FROM TV SCREENS TO THE OTHER SCREENS - SECOND DRAFT

When I was 17 all I wanted to do was work for a TV station. Live TV production was something I wanted to do. I obtained my B.A. in Broadcast journalism in 1999 and interned at well-known TV networks in the New York area. I still don’t know what convinced my former employer to hired me as a full-time Production Assistant, my good work, my persistence, my enthusiasm, or probably all of them.

From Production Assistant to Producer was my first promotion. The second was from Producer to Senior Producer. I couldn’t believe my dream came true. I was enjoying live TV and that rush of adrenaline during the live newscast was only compared to firing a gun or skydiving. I was having the time of my life! Long shifts of 10-12 hours everyday were not a big deal for me as the hours were very short when trying to book live guests, edit video, check breaking news, review scripts, take guests to make-up room, etc.

Five years later, the story was completely different, I was feeling exhausted at the end of the day, stressed, constantly sick with allergies, and colds. My doctor told me I needed to slow down because the past five years were very intense. Two years later I started losing interest in the daily hectic environment of live TV. When I celebrated eight years there, I started looking for a new job, something in public relations. I thought it was still a crazy environment, but not as insane as live TV. A few months later, just before celebrating my ninth year, I was laid off, along with 300 more people. Instead of feeling sad, I was happy, and ready to start a new chapter in my professional life.

I freelanced for a couple of years in public relations and started doing social media for independent filmmakers. This is how I started working “professionally” in social media. By professionally I mean being paid for doing social media, but not necessarily because my strategies were professional and highly competitive. Actually this is the reason I’m pursuing this Master’s Degree. I’m not new to social media, but I’m new at producing competitive social media campaigns and providing solid results.