Close to the truth

Rating: 10/10 (2 November 2014)

While certainly exaggerated at various points, Nightcrawler strikes close to the truth about local TV News. I should know. I spent thirty four years in local TV news in major markets as a writer/ producer, much of that time dealing with "stringer" film or tape of overnight mayhem and tragedy. Of course part of my job was to clean it up somewhat so it could be presented on the air with the most obscene gore deleted. Nonetheless, if "it bled it led" was and is a universal truism in local TV news. Some of the stringers that I worked with were truly weird, others quite professional just doing an overnight job cheaper than a regular TV crew. After watching this movie, I felt like I had spent a day at work.