End.B.C.

:: A lot has happened since I last wrote thee, o Blogger. I came away from my NBC gig feeling more experienced, more educated, more prepared for my job here at Evergreen. I know I said I was going to post some specs on their audio gear, but I really didn't get a chance to look at it in-depth; they use an Avalon board in the truck and mostly Sennheiser microphones (in fact, I don't remember seeing any other brands).

I mostly learned about the social dynamics of working on a high-pressure live production; even though 95% of the crew are freelancers doing many jobs for different networks and companies, they all tend to work together a lot and therefore have a lot of expectations of each other. Most of the tasks are accomplished without anyone being asked to do them; the only times setup is discussed is when there is a problem, or when two different crew units, like the video and the audio unit, have to collaborate on their setup.

Because of this immense pile of experience and knowledge, preparation is usually minimal in comparison to the size and complexity of an event like the U.S. Figure Skating Championship. Diagrams are usually drawn up from a week to as soon as a day before setup starts for the event. I personally feel that I would need a lot more preparation, but when I think about it, that's similar to the way I work here at Evergreen. The events and the crew might are smaller, but I feel comfortable enough in my element to work closer to my deadlines.

All in all, it was a great opportunity for me to learn about how a nationally televised production operates behind the scenes. I established a few new contacts, snapped a bunch of pictures, lost a couple hours of sleep, and had a lot of fun. As for my next blog post and the time it will inevitably take me to get around to writing it, I leave you with the most commonly-heard line from this event: "Stand by to stand by." ::