Guest Blog #1: Lauren, Executive Producer

We're kicking off our weekly guest-blog series with our very own Lauren, who is starting her fourth year on Bay State, and is definitely a seasoned veteran when it comes to the trials of Studio East. Beginning as a PA in 2006, she quickly became art/set director in the spring, then set her sights on becoming 1st AD *and* 2nd AD at the same time. Along the way, she took on the roles of editor and writer. After a grueling semester as Associate Producer, she has finally ascended to the top position: Executive Producer.

There’s no way to avoid a sappy entry. I tried really hard, but I can’t stop pouring my heart out into this “guest blog” entry; to be honest, I’ve been waiting for today since I stepped into Studio East for the first time three years ago. And even though three years isn’t that long, it feels like it’s been decades. I remember walking into my first Bay State shoot and thinking, “Yes. This. I want this, and I want to sit in that chair.”

Lauren at the Photoshoot (Sophomore Year)

Time flies, kids. And today, I found myself walking into my very last semester on the show, realizing that I got the chair...but it’s so much more than that.

Lauren, Mike, and Chris at the Musical Shoot (Sophomore Year)

Bay State has driven my college career more than any other factor. It’s inspired me (Four people with “can-do” attitudes can change an entire production). It’s taught me (Not just the raw skills that go into producing a television show, but the ability to work as a team player, and to affect something from start to finish). It’s comforted me (My closest friends in the world are all members of Bay State, or associated with butv10 somehow). It’s rewarded me (Try to tell someone what you do for Bay State and get a reaction other than “you’re awesome.” It won’t happen.) It’s challenged me (You want me to do what with Mercedes’ Penthouse?/How many actors are coming to the wedding?/We’re doing how many location shoots?). And, on top of all that, it’s been a blast (Every read-through in the history of read-throughs).

Lauren and Jenn at Josh's Bay State Marathon (Freshman Year)

Bay State, when I began, was a fun, but flawed show. We watched an episode that spouted the classic line, “I’m a real doctor and so are these test results!” What I have loved about the journey thus far has been the improvement; we set in our minds, as a cohesive crew, one goal: “greatness.” And there have been people who didn’t set the bar at the same level, and we have surpassed their expectations over and over again. We’ve put in the time, the money, and we’ve all made personal sacrifices (mostly sleep) to create something that is a soap opera. When I started on Bay State, a Telly was a far-away dream, and now we’ve just won one—with, if I have it my way, plenty more to come.

Lauren with the ever-impressive Water Cooler (Junior Year)

So, having rambled on for a few paragraphs, this is the attitude with which I approached the shoot today: gratitude, enthusiasm, and nothing but love.

As always, the first shoot went horribly wrong. Camera 2 couldn’t focus unless the operator manually adjusted the rings on the front (which required super-long arms). Only one microphone could record at a time. We walked into Studio East half an hour early to find it completely crowded with props that we had to move before 4:00 PM, with nowhere to really put them.

The crew works as Tim tries to fix Camera 2.

And, as always, the Bay State crew found a way to not just persevere, but to excel in the face of adversity. It was strange, sitting at the front, letting everyone else do the majority of the problem-solving. I got to witness today how well the training tradition of Bay State has actually succeeded. We were delayed an hour (if not more) collectively, and we still broke set and left the studio by 8:58 PM (with a text of “thanks” from Tim).

Four generations of Bay State at Sunset: Megan ('09), Karen ('07), Jac ('08), Lauren ('10)

Following the shoot, we went to Sunset Cantina—as tradition has dictated for as long as I’ve been on the crew—and 14 of us attended. We toasted the year (I, of course, with a Dirty Ho), and spent the next several hours laughing so hard we cried. That’s the thing about Bay State—we can spend five hours stressing out about everything breaking down, and still end the night with giant smiles on our faces.

Megan and Lauren, being Producer-like (Junior Year)

I hope I’ve articulated to you how much this experience means to me. As we enter a new year, it can only get better, and I hope it means just as much to the rest of the crew (both those I know and adore already, and those I haven’t met just yet). My only goal after college is to one day work on a show that I love as much as I love this one.

The amazing board made for the new Newsroom set, the first set Lauren ever designed (Freshman Year)

Thanks so much for blogging, Lauren!
And to the rest of our readers: look out for more pictures from today's shoot soon.

Places to be!
-Jenn