Greer Howard Q&A

Hi everyone! I hope you and your loved ones are staying safe during this crazy time. I wanted to share my recent Q&A with Greer Howard, a popular host in Atlanta and someone who has helped me A TON during my first year of hosting! With over 15 years of hosting experience, Greer has been the In House reporter for the Atlanta Braves, is a co-host and producer of “Unscripted with Beth and Greer”, has hosted “Atlanta’s Best New Homes” on FOX 5 Atlanta, and the list goes on. Not only does Greer have an impressive resume, but she has an infectious smile and is a wonderful role model. I spoke with her about her game day routine and style, among other fun things!

You were the in-house reporter for the Atlanta Braves, what did a typical game day look like for you?

Game Days would typically start mid-morning with a pre-recorded story. The Braves are very involved in the community, so it could be a player at a school, food bank, baseball clinic, etc. We’d cover the event and interview the player for a piece that would air later in the day. For a normal 7:10pm start, I would arrive at the ballpark around 2:30pm, meet with my camera guy and prep for my interviews. First interview would be at 3:10pm when the clubhouse would open for media time and I would get sound from a player. Then from 4-5:30pm, I would have 2-4 interviews and/or stories to shoot. Everyday it was different. Might be food, retail, activities at the ballpark, a charity that was attending the game or happenings around the Battery. These stories had a wide range and were always changing. From 6-7pm, I would interview fans for a feature that would play later in the game. Once the game started, my daily duties were complete, but it was important to watch the game, so I could be ready for the next day. I only worked home games, but this would go on for 7-12 days in a row depending how many games were in a homestand. When the guys went on the road, I would pick up other jobs because working for the Braves was never my only gig. It was a grind for sure!

You always had the cutest game day outfits while hosting! What tips do you have for styling game day outfits?

Fashion has always been a passion of mine (thanks Mom!). I feel like it's a great way to use self-expression and says a great deal about someone. As a Host for the Braves, it was a requirement to wear current Braves Retail. But, it was tricky because the clubhouse has strict rules about what the media can and cannot wear. Let’s just say it's not your typical game day t-shirt attire! So, from the beginning, I had to get creative. I ended up wearing a lot of professional trendy separates to mix and match with my Braves tees. It became my thing! My outfits were a fun, creative expression of my style, but not super functional for fans to actually wear to a game. As a fan, I say rock your favorite gear all while staying cool and comfortable!

How do you prepare for your shoot days or when you emcee events?

Prep is different for every job honestly, so that’s hard to answer. For the Braves, I didn’t receive my information about what I was shooting daily until I arrived. The best thing I could do to prepare was watch the games and have an understanding of the team. When I emcee an event, it’s important to understand the flow of the show and make great notes to keep you on track during the event.

What advice do you have when it comes to improving on camera?

Watch yourself. If you take the time to watch yourself, you can make easy adjustments that can make a HUGE difference. You may be doing something (ex. using a crutch word) that you didn’t even realize you were using. By watching yourself, you’ll catch it and are less likely to make it a habit. Also, have a strong intro and close. Prepare some questions, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, stay in the moment and adjust your questions or conversation based on what's actually being said. You want a plan, but you also want to be flexible. People who master this skill are incredible at interviews because they turn out to be real conversations. And finally, remember the camera is a person, so treat it accordingly. There is someone on the other end of the lens watching you. Visualizing that person is a game changer in how you talk and relate to your audience.

You’ve been hosting for the last 15 years, what has been the most memorable event or game that you’ve hosted?

Gosh, I’m not sure! But I am really proud that I’ve been working as a host for 15 years. I’m not famous, I’ve never done anything nationally noteworthy and that’s totally fine. I consistently work on camera, provide for my son and make a living doing what I love. I’m not where I thought I’d be, but I’m where I need to be and that's enough for me.

You can see more of what Greer is up to by checking out her Instagram, Twitter and website!