Who here is or has been involved in TV or movies?

[Montague]

I’m curious as to who is involved with any aspect of television or movies.

Whether you’ve done:
Acting
Stunts
Extras or stand in work
Talk shows
News
Camera operator
Sound
Makeup
Special effects
Writing
Directing
Producing
Assisting
Even answering the phones at a casting agency…

I’d like to know about your experience in as much detail as your willing to provide.

And Keith is not allowed to post here because he’s done more in his lifetime than most of us combined.
 

I'm kidding. Of course Onlyme may post here.
I'll bet he can offer a lot of great insight and interesting stories.

[sync pulse]

TV Master Control engineering/operations

But I have also Produced on radio call in talk shows about;

Home Improvements
politics
medicine
gardening
sports
financial/stocks/real estate
agriculture.

Most memorable moment is during a gardening show when a listener called in and asked, "How do you grow good marijuana?"
I put him on hold, and during the spot break, the host came into the control room and picked up the call on my call director.  He answered, " Get a gardening book and look up how to grow indeterminate tomato's.  Indeterminate is important because those kind of tomato's have to be topped exactly like marijuana plants have to be topped.  Follow all the directions for growing indeterminate tomato's and you will grow excellent marijuana.  The fertilizers, bug spray, planting, pruning are the same. When the length of the day gets shorter during the end of the season, that is when the buds will develop."

I have found that 80 percent of personnel in radio as opposed to television are pot heads.
This includes conservative talk hosts.

[Montague]

Thanks for sharing.
That sounds really interesting.
How did you get into that line of work?

I ask because I’ve always been interested in TV and film, and have always wanted to find my way into becoming a part of it in some capacity.
I just never took the necessary steps to get there.

Now at almost 29, I’ve gone to college, worked as a magician through school, earned a communications degree, after graduation got involved in sales (crappy positions w/ a bank), a little in fitness, I worked for a short-lived independent music magazine, and I’ve finally decided to follow my passion with a career change.

At least I'm gonna try.

[sync pulse]

I was an electrical engineering major in school.  I played at the university radio station.  In doing so, made some contacts who later went on into local broadcasting.  Its very much harder now, most university radio stations are now professionally run.
 I was laid off from a 24 year job with a broadcasting company in September, and even with being in broadcasting all that time, not one station even acknowledged my resume.  You will almost certainly have to search outside of your hometown. But then, I didn't want to relocate because of my mother.  Pay scales outside of the top ten markets are discouragingly low.
 Over the air broadcasting is going to be going through some turbulence in the near future.  This is mostly due to a new ratings technology called "personal people meters", which hasn't got the personal biases that was inherent with the old diary method of ratings.  This technology is revealing that the audience for over the air broadcasting is lower than was thought previously.  So if the audiences are smaller, the advertising revenue is correspondingly smaller, with less money for staff.
Try the websites called 'tvjobs.com',and 'tab.org'.  Most TV and radio stations also have job listings as part of their websites.

[James Blunt]

I know tommywishbone was working with the biggest loser on NBC

[Montague]

I was an electrical engineering major in school.  I played at the university radio station.  In doing so, made some contacts who later went on into local broadcasting.  Its very much harder now, most university radio stations are now professionally run.
 I was laid off from a 24 year job with a broadcasting company in September, and even with being in broadcasting all that time, not one station even acknowledged my resume.  You will almost certainly have to search outside of your hometown. But then, I didn't want to relocate because of my mother.  Pay scales outside of the top ten markets are discouragingly low.
 Over the air broadcasting is going to be going through some turbulence in the near future.  This is mostly due to a new ratings technology called "personal people meters", which hasn't got the personal biases that was inherent with the old diary method of ratings.  This technology is revealing that the audience for over the air broadcasting is lower than was thought previously.  So if the audiences are smaller, the advertising revenue is correspondingly smaller, with less money for staff.
Try the websites called 'tvjobs.com',and 'tab.org'.  Most TV and radio stations also have job listings as part of their websites.

Sync,
Thanks for the history, info, and the heads-up.
Yes, the job market sucks for a lot of fields in a lot of places right now.
The job economy in general where I live has been the shits since before 9/11, although many folks still place much of the blame there.

Thanks again.
And best of luck in your job prospecting!

[Montague]

I know tommywishbone was working with the biggest loser on NBC

Really? Do you know in what capacity?
I've never really interacted with Tommy on this board.
Do you know him?
It'd be nice to get him to post a little bit about that here.

I believe that someone else recently mentioned doing - I believe - some work in special effects. I've got to check my post history to try to find him/her.

[Emmortal]

I work in the visual effects industry, mostly digital lighting and shading.  I create the overall look for CG elements to be integrated into the live action plates.  I've done some music videos (Tool) and some commercials as well, but mostly I work on feature films.

[Montague]

E,
Thanks for the reply.
How did you luck into that line of work?

I presume you have a background in computer graphics?

[Emmortal]

I changed my career about 4 years ago, went back to school and got a degree in computer animation.  It's a tough industry to break into, lots of new people trying to get into it and just not enough jobs to fill, so the competition is pretty heavy.  I personally wouldn't recommend it to anyone who wants to have a life, the hours can be excruciating and often doesn't leave much time for anything else when you are crunching, which can be quite often =)

[windsor88]

I used to be in Radio.

Did programming, wrote commercials, voice overs, and of course on air everyday.  I have done video production and used to help out with the St. Louis Rams games on Fox only as an intern which sucked.  All time and no pay.

All I can say is be prepared to starve.  The competition is tuff but once you get to know all aspects of Video, radio, or whatever then you become more marketable.  However,  even then you most likely will just be making a living.  A lot is who you know in this business.  I wish I could get back into as well but the money is not there right away.  I've known guys in the industry for over 20 years.  Still broke and putting in 60 - 80 hours. You may get lucky..who knows.

[Montague]

I wish I could get back into as well but the money is not there right away.  I've known guys in the industry for over 20 years.  Still broke and putting in 60 - 80 hours.

Do you believe the geographic area has a lot to do with that?
Sadly, a lot of professions - at least where I live - yield similar results.

[windsor88]

Do you believe the geographic area has a lot to do with that?
Sadly, a lot of professions - at least where I live - yield similar results.

Oh yeah no doubt about it.  But you know how many people pack up and go to LA or Hollywood to find fame or get their foot in the door?  A very small percentage make it.  They usually end up being a waitress or some other kind of common job to make ends meet.  I am in the computer field now and it is the same way.  I make less now than I did 10 years ago.  The market is saturated with I.T. people.  Not sure what field you want to get into but I would start doing internships.  I know it sucks but that is the only way to get in really.

[Montague]

I am in the computer field now and it is the same way.  I make less now than I did 10 years ago.  The market is saturated with I.T. people.  Not sure what field you want to get into but I would start doing internships.

A little over a year ago my Dad retired from his job as a software development manager for the city.

Just before leaving, he told me about this kid they had just hired.
The young man had recently graduated with a masters in I.T. and the only position he could get was working at the computer help desk answering phones for $10/hr.

I.T.
Masters.
10 bucks an hour!
I was shocked.

As for what field I’d like to get into…
I would love to do some acting.
I have some background in martial arts and professional wrestling and can take a decent fall, so stunt work sounds fairly interesting.
Even working behind a camera in some capacity would be neat.

I’m just fascinated with film and would love to be involved in some facet of it.