On Behind the Camera

Life behind the camera is not all that glam and glitzy as to what most people generally thinks. Just like any other job, it entails hardwork, perseverance and tons of fighting spirit! So if you're someone who've always wanted to work on TV and be surrounded with hundreds of artistas, here are some things you could expect:

My past TV Shows

1. 24 working hours (straight). Sometimes less than 24 or it could be more! This can be experienced during an ordinary taping day. Which usually starts around 6am pullout from TV station and ends a.k.a “pack up” in the morning. For those who want to get into TV Production,
arm yourselves with a healthy body, a super fast brain and with eyes wide open at all times.

2. Lots of Running. Unlike the famous show “Running in Heels”, here, you won’t be running in heels or else you’ll kill yourself. Better invest on good pair of comfortable shoes before taking the plunge! Hey, exercise is a must, be prepared for long hours of standing and running. If you're someone like me who wears contact lenses, I suggest you also invest in good pair of glasses (eyeglasses and sunglasses) because you'll never know when you might be needing it. Working during production shoots means immersing yourself with harsh sun and a lot of lighting equipment, from the humble miniflo to the giant 6K so you may opt to just wear your glasses every so often. 

3. Who says you can’t do two things at the same time? In this case, you’re not only gonna do two things at the same time, but instead, you have to be able to perform multiple tasks at the same time if you want to get things done at the right time. Time is Money here and doing things right is another story.

4. "I can’t go to the office, I’m sick!" Uh oh, that’s not accepted here. There are serious stuff you just can’t leave to others, especially if you’re the “key” person responsible for the airing of your show. Plus it’s a big No-No! especially when you’re just starting out. So drink your daily dose of vitamins and better be present at all times.

5. Travel! Yup, if there’s something good about being a part of a tv show, it’s the travel incentives you get. The opportunity to "tour" (while working hard of course) different places in the Philippines and even outside the country. But do take note, out of the country shoots are much harder than regular tapings within the country simply because you’ll have to work with less people. Less production people means more work!

6. Freebies! Gifts from artists and heaps of goodies from the show's sponsors. We love getting something for free aren't we? Members of the production staff gets a hand on a lot of TV show's promotional items like posters, notebooks, custom pens, shirts, mugs etc. It's the company's ingenuous way to promote the show and to create the so-called brand recognition. My PBB and PDA shirts are just some of my keepsakes, given exclusively only to ABS-CBN employees :)

Flash forward 4 years after...

And then i just did it. I quit. But honestly, it was a difficult decision. To choose between a promising career with the biggest TV network company and finding that "Freedom" is easier said than done. I somehow missed the jitters, the people (to AJ and Ms. Ellen, I'll surely miss you), the life. But I have moved on...

Sharing some more photos of my my life behind the camera :)

My previous career working as part of the production staff for various drama shows is what inspired me to create and edit my videos of my every out of town travel. Watch my videos here