Photo Bloggers Unite 2- Television Is Furniture

Coming up with the description of how to describe myself as a piece of furniture. As much as I'd like to say I spent quality time thinking about this, I didn't really. I'd like to give my heartfelt thanks out to FTOJRLST, who took guesses at what he thought we might be. Describing me as a Burkline Recliner, warm, cozy, etc.. I have to ask myself, what the **** is he smoking?? Just kidding. I'm flattered but it's nowhere close to what I'd describe myself as.

What WOULD I describe myself as??



I think of myself as an Otoman. But a really expensive one. The one above costs $1,275. So, I'm basically someone who will support you, but it's gonna cost ya.

I asked my wife what she thought I'd be. Her reply, " A big OVERSTUFFED chair." So, it seems that FTOJRLST and my wife seem to be on the same wavelenghth.

How warped it that??

Here's the all the photog bloggers that are doing the show-n-tell today.

Be sure to check them out!

lenslinger

tv photog blog

newshutr's views

beFrank

kazz's world

little lost robot

smitty

erin winking

colonel corn

Drill Sarge

I was out doing beauty shots for our morning show. It was a slow overnight. No spot news, plus a slow night before equaled a light-hearted morning show. I was sitting in my live truck after setting a shot, when I heard a man yelling...

"C'MON YOU MAGGOTS...RUN...RUN...RUN..!!" I looked out my window and see a man wearing makeup. Ok, so it's actually camo makeup but still...


He's got about 30 people running towards the green field known as Mall B in downtown Cleveland. The people all run over and line up in three rows. He proceeds to make them do all kinds of exercises. Some I haven't seen since my football days. I remembered how painful they were and I felt pity on them.


He made them jump in place, crab walk, run gassers, jump and roll, all the while screaming at them and calling them "Maggots..." I thought to myself that someone has exchanged the real world for their fantasy world.


His harassment made me wonder what these poor people had done to deserve it. I wanted to go ask what their crime was, but he was running them so hard, that I couldn't find a person that could talk.


I called out control room to let them know what I was seeing and they decided to use me as much as possible. The morning anchors were asking why these people were doing this, but since I couldn't find an available person to talk to, I couldn't answer their queries. So, our anchors took to calling the resident drill instructor, "Sarge..."

"Sarge" then made them run laps around a large mall walkway. As they ran by my live truck, I was able to shout out my questions...

"Who are you?? Why are you doing this..?? Who's the Drill Instructor??"

They all looked at me with fear in their eyes. As if talking would get them more laps or a night in the box.

Finally, I walked up to the DI and asked him point blank, "Who the hell are you guys and why are you beating these poor people to death.."

He laughed and said, "I'm a trainer in the health club at the Key Tower. We do this intense training twice a year.." I didn't have the heart to tell him that our anchors were berating him on the air..

And then it hit me. These people are PAYING for this abuse....

I retired back to my truck and took this picture of the things that I abuse and abuse me..

Friday the 13th...eee....eeeee...eeeeee

I woke up this morning forgetting it was Friday the 13th. Well, it came back at me like someone doing a fish slapping dance from Monty Python skit. It started when I got into work. I sat down to immediately get a call to go to a truck flipped ax. The accident was only about a 2 miles from the station, so I got there very quickly.

What the desk called a truck flipped ax turned into a car vs. semi. The car had pulled out in front of the oncoming truck. The semi swerved and the car plowed under the trailer and bounced out. When I got there, I came upon a group of firemen and EMS workers working to free the person in the car.

A stretcher was brought up but soon taken away. An EMS worker I know, made the motion of the finger across the throat telling me he was dead. I gave a thumbs up for the info. He shook his head and did the motion again and then added a thumb moment over his shoulder.

I got the message. Decapatation.

What a way to start the day.

Photog Bloggers Unite

Oh I am so PISSED at blogger.com!! I had finished my whole blog on the Photog Bloggers Unite. I hit publish and WHAM...It was vaporized into the nether world of the internet never to be seen again. About four hours of work down the G*ddamn drain.

Well, I had really good blog and a whole lot of pictures. Even for the way I write, I thought it was pretty good. Well, now I'm in a surly mood. I'm more than pissed now..

I wanna scream and physically throttle everyone of blogger.com's people. Even if it's not their fault. If this had happened to the Pope's Blog, it would make him want to kick a baby.

So, everyone gets my abbreviated version. Sorry, I don't have the time to re-write everything...Damn..I'm royally pissed..!!

MY CAMERA


I run a Sony DSR-500WS DVCAM.
I don't like it. It sucks in low light, but at least it's not MII like I first used when I got here at WKYC.


I use a ElectroVoice RE50. Lectrosonic wireless TX and Lectrosonic Wireless Lav for my microphones.

MY RIG




I drive a 2002 Ford Explorer XLS 4WD. It is known as Unit 20. It has 66000 miles on it. It is unmarked. It was supposed to be marked, but I lobbied for it not to be. We don't wrap our vehicles anyways. Just a small logo on the sides and back. It's also the undercover team's backup car when they think they've been made on surveilance.

I also drive Live Unit 1. I switch out of my Explorer half way through my shift because I work overnights and I do live shots for our morning show.



MY WORKPLACE


This is our lockerroom. It's known as the batcave. We really don't hang out in it. It's just a place to transfer gear for those that don't take their gear home. Also, the part-timers use it when they work.



This is our readyroom/photog lounge/human fishbowl. A lot of the guys don't like it because of the huge window that faces the newsroom. But at least it has some creature comforts. Wet Bar and jacuzzi are the "perks". Just kidding. It's more of a 7 person hot-tub.

I wish I'd been able to write as much as my fellow blogging photogs here. I had originally but for some reason, blogger.com ate my homework.

Here's the all the photog bloggers that are doing the show-n-tell today.

Be sure to check them out!

lenslinger

tv photog blog

newshutr's views

beFrank

kazz's world

little lost robot

smitty

erin winking

colonel corn

Meeting Danny Trejo

Well, I got to meet movie actor Danny Trejo the other night. He was here in Cleveland for a couple of days to be a part in a movie being shot here. The name of the movie is Dreaming On Christmas. It looks to be pretty good. Danny is playing a subway train driver who is dressed like Santa Claus and sings Christmas carols to the riders. He only knows two songs and he doesn't know all the words, so as he puts it, "I get to mangle a few classics.."



Danny Trejo is a class act all the way. He came in a day early to Cleveland to speak to some recovering addicts/alcoholics. He says that he wants to give a positive message to people that think they don't anything to add to life. He gives them hope, when they may have none. Danny knows from where they come from, as he felt he had no hope at one time. As he puts it, "I was enrolled in the San Quentin program."

The second that I met him, and he shook my hand and greeted me with, "Hi, I'm Danny Trejo, God Bless you, man.", I knew this is one man who speaks from the heart. He stuck around for me, even though I was running late and he was extremely tired from a long day of shooting.

In the era of Paris Hilton's and J. Lo's, Danny Trejo is about you, and not about himself. He's the guy that you'd have as your best friend.

It would be a nicer world if there were more men like Danny Trejo in it. I would have asked him to repeat the line from Anchorman, after Ron Burgundy tells San Diego to go "F" themselves, but there were little kids around.

He made them Honorary Spy Kids. He looked at me and said, "I'd make you an honorary Spy Kid, but you're WAY too big.."

Thanks, Danny.

Cedar Point Media Day, Part Duh

I almost forgot to tell this story. If I hadn't seem the commercial, it would have slipped my RF addled brain. While we were in between our live shots, myself, Obie (our interpid reporter) and Mike (great sat truck op/photog) were talking at the riser. Another reporter ambled by and intoduced herself to us. The name will be withheld because of the stupidity of the reporter. But she was a young reporter for a station in Youngstown, OH.

As we introduced ourselves, she had a hard time understanding the name of our reporter. His first name is Obed. It's a biblical name. Professionally for TV he does go by Obie. But this young lass could not wrap her mind around what his name was. She kept asking him to repeat it.

Obie: "It's Obie..my name is really Obed, but everyone calls me Obie"
Lass: "Huh? Oh..O.B. as in the TAMPON!"

Now, the poor misguided lass, being a woman, could make that leap. I don't know if any NORMAL or SANE woman would make their synapses fire in that manner, but she did.

We could not stop laughing at his expense, of course. Even Kotex..err..Obie has to chuckle at it.

The only bad part, we have to keep him out of the rain now.

Cedar Point Media Day

Yesterday was Media Day at Cedar Point in Sandusky, OH. The debut of their new ride, Max Air was the focus. We arrived early in the morning and set up the sat truck and then set up for our morning live shots.



We had a great time and everything was pretty normal and orderly. To spit in the face of the TV gods, we had no problems, unlike our morning competition up the dial, who couldn't get their shot on the bird.

There were lots of media there and it was great to see faces that I hadn't seen in a while. It's always neat to see the toys that the out of state stations have.







Man, this is one sweet ride. It swings out and rotates the seats and constantly goes higher and higher. The best part, you do get weightless for a few seconds...

To see the video, visit here wkyc.com

We did our shots, and then rode the ride. It's a blast. You have to come here and ride it.

Plus, we all snagged a cool MaxAir Media Day embroidered sweatshirt.

Ahh....freebies.

Making a Movie

Last night, a friend of mine calls me and tells me that an independent film is being shot locally and that I should come down and get a few shots of it in production. The name of the movie is Dreaming On Christmas and it looks like it's going to be a pretty good little movie. I call my EP and tell them, and they're thrilled because it has a local angle.

I go over to shoot it and I'm told, if I want, I can get an interview with Nick Mancuso. At first, in my mind, I asked myself who?? Then I remembered the name from the movie Under Siege and various TV shows. I tell the Exec. Producer, Gil, "Sure!! Love to!!!"



I really have no idea what to ask but, I'm able to rattle a few questions off about the movie business and acting. Turns out, he's a really nice and down to earth guy. He listened to my questions and then took the time to give a useable sound bite to my nonsense questions.

Then, Gil, the EP of the movie, tells me that soon, Danny Trejo of From Dusk Till Dawn, Spy Kids, Con Air and recently Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy fame is going to be in for a night of shooting.




I'm looking forward to meeting and interviewing him.

A little bit of Hollywood in Cleveland.