DISQUS

Behind the cam · 2 years ago

I've spent so much time behind a camera, as a career Big TV producer, that I didn't realize how much you miss as a conference participant if you're taping until I went to SoCon07 to get some interviews for a Small TV show I was piloting.

I was thinking I could wear both hats: commit conference journalism and be an active participant. Wrong. I merely hauled around gear from place to place, wasted time driving around to some mall to get tape stock, tracking down keynoters before they took off... you get the picture. Typical producer MO.

So at PodCamp Atlanta I was determined to leave the camera in the bag, and just sit back and listen or speak. Wrong again! I felt naked as a speaker and ended-up taking out the camera to moreorless hide behind it-- in case I was expected to network too much.

I'm totally engineered, by old media habits, to be the Indian and not the Chief. I feel like I'm going to get hauled in to the boss' office if I keep opening my mouth at these social media things. Talk about being trained to sit down and shut-up. I realize how very well I've done that role -- in the past. (Can't haul my own self into my own boss' office now though; I'm already there!)

I still haven't packaged my PodCamp Atlanta video material... life keeps getting in the way. But it was great how the conference made news, although of course the one story that was circulated throughout MSM was by far the least interesting. (The small AP piece).

The most compelling conversations and reports and thoughts about PodCamp Atlanta were from the many blog entries, photo streams, etc. of the actual participants! Yet it is still one boring-ass AP text story that still gets the exclusive MSM circulation. Shame.

We're working hard to change that old-school dynamic though, eh?! But much more conversation needs to happen before we can teach that old dog more tricks. The more we create original, journalistically valuable "product," the more MSM is bound to be threatened by it.

Yes, much yadayadayada needed on the matter.

Jim Long · 2 years ago

I echo Grayson's remarks here. If there is a bright mind in this space that should be at the next VON it is her. Chris another good resource for women in video is here.

As Grayson said, shooting and trying to "report" from one of these things is very difficult. I feel like i cheated myself out of many other learning opportunities while i tracked, edited, encoded, and uploaded in the halls. But I think doing all of that was a worthwhile endeavor despite missing some great presentations.

A conference like this is WAY too big for one person to cover with a camera. This requires, dare I say it SpaceyG..., TEAM coverage.

Chris, enough can't be said about your hard work in bringing all of this together. Looking forward to the next one.

JoeC · 2 years ago

Re: Women in video who are disrupters, innovators, etc. I have only two words for you: Zadi Diaz. But then, you already know her, right?

Clintus · 2 years ago

As I stated before, you did a fantastic job. And yeah, you were running like a mad man. Glad I was able to help out even a little. Let me know if there is anything I can do for future events.