to manage a team of people. While I have always thought I make a good teammate, I have never fully attempted to take the lead role and be the one whom others follow. Working as a producer has taught me not only how to distribute tasks to people, but also how to get those same people to come together in the end and converge their ways of storytelling. 

I was absolutely terrified before I started as a producer, because I felt like my news judgment and writing skills were weaker than my peers. Looking back on this past semester, I cannot believe how far I have come in gaining the confidence to know I am capable of producing a day-of-air news broadcast and the ability to motivate myself and my team to always go the extra mile. I have learned to push for stories that I feel strongly about regardless of the obstacles that come our way and I have learned to never give up on getting our content on air on time, regardless of the crunch. Countless moments of chaos throughout the semester have taught me to keep a level head and remain always optimistic. Watching our show air each week and knowing I helped make it transpire is the most rewarding feeling I have experienced since being at USC. 

I came into this semester with an open mind to learn skills about managing a team of people to create content to share with the public, regardless of if it was for a live TV broadcast or a scripted film or television show. I had never once considered going into news production before taking this course, but I have enjoyed being a line producer for a news show so much more than I ever could have anticipated. I have actually begun considering applying to local stations in smaller markets after I graduate to begin as a producer for a day-of-air newscast. While I still love telling fictionalized stories through scripted film and television, I am expanding my horizon for the time being to explore all of my options before committing to a finalized career path. 

Regardless of what I end up pursuing as a career, I have learned so many skills that can be applicable to any position I find myself in. At this point in time, all I know for sure is that I want a career that makes persevering through the moments of stress and chaos worth the effort in the end. I’ve found that I feel this way about producing, although I am still unclear which industry (news or film and television) I hope to find myself in. Overall, this semester has helped me gain the confidence to execute my vision and share my story the way I see it for any type of story l decide to tell.