Home Remodeling

I got this project through Smart Shoot. They're sort of a referral service.  You apply to have an account with them and when jobs come up that they think you qualify for, they post them to a call board where you just click to claim them.  Not a bad way for a filmmaker starting out to get experience working with clients and finishing projects on a tight deadline.

This was a challenging video.  With a chef or a hair dresser, you can see what they do in an afternoon.  Things are a bit more involved with construction and home-remodeling services.  Their process can easily span over several weeks or months.  And because the assignment required me to wrap shooting in just a couple hours, I had to sit down with the client and get a little creative.

The client decided to focus on the small things to imply a bigger picture.  So I filmed them grabbing a saw blade, fixing an electrical panel, fixing the furnace in the basement and cutting lumber in the drive way.  And we performed the interview in the sun room next to a stack of ladders.  I'm not sure if the video conveys the entire scope of what these guys are capable of, but I am proud of how the individual shots came out.

The electrical panel scene posed particular challenges.  The room was small and dark.  I could boost the gain to achieve an exposed image, but I would sacrifice what little color the basement scene had to offer.  Also, the bare wood walls didn't offer much to keep the image very interesting.  Very flat and boring.  In bringing in a small work light and opening the door, we were able to save the shot

We had some similar issues with the furnace scene.  Just outside of frame is the work light.  You can see the guy's elbow in the background, holding the light.  I might have asked him to get out of the shot but his presence doesn't bother me.  He adds a little shape and interest to the background.

Freegans: Creative Living Outside of Capitalism

I have no idea who these Trash Lab guys are but I love this little spot about freegans. This taps into the reason why I love video. It gives people an opportunity to spend time with something they wouldn't otherwise consider. And best of all, its an experience that you are able to craft for them. You paint something together with light and sound. Freeganism is something that crosses political boundaries. Typically associated with socialist tenancies and the far left, freeganism is about identifying that something is wrong with the world as it is presented to us. I think freeganism is fascinating because its about creating a world for yourself that excludes that part of society that might be sick. It cuts off the cancerous part with absolute conviction. I like that idea.

Stopped And Frisked

Cops and corruption. I snagged this short from The Nation. Great story. Simple message. Whose job is it to police the police?

Film by Ross Tuttle and Erin Schneider.

Fashion Editorial

Fashion editorial videos are all about the closeups. As a cinematographer, I look for subtle expressive movements to capture and later edit into the final piece. Like a little tugging with the hand or a slight adjustment in the hip.

I had a lot of fun shooting this video for COUP Boston. If I had to do it again, I think I would be a little more assertive with the creative team about my needs to make the video. Frequently, I shoot with a very passive attitude. If I get it, that's great. If I don't, C'est la vie! But with a little added communication, I could have transformed this video from a good video into a great video.

Think of it as... cost per wear!

Video is expensive.  As a freelance filmmaker, I frequently task myself with tactfully educating my client as to the real cost of making video.  For example, the professional audio gear is not an upgrade.  It's like seat belts.  You need that.

From the production of the short film Nicky.

Its not unusual for a client to come back and say "well, it doesn't have to be that good."

In response to that, I'd like to borrow a piece of sales wisdom from the clothing retail industry.  Like in clothing, video frequently must address pricing concerns with the customer who thinks they can save a couple bucks through lowered expectations. 

I want to save people the mistake of making a poor decision that they will regret in two weeks when they don't get the views they were expecting.  This goes beyond production values and has more to do with developing a story or narrative that will retain an audience long enough to receive your message.

Don't think of it in terms of cost per video.  Think of it in terms of cost per views.  If you can double your views simply by incrementing your budget, your cost per view will go down.  You'll get more traction out of that video content.  You'll look back on the entire process having a better feeling about the whole thing.