What an exhausting but exhilarating day! I'd been in Harlem filming for another project so when I heard about the tribute, I just knew I had to be there! My goal was to put something together for my reel but alas, a freelance opportunity popped up. And we all know the saying that when opportunity knocks, open the door!
I worked with my doc partner, Jacob Templin, and we started the day early, 6:30am to be exact. We set out to get sounds and images from Michael Jackson's adoring fans, some who'd been standing in line all night, just to be the first to get in to the Apollo. Some had even trekked from as far as Los Angeles, Texas and get this---Denmark! So with the SONY HDV Z7U on our shoulders and a hand held mic for MOSs, we set out to capture the spirit of the day. Here are some of my highlights:
View From The Rooftop: Right away I knew I wanted an aerial shot of the thousands lined up 125th street. So I popped into Lazarus and begged the manager to let me onto the roof. Was mildly surprised when management said YES! Jacob and I dragged ourselves and equipment up 5 flights of steps, climbed over a huge air-conditioner unit and slid under some rusty pipes and finally to the ledge. You can check out our AMAZING view in our piece.
Inside the Apollo: The tribute inside the Apollo was only for credentialed press. That means my New Jersey press pass and Columbia press pass didn't work...I tried to use both but that didn't work out. Towards the end of the day when the sky opened up and started pouring, I tried again...this time being a Columbia student helped...I got in! Thrilled, I proudly filed in with the rest of the press to get my story too. Only, it was not to be...no video cameras allowed in the Apollo. No kidding! At that point there wasn't much I could do except take still photos and tweet. I'm only human so I sat back and enjoyed Rev. Al Sharpton's speech and Spike Lee's words about Michael Jackson. I also enjoyed just watching MJ's fans...they are a colorful, dedicated and passionate bunch.
So here's what got me through a day like this:
Sneakers, bottles of water, long-wearing MAC Cosmetics, bobby pins, a sturdy backpack, extra chargers and last but not least: a sweet, cordial smile and attitude at all times. You catch more flies with sugar and honey than you do with vinegar. And many will tell you that I'm a living testament to that.
Here's the piece I worked on. Let me know what you think.
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