Mind Numbing

This week has been a blur. My wife says I mostly push buttons at work and truly that is what I do. However during a live newscast you are on high alert, your mind is extremely focused and you are actually thinking of what did I just do, what am I doing and what do I need to do. However as a director you must make sure the audio person, Technical Director and Camera operator are doing the right thing, the Chyron Op is on the right page, the tapes are available to air, the graphics are correct, listen to the anchor read and roll tapes/graphics/take live shot on the right cue and set up for the next story while listening to the current one. The good bosses understand that TV is not factory work and you do not put in the full 8 hours on your feet stamping widgets. There is lots of downtime with NOTHING going on at all but I guarantee that you would be more exhausted after an intense hour newscast than standing on the factory line after 8 hours......

That being said, we had a situation this week were the PM Director is on vacation, as is the Spanish Director and the other evening Director is out sick since Monday. That leaves one director (me) to direct 6 30 minute shows. My boss stepped in and took one show but that left the other 5 to me, 2 in Spanish, the 5:00 (5:30) and 11:00. By the time I get home I am a zombie and pass out before the head hits the pillow.

One more night of this and then a 3 day weekend!!! Thank God.