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TELE-TV


From 1984 to 1996 I had a wonderful time producing, directing and managing freelance production professionals as the telecommunications industry had major change.  New Jersey Bell morphed from a major part of ATT into Bell Atlantic and with a merger with NYNEX it became Verizon, one of the largest most profitable businesses in the world.  But getting there was a herculean task at times as I live 50 miles south of the facility.

And each day I made my way to Newark NJ mostly by taking the 6:05 train to Newark.  I hated getting up this early.   Each morning was a series of challenges - trying to find a parking spot at Princeton Junction, grabbing a coffee from a crowded ruck and then battling the preppy Princetonites who would knock down a pregnant lady to get a seat so they could read their bible - the WSJ.  They had an obsession not to let anyone sit in the middle seat of the three in a row on the NJTransit cold, uncomfortable conveyance.  Their “evil-eyed” stare didn’t phase me as I plotted down between Brooks brothers.  I read paperback books which were a cinch to handle on the train. 

Commuting by train was indeed a hassle but the monetary reward of my new job offset some of the downside of commuting  - but when it snowed even this benefit wasn’t enoght.  One night on the way home I was stuck in the vestibule of one car that was so tightly packed that I had to choose between having my arms crossed over my chest or down my sides.  Slowly the train plowed through the dancing snow and at each stop some of the executive sardines pulled  themselves off the train.  I really was thankful that I hadn’t experienced this my whole working life - and couldn’t fathom how these poor souls spent their career fighting for a seat just so they could make do with the mayhem of “The City” as NYC the world dump was called.  However, I made it livable by taking a “company car” home a lot.  At my level I had the use of an unmarked  Buick whenever I wanted to play bumper cars on the NJ turnpike - I couldn’t decide which route was the lesser of two evils.  And so it went for ten years.  But once at work it was worth it.  I produced and directed hundreds of shows - but a few stand out as exceptional experiences.And this change produced a lot of work for what was  a single studio into a video training department of three facilities; Newark NJ, Philadelphia Pa and Silver Springs MD.  And I was part of a studio that produced over 200 live “broadcasts” on our own closed circuits to four states and distributed over 20,000 taped programs a year.  I won’t review all - but here’s some highlights of a very varied experience from writing and producing dramatic shows, special messages from top offices to live product roll-out sales meetings.  (I worried that producing for the telephone company would eventually become a bore - it was from that to my welcomed surprise!)

My first show set the tone for the years to follow.  I was assigned a new product discussion program with the vice president of sales and three of his top managers.  After the preliminaries that all TV shows have - mike checks, makeup, lighting tweaks I was ready to go (and a bit nervous - but I had directed literally hundreds of talk shows so this brief one would be “a piece of cake” for me).   My boss Austin sat behind me in the control room which didn’t help to settle me down.  Right before we began the show I donned my headset and instructed the engineer to roll tape on the rehearsal.  The program began.  The show was excellent.  And I directed it without a flaw in shots and pace.  When I dissolved to black Austin said, “Cal, great rehearsal, let's go for a take and I hope they can do as well the second time.”  I replied, “No need, I recorded the rehearsal.  Usually the best take is the most spontaneous and the best one.”  And I dismissed the crew.  My first shoot was a success.  Everyone was totally surprised as this was not what they were used to - And Austin never visited my control room again!  

I had brought broadcast TV experience to corporate TV - a much slower world where expense was not a problem.




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