On February 5, 2018, Kate Caratenuto (’16) was the first guest speaker of the 2018 season in the Senior Practicum course. A graduate of TCNJ, Caratenuto studied Radio, TV and Film in the Department of Communication Studies. Now an associate producer at Big Fish Entertainment in Manhattan, she returned to the Department to share her experience since graduation with soon-to-be graduating seniors.
Caratenuto talked at length about job searching skills, interviewing, the nature and the structure of TV production companies, and life as a commuter. Students learned from Caratenuto a lot about the way TV packages are assembled and the legal essentials (like rights releases, documentation of performing rights, and techniques for obscuring the faces of people who won’t sign a release). She gave good advice on professional behavior, networking, and the use of podcasts to make the commute more bearable. We learned that her days start at 5:45 in the morning and end around 10:00 at night. We also learned that she loves her work!
On February 22, Radio, TV and Film alumnus James Machado (’98) visited the Senior Practicum class. After graduating from TCNJ, James went on to do an MFA in video editing at City College of New York. He has edited program content for MSNBC, Charlie Rose, CBS News and numerous reality shows. He gave candid insight into the nature of freelancing, the differences between news editing and narrative editing and survival strategies for those entering the New York market. This was the second in our series of guest speakers–sessions with alums who have achieved success in the industry.
These events are not the first or the last opportunity for our students to get valuable advice about life after TCNJ. Professor Terry Byrne has been hosting alumni in this class since 2004. Just some of the alumni who visited throughout the years are Dave Kushin from ABC News, Laura Johnson from Comedy Central, Jen Lombardi from NBC, independent film producer Mandy Goldberg and many others.
“We’re thrilled at the number of alums who take the time to return to the senior practicum class to share advice with graduating seniors because of their commitment to the department. They don’t sugar coat the difficulties of finding work in this competitive field, yet they are generous with practical suggestions on what to expect”, said Susan Ryan, Associate Professor in the Department.