"You startin' to look like occupy"

The title says it all. Since I became the executive producer and general manager of my schools non-profit news organization, I've had to become more selfless than selfish. 

When I first started, I had the perfect vision of how I wanted every story to be: Me sitting down with someone for a heartwarming interview while I was wearing jeans, a collared shirt, and a jewel tone sweater, drinking from a mug that donned my name. Oh, Lord I tried to be in every shot. It wasn't until one of my peers said to me 

"Anthony, it's not all about you." 

What the ----, I thought. I wanted to have my own show. What do you mean it's not all about me? Well, I listened anyway even though me and my ego disagreed at the time. 

After I stepped back for the next few stories, omitting my face  in it's entirety - I realized it really isn't about me. People have far more in common than we realize - and why take a lesson that we can learn, and pollute it with my shiny face and bright sweater. No. 

I still love being on camera - and like to think that I am the definition of a TV 'personality' but for the last few months I have been producing almost all the shows for our organization so that way other members of my team can get some on camera experience. 

Well if you read my last post (which is a must) you'd know already that I am set to move in four months... and I do not want a producing job. I've always been told to go after what you want - and if you want to be on camera, then you better go for the gold first. 

My mentor told me I needed to 'dress up' a little bit more for my demo reel because I was 'startin' to look like occupy' - as in the Occupy Wall Street/Denver/Portland and every other U.S. city protestors. No thank you. 

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Over the Holidays I was supposed to meet with 3 News Directors from Market 122. The strategy was to showcase my not-so-great stories, so that way when we met again later in the spring (which is fast approaching) I would have improved by leaps and bounds! 

So here, I am lookin' a lil' occupy. Don't judge me. Every Oregonian news reporter wears flannel during stand ups...it's fine. 

 -> Here's a link to my demo tape

--ak

Dear Blogosphere, I suck.

I have been receiving emails that look a bit like this: "Dear Anthony: I miss you. It's been 9 long months since you have visited me, and I really need to feel your touch. Please update me soon. Love, Your Blog." 

Annoying, I know. I feel like the relationship with my blog is all one sided. Why do I have to do all the work? Anyway - long story short: I apologized and me and my blog made up. And voila! Here I am writing again. 
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So much to catch you up on since we last spoke 9 months ago. When my fiancee, Kaylin, decided to take a year off from the University of Oregon to move out to the Mile High City, we had to make a deal. She wasn't just going to move out not understanding what our future looked like (but really, does anybody know what their future looks like when they work in the business of TV or is marrying someone who is??) so I tried to meet her halfway. We had been long distance for 3/5th s of our relationship and I felt like she deserved to know where this was going.


Boom. We shook hands - and the deal was made. After her year out in CO was up, we would be packing our bags and moving back to Oregon. Now when someone like me is looking for a job - we'll take any TV job. Any time, anywhere. Understanding the need for Kaylin to finish school (and for us to not be apart) I don't get to just follow the opportunities - I have to make my opportunities. My lucky destination is Eugene, Oregon. Market size 122 and approximately 4 months to land a job from 1200 miles away. I don't speak a second language, but if I did... I'd want to learn all the swear words. 


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These past few months have been dedicated to dressing sharp, speaking smart, and networking to no end. I'll leave off there and when we pick up next: I'll give you the rest of the details on my journey. Buckle. Up. 


Below: 
This is an image of the drive we'll be making in approximately four months. Cross your fingers something works out!

-ak