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Behind the Scenes: Visual Storytelling from the Jungles of Hollywood
MTh Directors, Grady Hall and Mark Kudsi joined forces for Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ to transform this pop star into Queen of the Jungle.
* What challenges on set did you face throughout the development of the video?
Our vision was always to make the biggest, best jungle video we possibly could, limitations be damned. We as a whole group just took on the challenge of getting all of it -- a complete Woman vs. Tiger storyline, a "Woman Meets Monkey" friendship . . . not to mention a bunch of action that involved swinging from vines, standing on waterfalls, animated cave paintings and working with all of those animals . . . and just the "Katy being Katy" scenes in which she paints the elephant's toenails, brushes the alligator's teeth, and all those other "Glamazon" moments we loved. See? It's hard to even summarize it in a quick way -- so imagine trying to shoot all this complex stuff in a couple of days.
* What was your main goal when creating Katy Perry’s "Roar" music video?
We wanted a video that was not just a shallow performance piece but a full-on story with heroes, villains, action, struggle, tension, and of course, the victory of Katy becoming the Queen of the Jungle in the biggest way possible. Like a full Tarzan movie, only in four minutes, and with a half-clothed Katy Perry.
* What piece of advice were you given when you started a career in production that you still follow to this day?
[Grady]: For me, it was that storytelling and emotion always come first. Visuals should just be an extension of those core elements. This should be made into a mandatory tattoo written on the hand of anyone involved in filmmaking.
[Mark]: I think the biggest piece of advice I have received, and continue to follow, is being as prepared as possible in order to create an environment that allows you to be successful. When I am able to go into a shoot, having done as much prep work and planning out as much as possible, it allows for those extra pieces of magic that you did not plan for to happen.
* What pieces of equipment are a must-have for you when on set?
[Mark]: I think the most important piece of equipment for me on set is my iPad. I like to put all my prep work on there so I can have it with me at all times and quickly reference it through out the shoot. It is a great tool for me to remember, references, and take notes with, and also extremely helpful to communicate with others. As the saying goes, a pictures is worth a thousand words, so it is great to have any type of visual material readily available to share with the team.
[Grady]: For me, the must-have piece of equipment was just a very detailed plan and an ability to stay in the moment to get the most out of every scene. And tiger repellent.
* What was it like collaborating on set with superstar Katy Perry?
Not just on the set, but during development and during post, Katy was creatively engaged, brilliant, fun, and funny. And especially on set, she's so creative in her performances -- always bringing something new to each take. We actually wish we could think of something negative so it doesn't sound like we're blowing smoke, but this is a woman who's a superstar for a reason: she's talented and extraordinary.
* Who inspired you towards starting a career in directing?
[Mark]: My directing career was never quite mapped out in a traditional manner. I studied visual communication in school, and started out my career as a graphic designer. My passion for moving images, music, story telling, and design led me to change courses from the static medium of print, to the emerging industry of motion graphics. Once I immersed myself in this new world, I fell in love. I wanted to do more then tell stories with just graphics, but through human experiences. I continued through the ranks of the industry, and spent many years as an apprentice, learning the ropes from the directors I worked collaborated with. Through these experiences, I was truly inspired to tell my own stories.
[Grady]: For me, it was bad directors messing up screenplays that I had written for a television show where I was a staff writer.
* Anything else you would like to add?
[Mark]: This was an extremely fun experience, and is the type of job that inspired me to direct in the first place, combining all of my passions. It also was a perfect opportunity to collaborate with my long time friend and colleague Grady, who I admire. Occasionally we have done some commercial projects together in the past, but this was the first time we have come together to work on a music video. I am really proud of what we were able to accomplish in such a short time, and even more proud of the positive responses we have received. I also want to thank the whole team, from the label, production, and post-production side. Without their tireless efforts, this video would not be possible.
[Grady]: I agree with everything Mark said. Projects like this live and die on the team's passion and talent. Oh, also, if you're ever stuck in the jungle, don't try to out-roar a tiger.
Antelope Audio Shines Bright on Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour
Rihanna's Diamonds World Tour might be over, but Antelope Audio shines bright, bringing superior audio quality front and center. Learn what pieces of equipment are crucial for audio pros, along with audio tips/ trends that make Antelope Audio a "go-to" for production pros to the stars.
Q: How did Antelope Audio land the gig of supplying audio for Rihanna on her Diamonds Tour? What pieces of equipment were crucial for the best audio possible?
A: We've established our line of clocks and converters on the studio side over the past 8 years as the premier product line for high quality audio, but live sound is its own animal and breaking through in this sector has taken somewhat longer. What tipped the scale for us with several major artists has been the Orion32. Offering 32 channels in a one space rack without sacrificing a high level of audio quality is a Godsend for live touring engineers. This resonated immediately for Demetrius Henry (Live Playback Technician with Rihanna). Upon his request, we brought the Orion32 and 10M Atomic Clock to the Rihanna rehearsals at Sony Studios in Culver City and after they heard that combination, her audio team started asking where else in their audio path our products could be used to enhance their sound quality. We worked our way through the chain with each visit to Sony and ultimately Antelope is in use at nearly every possible stage of the audio signal path on this tour.
Q: What trends in audio technology do you notice are on the horizon?
A: What's so interesting about the Orion32 is that we feel it very much represents the future of pro audio. Greater channel counts, smaller size, less heat and power consumption, along with improved stability, while offering wide compatibly on multiple platforms. Based on the success and rapid acceptance of this product, there can be no doubt we will see more development along these lines.
Q: If you could share one major production/audio tip for pros starting in the industry, what would it be?
A: We believe the roots of high-quality digital sound lay in advanced clocking. This technology lies at the core of all Antelope products. A superior clock can make an average converter sound much better than a poorly clocked high-end gear. Eleven-time Grammy Award winner Rafa Sardina, an avid Antelope Audio user, says that high quality speakers and clocks are crucial equipment for a studio “because when making decisions in the studio, it's most important to know what exactly it is you're listening to.”
Q: If you can describe the company in three words, what would they be?
A: Quality. Innovation. Value.
Q: What’s next for Antelope Audio? Any new major projects/clients you will supply audio for?
A: We are currently focused on not only revolutionizing the audio industry, but on the evolution of our own products. We firmly grasp the reality that it's not only about building the "latest and greatest" new audio gadget that will sustain growth in our industry, but supporting and evolving our current offerings of solutions for the studio, live sound, and the home. To that end, we have constantly been evolving our Eclipse384 and Orion32 drivers and control panels to increase their power for our loyal customer base. At the same time, we are currently developing newer and we believe more powerful solutions, such as our upcoming Zodiac Platinum converter, which will offer both standard PCM and DSD conversion, as well as some exciting new studio products.
Q: What is one thing about your company that people might not know?
A: We're not sure people understand how much emphasis our engineering team places on the analog aspect of our designs. The amplification, power and analog components matter quite a bit for both master clocks and converters. We think it would come as a surprise to many if they knew how carefully the analog aspect of our products are treated and the level of importance we ascribe to that aspect of design.
Q: What do you feel sets your company and its products apart from competitors?
A: Antelope has pioneered digital audio breakthroughs since we began. It started with using an oven-controlled oscillator for greater stability in our crystal-based clocks, which we still do to this day. We then added an atomic clock to our line, which was engineered specifically for our line of clocking and subsequent audio conversion products to provide the utmost in stability. We've also broken barriers in sample rates and channel counts over the USB protocol. Suffice it to say, Antelope Audio is focused on innovation not imitation.
Q: Any thing else you would like to add?
A: In addition to presenting the new Zodiac Platinum 2-channel high-end converter next month at the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver Colorado October 11-13, we will be presenting the Orion32 at the New York AES Show together with various other studio products as a complete Orion-based recording and mixing solution. The Orion32 allows recording enthusiasts to shrink the size of a very powerful studio, even to the degree that it can be easily transported for live and remote gigs with relative ease. This will be the focus of our AES demonstration in NY on October 17-20.
Regardless of whether you’re making a short promo video or a feature-length film, the storyboard is an intrinsic first step in the pre-production of your content. When you start your planning, you need to think of your storyboard as a blueprint - a visual representation, using drawings and illustrations to map out the flow of your content. It is in this early stage that you can create an effective skeleton and solid plan that you and your team agree on. You can hash out details on specific shots, transitions and suggest ideas that will work on film. Coming back to your storyboard will also help with editing and any issues that may arise later in production.
2. When planning your shot, remember to keep in mind the editing process that will follow. Shoot to edit in mind every time.
3. Make sure to account for audio; ambient sounds, natural sounds, echo, by writing these notes down on your storyboard. Audio is just as important as video.
4. Don’t be on the outside looking in. Be in the action and give your viewers unique access to your subject.
5. When planning for action shots, make sure to record at least 1 reaction shot for each action shot. Tears of joy, laughter, shock - get to the emotion of the reaction and plan it into your storyboard.
6. Never have 2 of the same shots in a row, such as wide-wide, medium-medium, close-close. Therefore, every edit should be from a different camera distance and angle. If this is incorporated into their storyboard, you will have plenty of great footage to choose from when editing your footage.
7. Finally, don’t worry if you’re artistic ability is less than desirable. Chances are, no one outside your production team will see your storyboard. Even if you use stick people in your storyboard, so long as your concept is clear your video will be fine.
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Content Courtesy of: Madeleine Hammond, Marketing Executive at Skeleton Productions, a UK based corporate video production company.
Blackmagic Design’s first Cinema Camera offers great value in a small package: 13 stops of dynamic range, 2.5K Resolution, Linear RAW data in an open-source format (Cinema DNG), options to acquire in high quality, straight-to-the-edit industry standard formats such as DNxHD and ProResHQ, as well as both PAL and NTSC options in one single unit.
These features, along with a modular form factor, create an instinctively new and worthy option for many productions that seek high quality with a low footprint whether the purpose is to match an existing camera for additional coverage, or as the primary image.
The Blackmagic Cinema Camera’s most valuable asset, however, is the unique picture it produces. At a time when many digital cameras produce a very similar look and feel, Blackmagic’s first Cinema Camera affords the end-user the ability to craft stand-out looks in motion. It provides a robust base image in all categories, which can be altered with confidence at nearly any stage of acquisition, to create some of the most unique and project-specific visuals to date.
Revealed to me over one year of extensive use on various types productions as well as consulting with producers, cinematographers, and future owners -- the flexibility in operation and image fidelity that all in-camera recording formats offer, coupled with Blackmagic Design’s award-winning post production software DaVinci Resolve (full license included with purchase) allows the user to create a very unique, project specific look.
These points have influenced my decision on camera choice on numerous occasions, most recently in preproduction on a fiction short film, where the narrative’s design required a John Hughes feel and a poppy, nostalgic 80’s aesthetic. The options narrowed down to a tight shooting ratio on Super 16mm Film, a Super35 high resolution base with RED EPIC, and Blackmagic’s 2.5K cinema camera; I chose Blackmagic.
The Blackmagic Cinema Camera’s uniqueness begins at the sensor size, falling somewhere between micro-four thirds and a super16 film format. This initial characteristic impacts depth-of-field, perspective, and many other factors. The sensor size allows the use of fast lenses known as “Hyperprimes”, with minimum apertures as wide as 0.95, they combine with the camera in “lowlight” scenarios for interesting outcomes.
Many more inherent characteristics of the sensor’s design further influence the base image, including noise characteristics, motion cadence, and color reproduction. Digital imaging has long-since struggled with capturing skin in a faithful manner. The Blackmagic Cinema Camera’s sensor, along with Blackmagic Design’s background in post production color, brings the operator one step closer to consistent, accurate skin tones.
Each of these characteristics can be influenced at three junctions to manufacture a signature look for the project:
Before Acquisition
Choosing to “feed” the sensor more light yields less noise, while exposing for the final image produces a very “film-like” luminance noise pattern. Under-exposing shows a gritty, grungy image which may be appropriate for certain types of projects.
Unlike other digital cameras in its class, high quality recording options means lens choice also has a great impact on the base image.
Acquisition Format Choice
Cinema DNG is the RAW recording format in Blackmagic’s Cinema Camera. As a linear, 16-bit format (each frame stored in a 12-bit log CDNG file), the Resolve Operator is given freedom to alter the image with minimal degradation in the process at the expense of greater storage needs.
ProResHQ and DNxHD are compressed from the RAW signal in camera. The image is slightly softer than RAW, and less flexible, yet the 10-bit formats still provide ample information to mold from.
Choosing to acquire Cinema DNG in camera, then finishing from ProRes4444 2.5K masters has also become a viable and comfortable workflow for many. The ProRes4444 2.5K masters provide near-to-RAW image quality while requiring less space to archive.
Each choice slightly affects the final look.
Project Finishing
There are many ways to finish a project helmed on the Blackmagic Cinema Camera. The included DaVinci Resolve software is suited to the task, some users may wish to explore different options.
Cinema DNG is an Adobe format, supported by many Adobe Products including Lightroom and Photoshop. These applications have extensive and developed tools for DNG processing that enable the operator to create more unique looks.
In the future, I would welcome a high frame rate option or a matching high frame rate camera from Blackmagic, more tools for exposure in camera such as a raw histogram, and more user-friendly display items such as remaining media.
For me, however, Blackmagic’s care in image crafting, and open-ended recording formats, affords the end-user with the ability to craft standout motion picture at a time when many digital cameras produce a very similar look and feel.
In this new golden age of symphonic sample libraries, the works of ProjectSam have had a dominant presence on the scene for a number of years now, perhaps none more so than their SYMPHOBIA series, whose first two installments were an instant hit amongst producers and composers, and continue to be de rigueur for media composers who are called on to produce rich sounding symphonic pieces on a tight deadline.
While there are plenty of composers who enjoy whiling away the hours in the nuances of programming, there are many others that prefer to spend their limited hours focusing on the musical composition itself, and relish the luxury of a software that provides a handy shortcut towards their sounding good. Additionally, the Symphobia series also created a key niche for itself by putting at composers’ fingertips a series of complex orchestral effects and gestures (including aleatoric effects, tonal clusters, glissandi, wild textures, etc) that are difficult if not impossible to create through MIDI programming of even the most sophisticated orchestral sample library.
While Symphobia 1 and 2 certainly had a great deal of tonal and instrumental range, they were often associated with a kind of large-scale intensity. Now, ProjectSAM has released LUMINA, the third installment in this defining series, which expands the palette of the series into a gentler realm of sounds, geared specifically towards composing for fantasy and mystery genres. Central to LUMINA are various combinations of orchestra and choir, whose long, playable textures are lush and evocative. Such elements are also employed in many of the fantastically-programmed “stories” which – as in previous Symphobia releases – provide the user with instant access to a full palette of sounds, evocative of a given narrative tone, and all controllable from a single window in Kontakt. As with previous Symphobia releases, LUMINA also includes a series of imaginative and often beautiful orchestral effects (called “textures”), variously categorized by genre (i.e. Fantasy, Mystery, etc).
LUMINA also includes a number of lovely instruments that fit perfectly into library’s tone. Highlights include Piano/Harp/Vibraphone (recorded as ensemble), the Celtic Harp, and a full bell tower. The light, playable percussion is also a nice touch (I particularly enjoyed the bass drum rolls and phrases). For both “playable instruments” and “stories,” there is a newly developed array of microphone options via the Microphone Cross-Fader feature, which allows the user to create her own combination of 3 mic channels: Close, Direct, and Ambient.
In recent days, ProjectSAM has released LUMINA 1.1, which adds a full 7 GB of content to this already sizable library. One highlight of this update is a massive expansion of the “stories,” which have doubled in volume (going from 8 to 16). Furthermore, in many instances the “textures” now offer the user mixer control of their constitutive parts (i.e. strings, choir, woodwinds, etc) from within the Kontakt window – I’ve found this part of the 1.1 update to be particularly useful and to expand the flexibility of the library exponentially.
LUMINA is a worthy and wonderful addition to the stellar Symphobia series, and I recommend it without reservation.
Daniel Danker, Chief Product Officer of Shazam
Dan Biddle, Head of Broadcast Partnerships, Twitter UK
Matt Millar, CEO, Tellybug
Steve Godman, IMI Mobile
Daniel Danker:
(Left BBC for a career with Shazam)
Most people don’t realize Shazam is 10% of all digital music sales in the world right now; and 70 million people a month are using it. It’s a super simple setup. I came on board to grow Shazam for the TV area of the company. Did you know 80% of users Shazam television? It’s not just about pulling your phone out at a Café or nightclub when there is a song you don’t recognize. It is being utilized for a lot more.
All of this prompted me to ask a question that is pretty unpopular:
“When it comes to second screen, have we been trying to solve a problem that doesn’t really exist?”
We have been celebrating the utility…instead of the result.
TV users aren’t seeking out another web address or hash tag. (Sorry, they just aren’t.)
What users are generally doing is looking for answers to simple questions – "Who is that actor?" ,"How do I make one of those casseroles?", "Where do I buy one of those?"
They want these answers with as little effort as possible.
They don’t want phone like this – iphone 10 with million apps.
They don’t want URLS for every little thing either.
They don’t want to scroll through lists of pages and pages of content (in most cases)
We genuinely represent engagement across all users, and not just a sliver or slice of the tech savvy ones.
Our 2nd Screen Formula is to create a simple experience.
(What are we asking users to do today? We're asking them to
a.) View a TV commercial…
b.) Remember what it was they were interested in…
c.) Then they go online…
"...Now what was I supposed to do?" They say.
That’s the challenge. Having to get users to make that effort.
In regards to Shazam- all users have to do is launch the app and Press one button – and it figures out not just what you were watching, but at what moment in that program. Then we take you to the “right place.” This is an important factor. The content isn’t fitting into a Shazam shell, it’s created by the same people who produced the TV content. TV users don’t want to be taken to place where it’s disjointed from the program.
For Example:
* “Shazam Jaguar Commercial.” – gyroscopic panaorama 360 degree.
* Home Depot example: They created a ‘How to’ video specifically for a product. Home Depot was complaining that the product wasn't what they originally expected. The website was too cluttered, leaving the user thinking, “What do I search for again?”
But if they would have shazamed the home depot paint commercial, the app would have taken them to line of paints page. Simple as that, and directly connected.
* Olympics – opening ceremonies, daytime, primetime, etc.
* Red Bull supernatural challenge – during race, 4 opportunities to Shazam the first person perspective cameras of the athlete going down the slopes. 81% of users watched until the end.
We also make sure to be very relevant and flexible as a company for our clients.
Give content providers ownership of the experience. 10% of BET audience Shazamed while watching the awards.
………
Dan Biddle with Twitter UK shared that Twitter is starting to extend into programs themselves. (Little did we know they were hinting at http://mashable.com/2013/09/23/twitter-cbs-partnership/
Advertisers are very clear with what they are trying to accomplish. They want to reach their audience. Right now they are throwing up loads of call-to-actions in a variety of media platforms, trying to figure out what works best for ROI for their clients.
………
Matt Millar, CEO Tellybug
(Builds and run apps for shows like X-Factor, Americas Got Talent & The Voice.)
What Gets Consumers Interacting?
* Keep it simple (we want them to be relaxed & entertained)
* Two devices in front of them – beer, phone. We want them more interested in picking up phone than the beer! Simple, fun, rewarding.
* TV = best output in home been for 50 years. But also the worst place to do input.
* Main meal is the TV. Second screen is the side dish complementing main dish.
For example: When a TV survey on a talk show come up and asks the viewer something like, “Who do you agree with?” James 35% / Jeni 64%. (The user is thinking, somebody cares!) There’s a piece of magic when someone at home gets to change something on the screen. Your opinion is changing what’s happening. You no longer have to send letter and hope to be one of thousands selected
TV is still very social by nature - people still like to watch things in groups. Even if not physically together, it’s a social interest. Same shared interests – making connections between the people.
Example: “X” button on app. To play along on America’s Got Talent. Press or don’t press? Only one possible action is possible. So, what do we do when commercials come on? We send ad after. “Tap to clap” – 25% one in 4 click through ads because it’s very relevant.
We peeked at transaction rates that make us bigger than Facebook for few hours. Large formats, interesting demographic split: majority of users are women. 70% - skews younger and older. Dip in 25-35.
Metrics obviously vary by show– the minimum bar for a voting show is votes, for sports is the fantasy experience- more dense experience. You can’t lay second screen programming in the same way though.
What you do for an SNL show is different for a drama.
Offering detailed background stats on SNL might make it worse, but for sports would be better. Look at the market, and the emotion you are trying to drive them. Gripping drama, or there’s breaks, etc. let people fill in around that. Match it with show, there is no ‘one size fits all.’
For Example:
#dodge #answer. Fox News – whether Romney dodged his taxes. Not live stats but it's good data for later.
As the Velvet Underground famously sang, "I'm Beginning to See the Light." Or at least a recent project I was slated to Direct forced me to turn my eyes even more towards a light to which I've already been headed. Irregardless, now that I've had a look? I ain't ever going back.
Our client, Go RVing, needed a wide-range of marketing video content for Broadcast and Web use, and they brought me in to direct a 4-day shoot on Michigan's West Coast. The first day was all interviews with actual users telling their unscripted stories to camera. The second and third days involved shooting eight different scenic broll situations with 20+ talent members in various camping situations. The fourth day was a practice in planning, logistics, and highway patrol as we shot seven vehicles on a large stretch of a US highway, through rolling vineyards and driving on wooded country roads.
On paper, this seemed like a pretty involved shoot when we first got the specs. This 4-day shoot for Go RVing would need a symphony of coordination, with more than 40 crew & talent plus multiple vehicles and their drivers spread out over 2 campgrounds and 120 miles of beautiful Michigan scenery. I can't believe I actually toyed with the idea of Directing this with only our producing team for support! But you have to understand the production background I come from. Previous to directing branded content & campaigns, I had cut my teeth producing television entertainment segments and specials where I was required to plan the shoots; also direct & produce during the shoot; and then in post-production I'd be responsible for writing the scripts and producing the edit all the way to output.
Multi-tasking is inherent in my background, but relying on true professionals to focus on specific roles has been an acquired (and thoroughly embraced) taste in my career. In moving to Directing ad campaigns, I have embraced the idea of hiring bigger crews with a DP, an AC, a Gaffer, Grips, PAs, Stylists and Prop Directors to make the image and talent look great. But on the Directing side I still stubboringly had held on to both scheduling/talent details AND the directing roles.
With the amount of locations, vehicles, talent & crew in this shoot, after a few reality checks, I finally admitted I had a problem. Thankfully, my therapy came the way of a few DP and AC contacts in Chicago who work on films in addition to the branded content TV spots we collaborate on, and I was able to pick their brains to find a solution: an Assistant Director or AD!
To get started using an AD, I had to find someone I could trust to make decisions on set. I got an explanation from Quinn Wilson, a Chicago-based AD, as to what services he could provide. Here's the best explanation I've seen for what an AD does:
Time efficiency - once I really learn exactly what it is we are going after, my main focus is getting as much done as possible in the amount of time we have. On a macro scale, finding better ways to schedule the day and find ways for all units to be staying productive simultaneously, on a micro scale, making sure we are moving efficiently in terms of getting talent through MU/War, rigging shots, calling the roll and prepping scenarios and overseeing people doing everything they need to get done for the shot to be ready and you to get what you need while we are rolling.
Centralized info - I would be the go-to person on set for the crew to get marching orders from, be it info for the next day or what shot is up next and how best to prep for it. This allows you to focus more clearly on directing, crafting the story and relaxing in your down time as opposed to managing the team.
Client relations - While on set, I can also disseminate info to the clients, keep them comfy and happy, and relieve you of the elbow rubbing that may take you away from directing.
Misc - My job as an AD is to make sure we get everything we need to cut the project as seamlessly and efficiently as possible while keeping everyone happy (not always a possible job), but if we needs hands to help move logs or there is a chirping bug in the BG that we need to find a way to make quiet I'm usually the first one to step in and deal with it, so we can get back to shooting. My approach to the job is to get all of this done, while maintaining a low stress, enjoyable, and fun environment.
Pre-pro - As an AD when we step onto set I need to know everything we'd like to do that day and how/when/where/with who we'd like to do it, so I can make sure the crew is doing what needs to be done to knock it all out. I can come up a half day early and do tech location scouts with you to get a solid idea of what you'd like done, or we can talk each night before the next days work starts to get on the same page.
Does it get any better than that for a Director looking to maximize his workflow? After getting this explanation from Quinn on what an AD could provide me on the shoot, I got a little greedy and hired not just one, but two ADs for this shoot! Stephanie Clemons with SEC Visuals was our 1st AD and Quinn Wilson became our 2nd AD.
The interview day was a great day to settle in with the new Directing crew and get used to the workflow. But the next two days balancing talent, locations, vehicles and a photo crew who needed to use everything either right before or right after we shot, I really got to see the value of ADs. And the last day shooting, where we had Police Detail, Highway Closures, and two cameras shooting seven vehicles from a Camera Car, it really showed me not only how much better Stephanie our 1st AD was with a Walkie Talkie than me (mine was taken away several times due to losing it and not speaking in crew code), but also how much better I was when I could focus on capturing the best shots.
2nd AD Quinn Wilson and AC Tanner Field
The shoot was pulled off without a hitch, working with two ADs helped me see some areas where I didn't need to worry about being perfect, and reinforced the idea that I can excel by focusing on what I most love to do: direct! Our client also made several comments about how great the ADs were, and couldn't believe this was the first time the Directing team had worked together. If you're a multi-tasker like me and are waffling over the value an AD can add to your video productions, I hope this article has given you some insight into how an AD can help make your life easier. Happy shooting!
Camera Sidenote:
The DP, Pete Biagi, and I settled on the ARRI Alexa with a 25-250mm Optimo Zoom to shoot all the primary scenes and interviews. With the limited timeframe with talent, we immediately moved towards adding a 2nd camera to capture more angles during interviews, and also to give us an option to grab scenic broll moments which might be more "off the cuff" and need less lighting setup than our Alexa. For Camera B we shot with the Canon C300 and used Jamieson Mulholland as our 2nd Camera Unit DP.
Jeremy Pinckert is a freelance Director of TV Ads, Campaigns, Web Videos and Branded Content. His work has won Tellys, Best in Show ADDYs, and an Emmy Award. You can follow him on Twitter @videocompany, see him on LinkedIN, check out his video portfolio reel, or download his free manual: How to Produce for Video!
BroadbandTVcon started 5 years ago under the name OTTCON, in reference to Over-the-Top TV and Video. As the market and industry has matured, BroadbandTV encompasses all the exciting developments in the production, programming, delivery, consumption and interaction with video over a wide variety of platforms. Learn where they see the broadcast industry headed, as well as some industry heavy hitters on deck to speak at this year's event!
Q: How do you see broadcast careers changing / adapting this year and next?
A: The traditional television business is on one hand fighting to keep the status quo, while on the other hand, working to embrace the new realities imposed by a more sophisticated and demanding consumer demographic. The consumer is changing, moving the industry inexorably toward a new reality. This will mean a dramatic shift in how content is produced and programmed.
Q: How can ProHUB content creators get involved with the conference?
A: The BroadbandTVcon agenda has been developed this year from the ground up with the content creator in mind. Content creators are being empowered like never before. Emerging distribution and monetization and multi-platform consumption strategies are allowing content creators to be successful outside the traditional industry structure. Content creators are also empowered to develop a direct one-on-one relationship and engage with the content consumer in ways that were not possible previously. This show provides the critical insights on the technologies, strategies and business models which are going to impact and transform the way content creators produce, program and develop content.
Q: What speakers / events at BroadcastTVCon are you most excited about, and why?
Above: Margaret Laney, Chief Marketing Officer of Awesomeness TV
Above: Ran Harnevo, Senior Vice President of Video for the AOL On Network
A: I am really excited to have Margaret Laney, Chief Marketing Officer of Awesomeness TV at the show. She is speaking on the panel: Original Digital Content: The Quiet Revolution Which Is Changing the Industry.
Awesomeness TV has been one of the most successful of the YouTube multi-channel networks with over 14 million subscribers and 800 million video views. The company is truly on the cutting edge of developing content for a new generation of consumer. The acquisition from Dreamworks shows that powerhouse traditional media companies are looking to cutting edge companies like Awesomeness TV to help them develop their vision for the future of entertainment and create, develop and distribute content to multiple platforms.
I am also looking forward to Ran Harnevo, the Senior Vice President of Video for the AOL On Network. AOL has been around forever and it is almost impossible to count the number of companies it has acquired or merged with over the years. This history of acquisitions and partnerships enables Ran to offer the attendees a really unique perspective on all the M&A activity going on in the BroadbandTV space. He will be examining the emerging partnerships and using them as a 'crystal ball' to look into the future of TV. He'll be answering questions like: How can we analyze and interpret them to stay ahead of trends? Which strategic partnerships will move the industry forward? What walls will be taken down between traditional internet and TV companies when players on both sides combine efforts? Will “online video” simply be called “video,” for example? How do you know which partnerships are right for your brand and your vision? When should you say ‘yes,’ and when should you pass?
ClearCut FX brings Cutting Edge Visuals to Box Office Hits
What do major blockbuster movies like Hunger Games, Oz: The Great and Powerful, MIB III, Alice in Wonderland and numerous movies you dished money out to see all have in common? Not only amazing visual effects, but the specific VFX skills of Christian Boudman, with Clearcut FX.
Learn how Boudman climbed the VFX ladder of success, and created his own rules right onto the big screen.
Q: What piece of advice did you receive in the production industry that you still follow to this day?
A: I've received so much great advice and guidance over the years, it's hard to pick just one piece. But here's one of my favorites that I follow to this day: "Make sure you do great work. At the end of the day, that's all that matters."
Q: What was it specifically about VFX that had you drawn towards starting a career in it?
A: I began my entertainment career in the late eighties as a magician, fire-eater and juggler… But, my dream from childhood was to work in movies and television. In 1991, my new bride and I loaded up the Honda Civic and moved from Massachusetts to Los Angeles. For several years, we scrabbled for work and I quickly clawed my way up the ladder: from runner; to production coordinator; to associate producer on shows like the Oscars, Emmys, and Comic Relief. I then landed a gig as the assistant to the line-producer and the post coordinator on a Disney sitcom called Boy Meets World. In one episode, there was a dream sequence in which one of the characters had to appear in multiple places on the set at once. We shot everything on blue screen and brought in an on-set Ultimatte guy to make sure that the keys would work. We then sent everything to a VFX boutique (which owned a couple Quantel Henrys) to comp everything together. It was during those sessions that I fell in love with the VFX process. It took a few years for me to find the right opportunity to transition into VFX, but when I got the chance, I jumped at it. The rest is history.
Q: How has the VFX industry changed today compared to when you first started?
A: Ha! Well to begin with, when I started, everything was shot on film and the Inferno compositing system, on which I worked, cost a million dollars. Also, the major studios compensated VFX companies fairly for their efforts. The internet was in its infancy and not everyone had a cell phone (That's right, you actually had to drive around looking for a pay phone when your beeper went off!) The biggest difference for me is that we all had to physically be in the same building to make the process work. Nowadays, you can live in the woods of New Hampshire, work remotely with artists all over the country, and effortlessly collaborate to produce a great product.
Q: What was it like to work on feature films like Hunger Games, Oz, Alice in Wonderland etc.? How did you go about landing such amazing gigs?
A: Absolutely amazing! Working together with great people to produce inspiring work is what it's all about!
Ever heard the expression, "It's who you know"? It's true! During the eighteen years I lived and worked in Los Angeles, I had the honor of collaborating with some of the most talented and influential people in the entertainment industry. Those relationships have endured despite of the fact that I relocated to the opposite corner of the country.
Q: How do you keep your company (and self) up to date on cutting edge technology?
A: First of all, I believe in keeping it simple. We specialize in high-end compositing and so we use the best tool on the market to get the job done: Nuke. Fortunately, Nuke contains a toolset for doing just about everything you could imagine in the way of 2D and 2 1/2D effects stuff. In addition to having the best color pipeline, it has great keyers, effects tools, camera tracking, projections, particles, etc. The Foundry does a nice job of following industry trends and keeping Nuke robust and up-to-date. When a project requires additional services, like full-on CG modeling/animation, matte paintings, complex matchmoves, etc...; I have a roster of senior visual effects professionals to call on who specialize in those disciplines. We collaborate virtually using encrypted cloud technology.
Q: Which feature film was your favorite to collaborate on? Why?
A: When I was still in LA, working as Senior Lead in the Interactive Compositing Department at Sony Pictures Imageworks, I had the enormous privilege of helping to modernize Ridley Scott's Blade Runner- The Final Cut. I was responsible for coming up with the methodology for, and comp supervising the "Zhora Death Sequence" head replacements; as well as, the Deckard mouth replacements in the scene with Abdul Ben Hassan. World-class VFX supervisor Rich Hoover, other brilliant members of IAC team and I did some of the most challenging renovation work on the movie. Charlie de Lauzirika made a documentary about the restoration/renovation process called All Our Variant Futures. Check it out… I make a brief appearance. It was a thrill to be involved with such an iconic piece of film history.
Q: Was there anyone (whether famous or not) who inspired you to become a production pro? Why?
A: I grew up in an old 1830s farmhouse in the farming country of rural northern Maine in the '70s and '80s. My Dad, a career art professor and film historian, bought an early Betamax VCR in the 70s. I used to stay up all night recording classic movies for him off of TV (and editing out all the commercials). As a result, I was exposed to classic narrative film at a very early age. In that old house in northern Maine, Hollywood seemed like it was a million miles away… but, I dreamt of getting there one day. Thanks to the support of a myriad of important people (most importantly, my wife and partner of twenty-three years), I worked hard and was able to fulfill my dream. Returning to New England in 2008 elevated the dream to a new level...
Q: Is there a tip/trick you always share with up and comers in regards to creating one-of-a-kind work?
A: Be humble, listen carefully and work your ass off to produce the best possible product. Observe the natural world carefully and don't forget that VFX is a collaborative process.
Q: What is it about Clearcut FX that you feel sets it apart from other companies?
A: Prior to my departure from LA in 2008, the "writing was on the wall" that the Industry was going to be experiencing some huge changes. Studios were squeezing well established brick-and-mortar VFX companies like Imageworks, ILM, DD, R&H, etc... to do more work for less money with more ridiculous deadlines. Outsourcing to Asia and other parts of the world was taking off. Flame/Inferno was being forced out of the feature film VFX process by products like Nuke and Katana and professionals in the business were starting to get panicky. In an fxguide podcast interview in 2009, Scott Ross (co-founder of Digital Domain) laid out his vision of the future of the VFX Industry. He referred to what he called, a "Hub and Spokes" model. In other words, you have a centralized office with producers and supervisors in a big city like Los Angeles, New York, London, Sydney, etc... and visual effects professionals working individually or in small groups scattered all over the globe, all connected virtually. That interview reinforced my idea to start my own company.
In 2009, I set up a studio on my property here in the woods of NH, got the best internet service I could find and built a secure pipeline for collaborating virtually with other senior level artists. This methodology eliminates most of the overhead associated with operating a brick-and-mortar facility, and removes the burden of travel and lodging expenses. Most importantly, it puts the money where it belongs--In the hands of world-class creative talent. I supervise every shot that comes through our doors and my producer on the ground helps me coordinate everything. We're the hub and the artists are the spokes. We collaborate securely in the cloud and can connect seamlessly to other "hub and spokes" models like those being used by our clients. We've done multiple big projects this way over the years, including 240 shots on The Hunger Games, in only ten weeks. We've also contributed to MIB3, Fast5, HBO's Boardwalk Empire and many others. I believe that this is the future of our industry.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
A: Companies like ProductionHUB that enable employers to effortlessly connect with creative talent and visa versa will be integral to success of this new paradigm.
Online marketing is an ever-changing landscape, and this is particularly true with regards to the world of viral videos. Whilst once an area dominated by CGI frogs and dancing cats, companies are more and more frequently adopting this social phenomenon as a platform for their brand. Video campaigns by Coca-Cola, Samsung and T-Mobile have proved massively popular and led the way in showing what a powerful segment of online marketing videos can be.Where many brands get caught out, however, is turning their video from one of the hundreds uploaded to YouTube every minute to an internet hit. …
The focus of this article therefore is to offer some tips on how you can turn your content into an internet hit. Whilst there is never a guarantee that a video will go viral, there are several tips and tricks you can employ to ensure your video is seen by the people you want and maximize your internet presence.
1. KNOW HOW VIDEOS GO VIRAL
First things first - having a better understanding of how videos go viral is greatly going to improve the chances of your content doing the same. In a world where the audience defines the popularity, we are no longer passive watchers of viral success and instead we want to be actively involved in the phenomenon.
In a 2012 conference for TED, YouTube’s Kevin Allocca stated that there are three commonalities that viral videos tap into. These are; a sense of unexpectedness and surprise, a prominent influencer sharing your content and evoking a feeling of inclusion and belonging amongst the viewers, encouraging them to get involved with the viral process. Viral videos of the past few years have all ticked these boxes.
2. DEVELOP A ROBUST CAMPAIGN
One of the most critical parts of marketing is understanding your target market and engaging them with your brand. Make sure you do your research, have a clear understanding of who your audience is and know the needs and interests of you market. This connection & understanding will help you to better gage their reactions, wants and needs and allow you to adjust your marketing strategy accordingly. When it comes to viral video marketing, this understanding is crucial to determining the content you make and how you go about seeding and promoting your video.
3. PRODUCE GREAT CONTENT
The fact of the matter is that if the content is not there, the video will not be a success. Around 100 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute so your content needs to be top quality in order for it to make an impact and encourage viewers to pass it on.
Great content should stir the emotions of the viewer. If your video captures an emotion that resonates with the audience, users will share it, because they are not just sharing your content but the feeling your video has stirred. It should also have a sense of identity attached to it. More and more, the information we share on social media sites defines who we are - or at least how we want to be seen. When creating your content, it’s important to ask yourself along the way - ‘When a user shares this video, what are they saying about themselves?’.
4. MARKET, MARKET, MARKET!
Whilst a video won’t go viral without great content, it probably won’t without a bit of a push either. Organic growth and seeding are both integral parts of the viral process. Strategic seeding will help ensure that your video is seen across a spectrum of social challenges and (hopefully) placed in front of the right people.
The simplest seeding starts at home, so before you invest in paid approaches, get the ball rolling and utilize your existing channels. Maximize your video’s SEO by carefully filling out it’s meta-data and make sure to utilize your social media platforms - you may just get that viral ball rolling with the followers you have already acquired!
Don’t be afraid to splash a little cash on paid seeding, either. Adverts, social bookmarking sites, native placements and blogger outreach are powerful tools that you can pay for to speed up the viral process.
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Content Courtesy of: Madeleine Hammond is a Marketing Executive at Skeleton Productions, a UK based corporate video production company.
The Do's & Dont's of a Successful Career in Music Production
Almost everybody knows that there’s a lot of fierce competition when it comes to breaking into the music industry – particularly in the production arena. However, many people make the same mistakes year after year as they try to enter the creative job market while skipping necessary steps that could help them succeed.
If you’ve got the talent and creativity, you can make it in the music business. Still, it does require some effort on your part, and you’ll need to make all the right moves if you want to stand out from the growing crowd.
* Don’t Always Focus on New Fans
When many young producers looking to get the word out to boost sales or just let people know about their production work, they’re often looking for new fans. While this isn’t the wrong approach, it isn’t always the most effective, either.
In general, what you want to do is work on increasing the intensity of fans that you already have. That’s because turning fans into super-fans will actually help you promote your music.
Why? Because super-fans talk and spread the word for you, and that’s often much more valuable than self-promotion.
* Don’t Rely Too Heavily On Social Media
In the same vien, one of the biggest mistakes up and coming producers make is to rely too heavily on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to promote themselves. Yes, Facebook and Twitter can help you find new fans and even increase sales if you’re already producing a product on your own, but social media is only one part of the larger puzzle.
However, producers should be aware that many labels and people in A&R are more interested in your personal website’s numbers than what your social media stats say. After all, it’s relatively easy to get Facebook friends and have people follow you on Twitter – even if you’re not getting them to buy your music. You need that dedicated core of fans – even if their numbers are small – to be willing to buy your music.
Also, be sure you’re promoting yourself in ways that are truly promoting your music. YouTube is a good site for this, but it’s also relatively simple to get the best samples of your music on major music distribution and streaming sites. Having your music on sites like Pandora or Spotify can definitely build up your cred. If you’re looking to actually make a profit, consider independent sites like Arena that are dedicated to giving more money back to independent artists.
* Do Spend More Money On Your Product
There are pretty much two routes budding music producers can take: buy their own equipment and set up a workable home studio or work out an arrangement with an existing professional studio to buy blocks of hours at a reduced rate. Either way, the quality of the product you make really does have something to do with how much you actually spend on the equipment and rooms that you use.
Whether you choose to make music in a home studio or in a professional studio depends on a variety of factors. However, the biggest problem home studios have is noise – noise from outside, cabling, grounding, etc.
In general, that means that if you’re recording lots of live instruments you might want to consider the professional route or at least invest in some sound reinforcement. If you’re working mostly with electronic elements and vocals, a home studio can work well.
It does take money to build a music career as a producer, however. You’ll need to invest in recording equipment or a quality studio, and those don’t always come cheap.
Remember: the money you invest in making a quality product now will help you earn more and garner more attention in the long run.
The music business isn’t something you’re just going to fall into overnight, and it’s likely going to take some serious work on your part. In fact, it takes most people years to really break into the business and start making a living as a music producer.
However, that doesn’t mean you should be discouraged. If music is your passion, keep making it and pursuing your craft, and make sure you take the time to evaluate your progress and make sure everything you’re doing to build your career is beneficial for you from time to time.
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Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer from Los Angeles. She writes on a variety of music topics, from the latest industry news to health and music therapy. You can read more of her writing at marcela.co/1161780
images courtesy of: Image Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
After Effects 2013 Conference Preview (and Why You Should Be There)
This year's After Effects Conference is quickly approaching, so we caught up with the producers of the event, FMC, to learn why this year's learning jam session is one not to be missed.
Q: Why is After Effects the industry standard for motion graphics and visual effects?
A: After Effects has become the industry standard for the simple reason that it's the best at what it does. It's the application with everything - robust typography tools, powerful non-destructive effects, rotoscoping technology, stabilization features and the ability to create breathtaking visual compositions. Plus it integrates with other Creative Cloud applications like Photoshop and Premiere Pro - where you have actual "copy and paste" support. And finally, it's fun. When a tool becomes as popular as After Effects, it's contagious. What might look intimidating at first becomes much less so when you have friends and colleagues who are pushing to learn and create with you.
Q: How has the new Cinema 4D pipeline affected the After Effects artist?
A: It’s opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Maxon, the makers of Cinema 4D, is an amazing company. They’ve been at the forefront of 3D software for more than two decades. What Cinema 4D does so well is provide After Effects users the ability to incorporate 3D effects into their projects easily, efficiently and professionally. It’s stunning what a single artist can now achieve with these tools.
Q: Who should attend the After Effects Conference this year?
A: The After Effects World Conference was designed to help motion graphics and VFX professionals, first and foremost. But we’ve also created an entire learning track for Editors who are new to After Effects. With the surge in popularity of Premiere Pro, many editors are looking to enhance their cuts and projects with amazing graphics and effects, so we have four different categories of training, catering to different skill sets and interests across this unique community. But there’s no need to overthink it, if you love After Effects or want to learn to love it, this conference is for you.
Q: What aspect of the conference are you most excited about?
A: Hands down the trip to Adobe. On the first morning of the conference, Friday, September 27th, we’re loading up all of our attendees in buses and going to visit the Adobe headquarters in Seattle. This is where the After Effects developers and engineers work each and every day, so it’s like getting a sneak peak behind the curtain. Once we’re there, we’ll be treated to workshops and presentations hosted by the After Effects team! Getting to interact with and learn from the brains behind the software is an amazing opportunity. And we’re wrapping up with an evening barbecue, so it’s going to be a blast.
Q: Any new prominent speakers we should be getting excited about?
A: We have an amazing lineup of speaking talent at the show, and we're particularly excited about hosting our two keynote presenters Mark Christiansen and Brian Maffitt. Mark is an exceptional artist and visual effects supervisor - having worked on films like Avatar, Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Day After Tomorrow and much more. We can't wait to hear and see what he has in store. And then there's Brian Maffitt, who has a wonderful history with After Effects. Brian designed plugins for AE that Adobe later acquired, and now come standard with the application. He was also one of the very first instructors for the application. In fact, he's trained many of the instructors out there teaching AE today, so we're thrilled to have the "department chair" come share his wisdom.
Q: Tell us about the awesome prize giveaways for attendees.
A: This is another area where our attendees have gotten lucky. Adobe has generously offered to provide all of our attendees with a complimentary 3-month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud. It can boggle the mind when you think about how many different projects, in different mediums, a person could create with those tools.
Plus we’ll be raffling away some truly awesome prizes – all expenses paid trip to Post|Production World at the NAB Show in Las Vegas, a free training course at FMC and a host of very cool plugins and prize packages for After Effects.
Q: How can our users sign up? (Include discount code and deadline, if applicable).
A: Very simple. Just visit www.aftereffectsworld.com to see everything the conference has to offer, and to register for the show. We also have a 10% discount code in effect until Sept. 16th.
The Canon EOS C300: An Amazing Camera for Documentary Filmmaking
by John Pokorny
The Canon EOS C300 is always in our carrying case for all interviews and shows we attend across the globe, and it’s great to find out how much it is used in the documentary filmmaking world as well. With so many great features and capabilities, it was perfect coming across illuminate Hollywood’s review on the cam while learning about all the bells and whistles that helped create a Toronto Film Fest project to sold out crowds.
The Canon EOS C300 was famed cinematographer, Zac Nicholson’s tool of choice for ‘No Place on Earth’ a film showing how nearly 40 Ukrainian Jews survived and hid for 18 months from the Nazis. The caves featured in the documentary have crevasses so deep and narrow that it is impossible to get lighting equipment into them. Out of the three cameras that were ultra-compact, the Canon EOS C300 was used due to its unprecedented low-light performance. Nicholson knew that using this camera would ensure that the images filmed in the cave would look professional on the big screen. Many of the scenes used only candles or oil lamps as a lighting source, making the Canon EOS C300 an equipment choice. The use of this Canon camera allowed the emotions and intimacy to be beautifully captured on camera.
Director and co producer, Janet Tobias, believes that the use of this camera saved them money by eliminating the need for the rigging that would have been needed for larger cameras to film in the limited spaces.
As you may already know, this state-of-the-art camera weighs only three pounds and can be used with many different filming accessories. It has a 35 mm CMOS sensor, the Canon DIGIC DV III image processor with a 50 Mbps 4:2:2 MPEG-2 codec. It has 1920 x 1080 HD and an ISO range of as much as 20,000 for great performance in very low-light situations. It can be used for both simple and complex projects.
Not only was the C300 used in cave scenes, but Nicholson also found it invaluable when shooting scenes just prior to the sun setting. At the hour before sunset, an important scene showing the Nazis searching for Jewish families in a village just outside of Budapest was shot. Nicholson attributes the camera’s ergonomics to the success in filming this special scene. Not weighed down by a heavy or cumbersome camera, Nicholson was able to quickly move around to make multiple shots in a short time frame. This camera also provides a top handle, which allows the cinematographer to run while shooting scenes and to reduce shakiness.
With all of its features, this camera lent itself perfectly to postproduction. The EOS C300 allowed Tobias and Nicholson freedom in their creativity that they otherwise would not have had. By seeing into the dark and seeing into the shadows, this camera helped create a realistic and quality documentary. ‘No Place On Earth’ debuted at the 2012 Toronto Film Festival to sold-out crowds.
content courtesy of: illuminate Hollywood
images courtesy of: Google
trailer courtesy of: YouTube
Being on the set of a live production event gives you lots of opportunities to show off some amazing visual imagery with both clients and friends alike. How do you do this? Social media, of course. And more specifically, Instagram. However, before you start getting snap happy, check out a few professional guidelines to maximize your social media content.
* Preview Pictures
Anticipation is part of the fun of going to an event. The beauty of a picture social networking site, like Instagram, is that you can build anticipation in the days leading up to the event with a push of a button. Take pictures of the staff working to pull the event together. Post pictures of anything that fans of the event might be interested in. It will pump everyone up for a fun time and keep your event in their minds.
* Giveaways and Contests
Who doesn’t like free stuff? Instagram can be used for contests to give away prizes, such as t-shirts, memorabilia and free tickets to your live event. You can have people take pictures that show their excitement for the upcoming event and pick the best one for the prize. You can even have people vote for the best picture. By doing this, you are getting your fans to do advertising for you.
* Backstage Footage and Photos
Anything can happen backstage at a live event. Take pictures and video of the best moments, whether it’s the lead singer of a band warming up his vocals, or a member of the tech crew setting up a big light display. By capturing these moments, you are letting your followers in on some amazing moments that they would have otherwise missed. In return, you’ll gain more loyal followers who will be more likely to go to your next event.
* Encourage Audience Participation
In this day and age, it’d be strange if you went to a live event where people never took out their phones, cameras, and recording devices. Use this burst of technology to your advantage.Encourage audience members to take pictures of the event and post them on their own Instagram accounts. You can even offer prizes for the best pictures. It will give your event and venue attention from a wider audience.
* Tell A Compelling Story
Instagram isn’t just a place to post as many pictures as possible. It’s an opportunity to get potential customers invested in your live event and business. The pictures can be used totell a story from beginning to end. You can start with the process of the set up and end with the moment when the curtain falls. By letting Instagram tell the whole story, you set up a narrative worth following.
* Don’t Post Too Much
Not every picture should make the cut. Only post top quality pictures that are relevant to the interests of your followers. That means you don’t need to post pictures of what the band ate for dinner or a pile of unused boxes. Make sure that every picture you post is going to be worth your audience’s time. One wrong picture can lead them to unfollow you in a heartbeat.
Instagram can be a major blessing for your live event as long as you know how to work it. If you are dedicated to giving your audience quality content, they will likely stick with you for the long haul.
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Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer and online marketing professional from Los Angeles whose writing covers everything from social media marketing, to content development and web hosting. She personally loves using Instagram and encourages other companies to use it to expand their business.
In working as a director and also as an owner of a video production company for 10 years, there are many different categories of relationships I have experienced. There is the all-crucial client relationship. Then there's the relationship between collaborating colleagues. There is a certain dynamic between myself and staff employees. And finally, there is the relationship I develop with vendors and freelancers. This last relationship with freelancers is one I want to look at from the perspective of my experiences from both sides of the coin.
I started my career as a staff associate producer for a broadcast storytelling production company in Indianapolis. Our clients were large networks on the coasts like the History Channel, Discovery Channel, and ESPN Original Entertainment. These networks would sub out the entire video production of longer storytelling specials to our production team. I eventually worked my way up to staff producer, and in this role would plan, direct, and work with freelance video crews on shoots. In the edit, producers would work with either the staff editor, or a variety of freelance editors who had the creative chops to enhance our vision for projects.
As most creative jobs go, I got paid peanuts to work long hours, travel, and jump through hoops to establish my career. But my future changed when I met a freelance producer we had to hire because we were so busy. She was older, established, and most importantly, made money doing the same thing I was doing. This idea kept festering in my mind, and before long I decided to go freelance and move closer to Chicago, where I could find work for other production companies producing & directing similar entertainment television stories. I had to travel more, but as a freelancer I was able to make more money and control my schedule, all very important to me in my mid-twenties.
The next decision I made would be the one I want to discuss today, where the distinction between freelancer and production company had to be made. After working as a freelance producer for a while, I came to a point in my life where I was starting a family and didn't want to travel as much. I didn't have the experience to transition to directing advertising campaigns at that point, so I decided to focus on becoming a production company. Instead of freelancing for other production companies in Chicago, I would focus on my small neck of the woods just outside the city, and provide the level of broadcast storytelling I had been taught on entertainment television for corporations and small advertising campaigns.
How to work with freelancers if you're a company
As an owner of a video production company, rather than wear many hats like other small companies I had observed, where the internal staff shoots, edits, directs, does motion graphics, and makes $.05 per DVD making dubs, I decided my model would be to focus on what I was good at: directing, producing, and managing clients. I used freelancers for all of my shoot crew, my editing, motion graphics, narration, music licensing, finish and replication work.
A few years went by, and I grew to the point where I could hire some producing staff, but still develop key freelance relationships with DPs and other crew. I looked for talented videographers who had access to equipment, a good eye, and who were geographically close so I could be flexible in setting up shoots. One Director of Photography I ended up working with almost exclusively was a freelancer who had his own video production company, but he seemed to be working on smaller projects I didn't want. Trusting this dynamic, I was able to introduce him to my biggest advertising client at the time, who themselves had given me a great opportunity to direct larger advertising campaigns. We had no written agreement to define our freelancer - video production company relationship, only what I thought was an understood ethical boundary code.
You can probably guess where this is headed...the agency relationship with my company soured after a few years, and the freelance DP who also owned his own small production company decided to use this to his advantage and work with my client directly.
Many, many companies have similar stories, but luckily, unfortunate experiences generally lead to learning opportunities. For our company, we couldn't cut off all freelance relationships, and quite frankly, in our smaller market we didn't have a large enough freelance talent base to choose from. So we decided to protect ourselves the only way a business can: legal non-compete contracts. This worked like a charm, in the 5 years since we haven't had any similar issues.
What do you do if you are a freelancer and you also have a production company?
After ten years in business as a production company, I am finding myself wanting to focus more on the Directing side of the business. I'm working to get my name out in New York, LA, and of course, Chicago, but this time as a Director for advertising agencies and production companies. The time is right to leverage my experience and work on exciting new projects.
Recently I met with some potential clients in Chicago who could use me as a freelance Director for big-brand TV commercials. At one of the meetings, the video production company was structured as an in-house crew, and the idea of using an outside freelance director was appealing, but the fact I also have a video production company (albeit one 100 miles away) was a source of potential anxiety for them. They asked me questions like, "What if their client called me directly?" "What's stopping me from just moving my production company to Chicago and taking their leads?"
Having been through this before as a video production company from their point of view, I completely understood the anxiety, and I told them exactly what I would do if I were them: have me sign non-compete contracts. Essentially, any client they introduce me to, and any client they are currently quoting, is off limits for a set period of time.
I'm not in the market to open a video production company in Chicago. But even if I was, if you're going to be a freelancer and still be a video production company, or if you're a company looking for freelance talent, you should operate under these simple rules:
Tips for smooth freelancer - hiring company relationships:
Sign a non-compete outlining the limits of the relationship between freelancer and hiring company.
When working for a company, work as an extension of that company to the client.
Your company name should never be communicated in front of a client if you're a freelancer.
Never break trust for personal gain. What goes around comes around, and if you climb to the top on the backs of those who trusted you and gave you an opportunity, you can be sure the same karma will come back around to eventually hurt you in the end.
Pay people what they are worth. If you're a hiring company, and you are gaining on the backs of freelance talent shoot after shoot, pay them their rate. Honor the relationship with loyalty and you'll be surprised how many ideas and production tips you'll receive in return.
Jeremy Pinckert is an award-winning freelance Director and the owner of Explore Media. You can follow him on Twitter @videocompany, see him on LinkedIN, check out his video portfolio reel, or download his free manual: How to Produce for Video!
AbelCine LA Celebrates Upgraded Facility with Open House
AbelCine recently hosted an Open House at their Burbank facility to celebrate its renovation and expansion. An estimated 300 people attended throughout the day, participating in seminars, chatting with AbelCine’s technical specialists and staff, and networking with colleagues.
All attendees were encouraged to explore the new space – from the interactive showroom to the high-tech rental bays to the state-of-the-art service lab – and really get their hands on the gear. As part of the celebration, partygoers were also invited to take part in the Phantom Photo booth and show off their best slow-mo moves.
With lots of gear, lots of fun, and lots of free food, the Open House was definitely a success. If you weren’t able to attend, stop by AbelCine at 801 South Main St in Burbank, and check out the space for yourself.
Tips for Getting the Right Sound for Your Live Concert
When it comes to producing live music, getting the sound to come out flawlessly is one of the most difficult aspects. Both the performers and the sound team share responsibility of this particular aspect, but even if both are consistent, different venues and different PA systems can mean that all conventional wisdom and “what worked before” can go right out the window.
That means that from show to show, the rules will be different, particularly if you’re a sound engineer, and you’re going to have to be flexible and make some on-the-fly adjustments.
Yet, even as your band bounces around from place to place, delving into unchartered tonal and acoustic territories, there are some tactics you can employ that should consistently give you an edge in terms of your live sound.
1. Getting there early -- Every member of the group-- not just the sound folks or one of the guitar players-- needs to be there early; if possible, really early.
No matter who you are, how great your equipment is or how good of a sound tech you might be, timing is the only thing that’s going to win the battle in terms of a great live sound. If you constantly have to rush before shows to even get a sound check in, the best you can hope for is decent, and that’s only if you’re lucky.
Get to the venue in the middle of the day (for weekend shows, this should be easy) and get the sound just right without anyone around to listen during the first few awful takes. Once it’s show time, you’ll have a clean slate.
2. Amp positioning -- Don’t think that this is just the guitar and bass players’ responsibility. A sound tech is the one who can hear directional sounds coming from the stage, so make sure you pay attention to what you’re hearing from the amps, even if they’re mic’d and coming through the main speakers.
Know that loud amps will mean higher volume in certain direction and not others, so you’ll have to adjust accordingly.
3. Noise suppression and compressors -- There are several different places where you can include these, and several different forms as well.
The most basic is in the form of effects pedals for your guitar and bass players. They’ll cut down on excess noise, smooth out the dynamics and volume of their playing, and in some cases, will even do a good job of hiding mistakes.
If you've got a bit more money to spend, consider adding a rack-mounted noise suppressor or compressor for your entire sound system.
4. Initial volume adjustment -- This has got to happen everywhere, meaning guitars, pedals, amps and the mixing board. Keep in mind that turning everything on and pushing everyone to around the same volume isn't going to get it done. You've got to make adjustments based on the room you’re in and typical volumes for each band member.
5. On-the-fly volume adjustment -- Once you’ve set your initial volumes for everyone, sitting back and disengaging from what’s going on can mean your sound will deteriorate as the show progresses.
The reason is that what works for one song, might not work for another. For example, if the lead guitar is louder for a heavier song on the setlist, and the band then plays something softer with less guitar emphasis, continuing to have a loud guitar is going to sound pretty strange.
That means that you have to make adjustments on-the-fly, and that you’ve got to pay particularly close attention to what you’re hearing when songs change.
Staying Focused
You know that a musician isn’t going to check out mentally during a live show, which means a sound tech shouldn’t either.
If everyone can stay focused and attend to the subtle nuances and changes in sound as the show wears on, you’ll set a new standard for what a show should sound like. Keeping that up over the course of several performances means the group probably will start to worry a lot less about a horrible sounding live performance.
Marcela De Vivo is a writer for Arena online streaming site, a music enthusiast and business owner who loves going to see live shows in Los Angeles, and she knows that if anything can ruin a band’s performance, it’s their sound. Follow her on Pinterest to find more tips like these.
