#162 Say yes

I thought I would give you an update on my busy schedule. In last weeks, last year's show I give you a list of things that I learned last year that were important to me, to my work and my career in digital video.

How busy I currently am is directly related to degree to which I'm engaged with other people. In other words networking. I don't have time to go into great detail, but I try to make the point that you won't get very far in meeting your goals if you don't say yes to people who ask for help, even if means getting little or no money in return.

Also, I want to plug a podcast I started producing - recording and editing, back in late November. The Post Movie Show is a conversation among Boston film critics about movies. I like it, not so much because I want to know about the movies, though they do cover a wide range of films, but because I appreciate their insights into what makes a movie a good movie to watch. This isn't a show about the latest coolest movie - opinions run high and are often hotly debated, but if you interested in listening to informed opinons in humorous doses, I think you'll like it a lot.

#127 Intern Again

I have certainly been very busy, and certainly not with preparing podcasts, but that's about to change soon.

I have finally put up a gallery page on the website with production stills. The interface still needs a little neatening up, but it's working. I also found IE on PCs don't work well with the copy of the trailer that I had linked it to (it wasn't playing, it would load, but it wouldn't play.!) Rather than figure it out I loaded a new one and it seems to work. Let me know if I'm still wrong.

This show is a 15 minute ramble about things I'm doing as an intern. As you know I'm working as a production assistant at a documentary production company for a few months and I'm trying to make sense of the experience.

I think part of the problem is that I've worked in the same company for 10 years and I'm being throttled by change, down to the elementary level. That changes how you look at and think about everything. But I'm getting better. That or I'm numb.

I also have a screening at a local community center Friday April 10th. Here's a copy of the announcement (warning, it's a PDF) and if you're in the area and would like to come by - do so. And come up and talk to me to let me know you did.

For everyone else, I am ready to release the film, at least in a limited way. You can find the film here and the password is lorezfile. It's twenty minutes long and may take a while to load depending on your connection. If I already have your email address I'll be sending you an email with the same information.

If you have any feedback, good or bad, leave a comment here or on the Vimeo site.

Finally, there's going to be a local screening of the film at the Community School for the Arts on April 10. This is on the old UConn campus in Storrs Connecticut at 7:30. There is no charge, but if you can bring a baked food item that would be great. Download the flyer, which is a pdf file.

#121 Ruff Cutz Film Conference

I recently attended a filmmaker's conference that included screenings of independent films. My film was included and while that was gratifying, I found the real value was attending the filmmaker's panels and viewing other people's reactions to my and other films. I picked up a lot of valuable information about ways to navigate the independent filmmaking process and I've included highlights in this show.

I am preparing a number of changes on this site and an upcoming video podcast, as well as completing my film, so, from now on for an indefinite period of time, I'm going to post shows twice a month instead of every week. Once I get a few new projects running I'll return to a weekly show.

Here are the links to people and sites I"ve mentioned in the show.

Ruff Cutz Film Conference

Jim Jermanok - Producer, Writer, Director

Steven Jermanok - Writer

Dale Carnegie - How to make friends and influence people

Michael Corrente - Federal Hill

Ed Sanchez - Blair Witch Project

Michael Phillips - Academy Award winning Producer

Patrick Smith - Animator

#99 1/2 - Whoops!

Here's the deal, normally I test the links in the show notes by posting it and then taking it offline, until I'm ready to post the audio. This is what I was doing this morning just before I rushed out of the house to take care of some errands. Obviously, I forgot to take the blog offline and while this isn't normally a crime, since I was talking about THE PODCAST, and it's not ready to go up, I took the notes down in order to avoid more confusion.

I'm sorry for those you who have been looking for episode 100 online. I'll be posting it in the next day or so.

#84 Wk62 Shooting

The week before I took off for Vegas and NAB, I got in some shooting, in particular on my documentary.

I began my film project by shooting two interviews, one at the Wesleyan Potters, a craft coop and the other of a professional potter at Birch Mountain Pottery.

Both shoots gave me trouble with the lighting, but overall I got a lot of good footage and excellent sound bites.

I also dedicated my weekend to handling the lighting on a classmates film, John.

#79 Wk59 Preproduction II

Lots of activity this week, but little to do with my own film project. Almost all my attention was devoted to Directions, the annual networking event sponsored by my company. I spent four days shooting interview spots of about 30 people. Add to that a lighting gig I'm doing for John's film. John is a classmate, we've worked together on a couple of class projects in the past. He's way ahead of the curve as far as film projects. He's already rounded up his cast, location, got the crew and is shooting throughout April beginning the first weekend of the month.

Somehow I've become the lighting guy. I did a significant light role in our last class project, the Killer, I obsessed about the lighting for the Directions promotional interviews and the video I just shot at the event. That's only because I felt it was a really weak facet of my skill set. Now I think I'd like to work with the camera.

I'll have time to work with the camera on my own project. I'm anxious about getting some footage shot before leaving for Las Vegas. NAB is putting a huge who in my schedule as far as shooting is concerned. I'd feel better taking off the time knowing that I've begun. With all the distractions and obligations it's difficult to get started, but it's harder on my stomach if I don't.

NAB is beginning next week. The exhibition begins Monday April 14 and the seminars start the Friday before. Let me know if you want me to check out specific vendors and you're interested in learning more about a particular technology.

#75 Wk55 Cinematic Storytelling

Once again I'm starting another module. This one is called Cinematic Storytelling and its about using visuals to tell the story. The final product for this class is either a script, if we're creating a narrative film, or a documentary proposal.

I just got a Zoom H4 and I have few things to say about it. I'm using it for the next few episodes, so you can expect me to update my impressions.

We've learned some important details about the requirements for our final project. More importantly the class is given a couple of writing exercises that, for me at least, releases me from writer's block. It all comes down to collecting ideas and then refining them until they're in sharp focus.

Grammar Girl has a great episode on writing tips and dealing with writer's block. Check out episode 56. I like this show because it's interesting and practical. I learn a lot about writing clearly and it's pretty painless.

I also heard on a recent episode of Digital Production Buzz a link to an HD Production Workflow Tips. This is a great show to listen to if you want to know what other people are doing in digital video production right now. I haven't had a chance to review the tips yet, but the guy who produced it sounded experienced and knowledgeable.

#71 Wk51 On Location

Part II of the story of the two weekend shoot of our little film, The Killers. I'm talking about both weekends here, including how much the quality of communication depends on the the amount of time you make for preproduction, my
Communication depends on preproduction likes and dislikes regarding lighting and sound recording on set and a little problem we had with the talent

There is a very odd relationship between the crew and the talent on set. I have a few words to say about actors in general and the difficult but critical role the Assistant Director plays.

#67 Wk48 On Location

A brief show this week, describing the many different aspects of filming two scenes. The learning this time around is all hands on. The entire class is working together to shoot two scenes from a script. We've each taken on at least one role, in some cases two. My primary concern is creating the lighting with a secondary responsibility for sound.

Once we determined our roles, we broke into two groups. The technical people: cinematographer, sound and lighting worked together while the producer and director spent their time setting the location, set design and casting.

The cinematographer or director of photography took the lead by creating a shot list or storyboard which came from conversations with the director. Once that was done, sound and light could be configured.

We stumbled a few times, lost some momentum because we didn't really know our jobs well (that's where the learning came in), but we regained our footing and finished the week with some preliminary storyboards, a look at one of the locations and our first casting call.

#65 Wk47 Cinematography

At the beginning of the week we looked at several movies to better understand how to use the camera to break up dialog and deliver another level of story information.

Despite it's static nature, dialog doesn't have to be a lead weight that kills the momentum of your story. If you shoot it properly, you can actually propel the viewer through multiple layers of information about the characters and the plot without any additional effort required on the part of the audience.

This isn't merely an academic pursuit. In the Killers, our next film project, most of the "action" takes place in a diner where the characters spend most of their time sitting or lying down. Also, we have to show the evolution of the character of Nick, a seemingly minor character, with few lines in the first half of the story, but who becomes the central character by the end.

We review some films, focusing on how to shoot dialog in a static location and keep it interesting. These included clips from Se7en, Jurassic Park, Gladiator, Cape Fear, The Incredibles and American Beauty. All these films involved clever use of camera motion to keep the story moving ahead during a lengthy exposition.

During the last class each person gave a brief explanation of how they would use lights and camera to best present the story in their final project film. In the process I got some valuable feedback about how to set up for different types of interviews, a question I've been looking to answer for a long time.

#64 Wk46 Cinematography

Work is starting to pile and in the interest of streamlining tasks I'm taking a different a approach to recording this show. For the next few months I'm going to produce a less scripted show and be less picky when I edit. The effect, I hope, will be me sounding more natural even as I eliminate production time. You'll let me know if I sound less intelligible, right? I'm interested in cutting down production time without sacrificing critical quality.

The list of things on my plate are

• increased demand for video in my day job, a big development
• a class project shooting and editing scenes from the Hemingway script, The Killers
• independent, paying projects, outside of school and work, such as the promotional videos Laura and I shoot for the Huntington Theatre - there may be another one I'll be involved in coming in January with another classmate
• and of course my final film project which is a documentary about the life of a professional craftsperson, a potter.

I'll have more to say about my final project in the next show. In this show I continue to talk about using light to control the feeling or mood of a scene that helps to advance the film's story.

Let me know what you think.

#60 Howard Phillips Interview Pt.1

Howard Phillips is the Associate Director of the Filmmaking program at CDIA and has been my instructor in a number of classes, including lighting and Avid. No need really, to introduce him though, he does an excellent job himself in this, part one of the interview. Let me just say that his willingness to participate in this podcast is an extension of his generosity of spirit to all students at CDIA.

In this show you'll hear him talk about his own experiences learning production filmmaking techniques as well as some interesting tangents he's followed that gives him a unique approach to teaching. You'll also hear him explain the ideas and goals behind the curriculum.

I'll post the 2nd half in a few days. In that episode he'll talk about the present state of filmmaking, the role technology plays in the process of realizing your vision and the possibilities that lay in the future.

#45 Wk31 - Film Project II

This is the last week of the Film Project II module, which is to say the last week where we can shoot footage that we will edit in 3 weeks.

We don't have anything more we plan to shoot right now, but we may. This week we reviewed our footage and talked about it in light of what we already learned in previous classes and this project. We had problems lighting, but the final footage looked quite good.

There's also information about how to log video, before you capture and I explain how the camera sees compared to how our eyes see.

Next week is another new module where we learn how to use Avid.

#24 Wk16 - Film Project 1

Click on the podcast title to link to a player of this post.

After a review of our footage from last week's shoot we returned to New Hampshire and spent the morning at the Jackson Estuarine Lab. We filmed the steps that will ultimately be a movie on how to make a genetic fingerprint.
This module has been an excellent learning opportunity. I have learned to check equipment before I leave the equipment room, to make a shooting list before going on locaiton and most importantly, I learned a valuable lesson about setting the white balance on a DVX100.

Finally I end with an insider's description of the Pixelcorps. This is an online community that serves video professionals through training, mentoring and job postings. There's a summer special of $50 for 3 months membership. It's a good deal.

Go to Pixelcorp.tv for a good source for production video podcasts.

#22 Wk14 - Film Project 1 and NAB Wrapup

This episode includes a wrap up of NAB. I focus on Apple and Adobe's new products and a little bit about the Red Camera.

Although I didn't attend the first week of the new Module, "Film Project 1" I lay out the details: get coverage for two 5 minute videos, one demonstrating how to do something, the other is a profile of an individual.

Check out these podcasts that provided a lot of live coverage of the NAB event: This Week in Media, FX Podcast and Digital Production Buzz.

#21 Wk12- Las Vegas and NAB

I try to cover my harrowing adventures to the show and the past 3 days of training seminars I've attended.

#14 Wk8 - Filmmaking Fundamentals

I'm talking about a variety of shoots this week. We're shooting an action scene using a dolly and shooting a dialog scene with a variety of OTS (over the shoulder) angles, including dirty and clean singles. Once all the camera work is done we'll be editing it into rough cuts next week.

I also discuss a number of Filmmaking events taking place in the next couple months. In Boston the Independent Film Festival will be taking place, April 25 - 30. They're looking for volunteers. Another film festival is online, called the One Minute Film Festival.

The 48 hour film project is closed in Boston, but it's a wicked cool event you should look into to get a complete tour of the video production experience.

I will be attending NAB mid April and while I talk a little bit about the things I plan to see and learn at the show, including training by FMC, I'll talk about at more length in the next podcast.

Some of the updated announcements I expect to see are Adobe CS and Production suite, Apple FCP and an update to Avid for the Mac/Intel processor.

Red camera is going to make a big noise with a demonstration and possibly a limited sale of it's new camera that shoots 4k video.

#13 Wk7 - Filmmaking Fundamentals

Creating a Short Narrative

This module is all about putting into action what we've been taught to date about light, camera work and sound. After a brief introduction by our instructor Tom Robothan we were thrust into the preproduction process. Our goal was to shoot five scenes from interviews to action and dialog and then cut it together.

It's an excellent example of the team-orientated learning that is a big part of CDIA's curriculum. This week is all about planning and next week we'll do the bulk of the shooting. The last week is for editing.

#10 Wk4 - Special Topic

Documentary A-Z
This is a special mid week episode of the Video StudentGuy podcast. Thursday night we had a special topic presentation by Franco Sacchi, a filmmaker and instructor at CDIA. He presented his documentary, American Eunuch, as an example of how to create a documentary.

The class covered every step of the production process beginning with finding the idea, preproduction, the shoot, post and promotion. Check out IFP.org for help marketing your film.

Franco briefly referred to the Long Tail marketing concept which I try to explain in a nutshell. This was a term popularized by Chris Anderson of Wired and he went on to write a book about it as well. He also has a blog on it. I believe this business model has significant impact on all content producers and will continue to gain mind-share over the next several years.

Everything about the film should be rolled up into a website for promotional purposes. Include budget, proposal and treatment to demonstrate your organizational skills. You should contrast the earlier American Eunuch site to the more current This is Nollywood website to see how he is using the web to create buzz about his movies. Nollywood is a documentary about the growing film industry in Nigeria. That film is currently in post.

Towards the end of the show I present a few of my thoughts about the movie. Keep in mind I only saw a portion of the film. All the same I give it a thumbs up. I close out with some production notes about this podcast.

Chapter Titles

• 00:08 This Week
• 01:25 Franco Sacchi
• 01:50 Costs
• 03:44 Find the story
• 06:31 Preproduction
• 07:41 The Shoot
• 08:43 Post
• 10:03 Promotion
• 11:40 The Long Tail
• 13:36 Websites
• 15:23 Film Commentary
• 18:10 Close - Production Notes

#2 Podcast Goals

In this episode I go into some depth about the things I want this show to be about – production video software and hardware, production workflows, video editing and distribution, reviews of the classes, the school, the workshops and visiting artists.

Yeah, I've got dreams as big as the sky, but there's a lot of time to cover all this stuff, maybe. Boiled down to it's tar-like essence I’d like to extend my classroom experience into this podcast. I want to let you know what I'm learning, how it's helping me create a better podcast and ultimately become a better video producer.

Copy the RSS url and paste it into your podcatcher, like iTunes, or Juice.

Chapter times

• Podcast goals 1:21
• Audio 1:40
• Avid 2:20
• Managing my time 3:38
• Applications of Video 4:24
• Topics of discussion 5:58
• Interviews 7:53
• Production Skills 9:20
• Workflow and problem solving 11:34
• Podcast schedule 12:10
• Combining different media 13:02
• Distribution 13:34
• Community 14:53
• Advertising 16:33
• Close 17:54
• Enhancing this podcast 18:27