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But I don't get to use many of those skills in my profession. There are, however, numerous other skills that I've picked up along the way that are quite relevant. I am an accomplished writer with numerous radio and TV commercials as well as industrial and broadcast documentary scripts to my credit. For a couple of years I wrote a weekly newspaper column for a small town publication. I helped my father put together his college Geography textbook, "Man's Physical World"... typing most of the original drafts as well as the revisions. And I dabble in short stories and occasional magazine articles. Not willing to be a one-trick pony, I am also a veteran audio engineer, expert with nonlinear digital editing, mixing, and processing, as well as SMPTE timecode technology in audio-for-video post production applications, and sound design. For those of you who care about such things, my in-home studio consists mostly of a ProTools Digi001 digital recording/editing/mixing system with an analog 8-in/8-out bus system as well as a variety of digital ins and outs. This is paired with a dual-processor MacIntosh, four large hard drives, and a rack f ull of DSP goodies. I also use a Telos Zephyr X-Stream codec for ISDN connections, and a Gentner Digital Hybrid phone patch for linking to clients. I alsomaintain a large web site with plenty of FTP space for delivering audio files to those who aren't ISDN equipped. The most critical equipment is the microphone and pre-amp. I use mostly Neumann mikes... a U-87 and a pair of TLM-103s... with a Joe Meeks pre-amp. Good stuff! I also have a couple of music libraries, sound effects records, and a portable ProTools system for location recording and on-site nat. sound, if necessary. It also lets me take an occasional vacation without leaving my clients in a bind if they have emergencies. I've been known to produce entire commercial campaigns from a motel room with equipment propped up with whatever was handy. During the 2005 transition, as we moved from NC to PA, we started referring to them as "The Ironing Board Sessions". Before discovering production, I was a professional musician and could, at one time,play more than a dozen different instruments, from brass to strings to keyboards. Now, with carpal tunnel and arthritis, I can sometimes barely play cards! There is even an old folk music album from the 60's floating around somewhere with my chops on it! I can also rub my stomach and pat my head at the same time. But I don't do Windows. (I'm a Mac user.)
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Newsletters
Other
skills
Any
performer worth his salt has to carry a large bag of tricks. Mine were
accumulated over a lifetime of theater, music, writing, and the variety
of odd jobs I was called upon to perform at one time or another. For example,
I am a pretty good bartender. I can design and execute stained glass items.
I've restored or renovated both automobiles and houses. I was on a professional
fireworks crew, did a lot of water sports, and did a bit of artwork and
cartooning.