WHAT’S IN MY OFFICE
Like many professionals who work from home, I don’t have just one place to hunker down. I drag my laptop to the sofa, bedroom, kitchen nook, dining room table, and car. (The bathroom is off-limits.) It depends on what type of focus I need and what I’m working on. When I need to write, a sofa works great. Research? The bed seems to work. I’ve taken Zoom calls in all of these locations and even sent emails from the car.
I have an office where I do most of my work. I’m thankful that I live in a three-story townhome. My husband works out of his office on the top floor. I work in a rec room in the basement. Pros: I keep very cool during Washington, DC’s sweltering summers. Cons: I am freezing the rest of the year.
Here is a glimpse of what you can find in my office:
BOOKS: I am a big believer in research. You can’t do too much of it. I still track down as many resources as possible about the topics I am developing. I find great books in old libraries and used bookstores. After a project is complete, I donate what I’ve gathered. Many, though, I keep as reminders of the project. Books are memories.
EDIT SUITE: I split my work between my laptop and edit suite. This is a small, very basic system I put together. It’s enough for me to screen footage, do string outs, watch cuts on whatever editing system my client uses, and watch Vimeo on a bigger screen. It’s been twenty years since I was a full-blown editor. A lot has changed in that time. When I can, I take online courses to keep up to speed. I feel a little like someone trying to drive a stick shift again. It’s not pretty, but at least I’m behind the wheel. I occasionally take Zoom calls from my suite, but the background is a television set, an exercise ball, and a spin bike. You can put the office in the rec room, but you can’t fully take the rec room out of the office
BACKDROP: This is the background for most of my Zoom calls. I’ve won two Emmys for my television work: a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Documentary Series for SECRETS OF THE WHALES and a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Travel, Nature or Adventure Program for PENGUIN TOWN. I’m very proud of these awards. Each was a unique joy and experience. I also like how the gold shines in the light.
Nelson Funk is a fantastic sound engineer/mixer who has won numerous Emmys. He displays them in his suite. When asked why he had them in the open, he said, “It’s so people won’t argue with me.” I don’t have the same moxie as Nelson, but he had the talent and wasn’t afraid to talk about it.
I also have the book that inspired the whale series, filled with beautiful photographs by Brian Skerry.
Next to the Emmys, my two manatee toys. I produced a short film about manatees with my dear friend Kelli McGee and the Riverside Conservancy in Florida. They remind me of how some of the work I do is important for some of the planet’s most vulnerable creatures.
BRAINSTORM BOARD: I worked as a market manager for Aquent in the 1990s. We had to move our office, and as the boss, I worked closely with a designer to create the new layout. I insisted on one thing: floor-to-ceiling dry-erase boards. I had seen it once and loved it.
Thirty-plus years later, I’m still obsessed. The only problem is that I’m working on my dime, and legit ceiling-to-floor boards are affordable on a micro-business budget. One thing art school teaches you is how to find a solution with little money. I purchased some large 3’x4’ sheets of cardboard, found whiteboard stickers, screwed the boards into the wall, and voila: affordable dry-erase boards.
This has my to-do list, idea board, scribbling pad, everything. If I have the funds, I may replace it with something nicer, but I’m not in a rush. It works, and I’m proud of my little ole self for being so practical.
BOBBLEHEADS: I wouldn’t call myself a collector. I only have the ones that I want. I enjoy many things: movies, art, Bob’s Burgers, belonging to a large Irish-American family. But most people know me for my Washington Nationals fandom. Let me explain.
I grew up as a tomboy. I played every sport imaginable for two reasons: I loved athletics, and I was likely ADHD before ADHD was diagnosed. Soccer and volleyball in the fall, swimming and basketball in the winter, softball in the spring, and golf and swimming (again) in the summer. I was okay in most but excelled in two: golf and softball.
Flash forward to Spring 1993. I had graduated college, lived at home, and was broke. I had a job that paid a whopping $17,500. I was in my 20s and wanted to do what most twenty-year-olds do: hang out with friends and drink. The cheapest beer in my neighborhood was at the local Single-A minor league stadium. The Prince William Cannons served Rolling Rock🤢 for $1.25. I had played softball, liked beer, and saw some great players like Andy Pettitte and Jorge Posada before they were big. A baseball fan was born.
When I moved to Chicago in 1994 for graduate school, I lived three blocks from Wrigley Field. My love grew. I moved back home in 1999 and found I didn’t have baseball at my fingertips. Minor league ball was an hour away, and the Orioles was a good two-hour drive on a good day. My best friend Katie Martin and I vowed that if DC ever got a team again, we would become season ticket holders. (We lost the Senators to Texas in 1972) That vow came to fruition in 2005. I have had season tickets ever since.
One reason I love baseball so much is its similarity to my television development work. If a hitter goes 3 for 10, they’re an all-star. The defense is always at an advantage. It’s a sport where the best fail more often than succeed. It’s the same in development. I'm not just a superstar if I sell 3 out of 10 pitches. I am a development goddess. Everyone in television productions strikes out much more than they get a hit. That’s why we celebrate every success.
My office reflects me. It’s comfortable with many things that inspire me. It helps me track my ideas and holds the research I value. One could look around my office and quickly know who I am and what I hold dear.
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About the Author:
Shannon Malone-Benedictis (she/her) is a two-time Emmy award-winning documentary filmmaker, creative consultant, speaker, and facilitator. From writing her first play at age 10 to executive producing documentaries for Disney+, Netflix, and others, she's always loved telling stories. Learn more about Shannon’s speaking topics and creative services at padlincreative.com.
