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Time to once again open my life up a little in order to share the plethora of wealth I'm about to absorb. I'm going to be back in Iraq through September, so hop on board and check back every couple of days, I'll do my best to update as much as possible. Questions? dtate38@cox.net And check out the site I'm working with: http://www.billroggio.com Support independent journalism!
Friday, August 31, 2007
Gearing Up August 18, 2007 @ 1:11 pm · Filed under Infrequent Posts ·
The gear needed to be an embedded journalist can get quite expensive. There’s two ways of doing it: The “right way” and “the best I can”. Considering the short time frame given to prepare for this, I have to go with, “the best I can” get my hands on.
For video camera, I’m relying on my trusty old Panasonic DVX-100. This camera is a little old (more than three years) and has been through hell and back, but it still works well, so that’s the way I’m going. Just got word that Roggio will be bringing a lesser quality camera, which will work great as a back up as well as provide me the ability for nightvision. If I wanted “to do it right”, I would be purchasing the HD version of the DVX-100, setting me back around $5,000. For nightvision, I would need a starscope made just for this camera, running another $6,000.
To Do It Right: $11,000 The Best I Can: $0
A good still camera is always in my sights. The Cannon EOS with attatchements and a couple standard lenses would run about $4,000. However, since I am primarily a video shooter, I only need a good “point-and-shoot” camera, deciding on the 7.1 MP Sony CyberShot. Including memory card: $270.
Laptop - I tend to use Apple in this situation. Have a nice 17″ PowerBook ($1,400), but the monitor was broke in Afghanistan and I have been unable to replace it. I may have to go without, this time because I can’t afford another PowerBook. Why PowerBook? Because it’s the easiest to use with my editing software, Final Cut Pro. With this setup, I can literaly edit from the bottom of a foxhole, if need be. Since Apple is outta my budget, I am considering a standard PC laptop. Cost: $700.
Gear - Most my survival gear needs to be replaced. Just bought: 5 UnderArmor T’s, 5 UnderArmour boxer briefs, dual season compact sleeping bag and sleeping pad, plus a CamelBak water system built into a backpack. New boots. Altogether: $300.
Body Armor - Can’t go cheap here. Went with Intercepter Body Armor which includes collar and groin protector. Added SAPI plates to front and back as well as pockets and plates for the sides (Level IV). Also added the shoulder attatchements. With this setup, I bought the police/special forces helmet with low cut on the back of the head for extra shooting room in the prone position (Level III-A). I also purchase ballistic googles built to go over my regulat eyeglasses. Total cost: $2,350
Plane Ticket - Need round-trip to Kuwait (military hop to Baghdad). Total cost: $1,600
Salary - Since this is an unpaid leave from my job, I figure I need to provide $500 p/week to barely cover our minimum domestic bills. Total cost: $1,500
On Hand Cash - $1000 (includes hotels and whatever else you never plan for).
Insurance - Going to a warzone changes everything. The insurance (including Life Insurance) you have through work, doesn’t work in a place like Iraq. You need special insurance that would most likely cost upward of $3,000.
Pretty expensive hobby, eh?
Time Flies When…August 15, 2007 @ 11:22 pm · Filed under Infrequent Posts
Bill really didn’t give me much time to make this happen. That’s why I really have Media General to thank. Fortunately for me, we have two new hires starting the same time I needed leave. I also have the support of all my supervisors; from immediate boss to General Manager. Now I just needed to hear from Richmond.
After about a week, I still hadn’t heard anything and I was starting to sweat. I realize in the corporate world that a week really isn’t that long, but when you only have a month to go before it’s showtime, everyday counts. That’s why I have to give it to my boss, Warren, and Media General. The big boys put the decision in my station’s hands… which had already been leaning toward letting me go. It all comes at a price, though. The company is drawing up an agreement that pretty much seperates me from Media General: No insurance, no life insurance, no nothing, except a job waiting when I get back. Understandable considering where I’m going. Regular insurance is useless in places like Iraq anyway. When you do these types of jobs, special conflict insurance is purchased, usually through Lloyd’s of London. It covers life insurance and maiming insurance. It provides for your hospitalization and rehab in the event you get injured, etc… The cost is in the thousands, as you can imagine. Fortunately, I am on my wife’s domestic insurance and am being sponsored the conflict insurance, so it all works out.
At this point, I have my work giving me an unpaid leave, I’ve got my plane and insurance covered and I’ve convinced my wife and family that this is the thing to do… even though I have a brand new baby. I still need some gear, including body armor (which I priced at $2,500 today), but it’s getting there. Also need to raise some money to cover my “unpaid leave”. I’m meeting with a potential supporter tommorow, so hopefully I can offset some of these remaining costs.
Permalink Comments
Gettin’ ThereAugust 15, 2007 @ 12:17 am · Filed under Infrequent Posts · Edit
I get asked a lot about what I do. Mostly because it’s a little off-kilter, as traditional jobs go. Granted, I’ve been back in a solid (minimum 40 hours p/week) job since the summer of ‘05 , but that doesn’t mean I’m not on the lookout for something Or, at the least working on my own documentaries. Since returning to the local NBC-affiliate, I’ve been torn, for various reasons, as to my future in local television news. Not suprisingly, it’s still undecided as to what direction I’ll take. Truth is though, I’m nearly 40 and starting to stress out a bit. Afterall, the independent dream I set off to find several years ago has still yet to be realized.
Spring forward to August 2005 where I run across the work of Bill Roggio. I’d heard of him before and quickly learned that he was planning a trip to Iraq for a ground level assessement of the surge. I obviously had no clue, within days of contacting him, he’d be interested in asking me along. What a chance. The pitch was simple: You’re a good writer, I’m a good videojournalist… so let’s team up and put out a documentary. He seemed to like the idea, at least good enough to ask me along. Unfortunately, I work for a large corporation, Media General, and such a short notice trip would be all but impossible. Not to mention the fact that by beautiful daughter, Davin, was barely 5 weeks old. I mean seriously, I hadn’t been downrange in over two years, just had a kid, have a corporate job and at the same time, may have finally gotten the break I’d been working on for years.
We’re still not there yet. I guess until I’m on the ground in Kuwait… I’m not on the ground in Kuwait. Before then, however, I can only imagine will be crazy times. Afterall, the invitation to go the the world’s most dangerous city came at a time that would leave me all of four weeks to prepare for. Don’t think for a second that it’s as easy as getting on a plane. Being an independent is a weird beast. It’s far from being as easy as getting on a plane and flying there. First thing’s first.
Working for Media General, or any other company, would require an unpaid leave of abscence. Vacation days are gone and the company only provides for five unpaid days of leave, so this request had to go to the top. Without their blessing, the trip was dead. Beyond that, even if they gave me permission, there was still no guarentee I’d have any chance in hell of raising the estimated $11,000 needed to get this done, and that doesn’t include any equipment upgrades/replacements needed from the Afghan era.
So what do you do? Best thing to do in times of urgent crisis is to just relax and use a methodical, well planned approach. First thing’s first: Get the permission.
The gear needed to be an embedded journalist can get quite expensive. There’s two ways of doing it: The “right way” and “the best I can”. Considering the short time frame given to prepare for this, I have to go with, “the best I can” get my hands on.
For video camera, I’m relying on my trusty old Panasonic DVX-100. This camera is a little old (more than three years) and has been through hell and back, but it still works well, so that’s the way I’m going. Just got word that Roggio will be bringing a lesser quality camera, which will work great as a back up as well as provide me the ability for nightvision. If I wanted “to do it right”, I would be purchasing the HD version of the DVX-100, setting me back around $5,000. For nightvision, I would need a starscope made just for this camera, running another $6,000.
To Do It Right: $11,000 The Best I Can: $0
A good still camera is always in my sights. The Cannon EOS with attatchements and a couple standard lenses would run about $4,000. However, since I am primarily a video shooter, I only need a good “point-and-shoot” camera, deciding on the 7.1 MP Sony CyberShot. Including memory card: $270.
Laptop - I tend to use Apple in this situation. Have a nice 17″ PowerBook ($1,400), but the monitor was broke in Afghanistan and I have been unable to replace it. I may have to go without, this time because I can’t afford another PowerBook. Why PowerBook? Because it’s the easiest to use with my editing software, Final Cut Pro. With this setup, I can literaly edit from the bottom of a foxhole, if need be. Since Apple is outta my budget, I am considering a standard PC laptop. Cost: $700.
Gear - Most my survival gear needs to be replaced. Just bought: 5 UnderArmor T’s, 5 UnderArmour boxer briefs, dual season compact sleeping bag and sleeping pad, plus a CamelBak water system built into a backpack. New boots. Altogether: $300.
Body Armor - Can’t go cheap here. Went with Intercepter Body Armor which includes collar and groin protector. Added SAPI plates to front and back as well as pockets and plates for the sides (Level IV). Also added the shoulder attatchements. With this setup, I bought the police/special forces helmet with low cut on the back of the head for extra shooting room in the prone position (Level III-A). I also purchase ballistic googles built to go over my regulat eyeglasses. Total cost: $2,350
Plane Ticket - Need round-trip to Kuwait (military hop to Baghdad). Total cost: $1,600
Salary - Since this is an unpaid leave from my job, I figure I need to provide $500 p/week to barely cover our minimum domestic bills. Total cost: $1,500
On Hand Cash - $1000 (includes hotels and whatever else you never plan for).
Insurance - Going to a warzone changes everything. The insurance (including Life Insurance) you have through work, doesn’t work in a place like Iraq. You need special insurance that would most likely cost upward of $3,000.
Pretty expensive hobby, eh?
Time Flies When…August 15, 2007 @ 11:22 pm · Filed under Infrequent Posts
Bill really didn’t give me much time to make this happen. That’s why I really have Media General to thank. Fortunately for me, we have two new hires starting the same time I needed leave. I also have the support of all my supervisors; from immediate boss to General Manager. Now I just needed to hear from Richmond.
After about a week, I still hadn’t heard anything and I was starting to sweat. I realize in the corporate world that a week really isn’t that long, but when you only have a month to go before it’s showtime, everyday counts. That’s why I have to give it to my boss, Warren, and Media General. The big boys put the decision in my station’s hands… which had already been leaning toward letting me go. It all comes at a price, though. The company is drawing up an agreement that pretty much seperates me from Media General: No insurance, no life insurance, no nothing, except a job waiting when I get back. Understandable considering where I’m going. Regular insurance is useless in places like Iraq anyway. When you do these types of jobs, special conflict insurance is purchased, usually through Lloyd’s of London. It covers life insurance and maiming insurance. It provides for your hospitalization and rehab in the event you get injured, etc… The cost is in the thousands, as you can imagine. Fortunately, I am on my wife’s domestic insurance and am being sponsored the conflict insurance, so it all works out.
At this point, I have my work giving me an unpaid leave, I’ve got my plane and insurance covered and I’ve convinced my wife and family that this is the thing to do… even though I have a brand new baby. I still need some gear, including body armor (which I priced at $2,500 today), but it’s getting there. Also need to raise some money to cover my “unpaid leave”. I’m meeting with a potential supporter tommorow, so hopefully I can offset some of these remaining costs.
Permalink Comments
Gettin’ ThereAugust 15, 2007 @ 12:17 am · Filed under Infrequent Posts · Edit
I get asked a lot about what I do. Mostly because it’s a little off-kilter, as traditional jobs go. Granted, I’ve been back in a solid (minimum 40 hours p/week) job since the summer of ‘05 , but that doesn’t mean I’m not on the lookout for something Or, at the least working on my own documentaries. Since returning to the local NBC-affiliate, I’ve been torn, for various reasons, as to my future in local television news. Not suprisingly, it’s still undecided as to what direction I’ll take. Truth is though, I’m nearly 40 and starting to stress out a bit. Afterall, the independent dream I set off to find several years ago has still yet to be realized.
Spring forward to August 2005 where I run across the work of Bill Roggio. I’d heard of him before and quickly learned that he was planning a trip to Iraq for a ground level assessement of the surge. I obviously had no clue, within days of contacting him, he’d be interested in asking me along. What a chance. The pitch was simple: You’re a good writer, I’m a good videojournalist… so let’s team up and put out a documentary. He seemed to like the idea, at least good enough to ask me along. Unfortunately, I work for a large corporation, Media General, and such a short notice trip would be all but impossible. Not to mention the fact that by beautiful daughter, Davin, was barely 5 weeks old. I mean seriously, I hadn’t been downrange in over two years, just had a kid, have a corporate job and at the same time, may have finally gotten the break I’d been working on for years.
We’re still not there yet. I guess until I’m on the ground in Kuwait… I’m not on the ground in Kuwait. Before then, however, I can only imagine will be crazy times. Afterall, the invitation to go the the world’s most dangerous city came at a time that would leave me all of four weeks to prepare for. Don’t think for a second that it’s as easy as getting on a plane. Being an independent is a weird beast. It’s far from being as easy as getting on a plane and flying there. First thing’s first.
Working for Media General, or any other company, would require an unpaid leave of abscence. Vacation days are gone and the company only provides for five unpaid days of leave, so this request had to go to the top. Without their blessing, the trip was dead. Beyond that, even if they gave me permission, there was still no guarentee I’d have any chance in hell of raising the estimated $11,000 needed to get this done, and that doesn’t include any equipment upgrades/replacements needed from the Afghan era.
So what do you do? Best thing to do in times of urgent crisis is to just relax and use a methodical, well planned approach. First thing’s first: Get the permission.
