The Filmmaking Thread (Video/DV/Film/Editing/Shooting/Etc)

Thanks here is more about it and a link to some of the footage. http://www.statechamps.tv/

State Champs The High School Sports Show.

Is exactly as the title suggest. Its a sports show centered around high school player (mostly seniors from Michigan) with high lights of big games and the such.

I shot spotlights of the best Michigan High School players.

Its because we get to talk to the really good ones before they become godly in college. Jonas Gray was a big one this year...#1 football running back in Michigan.

We are still waiting for someone from our show to it a pro level in something though.
 
[quote name='gregthomas77']What is the best pc based editing software? I have used imovie, which I liked (but i don't have a mac), and I have used vegas (which i like ok).[/quote]


Adobe Premiere is the most popular. I have used Pinnacle in the past and it is ok. I have made some anime music videos and the more robust software you can get, the better, but to get your feet wet I suggest Windows Movie Maker. Windows Movie Maker is a good program to learn with, but it has its limitations in regards to the file type you can output to and the special effects you have available. It also has only one timeline for video only one for audio. Once you get used to it, you'll want something that can do more.

For example, this is a promo I made with Windows Movie Maker.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bPN03db8XU[/media]

This is a Terry Bogard Tribute from the Fatal Fury VHS (hence the poor rip quality) I did in Pinnacle years ago.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6wPVxDL2d4[/media]
 
By the way. Something really cool happened today.

We had to pick up all these plasma screens we set up at Joe Louis Arena (Red Wings) and they had taken it upon themselves to move one of our screens to the other said of the city in Hockeytown cafe. Without telling us. So we spent like an hour looking for it before the manger told us.

To say he was sorry he let me and the guy I was with get our pictures taken holding the newly claimed Stanley Cup. He even had the official team photog take it. They are going to frame it and send it me in a week.


Perks of the job. One of the best things about my job. The Perks.
 
[quote name='Sofa King Kool']Not quite sure why, but this thread has started making me nervous about this business. It seems really hard to get into...[/QUOTE]

It is, but the nice thing is, once you get in the business other jobs come much easier. Networking is the name of the game.
 
Just got back from freelancing a week-long conference in Vegas. Totally sweet. Worked 8-8 most days with a few late nights editing, but having all-expense paid trip anywhere rocks.
 
So, as I stated in the OTT, I'm gonna go to college for film/video. I like working in Adobe Premiere. What do you,Lord & Sood, suggest I should look into?

I also do like doing camera work, don't really know too much about audio though.
 
You should learn all of the major editing formats. (dont worry after you learn one you will understand all. Its like riding a bike. Once you learn how...it doesnt matter if its a mountain bike, trick bike, or a beach cruiser)

Even though all editing formats are simply tools and the hands behind them do the real work. You wont get many looks if you say you know just premiere. Most of the major studios view it as a starter editing platform. (Even though I recommend it over all else)

Learn at least Final Cut then if you can learn Avid. Avid is for the old school folks who hate new fangled things and Final Cut will fly with the indy crowd.

But honestly like I said. Its not the platform its the person behind it. To really be a good editor you must learn as many techniques as you can. See if you can get an internship with an editor or something if thats what you want to do.

Lord would know more than I on that subject though....as I hate editing more than the plague.
 
Do as much as editing as you can. For me, it was easier and more advantageous than shooting (everyone in the film world learns to shoot, most do editing, but really simple and really poor editing).

Editing is all about patience, attention to detail and just being meticulous. You have to watch the same stuff over and over again, and decide exactly what frame to cut on. It can be a real challenge, especially when you don't have many usable takes.

The best part of editing is you don't even need your own shot footage. You can record PC games (or console games with some equipment) or even rip stuff off youtube and re-cut it.

I learned on FCP first (and iMovie, but I wouldn't recommend using it, I needed to for tech support) and then AVID. AVID is tough to get into, but is more powerful. I would use FCP 9 out of 10 times for anything I might need to do. There's a few things AVID does far superior, but for basic editing (no green screens/CGI/etc) you'll be fine with anything.

Just keep doing it, and be meticulous. Realize it takes us like a few hours to cut a really detailed 5 minute short between the audio, lighting, and shots, don't try to rush. Whenever you think you're finished, watch the whole thing and take notes. Write down anything that seems off, and watch that part again. Try to fix it until you feel it's as perfect as it can be (which can be tough to do).

Editing isn't for everyone, and I wouldn't do it as a full-time job (I would prefer to produce, but right now I'm freelancing), but if you really enjoy it, keep doing it, and there can be a lot of jobs out there for editors over directors/etc.
 
Really there's nothing I don't like. Just don't have much experience with audio.

I have experience with Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 because that's what my school had my soph. Year of High School, which was 06-07. So that means I'm gonna be a senior.

We have this media tech class, there's 3 levels of it, each a semester long. I took the 1 & 2 soph year, taking the 3rd one this year. But it was more than video, we also had computer animation, and photoshop, & web design. Then 2nd semester we got to choose 1 of those to have a big project on, so I did video & got a 86 on it. There are a bunch of editing mistakes in it, I admit. But I did it myself & didn't have that much time, because I didn't get to shoot anything until early march.

And of course it was a movie I wrote & directed, with me & my friends acting in it. Acting is HORRIBLE though. And I was in a rush to complete it, so I kinda had to work with what I had from 1 day of shooting.

And as far as producing goes, whats involved with that? Mostly managerial decisions?
 
Also here is some quick advice to all who want to get into the biz.

The first and most important step to getting into broadcasting is dont take advice from anyone who is not already in the biz.

The number one problem with the business is that every person who bought a $1,000 camera at best buy thinks he is a camera man. Every person who figured out Imovie or Windows Movie Makers thinks they know how to edit.

This poses 2 problems. People will try to undercut you because they think that anyone can point a camera at something or put some clips together. 2nd. Its simply annoying to talk to them as they completely do everything wrong and have no clue that what they just did was laughable bad.

I have edited a ton of pro level videos and I still suck at editing.
 
[quote name='anomynous']Really there's nothing I don't like. Just don't have much experience with audio.

I have experience with Adobe Premiere Pro 2.0 because that's what my school had my soph. Year of High School, which was 06-07. So that means I'm gonna be a senior.

We have this media tech class, there's 3 levels of it, each a semester long. I took the 1 & 2 soph year, taking the 3rd one this year. But it was more than video, we also had computer animation, and photoshop, & web design. Then 2nd semester we got to choose 1 of those to have a big project on, so I did video & got a 86 on it. There are a bunch of editing mistakes in it, I admit. But I did it myself & didn't have that much time, because I didn't get to shoot anything until early march.

And of course it was a movie I wrote & directed, with me & my friends acting in it. Acting is HORRIBLE though. And I was in a rush to complete it, so I kinda had to work with what I had from 1 day of shooting.

And as far as producing goes, whats involved with that? Mostly managerial decisions?[/quote]


What kind of producing though?

There is pre-prod, production, post pro.

Pre-pro mostly involves writing, site surveys, finding crews, getting clearance, getting waivers etc etc. Production is where camera guys, audio guys, producers, directors, grips, stages hands etc etc come into play. Post is for your audio editors, video editors, directors, producers, audio engineers.

There is a lot that goes into all 3 parts. Many people dont work in all 3 but just choose 1. I never do pre-pro and rarely do post. I love productions so thats where I stay in.

Its a complex business.
 
Quite true sood.

I always respond to people by saying I freelance and not work professionally editing. The fact of the matter is every company has a different way of seting up shooting and editing for what they need to do (film/tv, conferences, weddings, documentaries, corporate, etc). And those companies all want people to know specifically how they get things done. I can FLY through stuff at the company I mainly freelance for, because I know exactly what they want and how to do it. But, when that standard changes, you can get very lost very quickly.

Programs like FCP have literally 1000000x settings for everything under the sun. You may only worry about importing and exporting at one job, and then people will want you to do color correction and compositing at another. I don't think anyone other than Hollywood editors (and the last one I talked to, the guy who did Rudy, said that he need recent college grads to troubleshoot issues he was having because the software gets updated so often he can't keep up with it) could probably easily switch between the different styles, because you rarely use the tools outside of your specific function.

Ya, and if you're serious about the "biz," you have to be willing to sacrifice time (expect 12+ hour days minimum), pay (any), dignity, and a life.

My personal goal was to do the whole undergrad thing, freelancing and such, and then go to grad school in LA. Even being near the top of my class with a ton of experience in the field and amazing recs, I wasn't able to get in to any of the programs (most rarely accept students directly out of undergrad regardless of anything), so I'm kind of shelfing that for now in order to make some money, have health insurance, and have a life. But I still do freelancing work when I can to keep in the routine and make some cash on the side.
 
[quote name='Soodmeg']What kind of producing though?

There is pre-prod, production, post pro.

Pre-pro mostly involves writing, site surveys, finding crews, getting clearance, getting waivers etc etc. Production is where camera guys, audio guys, producers, directors, grips, stages hands etc etc come into play. Post is for your audio editors, video editors, directors, producers, audio engineers.

There is a lot that goes into all 3 parts. Many people dont work in all 3 but just choose 1. I never do pre-pro and rarely do post. I love productions so thats where I stay in.

Its a complex business.[/QUOTE]

I was trying to get into the business side of producing (a producer) personally. I was applying to programs like the Peter stark program at usc and UCLA's producers program. I was a finalist at them, and was waitlisted at a couple of top 10 programs, but I'm going to wait a few years I think.
 
[quote name='lordwow']I was trying to get into the business side of producing (a producer) personally. I was applying to programs like the Peter stark program at usc and UCLA's producers program. I was a finalist at them, and was waitlisted at a couple of top 10 programs, but I'm going to wait a few years I think.[/quote]

Oh, I was talking to A-mas when I said that. He had a question at the end about what production involved.

Also spot on about time, life, pay.


Seriously. A standard broadcasting day is 12-15 hours. Please understand that. Thats hoping that nothing is going wrong and your not the one who has to do overnight work.

Be prepared to lose contact with a couple friends. My girl and I are still trying to work it out even after a year and a half of me working. Last week I worked 5, 16 hour days in a row. I even slept at the location a couple times. I saw my girl once for 10 min as I was passing out on the coach of our apartment.


But the perks you get are second to none. You get to see the best of the best and/or the worst of the worst. I have met, Flavor Flav, Steve Yzerman, Jeff Garcia, Jon Kitna and many more. I have eaten literally $500 dollar dinners at some of the gigs I have been to stood on the field as an NFL game was going on Was backstage to many concerts. Its 2nd to none.

But you have to give up a hell of a lot. There are A LOT of divorced people in his biz. Its all a crap shoot.
 
Well I guess it would be pro. or post pro. Camera work, video editing. I'd like to be doing the actual work on whatever the project is. Shooting whatever it is, editing it together.


But I guess you gotta know a little of both no matter what, so I got time to decide anyway. Because at least for the big film/video school here, you can't get into the program for it until junior year of college.

What's the average pay you guys make per year? I know it can vary, but you got any estimates?
 
Yeah very low. But the biggest upside to broadcasting is the fact that there is no salary cap. You can make as much as you want.

I charge what ever I want when I am hired. The better I get the more I can charge.

Some weeks like make a thousand bucks....other weeks I make like 200. But I am freelance which is an entirely other 5 head monster.
 
Broadcasting........I could like that, but then I'd definitley have to move away, because all I would be able to do is Cardinals or Rams games. But I'd have to look more into that.

But I don't plan on getting married or anything, so $25K a year could work.

I just have to look a lot more into it.

Thanks a lot lordwow & Soodmeg
 
Try to get this updated with new gigs that you get.

I just landed a 1500 one man band gig. Static camera, and really basic editing. Just laying off to dvd with an intro and outro.
 
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