Practice Makes Perfect

Last week, I was skyping with a friend from back home when the topic of Sims, a popular computer game, came about.  My friend casually explained how addicting the game quickly became and how she was trying to have her 'Sim' level up its strength by continuously working out.  Eventually, her character became a professional bodybuilder and at the top of their career.

This casual conversation revved up the gears in my brain and had me thinking "Is practice the key to being successful in a certain area?", or is there more of a natural element in being skilled in a certain area.  I picked up a basketball at the age of 3; since then, I've never let go.  After 13 years of organized basketball, I left high school with county and school records.  This supports my first point of thinking.  Practice=Success. Right?

Not so fast. My freshman year I took a general education marketing class which required students to compete in a DECA marketing competition.  Now I was a freshman in high school going through puberty.  I thought about sex not an S.W.O.T analysis.  Anyway, with limited experience, I qualified for the DECA State competition after placing high in the regional competition.  At the State competition, I placed even higher against hundreds of students.  So which is it? Talent or hard work? And how does it apply to media production?


After the raging internal debate seen above, I believe that a combination of talent and hard work are the basis for forming a skill.  However, with most areas I believe hardwork is 75% of the equation with talent filling out the last quarter.

"There is no substitute for hard work."- Thomas Jefferson

I would have to agree with our 3rd president.  Talent is advantageous, but you can never progress if you do not work with your given skill.  I don't think it could be any truer with media production.

I will not lie; some people have amazing talent with the camera.  They are able to take shots that I wish I could even think of.  However, this field is drilled with knowing not only the camera but also editing software.  All the natural talent in the world with a camera will not teach you what settings to best optimize a shot.  The same goes for editing.  No one is going to walk-in to a studio for the first time and know what they're doing.  The only way to become an expert in this field is by constant practice and experience.  It's not magic, it's hard work.

Until next time,
Jerrad