Once upon a time there was a girl. She knew she wanted to go to college, because her Mother had not been allowed to. That was all she knew.
She had no plans beyond getting a degree. So she chose a local college and a Liberal Arts Degree and started school. It was fun, but she was nowhere near figuring out what to do with herself, until the day her friend mentioned that the Campus TV Station was looking for crew. She went, because she could use the money and instead of a job...she found a career.
This is the place that I walked into almost 36 years ago. I had no idea it still existed. I thought they moved the facility over to new campus decades ago. I made a pilgrimage to the place where it all began, last Sunday and found that instead of some nondescript building allowed to go to disrepair, I found that they even have a sign on the structure. Acknowledging what I did and what the building was and is used for. I was so glad to see that. It brought me peace and a sense that not everything has to change.
Productions I worked on from inside this building:
The Psychic Zone (The first Production I was a part of and the one that hooked me)
Great Decisions: Reaction (A local follow up show to the PBS series Great Decisions.) It aired on WLIW, Channel 21 and thus, this show had the distinction of being the first one that my name showed up in the credits of. It also had the distinction of being the only show that had my maiden name on credits. I would not have a broadcast quality show air, until after my move to LA and marriage to my hubby. Anything I did at the 4 year college aired on Closed Circuit TV on Campus only.
Leo Buscaglia (Back in his days of going around the College Circuit) He would eventually become a mainstay of many a Pledge Drive on PBS...but we had him first. :-)
Things I learned to operate and run: 2" tape machines that would head clog constantly, Black and White Cameras that I learned to shade from the man who would eventually become my Brother In Law.
Operating a Zoom Camera, live on the air.
Wiring up TV Sets to classrooms around the lot.
Lots of history and memories all tied up in that structure.
I was so glad to see it again.
What great memories, Angel! I'm glad the building was still there to wake them up. Using a zoom camera live on the air for the first time has got to be nerve-wracking. ;-)
ReplyDeleteWhat was so ironic about that was that when I went to my 4 year college later on, they didn't have anything so sophisticated as a zoom lens and we had to learn how to rack the Turret Lens, to change how close you were to the subject. Wide shot, close up, etc were all done by moving the set of 4 lenses in a circle, until the one you needed clicked into place. Now THAT was nerve wracking!
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