WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Thanks for the memories Clarke Dempsey

Thanks for the memories Clarke Dempsey

Burlington, Vermont - December 18, 2009

This holiday season is tinged with sadness here at WCAX News. We are bidding farewell to our director Clarke Dempsey after nine years with him at the helm.

You may not recognize Clarke because as a director, he works behind the scenes.

"Basically what I do is coordinate all the video elements as well as the audio elements," Clarke explained. "And we put those elements together and combine them with graphics and lower-third supers and (over-the-shoulder graphics) and put all those things together and send it out as one image to the viewer."

Clarke directed the 6, 10 and 11 p.m. news.

"It's a fun environment to be around. A lot of smart people all working towards the same goal," he said.

But even for a director as accomplished as Clarke, things don't always go as planned.

"How often does it go bad? I'd say every single day," he said. "You know that's just the nature of live news."

But Clarke says the good overshadows the bad.

"When something big happens, it's an exhilarating thing... When a big story happens you want to be the first on the air and have it right and have it look the best," he said. "It's fun. It's a fun job."

Clarke is leaving us to embark on a new adventure and we wish him the best of luck.

WCAX News