Crew walks because of content - would you?

[Marco Leavitt]

The ethics surrounding journalism during war are pretty murky. A news crew that is perceived by the enemy as helping the troops of their homeland is going to endanger the lives over every other journalist in the war by making them a target. I'm not saying I agree it would be wrong to warn soldiers about a sniper, I just don't think the "right" answer is so easy to determine. Those guys take impartiality seriously.

[James Emory]

Keith wrote: "Well, yeah, if there are medical staff on hand you want to actually get out of their way."

That's true, if they're close by. Crew tents and other staff had to be well away from the set for obvious reasons. I think part of the issue was that medical staff was not that close and the camera operator was right there but continued to roll. They used this in the actual show for dramatic purposes and the way it's cut it looks like it was taken care of real quick but with editing, some interim time was cut out.

[Grinner Hester]

Humanity takes a side seat to dream-chasing more often than not (unfortunatly)
We've all seen a horrible crash happen behind a live anchor who just keeps reporting as the photog keeps shooting while people need help from people. Trouble is, with a 3 man news crew there, there are no people there to help.
Basicly, drones keep on doing their jobs and those are the people that keep on making the same salary 10 years later.
It's the people that make life better and who get rewarded for it.

[James Emory]

Grinner. Speaking of which. Here is an incident such as what you just described.

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...threadid=34541

[Grinner Hester]

thats exactly what Im talkin about.
Humans would stop what they were doing, run over and help people out. Drones go for the telly.
Paying for a trophy that wont impress anybody is much more important to them than saving lives or even being helpful.

Like the story at the corner of such n such and such n such means anything to anybody.
It only does to the guy who aspired to be in movies but has settled for the 5 oclock news readin preompter for 40k a year.
Lets face it, nobody aspires to be a news anchor or a news photog. It's a stepping stone for some. Others settle for it... then become bitter or numb to the world around them.
Thats what we see here.

Same thing goes for Dick Clark Jr. asking me to do an obit on a dude who aint dead.
Just numb. Doesnt mena we have to be. Sometimes we have to remind those who have given up, there is still life out there.

[James Emory]

"Lets face it, nobody aspires to be a news anchor or a news photog."

Now I wouldn't go that far. I know a few news shooters that just love their job or they damn sure wouldn't work that schedule for that kind of pay.

Check out the bulletin board on the site below to see just how much some folks like the news business. They may not like the politics but they love what they do.

www.b-roll.net

[Grinner Hester]

While love can be found in places not looked for,
I can't buy that anyone sets out to do this as their life's goal.
I was a camerman for a news station too once. Even did my time in front of the camera.
I saw it for what it was... temporary.

The point is, these people, due to bitterness or ognorance, have their priorities way out of whack when they see a story rather than an event that affects lives.

Sure their are great cameramen and DPs of the future in the news biz but have you ever watched the news and thought "wow, GREAT shot"? Or great delivery from a prompter minkey for that matter?
They'll go on to make great stuff no doubt.
I'm talking about he robots that do nothing to flatter humanity.
Doesnt have to be a photog or anchor who doesnt get it. I see cops, doctors and even our president who obviously can't understand what it is to be a person on the average joe society. It's either because they've never lived it or are mad about how they have lived it.
It's easy to see... the angry/power hungry cop, the doctor that is bad at best at his gig or our president who just doesn't know how to tell the truth.
I interviewed him once in his office when he was gov of TX. I guess you could call him that, he was gettin paid for it but it's not like he ever showed up for work... he was chasin the big gig instead. It was not unlike talking to a 4 year old. Ask a question.. get an answer to something else. Ask it agian, get a different answer but not one that follows the question asked.
Numbness.
Not knowing or caring whats going around around you. Thats the shame I'm talking about.
The erge to keep reporting as someone bleeds just yards away...
there is a fine line between ignorance and hoppin on the highway to hell.

[James Emory]

Oh, I'm not saying the product is always great. In fact, it seems that news stations aren't as concerned with great photography anymore but just to get it to air first. I'm just saying that there are some people who just love that kind of work and life because they sure do live it which is probably why alot of them are divorced too.

[Grinner Hester]

dont get me wrong
every indusrty has it's heros just like every industry has it's posers.
Just seems like local news is the net beyong life's spetic tank.

Maybe thats why we only see bad news.

[Josh Bass]

I knew a guy who said his goal WAS to be a news editor, period. That was his dream. Swear.

[Eric Schmidt]

Hello;

Although I've never been in some of these situations, I know that I have limits to what I do and sometimes have run up against them.

Shooting births and cesearians - it can get kinda gross and if they were not under the influence of very strong drugs - painful as well. When it was disturbing I'd glue my nose to the monitor until it was "safe to watch the live event again. Monitors and eyepiece are great distancing tools.

I have put down the camera to help out.

Have told a producer to "never call me again" to work with a certain client because I believed the item being pitched was a scam.

Have turned down porno - it was my first work offer right out of college - and tempting.

I do know my limits and won't cross them. May be slightly poorer but I can live with that as I can live with myself.

Eric

[Jesse Bekas]

Are there certain things you guys would not edit? You can't change what has already been shot, but are there things you would not asscoiate yourself with in cutting material.

My question encompasses any editing, i.e., cutting terrible footage (like war crimes) for a serious doc, or footage that you might not wanna have your name associated with (usually porn).

What would you not touch in editing?

[James Emory]

I think historical content is different than entertainment. Similar to what you said, history has already happened and is real life situational content whereas "entertainment", mhmm, is staged.

[Shawn Mielke]

Interesting thread. I would say that the day to day mediocrity in most of commercial cinema and television programming is the thing that I struggle with more than specialized weirdness, porn, and the criminally insane stuff. My qualms lie more with Steven Spielberg and Friends reruns, frankly. We're drowning in this stuff. I guess I'm wanting the medicine for the social ails to be of a more preventative nature, and for me it starts with the relatively braindead, gutless bullsh*t that actually is rather acceptable to most. How do I enter a medium and it's market that produces so much of so little consequence other than wasted resources? I want the experience and the resume. Do I work on inoffensive crap, even if it does bear talent and skill and a certain amount of artistry? I just can't see encouraging any more of this kind of thing in this world. What to do?

Just wanted to toss a little something in, here. Thanks to all of you and your openness. I love to see something beyond pure shop go down here at our home away from home.