There is an old saying that says you should “always use the right tool for the right job.” In the production world, that old adage is especially accurate when we choose what we take on shoots. Take what you need and use what you take is efficiency at its best. Why go big when you can stay little? Read the rest of this entry →
Camera movement is one feature of media production that can really set the look and feel of your project apart from the rest. Dolly and track, camera jibs or cranes, tripod sliders and camera stabilizers are all different options when it comes to providing this camera movement, each having their own advantages and disadvantages. Set up time, production logistics, crew size and equipment availability can also come into play when planning for the use of this type of equipment. One of the more popular and technically interesting types of camera support that can be used is the camera stabilizer, or more brand specific, the Steadicam. Read the rest of this entry →
Your marketing committee decides that the new company video should include having all of the interviews done out on the manufacturing floor so people can be seen “in their element”. The problem? You need earplugs and hearing protection because of the deafening machines out on the production line. How are people ever going to hear an interview of someone standing out there over that entire ruckus? It sounds like this might be the perfect time for the video crew to go “green”. Green screen that is. Read the rest of this entry →
We’ve all been there. Sitting in the comfort of your living room, watching a program on TV, and the next thing you know, tears are welling up into your eyes and you find yourself crying. Maybe you find yourself starting to talk or yell out loud directly at the TV. You discover you have some type of emotional attachment to the subject of the program you’ve been watching; happy, sad, or angry, whatever it may be. Pass the tissues around. That’s the power and impact of video and the emotional reaction a well told story can evoke from the viewer. Read the rest of this entry →
If you’re not using the internet as much as possible, you could be missing out on some potential opportunities to make your company stand out from the rest. One web application that more and more companies are baiting their hooks with, and one that we are getting more and more requests for, is live web streaming. With choices like Ustream, Livestream, Freedocast and Justin.tv offering free, live web streaming, it is becoming easier and easier to use this technology for your company. Read the rest of this entry →
I remember when a little downtime meant a nice restful siesta. Climb in the back of the van for a long road trip and just nod off until you get to your location. Check in the equipment, get the camera through airport security, grab a window seat and commence the snooze fest. Times change and sadly, with newer camera systems and the way they record images, this is not so much the case anymore. Along comes newer technology, our Sony EX-1 camera, and the days of shooting to tape (and downtime napping) are long gone. Read the rest of this entry →
You hear the value of that in real estate all the time, but does it hold true in the production world? I say “Absolutely!!” One of the first questions to ask when starting a production is, “Where are we going to shoot that?” Being based here in Northern Indiana certainly has both its advantages and disadvantages. Read the rest of this entry →
Why is it you can have a light on for the entire time you’re setting up and blocking a shot but right when someone calls “Action!” the lamp burns out? How can it be that when you look away from the viewfinder for a split second, when you look back, there’s a car parked in your perfectly-framed shot? Who thought it would be a “cute setup” to have a dog AND a child? With lines? If that last take was “perfect,” why are we doing it again? How come when you just start getting to the usable portion of a great interview, the battery warning light flashes ugly red?
Quality or quantity. You’ve heard these words used to describe plenty of things; work, products, food and even people. In the world of digital media production, they are often used to describe one very important element; light. Yes, light. Brightness. Radiance. Illumination. Without quantity, it becomes a project for radio. Without quality, it becomes an average, ordinary, just like everybody else looking video.
Designed by: Movies
Recent Comments