Tony Mastantuono Broadcast Pix Product manager
What was your first media industry job? I volunteered at a local public
and getting your hands dirty are the best way to learn in almost any industry. Until you see what bad sync looks like, or what feedback sounds like, you don’t know how to fix it – no book will teach that. What was the worst day at work you ever had? One of them was setting up the booth for NAB several years ago. Our order wasn’t processed correctly, and when I arrived at the convention floor, nothing was there, not even our equipment. Here I am, ready to set up, and we didn’t have carpet, let alone power. But, good news, everything eventually came together and we had a great NAB. The best? When I started at Broadcast Pix. It may sound strange, but as a young professional using broadcast equipment, you don’t realise the other side of the field: the manufacturer. Now, I can help
change the industry and how people produce content.
What has been the biggest change in the media industry between when you first started and now? I started with shooting on tape and using analogue signals; now everything is virtual, in the cloud. If you could fix one thing about the way people work, what would it be? I wish there really were ‘standards.’ Every company has their way of doing things. When they want to work with other kit, one’s standard needs to fit into another. But I guess that’s what makes it interesting. What advice would you give to someone seeking a career in the media industry? Have an open mind and be willing to change. What you do today will not be the same tomorrow.
access television station in Newton, MA. I was only in middle school and was quickly hooked to the industry, especially the ever-changing tech. Shortly after in 1999, I was hired as a production assistant, helping other volunteers produce, direct and edit. How many different job titles have you had in the industry? Titles are like hats, you have one for almost every day or any occasion. Officially, you could say I had six or so, but within each job there are subsets. You take one hat off and put another one on to finish the job. Did your education prepare you for the work? I attended Framingham State University and studied visual media production, but in reality I learnt many techniques from an early age. On-the-job training, work-studies
Nicolas Boulay WorldCast Group Co-president
What was your first media industry job? Working in this industry was never a choice, it happened naturally. After going to engineering school with a speciality in radio frequency in 1996, my first job as an R&D engineer was at a company called RFTS, the first to create an FM transmitter in France in the eighties. After, I switched to telecoms, creating Bluetooth accessories for companies like Sony and Toshiba. I came back to media as co-president of WorldCast Group. How many different job titles have you had in the industry? As I said, my first was only dedicated to R&D development. But, with WorldCast, I’ve had different jobs as technical manager (which included production and methods), but also product marketing manager. That showed another side of our life cycle. Did your education prepare you for the work? Yes and no. It was a good match, if you think about my roles on R&D, but not if you look at my positions in marketing or as CEO. The media industry is not that different from others. It’s easier with the right education, but not mandatory because you can learn step by step. A good education is not enough on its own, because technology changes constantly. The right skills one day can become irrelevant the next. So, the key is having the desire to learn every day, and the curiosity to discover new things.
What was the worst day at work you ever had? In 2008, a customer came to us with a request: “We need DAB transmitters in six months; if you do that, you’ll be our partner for the whole digital radio network.” All R&D was dedicated 12 hours per day, weekends included, to achieve this challenge – and we were successful. A few days before presenting our product... boom! Financial crisis... all the budget was frozen. The best? Four years ago, we created a subsidiary for the management and monitoring of media infrastructure. A year later, we signed a contract with the European Council, which was real validation. What has been the biggest change in the media industry between when you first started and now? The complexity of the infrastructure, but the possibility offered by technology, too. Today, you can broadcast and deliver what you want from where you want. And there are players with a new approach – VOD, IPTV. It’s so far from 20 years ago. What one piece of advice would you give to someone seeking a career in the media industry? Don’t hesitate for a second, it’s so fun. You can be creative, learn every day, travel and even become a recognised expert.
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