Careful With That Wish Eugene
Once and a while someone on one of these message boards makes a comment
to the effect of “I wish I had your job” or “You have my dream job” usually
directed at one of the ‘No Reservations’ producers.
I recently had the opportunity to observe producer/director Paul Cabana and
segment producer Rennik Soholt “living the dream” as it were and it was
an interesting reality check.
I met the whole crew when they arrived at our hotel in Tokyo with the intention of taping their arrival. They were coming off of a week in Laos and looked it. In fact, they looked so sick, tired and out of it I actually took pity on them and turned off my camera.
to the effect of “I wish I had your job” or “You have my dream job” usually
directed at one of the ‘No Reservations’ producers.
I recently had the opportunity to observe producer/director Paul Cabana and
segment producer Rennik Soholt “living the dream” as it were and it was
an interesting reality check.
I met the whole crew when they arrived at our hotel in Tokyo with the intention of taping their arrival. They were coming off of a week in Laos and looked it. In fact, they looked so sick, tired and out of it I actually took pity on them and turned off my camera.
Rule #1 to the dream; you work sick, you work tired and then you start the next show with one days “rest.”
Incidentally, Rule #1 doesn’t apply to Tony. He had a press conference an hour after he arrived; or Rennik. Segment producers work with our in-country “fixers” to make sure that we really have something to shoot so that there’s a show to edit later. Segment producers quickly learn that about half of whatever’s been “confirmed” over the phone has changed, disappeared, been misrepresented or otherwise come unglued by the time we’ve arrived.
Our Japan fixer Michiko is as good as it gets and yet she and Rennik were either in conference or on the phone constantly during the trip.
Other things the segment producer does;
a) Log the 75 hours of tape shot in Laos so that they can be loaded
as soon as we get back.
b) Act as camera assist on the shoots. Rennik knows whose wide angle lens
is whose, which batteries go where and keeps the gear from disappearing.
c) Supply food and drugs. Yes, drugs. Advil, Aleve, Tylenol, Excedrin,
a dozen other pain killers and most importantly Imodium (don’t leave home without it, seriously).
So maybe you’d like to direct. That must have been Paul’s dream once. To show up at a location you’ve never seen, plot out a two camera shoot and try to establish a story line consistent with the rest of the show in
about 20 minutes. That and get enough B roll footage and establishing
shots, much of which he shoots himself as our third camera.
Directors do at least get into the locations. Rennik and I spent a surprising amount of time outside of tiny Japanese restaurants trying to stay warm.
You might think people would get cranky and fed up and quit. You would be wrong. I’ve never seen a more focused bunch of professionals
with a better attitude towards doing excellent work.
Oh, and I don’t know of any positions available at this time.
Last night's "Roumanian Rhapsodic" episode ranks right up there with "Cleveland" or the last episode of "I'm Dickens He's Fenster" as MUST SEE TV.
Actually, both the great Bourdain and the lesser Zimmern have very interesting shows. Very entertaining, but as a former touring musician, you can tell that they are both "road weary road warriors."
I am a romanian living in the states for the last 23 years. I was so exited to see the show about Romania. What a disaster. Tony went to Romania with a RUSSIAN??? What can a russian show Tony in a country that he is not from..There are a lot of beautiful places in Romania.. Zimmer got drunk and passed out on the show..they had to take him to the hospital..Too bad...there is a lot of history back there..a lot of good people that would've been happy to show Tony around, somebody that spoke romanian.. The town of Sibiu was, in 2007, the cultural capital of Europe, i thought for sure Tony would go there. Oh well, too bad. Could've been a nice show. Thanks
I have a reality check for you, sir. Last year after my husband got laid off from his manager position at The Gap at our mall, I've had to take on extra shifts at the drug store. My boss regularly sexually harrasses me but I'm afraid to complain because I don't want to lose the only source of income we have to support our four children.
As for working sick, some of us also have no choice but to work while sick or tired. I can't afford to take off, if I don't work a shift I don't get paid.
But I really understand what you're going through, you know. Jetlag sucks.
I have to go now, my internet time at the library is up. We had to pawn the macbook after my youngest needed braces last year.
I too have thought, wow that would be an awesome job. Thanks for the perspective. I don't think I could eat what he eats - at all! Thanks for a very entertaining series. My husband and I BOTH love to watch it, and that is saying something.
I admire you guys, real hero's my life is hard but your's is very tough - how do you do it? You guys realy create something. not like medics or manufacturers - or troops sent to war - you guys Wow so impressed - the producers and camera men - the real hero's - if only we could somehow thank you.
bitter, party of 2, your table's ready...
You have not managed to put me off at all. Still think it is a dream job!
I am watching Tony's show as I type.. He is in Italy and it brings back all the memories of my Grandmother.. She was from Italy and made her own pasta and all the dishes Tony is enjoying.. It brought tears to my eyes.. I can still see her smiling and rolling the pasta and singing.. What a beautiful country.. Wish I could have gone to Italy with her.. The segment with Niko's family was especially endearing to me.. That was our family every Sunday.. Now everyone is pretty gone.. So sad..
If Ned and Susan have no sympathy on you they obviously have not checked out the Romanian blog! I would not want to be dealing with that flack today.
Heads-up to the two of you: ALL work sucks, that's why they pay for for it.
Every morning on the treadmill, I catch old "Code Blue" or "Trauma: LITER" episodes on Discovery. Anyone from the production team(s) from those days working with "No Reservations" now? I seem to remember that there was once some connection and it would be interesting to hear how the two experiences compare...
It's interesting that simply by explaining that the job is not all fun and games it seems to have pushed quite a few buttons. Nowhere did he claim these people are heroes. Nowhere did it say that your life didn't suck.
Try taking the information for what it is, a window into what goes into making a show, that I would assume, since we're reading this, that we really love.
The blog does a good job of explaining the difficulty and the long hours that go with the job but also explains that no one would quit. Why? Because it still is probably exactly what they want to do. The same reason people will read it and ask for a job anyway.
To Chris, if you're actually a woman, sorry about the "he." Could have gone either way...
Nice blog. I didnt realize how many people it took to produce the show ... Lots more respect given here. By the way, is the title of your blog a take on, Floyd's "Careful with that Axe Eugene"?
Keep Warm!
Reading Anthonys books and this blog have made me second guess if I would ever want a career in media. I think it is most peoples reaction to mock writers, actors, musicians and producers because they have fun consuming the product and assume it is loads of fun to make too.
I don't doubt for a minute it is a hard job and proably takes all the joy out of ever taking a vacation (All sex is work when you are a porn star). Glad you love it though. Despite the Romanian upset, you all do good work.
Hmmm. Responding to what I can, let me say this...
In my experience there are few things more awful than a soul killing job.
I honestly wake up every day thinking, "Thank God! I'm not working at the
carpet warehouse today! (long ago - temp job - deep scar).
I've been editing over 25 years and this is absolutely the best job with the
best people I've ever had.
It's also the only thing I've ever done that I didn't have to BEG friends and
family to watch.
This being a "Crew Blog" my take on it is to try to address folks interested in
a "making of" perspective with a focus on what working in television involves.
To specifically address Chesh, don't write off a career in media just because
hard work is involved. Anything interesting has certain costs above and
beyond showing up and doing the work. Education, location, schedules
that put pressure on relationships and home life and the like.
My opinion is that temperament and tolerance are the real make or break
issues and you can not know until you try whether you can handle it.
One thing I've not seen mentioned anywhere, there are virtually no full time
jobs in series television. When the shows are shot, produced and
edited we are all out of work until the next season starts. If you want to
keep working on a given show you have to find other part time work that
doesn't overlap with the start of the next season. Everyone is in the same
boat here and accommodations are made but broadcast air dates are
brick wall deadlines.
And briefly...
Thank you Christine and yes, I'm a guy.
(They always make Christopher into Chris)
and Oh My God Thank You Syd !!!
I was really starting to question the wisdom of using self indulgent
music references from my childhood in the title of a 21st century blog
on a totally unrelated topic. But YOU understood and I'm interpreting
that as a mandate for insane sub referencing in all future posts.
(just kidding) (mostly)
christopher martinez
OOOO - wow, you responded. Thank you! Since you have taken the time to address some behind the scenes issues, let me ask: How have most of you ended up in the media industry? I started writing some articles about my profession a few years ago and just started getting involved with radio.
I'de love to see where this all goes but wonder if I will always be considered a fake because I was not a journalism major or editor, or film maker....Do you recommend anyone interested in media goes back to school? Or is it the sort of industry that people fall into from all backgrounds (like carpet laying!)? If you feel generous again, Thank you.
(and yes, for anyone you who noticed, I know my spelling sucks. I use spell check when I intend to be published.)
Thank YOU Christopher! We really do appreciate the insights and window behind the one we watch (some of us on 52 inches of plasma that our husbands just HAD TO HAVE, and that we only now are finding a good use for documenting each new wrinkle and gin-blossom on Tony's bloated mug! Just kidding Tony.... ;) But I digress.... Please continue with your blogs and if I could make one complaint, you guys really could do better to post more often, I mean AB gets it done at LEAST every 2 weeks and lately every other day has been GREAT!! Just a suggestion--keep up the great work!
I get a lot of emails from wannabe flight attendants. Your job is definitely much cooler AND more glamorous (except maybe the bat cave in Jamaica) ;-)
21 years old, music student, south american. i hate tv... i wouldnt watch it if it werent for the simpsons, now they suck (in my opinion) so the only tv show i watch is no reservations. Your job is trully important, and trully well performed. Not only for being in charge of the rather esential diarreah medicines, your crew does the indispensable job that is to make the show be a show and not only a cool guy drinking guinness and spreading the words of the ramones, R.H. and the voidoids, dead boys and other contemporary philosophers. Anthony Bourdain is a person who lived and know how life really is, and you are person i believe knows that too, what you do is show us how reality is and how similar we all really are (of course there are some exeptions... im not even a bit like paris hilton). you and the other crew members tell us how you feel in words of Anthony Bourdain, this is not a show about Bourdain and his in my opinion incredible thoughts, its about all of your thoughts too.
Keep the show going, you all do a great job. come to south america i'll buy you all a drink.
requet tony to listen to the I.C.P. song; PIGGIE PIE, and the rest of the c.d./album, it may inspire him.
Hi,
Quick response to a few things starting with okiefoodie (why don't you guys respond more often) .
The camera people really do have very busy days on the road and a lot to
attend to when they get back home before they go out again.
Not unlike flight attendants come to think of it.
The editors (some say) are always looking for an excuse to go online and
be amused or amusing but the arc of editing a show like this gets overwhelming
(time wise) in about 2 weeks and we all feel like we're behind and start panicking.
That's why I will disappear in a few days and (hopefully) post one more blog
about some specific aspect of the editing of the Japan show in a few weeks
if I can boil some issue down so that it makes sense to everyone.
Some one raised the question of schooling (academic or hard knocks)
and I just want to suggest that both are a good idea. If a media job floats
around grab it. Even if its doing the company newsletter (writing) or doing
the cut down of the xmas party tape (editing or producing) for free. Just do it.
If you love it then do more. If you hate it you can move on. Journalism is a lot of
writing and the act of blogging coherently about your views will teach you a lot about writing. An editing class can be a few days or a semester but you need
to do a lot of actual editing after that. These aren't mutually exclusive paths.
I started in television to escape the music business.
I don't think background is a help or a hinderance really.
As a transplanted Romanian to the States, I was looking forward to Tony's episode, and other than insulted and embarassed I felt nothing. The Romanian people have gone through a lot, as have other nations, but I thought it was quite unnecessary for Tony and his companion to mock them. From what I saw, some were very hospitable, yet the two travelers did not seem very appreciative. The Romanian people are poor, but the fact that they gave what little they have did not come across. Tony seemed a little put out by the experience, so maybe he should have left without creating that episode. Bottom line: there was no need for the mentality he created through that episode. I am quite disappointed, and I am not likely to watch his shows anytime soon.
Wah wah wah...
So Tony didn't do the show you wanted. Get over it. Life is hard.
Just had a few questions for you guys. I have been watching the show and am totally inspired and have decided that I must be a documentary filmmaker. Movies to me are not even interesting anymore. Real life is better than movies.
1 how many cameras do you guys use when on location usually
2 what sound equipment are you using.
3 i assume you use all video. do you ever use film. how many hours of footage does it usually take to capture an episode
4 how do you choreograph or stage your scenes and do you ever actually reshoot a scene or does Tony insist on it being totally real; doc or cinema verite?
Thanks,
Terry St. John
A day in the life of a producer (and crew), seems remarkably similar to that of musicians. Been there.
Rewarding but uncomfortable, boring, and/or gruelling at times.
Thanks for sharing.
Hi Terry,
1) 3 cameras. 2 "real" (primary) camera people and a shooting
producer. HDV format. All same model. (Sony).
Always shoot with the same model (whatever it is).
Matching different cameras in post is usually a nightmare.
2) Radio mics on interviews. Camera mics for ambience.
The brands are not so critical.
If you want to make documentaries or reality tv or whatever use
what you can afford/borrow or (beter) rent gear and try
things out till you find the cheapest thing that works.
3) On average 45 to 65 hours of footage. As for film... hmmm...
No sound. No time code. Separate, multiple, complicated,
expensive processes to develop, print and work with it. Most
of it isn't 16:9 (wide screen) compatible with HD formats.
No idea what you've actually shot until days or weeks later.
Almost always a disproportionate pain in the ass.
IMHO film is for rich people or idiots. Learn your cameras
(frame rates, gammas and such) and get to work.
Exceptions, music videos, commercials, features &
"image things" like fashion work.
4) With 5 days (on average) to shoot 60 hours of footage we're
hard pressed to get enough things for a show. Camera angles
are set up but that's pretty much it. Tony won't do anything
he's not comfortable with (thank god) which keeps things
pretty real. Things that really don't work are either dropped
or "fixed" in editing ie. made shorter or combined with other
things or different voice over contexts.
I don't know of any reshoots. There's lots of stuff you don't see
because it's boring (the Berlin lawn bowling scene) or
the "talent" (what would have been an "on camera" fixer) got
too nervous.
Hope that was useful and sorry to be harsh about the magic
of film if it's your dream format. Look into the "Red Giant"
"Looks" plug-ins for After Effects and Final Cut Pro
and save yourself the grief.
christopher martinez