Well, I was doing a pretty good job of posting, but work has been keeping me busy, hence the lack of updates. Recently, I have worked on a PBS documentary, ESPN program called E:60, and two shoots with Oprah. Unfortunately, I wasn’t bold enough to get a photo of Oprah, only these boring photos from the control room of her XM radio show:
Sorry.
For the shoot, we set up all audio, lights, and camera in the morning before the first radio broadcasts. Oprah, herself, wouldn’t be recording her show until around 5:30pm, so we basically had the whole day to mess around. Most of us hung out at the station, which is right across the street from Harpo Studios. We were given free drinks and a great lasagna lunch. The coolest thing, though, was the break room’s closed-circuit television, which let us watch Oprah tape her show live. That day she taped two episodes, one with Dr. Oz and another with Chris Rock. I think both of these aired last week.
My next shoot with Oprah was in California. The day that I was to leave for the west coast, I had already worked a full day in Chicago. Our flight was around 8 o’clock, so when we finally got into Oakland and then drove out to our hotel in Berkley, I was pretty tired. The hotel was actually an amazing spa resort. Unfortunately, I didn’t really have time to enjoy it. I did get to have a nice breakfast, but then it was off to San Pablo for the shoot. (Oh yeah, one more thing about the resort. Alan Alda was also staying there!)
The shoot was an interview that Oprah conducted with the man behind the company, The Perfect Endings, which sells the “perfect cupcakes”. Everyone in the crew where given a box of nine cupcakes, which if bought from the company would have set you back $59!
The shoot went longer than expected, so we missed our flight. That night we hung out in downtown Oakland to kill time before our 11 o’clock flight. Normal flying is a pain already. But flying for work is even worse because you have at least 15 pieces of equipment to check in and lug around with you. By the time we finally got back home, I was exhausted.
Oh well, I got the full day to rest up on Monday, and then Tuesday headed out to South Bend, Indiana for a shoot with ESPN. We stayed at another nice hotel (though no spa resort). Here’s a photo from outside my hotel room:
Since we finished early on Tuesday, I had time to check out the College Football Hall of Fame, which was right next to the hotel.
Some photos:
Notice the snow on the ground.
History of the football uniform.
The evolution of the football.
The museum had a few interactive displays. My favorite was one that was set up like a batting cage, only you were able to attempt a field goal. Since I was the only one going through the museum at the time, I was able to kick it several times (4) before I made it.
Of course, I had to take photos that pertained to Ole Miss. Above, Patrick Willis is honored.
Ole Miss is also mentioned in the great college football rivalry display:
That rivalry, of course, being Mississippi State. The image on the flag banner changes schools depending on from where you are looking at it. Anyone know what that illusion is called?
On Wednesday, we did two interviews at Notre Dame for the ESPN program, E:60. Below, a photo of us shooting (minus me since I’m taking the photo):
Before we left, I had to get a photo of “Touchdown Jesus”:
After I got back, I was excited about a relaxing weekend, highlighted by watched The Tigers on Saturday morning with the U of M Alumni Chicago Group. Unfortunately, I got sick again (really, what’s up with that?). And since we don’t have ESPN on our crummy cable package, I had to settle with ESPN’s online Play-By-Play. After the game, there was a nice video summary of the game put up on the Tiger’s ESPN page.
Go Tigers Go! We’re #1!
It doesn’t seem Eva has a problem with me being sick, huh?
Thankfully, I am feeling better, especially since Trey and I have a shoot together tomorrow. And then, I have another XM radio shoot with Oprah on Wednesday.