Every major has its ups and downs, as well as certain things that accompany that field of study. For broadcasting majors, we're told we won't be able to find good jobs after college or that our major is a waste of time because we aren't learning anything useful. I've gotten plenty of that during my time and although most weren't as direct, they always asked if I had a backup and seemed genuinely more interested in that.
If you're a broadcasting major, then these will most likely hit a chord with you, and if not, I'm about to give you an inside look at one of the more underrated majors out there.
1. A lot of writing & re-writing
We really don't stop writing until we say "Action!" and even then we could still cut stuff or add stuff either in the direction or dialogue of the script.
2. Abbreviation
If we could abbreviate everything, life would be so much easier. We use abbreviations for camera, angles, characters, scenes, and even directions between ourselves. We just don't have the time to speak in full sentences. Sometimes, we don't even speak, just look at each other.
3. We know what 5AM looks like
Whether it's fall, winter, spring, or summer, 5AM is way too early! No one wants to wake up that early, yet we do and head to the studio.
4. Lighting is a b*tch
I'm convinced one never learns to light a set, we all just follow directions from our professors for about an hour before a set with two rooms is fully lit.
5. Climbing the ladder is a right of passage
Or should be because we're basically moving the ladder around the room and balancing on the smallest step at the highest point on our tip toes trying to move very large and heavy lights without disconnecting them on the other side of the room.
6. You bring stuff from home to furnish your set
Because no one has the funds to buy props or curtains, so you steal them from the kitchen window and hope you mom doesn't notice (that is until she sees the short film and notices her curtains made it into the scene).
7. You either love the floor or the control room
And try to stick to either one all semester. You also have a favorite position and it's not working the teleprompter because no one likes working the teleprompter.
8. You learn to do everything
Because you never know which job you're going to get or be moved to that day. And every job is important, don't ever think shading isn't an important job.
9. There's quite a bit of yelling
Maybe not from you and nothing too loud, but you have to shout to the different rooms in the control room and you have to yell the directions into your headset or else the floor manager won't hear you with the commotion on the floor. Not to mention your professor might also be yelling at you to hurry up or slow down.
10. Your AD is your guardian angel
They are your person, your savior, your almighty, the one person you can absolutely count on (or should count on), so a connection with them is crucial. Assistant Directors don't get as many props as they should.
11. Doing more than 3 takes is absolute hell
Your actors get worn out, your camera people grow tired of lugging those giant things across the floor and you get more stressed than necessary. You might have the direction down by the third or fourth take, but no one likes to do more than 3. More than 3 just means more editing.
12. You never realized how fast you can talk until you directed
There are times when four or five things have to happen all at once or within a millisecond of each other so you need to speed through it and you end up amazing yourself.
13. Or how quickly you can follow along as the tech operator
We say switcher and you control which camera is being recorded and what's being prepared and when the text pops up on the screen or the image and how to fade in and out. So, if the director is racing by a very fast scene, you have to keep up, and you amaze yourself (and everyone else) too.
14. You need tons of storage space on your computer
Enough that prompts you to buy an external hard drive with 1 terabyte of space for every video clip and audio recording you need.
15. Carrying the equipment
Around campus, through town, and up and down the stairs of an elevator-less dorm or academic building might as well be an Olympic sport, especially if you are lugging around the audio cases because it's not just one microphone. We wish it were that simple.
16. Getting to White Balance outside
It takes more patience and pieces of blank paper than you have sometimes because the sun will continue to change position therefore changing your lighting.
17. You spend hours upon hours editing
Hunched over your computer, staring at the screen, ruining your eyesight, your hands cramping up, your headphones plugged in with nothing playing because you've been trying to capture the last second of a scene for over an hour. Editing takes days or even weeks to really turn 2-3 choppy takes into a masterpiece.
18. Your final cut is never quite what you expected
Regardless of how complex the scene was or how much time and effort was put into making it, it's never quite like the movie you played out in your head while writing it. We don't have a Hollywood budget, but we improvise and those are honestly the best scenes.
19. You understand the point of constructive criticism
It's not meant to be rude or mean; it's to help you as a director or a crew member be better because no one is perfect and everything takes practice. It's "constructive" criticism for a reason.
20. You have full bragging rights when you complete a scene or a short film
There's nothing quite like the feeling of accomplishment as you export the completed scene. You can breathe and stretch and eventually close your laptop again and sleep.
21. You absolutely cannot imagine doing anything else
Ever.
