Alabama Tornado

[McFly]

March 1st...

I'm watching WSFA's live satellite feed of the aftermath from a tornado. (It's on live at the NBC affiliate in our market).

I have no clue who the reporter is, but he referred to the photog as Jeff.

Jeff's camera skills are LACKING. And that's being nice. My wife and mother-in-law were about to vomit watching this. I am convinced that Jeff is blind, has ADHD and no shoulder. Or everything combined. The pans and zooms would be better performed by a rabid monkey.

I can only imagine that those in the WSFA newsroom were also about to puke watching this and planning on reducing Jeff to the position of janitor when he returns to the station.

It seems harsh... but anyone with more than 8 minutes of experience in television would say the same thing.

THAT WAS AWFUL.

 

[pre-set]

Is this the best use of your time?

 

[memphis-vid (ex-longhaul)]

that's funny... a few months ago i was watching the bus crash coverage from YOUR market thinking the exact same thing... it must have been YOUR day off. if you were watching on friday afternoon the guy was probably about to pass out... most of us had been on for 36hours straight. it's easy to criticize from your living room... you wouldn'y by chance be a manager, would you?

 

[f11vid]

After seeing the original post,I went to that station's website which was streaming live(about 5pm cst).Saw interview with Enterprise sheriff handheld,looked good and solid.Could almost smell those pine trees.

 

[McFly]

Is this the best use of your time?

I did manage to find 103 seconds to make the original post. I'm sure it could have been better spent trying to cure cancer. Humanity will suffer because of my poor choice.

it's easy to criticize from your living room...

You mean where all our viewers watch from? Tell Jeff to grab a clue...
Cuz he SUCKED.

you wouldn'y by chance be a manager, would you?

Nope. Nice try though.

After seeing the original post,I went to that station's website which was streaming live(about 5pm cst).Saw interview with Enterprise sheriff handheld,looked good and solid.Could almost smell those pine trees.

Consider yourself lucky. What we watched was BRUTAL. It wouldn't pass in market 207.

 

[Frank McBride]

Do you have any constructive suggestions for Jeff outside of becoming a janitor? That was pretty harsh criticism for someone who didn't ask for your opinion.

FMc

 

[McFly]

If the criticism had been sugar-coated, it wouldn't have been honest.

I can assure you that ANYONE who works in a broadcast television environment and saw what aired, would have lost their lunch and called for Mr. Jeff to find a career delivering newspapers.

 

[memphis-vid (ex-longhaul)]

You mean where all our viewers watch from? Tell Jeff to grab a clue...
Cuz he SUCKED.

thanks for making that point for me... the living room is where our VIEWERS see our product... so what exactly were you doing in your living room while a national story was breaking in YOUR state? i know there were at least two crews from huntsville set up down the line from me. maybe if you had showed up to cover the story you could have held jeff's hand, and after the live shots the two of you could have skipped through the debris arm in arm. why not make a few suggestions that might help jeff... like shooting off the sticks, or taking a second to plan out the movement of the shot, or even taking a 30min nap in the truck to "freshen up"... seriously, mcfly, you lead a sad, lonely life if these are the things you find to complain about.

 

[McFly]

so what exactly were you doing in your living room while a national story was breaking in YOUR state?

Enjoying a cold one, thanks. I had been off work for a few hours by then.

maybe if you had showed up to cover the story you could have held jeff's hand, and after the live shots the two of you could have skipped through the debris arm in arm.

So Jeff is not only a poor photog... he's gay, too?!

seriously, mcfly, you lead a sad, lonely life if these are the things you find to complain about.

Yes... when I have almost 2 minutes to spare during the day, there isn't enough for me to do.

Seriously... the on-air video was GARBAGE. I can only imagine that the ND, producers, chief photog, other photogs and the competition were watching what was going and feeling sick. Lord knows I had to put down the beer watching that crap... it was that bad.

Okay... so to critique Jeff:
1) Boy, if you're going to shoot something 20-500 feet away, use a tripod.
2) When the reporter is interviewing someone live on the air, do not quickly pan around and try to zoom in on something 500 feet away.
3) See #1.
4) See #2.
5) Repeat.

 

[Frank McBride]

From what you are describing, that sounds like what ND's and producers eat up as having motion and immediacy. I agree it sounds awful, but some shops ask for stuff like that to give it a tense "this is unfolding as we speak" feel. I get the feeling you don't believe Jeff was trying to do what he did, though.

Since I didn't see it, I'll stop commenting. I do appreciate you being more specific.

FMc