Sam Berger: Interviews on Journalism & Storytelling
A deep dive into my journey as a Senior Producer at Queen City News, sharing insights on my path into journalism, the art of storytelling, and leadership in media. This interview explores my career highlights, passions for human interest stories, and the importance of teamwork and collaboration in producing impactful content.
Beat the Bomb - Queen City News Now Segment
As the Senior Producer for Queen City News, I led the production of an engaging segment on Beat the Bomb, a thrilling new entertainment experience in Charlotte. My responsibilities included:
Concept Development: Shaping the creative vision for the segment to capture the venue's unique and interactive appeal.
Scriptwriting: Crafting a compelling narrative that informed and excited the audience.
Shooting & Editing: Overseeing dynamic footage capture and editing to deliver a polished, visually engaging story.
Production Management: Coordinating logistics and ensuring a seamless production process.
Booking Coordination: Collaborating with Beat the Bomb's team to arrange interviews and ensure authentic representation of their brand.
This project exemplifies my expertise in storytelling, team leadership, and producing high-quality multimedia content that connects with audiences.
Peru: A Visual Journey
A complete visual and storytelling experience capturing the breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture, and unforgettable moments from my travels through Peru. This project was written, shot, edited, and narrated by me to provide a cohesive and engaging story that highlights the essence of this incredible destination.
Key Highlights:
Wrote, edited, and produced a narrated visual story from my journey through Peru.
Captured stunning visuals of ancient ruins, vibrant cityscapes, and natural wonders.
Combined personal travel experiences with immersive storytelling to connect viewers with the journey.
Created a seamless narrative with thoughtful pacing, visuals, and narration for a captivating viewer experience.
Showcased the rich history, culture, and landscapes of Peru through dynamic cinematography and narrative techniques.
This project reflects my storytelling approach, combining visuals and narrative to transport audiences to new places and experiences.
Modern Man Podcast – In-Person Episode
I handled both the video production and audio engineering for an in-person recording of The Modern Man Podcast, ensuring a seamless, high-quality listening and viewing experience.
Key contributions:
On-Location Video Production: Captured professional, clean visuals that complemented the podcast's narrative.
Audio Expertise: Managed sound recording, setup, and post-production to ensure crystal-clear, balanced audio throughout.
Technical Coordination: Set up the shoot environment, tested gear, and worked with talent to optimize audio and visual quality in real time.
This experience highlights my versatility in audio and visual storytelling, technical expertise, and ability to deliver polished, professional content for interviews and long-form podcast storytelling.
Engagement Video – Multi-Camera Production
I shot, edited, and produced a heartfelt engagement video, utilizing multiple cameras to ensure every angle, emotion, and special moment was captured beautifully.
Key aspects of this project included:
Multi-Camera Coverage: Strategically used multiple cameras to ensure seamless storytelling, capturing both candid moments and emotional highlights.
Cinematic Editing: Edited the footage to deliver a polished, emotional, and visually striking story that highlighted the couple’s journey and special connection.
Professional Coordination: Managed camera angles, audio, and lighting to ensure every detail reflected the authenticity of the moment.
This engagement video showcases my technical expertise, storytelling ability, and attention to detail in creating cinematic, emotionally resonant content for life’s most memorable milestones.
Carolina BBQ Festival – Event Video
I produced a dynamic video for the Carolina BBQ Festival, capturing the energy, stories, and excitement of this major community event that welcomed thousands of attendees.
Key contributions included:
Team Leadership: Oversaw and coordinated a team of content creators to ensure comprehensive coverage and storytelling from multiple angles.
On-the-Ground Production: Shot key interviews and event highlights, capturing the lively atmosphere and unique moments of the festival.
Script Writing & Editing: Wrote and edited a compelling narrative that wove together business testimonials, festival highlights, and audience experiences.
Comprehensive Coverage: Combined impactful testimonials with dynamic footage to give viewers an authentic look at the festival’s success and community involvement.
This project highlights my leadership in managing creative teams, producing high-volume event coverage, and creating engaging multimedia content that resonates with audiences.
Power House Hype Video – Social Media & Facilities TV
While working at The Power House, I conceptualized, wrote, produced, and created a dynamic hype video for both social media promotion and the venue’s facilities TVs. The video highlighted the rich history of The Power House by combining archival footage with new footage I personally shot.
Key highlights of the project included:
Content Integration: Blended historical and modern visuals to tell a compelling story about the venue's evolution and legacy.
Script Writing & Storytelling: Developed a narrative that resonated with viewers and honored the iconic history of The Power House.
Cross-Department Collaboration: Worked closely with various internal departments to align on creative vision and execution.
Promotion Focus: Designed to build excitement, engagement, and community connection through compelling visuals and a strong emotional narrative.
This project showcases my versatility in storytelling, multimedia production, and cross-functional collaboration while crafting content that connects with audiences across platforms.
Rock Hill Appreciation Day Video – The Power House
I produced the Rock Hill Appreciation Day video for The Power House, capturing the spirit of the community celebration while highlighting the venue's connection to local businesses and supporters.
Key elements of the project included:
Event Coordination & Coverage: Played a pivotal role in organizing the event while capturing all key moments through on-site video coverage.
Business Testimonials: Collected impactful interviews and testimonials to tell the story of The Power House's community impact.
Drone Videography: Captured dynamic aerial shots to showcase the venue and surrounding community from a unique perspective.
Script Writing & Editing: Wrote and edited a compelling narrative that brought together interviews, event highlights, and drone footage to celebrate the community's contributions.
Creative Vision: Combined storytelling with event footage to create a polished, engaging video for social media and promotional use.
This project demonstrates my ability to lead event coverage, integrate storytelling techniques, and deliver professional multimedia content that fosters community pride and business appreciation.
Panthers Training Camp Coverage – Queen City News
I served as the Live Field Producer for Queen City News at the Panthers training camp in Spartanburg, overseeing comprehensive live coverage for a key audience story.
My responsibilities included:
Live Interview Coordination: Secured interviews with key players, coaches, and personnel to give viewers unique insights into the team’s preparations and dynamics.
Script & Segment Creation: Wrote compelling scripts and developed story segments to ensure engaging, informative, and timely on-air coverage.
Logistical Oversight: Managed the coordination of equipment, schedules, and on-site needs to ensure seamless live hits from the training camp.
Field Producing: Directed the live production process, troubleshooting in real-time and maintaining communication between talent and technical teams.
This role demonstrates my ability to manage dynamic, fast-paced environments, communicate effectively with on-site teams, and deliver high-quality, real-time news coverage to a wide audience.
Breaking News Coverage: SouthPark Fire – Queen City News
I was honored to be Emmy-nominated for my role in producing the breaking news coverage of the devastating SouthPark fire in Charlotte during my time with Queen City News.
As the lead producer, I was in the control booth for several hours, overseeing live coverage and ensuring our broadcast remained timely, accurate, and impactful. My responsibilities included:
Strategic Decision-Making: Determined which stories to prioritize on-air, adapting to breaking developments in real time.
Live Coordination: Managed seamless transitions between live shots, directing where our coverage would go next and ensuring audience connection with the unfolding events.
Team Communication: Worked closely with on-air talent, directors, and technical staff, ensuring clear and efficient communication throughout the coverage.
On-Air Presence: Maintained a steady presence on-air for at least four continuous hours, delivering updates and guiding the narrative to provide viewers with critical and accurate information.
This experience demonstrates my ability to lead under pressure, coordinate dynamic live coverage, and craft storytelling in high-stakes situations while maintaining focus and clarity for a wide audience.
Super Bowl Pregame Show - KCTV5 (Kansas City Chiefs, 2020)
As a Sports Producer at KCTV5, I spearheaded the opening and first block of the 2020 Super Bowl Pregame Show for the Kansas City Chiefs, delivering a dynamic broadcast to hundreds of thousands of viewers. Key highlights include:
Show Creation: Designed and built the show entirely from scratch, shaping a compelling narrative to captivate the audience.
Content Development: Wrote the script, selected impactful stories, and curated video content to highlight the Chiefs' journey to the Super Bowl.
Editing: Ensured seamless integration of visuals and audio, producing a polished, professional broadcast.
Live Production Leadership: Directed the live show from the control room, managing a live crew and a team of 12+ professionals to execute flawlessly.
Audience Engagement: Delivered a high-energy pregame experience that set the tone for the historic event, resonating with the Chiefs' passionate fan base.
This project demonstrated my ability to manage complex productions, lead teams under pressure, and create impactful sports programming for a large and engaged audience.
Explainer Segment: What Constitutes a Riot – KCTV5
As a Lead News Producer at KCTV5, I created an in-depth explainer segment following the January 6th attack on Capitol Hill, providing clarity on what legally defines a riot. My contributions included:
Concept Development: Identified the need for an explainer segment to address audience confusion and foster understanding of the legal distinctions surrounding riots.
Research: Conducted comprehensive research into legal definitions, historical context, and expert perspectives to ensure accuracy and relevance.
Scriptwriting: Crafted a clear, concise, and engaging script that broke down complex information for viewers.
Production Oversight: Produced the segment with attention to detail, ensuring all elements—from visuals to pacing—enhanced audience comprehension.
Execution: Collaborated with the news team to bring the segment to air seamlessly, maintaining journalistic integrity and impact.
This segment exemplifies my ability to tackle complex topics, transform them into accessible narratives, and deliver insightful content that informs and empowers viewers.
Breaking News Coverage: Linwood Tornado Aftermath – KCTV5
As a News Producer at KCTV5, I led breaking news coverage of the aftermath of a devastating tornado in Linwood, ensuring comprehensive and compassionate reporting during a time of tragedy. My role included:
Live Production Leadership: Coordinated live crews on the ground, directing real-time updates and ensuring seamless integration of field reports.
Scriptwriting and Segment Production: Crafted impactful scripts and structured the coverage to balance breaking updates with human-interest stories that resonated with the audience.
Team Collaboration: Worked closely with reporters, camera operators, and editors to manage the flow of information and maintain accuracy under pressure.
Community Focus: Highlighted the resilience and recovery efforts of the Linwood community, emphasizing both the impact of the disaster and the strength of those affected.
This coverage demonstrated my ability to navigate high-pressure situations, deliver timely and accurate information, and lead a team in producing meaningful and empathetic breaking news segments.
Valentine’s Day Special: Catfishing & Modern Dating – KCTV5
For Valentine's Day, I developed and produced a lighthearted, informative segment exploring the complexities of modern dating, with a focus on the phenomenon of catfishing. My role in this creative, engaging piece included:
Concept Development: Identified a timely, relatable angle on dating trends for Valentine's Day, focusing on catfishing to connect with viewers' curiosity and experiences.
Scriptwriting: Wrote a clear, fun, and informative script that balanced storytelling with valuable insights into modern dating pitfalls.
Coordination: Managed all aspects of production logistics, from booking interviews to ensuring timely access to relevant data and research.
Production & Execution: Produced and directed the segment from start to finish, overseeing visuals, editing, and ensuring it aired seamlessly for the audience.
This Valentine's Day feature highlighted my ability to blend creativity, storytelling, and audience engagement into a light, impactful segment that resonated with viewers.
Red Friday Show Open – Kansas City Chiefs Hype Video
At KCTV5, I wrote, produced, and assisted with editing a dynamic Red Friday show open—essentially a high-energy Chiefs hype video designed to rally fans and set the tone for the broadcast. My role involved:
Script Writing: Crafted a compelling, fast-paced script to capture the excitement and spirit of Chiefs fans on game day.
Video Production: Selected powerful visuals and incorporated dynamic footage to create an adrenaline-pumping opening sequence.
Editing Oversight: Collaborated with the editing team to ensure the pacing, graphics, and transitions elevated the energy and captured the essence of the team's fanbase.
Audience Connection: Designed to resonate with the passion of the Chiefs Kingdom, this show open successfully connected viewers with the anticipation and excitement of game day.
This project highlights my storytelling expertise, creative production skills, and ability to engage audiences with visually compelling and emotionally resonant content.