july 25, 2008: "Advertising" by shang

I look over the bid for the new Eclipse gum job. I never imagined I would end up here. Well, I did imagine ending up here in my daydreams, but I never thought that day would be today. I must’ve done something right… …right?

I take a glance around the lecture hall. The student next to me slowly nods to sleep but manages to yank himself awake at the very last moment. Then he nods to sleep again. In front of me, a kid plays Mario 64 on his laptop. A girl doodles a masterpiece. A boy snores. The professor drones on, unaware of the many adventures happening before him. And I’m paying $50,000 to watch it all. I wonder when I would ever need to know whether the variance of a regression was homoskedastic or heteroskedastic. Maybe it will save my life one day. Even if it doesn’t, college still does teach me a few useful things. To get things done. To get things done on time. To remember the little things. To pay attention to details. To take initiative, be prepared, and to know when to suck it up and do whatever it takes. You know, the basics. Basics that are all too often neglected. More importantly, it teaches me to think—another basic that is ignored far too much. To use the left side of my brain. To first figure out the simplest and most direct way to solve a problem, and then to think of all the other options available. To apply existing methods to new domains.

I squint as the rising sun temporarily blinds my eyes, causing a bead of sweat to roll into them and sting them into oblivion, but I can’t afford stop what I’m doing. The weight of the steadicam is heavy against my sore shoulders as I finish tracking the shot, and a large part of me yearns to be back in bed. Against all my screaming instincts, I force myself to say the painful words: “Cut! Good job guys. One last time!” I think that’s the twenty-sixth time I’ve said that. Filming is misery sometimes… a lot of times… but it gives me the chance to push myself to create something I believe in, to turn thought into reality, and to exercise the right half of my brain. To innovate something fresh and new, to capture an audience, and to move people. It forces me to get creative and to be unconventional and to expect the unexpected. To always be flexible and figure out a way, and to never say no, even if you have to use lime poster boards for a green screen and car headlights for lighting.

And then broadcast production comes along and matches my skills to my interests, and then offers free food and pay on top of that.

I look back down at the bid. The left side of my brain forms a schedule, a to-do list, a call sheet, a client presentation. The right side of my brain forms a grand vision and million ways to bring it to life.

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