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Subject:Re: video scripting From:"William J. Hartzer" <William -dot- Hartzer -at- EMC2-TAO -dot- FISC -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 8 Nov 1994 14:17:00 EST
Jane S. Torpie originally wrote that she is currently a contractor, doing
course development and video scripting and is investigating careers that all
have writing as a part of them.
I am truly disappointed by the Steve Fouts' response to this question.
As a freelance television writer for the past few years, I wish to clarify
some things that Steve wrote. I currently have a very basic configuration: I
have a Macintosh Classic with 2mb of RAM and a 40 meg. hard drive that I
bought for about $1000.00 in 1990 (they're a LOT cheaper now). I also have a
GCC Technologies BLP Elite Postscript laser printer and a 2400 baud ZOOM
fax/modem. This sounds like a very basic configuration, but you don't a lot
of hardware and "beefed up RAM" to write video scripts or anything else for
that matter. What happened to the old fashioned typewriter, anyway? In fact,
the reason I had traded up to a laser printer is simply to 'conform to today's
society of looking professional.' And the fax/modem (cost $100.00 new) allows
me to FAX rough drafts of scripts to the director and producer if necessary.
Truly, Steve Fouts does not believe that one can do 'professional quality
multimedia video' from a PC that you buy from a "consumer" dealer!
Professional graphics and multimedia (broadcast quality) come from PC
configurations that typically cost well over $20,000.00, and I do not think
this is what Jane S. Torpie originally intended to spend. Typically, these
professional systems are run by professionals who make in excess of $70,000
per year, and are just that: professional editors, graphics artists, and
animators. In fact, some of the most popular and professional graphics and
multimedia systems cost in excess of $300,000!
As for the question, "laptop or otherwise," if Jane is going to be a
professional video writer, she needs a laptop and NOTHING but. It is the
nature of the business (time and time again) that producers and directors make
change after change in the script over and over again at the last minute, and
if you are doing all of your writing at home on an otherwise un-mobile PC,
you'd have to make countless trips back home. In many instances, I borrowed
my brother's Powerbook DUO and small portable printer. I do most of my
writing at home, and tend to bring the scripts to producers and directors at
television production companies located out of state and in other remote
locations (including sets). I've borrowed my brother's laptop for those
instances where there might be last minute changes; this way I'm able to make
the change and re-print it immediately. The television and video business is
a 'here and now' business, and as a professional writer, you have to cater to
those who are paying the bill.
As for me, I'll continue to provide professional video scripts to those who
keep paying me $500 a day for them. And I'll still use my Mac Classic.
Why? It works just fine, and I certainly DON'T need to impress my clients with
MEGA-RAM'ed PC's: it doesn't make my typing any faster.
Bill Hartzer (William -dot- Hartzer -at- EMC2-TAO -dot- FISC -dot- COM)
Technical Writer, Fischer International Systems Corporation
Naples, Florida USA
and
freelance scriptwriter
(WmHartzer -at- aol -dot- com)
