By Aaron Holcomb
October 16, 2008
ORLANDO, Florida— Local Floridian and former Oklahoma native, Dan Shepherd, delivered a spur-of-the-moment lecture to a class of journalism students this past Thursday on his life as a freelance producer and the test and trials of the job as well as the possible pay-offs.
Shepherd graduated from University of Oklahoma in 1986, with a Bachelors of Arts in the field of Journalism. Shepherd graduated on a Saturday and then promptly started work on the following Monday.
His work experience has led him to cover stories for all the major networks (ABC, NBC, & CBS) as well as some privatized work for various other companies and production teams including: Disney Cruise Lines, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Americas Most Wanted, The Discovery Channel, and Fox Sports.
“My job as freelance producer is primarily to locate and find ‘experts’ for interviews,” said Shepherd when asked about his current role in journalism.
Shepherd’s covered and produced a multitude of major news stories over the years such as, the Terrorist Attacks of Sept. 11, the destructive 2004-2005 Hurricane seasons (including Hurricane Katrina), and also responsible for the coverage of the Shuttle Colombia Tragedy; February 1, 2003.
“Sometimes as a producer, when I have a really good story, I will go knock around some heads in order to really pitch the story,” said Shepherd, “though it is a delicate balancing act because you do not want to upset or insult your employer.”
“The nice thing about being a Freelancer is that you can always say ‘no’,” says Shepherd. However producers want dependable and flexible journalist covering their stories, so availability is just as much as important as the quality of work you deliver.
“The thing about this business is; it can change at any moment. One year you are making six-figures and the next you are barely scraping by. You have to be flexible in this business and be ready; you are always on call,” says Shepherd.
“The best way to get into this business is through word of mouth, references, and recommendations. Make contact with people and then stay in contact with them and follow their progress. Once you get your foot in the door and finally get your chance, DON’T SCREW IT UP,” said shepherd in answering one students question about the business.
“Most of all, ask a lot of questions,” said Shepherd.
Dan Shepherd continues to work as a remote coordinator and freelance field producer for NBC and many of the other networks. To contact Dan Shepherd: Soundbite@cfl.rr.com
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