Gary Thomas Wann
Promotion Writer/Producer
Fox 2 Detroit

SHS: How many years have you been working in the business?
GARY: Since 1986, when I started as a production assistant for a local cable company.

SHS: What is the largest hurdle you've had to face to get where you are now?
GARY: Sticking with it. Just like Uncle Dick says: 'It ain't easy.' It's very difficult to keep on track, stay motivated, and look forward, all while making minimum wage. But after almost 17 years, six Tellys (National Television Advertising Awards), and five EMMYs later (including a National Emmy), I believe I've made the right career choice.

SHS: What have been some of the highlights of your career?
GARY: Writing promo copy and working with: Tom Brokaw, Jerry Seinfeld, and Katie Couric. Meeting John Cannon before he died (former President of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences). Receiving my first EMMY with my Wife and Mom there to watch.

SHS: Who has had the biggest influence on your career?
GARY: My best friend from high school that said, 'You should take Radio and TV during 2nd hour, it's a blow-off class.'

SHS: What would you consider the largest challenge in the business today?
GARY: I can't speak for the entire TV industry, but I think it's tough to stay on the edge of creative advertising while feeling corporate pressure to produce quantity over quality.

SHS: What would be your advice to grads that are just beginning the job search?
GARY: You'd think that I wouldn't have to say this, but believe me it needs to be said. This is a professional business. Your resume should be perfect, you should dress in business attire, and for god sakes take a shower! Remember the basics of any job interview. It doesn't matter if you take a job where you don't have to wear a suit, do it for the interview. You only have one chance to make a first impression, make it a good one.

SHS: What would be your advice to students just beginning the course at Specs Howard School?
GARY: Do as many internships as you can. Get your foot in the door in as many places as possible while you are there. Do a great job for the company, and they will remember you when it comes time to give you a reference. There are so many bad interns out there! The good ones really stick out in my mind. We just hired a guy a couple of months ago that was a former intern. He was one of the best we've had, and he definitely made a great impression.

Fox 2 News Morning is a bit of a tongue twister when asked to smile and say it for the camera, as a group of 15 students and staff members recently discovered. Getting the smile right is yet another test. Found somewhere between the "Hi, Mom!" cheesy grin and the all too common deer-in-the-headlights phenomenon, coming up with a natural smile proves challenging when a camera and microphone are introduced.

However, as the man or woman on the street, the Specs volunteers plowed through the impromptu exercise with flying colors much to the delight of Specs grad and Fox 2's Promotion Producer Gary Wann.

The purpose of Gary's visit was to elicit educated opinions regarding Fox 2's morning news program, which begins weekday mornings at 5am. While students aren't generally considered early risers, most evening classes are comprised of full-time members of the workforce so Gary arrived with cameraperson in tow at 5pm.

Conducted as a series of on-the-spot interviews, local traffic reports and weather was a recurrent theme among the recipients. One student said she quite literally wakes up to the show every morning and uses it as her own personal snooze button, while others claimed to be quite dependent on accessing the information they need for the morning commute every "10 minutes on the 2's."

The promos are currently in rotation on the station throughout the day so participants are already hearing so-and-so saw them on TV!

Fox 2 News Morning.
All local. All Morning.

Lucy Noland, Alan Lee, Kam Carman & Sherry Margolis bring viewers 4 hours of news, traffic & weather every weekday morning from 5am-9am. Traffic & weather every ten minutes on the 2's.

KELLY BROWN
Air Talent
WIOT 104.7 FM
(Toledo, OH)

SHELLEY IRWIN
Host/Producer
WGVU-1480 AM
(Grand Rapids, MI)

SCREAMIN' SCOTT RANDALL
Air Personality
WRIF 101 FM
(Detroit, MI)

Mike Staff
DJ/Owner
Mike Staff Production(Madison Heights, MI)

CAROLYN STONE
Assistant Program Director/Air Personality
106.5 The Zone
(Toledo, OH)

GARY WANN
Promotion Writer/ Producer
Fox 2 Detroit
(Detroit, MI)