Lisa Lubin Bio Pic- with one of her 3 Emmy Awards
This week I’m very pleased to interview a famous woman in the American TV industry: Lisa Lubin. Lisa is an multiple-Emmy-award-winning TV producer, professional videographer, and editor, who also happens to be a travel addict with her own travel blog, LLWorldTour… Hey, almost the same name as my blog! lol.
Lisa loves travel so much that she gave up her amazing TV career to travel the globe for over 3 years. Recently back Stateside, Lisa wrote a great ‘How to…’ book on making professional videos. What will she do next?!
It’s been a pleasure interviewing Lisa because she’s very personable, down-to-earth, and full of enthusiasm for life. Without further ado, here’s Lisa Lubin:
Q1. You’ve won 3 Emmys! What exactly are your Emmys for? Producer? Videographer? Or?
That’s right…I am big time! ;)
I won three Emmys during my time as a producer at ABC in Chicago. I was also nominated 10+ times. Two were for a weekly entertainment magazine show (food, travel, lifestyles) that I wrote and produced and the third was for a special I wrote and produced on Latino gangs in Chicago.
Lisa Lubin Directing in 1996
Q2. You’ve worn a lot of different hats in the professional TV media world, including producer, editor, director, videographer, and other jobs. What’s your favorite and why do you love it?
That’s a tough question! I get bored easily, so I think I wear a lot of hats because I like variety in my life. I loved being a live newscast director because I thrive under the pressure and excitement of live news. The aspect I love about producing would be the planning and scheduling – especially travel shoots that were in another city or country. I love logistics and am extremely organized so I get off on planning all that. I also, at times, really enjoyed editing my segments. I like the art of using music in editing. It’s fulfilling when natural sound, music, and images can come together in such a way that really tells your story and elicits emotion.
Lisa, with her cameraman and reporter, producing on location for ABC in Cabo San Lucas Mexico
Q3. In 2006, after 9 years at ABC Chicago, you gave it all up to travel the world. How did you feel about doing that? Were you terrified? Wondering what the hell you were doing? Absolutely thrilled? Nervous? Excited, but apprehensive?
Ha! I am sure at times I felt all of the above. But I was mostly very excited. I felt ready to take on a new challenge in life (there’s that needing variety thing again). I don’t believe we need to stay in the same job, doing the same thing (even if we like it) during our one short life. I had a wonderful job and a great salary. But, so what? I was ready to learn more and see more of the world. So, actually I wasn’t terrified…I was more excited with a bit of apprehension sprinkled in because of the ‘unknown’ factor.
Q4. How did the people in your life respond to your decision? ABC and your colleagues, friends and family?
By and large, they were wonderfully supportive. People that knew me, weren’t too surprised because they knew I loved traveling and I guess I must put out this strong and independent vibe. I even have these two posts on my site, that round-up all the responses I received. I am really glad I documented them, because, to this day, they really warm my heart.
Lisa Lubin with more new friends during a bicycle trip from Hanoi to Saigon, Vietnam
Q5. So you set out on a 1-year RTW trip in mid-2006… and ended up traveling for 3 ½ years. Yippie! What are the biggest lessons you learned from your travels?
Oh wow, so much.
The biggies:
It’s not really about what you see, but about the people you meet and with whom you connect.
I learned to be more flexible and say ‘yes’ more.
I learned that pushing myself out of my comfort zone does feel uncomfortable, but it almost always results in something wonderful that helps me learn, grow, and expand my heart and mind.
I learned how to make friends and build a community no matter where I go in the world.
I learned and believe that people are mostly good.
I learned to be more relaxed more and less ‘planny’. Everything does fall into place.
I learned that you can go far with a smile and openness.
I learned what little money and ‘things’ we need to be happy.
I learned to be more mindful about the life I lead and what I take from and do to this earth.
I learned to give myself ‘transition time’ when traveling to new places, until I felt ‘right’ again.
…and I learned doing things ‘our’ way isn’t always the ‘best’ or ‘right’ way.
Lisa Lubin with icebergs in Patagonia
Q6. I know this is a difficult question, but what are your 3 favorite places in the world, and why?
The Galapagos Islands – Dreamy. This was a once in a lifetime experience – boating between all the islands, each one unique, and experiencing this amazingly natural place and interacting with diverse animals – sea lions, blue-footed boobies, giant tortoises – wow.
Patagonia – no other place took my breath away like Patagonia. Seeing the ominous and huge Perito Moreno Glacier had me in awe – it was like nothing else…and I’ve seen a lot!
Eastern & Central Europe – Since my first visit in 1996, I’ve just fallen in love with so many places here. I don’t care that it’s not remote or so off-the-beaten path. I love it and would love to live in Germany or Sweden or Switzerland or northern Italy or….
Lisa Lubin in Stockholm
Q7. You’ve visited a lot of cities around the world. What are your 3 favorite and why?
Chicago – It’s my hometown, I’ve lived and worked here now for 14 years now and just love it. The friendly, down-to-earth people, the neighborhoods, the parks, the diversity of food, the lakefront. For a big city, it’s manageable, clean, and user-friendly. It’s the best city to live in the United States.
Berlin – I like northern Europe in general and Berlin is a great center point. It’s progressive and arty and still efficient and clean. Plus it’s proximity to beautiful, fairy-tale like Saxon villages.
Stockholm – Another city I could live in tomorrow. Great design, good social programs (free University for all!), and a beautiful city built on islands.
To make it easier, I chose places that I can or could live in. There are many more places I love, but being in or near a city is more practical for me. Look-wise, I just love the entire area in/near the alps: Eastern France, Northern Italy, Switzerland, Austria. I swoon for those quaintly-perfect alpine homes with flower boxes spilling from every window and the smell of chimney smoke wafting through the air. Yes, please.
Lisa Lubin with Mona in Sighisoara- Romania
Q8. What were your 3 best / most interesting experiences during your world travels?
Crisis UK – Volunteering in London at Christmas time with homeless people. Spending nearly a week there and really getting to know some people and make friends was extremely gratifying.
Pueblo Ingles – A wonderful ‘English Immersion’ program for Spanish business folks. You get a free week of room and board in exchange for just chatting in English. I made life-long friends here and liked it so much, that I ended up working for the company and doing PR for them for a year afterwards.
Istanbul – I was supposed to visit for 2 weeks, but ended up staying for 3 months. I taught English, I cat sat and lived in a great apartment, I acted in a film, I interviewed with one of the top Turkish TV presenters (Mehmet Ali Birand), I met with the host and star of “Turkish Idol”, I did proofreading for the largest media group. I made friends a built a community thanks to the warmth of the Turkish people.
Lisa Lubin wearing one of her many hats- photographing Bryce Canyon- Utah
Q9. So, in 2010, after 3 ½ years of nomadic world travels, you gave up roaming and returned to Chicago. Why?
For me, it was time to plant some roots. I originally thought I’d just be gone about one year. That turned into more than three. I never wanted to be a full-time nomad and still feel ‘right’ about that. Luckily, I love Chicago and it wasn’t a place I was escaping. I have a great community and network here and it’s a place I am proud to be a part of. Plus, it has a great international airport…for when I want to leave, which I do often. I still travel for about a month at a time several times a year.
Q10. What’s your main focus / passion right now?
Well, number one, I never went back to a full-time job. Unbeknownst to me, I’d been building a freelance career since I left and I’m still seeing if it will sustain me. I launched a new company last year called LLmedia. I do video consulting and help those who are starting to do video and need coaching and lessons to improve it. I also do freelance travel writing, photography, and speak at various conferences about video.
Video 101: Tips & Tricks for Awesome Visual Storytelling by Lisa Lubin
Q11. Last year you wrote and published your book, Video 101: Tips and Tricks for Awesome Visual Storytelling, in which you draw on your vast experience in professional TV video making to educate people on how to make great videos. Congratulations!
What do you think are the best aspects of your book? And where can people buy it?
I’ve worked in TV for 15 years and taught TV production for 6 of those. The Video eBook is an easy-to-read, yet thorough synopsis of the basics you need to know to shoot and edit video and sound and how to make it into a video that tells a clear story. It gives you the specific techniques you need to properly shoot interviews, b-roll footage, get good quality sound, and the importance of having a clear focus to tell a specific story – and then keep your audience engaged in that story.
It’s just $15 and you can read more info about it here.
Q12. Nowadays, what kind of travel / trips do you usually make? How often do you get to travel?
There is still so much to see. I have a list of places I still want to visit, but also get pulled in other directions due to press trips or conferences. No matter where I go, I take advantage of that time to explore a new place. Last year, I went to Colombia for a month, Vancouver, Hong Kong, New York City, New Jersey, Nova Scotia, Edmonton, North Carolina. Next month I’m heading back to Costa Rica for a special customized tour including a Spanish Immersion and home stay. I leave Chicago every month or so for another adventure. I need to start subletting my apartment!
Lisa Lubin with Audrey- her couchsurfing host in Paris
Q13. Do you think you’ll ever become a nomadic traveler again, or do you prefer to have a home base and make shorter trips? In either case, why the preference?
I don’t think I will ever travel for that extended amount of time again. Right now I like having the freedom to still pick up and leave when I want to. I do like having a home base, but I can’t say for sure that that home base might now be somewhere in Europe in the future. I think I am done with going place to place, but I think I’d still love to live abroad, probably somewhere in Europe. But either way, I still keep my living simple and, although I have an apartment, I’ve been conscientious of not buying much ‘stuff’ or weighing myself down with things I simply don’t need.
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Thanks so much Lisa for telling about your exciting career in TV and your adventurous world travels. Hope to meet you on d road! cheers, Lash
Video 101 – ebook by Lisa Lubin
If you’re interested in making great videos, whether for travel, family events or just for fun, check out Lisa’s excellent How To book. At just $17, you have nothing to lose but a lot of fun to discover!
Follow Lisa:
Facebook: LLworldtour / LLmedia
Twitter: LLworldtour / LL media
Google+: Lisa Lubin
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YouTube: LLworldtour
Hi! I'm Lash, an American nomadic world traveler who's been traveling solo since 1998. I’m passionate about traveling the world nomadically and then sharing it all with you. I hope to inspire you to travel the world, to entertain you with tales from the road, and to help you reach your travel dreams. Welcome! 
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