THE POWER OF TV

Well after one month since the FBI had there press conference in Columbus Georgia to name their top ten addition to the "Most Wanted", something finally happened. When I arrived to the station after my lunch break we got a fax form the Columbus police department around 1:00pm in the afternoon. The fax had gave us a heads up that a big press conference is going to be taking place at 3:00pm at the police station. The newsroom was a buzz as we was speculating that what the outcome of the conference will entailed. It was not your usual "hands on deck" situation but something big was about to go down. Unfortunately I was not called to shoot the press conference but the assignment desk that was ran by my news director that day assigned the task to other photogs as I had to go out with one of my anchor to another story assigned later that day. As a spoiler we found out on the Ledger-Enquirer that they just reoported on the website that they had arrested Columbus Georgia native and killer Michael Jason Registe. We boke in regular programming and went live for the annoucement but our competitor could not due to their station was off-air for about a day. As stated in in the previous post "IF YOU BREAK THE LAW WE WILL MAKE YOU FAMOUS.", Registe was featured on Fox's "America's Most Wanted" and not even a month he was arrested at a guest house shortly after 11 a.m. by St. Maarten police officials in conjunction with the Antilles Director of Public Prosecution and through coordination with the FBI's legal attache in Bridgetown, Barbados. Although I was not at the press conference but I know the family was thankful that they can some what move on with their lives. The media and AMW deserves partial credit in his arrest. Not all news that the media reports are bad news. We can make a difference in helping cases.

Above is the newspaper details arrest of Michael Registe and on right is the FBI wanted flyer.

I MADE IT BIG TIME...WELL SORT OF!

OMG! Today when I was on the Internet you know as we all do search the Internet on your favorite foods, celebrity, town and I can go on and on but I went on the mecca of search engines Google you never believe this. While I was on Google I just did like anyone do is I search my name "Thomas D Bradley" and you guessed it my name made it on the popular search engine. When you click on the name it directs you to my website http://www.thomasdbradleytvpro.com/. The second link below that directs you to my bio page just below that the other link takes you to my reel that is posted up on You Tube. It's kind of a funny and a good thing that I can say to someone that if you want to look me up just "google" me. Below is a screenshot of the webpage.

Screenshot of my name on the popular search engine Google.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT RELATED TO TV BUT...

After getting some well deserved days off from work I decided to return to Atlanta to catch up with my friends who was at the Philips Arena for WWE. If you did not know I'm a huge WWE fan ands before you say something I do not "Mark Out". Basically I went there just to catch up on my friends who work behind the scenes of the company i.e cameramen, TV production truck operators, and sound technicians. I saw everyone but Rico who was on this first wedding anniversary in Aruba, lucky him. I got a chance to see all the new fancy and expensive (HD) high definition equipment and I was a kid in a candy shop. My friend Marty call me while I was visiting my friends and former coworkers at CNN then we went to the arena. I was glad to see everyone then we preceded to WWE catering. The food was good as I had the beef ribs that was very tender and good. Marty introduced me to WWE director Kevin Stilfiles or "Kerwin" and It was a honor to meet the one who call the shots in the cameramen headsets. After getting my stomach full and some good knowledge from Kerwin I took a tour in WWE's 200 million dollar HD TV production truck. Although I did not took any pictures for obvious reasons the inside of the truck as well as the outside. The outside of the truck features graphics of the WWE wrestlers or superstars and the inside has state of the art high definition equipment. The switcher alone has over one thousand buttons and ten camera inputs.

This is one of an inside look of the HD production truck. This area is the control room in other words the nerve center. All video, audio, graphics and other video elements comes together here.

This area is known as the audio room. This room controls all the audio including mics from the cameras, ring, crowd, announcers and any other incoming audio feeds.

In all I had fun meeting everyone again at the show and touring the new stuff they have. I just wish I can work for them one day, not as a wrestler but in WWE production staff. I think, no, I know what it takes to work there at WWE.

I'M HEADED OUT TO SEE...

Well it's not what you think I have to admit, yes I'm a huge WWE wrestling fan so I took two days off from work to see my boys and girls (divas) in action. All my friends that I have not seen since Wrestlemania 24 in Orlando Marty, Stew and Rico well not Rico cause he is celebrating his one year wedding anniversary with his wife Courtney but It will be great to see everyone. I cant wait to see all the new HD stuff that WWE have so I hope I can take a tour of things. Well I have to make that long hour and a half hour to Atlanta to see if they are there yet. See ya!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!!!!

Today marks another day in the life of Thomas D Bradley life as I turn 27, man I'm getting old. LOL. Anyways I would like to thank Jesus, my mom Belinda, Phil Proctor and all, the other people in my life who put me in the right direction in my life. I came a long way... believe me. Love ya!

RIBS ANYONE?!

Today was a very good day if you can say so because it was the eve of yours truly birthday. What can be a great gift to do my stations last live installment of "Backyard BBQ". My chief photojournalist Paul two days ago and early today went out to the site to test the live shot and we were going to do the live shot via microwave ENG but the trees was too tall so we decided to use the satellite truck. Paul warned me that we have to pull about 500 feet, yes 500 feet from the truck to the back yard due to the homeowners long driveway. Boy he was not kidding! I never sweated so much and we ran into problems setting up the live shot. After checking the audio (mic) that was good, after checking the ifb that was good, after checking the video now that was bad. Me and Paul had to go down the line and do the process of elemnation and to see the what cables was bad and after 20 minutes we found the problem. Thank God we left the station at 2:00pm for a 5:00pm live shot. Now I've done five of these "Backyard BBQ" and I never thought we had to do this much work but we got it done and that's all matters. Just like the first event my boss was there and the stations general manager. This has been one live shot that every photog at the station wants to be apart of and just to say I missed 5 week of these but in my opinion because I can say so I was the best and creative photog on this assignment. Later I'll show you some video of my work form this event. The ribs, chicken, steak burgers and key lime pie was the best. Boy I love my job...sorry I didn't post any pictures I was busy feeding my face.

IF YOU BREAK THE LAW WE WILL MAKE YOU FAMOUS.

I came in today after a short weekend and ready to work. You know load up the van check the board like the board is never updated until after the morning news meeting but little I knew that I would be going to my very first FBI press conference. I had to unload my van and put my equipment into the live truck. My mission if I choose to accept it is to record (NOT FILM IF ANYONE IS LISTENING) the press conference while my fellow photographer Jonathan "J Rome" Rome set's up the live truck/shot.

Jonathan "J Rome" Rome set's up the live truck/shot

So I was inside setting up my camera in the conference room at the public safety center located downtown Columbus Georgia and I noticed that lighting in there just plain sucks. Not to worry I went ahead and added a light to the room from my light kit. Just like always we was the first news station there and I continued to set up my gear then Kevin the photographer from W__L decides to get in front of me but I had to layeth the smackdowneth on him to tell him to put his gear to the left of me.

A look at the setup of the FBI press conference

This press conference was about one of the FBI ten Most Wanted Fugitive that was added on the 100 anniversary of the FBI this past Saturday. That addition was not other than Columbus Georgia native and killer Michael Jason Registe. The dirtbag killed Brian Kilgore and Randy Newton. The case had gotten national attention this weekend as I was watching Americas Most Wanted on FOX. For more information on this case click here. Below is the FBI wanted poster I got from the press conference.

If you have any information on the where abouts of Michael Jason Registe please call 911 or the FBI. Let's get this dirt bag off the streets.

Anyways it was great to see the family of the victims but I told them to stay strong during these tough times and I will be praying for them. On a lighter note I think it was good to see that fine reporter Stefanie Tiso from W__Z I would love to date her. After the news conference I had to play reporter until Laurie Bernstein finishes her live shot for noon. After all the day went well hope to do this again...when the FBI have announced the arrest of one Michael Jason Registe. Below is more images of the press conference.

WHAT A DAY!

The day started just like any other day but you know how the news business goes. The time was 10:45am in the morning and I was waiting to start my day with my reporter Greg Funderburg when I heard over the scanner that a fire is going at Cabinet Supply Incorporated on at Brown Ave. I quickly put on my Porta Brace vest and got into my news van and headed over to the scene but then...I called back to the newsroom and told them that I'm headed back to get the live truck.

WTVM Live truck on scene

I had a little trouble getting there although the fire is one mile away from the station but I had to deal with the lunchtime traffic. I was getting very nervous and excited to get the live truck there so we can get the mast up and get the live shot tuned in. The producer call me so many times I thought I was a dispatcher. My fellow photographer Jesse Cohen helped me with the setup of the live shot and kept shooting the fire.

Fire at Cabinet Supply Incorporated

We was first on the scene and the live shot has been tuned in, ifb is dialed in, and the audio has been checked now is air time. I was on the phone with the producer the whole time in case something happens and Laurie Bernstein is there to report the breaking news.

Laurie Bernstein prepares for noon live shot

The live shot is over then I received a call from the video editor back at the station asking to feed the video from the fire back to the station. I got in the live truck and started to cut the vo or voice over that Laurie will be doing in the second live shot and man we got some nice video. The video was so good that our "competitor" from W__L asked for it and I told him "Dude we don't shot on tape here anymore I shoot on Panasonic P2 cards." Anyways we did the live shot and all the hoopla was over at least for me. I had to take another news van back to the station to pick up Greg for another story in La Grange Ga so click here for that sad story. That's is why I choose this career....I live for breaking news! Below is other pictures I took from the fire.