A Day in the Life: Ruben Tapia

14 Jun 2023

Ruben works as Videographer and Photographer in Audio Visual & Media Services. Originally from Mexico, Ruben came to Cork in 2020 and studied a MA in Film and Screen Media in UCC. Ruben joined the Audio Visual & Media team in 2022 as student staff and commenced his current intern role in January 2023.  Ruben shares what a typical working day is like for him.

06:00 - My day starts with 30 minutes of reading to keep improving my English. This daily habit has really helped my communication with my AVMS and UCC colleagues. After this, I do a quick check of my personal tasks for the day including some online course work related to video editing.

08:00 – I start my commute to work by foot, which takes about 20 minutes. I usually listen to a podcast, and I am currently listening to a The Mindset Mentor.

09:00 – My working day officially starts by checking my email and I chat with my AVMS colleagues on the priorities for the day.  I update my schedule for the day accordingly.

10:00 – I attend a meeting with the Media and Communications team to discuss upcoming projects and plan some UCCTV filming.

11:00 – I meet my colleague Max Bell for a coffee and a catchup.  We sometimes end up talking about our work and today we chatted about meeting and working with actor Jared Harris, on his recent visit to UCC.  This was a real pinch me moment and career highlight.

11:30 – Time to get ready to film! I check all the equipment including camera, lighting, and audio to make sure everything is working properly. I go over the filming schedule with my colleagues Michael Tobin & Max Bell. Once we have checked everything, we head to the location and start filming.

13:00 – I make time for lunch.  With the nature of my work, I find it really helps my energy and creativity to eat a healthy & balanced meal. I particularly enjoy the spicy turkey sandwich from Elements Café.

14:00 – Onto the next location to film.  Today we are filming on campus with Dr Maria Kirrane, Head of Sustainability and Climate action, on a project Dr Kirrane is working on around sustainability and the UCC Green Campus.

16:00 – After a busy filming day, I save all the files and create backups to ensure I do not lose any of the material before I start the editing process.

16:45 – I write down a plan for next day before grabbing my gear and head to the gym in the Mardyke Arena.

19:00 - I arrive home and make some dinner.  Since moving to Cork, I discovered Lennox’s fish & chips and have grown to love it but for tonight I made some spicy bean soup, and I paired it with some fresh soda bread and butter, Irish butter of course.

20:00 - I have a call with my family in Mexico to catchup on what is happening at home and update them on the news from Cork.  I enjoy reading for an hour to relax and unwind from the day.