Entries categorized as ‘Personal Opinions’
I would say that being on a film crew is probably the coolest job ever. Recently, we were able to recruit a big name Director of Photography (Greg Sabo) for a 168 hour film festival that a friend of ours was taking part in. We had taken part in it last year, and were excited to do so again-this time with bigger guns. With an aresanel of professional gear, we set out to produce an award winning piece. Drum-roll, please.
Now working with high-end cameras, lighting and gear requires a knowledgeable crew with willing hands. The more, the merrier! Sound tech, grips, gaffers-even someone to run for coffee. The Cameraman, DP and Director-assuming they’re all different-shouldn’t have to take time out to talk people through every little thing. So we were sure to call a few friends to assist with the helping and hauling and eventually packing it all up.
On most production sets, you’ll have a variety of people. And in these, you’ll always find the person standing around doing nothing. Normally they ‘know someone who knows someone’, or are friends with the “fill in important title here” , but regardless, they’re hanger-ons, watching and more than likely, getting in the way. They’re also normally full of valuable advice and opinions. Hopefully, these people, and the people you called to help aren’t one and the same. Also hopefully, the people you call don’t show up at the last hour of a 10 hour shoot and ask if there’s any food left. These are the same people who leave one minute before wrap and strike. When it’s time to tear down and load the equipment, they make like the end of a scene and cut. If this is you, you can rest assured that the minute everyone is done and ready to go, they’ll wonder why they called you in the first place, and whether or not it’s worth it to call you for the next one. it makes you look bad, and whoever invited you is left holding the cat.
So if you’re invited to help out on set-or any job, for that matter, be sure to ask what you can do, and not make a fast-break the moment real labor is involved. Even the smallest thing can make the night go smoother for someone else. It takes a team to get a project like a film festival done on time and in order. And you know what they say about ‘i’s’ in team.
Categories: 1 · Casting Dept. · Equipment: Reviews and rants. · Personal Opinions · Production Dept. · Set Design for television and film
Tagged: 168 hour film festival, Camera crew, Columbus Ohio Video Production, Greg Sabo, I AMedia, Joshua Porter, producing a short, video production
Last week our film crew spent an afternoon locked inside a forensic maximum security psychiatric hospital, where we are shooting a series of training films to illustrate techniques that can be used to implement the principles of a genuinely new way of approaching psychiatric care. Trauma Informed Care is a deceptively simple idea that has proven to significantly reduce stress for care-givers and patients alike, especially within a hospital setting. It is an unconventional idea that is wholly supported by a committed staff; men and women who know first-hand of its calm effectiveness, and the value that it provides by restraining screams with empathy. Despite constantly squeezed resources and significantly reduced operating budgets, I’AMedia (more…)
Categories: Personal Opinions · Production Dept.
Tagged: behind the scenes, Columbus Ohio TV producer, film production, new media, television commercial, TV producer, video, video production
In the last month, four people-not businesses- have called our company to produce TV show pilots, digging deep into their own pockets with the hopes of making it big. I sit back and wait for the usual questions: How do you get it on the air? How do I get sponsors? How much does it cost to pay for the program air time? Will someone buy it from me? Before I answer, I must admit that without even owning a camera I produced an outdoor fishing and hunting TV program which ran for three seasons-Quite popular with the locals.
V translations DVD series image
Now for the answers: Your local TV stations do have air time available to air your great idea of a television program. Youwill most likely have to pay (“You mean THEY don’t pay ME??”) $500-$3k for a half-hour slot, probably
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Categories: Personal Opinions
Tagged: Buying TV air time, How to make a TV show, Television show, TV producer, Under writing a TV show
I’m talking on-line with a friend in Memphis. She shows me a photo of her with a Boy Scout troop. We briefly debate the superiority of Boy Scouts over their female counterparts. The cookies are all they have over us. That night for the life of me I couldn’t remember my Scout Oath or Pledge. I pull out my old Boy Scout Handbook, and spend the night reliving some childhood memories-not all of which are pleasant. 
I wake up and feel like a new man. Morally straight, mentally awake. Ha! I get to the office. Right off the bat we get a call. The producer has a friend who’s friends with a Cub Scout Troop Leader. Can they come see a real film studio? (more…)
Categories: Personal Opinions
Tagged: film, film studio visit, Green Screen Video with children, video
I would say that being on a film crew is probably the coolest job ever. Recently, we were able to recruit a big name Director of Photography (Greg Sabo) for a 168 hour film festival that a friend of ours was taking part in. We had taken part in it last year, and were excited to do so again-this time with bigger guns. With an aresanel of professional gear, we set out to produce an award winning piece. Drum-roll, please.
