I'm kickin in at the big 40

Some significant transistions taking place right now. So I decided to jump out into the wild blue yonder and try to get some things going on my own.

I've been going at it for 2 months now.

I'm locacated in York, PA. I am into doing almost anything video and multimedia wise to make a buck. Things that I'm into: wedding and event videography, format conversions, duplication services, college and schalarship application video, keepsake montages, legal depos, memorial services, training events and curriculum and more. Any thoughts, suggestions, words of wisdom, lessons learned, leads, etc are very much welcome.

I'm just starting my sophomore year of college, and with that I'm also continuing to run my own DV production company. I've made a few short films under it over the past few years, but as I'm now at the point now where I can actually buy some higher-end gear, it's really starting to take off.

During the school year I'm obviously a student, but I'm also an intern/contractor at a local web, print, and graphic design firm. This summer, like last, I'm interning in the press office of the Mayor of Cleveland.

All throughout high school I taught Tae Kwon Do/Hapkido to children while working at a local movie theatre.

I'm also an unsolicited movie critic. :0)

loved movies as far back as I remember.

didn't get into filmmaking til my late teens as there simply wasn't accessible. Met some people doing a short on 16mm and voluteered to be grip. Made up my mind to further studies in filmmaking.

graduated and first job was a studio photographer, doing food photography. didn't mind the job but the employer and workplace was a nightmare. enter 2nd job, as a vendor of additional enrichment programmes to high schools and below. Taught simple DV production and got screwed over and over by schools, that take my kindness as weakness. Simply, they make me do things for them for free, through my boss and I can't finish my own job scope as such. ~ they think you're there to sovle their own personal inadequacies and simply don't want to learn aobut the joys of self-discovery in DV. 1 school simply made me edit their terribly shot video of eons ago, and passed off as their in-house video production in front of the minister of education. *sheesh*.

Had enough, took a loaner from parents, got a DVx100A, some other accessories and jumped straight into freelance camera for hire, as well as weddings and events, while still stuck in school trainings. About to break free now. Emancipation.

Intend to finish own script and bent on start production of my 1st feature, even if I have no way of finding finances yet. somehow, someway, sometime soon.

Maybe I'm destined not to work for anyone but myself.

sooner better than later.

Almost all of my video is entirely for myself. I've been a professional writer (albeit a very poor one) since I was sixteen. I love making movies (which I've also been doing for about 10 years), but my focus is on the writing. I've done some freelance video work - about a dozen weddings, a sufing competition, and a car race - but that's not really what I'm into filmmaking for. I've done three shorts now (two on video, one on 16) and I'm very, very slowly writing the script for my first feature (along with some very early pre-production work). One of my problems (and strengths) is that I take a very, very long time preparing before I shoot. Professionally, I work in publishing (which is close to my first love - writing).

my story in short:
doctor of political sciences 1989
F&B Manager 1991-1997
Cameraman/editor 1997-now
Satellite Up/downlink engineer 2002-now

I don't have a 9 till 5 job, lucky me
sometimes I work around the clock
for days even weeks
dirty hands a lot
not even one meal a day
sometimes lots of whiskey in 5*hotels
meet lot of interesting people who don't say "thank you" anymore
politics
wars
sports
terrorists and stars
colleagues

welcome to the End of Culture

I am a Electronic Technician for a casino for 10 years. I also work in a hockey rink parttime ( mainly for free ice time). I started video taping hockey games 8 years ago. I have family in the film and video production buisness that inspired me to start editing the video I shot. I am very happy with it and it has changed my life so much. I enjoy making other people happy with the work I can do for them. I still have alot to learn about editing.

I'm a manager at a major insurance company, which pays well but doesn't leave much time for other things. I've been making simple videos for about 10 years, starting with a Hi-8 camera up to the Sony TRV 950 I have now.

I have no actual training of any kind, nor have I sold any of my work. But I've been reading magazines and trying things on my own, and my work has defnitely become more interesting and watchable, at least to family and friends. My favorite movie is a family history I did with photos, narration, and video. I've also started doing "year in review" movies that show snippets of our annual vacation, kids sports, etc along with some interviews.

I'd like to thank everyone that participates on this site. It is definitely the best resource I have found for someone like me.

I live in the suburbs of Chicago, and if anyone is working on a project in the area and could use a helping hand, I might be able to join your crew for a day. All I ask is the opportunity to learn from someone more experienced.

Read through your thread - you got some good advice. Bottom line - Follow your dream. If you are truly commited to working in Film/Video it will happen, there is no right or wrong way. I've been pursuing my film career since I was 16 (30 yrs. ago) went to 2 film schools - have lived and worked in the industry in LA, Chicago, NYC, Miami, and now I'm doing a thriving business up here in the boondocks of the Florida panhandle working for a few different clients but mostly on a daily TV series. For more detailed info you can check out my site at www.theimagesmith.net.

Self employed is unemployed when your not working but I have been self employed for over 20 yrs. Worked on more than 50 feature films, visited over 41 countries, and gone from starving to feasting and back. If you are stuck behind a computer wishing to live your dreams - stop wshing and do it - There are no guarantees (other than your own commitment) but one thing is for sure if you never try it dam sure won't happen.

Good Luck

JDFTV

Not sure if I've updated this or not, but I left local news (YES!) to work as a film school teacher (Palm Beach Film School (www.palmbeachfilmschool.com)) and focus much more on my films (www.mpsdigital.com) and film society (www.pbfilmsociety.org).

heath

ps-I still do some freelance, but it's sporadic at best. And every time I try to work on a potential TV show, another hurricane comes along. Seriously...

Interesting at one point I did a short stint as a Producer at a company in Palm Beach - on Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. - Quite close to Wellington. Also worked on another show (Caspar Weinberger's World Business review") and the Production Company was based in Southern Palm Beach (Boca Raton) so it sounds like our paths came close to crossing at some time.

J D

Which company? Caspar works for Forbes now, right? Wasn't he in Reagan's administration?

heath

Caspar has been the Chariman of Forbes Magazine for a while. Or at least he was when I was working on the show back in 96 & 97. Caspar is no longer with the series (he is getting old). It is now hosted by General Alexander Haig (sp).

And I am no longer with the company having spent almost two years there first from the very inception of the show as the head of the production department and then after the show was well underway I switched jobs and became the director of syndication and got to see a side of the business I never had - the true money side. Quite interesting traveling around the world to different distribution conferences in Monte Carlo, Cannes, Hong Kong, etc. and setting up the worldwide distribution of the series.

For more info on the company (Multimedia Productions, USA Inc.) and the series you can visit the website (www.wbrtv.com). You might enjoy the show as it has a tendency to be very tech heavy with interviews and presentations with the CEO's and execs of companies like, Apple, IBM, Motorola, Texas Instruments, etc. talking about their latest cutting edge technology.

JD

Interesting. I met General Haig once. I almost thought the company was WJMK in Boca, which was kind of getting in trouble a little while ago. They had major news people endorsing products, which is a no-no in the news world. JMK got mentioned briefly in Time or Newsweek, and it wasn't a good blurb.

Take care,

heath

You are definately on top of things. Multimedia is one of about 40 infomercial companies in south florida started by former staff of WMJK. (Who I have never worked for). My ex-boss was head of sales there until he decided to start his own venture (MMP). The format was the same. Ifomercials proporting to be objective news shows. I was the Supervising Producer the boss hired to do all the video "stuff". As such I focused on making the show great and the opportunity I had to make something from nothing. He focused on the money which is why he is a millionaire (and still, I think a great,hard working, and talented perfectionist) while I'm grinding out a liviing (albeit a good one) doing what I love - the tech/ creative stuff.

On another subject I thought I read in another thread re: the new JVC 1 chip hi def that you own one and that the DP felt that it was a deficient product. How do you feel about that. if you had the chance to buy a JVC HD10 now knowing what you know would you make the purchase? As expressed in another thread I'm in the process of purchasing one to fill in for the next few months unitl the Sony 3 chip is available because I just sold my 2nd camera (a JVC GY DV 500 - my #1 is a Betacam SP package). Do you feel it is worth it? I only need to rent it 10x for it to pay for itself but don't want to ge stuck with an inherently dedicient product.

Please give me your honest assesment.

Thanks,

J D

It's a good camera when you use it while knowing the limitations. Jon and I will likely try and get our hands on the FX-1 and test/review it.

Go over to the HD10/HD1 page (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=74) for more!

hwm

Hi,

Here's my drop in the cosmic sea:

I moved to LA after college and after a few months of working on low budget films I went to work for a company that produces advertising for studio films in the form of trailers that you see in the movie theaters. Eventually I moved up to editor, then moved on to edit a low, low budget film called, City Dragon. I was brought on after 95% of the film was already "in the can." It was two weeks of post hell accompanied with plenty of extra srength Tylenol! I think it ranks up there with Plan 9...
The best thing that came out of this experience is that I met my wife on the set of the very last scene they shot.

Anyway, I have done some promotional photography for a few circuit bands in the LA area and got some MTV airtime producing and editing a music video for a band called, "MC Kung Fu and the Homedogs."
Right now I have a little script optioned for two years called, "Vigilante Granny" and I'm currently the sole in-house video media person for a division of Northrop Grumman.
Right, right now I have just gotten word that a humanities documentary that my wife and I proposed to a grant foundation has just passed the first round of cuts. Whew!
Grant writing is a lot of work!

Enough of me!



A Quote for Us Editors: Yes, I'm a great editor, but I don't have a magic wand, so fix it on the god *#*# set!

Hi guys!

I'm new to the site and to dv altogether. I'm living in Italy where I work as a researcher. You'll probably see my posts around in the future asking a lot of dumb questions.

Welcome aboard Brian! Good to have you with us.

Wow. I’ve just read all 12 pages of bios. Amazing stories, for sure. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, I came down to go to undergraduate school at UCLA (music composition). After graduating, I worked as PA for some Disney Channel shows, then on a low budge feature that never got off the ground, then got a PA gig on the TV show “Malcolm in the Middle.” I moved up to writers’ assistant and have been working there steadily for the past 4 1/2 years. The hours can be long and it can be quite stressful but I feel like I’ve learned a lot about writing.

Some money fell into my lap (got a story credit on the show) so I bought a DVX100 and a G4 with FCP. I produced and directed a short film (comedy) and this year shot a music video. I’ll try submitting to festivals, but I’m not sure how fruitful that will be. I have no aspirations to write for situation comedy but absolutely love writing and directing my own projects.

Not sure what’s next for me. I’m thinking about breaking off and trying to start a production company, but 1) I have little to no interest in non narrative formats and 2) I’m not sure I’m ready to go freelance 3) I don’t know quite enough about the technical side of things. Reading these posts by everyone certainly is helping clarify some things for me. And it’s very inspiring, for sure. Thanks.

Bill

Thankyou for your story as well Bill and welcome aboard!

I'm an information services/finance jack of all trades, master of none for a large French Fry manufacturer in Atlantic Canada.... "yawn" but it pays the bills... Growing up on the outskirts of Halifax NS in the late 70's early 80's, I had become best friends with Mike C. who is the creator, writer, director, producer of the Canadian comedy hit, cult phenomenon show called Trailer Park Boys, airing on showcase and most recently BBC America. Perhaps you've heard of it. He also produced and directed a music video for the Tragically Hip (The Darkest One featuring Don Cherry and the TPBs). He also has done many other projects. Anyways my point is, every chance I get, I hang out on the set. It's a great learning experience. Most recently, he put me in front of the camera as an extra for the Christmas special that will air in December, as menial as the part was.... BAM, euphoria struck.

Last year he and I were suckin' down refreshments and talking about old times when he convinced me to start writing stuff down. To try my hand at screenwriting. I bought the book "Story" by Robert McKee(highly recommended), and I took up the challenge. I've written a fair bit of stuff and I don't think I'll ever be done rewriting. I enjoy it a great deal. Much like when I taught myself to paint, and play guitar.

Also last year, I bought myself a Canon 1CCD dv camcorder(plugs nose, but great for a 1CCD and the money spent). I began shooting everything in site. Nephews birthday parties, family reunion, and even just nature shots, crowds on the busy sidewalk, a junky old car coming down the street with thick blue smoke coming out of it... just anything. With Pinnacle Studio I'd edit, put stuff together and got that great feeling of wow... look what I did. Even if the quality was grainy, I enjoyed it nevertheless. I just bought a Sony VX2000 and ready for serious business now.

My friends success in the film industry is an inspiration. With a vision, dedication, determination, a laptop on his lap, and a camera in his hand... he struck gold. I'm very proud of him. It could not have happened to a nicer and more deserving fella'. Success has not changed him, and I'd still want to be his friend even if he was eating left over pizza crusts behind the King of Donair.

Of course I never for a minute expect the same success that TPB has brought him. For now, I'm not sure I'd want the responsibility, or the pressure that he deals with from the network. He works HARD! But I love the feel of the camera in my hand, and even being in front of it. I also love editing... it's awesome.

I'm now obsessed with one of my scripts and who knows, maybe someday will produce it. I'm also currently collaborating with another friend, a University professor of creative writing, at producing a documentary.

So for now, I love the craft and am playing along. It makes me feel good and happy. Shouldn't that be what it's all about?

peace crackah!

Welcome Dan and thank you for writing your introduction!
Good luck with your projects!

Who doesn't love to talk about themselves? I'll admit it, I never want to seem like I'm all mighty but if you want to listen I'll tell.

Start with the present:
I am 29 years-old, I am a staff Online Editor (Symphony) at Riot Pictures in Santa Monica. My dept. is called Final FX and there we sometimes offline, mostly online and audio finish for the FX Cable Network (you know, The Shield, Nip Tuck, etc.). We have two Symphony Bays, Pro Tools TDM and a 2.5 tb Avid Unity Storage. HD? No, but we have a ton of it downstairs, I'll get to that. The Symphony's work great, never have problems. The Unity is unbelievable, that thing has not been turned off in over a year and we have never had a single problem (keep my fingers crossed). I work in the evenings 6pm to 2am, however The Producers never stay past 10pm and if I finish all my work, I'm out of there. I do some freelance work during the day (since my schedule abliges). I get calls pretty regularly lately for jobs. I don't take a job if they can't guarentee me that I'll be out by 5:30pm my full-time gig is the most important, but I try to do as many as I can and if I can't, I do my best to refer them to very capable editors that I know. I got one of my friends so much work he started to call me his agent. I'm not one of those "in it for only me" type editors If your a good editor and we are friends I will do my best to get you work. What goes around comes around, take my word for it.

I am very happy today because I got a call from one of the places I freelance at regularly. I usually work there with a producer friend (FOX Sports) that I met at an old job, I take care of her with the ut-most professionalism. I am all about service, if you haven't figured out that the client is everything yet, stick to your paper route. I'm not one of those egotistical editors that treats people especially the ones below me badly. If you treat everyone good all of the time you will get work! I'm proof. You might be working for you old assistant or the girl/guy in client services one day (they usually end up as producers) if you treat them good from the beginning they will always want to work with you.

Back to the call. The Post Coord. offered me a two day 20hr job to Online a TV show. She has a long list of Editors that she can call, with probably more exp., why me? I'll tell you. Because whenever she needs me to come in, a last minute session, a half day or even a hour, if I'm available, consider it done. Service with a smile. By the way the job pay $100 an hour.

Its for real guy/girls. There is a ton of money to be made in Post Production. How do you get the jobs? Treat people with respect the knowedge to do your work should be a given, there are plenty of excellent editors out there and many more learning everyday. It is competitive, but I am not afraid to help someone out, to teach someone that wants to learn. Their are a number of editors, 3D Artists, etc. that will not share their craft. I think thats BS. They are afraid of losing there job to some young punk that owns Xpress Pro, well guess what, thats me and hard work, good relations, great service and reliablity goes a long way. Another thing I can't tell you how much work I've gotten because I am willing to work nights and weekends.

I attended CSUN and graduated with a BS in Radio-Television-Film. They have a great program there and they recently got a new build with some amazing studios, foley rooms, and green screen studio and a bunch of NLE's. For TV CSUN is the place to go. If film is your thing you probably want to check out USC or UCLA, but I can't begin to tell you how many people I have met in this industry that went to CSUN. I took two internships my last year at Northridge and I got two job offers. One was from a company that had just signed to produce, crew and run 18 video boards at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. They needed young hungry editors, it was the ultimate example of right place, right time, and busting my but to learn Avid. I have never been an assistant, I worked in the vault for 3 months (while in college). I got a full-time editing gig right out of school, 25 and green as heck. I did what ever it took and when I left that company with my meager exp. and young face I had to bust my but to get work in the freelance realm. But guess what, I took a job cutting promo for a TV show, graveyard, 12 hours a night and morning, a managing producer from hell, but I did it. And when FX came calling I worked for them full-time during the day and and finished off that comitment to that promo job working there 10 hours a night, 4 night a week. Did that for 4 months. You want the jobs, that's what it takes and you better never start thinking you are the ultimate editor because the way this industry works, the technology is ever growing and you had better be obsessed with learning. I'll still take classes at Video Symphony in Toluca Lake, regularly, Califonia picks up the tab if you work fulltime in post, and if your from out of town, check with you local Gov. I have a friend here from Paris whose taking a boatload of classes all paid for by the French Government.

I wish you all the best of luck, I hope everyones dreams come true as mine have. But if you're after my job you had better be on your game because I can do it faster, I charm the pants off the lady Producers (not literally) I get the job done and I'll come in at midnight if your paying.

Respect!
Scott

A warm welcome to you as well Scott! Good to have you with us
and enjoy your stay here at DVInfo.net. Thank you for your inroduction!

Hello Andrew,
Being that I am new, and my first reply, I guess this is a good one to start with. I'm 45, live just outside Los Angeles (on a clear day I can see the Hollywood sign) in a city called Whittier. I have played with video for about 20 years now and I love it more n' more everyday. My R E A L job is driving around this crazy place... Man, I mean crazy too! But now I am getting into the post thing after all these years. Just got me a GL2 from B&H that I am told it will be here on the 21st. Can't wait. So from VHS to 8mm and now... Whoohooo! Got a few ideas in the mix so we'll see. Anyway... Good to meet you and all the rest.

Welcome aboard Jeff, good to have you with us!

Hey y'all.

My name's Curtis Gwinn. I am a writer, comedian and actor living in NYC. I started out by doing sketch and improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater here in New York, and through that got a freelance writing job with The Man Show on Comedy Central. Since then I've performed both in front of the camera and behind it as a writer for TV and film.

Currently I'm writing comedy video games for ATARI, and percolating movie ideas for myself.

Ever since I was a kid I dreamed of being a filmmaker, and now I'm going for it.

Three cheers for the courage of ignorance!

Welcome aboard, Curtis! Hope we can help!

heath

hi,
my name is ed liew from malaysia. i'm into video production - corporate video, product video, corparate events coverage... have been doing this for more then 14 years now. enjoy the experience gain from meeting and working people from all over.
like these forum very much and many thanks to all the folks whom i've met here. appreciate all the help and knowledge learn.

ed

Well my name is Brad Mills, and what do I do...

I'm 22, and a recent graduate of the Humber School of Comedy Writing & Performance in Toronto.

I've been writing & performing on stage since I was 8, starting off with a Magic & Clown show in Cape Breton.

I do some standup occasionally & I'm in a sketch troup that performs at some clubs & theaters around the city.

However, I've been feeling the call of film for the past year, as I'm feeling unfulfilled with stage acting. I want to get my film carreer going and eventually move back to stage.

I've written 2 screenplays in the past 4 months, and I've got investor interest in my most recent comedy horror SP, which I'll hopefully be filming in Cape Breton in the summer.

I'm from Sydney, Nova Scotia - and I'm not used to the flow of big city life here in Toronto, I long for the day that I'll be able to be financially stable enough to move back home, but for now Toronto's apparently the best place for me.

Hello there Brad Mills,
Checked out your site... Oh you Canadians are so Funny!

:-D

Hah, thanks man.

All the stuff on that site is filmed with a terrible mpeg4 camera =P

Just wanted to throw it up for fun, went on an HTML binge for 2 weeks in the summer.

Hopefully this summer I'll be lightyears ahead of tha tsite.

Another Canon XL-1s user

www.fattybox.com

please visit and and preview some sample video shot with XL1s

My Setup
Canon Xl1s, Ma200, SV950 Light

I just got my Canon XL2 for Corporate work and some missions work in Africa as well as hopefully some short film work that could blossom into something bigger.

I'm a cook! And I love to eat! :)

So, i'm like any other college student. I have no idea what i want to do for a living. I enjoy cars, and video/photography. I can't see myself working on cars for a lving.

I was wondering if anyone on here has a videography related job, whether your a director or editer etc.

Post what you do for a living, if you like doing it, how much you make, etc.

Thanks!

(BTW: if anyone is a director for a tv/movie I would like to contact you VIA email. i have a ten questions i need to ask/interview for a school paper).

Well I'll start.

Currently I am the Video Production Manager at Wright State Univeristy in Dayton, OH. I've been doing video production professionally for around 16 years now. I've worked as a PA for PBS, ABC and Cox Cable. I switched live events, directed live events and shot all types of video on all types of formats. I was a broadcast journalist in the Army for 5 years, where I did both broadcast TV and Radio news and did the morning and drive time radio shows.

Do I like what I do? Overall yes I do or I wouldn't be doing it.

Do I make a lot of money? Are you serious? I'm not doing bad, but my wife still needs to work to help pay bills and I still do freelance work for both money and the fun of it.

So why do I work in this field? It's for the fame. No I'm not famous. It's for glory. No, not very glorious. It's for the money. See above.
I do this because I love it. It's a part of me. Sometimes it's like a bad rash and you wished you went into another direction, but overall it's exciting and challenging year after year.

Good luck with whatever direction you decide to go.

i tape about 5 years now,part time, work in retail, started out as a dad to tape the kids sports events.
now, after spending a lot of dollars (my wife thinks i am nuts) for a nice studio set up, i tape mostly in a theater/ studio setting. dance troups, school performances, and this year a sfo opera group signed me up for their 2005 season. (17 events)
i like to be there, even nobody knows i am there, most of the time in the back. like the interaction with the actors and everybody else involved.
made two dvd's, which came out very nice.

money: can't live of the pay at this time. (because there is very little <G>) mostly just food, copies, credit, and tickets.

goal: get expirience, a long and good portfolio, work torwards making commercials, and/ or corp. training dvd's. like to stay in theater setting.
visit the local college to take some classes, partner with a local and open a recording studio.

will i ever be rich??......no

greetings

Well I was born into the Tv biz, My father was the senior news photog for a tv station. I was shooting, editing 16mm film by the time I was 10. I operated a local sound&lighting production company for about 10 yrs. Then I got a job at tv station as an engineer. I do satellite uplinks in the northeast, and repair our microwave and satellite trucks. OH yeah I also run a company with a coworker that shoots weddings.

Officially I am Freischaffender Künstler, which translated is: freelance artist. It sounds pretty snotty so I like to think of myself as a freelance film and video maker. Which sounds just as snotty, but leaves out the association to art. That is not to say that I don't consider myself an artist, I do, but I don't consider what I make to be art, at least not at the moment. My main reason for using the title freelance artist is because, here in Germany, you can justify just about anything you buy as a business expense.

I earn my money by editing, doing camera work, with motion graphics, occasionally as an actor, English voiceover speaker, director, and video maker (everything together in one package). I also have earned money doing technical support and technical consulting work.

I started in NYC as a PA around 1986. I think that I have filled every position in the film/video production chain there is, except maybe catering.

I love the work I do. I have the opportunity to be technical and creative, sometimes at the same time, sometimes one or the other. I meet a lot of diverse people, see a lot of diverse things, and make a lot of diverse experiences... I guess I'm into diversity.

I make enough money to live from this work. I am not rich, and a lot of the money I make goes back into the work itself. I have been steadily making more money over the years from this work, so I guess it has been a good investment.

I hope that this is a help to you.

Currently, I run all aspects of TV production for a public school system. But I'm getting ready to jump ship and start up my own gig.

There's already a long thread for this here:
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4657

Lots of history behind many of DVi's regulars, good reading!

I wish I could go back in time and correct that big goofup in the first message ;) Me fail english? That's unpossible!

To update, I do a lot of car videos right now, most of them for local clubs. They are a lot of fun to make, especially since I got my car-mount suction cup, it's always funny to see the look on the face of a police officer as I roll by ;)

I was a few thousand kilometers from home one day, on the coast of Nova Scotia taping the waves crashing against the rocks, and thought I could seriously do this for National Geographic. Time just doesn't seem to matter when I'm out with my camera, I just shoot. There's often no end result with the footage I get, I just like shooting... experimenting with angles, etc.

I might try film school again. There's a question everyone is asked in the school interviews, and thats "what do you want to do?" 99% of the time the would-be-student answers 'directing', but I think cinematography is the place for me.

A problem I've encountered since pursuing my hobby is the lack of willing partners (in my area anyway) to shoot with. Everyone thinks someone else is going to steal their thunder, and fail to realize a project is the work of many talented individuals, not just one. That's the only disappointing part of my shooting 'career' so far, but I'm sure I'll bump into someone that 'gets it'

After "toying" with some paid cameraman work from time to time over the last couple of years I finally landed a steady, paying gig in the game. I have just been named the Associate Producer of a new all Africa, weekly hunting/outdoor show that will begin airing on The Outdoor Channel in Jan. of 2006. The producers of the show are friends of mine and their work load (They also produce a series of hunting videos and promotional DVD's) finally reached a point that they had to bring someone else on board.

I'm spending several weeks in Africa filming this year. I just got back from a two week trip to Namibia, return to Namibia for another two weeks in May and will spend the entire month of July in Zimbabwe.

Once I return from the July swing I will be in charge of logging/capture of several hundred hours of footage, will be learning all I can about Final Cut Pro for editing chores and marketing our video production services to Outdoor Industry related businesses.

The lead sponsor of the show is very interested in HD programming and has stated that he wants us to begin building an HD library for future broadcasts, so we are looking into acquiring a couple of HD cameras this year in preparation for the HD content. Currently we shoot with Canon XL1s', Gl2's and a Sony PD170.

I'm just High School student, have filmed for fun for 4 years now. This year got my first 3ccd camera and also started earning little money with that. Mostly i'm covering events/shows, right now i'm working on documentary about raising beef, the theme is not my favourite, but they pay well and i just need some money for new mics and tripod etc. My favorite filming theme is extreme sports, planning to make several snow and wakeboarding videos in future.
Last year i was done with my wakeboarding movie, where i was main actor and also director, movie turned out well. Also had kind of presentention party in movie theatre/night club, honestly i made more money(from ticket admission)that night than this year all my projects added together...In two months when my exchange student program is over, i will have a work at my country national tv channel, it will be probably boring, but better than nothing, and good way to get new friends/contacts...

I'm film student.

I'm film student.

Same here.

I'm a film teacher and a filmmaker.

heath

I've been a physical therapist for the past 30+ years.

That's pretty cool. Do you do video or film on the side?

heath