The Documentarium

A home for all the cool multimedia stories I find while browsing the web. Hopefully, this blog will serve as a treasure trove of great storytelling and lessons in multimedia.

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Mantras to remember

-just because you move into one job doesn't mean you have to stick with it forever. Extracurriculars could be trying out other jobs on the side. 

-read a screenplay a day or listen to podcast/commentary for a film or show

-practice writing coverage on everything that you see 

-Write blind letters to writers and producers you admire

-watch interviews with michael arndt 

-do further research into post-grad opportunities 

-watch classic stand-by films. AFI top 100, summer school, movies so you can have a good background knowledge

-shut nup and shoot

-swingers 

-resume adders: helped with phones, travel, filing, letter writing, expense reports. 

-acted as messenger between studio and ____

-Paper trails are VERY important. Use email and follow up on receipts so you have evidence. 

-Watch Entourage

-did you offer to fedex the boss's luggage so he wouldn't have to schlep it on the god-awful commercial flight? have his weekend scripts reduced to 4x6 inches for compact carry-on size? sanitizing hand wipes in his satchel? Pack his favorite protein bars? call room service and have a chinese chicken salad ready

-look into development jobs at DW Glendale

-don't oversell yourself. basic skills are just as good as others. 

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The Photographer Series: Jonathan Mehring 

Great video that details the stories behind some stunning imagery. It would be a dream to travel and capture the beautiful moments that this guy does. 

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The five principles of editing

In 1920 film was still very young, but growing in popularity. As a new industry grew, practitioners raced to understand this amazing new medium and how it worked. Back then there was no precedent a...

[survivachick-blog]

the Scared is scared

“Bianca Giaever asked a six-year-old what her movie should be and let it become reality”

  ADORABLE! GO WATCH IT! Only a kid’s fantasy can make that up.

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Dodge Dart-Yes this is a commercial but the style is super slick! 

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Chennai to Pondicherry: A Motorcycle Tour of Southern India

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Wall Dogs: The Midair Muralists Who Paint New York

It’s 8am in Soho, the thermometer reads just above freezing, and the sky is bleak. Taxis splash down the streets; New Yorkers stride with their heads down, leaping over puddles, carelessly bumping into each other. Everyone wants to get out of the cold, out of the rain, into the warmth.

Ten stories above — on a long, skinny platform hanging from the facade of a building at Canal and Mercer in downtown Manhattan — it’s a different story. Climbers’ ropes secured around their torsos, Jason Coatney and Armando Balmaceda stand in a melange of open paint cans and brushes. These two muralists of Colossal Media, the largest hand-painted advertising company in America, are heavily layered in sweatshirts and raincoats. But in this industry, c’est la vie. Paintbrushes in their fingerless-gloved hands, earbuds in their ears — “I like to start out with Miles Davis in the morning,” Coatney smiles, his breath visible in the frigid air — they begin yet another workday in the sky.

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nice use of slow motion shots 

[fabthings]

Kyle Hanagami - “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore x Ryan Lewis

I love the transitions on this. 

cool cool stuff! 

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STORYBOARD: Tard the Grumpy Cat

cute idea!

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A Day with New York City’s Pothole Repair Crew

Each morning, at a small depot tucked away under the Williamsburg Bridge, the New York City workers who call themselves the “pothole gang” pore over a giant spreadsheet known as “The Daily Pothole.” On it are thousands of potholes all over the city: giant gorges caused by rain and sleet, small interconnected divots that can flatten tires, and pretty much every other roadway wound you can imagine. The sun is barely up, and yet for these men — members of a street maintenance team tasked by the Department of Transportation with roadway repair — the race has already begun.

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[thedocumentarium]

lots of cool imagery in this piece and an interesting subject as well 

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Always a Fire-Union HZ 

I love all the sensory imagery the filmmakers used to really put the audience into the story rather than just talking about the story. The way the film builds during the recovery sequences was also a nice touch. 

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Blindsight: World from the Perspective of a Blind Person. 

-I love the different cinematography effects used in this video. 

Could be interested to do profiles on other people with unique perspectives (deaf, disabled, add) @ berkeley. 

[laughingsquid]

The Pleasure Of, A Montage That Captures The Simple Moments in Life

[fabthings]

Check out all the awesome angles in the piece! 

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Ira Glass Master Class on Storytelling-Watch all four parts. This video series is a real gem! 

1) Storytelling is built upon anecdotes/sequences. "I did this. And then he said this to me. And I was like 'What the hell'".

Sequence builds suspense. Through this process you draw the viewer in by having them ask "WHY". You need to be constantly throwing out questions for the viewer and gradually giving out answers. 

2) In addition to sequence, stories should also have a MOMENT OF REFLECTION. Why is this story important? What is the point to this story? 

3) When you first start out, you have great TASTE but a poor quality of work. To close the gap, create a situation for yourself where you can do a lot of work. The more work you do, the better you'll get. And then every so often you'll get lucky and produce something amazing. 

4) In a good story there is a blend between moments of reflection and anecdotes. Some action occurs. Then someone says something about it. More action occurs and then someone says something about it. 

5) When you're producing something, don't try to be or talk like you think professional radio/tv should sound like. Be yourself. Talk like yourself. Talk like a human being. 

6) Don't just talk about yourself. Interaction with other people creates the drama.  

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Minka-Birdling Films 

A film about place and memory, a farmhouse in Japan, and the lives of the people who called it home.

Watching the short, I couldn't help but notice how peaceful the mood of the film was. I loved how the director used long takes and scenes of nature as transitions between different moments in the film. Such moments really capture the warmth and beauty of the Japanese countryside as well. This film is a beautiful meditation on life and friendship and a great story. 

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Marlowe by Alchemy Creative 

Beautifully shot video with great storytelling. In 4 minutes, the video draws you in and takes you on a fun ride. I love the opening using the sound effects from the car as an editing device. 

The light leaks (instagram look) is a nice touch as well. 

[thedocumentarium]

Raising an Olympian-Gabby Douglas

Wow. This video had me tearing up. 

So much heart and a great story!

The perfect video to start your day with!