Fascinated by journalism and connected with ITABO Producciones

Written and translated by Amauris Betancourt.

Foto: Amauris Betancourt.

Known as “Titi” by family members, close friends, colleagues and some acquaintances, she is also called indistinctively by other less frequent nicknames. In her environment she is talkative and reveals her joy by slanting her eyes to give a smile away. She is likewise excessively curious by birth and gullible at the same time, a family thing.

Her physical and mental age differ and that won´t likely change because Darelia Díaz Borrero is eternally young at heart. And this time gap tells her apart with a cordiality and a reserved but resolved candor.

A journalist of profuse writing, hard words when criticizing, hot opinions and fond of polemics to work things out, she is engaged with her job: she is that industrious that she never turns down assignments, even when with hands full.

She prefers voicing her opinions than keeping silence regardless of consequences when truth is on her side. Ah, methods are sometimes inappropriate! But that goes hand in hand with youth: “I like telling the truth and standing out for it, even though in journalism it turns out difficult when exerting baldness criteria. Indeed, I have always tried to be faithful to what I think”. 

That is why injustice brings her more than uneasiness, total repulsion. She makes hers other people´s problems, and holds respect for others -there are always limits!- though some people don´t respect themselves. She is straightforward and passionate when coming up with arguments backed up in legality and common sense.

Her madly fondness to baseball spreads easily. She heads, virtually, #BullaMiEquipoEhEh, a Facebook fan group in support to Los Alazanes, Granma´s team where women account for the majority. Don´t dare be close to her when Granma loses!

Darelia -graduated from Journalism (2012) and with a master´s degree in Social Communication (2019)- works in the province CNC TV station. She heads press affairs and is ITABO Producciones´ Community Manager. She is also in charge of this creative audiovisual group´s blog, occupations where she grows professionally and overcomes challenges in keeping with this team's versatility and multi-functionality.

Her mother is a journalist without an academic title; and her sister, her professional closest paradigm, of whom she is nevertheless, at the same time, the biggest critic!

Vocation born in the family; and in the university, the academic and personal development

Foto: Amauris Betancourt.

“My sister passed on to me my love for journalism.  I grew up while she fought first to get the dream-major; and then, later, when she started off making her way down through TV journalism. I was hardly five years old when Katy began university, very small to understand what journalism was about, but her motivation and joy impressed me so much that I said once I wanted to grow up `to sell newspapers like my sister´; not the slightest idea indeed but I was dead sure about wishing to feel as happy as she did. I discovered the true essence of this occupation years later and convinced myself of practicing it.

The university taught me to love journalism even more and supplied the most important tools for my career, sort of an ABC. The study of journalistic genres, grammar lessons as well as writing, stylistics and text interpretation besides the basic subjects and professional practices in different means of communication provided me with more knowledge and gave me a better picture about it. But what is more: I made there my greatest friends to this day. It was the possibility to get to know a different city, more cosmopolitan, known by its parks and for the strong cultural movement. A city I learned to love as my own".

Professional training and the beginning of a career in several mass media.  Learnings?

"I owe journalism growing every day both professionally and personally. I feel thankful for the opportunity to know about what is human and divine in our surroundings. I can get to many places, interact with lots of humble and hard-working people that make most of the time an anonymous contribution to our everyday life. Journalism allows enjoying stories born in sacrifice and self-overcoming.

My first steps in news reporting go back to the Information Nacional Agency, today´s Cuban National Agency (ACN). My greatest school, my acid test, where I began to apply what I had learned at the university and to add up a series of tools and skills, natural fruits in the job practice.

Right after that two-year training period, I began working at the CNC TV, our province TV station; and pretty soon I had to take over too, alongside, the provincial correspondents' office of the daily Granma paper for a couple of years.

The job as a daily correspondent posed a challenge. It demanded a lot professionally, because I had to make press coverage of all news branches. A unique and nice experience from which I keep good memories of the affection and respect from the national Granma paper staff members and from colleagues in other provinces.

The CNC TV has been a space of growth, of joy, of a lot of work, and of self-commitment, though I acknowledge I have been unable to get rid of written press habits".

And ITABO Producciones shows up. Your duties?

Foto: Amauris Betancourt.

"I made some small works for ITABO when the group was taking its first steps, but I joined the team officially a year after the foundation. I took over press affairs, community managing and as blog´s webmaster. I collaborate nowadays though with other tasks because that is what true work teams do".

The experience to tell about ITABO Productions in present-day media context is demanding and requires versatility

"Right, we live times overwhelmed by Internet; that is why making a targeted use of social virtual platforms to promote services and potentialities from a given business, company or enterprise proves to be quite crucial. On that ground, ITABO Producciones´ Facebook page was created and so was a blog in English and in Spanish.

ITABO makes use of Facebook to publish information and pictures about the group and its productions, its members and their professional activities, as well as campaigns with different intentions. It also issues reports on offers and works carried out such as institutional ads, cooperate videos, clips and TV programs.

Facebook still leads social networks´ universe. It stands out among the most popular ones in Cuba and, therefore, having a conspicuous involvement renders very important to make sure that your company's offers or business get the eye of a bigger number of followers.

In the case of the blog, still to be inaugurated officially, it is rather more formal and is used to inform on ITABO as a group, on the professional peculiarities individually, the experiences of team members as well as publishing press reports about the group´s work and the clients.

Another goal aims at promoting the business menu and audiovisual products in a way present-day and potential clients could be updated through news reports, interviews, and the like.

This way, to make a good use of Facebook advantages as to the its reach, the majority of the contents published in the blog is shared in the page where many people are tagged".

Conflict between journalism and advertising?

"Journalism provides me with lots of objective tools from the communication point of view to advertise ITABO´s work as a media group in the social networks; however, at times, it sets challenges because I have to get rid of traditional methods and informative writing related to journalism to find a less formal but more commercial style to avoid messages with lack of seriousness".

And how do you manage with such a rigorous woman as president? You get along with like sisters?

"Well, indeed, being the president´s sisters means a real challenge since responsibility is bigger; it has to be that way. She is not that easy on me because I am her sister. She is, as a matter of fact, a very demanding and intense president. 

Foto: Darelia Díaz (selfie).

She always has something up her sleeve and wants all done for yesterday, something with pros and cons.  But fortunately, she likes listening to people, above all when she understands little about a given issue, and that is the case of social networks... (she smiles). Anyways, we manage to agree on almost everything and I do my best to carry out things as good as possible without putting away her ideas.

It makes me angry though when she gets stressed because she is stubborn; but that hardly happens. We get along very well, like real sisters".

Is it difficult to deal with followers or detractors, although these last ones are scarce?

"Fortunately, ITABO has many followers and except for one or two negative remarks, most of them in Facebook and in the blog has been so far favorable".

Emotions; achievements in your job with the group?

"I love social networks. To see how a given content reaches thousands of people in a few hours is amazing thanks to the new technologies and the virtual universe. It was very gratifying when ITABO Producciones´ Facebook page got more than a thousand followers in only a month, and that the number keeps growing. We expect more definitely. It pleases me that all posts and publications have had reactions, remarks and have been shared several times. That gives us a bigger reach and visibility. It is also rewarding interacting with satisfied clients and with other users interested in our products".

Your professional and personal relation with ITABO Producciones team

Foto: Alex Gainza.

"As a matter of fact, I do not take part regularly in the audiovisual creation process, but due to my job I am aware and know the peculiarities of the creative process and the essence of every specialty. Nevertheless, I often attend shooting sessions with the group. That allows me to have a better idea about things they carry out as well as more elements in terms of contents for promotions as a community manager and for the press information, generally speaking.

Work has been nice and pleasant, in part because I know almost all members of the group who are most of them my colleagues at the CNC TV which is a great advantage and guaranties harmony in the team.

I met others not long ago but I like them too. I like the group environment; I get along with all team members, and that is very important for success at work".

What does ITABO mean to you?

"It has been a wonderful surprise, a possibility that came up without expecting or looking for it, but I am delighted as if it were a long-awaited project".

ITABO, journalism and family?

"Combining everything and trying things come out all right or, at least as best as possible, is complicated but not impossible. Family comes totally first.

Foto: Katiusla León.

Anyways, I love my job as a TV journalist. I try my best to fulfill all my tasks at the channel, which are many because I am always pressed on time. The job with ITABO is also pure passion to me and it works pretty well so far with other responsibilities. And in that context the family support and understanding have been vital to be able to manage all of them together".

A look into ITABO´s future.

"I´d like to see ITABO with the same faces and, of course, new ones. That means development, to multiply the good energy to undertake new projects. Certainty I see a prosperous, successful group, loaded with lots of projects".

Darelia´s kindness, confusing sometimes, hides behind her serious and observing face; but deep in her, without going that far, people like her because she projects confidence. She is also a transparent, faithful and unconditional friend. She pursues obsessively desires and projects, and she declares herself optimist by nature and a down-to-earth day-dreamer.

This enthusiastic and enterprising multiplatform communicator has found in ITABO productions more than a friends' circle, a family's extension, a place where dreams can come true and where creativity is poured on common projects by the side of competent professionals from the audiovisual panorama in Bayamo.

 

Seduced by the magic of the sound and ITABO´s opportunities

By Darelia Díaz Borrero / translated by Amauris Betancourt Gómez

Photos by Darelia Díaz Borrero and Amauris Betancourt.

Spending days polishing and mixing voice, effect and music, three ingredients that go alongside for the sake of an informative message, stands not only for his way of life, but also for something that makes him really passionate.

Tenacity, commitment and daily hard work, feature Iván Valdés Vázquez's duty as a sound producer. His first job in this field was in the Technical Service Department of Sindo Garay Music and Show Company in the province of Granma, where he had the possibility to take part producing sounds for shows, galas and rallies as well as in first-level-band concerts.

He admits he always had a thing for means of communication. This brought him in 2015 to the municipal Ciudad Monumento Radio Station, in Bayamo, where he started off his career as a sound producer for a mass media; and then he took over a similar job at the provincial Bayamo Radio Station, places where he still works to this date.

“I always went in for this specialty because it can affect human emotions and feelings. Musicalizing gives me the full possibility to give free reign to my feelings. Sound production, my professional choice, allows me to create, to make a contribution, and to change a given work, whatever it takes, using my knowledge”, states Valdés Vázquez about his passion for this world.

For over a year, besides radio sound productions, Iván has added up his effort and gift to ITABO´s works, what has marked his debut in the audiovisual field.

Did your links to ITABO Producciones come up by chance?

It was so indeed. One evening Katiuska León, ITABO´s president, showed up to record some voice in off, and when the recording was over, she came up with the proposal of preparing the sound track for that work; later, pleased with the final result, she asked me to join the work-team.

This is my first experience in television. I admit I love radiobroadcasting though I always felt interested by the audiovisual world. I just hadn´t had the chance ITABO gives me today.

Does the way ITABO assume productions differ from your work in radio stations?

Yes, each means has a thing. Radio broadcasts images through sounds while sound in ITABO backs up images.

Is sound designing an essential item in ITABO´s works?

As a matter of fact, a sound track design is vital and peculiar to each audiovisual production because it stands up for sonorous codes identifying scenes, characters, places, feelings ... which are turned into creations and, at the same time, that results in a unique proposal.

How do you combine sound´s technique and aesthetics for the sake of ITABO´s audiovisuals?

It means a lot to me: it is top priority. The technical and esthetic quality of sound has to go hand in hand with what ITABO´s graphic demands. Balance between pleasure and appearance should be achieved to favor a good end, paying attention to technical parameters. A defective sound brings about problems in communication, and henceforth the visual discourse is likewise affected.

How is sound measured?  What parameters are taken into account?

There are basic attributes such as tone, ring and intensity. Tone is measured by high and low frequency; ring is sort of a fingerprint, it is unique: for example, a minor La executed with a guitar and that same musical note interpreted with a violin; they do not have the same ring, they sound different and they are still the same note. Intensity is measured by decibels from cero to a 100, this last one is the note of distortion. And they are all controlled and mixed in a sound console.

Sound has or does not have harmony. When there is no harmony then it is noise. To achieve a good sound renders very important besides technical and environmental conditions, full knowledge of the specialty.

Out of the range of products from ITABO, which one do you prefer and feel that allows you developing a more creative and conceptual job as a sound producer?

All of them are very important to me. Each one results in a different and unique experience, and in consequence, a challenge to me. They demand a lot from a personal and professional point of view. The creative process gives me the possibility to dream up, to imagine, to create with total freedom, always in agreement with the conventional codes.

Which has it been for you the hardest professional task for ITABO?

Audiovisuals stand out for a challenge of course, and here more as a professional in a new field. Each material demands specificities, requirements and particularities, what makes it a unique work. That is why TABO´s ones are indeed a challenge in the broadest sense of the word, written in capital letters.

How do you integrate yourself in the postproduction? How difficult is it for you to assume this new role as a sound producer in an audiovisual work?

It is hard taking into account that sound is a vital element within an audiovisual work; the post-production process is complicated in that sense. Sound post-production is the final stage of the audiovisual product´s sound track, that includes musical setting, sound effects, dubbing and audio rendering.

What has it meant for you professionally belonging to ITABO  Producciones?

Teamwork is extremely important and that is precisely ITABO, a team. My joining this project has given me new know-hows and a lot of knowledge. It has provided me with a will for constant personal overcoming and learning as well as abilities, tools and techniques to do a better job with higher quality; and, above all, it has fostered my creativity.

Ambitions ...

The possibility of being in the middle of a constant creative process and of being able to expressed myself with total freedom through sound production. Expectations? I do have many: I wish to keep on exploring and creating in this wonderful horizon of the audiovisual world and I dream of an enormous range of opportunities, where we may show all of ITABO´s creative power. That could help us establish ourself in the audiovisual market, inside and outside the Island.

Iván Valdés Vázquez, who has turned sound making into his reason of being, sees himself full of motivations. Introverted, of few words, and simple, he knows that what he has achieved comes out of hard work, effort and dedication.

He likes listening to music in his free time, reading -mainly contents related to his specialty-, and watching TV programs, preferentially news programs and movies.

Broadcasting images through sounds on radio or on television is an ability this producer keeps on learning. That´s why he declares himself in an endless love with his career and thankful for the professional opportunities he has run into in ITABO.