at the line. tvtomee/kxan

     Often, finding the proper elements to visually tell your story, can be as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. Occasionally, an opportunity will present itself to get exactly what you are looking for. When that occurs, one would be encouraged to take full advantage.

     In the fall of 2011, we got a tip about some financial irregularities surrounding a youth football organization in north Austin. At the time, we didn’t have a lot to go on. Although after a quick discussion, we decided to strike while the iron was hot. The teams had played their final games of the season, but there was an opportunity to get video of the team during their final practice of the year.

Months later, the video would be worth it’s weight in gold.

     Shot during the golden hour of a fall evening, The video is colorful and vibrant.  Not to mention the perfect vehicle to drive home a story about the time and financial commitments parents of the association make in order to provide their children with a structured, healthy activity.

For the last few days, I have become intimately acquainted with the cargo area of a Ford Explorer. It’s only been in the low nighties this week and I’ve only been discovered once. Just my tripod, camera, 2way and me. I’ve been there, while shooting an electrical, a/c contractor sting.
After rolling hours of video from multiple sources, its now time to get it all in one place.
The edit bay.

If there is one thing that i can say that i have been watching over attentively for the last couple of hours, it would have to be the dreaded status bar. It just sits there and laughs at you while you watch your blinking percentage change from 27 to 28. What else can you do. You can’t edit if the video is not in the computer so you just have to sit there, watching and waiting. Don’t even get me started about consolidation, for reals!
I think that once i get it in one place, i can cut it down to something a little more consumable. Making it easier to log and hopefully small enough to transfer to my laptop.
Don’t get me wrong, the bay is great! But i would rather edit eksewhere. Oh look, it’s at 67%.

so, right now, i’m riding in a cab with Chris Willis to our hotel in Manhatten. hello Big Apple! we have been shooting a ton of video with our new friend Bobby Bones, a DJ from Austin, who will be on the REGIS AND KELLY show tomorrow morning. NYC is a beautiful city, even covered in snow. so, stay tuned, there is much more to come.

When I woke up, I realized, that it was October. It is just amazing how time flies. It has been a busy time at KXAN, which is kinda like realizing that your trophy case is too small. A good problem to have,  a rare thing.

There has been a lot going on in Austin and central Texas over the past couple of months. From breaking news and weather to politics and football, there is always something going on. Which is why I am so happy that i have the AUSTIN NEWS APP on my IPHONE.

It totally helps me relay pics and information directly back to our webteam and our newsroom. And best of all, it’s free!

As a multi-platform photojournalist, I strive to capture compelling video and audio to aid the storytelling process.With the AUSTIN NEWS Iphone App, YOU can contribute to the news gathering process.

See something cool or interesting? Shoot It and REPORT IT.

YNK!

Your picture or video may be used at KXAN.com and/or KXAN Austin News.

Soaking in the California Sun, happier times for UNIT X / tvtomee

Doesn’t she look happy……Out there havin’ fun, soaking up rays, making new friends and just chilaxin.  She is Unit X, the nickname we use to lovingly refer to our satellte truck.  This truck has gone everywhere from the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, to hurricane coverage in New Orleans and a thousand spots in between.  The one thing that you need to know about X, is “If unit x is happy, everybody’s happy”

Lately, X has not been happy.

Maybe we haven’t been paying her the proper attention.  Maybe X feels like she’s been taken for granted.  Maybe X just needs a night out with the other satellite trucks to blow off steam.  Either way, that’s okay.  Wear and tear happens.  Unfortunately you can’t turn back the odometer, but you can cherish the memories made along the way.  All relationships need to be maintained, some more than others, they’re not just set it and forget it.

So, maybe after a day at the spa, a little ginny work and a good once over with the guys in engineering, we’ll start to see that glimmer in the corner of your spectrum analyzer.  The one that brought us together in the first place.

Get well soon Unit X, we still have a lot of road to cover.

Stop and take a minute to check out the latest crop of bluebonnets.

While out with Jim Swift at the Ladybird Wildflower Center, the bluebonnets seemed to be everywhere.

The fall and winter rains not only helped to fill the lakes, they also helped to produce the spring wildflower crop.

Many believe that this years yields are actually producing larger and taller bluebonnets than in years past.

I like many others, just think that they are cool to look at.  So, clean off those

lenses and gas up the car and head toward the hill country.  The wildflowers are

everywhere, for a limited time.  So, leave only footsteps and take only memories

because who knows if or when the the bluebonnets will like like this again.

The days are rarely the same for a multi-platform journalist. A sense of adventure is a must. It also doesn’t hurt to have a flexible schedule. Often, we go where the story takes us.
Today, I find myself running our satellite truck at the Alamodome in San Antonio. As it turns out, the ncaa womens basketball finals are underway. Our sister station, WTNH has had a crew in San Antonio for the last few days following the Huskies on their journey to the final game.
My job is to help provide them with LIVE capeabilities for their shows back in conn.
I hear that vp Biden has just showed up to watch the game.

It’s never a dull moment….

stay tuned…..

It is official, the spring storms are here. Tonight, I heard a loud crack of lighting and then the rain just stared pouring out of the sky. I had forgotten how loud these spring storms can be.

Lets have some fun…..

(more…)

From the title of my post, you might think that my intent was to blog about the new Metrorail. You would be mistaken. The flashing red lights that I speak of  are coming from my camera.

Normally when you get the flashing red lights, it’s accompanied by an error message in the viewfinder and side monitor.

Error91-275

I know what the problem is, and need to get it addressed. But right now, i’m ON-CALL, and my camera will still roll audio and video.
Maybe I’ll see if my friends in engineering can help me out. till then…

Stay tuned……
tvtomee

Matt Flener Logging and writitng during a quick lunch in central austin

As a multi platform photojournalist, one thing that you quickly discover is that lunch happens when it can.  Often workflow dictates that you eat while you work in order to help make the most of your time in order to tell a compelling and visually interesting story.

Today Matt Flener and I sat down at Pei Wei in central austin, where we logged over chopsticks

stay tuned……