Still in the Game

Today, my former colleagues and I put together our entry for the Daytime Emmy awards.  Hard to believe it's been a year since the last time, and even harder to believe that we are doing it on our own, without the assistance of a producer assigned to Emmy coordination (though, with only 10 One Life to Live episodes having spilled over into 2012, there weren't huge decisions to make).  We have all moved on in the last year, each in our own way, yet the process of gathering information for the entry has brought us back together, even if just to exchange addresses and war stories.
 
When we were all working on the show, it was we, the editors, who helped every other department, particularly the ones who could submit pieces from multiple shows, to organize their clips for the Emmys.  It was one of my favorite jobs--not only could I use my technical expertise to edit a nice-looking reel, I could have a real say about the clips they chose to use. In addition, I got wonderful insight into how different departments worked, and how they made their decisions. What made the costume designers choose certain clothing items over others, and how did they make their choices work when the show was so often shot out of order?  What best showcased the work of the lighting or scenic designers, and how could the casting directors best demonstrate how well they had chosen actors for the show?
 
It's different to do our own editing submission in a vacuum. Obviously, we hope to win--doesn't everybody?--but being part of so many other submissions had us invested in the winners of many categories, and that was a good feeling.  So, today, although we are still in the game, the game has changed from football to gymnastics. Back then, we worked with many teams, each with a purpose, but now, our achievements are more individual.  While I have no doubt that we will all congratulate each other on Facebook or by email, it won't be the same as having invested time and talent to make sure ALL the submissions are as good as they can be.
 
I am excited about all the things we have each accomplished since the last Emmy submission deadline.  All-told, a whole lot of us are still in the game--even if the game is different-- and that's great.  I just sometimes wish we were still playing on the same team.