BP explained
I didn't realize until today that I've never said what BP stands for. NJ was saying that a fellow blogger was wondering if it stood for Big ..ahem.. unit. LOL! No. I do find it funny everytime some guys on the internet refers to themselves as Studmaster or whatnot. ...freaks...
BP stands for ButtonPuncher. It's a nickname that I got in college. I originally went to school for Television and Video Production. The cool thing about the college that I went to was that you were actually taking class in a full blown TV station. Not only did the students learn how to operate every piece of equipment in the station, but you also learned how to make your own shows. I couldn't have asked for a more rewarding program. Anywho...
I really loved the technical side of things in TV instead of the production side. I've always found buttons, knobs, flashing lights irresistible. My favorite job in the TV station was as the Technical Director. No, this isn't the person that says, "Take one, take two, fade to black" etc. The Technical Director is the person that actually makes those things happen. As a TD you are in charge of operating a video switcher. Here is a photo of one similar to the one that I ran in college:
(Click on it to see a full size image)
The above picture is actually of a smaller model. The one that I got to use was about 3 times as big. It was about 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall. All totaled up, I had about 750 multifunction buttons, faders, and knobs in front of me. ...and I loved it!
Every student show and PBS show that I could Technical Direct, I did. It is an amazing rush "switching" a show. Every button that you push, the home viewer sees. And it is all LIVE.
To give you an idea, just imagine that you have to type up a document at work. It is going out to 5,000 to 50,000 people. You have a good idea and a rough layout of what you have to type. BUT, you have to listen to someone next to you in order to type the right thing. There is no undo, delete, or backspace. Instead of your keyboard having 101 keys, it is the size of your computer desk and has 750 keys. If you push the wrong key 50,000 people see it. Pressure? Hell yeah!
Back to the main topic...
As I was doing all of these shows, I would have the other students say, "Hey B are you punching buttons?"
Yes, I am the ButtonPuncher. ;)
After finishing college I went on to working that the local CBS news station, but that's for another post.
BP stands for ButtonPuncher. It's a nickname that I got in college. I originally went to school for Television and Video Production. The cool thing about the college that I went to was that you were actually taking class in a full blown TV station. Not only did the students learn how to operate every piece of equipment in the station, but you also learned how to make your own shows. I couldn't have asked for a more rewarding program. Anywho...
I really loved the technical side of things in TV instead of the production side. I've always found buttons, knobs, flashing lights irresistible. My favorite job in the TV station was as the Technical Director. No, this isn't the person that says, "Take one, take two, fade to black" etc. The Technical Director is the person that actually makes those things happen. As a TD you are in charge of operating a video switcher. Here is a photo of one similar to the one that I ran in college:
(Click on it to see a full size image)
The above picture is actually of a smaller model. The one that I got to use was about 3 times as big. It was about 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall. All totaled up, I had about 750 multifunction buttons, faders, and knobs in front of me. ...and I loved it!
Every student show and PBS show that I could Technical Direct, I did. It is an amazing rush "switching" a show. Every button that you push, the home viewer sees. And it is all LIVE.
To give you an idea, just imagine that you have to type up a document at work. It is going out to 5,000 to 50,000 people. You have a good idea and a rough layout of what you have to type. BUT, you have to listen to someone next to you in order to type the right thing. There is no undo, delete, or backspace. Instead of your keyboard having 101 keys, it is the size of your computer desk and has 750 keys. If you push the wrong key 50,000 people see it. Pressure? Hell yeah!
Back to the main topic...
As I was doing all of these shows, I would have the other students say, "Hey B are you punching buttons?"
Yes, I am the ButtonPuncher. ;)
After finishing college I went on to working that the local CBS news station, but that's for another post.
posted by BP at 3/07/2005 11:53:00 PM
2 Comments:
He he he...I didn't think of it that way until Sassy mentioned it. You should change it to "Button Pusher"... :)
But buttonpuncher sounds soo much cooler. LOL!
While operating a $500k switcher is one hell of a rush. Manipulating a more delicate button is definitely alot more fun. ;) Unfortunately I haven't had the pleasure of touching either in WAY too long.
...sigh...
I'm going to go an realease some tension by wailing on my car now. Thanks you two. :D
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