The Way We Watch

Another Priceless Video Tip: Don't Use That Chair

I've talked here about ways to get a better looking shot.  There's the The $4.95 Solution To Make Your Videos Better and remember the importance of showing a philtrum.

But here's another one.  Don't use an executive chair when you're doing an interview.

(can't see the picture, go here: http://youtu.be/FIYnDo9BxgM?t=10m)

Executive chairs are super comfortable and make you feel regal. However, on video they make you look small.  The backside of the chair goes up to your ears and kills the needed seperation between you and the background.  Plus, your talent is going to end up swiveling and that's going to make your talent look impatient as well.

Use a bar stool or use a chair with a short back.  Sit back alll the way and keep your back straight. 


(can't see the picture, go here: http://youtu.be/JecJzrIfdHg?t=3m37s)

That feels better, doesn't it? 

10 Tips On Becoming a Sought-after Freelancer

The cream rises to the top.  In terms of freelancers that is so true.  As you know by now, I am a video producer and director and I frequently hire teams of talented professionals to create our videos. 

Have you ever noticed there are some freelancers that work all the time?  How do they find themselves in that position?  Here's a list of tips that will get you on your clients' speed dial.

1. Make it easy for clients to find you.  My biggest pet peeve with freelancers is that it should not be hard to reach you.  Jobs come in all the time: morning, noon, night and on Sundays.  Put your contact number on the signature of your email.  It's so simple, yet so many people don't do it.  If I have to struggle to find you, I'm probably going to call the other guy/gal.
2. Show up early.  Another simple one.  Get to the job early.  Be the first one there.  Surprise me and bring some bagels to the set at 6:30.  Being late to a job speaks volumes.
3. Figure out what you want to do before you call me for the first time.  I'm busy.  If you don't know what you want to do then I'm not going to be much help.
4. Don't call me if I don't know you.  Email me a short, witty letter that begs me to find out more about you. Show me some personality.
5. Don't freak out about changes.  Changes in terms of scheduling, in terms of what the client wants, in terms of last minute stuff that no one saw coming is part of the job.  We all have to deal with it.  Take a breath, smile and say, "No problem - let's figure this out together."  There is a flip side to this when people feel abused because of changes and that's a list for another time.
6. When you get hired by me or an agency, please don't shout all over the web that you are working for my client.  You are working for me and my agency.  I'm working for my client.
7. Don't look at the clock.  There comes a time when you have to put in extra.  We all do.  If you're trying to impress me and ensure I hire you again, do more than what is necessary. 
8. Don't sit.  I'm thinking about working on a set now.  The last thing I want to see is you sitting with your hands in your pocket trying to blend into the furniture.  Do something that helps our day be more efficient.
9. When you check in with me, I'm not interested so much in how busy you are (how does that help me), what I would like to know is something interesting that pertains to my industry or makes my life easier.
10. Subscribe to my blog.  If your client blogs the biggest way you can show interest is by subscribing to his or her blog and starting a dialogue with the content there.
    Show some interest!
    
    

photo cc license by kl801

Oh My! Amazing iPhone 4s Video Quality

Found this video today on my facebook wall posted by Talmadge Boyd (@talmadge). It's a video shot by Benjamin Dowie on the new iPhone 4s.  And it makes phone calls.

 

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Making Great Video Stories Part 1 - The Process Video

 
The number one way to start telling a good story is to pick a good story to tell.  Sounds simple?  Not all stories lend themselves to video. The first test of whether a video is merited for any story is -- is this a visual story?

To tell the truth, I'm not a huge fan of much of the video I see on the web.  Just because you're talking into a camera and telling me what you think -- doesn't necessarily create compelling video story making. I mean if you are George Clooney or ScarJo, I'll watch anything.  But if you're not...

STICK WITH PROCESS

Show me a process.  Show me how things work.  Show me a cycle from begining to end.  Layer the details along side the process and your information is easily digested.

Recently, I with Wheelhouse pitched to The Daily (the iPad only newspaper) a story of a street artist in New York City who paints the most unbelievable Renaissance style chalk drawings on the sidewalk.  I've passed his drawings for years walking around town and always wondered who he was. 

VIDEO ENHANCES THE STORY WHEN YOU CAN SEE A PROGRESSION

I looked up Hani, the sidewalk artist, on the web and sure enough he had a website with clippings of articles done on him in the New Yorker, The New York Times, The Daily News and others.  Was it a bad idea to do a profile on him since others had already discovered him?  I don't think so.  To me, what was missing was a video that showed him working from beginning to end - how he creates these sidewalk masterpieces.

The editor at The Daily liked the idea and we set out to tell his story.

SHOW THE PROCESS WHILE TELLING THE STORY

I knew I wanted the visuals to drive the story so I made sure that I could capture Hani completing a portrait in 8 hours. 

We picked a subject (Madonna and Child) that he could finish in that time.

I taped him with an unmanned HDSLR camera shooting a frame every 30 seconds.  I also filmed him with a separate camera for about 6 hours doing various time-lapses on specific parts of the drawing so that we could see the drawing build over time.  We also captured B-roll of Hani interacting with pedestrians, setting up, and walking away.

The process of him making a portrait was the perfect B-roll to play over his interview.  In the interview, he told us where he was from, what motivates him, his dreams, and what his paintings mean.

A much easier production would have been to interview him and show his collection of stills of past works. Hani had a treasure trove of stills of his recent work. But that would have been BORING. Easier. But dull. Show the process.

Here's a link to the finished video:

(Can't see the video or want to see it in higher
resolution?) Try this http://bit.ly/mofwsD

The $4.95 Solution To Make Your Videos Better

“It’s Too Bad. And I Don’t Mean It’s Too Bad Like ‘Screw ’Em.’”.

The link above takes you to a picture of Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein and article about him from the July 24, 2011 edition of New York Magazine.

You don't have to read the article, but I did like how Mr. Blankfein is allowing powder to be put on his balding head and face before the TV camera rolls. 

Scenario:  A company pays good money to record their executives speak on camera. They rent a crew, HD camera, lights, and director.  The talent comes in and declines powder to wipe the shine off his face.  The rough cut comes in and everyone wonders why the executive looks so shiny/oily/sweaty.

A little powder goes a long way so don't forget to bring it to your shoots.  I generally use Clairol CoverGirl translucent powders.  They come in a host of shades -- so to be prepared -- I bring a fair, medium, tan and dark powder with me at all times.

I use wedges to apply it and throw them out when the shoot is done. 

Lately, I've had a more than a few male executives to decline wanting to use powder on their face.  We all have a little shine and the bright lights pointed at your face just make it all that more noticeable. 


In some cases when people don't want powder, I'll use oil cleaning wipes that have no odor but do a pretty good job in getting off the shine.  Most men have no qualms about using them.  I carry all of this in a toiletries bag and it's the first thing I pack for any shoot.

Lesson: Get the shine off for better looking video.

 

Some Sales Help

We're all in sales. No matter what role we play inside a company or if we're self employed - we have to have a selling mindset.

Being a good salesperson will

• get you a promotion
• get you more clients and expand your business
• get you a better offer from a competitor

                                                              
I enjoy the insights of Jim Keenan at his blog, A Sales Guy.
Jim is a former VP Regional Sales Leader at Avaya and now is a consultant and entreprenuer.  He also seems to ski many days out the year so I think he has it all figured out!

Jim writes on most days but I like when he overhears a sales conversation and passes along some nugget of advice.

Here are some recent memorable posts:

• Is It You
• The Pitch and The Person
• Assuming Will Kill You
  
                                         *  *  *  *  *  *  *             

And, here's one more.  Jim allowed me to share my thoughts on his blog with a guest post entitled, I've Gone Cold Turkey on Cold Calling.  Please give yourself the time to check Jim's site out.

Check Out CrumplePop's Blog For Techniques and News

Hey there:  RSS up http://www.crumplepop.com/blog/

I've bought some of CrumplePop's products like Notes (Good) for a fast easy way to put Post-It type notes on your video and Splitscreen (OK) for a fast easy way to create mattes in your video for multiple splitscreen - to get that Thomas Crown Heights Affair late 60's look in your video.  The caveat with this plug in is that you can't move around the video in the boxes. 

The cool thing is that they have a pretty interesting blog focused on HDSLRs, do it your self projects to enhance your video and the latest hardware and software news.

 

The Best Camera To Use...

...is the one that gets you to shoot more and edit more.

I get lots of queries from friends and colleagues on the best video camera to buy.  I always ask, what are you using it for?  If you're a professional, the world has moved away from having just one camera.  Camera prices have become more and more affordable. 

Indeed, when I started in the biz, you shot with one camera. A broadcast quality, Beta SP camera that retailed for around $60,000.  Nowadays, pros have a complement of cameras and use them like a golfer uses all the clubs in his/her bag.  It depends on what the job requires.

WHAT I USE

For clients, I've been working with DPs who own the following SONY EX-1 with Letus Adapter, SONY EX-3, Canon 5D and 7D, Panasonic HPX 300, Panasonic AG AF 100, and the trusty Panasonic HVX-2000.  I just tested the SONY PMW F3 and that looks to be a real beaut.

For my own personal stuff, I have a Flip, iPhone, a Canon HV30 (tape based!) and a Panasonic GH1.  These cameras are simple to shoot with and easy to load into a computer and start editing.   Of all three, I'm shooting more with my iPhone because that's the one in my pocket.  But the Flip which is nearly the same size to my eye has better low light capapbility and more punch - I just can't check my email with it. 

JUST GET OUT THERE

The point is...  The best camera is the one that gets you using it.

Who knows what you'll encounter... I was driving to the grocery store right after a huge NYC snow storm.  Right in front of me was the answer to the question, "Where do they put the snow?"  I whipped out my iPhone 4.

 

I shot it from the car and the joggers ran into frame just as I was starting my "tracking shot."  It all felt very Woody Allen so I went looking for some '40s band music.

If nothing else, I can look at this video come the summer time when temperatures reach 100 degrees. And weep.

A COOL RESOURCE

The music is Del Casino and His Orchestra from the The Prelinger Archives at the Internet Archive.  Most of it is public domain, and the web site encourages you to take the content, mash it up and use how you see fit... 

You are warmly encouraged to download, use and reproduce these films in whole or in part, in any medium or market throughout the world. You are also warmly encouraged to share, exchange, redistribute, transfer and copy these films, and especially encouraged to do so for free. 
                                        --  The Prelinger Archives

Worth a look.