“Wow! I would have never guessed we also have a table with a computer in the middle of the red carpet” I told my coworker while I was looking for John Shearer, the incredible photographer I was assigned to help run memory cards to the editorial room.
Bright lights, camera flashes, loud cheering, miles of sparkling red carpet and an overwhelming feeling I did not know how to process. The 2023 GRAMMYs celebration was just starting.
I took my first trip to the editorial room as soon as I got the memory card with the first images John captured from Lizzo on the red carpet. Everyone in the editorial room was as focused as one can be, ready to receive thousands of shots live from all the photographers that were working onsite. Editors, tech event support, operations and production were onsite, in addition of a big team of editors that were working remotely.
A mix of brilliant talent partnering to unleash the most distinct quality imagery instantly to the world. Images that don’t just capture aesthetics, but feelings. Believe me when I say a lot of thought, work, dedication and heart is put on those captures before we see the end product.
While I was waiting for the memory card to be downloaded I switched to my running shoes, suspecting I would walk a few miles and I wanted to give it all for my Editorial team. I already made peace with the idea of possibly running into Bad Bunny with my workout shoes and even though not ideal, somehow they still combined with my black dress.
Every photographer and their runners were positioned in different sites or areas of the venue throughout the event to make sure we covered absolutely everything not just for us but also for our clients' requests. Once the red carpet winded down everyone redistributed to cover ground both in the show and backstage.
Backstage was a surprise for me, as I had never seen it before. I could not have imagined all the life and work that occurs there and I was fascinated by it. The backstage made my jaw drop and my mind blew, while the front stage gave me goosebumps and a knot in my stomach. I also was left breathless in a couple of instances during the show, figuratively but also literally because I tracked 22,000 steps on my phone the day of the event.
I must admit towards the end of the night I was starting to feel all those steps and I almost walked by Jennifer Lopez without even noticing. I am not sure if I almost missed her because I was tired, because my brain could not process it was really JLo or because I was so concentrated on not mixing up the memory cards, I was responsible for. Maybe a combination of the three.
One of our photographers was taking shots of her backstage when I walked by, which you can see @gettyentertainment. I am used to working around public figures and even though I can admire their talent, I don’t idolize anyone if I do not know them in person. I always have seen celebrities as humans, just like you and me, and it's important to respect them as such. They do have an artistic career that touch massively different audiences around the world in different ways. Even though, running into JLo cause me an extraordinary impression, I walked by very quickly and discreetly and headed back to the show.
I was going to run up to drop another card when Bad Bunny hit the stage for the opening. I tried to ignore it but as soon as he started singing I froze, and my soul left my body for a moment. I will share that listening and dancing to latin music teleports me to another dimension, it always did, even if sometimes, I wish the lyrics for some genres were a bit different.
I abruptly snapped out of it before my body would start moving uncontrollably and ran back up to the editorial room so the world could enjoy the exciting images.
Towards the end of the night, after my last card run, I saw my coworkers still holding the same smile as when we started early that morning and showing the same level of care and support between all the team members from beginning to end. I really appreciated the fact I felt part of the team and as included as one can possibly be, considering I am relatively new in the organization.
Working onsite as a runner helped me gain a better understanding of our business operations and allowed me to connect with people in a way I could not remotely. Both bring a lot of value to what I do in my role, supporting Editorial as their functional HR Business Partner. I am very grateful to my team for making me feel so included. An unforgettable night that on top of that, brought me all the feels and one or two anecdotes I will always remember.
