Either that roofie I slipped Weaver is beginning to take effect, or he's demonstrating the wrong way to grapple with a fancycam. If it looks familiar, though, don't worry: YOU'RE not having a flashback. That's way nine out of ten actors choose to hold such a camera whenever they're forced portray a TV News Photog. Maybe it's something they teach in film school - or perhaps they're just pissed they have to pretend to be someone so low on the broadcast totem pole. No bother, the stereotypical news shooter is going the way of the dinosaur anyway - replaced by multi-tasking, laptop-packing solo-mojo's. If this doesn't bother you chances are there's no light kit in your hatchback. That, or you're like me: a fairly gregarious loner with a lens who'd rather take a video tour of an applesauce factory than play news crew down at the courthouse. However, most photogs are appalled at the idea of gathering contacts and facts along with all those groovy God Shots. I get that. But a crumbling economy and quantum leap technology are rendering our lowly opinions mute. Once the big boys prove that 'backpack journalists' can fill the newscast at half the cost, you can kiss your specialized press pass goodbye. This doesn't bring me any great joy. I've kind of enjoyed being an anomaly all these many moons. Soon, twenty-something's with advanced degrees in YouTube will be the norm instead of the exception. Where that will leave a relic like me is still unknown, but I feel better equipped to take on the future than that photog who's used to catnapping at the crime tape while his pretty reporter works the crowd of looky-loo's for suitable sound. Yes Sir, an infamously undervalued job position just got a lot more thankless. Was a time, I didn't think that was possible.Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna watch Groundhog Day solely for Chris Elliot's masterful take on the skeevy TV news photog. That cat NAILED IT.
6 comments:
A late night joke session via twitter resulted in this alternative take of Andy posing as his movie photog counterpart
http://therenegadeae.blogspot.com/2008/12/you-are-doing-it-wrong.html
I agree - Elliot nailed it perfectly. Now you'll have to blog about how movie "reporters" are misrepresented as being "stick that mic in your face, truth seeking, vultures". On second thought, that may be true in some cases?
Did weaver need a vest? He could take down a ufo with that red jacket!
I prefer "Hero": "All those years in sports, following the ball....."
I'm with you, Slinger...as much as I don't like the way things are going, I am choosing to evolve with the times, rather than piss and moan about them. Then again, I've always viewed myself as a journalist, who mostly provides images and sounds. Iz gotz udder skillz. I've been known to write a package here and there...produce a show here and there. I think of it as being a well rounded journalist. Do I believe the two-person TV crew is optimal? Yeah. Am I going to stomp around grumbling for having to OMB a vosot or anchor pkg? Nah. It's what I do. I'm a journalist. (actually, it's not what I do anymore. now I just hang out at football practice, or roam the sidelines of a game staring at cheerleaders...yay me!)
Seems to me there would be less fear and loathing about all this if people were offered some help (and given some time) to learn new skills. Or maybe I'm dreaming.
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