Here’s a ‘trap for young players’ as my old tech instructor would tell me, so I thought I would share it with you. I had a shoot recently that involved two cameras and three separate data recording methods. Canon C 100 Mk 2 recording AVCHD format on internal SD card Canon 5D recording ‘mov’ files […]
Category Archives: Learning
We all watch video. Whether it’s a TV program DVD, film or a web stream – we see video every day. But do we really ‘see’ video? I often ask my clients when we’re discussing what sort of video they want me to produce for them if they have seen a video that they like […]
Let’s face it, no one plans for a video shoot to go wrong, but sometimes s**t just happens. Good planning is always the best way to make sure things go well, but there is always a chance it will go pear shaped. There are probably three areas where things might not go as planned: An […]
After over ten years working as a freelance video producer, here are five habits I try and work by. You are only as good as your last project. You’ll find this saying throughout the creative world, so what does it mean for the video producer? It means you can’t sit on your laurels and say […]
For me, this usually starts with an e-mail or phone call. More and more these days, these are from an existing client, or from someone I know. After over ten years in business, repeat business is how I usually get more work. The e-mail/phone call will usually outline what sort of video is needed. This […]
How much do I charge? Working out how much to charge for your services is not always easy. Whilst you may want to keep your prices low, so businesses will contract you to shoot their video, low prices can put some potential clients off. “If it’s that low, then it can’t be any good,” can […]
After being behind a camera for over 15 years and directing and producing for another 15, one of the things I have learned to do is to visualise how I’ll shoot or direct a video, often before I’ve even seen the location. Whilst a good pre-production routine is to always visit the location before shooting, […]
When The Shooting Stops … The Cutting Begins: A Film Editor’s Story. This is a great book by Ralph Rosenblum, a New York feature film editor. Whilst it’s written about editing with 35mm film, there are some great lessons for any one who is about to sit down to edit their footage. Workflow – plan it […]
One of the key skills a videographer needs is to know how to shoot an interview plus B roll or cutaway footage to tell a story. And there’s a way to get free lessons very night in your living room. TV News and Current Affairs programs are based around the interview. Almost every news story contains the same […]