Q&A with Thaïs Giraudet

SRL’s 2024 Summer Intern, Yeonseo Seok, recently connected with former SRL Summer Academy Fellow Thaïs Giraudet. She is a sophomore studying journalism at San Diego State University and currently working at KPBS as a production assistant. In this interview, she shares insights about her journey as a student journalist and her experience at KPBS.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

What made you want to study journalism in college?

I’ve always been very interested in film and cameras, so in high school, I took Broadcast Journalism/TV Production classes. In the beginning, I didn’t know much about the field but, I gave it a try and I loved it. I got to produce stories, packages, meet some amazing people and had so much fun. I feel like journalism gave me a sense of purpose and was something I could really turn into a career. I really like the idea of being able to tell people’s stories, talking about topics that inspire me, and raising awareness about things that I value. I also love the collaborative aspect and working with cameras and microphones.

How has your experience with SRL helped shape your journalism experience and prepare you for the future?

Through that experience, I learned that I can be independent, and I am capable of creating my own stories. It was up to you to find your story, to get out there and film your interview, transcribe, and edit. I did it all. That really boosted my confidence and made me realize that I have the skills to do this.

As a KPBS production assistant, what does your day-to-day look like?

Production assistants at KPBS do actually little bit more than what a regular production assistant typically does. Today, for example, I’m editing so, I’ll be finishing up some lower thirds or fixing audio. I also sometimes work the Electronic Video System (EVS) where I check all the packages and make sure there are no issues before it goes into the system. Some days I work the teleprompter, where I am prompting for the anchor, or do audio work where I’m checking audio levels and making sure that the anchor’s mic is coming up when she’s supposed to be talking.

Overall, there are a lot of opportunities. I’m very lucky to have producers and a boss who wants to help me learn. When there are on-shoot opportunities, I’m also allowed to go out and shadow video journalists or help set up the equipment.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I honestly feel so proud to work here. When people ask me what I do and I tell them I work at KPBS, they are so impressed because everybody on campus at SDSU sees this building. It feels super professional and like the real world. I know that this is a step along my journey and that this position is going to help me so much in my future professional career. I’m already meeting incredible people and we’re all passionate about the same thing here.

What do you want to pursue in the future?

Ideally, my dream career is documentary filmmaking. I’ve always been passionate about filming and cameras. I think that documentary filmmaking is the perfect combination of the journalism stories that I’ve been creating, the values that I uphold with my journalism career, and also the art of filmmaking.

What advice would you give to aspiring young journalists?

Don’t be afraid. If journalism is what you want to do and you’re passionate about it, go for it and live with no regrets. Make sure to be your best self, network as much as you can, talk about your projects, and talk about what you want to do. More often than not, people will know, if not themselves, someone who has a similar passion or who has a similar project and they’ll connect you with people. So, network and talk about your ideas, and don’t stop being passionate.