THE COUNTDOWN echoed through Maggie English’s headset.
Five. She adjusted her grip on the camera, her fingers steady despite the adrenaline rush.
Four. The production truck crackled with final confirmations, voices overlapping in controlled chaos.
Three. She took a deep breath, bracing against the Pasadena morning chill, the scent of fresh flowers from the floats drifting through the air.
Two. Back home, her mom was watching, waiting for the appearance of her camera angle, eager to spot her work.
One.
As the roar of the flyover signaled the start of the Tournament of Roses Parade, it hit her — she was here, behind the lens, capturing it all. The moment felt big, but the road to get here had started long before.
English dreamed of working in entertainment in high school, but it felt far off — something other people did. She loved drama class, and her teacher/ director encouraged her to pursue acting. His faith in her inspired her to look for ways to be part of the industry, even if it wasn’t on stage.
College, however, shaped her future in ways she hadn’t expected. Although she initially leaned toward film production, a required broadcasting class refocused her career.
“My professor was so passionate about the industry that he made me want to work hard, and I ended up falling in love with the work,” she said.
A job with RFD-TV confirmed her calling.
“Working there has made me so much more confident in my abilities and has shown me that I really can do this for a living — and that I’m good at it.”
When RFD-TV decided to bring its crew to the parade instead of hiring freelancers, English put her name in.
“I tried to play it cool and act like I didn’t care if I went or not,” she admitted. “At the time, I had only been with the company for a little over a year.”
Then she got the call and couldn’t wait to share the news with her mom, one of her biggest cheerleaders.
A few weeks later, English found herself running cable and building cameras with the crew, but there was one quick adjustment. The studio cameras were all robotic. She spent time reacquainting herself, tracking pedestrians, and ensuring smooth movements.
The following day, just before the broadcast, things got real.
“I was standing at my camera, headset on, waiting for the flyover, and it hit me what I was about to be a part of.”
The show passed in a blur. Directors called cues, cameras shifted between angles, and the crew worked in sync. Every second mattered. Before she knew it, the Tournament of Roses Parade was over.
Breaking down the gear, English reflected on the experience.
“I already knew that I loved my job, but this just made everything I’ve worked toward that much better.”
With her equipment packed and the job done, it was time to head home. But as she walked away, one thought stuck with her — this was just the beginning. GN
