Fox 5 San Diego
Fox 5 San Diego is one of San Diego’s leading television stations, providing the local community with high quality news, entertainment, and live sports since 1985.
I made still graphics for daily newscasts as well simple animations for promotional events, keeping to strict, ever-changing deadlines, and communicating clearly with producers, editors, and reporters in the field. While the graphics made for Fox 5 San Diego may look plain from an artistic standpoint, simplicity was key in order to do our work and keep the Fox 5 brand respectable. Simplicity ensured legibility on screen for viewers at home, provided a clear message that could be understood in seconds (regardless of age or education), did not draw attention away from the anchors, and kept the workflow manageable for designers so they could meet their deadlines.
Position: Weekend & Freelance Designer
Duration: November 2016 - October 2021 (5 years)
Proficiencies Displayed: motion graphics, typographic hierarchy, brand consistency
Tools: Adobe Photoshop, Adobe AfterEffects, Microsoft Office
Set Graphics
Most commonly, designers would be asked to make Little Board, Big Board, Vertical Plasma, and JIB graphics. These would be sent to large monitors on set and served as either a background complement for our anchors or an establishing shot to pan in on after the break. Designers needed a clear comprehension of our anchor’s positioning to ensure that all graphics would not be obstructed during a live shot or by our bottom bug.
Fullscreens
Fullscreen graphics were not displayed on set, but rather broadcast live straight to the viewer. Due to producer made titles, bugs, and tickers, fullscreen graphics were often the trickiest to get right and make competently. Designers needed to account for these assets when putting together promotional fullscreens, PSA’s, and maps as not to obstruct key information.
Takeaways
One aspect I look for in all my roles isn’t the pay or the location, but the capacity to have fun with the work I do. But you may rightly wonder, “What could possibly be fun about working in news?” News broadcasts are, for the majority, centered around intense political stories and horrible happenings taking place around the globe. The graphics we make are simplistic and often repetitive. The hours are long and stray far from the typical 9-5. So it’s true, these things in themselves are not fun, but the people I work with make it all worth it.
The job I do is a solitary one, but it gives me the opportunity to interact with practically every department. When I have questions about a story, I can talk to writers, producers, and directors. When I need to test the layout for a graphic I’ve made, I get to work alongside the studio crew. When fulfilling requests for reporters, I get to know them, their photogs, and the editors better. That was what so fun about working at Fox 5 San Diego - the people, the crew, my team, my bosses - they were amazing to work with. (Also, being around a tv set and professional-grade cameras made me feel like I was employed at 30 Rock. That might have also had something to do with it.)