Dick Clark - Producer/TV Host
By: Dominick A. Miserandino
Dick Clark is well known for American Bandstand and of course Dick Clark's New Years Eve. On November 14th, the American Music Awards come back and Dick Clark productions are once again making things happen. While everybody thinks of Dick in front of the camera, 90% of the time, he's behind the camera.
DM) How much work goes into the American Music Awards before the actual show date?
DC) We start on them about 6-7 months in advance, and we don't get heavily involved until 3-4 months before the air date. And then it's a frenzy thereafter.
DM) Is there a post-wrap up right after the show?
DC) We look at the tapes and make our critique of it immediately. We make our markings and check what we did wrong and what we hope to do to fix it.
DM) Are you putting in full 8-10 hour days on this project?
DC) Not right at this moment. About a month before the event we're really going to be full time into it.
DM) Is there anything that you're doing this year that you've learned from past years events?
DC) The only thing we're doing this year, is the two stage development. We have an A and B stage on either side which gives us the ability to have one band come on right after the other.
DM) Were you always interested in doing production? Do you enjoy being behind the camera as much as being in front of it?
DC) Well, when I was a kid, I ended up in front of the camera by an odd mistake, somebody put me there. I suddenly began to realize, as the years went by I wouldn't be able to do this the rest of my life and I started doing the production end. I do some camera work, but 90% of what I do is behind the camera. I enjoy them both because I know how to do them both. When you're comfortable with a job and they give you one, you just say, "Great!"
DM) It almost seems like your workload is increasing as time goes on.
DC) At this time of year, we do a mess of things. Award shows, New Years Eve and other things. It gets a little active.
DM) Your workload goes constantly over nearly the entire year. Some people work because they have to and others because they love what they do. Where do you fit in?
DC) Oh yeah. My daughter who is also in the business was chastising me for working so hard. What they don't understand is that my work is my pleasure. When you can do what you love and they pay you do to it and you can make a livelihood out of it, that's one of the best parts of life. To me it's a sorry state when people live for the 5:00 whistle. We don't have hours here. We show up and leave when we're done. I'm lucky, I have work that is fun, but I do write in vacations. My wife made me make vacations mandatory.
DM) Do you see yourself working this hard five to ten years down the road at this speed?
DC) I don't think I'll be able to do work at this speed because of the health factors. I go to doctors regularly, and the latest reports are that all is well. I'd like to keep busy. I think activity and being around things that are current are essential to keeping you young. One of the problems of colleagues of mine is that all they have is golf. They get bored to death, and literally to death. It's the surprises that keep life more exciting.
DM) How much work goes into the American Music Awards before the actual show date?
DC) We start on them about 6-7 months in advance, and we don't get heavily involved until 3-4 months before the air date. And then it's a frenzy thereafter.
DM) Is there a post-wrap up right after the show?
DC) We look at the tapes and make our critique of it immediately. We make our markings and check what we did wrong and what we hope to do to fix it.
DM) Are you putting in full 8-10 hour days on this project?
DC) Not right at this moment. About a month before the event we're really going to be full time into it.
DM) Is there anything that you're doing this year that you've learned from past years events?
DC) The only thing we're doing this year, is the two stage development. We have an A and B stage on either side which gives us the ability to have one band come on right after the other.
DM) Were you always interested in doing production? Do you enjoy being behind the camera as much as being in front of it?
DC) Well, when I was a kid, I ended up in front of the camera by an odd mistake, somebody put me there. I suddenly began to realize, as the years went by I wouldn't be able to do this the rest of my life and I started doing the production end. I do some camera work, but 90% of what I do is behind the camera. I enjoy them both because I know how to do them both. When you're comfortable with a job and they give you one, you just say, "Great!"
DM) It almost seems like your workload is increasing as time goes on.
DC) At this time of year, we do a mess of things. Award shows, New Years Eve and other things. It gets a little active.
DM) Your workload goes constantly over nearly the entire year. Some people work because they have to and others because they love what they do. Where do you fit in?
DC) Oh yeah. My daughter who is also in the business was chastising me for working so hard. What they don't understand is that my work is my pleasure. When you can do what you love and they pay you do to it and you can make a livelihood out of it, that's one of the best parts of life. To me it's a sorry state when people live for the 5:00 whistle. We don't have hours here. We show up and leave when we're done. I'm lucky, I have work that is fun, but I do write in vacations. My wife made me make vacations mandatory.
DM) Do you see yourself working this hard five to ten years down the road at this speed?
DC) I don't think I'll be able to do work at this speed because of the health factors. I go to doctors regularly, and the latest reports are that all is well. I'd like to keep busy. I think activity and being around things that are current are essential to keeping you young. One of the problems of colleagues of mine is that all they have is golf. They get bored to death, and literally to death. It's the surprises that keep life more exciting.
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