Biggest Challenges Faced By A Story Associate Producer At Pilgrim Media Group
Dannia's biggest challenge as a Story Associate Producer is balancing the need to fulfill producers' requests for specific footage with the reality that "if it doesn't exist in the footage, you can't." This sometimes creates a frustrating dynamic, particularly under time pressure or with new network executives, where the request isn't necessarily a reflection on their abilities but rather a symptom of broader project pressures and interpersonal relationships.
Overcoming Challenges, Workplace Challenges, Problem-Solving, Teamwork, Communication
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Dannia Alfonso
Story Associate Producer
Pilgrim Media Group
NYU - Tisch School of the Arts
UCLA Anderson - MBA
Film, Media Arts, Visual Arts
Arts, Entertainment & Media
Communication and Marketing
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, LGBTQ, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. Dealing with the pressure of delivering specific content requests from producers, especially under time constraints or when the required footage doesn't exist.
2. The importance of strong working relationships and understanding the dynamics within a team to effectively navigate challenges and avoid misinterpretations.
3. Balancing the desire to please producers with the realistic limitations of available footage, highlighting the need for effective communication and problem-solving skills.
Transcript
What is your biggest challenge in your current role?
You really don't want to let down the producers who ask for specific things for the editors. If it doesn't exist in the footage, you can't provide it, and that always sucks.
The producers know you can't create something out of nothing, so it's not personal. But you always want to deliver something to the person asking.
Sometimes, the opposite happens: "We'll make something work. Keep looking." When I'm told to keep looking, I can only do so much, and that gets frustrating.
On one hand, it sounds like they didn't trust you the first time you looked for something. That's probably the worst part about it, that dynamic.
However, it doesn't happen too often. It's usually when there's a time crunch, or a new network executive gives notes that go against the established flow. People get frazzled and really want something to work, even if it's not possible.
There are a lot of relationships and dynamics built into these situations. Perhaps a reaction wasn't necessarily because I couldn't deliver, but because there was something else behind it.
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