My name is Annie Krenik, I’m a Producer at KSMQ Public Television in Austin, Minnesota. For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to have a career in media arts. What that specifically looked like has changed over the years, I wanted to be a big movie star when I was little (because of course I did) to eventually finding myself behind the camera for short videos I made in high school. Throughout my last two years of high school, I attended college classes at the local university, where I started taking film classes. These film classes eventually amounted to a BA degree in Film and Media Studies from Minnesota State University Mankato, where I spent most of my time producing narrative shorts. My junior year of college, I was lucky enough to become an intern at KSMQ Public Television. I went on to study abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland, before I graduated, where I studied cinematography and film and music theory. While I was abroad, the managing editor at KSMQ reached out to me and asked if I would like to do some contract work once I came home, and I happily said yes. Six months later, I was offered a full-time position as a producer.
As of spring 2020, I have been at KSMQ for a little over a year. In that time my job has changed a lot, but I’ll get to that in a moment. As a producer at KSMQ, I run the gamut of production work: I produce, direct, film, and edit pieces for various shows our station produces. I also produce a variety of digital-first content, from a podcast to digital shorts. Within the station, I lead a lot of digital first initiatives, which led me to participate in the YoPro experience and apply (and get accepted into!) the 2020 Digital Immersion cohort. The participation in these activities has changed a lot about the processes of our station, as well as the way that I go about my work in public media.
In terms of the creative process, my favorite part is editing. I get to take something I created and make it into something interesting and engaging, and also artistic! Beyond the work that I do at my desk, I really appreciate the work we do; when we work with artists and musicians, meeting people from all around the state that are creating things I’m genuinely interested in. I find it very rewarding when people enjoy the content that I make, and I’m always really proud to shed light on people in my area that deserve a little spotlight.
On the opposite end, this job can be very challenging. I went into production work knowing that it was going to be hard work and working on weekly shows isn’t something I foresaw myself doing. The hours aren’t always predictable, and the process of producing and editing can be exhausting at times. These challenges don’t outweigh the benefits – not by a long shot! – but they are something that will catch up to me when I don’t give myself time to cool down. I don’t want to think of myself as a workaholic, but I am a perfectionist, and stepping away from the editing desk can be challenging. That’s something I’m still working on at the moment, but I like to think I’m getting better.
If I could go back in time and give the ‘one week in’ me advice, I’d like to think I’d tell myself to be adventurous. Not only in the work that I was hired for, but the things that have ultimately come from this job. I’d tell myself to participate as much as I can, meet other people in the PBS network, make friends in unusual places. It’s easy to forget that there are a thousand other people across the country that have the same challenges and successes that I do, and they are there to celebrate with me (or listen when I need to rant occasionally). I’d also tell myself not to be afraid of what’s to come. This is my first job out of college, and at the beginning that was very intense. I was afraid of a lot of things, nervous about even more, but one year in I’m happy to say that I’m ridiculously happy with the work that I do.
And to you, the YoPro community, I would say the same thing. Don’t be afraid to connect with other members in the public media community (me included!). Be enthusiastic about the work you do and the people you get to meet because of it. Also, try and take challenges one day at a time, and don’t forget to celebrate your successes – and that includes the small ones!
I didn’t come into this job thinking I would find a home in public media, but I have. I hope to keep doing this work in the future, meeting unique people around the world and telling people’s stories. I have a lot of ambitions in life, continuing my education, traveling, meeting new people and seeing new things. I dream of a job that will let me travel the world, experience different cultures, and hear the stories I haven’t had the chance to hear yet. I can’t predict the future, but I hope I’m lucky enough to stay connected with the friends I’ve made through YoPro, Digital Immersion, and throughout the PBS network. Whether this future is in public media or in another field, I will always be passionate about what I’ve learned through my time at KSMQ and I can’t wait to see what I learn in the future.
Looking to connect with Annie and learn more about her experience or to obtain additional career advice? Email her today at: annie.krenik@ksmq.org.
