I worked in television full time for over 30 years as a cameraman
and editor. I started out shooting news, sports and documentaries.
Eventually I worked my way into shooting entertainment product
such as game shows, soap operas, music videos, commercials,
conventions, and multi-camera shoots. "You name it, I shot it", and
I loved every minute of it. Then I retired... I have now been retired
for 15 years, but to this day I dream about my working days nearly
every night. But my dreams all have an interesting twist...in my
dreams, all of my filming assignments involve an obstacle of some
type that prevents me from successfully completing my assignment.
For example, a faulty camera cable, a lens that won't focus, bad
head sets so that I can't hear the booth, faulty tapes, (no tapes),
production van won't start, or it started but I can't find the location
and I'm late. Get the picture? There are dozens of other scenarios
of not being able to shoot film or tape... Then there are also movie
projectors with blown lamps, broken film without a splicer...with
a full audience waiting for the show... In 15 years of dreams, I
have never successfully completed a single shoot...not one.
I've told you this story with a smile on my face, as I've often been
told that this is fairly normal. We get old and wonder what would
have happened if we never retired...
How about you?
and editor. I started out shooting news, sports and documentaries.
Eventually I worked my way into shooting entertainment product
such as game shows, soap operas, music videos, commercials,
conventions, and multi-camera shoots. "You name it, I shot it", and
I loved every minute of it. Then I retired... I have now been retired
for 15 years, but to this day I dream about my working days nearly
every night. But my dreams all have an interesting twist...in my
dreams, all of my filming assignments involve an obstacle of some
type that prevents me from successfully completing my assignment.
For example, a faulty camera cable, a lens that won't focus, bad
head sets so that I can't hear the booth, faulty tapes, (no tapes),
production van won't start, or it started but I can't find the location
and I'm late. Get the picture? There are dozens of other scenarios
of not being able to shoot film or tape... Then there are also movie
projectors with blown lamps, broken film without a splicer...with
a full audience waiting for the show... In 15 years of dreams, I
have never successfully completed a single shoot...not one.
I've told you this story with a smile on my face, as I've often been
told that this is fairly normal. We get old and wonder what would
have happened if we never retired...
How about you?