My Role: Videography, Editing, Grip Work, Location Scouting

Background:
East Tennessee PBS is a non-profit, public broadcasting station that focuses its programming around viewers in East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia, and Western North Carolina. They are a viewer supported station and continuously provide coverage and insights into the inspirational people, places, and events in the local area. Much of the programming that East Tennessee PBS produces is focused around education, especially for children 12 and under.

Challenge:
I initially got my start in video production here as an intern in the fall of 2014. After completing my semester-long internship, I continued to serve as a videographer and production on a contract basis for several years afterwards. In these multifaceted roles, I was tasked with the production of high-quality video content for public broadcasting, including documentaries, special interest programs, and community-based initiatives. My technical expertise in camera operation, lighting, and post-production were leveraged to ensure the successful creation of visually compelling narratives that would reach over 4 million homes.

Production & Distribution:
Following the rigorous and thorough production schedule established by the our wonderful producer, Stephanie Aldrich, I along with the rest of the film crew embarked on a continuous journey of capturing visually compelling content and chronicling the stories of local, cultural significance. These productions took us across East Tennessee and required constant communication, coordination, and time management to be successful. Additionally, filming the Tennessee Life series required me to have a great deal of flexibility, both mentally and in a literal, physical sense. Capturing crisp and steady footage of Monarch Butterflies among other various creatures allowed me to develop a high degree of finesse and dexterity when it comes to camera operations.

Once we completed production on these projects, they were packaged for standard definition, broadcast television. The series went broadcast to over 11 million homes via satellite.

Results:
Throughout my tenure, I honed leadership skills by coordinating with cross-functional teams and managing multiple projects under tight deadlines. My experience at East Tennessee PBS equipped me with the project management, creative direction, and technical production expertise necessary to excel in subsequent roles. It allowed me to develop greater strategic thinking and stakeholder management skills, making me the best candidate for positions I would go on to secure in multimedia production, public broadcasting, and corporate video content.