Cliche' Advice from Your Video Production Mom...

You're going to get plenty of advice your entire life, but at graduation time the advice seems to be free-flowing and generic. I'm going to give you some of my own advice, based on what you've learned in BVP. Whether you're graduating or I see you again next year, remember these words:

1. You are more marketable when you know as much as you can. Know everything about editing, shooting, producing, Final Cut Pro, Live Type, Photoshop, etc. You should know a lot of this already and if you don't, you weren't listening or learning on your own. (Learn everything you can in life. You never know when you'll need to use that knowledge.)

2. I've told you before, that every video you do should be the best that you can do...every time. Your name will be on every project you turn in, every sentence that is uttered from your mouth and every action that you do. (Do your best, always.)

3. If you get so wrapped up in your video that you find yourself so put off that someone criticizes a part of it, you're too invested in your work. You will be disappointed throughout your life if you become unwilling to accept any constructive criticism about something that you do. Distance yourself a little from your work to let in another, maybe better, idea. (Don't be married to your work.)

4. I've always been impressed by your ability to not be shy to ask me for anything. Like, going out to your car to get your cd's or doing homework in MY class for another class that you failed to do over the weekend or give you Outside Project credit for just "being" at the football game standing near the camera, but, in the words of the Rolling Stones, "you can't always get what you want." (Ask for what you want, but expect nothing...you won't ever be disappointed.)

5. Don't expect to be a perfect editor/shooter/producer/reporter if you haven't studied or practiced. Don't even pretend to be. There will always be someone better than you and you will always be better at some things than others. You have to practice your craft. Even when you don't have a video project to work on, you should be playing with the edit machine to learn more. Additionally, you won't make a lot of money right out of school in your career, nor will you have a top-level job. You will most likely have a job that entails writing something for your boss, getting him or her coffee or making the phone calls that he or she doesn't want to make. You may have to work the odd hours that no one else wants. (Work for what you get.)

6. Remember that I am always the boss in the classroom. I get to make the rules and you get to follow them. That's the hierarchy. When you grow into a place of authority in your career or your life, you can make the rules. In the meantime, remember that I (and others who love you) have your best interests in mind when we say "no" or that we have a better idea. Enjoy the guidance. (Love your parents and family and those who help you.)

7. Getting along together is always a good job skill. You don't get to pick your classmates any more than you get to pick your family. You must still get along with everyone. I've always told you that working in a group takes skill and you must have a well-developed sense of empathy. You must treat each other's feelings gently and with care, as you would want to be treated. Involve others by encouraging, smiling and starting civil conversations about your ideas and thoughts. As much as Eagle TV is a family, I certainly hope you keep in touch with each other and me forever. (Cherish your friends and be a good friend to others.)

8. There are times in Eagle TV where we evaluate each others' work. It's an exercise in developing our sense of stepping away from our videos and looking at them from a fresh eye. Most of us have very definite ideas about what looks good in a video or sounds right in a story idea. We have to communicate with each other and be kind in order that we don't hurt others' feelings. But we always want others to know that we feel strongly about something...for instance a certain way to shoot a story or a certain angle or story idea that we think is great. (Be soft in your criticisms of others and but hard in your convictions.)

9. Some of the best videos I've seen you guys turn in are videos in which you took a chance on something unusual or on yourself. You must experiment and not every idea works, but some hit spot on. Although your deadlines loom, allow yourself enough time to experiment and try something new. Challenge your comfort zone and step out of your box every now and then. (Go out on a limb every once in a while.)

10. I've always wanted you to challenge yourself and work hard on every project. One of my favorite sayings with you is that if "you aren't working as hard as me, you're not working hard enough." You are studying a field FULL of hard-core, go-getters. People who will do anything to secure a spot in broadcasting. You MUST keep up. (The race of life is very competitive and you must run fast just to keep up with the guy running next to you.)

11. If you like a story idea and it's do-able, do it! Put 100% into your interviews, your shooting, your editing, your writing, etc., but stick with it. Don't give up. If you originally thought it was a good idea and it caught your interest, than there must be something to it. Put your all into it until it's done. Don't let anyone else discourage you. See #8 above. (Follow your dreams.)

11. Smile a lot!

There are more lists of advice, but I'm going to copy one that I think is a good one. http://www.fenichel.com/graduation.shtml Take what you want a leave the rest, but know that many people have experienced many things that yo haven't and they may have a perspective that you don't have...yet. Don't be so caught up in yourself that you forget to listen to others.

With that, I want to hear you. Tell me some advice that I can take with me into next school year or into my future. Give me some perspective that I don't have about myself. Tell me what I should or shouldn't do next year, over the summer, or when I move on to another adventure. Give me advice I should know about me, about my teaching style, about the way I motivate you, about my relationships with you, about how I influence you. Tell me what advice I need to do better or what I do that's good and need to develop or tell what to never change. But, be gentle. :-)