What It’s Like to Be…a Camera Operator
Framing a scene to draw in the audience, dealing with screaming directors, and getting lost in an actor’s performance with Pauline Edwards, a camera operator.
Dan Heath
Dan Heath is a senior fellow at Duke University’s Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship. He is the coauthor (along with his brother, Chip) of four books, including the New York Times bestsellers Decisive and Switch. His most recent book is Upstream.
What It’s Like to Be…a Long-Haul Truck Driver
Hauling 32,000 lbs of dead rats, strategically planning every turn and pit stop, and soaking up the highway sunrises and sunsets with Kathy and Gene Lednicky, team truck drivers.
What It’s Like to Be…a Summer Camp Director
Conjuring a world where kids can reinvent themselves, running a small town in the woods, and witnessing camp counselors falling in love with Eric Sasson, a summer camp director.
What It’s Like to Be…an Ice Cream Truck Driver
Transforming school buses into ice cream trucks, watching kids grow up (one popsicle at a time), and struggling to keep the freezers running with Erin Bailey, an ice cream truck driver in New Jersey.
What It’s Like to Be…an Ocean Lifeguard
Learning to read the ocean, performing CPR on a dolphin, and leading daring (and sometimes foolish) rescues with Ed Vodrazka, an ocean lifeguard in California.
What It’s Like to Be…a Secret Service Agent
Scanning crowds for suspicious behavior, learning how to leap from moving vehicles, and investigating every threat to the president with Cindy Marble, a retired Secret Service agent.
What It’s Like to Be…a Tennis Coach
Scouting for signs of greatness, bolstering players after heartbreaking losses, and fighting the “yips” with Vesa Ponkka, a veteran tennis coach.
What It’s Like to Be…a PR Crisis Manager
Taking late-night phone calls from panicked clients, dueling with company lawyers over what to disclose, and rushing to preempt unfavorable stories with Chris Thomas, a PR crisis manager.
What It’s Like to Be…a Creative Director
Churning out creative possibilities on tight timelines, crafting bespoke stock images with help from AI, and pitching unique ideas to risk-averse clients with Jo Skillman, a creative director in Texas.
What It’s Like to Be…a Dog Trainer
Reading canine body language, boarding dogs to teach them manners, and training the dogs’ owners with Keely Korbel, a dog trainer.