Lunch Break with Coral McDuffee: Content Creation Producer at Stab Magazine
Oceanside, CA
September 14, 2023
A Talk with Coral McDuffee: Content Creation Producer at STAB Magazine
Working at one of the biggest surf magazines in the industry, McDuffee has established herself as the gossip girl of surfing in social media. Stab being an online magazine, they feed their starving fanbase via Instagram and TikTok with McDuffee keeping the strings around her finger. I got the opportunity to interrupt her lunch break and dig into the nitty gritty of a social media company in journalism and who works behind the screen with McDuffee.
Hey Coral, thanks for making some time to speak with me!
Yeah no worries, can I get extra mayo please?
Wait, what?
Oh, sorry, I’m just getting a sandwich on my break right now. You ever been to the deli at Frazer’s off Oceanside Boulevard?
Oh yep, I know the place. So good. So, what is your main role at Stab?
It’s actually funny you ask that because my boss and I have been trying to figure that out. He came up to me, yesterday and said I am the official “content creation producer”…whatever that means…Damn, the pickles are so good today.
Oh, that is funny. It’s like someone was going to ask you that a day later or something…So, what does your daily job look like?
I manage the Stab instagram account but also contribute editorially. On the daily, I am posting three to five times and six to fifteen stories a day on the Instagram. My main job is to make sure the videos and content we create is successful. I take on the smaller everyday content meanwhile producing one or two of the bigger video projects we put out once a month. I go through the content we receive and post it on social, work on video projects and give directions for the filmers on what to film, send various cuts to the brands like Monster, Vans, and whichever brands we are working with.
Wow, that’s a lot. Is there a social media team?
It’s just me, actually. At least just me on the California side. I sent a lot of content to the Australia side when I don’t know what to do with certain clips or stories and need some help.
You’re kidding. So how do you juggle the smaller and bigger projects simultaneously?
For Stab High and other bigger projects, we have meetings where we collaborate and plan out when and how we are going to roll out the content we will be creating for the next month. We then get assigned who’s going to be working on what for those bigger projects. Right now I’m producing Film Rush, Vans Duct Tape, and all of Caity Simmers’ stuff. I can’t be on both the social media and production side of projects like that. You quickly learn you can’t do it all on your own – it’s basically impossible. So we have teams when creating these bigger projects which helps a lot. But for the day to day things, I just put my head down and dive in the media.
I guess that goes into my next question: How often do you use social media for work?
Everyday. All day.
What platforms do you use for Stab?
Stab has a website, app, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and a podcast. Most of our subscribers are actively on Instagram so I prioritize that more than Tiktok. TikTok drives the trends and Instagram follows those trends, so I look on TikTok for the trends and recreate them on Instagram. The algorithm usually does the rest. If I write an article, I’ll go on the website.
How has social media changed since you started in the journalist industry?
Social media is video content. When something is written down it has a certain sensitivity around it. It’s hard to get something through the way you want it to. If you have a written interview, you’ll never get it the way they said it. The person can say exactly the way they want and come across the way they want it to. It’s easier to report truthfully and in depth through video. So I guess, it’s broadened the way stories can be told.
What is your advise for me as I head into the industry post-graduation?
I hope you love media. It will take up your entire life and existence as you know it.
I also wish I had a little bit of photoshop and illustrator background.
The more you can create content on your own, the more valuable you’ll be at any company.
Watch our for AI.
Remember to write from the validity of your own life and your own perspective. At the end of the day authenticity is what needs to be written.
Alright, thanks Coral for taking time out of your lunch to do this with me. Let’s surf soon.
Yea, ofcourse. And let me know if you have any questions or need help down the road. Also send me a story! Figure out where that Tom kid is having his surf premier next month.