(More of a brief history than what my occupation is).

I was downsized from a Fortune 100 company in the financial services business after 28 years there. Worked mostly with mainframe (COBOL & JCL) systems, doing design, development, maintenance, production coordination, testing, and training. (Became fluent in PowerPoint then for training classes, used it through college, and still use it today). Before leaving, got diploma in client/server programming, but by then, all those jobs had been taken by folks younger than me. COBOL was dead/dying, so they let me go.

Since leaving (being asked to leave?), I've finally completed my college degree (BA in Speech Communication). (Even took 3rd, then 1st place in speaking competitions there). Did a few short-term temp jobs, but due to my age, found no one interested in hiring me. Studied with a well-known voice-over teacher in NYC for a bit, who recommended I try standup comedy. Did a few PSAs, but never pursued a demo tape. After lots of encouragement from family and friends, I decided to delve into video on my own, a long-time passion I've had.

At present, I work part-time for a national hardware/home-supply retail chain. Despite that, and because it pays so little, I consider myself unemployed. (Thank goodness my spouse has an excellent job).

Presently expect to market myself first at legal video - not creative, but relatively easy work. Otherwise, am researching/buying equipment while building my home studio. I get occassional gigs from a local indie, mostly as a "go'fer", but have recently picked up camera work. (I recently got my HVX). Need to advertise and expand my network of contacts. Created "Ad Hoc Video Services" as my business name, but no advertising, as yet.

Also, on voice coach's recommendation, am slowly developing a stand-up act, which may very well be my first real "solo" production done in my home studio . When done, perhaps I'll show it here, but don't hold your breath. (Whoever said this was right: Comedy is hard).

Have been using Pinnacle Studio 9 Plus for a couple of years, but outgrew that sooner than I had $$ to replace it. Always looking for more experience and more contacts. If you're in NJ/PA/NY metro area and need an exta hand, extra camera, or someone to sit at a mixer, contact me. If I'm available, I'll do what I can to help. (Once I get my new computer w/Adobe PPro 2.0 and Cineform Aspect HD, I may even be willing to take on editing).

Best wishes to all.

advertising art director in L.A.

I'm still a student, but I've already been lead director or master switch operator on 2 small circuit shows, produced a dozen or so IMAG shows, sat behind countless consumer MiniDV cameras, DVCam, HDV, P2, SP, SX, DigiB, XDCam... all on my list of accomplishments. I've hauled an old SP on my shoulder with refugee children grabbing at me ankles, and had the wildest of friends dance like monkies for my lens. I'm still learning, but still make $$ for consultation gigs... I've sat behind small PA systems and large 64 and 128 channel audio consoles... leaned my head into a speaker and switched a mic on the fly. Swung a boom off the side of a mountain flew a jib off the stern of a boat. Cant wait until I can drive.

That's my main job - certified registered nurse anesthetist. I'm the one who gives you general or regional anesthesia for surgical procedures or baby deliveries. VERY left brained, but I love it and some day wish to do a documentary on it. Meanwhile, I am practicing with family video/photo creations and doing things free for friends. So I am here to learn everything I can!

It’s fun to keep coming back here to read the stories.
I was born an artist. At age twelve I was hell bent on becoming a cartoonist. Then at age 15 (1971) I saw Ivan the Terrible on public television and immediately decided to become a filmmaker. I studied every topic I could, watched foreign films. In high school I majored in art and theater. Went on to tech school and studied television production. Then fell in with the right crowd; a bunch of film students. Together we worked on 16mm adventures and they taught me everything they knew.
My first job was with an advertising agency making animated versions of the ads for research testing. Eventually I started making social documentaries for marketers to understand the depth and quirks of consumer behavior. In 1998 I was sent to Russia to make a film about the immerging market in Eastern Europe.
While I was there it seemed my life had completed a full circle; a Russian movie got me interested in filmmaking which ultimately got me sent to Russia to make a movie.
I’m still at it but now I am freelance with my own company. Market research films are still my bread and butter but now the projects are spiced up with music videos and other interesting documentaries.
If you really want to make a career of making movies there are three steps I would recommend. First: You don’t need to go to film school but there is a lot to learn so study. Second: Get the right contacts; build a circle of like-minded people. Third: Stop saying you want to “get into film” or you want to “become a filmmaker” and start saying that you are a filmmaker.

Kurt:

Your last three sentences should be tattooed on every aspiring filmmaker's interior eyelids.

Electrical Project Engineer/Home audio-visual producer

News Photographer

I have three jobs:
1. a secretary at an after school tutoring program for kids ($$)
2. a FILMMAKER (yay!) for the Regional Science Consortium at Presque Isle State Park.
3. stepmom

I have way too much education, and it gets me into trouble regularly.
(10 years in higher ed. obtaining a bachelors in both biology and cinematography from Edinboro University, then a master's in Science & Natural History Filmmaking from Montana State)

I don't think job #1 will ever pay off the debts of #2!!

I own a 2 man show in my hometown, you can find us at: www.moonfirefilmproductions.com

I am a video/post production artist.

I work at a communication company called SoftMirage and also with the joint company SM Sold that does 3D conceptual renderings and videos, websites, and video/DVD production. I obviously only do the latter part and work with luxury real estate clients, land developers, and misc. clients, and produce luxury property videos, land development videos, sales/promotional videos and also our podcast. The corporate videos that I produce and sometimes replicate are usually a mixture of HDV video and photos with animated text and/or graphics. I operate the HDV Sony Z1-U camera, we rent a 0.6x wide-angle lens and occasionally a MicroDolly Jib, and I use the programs Sony Vegas 6, DVD Architect 3, Adobe Premiere 2, After Effects 7, Audition 2, Encore DVD 2, Photoshop CS, and Illustrator CS.

www.softmirage.com
www.smsold.com

I do contract work as an audio/visual tech for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, mostly working in the Mobile District office, but occasionally I get to do documentary-type field work. We have some nice cameras (though nothing HD yet) and loads of incredible (if all-PC) software -- Premiere Pro 2.0, Adobe CS2 package, Studio 8, Lightwave, etc. I'm trying to learn 3D animation during my lunch breaks, which is proving difficult, and every penny I earn and don't spend is going toward an HVX and the machine I need to edit. Well, it's probably more like two-thirds of every penny...

Thought I'd update my 'job' as my entry on page 13 is no longer relevant. Upon leaving that job, I started up my own gig:

I own a small production company doing a lot of documentary inspired stuff (and some indy projects now and then).

I'm also a musician, but anymore that could really be considered my day job. It's consuming more and more of my time (in a good way) and is paying the bills. Getting ready to tour up in a month or so.

I got/am getting my foot in the door with news (which is what's paying the bills). Always going somewhere and doing something, which is good, and I'm getting paid to do what I love...shooting and editing..in a fast paced short timeline sort of way...sometimes I hate that I can't put more of myself into each story, and have to rush.

I starting my freshman year in college photoging for a local station, ended up directing live daily newscasts. I'm now in Huntsville photoging for a local station here.

Four years now I've been doing whatever people will pay me for, mostly weddings of friends that know people...you know. Some promotional videos, and I actually did a 30 second spot for a non-profit that I work with that got some major (free) airtime! That's been my highlight sofar..that and a mini documentary that I did for class which the same non-profit uses for the purpose of a promo video.

I'm now 3 months out of college and starting to build up my gear..the one problem with working in news...not a whole to lot of money for to do that.
I do have a MacBookPro with FCP to edit on and a used JVC GY-DV500U...I just ordered a JVC (Yes, I've become a fan) GY-HD100U so hopefully that'll be all the reviews crack it up to be...and with that the sky pretty much becomes the limit...I've NEEDed a second camera for a while now...it'll make production go so much more smoothly not having to dig one up, and why not go with an HD?

Right now it's just good to have a hobby that helps pay for itself (at least a little). I do plan on getting more into it as I continue to build my equipment list. It'll probably be slow going for the next year or two I figure, and we'll see...Wedding become old quick so I'll probably stick with documentaries and promo stuff.
One thing is, I don't want to wait too long for fear that I'll get settled in and lose that dream. It's one of those things that doesn't come to you (usually), you have to want and GO GET!

I recently got out of the Airforce where I was an anti terrorism specialist and now my civilian day job consists of designing specialized, detailed maps for uh...we'll just say a certain agency. Ive been shooting video for a few years now and worked on a training video for the Airforce before I got out. Ive started off doing EPK work and music videos for unsigned bands and a couple short films. I am working on doing this full time so I can get away from what I currently do.

Computer hardware and networking. Helping raise our 4.5 year old. Filmmaking is a hobby, writing is my forte.

I've been in the IT business since 1995. Started out with fun (web design and graphics) but ended up following the money to programming (not fun). Hoping to work my way out and into the wide world of editing.

A highly interesting post...

As for me, emergency physician & entrepreneur, filmmaker

Self declared filmmaker. (I haven´t run out of money yet, so don´t have to do some whack desk job or sell all my earthly belongings yet...)

Regards
Van Zijl

Monday through Friday I make sure you guys have what to watch your video productions on... I'm a certified electronics engineering technician for one of the big screen manufacturers. Honesty, I'd rather be full time "on the other end"... the filming end...

Yeah, I'm 21, newly married, and film commercials for a living.

I did web and tech jobs for my dads jewelry store here in Buffalo, NY, and hes always been big on advertising.

When we started branching out and became a marketing company, it was too expensive to pay a production agency to send a guy out to other states, and it made sense to be able to film new commercials for his store anytime we wanted.

I took classes on computer art during my early years of high school up at the local college, and I knew digital editing software(The Adobe software line) well enough to turn around and teach it senior year. I took my first photography class in Senior year, half way through the year they tore apart the dark room, and the cameras went digital. If even the schools were getting rid of film, that really said something. When my dad proposed purchasing a camera and doing our own commercials, I said lets go for it.

The marketing company has produced a DVD which my name isnt on(it was filmed with a sony handycam(DCR-HC20) and $20 microphones) and while I'll admit to making it, it looks and sounds horrible. Hoping to have an opportunity to refilm it in the near future.

I'm just finishing my first commercial, and looking forward to the travel that may come with the next.

Im getting by doing the work. Hope to do some independent music videos/short movies soon.

-Steve hoffman
Leg Up Marketing LLC.
http://www.brandingisnotanoption.com

I knew I wanted to be in the film/video field since high school. Once I hit college and declared myself as a Film major, I made friends with a tight knit group of guys. We've started our own production company, doing short movies (one that we can proudly say was turned down by 7 or 8 different film festivals! :) ) but mostly filming docu's and concerts for local area bands.

The college I go to stresses that one of their great talents is seeing to it that as many of their graduates have a job in their field by the time they leave as possible. I've had disagreements with the major, the school, and the people for awhile now - mostly due to teachers playing favorites, so I took a lot of joy in the fact that my first real job in the field had nothing to do with them.

My uncle works for a company that was looking for someone to do corporate videos, and passed the word onto me. I started in June and have been working on projects from training videos, to product demos, and in house stuff like Open Houses, a history of the company, etc.

I never really gave much thought to do corporate stuff, always had my heart set on Hollywood style projects. But I feel this is a great first step, my foot in the door if you will.

I'm the AV kid that never grew up. I run the Instructional Technology Center (AV/IT) department at a small college in Virginia - where I'm the video expert. Have a bit of a broadcast background, but never really worked broadcast FT. I am the engineer of our college radio station as well - so I get to play around with audio quite a bit.
I've been shooting and editing video since college - about 20 years. Used Adobe Premiere since the first Beta (on a Mac Quadra) but now I like Final Cut better. I'm technically competent, but still stink at script writing :)

For the last fourteen years, I have been a marketer. The last seven as the VP of Marketing for Fariel Consulting LLC. I have over the years dipped my toes into being a producer. In 2003, a marketing client of mine hired me to do a white paper on peer-to-peer networking and the entertainment industry (which he was kind enough to let me release to the public; http://www.filehash.com/p2p1) and since then I have been interested in p2p entertainment production. I once got as far as making a pilot for my very own talk show. Just now, I am in negotiations with a poker site to produce a weekly poker show that will be distributed over peer-to-peer networks (Napster, KaZaa, eMule, etc.).

Hi people,

I plead guilty to indulging in in virtually all the creative technologies and disciplines - born out of necessity in most cases. I create my own graphics, websites and do a fair amount of weddings and small corporate and charity productions but my real 'day job' is as a composer of music for television with around 200 credits to my name. More here (http://www.2b-media.co.uk/) if your interested...

Cheers

Colin

I spent a few years in law enforcement before realizing that I just wasn't cut out for it. I guess dear ol' dad was right (again)! After that I got into IT, beginning with desktop support and then working my way up to network administrator. For the last few years I've been doing consulting for the SMB market (small and midsize businesses), helping companies design, procure, install, configure, and maintain their computer networks. Although I like what I'm doing and I'm good at it, it doesn't provide an outlet to express my creativity.

Video and film has long been an interest of mine, but I've only recently begun to develop that interest into a serious hobby. I'm interested in all aspects of production from pre to post. As I acquire and hone my skills, I have some hopes of possibly changing careers someday.

Other hobbies include flying, amateur (HAM) radio, and chasing women. Hmmm...why don't I ever get interested in cheap hobbies?

I'm a systems/reliabilty engineer for a huge defense contractor. I've toyed with video since I was a kid shooting movies on the fly and front yard wiffle ball games with my mom's camera.

The past couple of years I've started using my limited video and editing experience and talent to make a little side cash. I love it. I love taking raw footage and creating an enjoyable product for clients.

Maybe full-time one day, but everything is fine now.

I’m 40 and a dreamer, I never worked in the film industry or gone to film school or tech school, But forever I have had a keen interest in doing a wild life documentary. I take photos and videos for fun and I think where I live a person could make a living doing wild life documentaries.
I'm surrounded by Ocean, Mountains and rivers. These are filled with whales, killer whales, seals, fish, wolves, bears, grizzly bears, first nation villages and many more things.
So right now I’m waiting for a canon XL2 and a new Mac pro laptop.

Presently I work with adults with developmental disabilities.

...."as a child of the depression, i was fed only saltine crackers and swamp water"...oh, thats a different story...actually: im a news/features photographer in chicago (23 years).. worked for the cnn/chicago bureau for 15 years covering national and international stories of the moment (no better way to travel the world and get paid!!!) but marriage called - and in order to avoid it being a short one - left the old 'chicken noodle news' to sleep in my own bed nightly, and joined to local chicago news posse (wgn-tv/8 years and counting)... with a regular schedule in place, i bought my own full set of hdv gear (jvc-hd110, etc) and do a fair share of freelancing in and around the chicago area....

I studied as an Architect and worked for 5 years, hating every moment of it. I got in to 3d modelling (mainly architectural - less hateful) graphics, photography and multimedia. Unfortunately when I was at school, film making courses at college was virtually unheard of. Schools careers advisors really do miss the mark sometimes!

Providentially I was asked to join a Drama group (a non paying position) about 6 years ago to shot and produce videos and short films for their shows - even though I'd never done anything like this before! I had to borrow miniDV cameras with firewire, as I couldn't capture footage from my own Hi8 camera. I realised I had a passion for filming and editing. It got under my skin.

In May this year I talked with my very supportive wife about doing this for a living. So I bought a JVC HD101 and some mics, etc. Since then I've produced some promos and shorts, some paid, but mainly for free. I'm working on a couple of scripts with some fellow film makers and hope to get something shot soon.

I'm still in my current 9-5 job as a 3d architectural visualiser which pays the bills. My dream is to make films for a living.

Andrew

I'm Norwegian, age 47, married, got two daughters and after 25 years working as a chemist I quit my job in 2003 and start working as a youth worker for our commune I live in. It's a wonderful job :-)
I also got my own video production company (GIBBfilm) and can do music videos, videos for companies, comercials etc, etc.
My video camera is Panasonic AG DVX100 and Canon XL H1. I also got a still camera, Canon EOS 350D. I use Avid Liquid 7.1 pro for editing video. For editing music I use Acid and Logic Emagic.
Now adays I work on a nature documentary about wild seabirds, otter and seal and shooting film from the aeria where I live - The West coast of Norway. I'll finish it late 2007 (I hope).

I work as a director of information technology for a tactical gear manufacturing company in the desert sand of West Texas (Monahans) I live in a city 45 miles away and commute everyday. Currently I am working on getting my MCSE. I enjoy working in the IT field, but I much prefer to be behind my new panasonic HVX200.

Hi All,

I am a DP (director of photography) for a production company in San Jose, CA. We primarily shoot corporate gigs, but get a fair amount of network shoots. I used to work as a newspaper photojournalist and got into doc film when I went to grad school. I love it!! I am working on a couple of my own docs right now, one in post and one in pre-production. I am so glad DVInfo exists. This is an absolutely amazing resource. How did people communicate before the Web? ha.

Cheers,
David

I think, after reading many of the answers to this topic, I have the Mother of all stories:

When I was young and in Junior High and high school--circa mid and late 1970's--- I told stories via a Canon Super8 film camera, editing bench of my own design and a Yashica projector. When I go older and video was in its infancy, I could not afford to switch to this new medium. When I was in the Navy in the 1980's, I bought a Beaulieu 16mm camera with crystal sync and a Nagra recorder and shot, and edited my own 16mm footage. I also developed all the footage I shot myself. (Alas, the camera and the Nagra were stolen from my car a couple of years after I bought them.)

Here comes the tearful part of my story. I had a month's leave between my "C" schools and my first command, a submarine going through refit. I spent my leave with my brother and his wife, who lived in the San Fernando valley area of California. He was the pastor of a Baptist church at the time, and one of the Deacons at the church was a man named Pat Kennedy. You know the guy? Used to be a pro film editor...edited "Mr. Mom," and the "Space" mini-series, and so on. Steve introduced me to Pat one day while I was on leave, and told Pat, "We call Rick 'Mr. Movie' because he can tell you all the producers, stars, and directors of obscure films." I asked Pat what was the first movie he ever was head editor on. He replied, "You probably don't know this one. It was a Marine Corps movie filmed at the Recruit Training Base in San Diego in the seventies." I quickly said, "Tribes? With Darren McGaven as the DI?" Pat said, "Whoa! You are good!" Well, before I left on leave, Pat called me and said, "Listen, when you get out of the Navy, call me and I can get you a job as an apprentice editor. I get to pick who my apprentices are on films I work on." And you know, I never took him up on it. I am still kicking myself in the butt for that.

Fast-forward to the 1990's. After having gotten out of the Navy in 1988, I worked a string of jobs before settling in the the head of the nursing home department for a small chain of independent pharmacies in January of 1990. I started my own video production business, Big Byte Video Productions in 2000 when I overheard the owner and his son-in-law say they were going to start thinking more in corporate mode. My first reaction was, "Corporate mode? I'm gonna be the first to be downsized, since I'm their highest-paid pharmacy technician!" Sure enough, in September of 2002 I was downsized, laid off.

Fortunately, though, my business was at a level that I found steady work as Head of Production for a local low power television station. I shot alot of commercials, promo's, stingers, bugs and lower thirds and even produced and directed a local golf show with the most respected golf pro in town. Ah, those were heady days indeed!

During the interim, the station owner hired a new manager that I didn't see eye to eye with (had something to due with the amount of hours I was working vs. what I was getting paid). My girlfriend urged me to quit, and we wanted to get married, but could not afford it. One of her missionary friends said, "You just need to step out of the boat!" We prayed about it and flipped a coin...heads, April 30th, tails, May 8th. Well it landed heads up, so April 30th it was. Yikes...8 weeks away! No wedding dress, no suit, no flower arrangements, nothing! I got a call shortly after we decided the date of the wedding from Opfer Communications in Springfield, MO. They wanted to hire me to do all the Florida fishing footage for their new infomercial for Zebco's Rhino Indestructible rod. Wow! I got paid more money for three full days' work than I got paid for a month at the tv station! (Needless to say, I put my letter of resignation in at the tv station the next day after I got the phone call from Opfer.) That money paid for her dress, my suit, wedding rings, and a three day stay for me and her at a four-star hotel in Fort Lauderdale, where I was filming. Plus, our honeymoon! Our church did the wedding for free in their outdoor garden, and friends popped up to supply the wedding cake and the flowers.

Now, it's the end of 6 years owning my own video production company. I edit with Sony Vegas on a turnkey Dell system. I mainly do corporated docs and local commercials, but recently worked on an Italian cooking show that was broadcast in Atlantic City, NJ. I performed all the "B" camera duties, shooting all the food closeups with a Sony VX-2100 camera, and also acted as Post Production Supervisor.

So, that's my story. Hope it was interesting to you and not overly long.
---Rick Shorrock
Big Byte Video Productions

Well it sounds like it's all worked out for you. I'm just a pharmacy tech and hoping to do something in film or video soon. I don't even care what. It's got to be more creative than this job. LOL

I just latched on to this thread and enjoyed all the stories.
here is mine,
In the 60's I tried shooting film with my bolex, could not afford to do it even though I had the editing stuff and all that.
After the military I tried another go at it and couldn'y really afford to do it while I was trying to live off va benifits. I gave up the thought of it all.
About 5 years ago A friend did some videoing of some of our hunts and then I realized my day had come.
bought a digital 8 and headed to africa where it got dunked on day three, ug.

I shoot wildlife mostly but have been doing event vidography from sports to baby dedications and now a wedding..

I am able to retire from my teaching job where I teach graphic Arts, (including vidography), Computers, Industrial arts and a science class.

I am stting up to start my own media business either this summer or next for certain.

Teaching by the way does give one a lot of time to flim!!!

I left music to pursue filmmaking after working on a commercial (as an actor!). I started PAing in New York City from the ground up. I got a job on a commercial as an "intern" - PAed for free. It was well over 12 hours on the Brooklyn Bridge in subzero winter wind. They worked me to the bone. I was the last to leave. No joy. I promised myself I'd never PA for free again. I didn't.

I got an office PA job on an indie feature for $50/day. I got myself on set when we started shooting for $75/day. Loved it. Wow, 16+ hour days are interesting! Of course it was non-union, so I was also a truck driver! BUT, the 2nd AD was turning union and that's how it happened. Believe me, I was hungry so I worked my butt off. She took me with her to her next job - Analyze This. For the next 3 years I never looked for work again. I was on "the list". I worked every studio feature that came through town. I started ADing on the side, but realized I didn't want to AD. Turned to DV filmmaking. Tried to start a company but failed (I'm bad at sales/marketing). Worked at a streaming video company for a bit until the .com bust/911.

I moved to Hollywood! Concentrating on writing, but the 35mm adapter craze got me back into DV. I bought a Letus 35a and now plan to shoot some music vids, shorts, etc. I love the look of a Letus+DVX. Amazing.

Job-wise, I am a coordinator/jr. producer at a motion graphics company in Hollywood. We did the main titles for Desperate Housewives, 300, The Hulk, The Nativity Story, etc.
www.yuco.com

Keep on shooting everyone! The DV work is amazing. And I learned this from Warhol: "Just produce."

Hey Stephen, sounds like you have been in some interesting places. Cool stuff!
Good luck with all you're doing and enjoy your stay here at DV Info Net

Hello Gents
I am in the US Merchant Marine where I sail either as the Captain or chief officer,and my travels took me around the world a few times over. My next trip will send me to McMurdo Antartica. For quite a few years I have been musing with the idea of a camcorder, so with this trip in mind I went a week ago to BB and they had a sale on the HC3, bought one. As a kid I was in love with photography, but now with this tiny toy I took the obligatory kid films to justify the purchase to my wife, but I am going out quite a bit to shoot sceneries, and boy that is a lot of fun. The results are moderate as I am new to this medium, but the learning process is exiting and the day I will outgrow the HC3 there is still the HVX200 looming in my horizon. Darn I love this stuff.
Cheers
Patrick in Maryland

Chaps,

I hail from Perth in Western Australia.

Have been working in broadcast television this last seventeen years. Started as a sound recordist in News & Current Affairs, sidestepped into NewsCaff Camera then Outside Broadcast Camera (sporting events, concerts etc). Later moved into NewsCaff edit working in SP-based systems, then into Production edit on computer controlled (ACE 25) linear suites. Went back into NewsCaff edit in time for the changeover from linear to Avid non-linear. Am senior editor and supervisor, Newscaff.

I am currently employed in the industry I had dreamed of working since I first became aware of the picture box in the living room. As a young boy and teenager, I used to bus past a certain television station nearly every day of the week and wish I worked there. Now here I am working for that very same television station and it's every bit as fulfilling as I always imagined it would be.

Hope you are all as happy in your bread & butter jobs as I am in mine.

cheers.

Meh...couldn't hurt to post in here even among the great stories people have. I basically started with one of those VHS JVC Cams filming w/e I could get my hands on, even threw my expensive model car down the stairs and shot it for fun (parents were thrilled...um yea). The camera eventually died because it was already pretty old by then so I tried to find a substitue. Along comes a webcam that I got and I couldn't really do much with that so what did I grab to shoot? Lego figures (yea I know lol) but you'd be suprised how much a kid can do with Windows 95, a webcam, and some legos. I basically after that realized I should learn some software. I ended up getting Photoshop 5.0, Premiere 6.0, 3dsmax 5.0, etc. and just started learning.

Many hours spent for many years until the 2000's when I finally had the money to buy my own camera, the Gs400. I used that and my software knowledge to create a few things but always felt I could do more. Never having a camera previously I had 3d to do what I wanted and put it on screen. Basically now its 2007 and in Aug. of 2006 I got a fulltime job as Media Director at my local church. All those hours spent in After Effects, Premiere, etc. paid off because here I was with no schooling and getting paid more then I thought I would ever at my age and also as early as it was. So since then ive just been building my skills further, bought an XL2 but sold it quickly and now im looking at the A1. I've burned packaged, and sold about 1500 DVD's since April 06 (I did the job for months before Aug when I got paid) and love what im doing. Making things a professional as possible, DVD intros and menus, Series Intros, motion graphics, etc. while trying to get going on making some films in my own spare time.

I also have stuff going on Tv with that job which is kinda nice, and this summer I'll be going to Canada to shoot a TV host to do the narration and intros to our Marriage series to be broadcast in Canada so that should be great. Things are looking up, and if this job grows more Ill be able to keep it for a long time, if not its off to Biola University in CA to go to film school which im currently taking transfer coarses for just in case.

All in all I think in about 8 years ive gotten pretty far and acquired some awesome skills above many my age. I'm 18, in college, and have a job I love in a field I never went to school for, is there anything sweeter then that?

- Kyle, life is good.

Hi all
Sounds like we have a wonderfully varied group here. Its this variety that makes sites like this great.

Ok, my story

Grew up in the Hollywood Hills. John Ford's log house was right next to the house I grew up in. Everyone I knew as a child worked in the industry. For a while, even my father worked at Warner Bros.

I was a regular on the "Keith Wegeman Ski Show" when I was 2 (1953). My godfather staked Warren Miller so he could get the film developed to make his first movie (Wine, Women and Skis).

In the late 60's, after high school (John Ritter was our student body pres) I moved to Silverton Colorado and worked in the gold and silver mines. After a near fatal mining accident, I returned to Hollyweird and a friend got me a job with the Peterson Company, making tv commercials and movies. I was a production assistant, then production manager.

Moved on to be an AD with KTLA, working mainly with Bill Rainbolt and Bob Robb. From there I moved into still photography. I managed Color Labs in Hollyweird and worked as a freelance photographer/art director doing album covers for rock groups such as Arrowsmith, Alice Cooper, Canned Heat, Lou Reed and Black Sabbath.

From there I was offered 1/4 ownership of a small motion picture film lab. It had been in existence for over 40 years and was full of antiquated equipment. When I got there I realized that we could not compete with places like CFI, Movie Lab and Technicolor, so I utilized our old equipment and started bringing in B&W work. We were the only B&W lab on the left coast and the ONLY lab in the US that was rated to work with nitrate films (think BIG BOOM-nitro glycerin) and we started doing restoration work for AFI, Paramount, Warner Bros and Universal.

While there I got into the Contract Services cinematographer training program. After that I worked mainly filming, processing, editing and timing Indy car races for car owners and sponsors. I have also worked on Mean Streets with Martin Scorscesse and a couple of other minor works.

I love film making. I just don't love the lifestyle.

I got out of the business, moved up here and work at the University in an administrative capacity.

I am currently fleshing out two projects that I hope to start filming in late spring. I don't care if anyone ever sees this stuff. I just want to make it for my own sake.

I have a fairly good technical understanding of how to make movies, from beginning to end. And now I just want to have fun.

You guys are great! I have learned a lot about tape and equipment from your posts. Keep it up!

That's a great question, one my brothers, sisters, in law's, and relatives continually ask me: What is it exactly that you do?

After finishing grad school (MA Documentary Production/Theory) I got a job working full time on a camcorder review site. I wrote non stop about all things related to camcorders and the DV industry, which was great, but after a year I was feeling burned out and the cost of Boston was killing me, so I up and moved to Vegas after my brother offered me a job writing for his startup.

I continue to write for small businesses, mostly copy for their sites, press releases, etc. I'm a consulting partner in several businesses based out of Salt Lake City, all of which are marketing or real estate based - I'm the "media" go to guy, which I really enjoy. Currently I'm looking to transform my consulting business into a full fledged documentary production company. I'm tired of saying that I studied how to make documentary films, but I don't do that full time for a living. It's a bit nerve wracking, but exciting none-the-less.

Does anyone read these pages? :)

After studying music composition in school, and studying screenwriting, I prompty got work doing...digital imaging, where I stayed for over a decade, until recently getting downsized. I'm now giving a go at venturing out on my own, having worked some in this crazy biz off and on, and have written a business plan and am giving it a go. Wish me luck. I think 2007 is going to be my year.

I am an Enrollment Counselor for the University of Phoenix Online. Anyone wanting to get their BA or MBA online CONTACT me. We are the largest school in the WORLD and are fully accredited. We are not a diploma mill, this is a serious school.


This is funny seeing now that I'm back in the IT field at a totally different and better place, LOL

Day job: LCMSMS http://waters.com/watersdivision/ContentD.asp?watersit=PSTD-5Z6EDB&WT.svl=1 operator in analytical chemistry research lab, mostly agriculture chemicals, some proteomics. Love my job. I'm also a self-proclaimed IT geek.

Weekend job: Owner/operator of a small multimedia company specializing in weddings and event videography, tape to DVD transfer, digital slide shows. Love that too, but no immediate plans to make it full time. Started company about 6 years ago.

TRV-840 (x2), brand new VX2100 owner, Intel iMac, FCS 5.1

Very glad I found DV Info to continue building my video career.

Yea.. I'm the wally in front of the camera who cant get his lines right, who picks up the glass with the wrong hand every bloody time, who wriggles around and makes the lavelier mike go crazy and trips over the only piece of cable within 50 yards.

Actually I also run a small store with 6 staff (acting in Australia is intermittent at the moment) and do voiceover work.

I got into DV because of the variety of short films I've been in and the number of people locally who say "I've got a script" or "I'd like to direct" so I got them off their butts and formed a group called Justshorts.

We started in November, by Jan we had won $10,000 in prizes in an online film comp and I've been on this forum ever since finding out what gear to buy - this site rocks!

We'll make our first real short in April and there will certainly be a big thank you to DVi

BTW - I'm totally addicted to the making of - there's so much more going on behind the camera and no one asking "but what's my motivation" or "was that okay - you don't think it could have been bigger?"

and... I'm 52 and still learning

Former Actor
Paul
Newcastle Australia

Well, I have a farm in mid-Wales, which has become very well known amongst birders as the red kite feeding station. I am the feeder of the red kites and run the rehabilitation centre for these colourful birds.

I also run a popular caravan/camping site, do web design in my spare time.., and of course do my best to get out with the camera as much as possible. Just gone over to an XLH1 and don't regret it for a moment..despite the financial squeeze.
Now managing to capture much more in focus than in the past (practice, practice) and totally hooked on this site with all you helpful folks.

Chris

Well, I've been lurking here for a month or so trying to get up to speed on all things DV and came across this thread, so I thought I might make it a bit longer.

Once upon a time, when I was a kid (I'm going on 67, so it was a while back!) my father would set up an enlarger on the kitchen table and do his own printing. I think I was about 5 years old, and I was fascinated to see the image slowly come to life in the tray. I got my own Brownie box camera when I was about 6 and started taking pictures of everything that moved in the neighborhood. We'd send the film out for developingl but I would try to print the images myself. Not a complete success but by the time I was around 8 or 9 I think I was getting rather good at it (at least with my father helping).

He became quite ill about that time and died after a long illness when I was 14, so photography was put on hold.

I started college in 1958 just as the post Sputnik wave of emphasis on science was starting. I majored in Chemistry and Physics, and had a summer job for several years with the Air Force Research lab where I was working in the satellite tracking group. We still used mechanical calculators in those days, but we did have a couple of early computers, and I got hooked and started doing scientific programming.

Back at school, I started hanging out in the computer lab and taking classes in automated natural language translation. The holy grail at the time was to automate the translation of Russian to English. Fascinating, but completely impractical with the limited compute capability of the time (and not by any means a piece of cake even today)

After college, I joined IBM and worked on the design of operating systems and compilers and even had an opportunity to again work on some projects in natural language processing.

I also started taking classes in photography and took a workshop with Minor White at MIT which got me thinking in B & W again. A few years later I was fortunate enough to be able to spend several weeks studying with Ansel Adams in Yosemite, and schlepping a 5 X 7 Linhof view camera up and down the "hills". I still have the camera. And then I took a couple of workshops on video, which I loved immediately. I think it was all still in B&W. I got to the point of having several gallery shows in the Boston area, but it soon became obvious that trying to sell "artistic" B & W photographs wasn't going to pay as well as the computer business.

Then I got busy and started traveling extensively for work, and photography got put on the shelf again.

Fast forward about 25 years, and I found myself living in Tokyo for 6 years. I was introduced by Japanese friends to a lovely young(er) concert pianist and we hit it off. We had everything going for us - we lived 200 miles apart and had no language in common! To make a long story short(er) we've been married 17 years now and our home language is still Japanese even though we've been back in the US for 14 years.

I'm still working full time as a business development consultant for a Japanese company that is heavily involved in the development of computer tape drives with a US partner. I still travel to Japan frequently, and make the occasional trip to China where we manufacture the tape mechanisms. We moved to Tucson last year as I was coming here every week or so from the SF Bay area for work

A couple of years back I started feeling the urge to get back into image making, and have been playing with 3D computer graphics and animation using Cinema 4D, and am now working on a (personal) project that will involve integrating animation with video. I recently bought a Canon GL-2 with an FS-4 and am now busily trying to learn how to use them well, reading books on matchmoving, and starting to fool around with After Effects and Vegas, as well as Syntheyes for motion tracking.

Nice one Jim - best here for a long while in my view. Keep going, and may you easily outlive your father.

Tom, thanks much for the kind words. I'll work at outliving him:<)

Have to run in a bit as I'm playing a concert this afternoon in a British-style brass band. I noticed you were on the other side of the Atlantic, so thought I'd toss that in. I play the Eb tuba part, but, keeping with my tradition of never doing anything simply that I can overcomplicate, I play it on an F tuba.