Geek Jobs in Television Production?

Takeel asks: "I'm a geek who is about to graduate from university with a bachelor of science in television production, but, for the life of me, I can't seem to find any geek jobs in TV. I know these jobs have to exist in some form; if they didn't, we wouldn't have things like TechTV! :) Does anyone happen to know about or have a geek job in the TV production industry?"

Re:Since when was television a science?

[SocialWorm]

The recent "G4 TV Network" [cnn.com] article featured on Slashdot [slashdot.org] quoted a "Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television" of Syracuse University. [syracuse.edu]

Re:Since when was television a science?

[Takeel]

Why does your university (you didn't say which one...) consider TV to be a science?

A Bachelor of Science degree doesn't imply that the associated field of study is a science. One can get a bachelor of science in things like performing arts, religion, and history.

A Bachelor of Science degree usually implies that the holder had a bit of extra coursework in math and science. A Bachelor of Arts degree usually carries additional study in a foreign language.

Re:Since when was television a science?

[astroboscope]

A Bachelor of Science degree doesn't imply that the associated field of study is a science.

It does imply exactly that to 99% of people, with good reason.

One can get a bachelor of science in things like performing arts,
Art!

religion,
That'd be putting the B.S. in B.Sc!

I'm all for science (or any) journalists taking science courses, but there's a thing called a minor for that "bit of extra coursework". Part of your employment problem might be the pretentiousnous of your degree.

Re:Forsight

[dhopton]

Offtopic, but...

Would this not dry up all the extreme sciences where the only real, directly related employment after is research? Math, Physics, Astrophysics for example.

I'm not saying these dont have "real world" jobs, but they are research mostly, which doesnt pay very well.

We need parents to pay occsionally so people can advance these sciences (amoung other things)

Re:Forsight

[sean23007]

Try supporting yourself as a theoretical physicist. There is absolutely no payout in that field, other than knowledge. That isn't to say it doesn't cost a lot, because it does.

Senator: So why do you need this supercollider?
Scientist: To get atoms travelling very fast in opposite directions and see what happens when they hit each other.
Senator: How much does it cost?
Scientist: Oh, $100 billion.
Senator: And what is it good for? What do we get when the little atoms do collide?
Scientist: Um, nothing.

It's difficult stuff, but you don't really get paid the big bucks.

Re:Forsight

[AnalogBoy]

Senate Leader: Onto the next bill, entitled
"50 million per senator per year" entertainment, expense, and pay raise bill, because we need to expense the caviar we eat when we discuss futures with xxAA members and talk about cracking raghead, queer, and non-jesus-loving skulls open on the sidewalk. Money will be appropriated from education.

All Senators, in unison: "aye."

.. sorry

Re:Forsight

[farfolen]

Neither Astrophysics nor Theoretical Physics are profitable fields, so would that make students getting degrees in them stupid?

Re:Forsight

[thempstead]

No it doesnt ... some of did our degree (in my case Astrophysics) because it was something we were interested in ... do i work in that field now? no ... i work in IT because elements of my Astrophysics course taught me the necessary skills to do so.

When i was interviewing after leaving university i got more interviews because people were interested in what i had done and that i shown myself able and willing to learn as opposed to being one of the many people with computer science degrees.

Re:skills? geek job?

[Takeel]

I'm probably speaking for a lot of people, but what are your skills? Most slashdotters dont know what comprises a production major. Are your skills in directing? Stage design? Filming? ...??

Actually, I didn't include much detail because I wanted to see if I could get a broad range of responses.

FYI, though, my specialization includes non-linear video and audio editing/production, videography, graphics, and Internet media distribution.

Also, what do you mean by "geek job?" First thing I can think of involves programming or sys admin positions. Those arent exactly taught in what most consider tv production programs.

Pretty much anything involving mucking around with computers, I suppose. In addition to the media degree, I have some experience in *nix administration, end-user support, and instructional technology.

Web Streaming

[The_Mighty_Squid]

As a geek with a BA in Broadcasting I found myself in web streaming and video on CD and DVD. I started out the normal way, PA. I was lucky enouph to be in a non-union shop where I was taught all aspects of TV production. Chyron, switcher, audio, and editing. All that knowledge helped me get ahead of the other guys who come from just a computer background.

My suggestion:
Start in traditional TV. Start low. Learn from others. Ask questions. Get as much hands on experiance you can. Learn about scopes and audion levels. In you spare time learn about codecs and non-linear editing. Adobe Premier is good. Learn other aspects of the web like Flash.

This is just my 2 cents and the way I went. Personally I find it the perfect combo of tradition TV producton and computers.

Good luck.

Re:Web Streaming

[Takeel]

Wow, the first helpful, non-troll, non-insult post on the story.

Thank you.

Re:Web Streaming

[Ooblek]

I used to work in post production, which I'm guessing is similar to TV. I'll tell you that you better love it before you get into it or else you'll get sick of dealing with the non-geek types.

If you start as a PA, make sure you're not the only one that knows how to run the teleprompter. I saw this poor girl that had a graphic design degree that they stuck on the teleprompter one day and I never saw her anywhere else again. Sure it gets you a spot on the stage, but I'm sure running a teleprompter is not a real challenge.

Re:Web Streaming

[smatthew]

Actually telepromting isn't that bad of a job. My best friend works for a teleprompting company, and while most of his gigs are boring suit and tie events and commercials, he gets called on to do a lot of prompting at concerts ;-}

And being his best friend means I get backstage and onstage passes.

But it's not very technically demanding, even if it is fun playing with all the LCD monitors when they're not being used on shoots ;-}

Geek jobs in TV

[AlecC]

Yes, there are plenty of geek jobs in TV. But, because there are vast numbers of people trying to "break into TV", you want to paly the geek angle heavier than the TV production angle. And I would suggest you don't start with the big broadcatsters. They may have many, many jobs, but they tend to promote from the bottom up. You need to look at the small production houses. They are the ones buying the latest tech in order to get that little bit of edge, and then need someone with the necessary tech knowhow to drive the bleeding-edge kit they have bought. Anybody who can really drive state of the art IT kit - whether windows or *nix - and also relate easily and constrictively to creative artists should have no trouble getting, and keeping, a good job. If you really can straddle the tech world and the artistic world, you are on to a good thing.

I'm a Geek for a Network

[CharlieG]

OK, I'm a geek for a major TV network supporting the News Division. Only ONCE did I do a project that was to appear "On Air" (And the Producer didn't use the shot)

Most of the work is fairly standard "Geek" work. I've written a system to track Video Tapes (VERY nice system), a system to deliver News Wires to the desktop, scripting "stuff" and stuff to deal with Elections data

Sure, It's in Network HQ, sure, I get to walk onto various sets almost at will, but the work could be anywhere, and it wouln't help you get a TV job

Re:I'm a Geek for a Network

[CharlieG]

Actually, MY stuff worked perfectly ASSHOLE, when they supply you bad data (and we were), your just hosed. My software accurately displayed exactly the data it was fed, in the formats the client wanted

I guess you've never heard of GIGO. Just the fact you think a system that complex is "scripting" tells me your a sysadmin, not a programmer

Reality

[Atrus5]

My father works in electronic maintenance, which is pretty much fixing anything other than light bulbs that break, at NBC4 in Washington D.C. He's worked there for about 20 years and is still near the bottom of the ladder, because they hire new people very rarely.

That's not really what you're interested, you want to do somehting that involves "mucking about with computers". Sorry, but most of the computer stuff lies in network graphics and the weather departments (the writers and related use computers to type stuff up obviously, but you're not interested in that, it seems). Most of the equipment uses "computers", but they're all highly specialized hardware systems the users never see. The places I mentioned before where you do see something that resembles your normal computer both demand specialists in their field. As for IT stuff for the normal machines, it's contracted out to outside firms. There just isn't much to muck around with.

You mentioned that you have expierience in non-linear editing. There are only about 5 editing suites in the building that use it, and they're for high-profile national-network and sports editing. Only their best editors use them. Sorry, there's just not much that the new people get to play with

jobs are mostly creative

[blisspix]

Sure, there are a few tech jobs out there in TV. But you will find that most jobs that are design related. Where I work, we have a large presentation & graphics department, who work on the website, steaming, logos, etc.

We have a very small technical group of people, most of their work is done when new systems are implemented, like setting up the DV system.

On a tangent, have you considered radio? There's lots of opportunities in steaming, digital audio, etc. Lots of Digital master control stuff there. This could give you more options while you're waiting for TV stuff.

Re:jobs are mostly creative

[blisspix]

Oh and...

Don't forget that most production work is outsourced. This includes graphics, advertising, branding, and most technical solutions are purchased from outside.

If you want to get a crack into editing go to an advertising company. You will be waiting a very long time if you look for work only in TV studios. Most editors here have been here for 10 years or more.

Convergence gives Opportunity

[Martin Spamer]

The whole iDTV sector is starting to show real convergence between DTV and IT, and there are plenty of opportunities, you've picked young field with massive upside.

We (Kingston Interactive Television [kitv.co.uk]) are showing what can be acheived with IP over Broadband [kitv.co.uk]. Interactive Digital Television [kitv.co.uk], Internet Television [kitv.co.uk], and finally Video-On-Demand [kitv.co.uk].

IMHO the whole Interactive Digital Television [kitv.co.uk] model is shifting from a broadcasting towards a VoD [kitv.co.uk] model.

In your shoes, VOD sounds idea, I would suggest you checkout nCube [ncube.com]
and their Customer List. I know they include the BBC and ourselves. They are the world leader, by a considerable margin in the field of Video on Demand systems.

nCubes use Transit, a flavour of Unix designed for Video Content management.

I'd also suggest you develop your skills in RTSP(RTP),IP,MPEG.

Howdy, I've got a few answers

[Argyle]

I run the broadcast engineering and IT groups for the cable TV arm of a large entertainment company.

There is a wide range of jobs in the TV technology field.

There is a main split between the creatives that understand technology (like producers, graphics people, etc.) and the geeks that keep the technology running (maintenance, design, configuration, operations, etc.)

If you are a creative guy, I can't help much. That's not what I do.

What exactly are you interested in? "TV Production" would denote that you are involved with lighting, camera setup, etc. "Geek" would denote that you are involved with system design, signal quality, operations, etc.

The real hub of this kind of work is in Los Angeles. There is a huge amount of post-production done here at every level. Typically, people take lower end jobs to learn the 'real world' of production before being able to get a 'good' job doing it. Alot has to do with who you know in the business.

Email me if you want more info...