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Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas, Business Profile Column

Posted on: Monday, 12 December 2005, 21:00 CST

By L. Lamor Williams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Dec. 11--PRODUCTION SPECIALIST ALWAYS ON THE GO: If you've been to an Arlington school district function, you've probably seen Robert Spence zipping around, setting up audio-visual equipment or filming.

Spence is the district's media production specialist, the man behind AISD TV and perhaps one of the school system's busiest employees, running from one location to the next to film staff development sessions or help set up for the big school play.

On many Thursday nights, Spence can be found at the administration building, filming school board meetings with McKenzie Stokes, the district's media production technician, in a room not much bigger than most walk-in closets.

QUESTION: Spence, what's your last name?

ANSWER: Spence is my last name.

Q: I never knew that. Is there a story behind it?

A: When I went to college the first year, away from my family and everything, I thought, I like the sound of that. If you're in a crowd and hollered, "Robert! Somebody's gonna kill you!" a lot of people would turn around. But if you said, "Spence, somebody's gonna kill you!" I'd know they were talking to me and I'd know to run.

Q: Where'd you go to college?

A: I graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington. I was an aerospace engineering major. I kind of got burned out, bored and wanted to do something different. So I took a film class. It was like second nature. Then, I figured it up and realized I was going to be able to graduate a semester early. I switched and never looked back.

Q: You're taping the school board meetings. A lot of people would think this is boring, but you like it?

A: I love my job. I really do. And I enjoy doing the board meetings. A lot of times at a company, you're limited to one job. Here, I can do it all. I love shooting, editing, coming up with concepts, writing scripts. I love this job.

Q: What were you doing before you came to the school district?

A: I was producer/director for Arlington Telecable; it was bought by TCI, then they were bought by AT&T. I was gone by the time Comcast bought AT&T.

Q: Why'd you leave them?

A: I was looking for a change, and I had free-lanced for the district. I started with the cable company in 1988, and in 1990, I started doing stuff with the school district. That's why so many people know me here and are shocked that I've only been here five years.

Q: How's the change worked out for you?

A: The big difference with the school district is they're so appreciative of what we do. In the business world, you do a job and that's it. Here you do a job and people are so happy. It's overwhelming.

Q: Since you run AISD TV, do you have a blooper reel, and will you tell me what's on it?

A: We have a Christmas party coming up, and I'm going to run all of them then.

He wouldn't give the specifics, opting instead to say that the reel would be a lot of "flubs" and then burst into laughter.

ROBERT SPENCE

--Age: 42

--Occupation: Media production specialist, Arlington school district

--Experience: Five years with the district; previously with Arlington Telecable, which is now Comcast

--Education: Attended South Plains College; University of Texas at Arlington graduate

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Copyright (c) 2005, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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L, T, CMCSK,

Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram (Fort Worth, Texas)

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