 He got his break in March 1970 when he was sent to shoot film about a possible drowning, and no reporter was available to interview the youths involved, who had in fact survived; after preparing the equipment, Phillips stepped in front of the camera to report the story while the camera ran itself, a procedure commonly known in broadcasting as "a one man band" that became his regular mode of operations.Phillips also traveled extensively with The Dallas Cowboys NFL team during the 1970s, shooting on the sidelines at the team's games.Initially focusing on political and sports coverage, the novice reporter pursued his goal of filming feature stories for inclusion on local broadcasts.