28 years and pondering…

The Democratic National Convention (DNC) starts today. For those unfamiliar, this is one of two large conventions where political parties officially nominate their presidential candidates. It's one of the largest news production events in the US. This year, the DNC is back at the United Center in Chicago, which holds special meaning for me.

In the middle of August 1996, my friend Jesse McCain and I packed up my car and headed west from Ithaca, NY to Chicago, IL. . I can’t recall how we got the opportunity, but for two weeks we worked for ABC News covering the DNC. Though we missed the first days of our senior year, the experience was priceless.

We worked on so many projects and learned so much. One of our first projects was to construct a system to redirect the office trailer AC drains to the parking lot gutters. There were dozens of office trailers on site, each dripping water from the AC units, creating dozens of puddles. We used funnels and tubes - it was cheap and easy. So many years later I could easily over engineer the solution, but we solved the problem fast and cheap. One of the few times the “magic triangle” actually happened, and a lesson in “get it done.”

I recall the use of what was likely the CanonBeam - a laser-based system that linked video and audio from the ENG RF receive site to production miles away. The building had a beacon so anyone could find it anywhere in the city, allowing out of town ENG crews to aim their antennae. Today we would use GPS or automatic antennas - or even 5G connectivity. This was a lesson in KISS - Keep It Super Simple.

There was the ENG equipment room in an office building near the United Center. Jesse and I sorted equipment, making sure news kits were ready. We never went on a shoot, but interacting with the crews was a lesson in personal relations. And preparing the kits so crews always had what they needed (like charged batteries) might have established my OCD on “everything has a place, and there is a place for everything”.

I remember the 1000s of feet of copper audio, video, and data cable. Among the news organizations on site, cable runs filled doorways into the arena and fanned out to their respective destinations. The tear out crew left massive piles. Not worth shipping I was told. Let the locals have it. A great lesson in ROI.

There was seeing the garage workshop of Fletcher Sports whose robotic camera heads were revolutionary. Or the crew party at a restaurant under the L. And the stack of business cards I still have, from people who helped me grow. Before email, before LinkedIn.

But you know what I didn’t experience in the long days in the shadow of the United Center as I entered my senior year of college? Production. Other than walking into a couple of edit suites, I don’t recall ever being, or even seeing a production. Yet I learned so much about remote production. About being ready, about justifying money and time for the long term. About working with people to create something much bigger than any one of us can do. And understanding that proper preparation improves performance. There is no failing in TV, especially news.

Although I never worked another convention (at least not yet), the lessons I learned in Chicago have served me well throughout my career. I've worked on many large, complex, high-profile events, and the core principles of being ready, working with the right team, and continuously learning from every experience have remained constant.

The 28 years have come and gone. I wish I could remember who gave us the opportunity to learn in Chicago in 1996. Whoever it was, thank you. And for all those who have mentored and nurtured me over the years, thank you as well. The industry has changed, but the people who make it great are still here. If you're just starting out, remember that every experience, no matter how small, is a chance to learn and grow.

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