I compose soundtracks and do sound design work to pay the bills. Depending on my schedule, I sometimes do post-production video work, chiefly compositing and editing.

Cheers,
-VR

Working backwards...
I'm a partner in a firm that sells Human Factors services to technology companies. We use video a lot as part of our deliverables but also for marketing our services. Prior to this career I spent three years as a management consultant in E-business and before that had a career as a multimedia professional, shooting commercial stills and creating 2d graphic design solutions for commercial clients.
I have an education and background in art but have shifted to using a different part of my brain. I capitalize on my art background to hopefully produce better videos than I otherwise would as an IT technology wonk.

I work as a research technician at a university in the UK. I do a lot of the routine analysis for an anti-malarial drug research project. But by night and at weekends I'm an amateur film director.

2 years ago me and a friend made three improvised comedy sketches on a Panasonic NVGS-180 handycam thingy. They came out fairly well so last year I actually wrote a script for a black comedy and directed it. It was more ambitious, had more locations and ran for around thirty minutes. It wasn't especially well planned and there was only a crew of two, and the crew also acted in the film! After filming I spent around ten full days locked away in a chamber editing it as best I could, unfortunately we didn't have all the coverage we needed so this was rather difficult. It turned out to be a decent enough film (but by no means good enough for broadcast) and I managed to sell about fifteen copies (at five pounds each!) after having a premiere in our department. People even laughed in some of the right places at the premiere - I felt very proud. All that work seemed worthwhile after all.

I suppose that got me hooked and now me and a friend have written another script for a sci-fi thriller, again it's probably going to be a 30 minute piece. This film is even more ambitious project with lots of locations, a cast of 4 main actors, lot of props, cameraman, sound engineer, lighting technician, special FX and props man, costumer and makeup artist. All involved are unpaid recruits. I'm currently storyboarding and have clocked up 150 shots to film so far, I reckon there will be about 200 shots to film in total to get good coverage. I'm starting to wonder if I've bitten off more than I can chew this time!

After looking around this site, I noticed something...........people actually read my comments. So heres the deal. I'm 28, been in the Army for 9 years, been to Iraq and probably will go back. I love serving! but to be honest, the thought of dying kinda sux! and its more a reality in my proffesion.
Now for the punch line, I have a passion for media and hope to even be the Actor one day. But first things first. What college degree must I look for to have a good paying job at Dicovery Channel, ABC, Fox? thats my dream guys, to work for a well known department! what career field should I persue. I currently do media clips for my Church. I write, direct, shoot and edit all of it, you can check my work out Anger TV on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/1686025)
please point me in the right direction and analyze my work and give me pointers, I would appreciate that. hope to get some career pointers also

I graduated from a liberal arts college in may 2007 and have been working as a video freelancer full-time ever since. Gigs range from corporate video to video podcasts and I shoot, boom, and PA for other local videographers.

I also do work for my company that 2 friends and I started called In The Car Media. (we don't have a website or a business card but still get jobs, don't ask how.) We do a lot of promotional video-for-the-web work and recently produced content for a museum-style exhibit.

cool!! thanks for the response, I have 110 college credits, but in no specific area!! I did allot for self developement

Mostly HD Archiving for the city I live in...

and I do this... www.orlamurray.com/Hello.... (http://www.orlamurray.com)

all the content and stuff... I also do music videos/documentaries/corporate events and I'm looking to grow and maybe take on staff over the next phase of this development... most of my friends are DJ types or band members so that helps...

I do Graphic Design as well, for both print and le web and photos... so I'm pretty much in a visual environment all the time...

all of this while answering to my cat, Honey...

and keeping the quality at a premium...

Hi,
I am vishal shetty, from mumbai,India.I am into production of still photography,music videos,ad films & feature films in India.I shoot a lot abroad for lot my ad films & photo shoots.
Can you pls let me know how easy it is to shoot a still photography shoot in sweden & how are the location & what are the cost implications.
Hope to hear from you soon.My email ID is vishaal.shetty@gmail.com

I first picked up an 8mm movie camera in 1959 (I was 14). This created a life long passion with an industry that I have passed through, over, and beneath. After finishing college I entered the world of finance and stayed there for twenty years but never far from film and television.
When I was twenty one I made a series of four 1/2 hour doco's on 16mm with my trusty Bell & Howell. Well, they were promotional films for the navy reserve but good enough for our national broadcaster to televise. I got $200 for all four.
Until I turned 40 I made a stack of short films and videos (amateur) until I got the guts to follow my passion. I turned in my career and with a friend, started a production company. That was 17 years ago. I've now produced nearly 3000 doco's or short films (corporate, event, commercial & broadcast), six have been aired in Australia and many more in the US and Asia.
I downsized my company to one (me) and independently produce only documentaries and corporates now. But you never lose your skill or passion. This year I won 3 out of 5 catagories at an international film festival and best film at festival.
The moral of this story is - for those with the true passion - You never fail until you stop trying. Go to it and succeed.

I've just joined this board, and must have been approved pretty quick,
but it makes my soul weep and soar up to the sky to read this.

I'll be 44 this year and only found in the last couple of months my passion: live music videos.
I feel too old for that business, but when the music makes my blood boil, and I can capture it on video, I feel like I've achieved something.

So far I've been a forensic and studio photographer, and in the past 6 years a mum, so I feel I've got some catching up to do.
But I love music ( learning to play the drums ;-), and how it makes me feel, and I want to use the skills I've acquired to do what makes me feel good.

So, wanting to upgrade from my point and shoot with video function to a better camcorder I got here!

And so far, it's unbelievable!!

Thanks guys, and hope to get to know you better.
Petra

Hi,

I am a technical director at Kino Polska TV.
I was working as a traffic manager, playout operator, and senior playout operator.

I am also launching my own acquisition/postproduction company this year.


Regards.

Hiya,

I am a Creative for Apple, and do the personal training. Specialising in FCS of course. I also do wedding films and making the push now for more corporate work. I don't sleep much either.

Andy

I work for a university in the Extension department. Hard to describe what they do; much easier to just say that they do almost everything. Any citizen can call in and get help in a bunch of different areas, from health programming to business development to agriculture related things to youth programming.

It's only in the off time that I can actually work on my real passion.

I'm the "Director of Digital Media" for a small market media group. I'm our primary shooter in the field, and I handle all post-production and output (usually to cable broadcast). I also do some basic audio production for radio.

Follow my passions.

I shoot internet commercials for money. Mostly funny ones.

I also do activism virals for Youtube for free when people ask me nicely. About 50000 people watched my last one and got me in the Top 5 - Top Rated (All Time) in Non Profits & Activism making me exceedingly happy.

I love the internet as a delivery mechanism, and have been slinging video at it since age 14. In my spare time I love restoring old compositing hardware particularly SGI kit which still makes an appearance in my workflow.

Recently I have hooked up with people working in film, which has been wonderfully eye opening.

So many posts here! Its amazing how many people in this community don't make their primary living in video. I feel extremely lucky to work at a company doing video production 40 hrs/wk! I create video for a publishing company that has .tv channels. Also freelance on weekends if I feel like it, but mostly take that time to work on my own projects (ie docs, shorts, etc).

For the living I'm a lawyer for the gov, 40h/week.
Besides that I'm involved in some culture preservation projects and other NGOs.

Learning film making on my own and hope to kick into full gear after I get my masters degree in January, hopefully.

When I was a kid a long time ago my brother turned me on to filming with regular 8mm. I wanted to learn how to do animation so he showed me the basics. I was hooked. I eventually baught an Chinon Super 8 sound Cammera in my teens and continued tinkering with film and animation. I wanted to be a director but it never happened. Life took me in other directions.
Recently though our church baught a Sony PMW-EX1 to shoot video for our internet web site, so the door has once more opened up for me to be pro-active in the video world again. As for what I do for a living? I am a lunch room custodian at our towns elementry school.

I would definatly like to use our cammera for a lot more than what we do with it, But I am not a writer so I will have to look for some kind of project to do.


Thomas

I work at UPS and deliver boxes everyday. I hope one day I'll be able to drop that and become full-time video/filmo-grapher. For now I'm trying my skills in weddings and small corporate vids.

I live in Northern Ireland and work as a chef Manager for an International Catering Company Mon - Frid. Last year I was contacted by a couple who wanted me to shoot there wedding. I did the wedding in December past and have just finished editing and designing dvd covers. I have a Panasonic GS120 and Panasonic gs70 both 3ccd excellent cameras I was extremely happy with the results. This year I have a couple more already booked. This is the first time I have ever done weddings but I'm enjoying the fun looking forward to the others. I have also been approached to make a music video for a freind.

That's the way Aaron - one step at a time. Did you film the wedding with the Panasonics switched into their 16:9 mode? You may find they struggle a bit in gloomy (read: romantically lit) locations.

I do make my living out of two jobs. On one hand I do work as a driver for a small company on a fulltime base. On the other hand I do operate my own business as an ENG-Newshunter for a regional TV Station, the video-department of The Netherlands national press-agency (ANP) and two national TV-stations (one only occasionally).

I do make my living out of two jobs. On one hand I do work as a driver for a small company on a fulltime base. On the other hand I do operate my own business as an ENG-Newshunter for a regional TV Station, the video-department of The Netherlands national press-agency (ANP) and two national TV-stations (one only occasionally).

From today I'm fulltime on the move with my own busines. I quited the driver job.

I might be getting a Sony HC52 Standard Definition Handycam fro my Birthday.
What do they perform like ?
I look forward to doing some music videos and I used to do storyboards for TV commercials etc . I'd like to write and produce a comedy movie based on the "Our Gang " old TV series.
Where do I start - I'll have to find Fat Albert.

Thanks for the welcome!

I'm a freelance copywriter and author of the book, "Writing Copy for Dummies." After years of resistance, I finally attempted a video or two to complement an ebook I had written about case studies.

I found the process so exciting I decided to leap into videography in a much bigger way: bought a Canon XHA1, FCE, a decent mic, etc. I love making short movies.

You can find my work on YouTube under "kranzcommunications." You'll also find me online at B2B Copywriting, B2B Copywriter, Kranz Communications (http://www.kranzcom.com) and on Facebook.

I'm more than willing to exchange crew duty for education. If you're in the Greater Boston area and need a helping hand on a shoot, give me a holler.

Good evening,

In my youth I shot with a bolex movie camera but basicly could not afford to do the job. After returning from my tour in V.N. I started again but couldn't afford it still. Gave it up for still photography.

I had a career in education teaching numerous things as well as Photography and my last few year Graphic design and media management (we built videos in particular).

Now retired from education i shoot events, mostly sports and wddings. I shot wildlife as personal passion.

Currently working on a three part tv series to be aired after december. I am participating in the uwol long version as part of this too!

thas all folks

I work as an Assistant Director on films and television shows. I started in commercials and did a few music videos. I have worked mostly on television shows for the last 14 years though I started as a Production Assistant 5 years before that. I do not have much time at all to indulge my few hobbies (hiking, sailing, diving, videotaping wildlife) due to extremely long hours at my stressful job, and the weekends are usually spent filming (the show I'm on films a small number of weekends, unfortunately), recuperating (i.e., sleeping in after a long week) or playing / talking with my wife and children. I live very close (walking distance) to wilderness areas with coyotes, hawks and other raptors, rattlesnakes, deer, bears (though I have never seen one here) and other kinds of wildlife. As part of my job I schedule when we will shoot the various scenes in whatever script we are shooting at the time; I do not spend any time with my own hands on the camera (35MM Arriflex cameras). I have filmed on many different locations but I've been mostly on a stage-based show for the last 5 years. In May we'll go on hiatus for about 2 months and I'll start hiking/biking with my small camcorder again. I'd like to get an XL A1 and a nice set of sticks to play with but for now I'll have to live vicariously through all you nice people who are out there shooting for yourselves. Oops! I'm getting another version of my next script! Gotta go! Have an adventure for me!
Thanks!

Chris Hayden

Tool and Die Maker/CNC programmer...

Ever since i made my first capture through a video card many years ago, i fell in love with everything digital video....Everything I've learned, came from forums and like minded people..
I'm doing weddings to pay for this passion, but find it hard to get the time to put together a simple demo reel or website....

Hamilton is a hurting Steeltown, so the oppurtunities aren't as vast as the bigger cities. In the meanwhile, I'll just keep on freelancing...

Hi guys

as i said in the welcome thread; I'm a content producer, so while i do get to 'live the moviemaking dream' (to quote the OP) but only when i have time among th hundereds of other tasks.

The editorial roles I could give myself include: reporter, news-editor, sub-editor, picture editor, cameraman, sound engineer, video editor, producer, marketeer (i have to promote our site on social networks)

so i have to split myself between the written word and video.

I work for LocalGov.co.uk - Your authority on UK Local Government > LocalGov.co.uk - Your authority on UK Local Government (http://www.localgov.co.uk) and my clips can be found there.

I started Photography in high school. yearbook, news paper
got some jobs selling cameras from out standing camera stores in the area,made friends with all the camera reps.have all kinds of fun, when digital dropped the bottom out of film I moved to construction and renovation to pay the bills, in 2004 I got a job with a class one railroad and in 4 years moved up from conductor to engineer.got into digital and fell hard for all the toys. I love it now.

now with all the cut backs I am moving more into commercial,music video, so if I get laid off I can still make the bills with media production.

I own my own lights and grip now so I don't have to rent.which makes it so much nicer to shoot on short notice.

if anyone is in the Inland Empire area let me know.

i try
















www.herminiocordido.com

sometimes you think is not working, but you try again..













herminio cordido :: visual artist (http://www.herminiocordido.com)

I'm 18, First year Business/Accounting student at the University of Windsor. Looking a video as more of a hobby. Maybe intertwine my business skills and hobby of video to a career one day? Who knows what is to come...

I'm an IT manager working in a private university.
I do have some interested in videography.
and Hi to everyone

Hi All,
I've been working and living in Japan for the past 4 years. My job takes me to nearby places like Thailand, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, as well as parts of Japan. I needed something to fill my off-time so I got a camera and carry it everywhere I go. Things kinda snowballed and now I have a ton of gear, both video and dSLR. Maybe some day I will make some money from it, but for now, I have lots to learn. This is a great site and I just want to say thanks for all the helpful tips I've picked up.

Camera: Pana AG-DVC30, Canon HV30, XL-H1A.
PC: Sager Q9650 3GHZ, dual nVidia GeForce 9800M GT (SLI), Blu-ray burner, 320GB x3.
Editor: Vegas 8 Pro, Pinnacle 12, Particle Illusion


Mark

Hi Mark, welcome to what I think is one of the greatest forums around.

Your real job sounds like mine used to be - I worked for IBM Japan for 6 plus years in the late 80's and the first three years I was flogging storage products all around the Asia/Pacific territory - same countries you've mentioned. I was in a plane about 4 days a week traveling to "nearby" places like Singapore (7 hour flight) New Zealand (somewhere around 20 to 30 hours each way if you counted the stopovers in Sydney and Auckland en route to Wellington), Jakarta, etc etc.

By the time the second three year stint came along I was speaking Japanese well enough that I was really "embedded" in the Japanese operation. Also got married (home language still Japanese even though we live in Tucson) and got a Great Dane while in Tokyo. Oh yeah - I had a Sony videocam that I dragged all over Japan.

I am a editor, and I mainly edit tv-commercials.
Now switching towards filming and directing documentaries, while I will keep editing on a freelance basis.

I've been freelancing for about 10 years now, I mainly shoot video and HD, but fairly often edit. Mostly documentary-type stuff for direct-to DVD and for cable networks. I also get called to storyboard music videos and commercials, and I do voiceovers.

Livin' the dream in Nashville, TN.

I assist persons with dissabilities.

Paraplejical, hemiplejical, medular diseases. Most of them cause of traffic crashes.

Since my brother had a serious motorcicle crash and resulted several affected by medular injury (got in wheelchair) this was my intro to this "job" 9 years so far. Slowly started to stay in touch with persons with the same problems and become a job just picking up them with my adapted-elevator van and here I am.

Officially I'm electronic technician but not practiced since 15 long years (teached in sound & image quite all analogic) but... life is a roulette and his avatars toke me at this point.

Well. I work in home due to this circumstances and tought "why not?" commencing in this beautiful art that mix light, views & electronic togheter.

And here I am! Just pushed for a good photographer friend that insisted me in practice a year with my humble and loved gear I choosed to start: a JVC GY HD110, an iMac 24" and Final Cut Express awaiting to learn as well as I can with all you. And if I improove properly this months in advance, why not... upgrade to better cams, codecs & computers.

Cheers!

...& If you ride a motorbike, please please... never forget a good helmet.

Juan.

...Just pushed for a good photographer friend that insisted me in practice a year with my humble and loved gear I choosed to start: a JVC GY HD110, an iMac 24" and Final Cut Express awaiting to learn as well as I can with all you. And if I improove properly this months in advance, why not... upgrade to better cams, codecs & computers...& If you ride a motorbike, please please... never forget a good helmet.

Juan.

Juan,

I'm a long time still photographer who thinks that more than the camera, the prospect of adding music and sound, and I mean really good sound, to presentations is what makes video such a compelling medium. It's the reason why I'm just starting out.

Your JVC is a great starter and, some would say, only camera you might need for projects. Feature films have been shot with it. Get up on the audio skills. Great sound will make even consumer-camera captured video sound like a million bucks.

BTW, my head is covered with a helmet regardless of what two-wheeled conveyance I'm riding. Also experimenting with shooting from the back of a tandem bicycle and from the passenger position of a motorcycle.

Dave

I’ve been in the radio/tv/film business all my life. I used to do air shifts in major market radio along with VO for film and commercial work. Every aspect of in front and behind a camera and mike. Built and owned part of radio and tv stations along with Director of Engineering for major group owners. Did a stint as adjunct professor at several Universities while heading up television departments. For the past ~27 years worked for Major TV network in NYC in engineering design work.
Putting together my own production package and I am just now getting into producing my own work along with guiding my teenage son as an actor. Just a busy Dad in Westchester…..
Nice to see an active forum.

I'm a computer programmer. IBM mainframe assembler, to be specific. We're a dying breed. I think the required attention to detail helps me significantly with my photography and videography, especially during the editting process. But programmers aren't typically known for their outgoing personalities, which holds very true for me as well. So I'm worried I'm missing shots because I'm too shy to get up close and personal with my subjects. Luckily it's just a hobby so far, and most of my work has been isolated to my daughter's dancing. But her dance instructor has asked me to video her wedding, so the pressure's on now. That's one reason I joined the forum, to learn what I can about wedding videography before the big date. Wish me luck!

Good luck Kevin!

I am a Shift Supervisor for a coffee shop. And as of this moment, I am not sure I am going to go back tomorrow... (If you can, never work at a coffee shop... Too much stress in the management area)

I have also worked at a Camera store selling cameras, Digital and Video (Only had like 5 kinds of video cameras... But I was the Video guy!)

My dream is to either work for a film company and shoot on Film. or start my own independent studio and have many people working for me on many projects... everything from commercials, to weddings, Sports, to Concerts.... Anything! I love doing all of it!

I first picked up an 8mm movie camera in 1959 (I was 14). This created a life long passion with an industry that I have passed through, over, and beneath. After finishing college I entered the world of finance and stayed there for twenty years but never far from film and television.
When I was twenty one I made a series of four 1/2 hour doco's on 16mm with my trusty Bell & Howell. Well, they were promotional films for the navy reserve but good enough for our national broadcaster to televise. I got $200 for all four.
Until I turned 40 I made a stack of short films and videos (amateur) until I got the guts to follow my passion. I turned in my career and with a friend, started a production company. That was 17 years ago. I've now produced nearly 3000 doco's or short films (corporate, event, commercial & broadcast), six have been aired in Australia and many more in the US and Asia.
I downsized my company to one (me) and independently produce only documentaries and corporates now. But you never lose your skill or passion. This year I won 3 out of 5 catagories at an international film festival and best film at festival.
The moral of this story is - for those with the true passion - You never fail until you stop trying. Go to it and succeed.

Wise and profound words.

Great littlep otted history, too, Redgum.

Just joined ...

Still photography has been a lifelong passion of mine since childhood - newspaper and yearbook photographer in HS and College. Involved with developing the theater department in HS and experimented with the first bulky Sony Video systems when they first came out. Worked summers during college as a professional sound and lighting engineer from the mid to late 70's. I then shifted my careeer into work in mental health and have been a doctoral-level psychologist with expertise in rehabilitation, neuropsychological assessment and psychoanalysis. I developed and managed several community-based brain injury programs and also worked with individuals with developmental disabilities. This past January I moved to the Twin Cities to work as a professor in a doctoral training program in clinical psychology.

I am a previous DVX-100B owner - sold my equipment just before my move. I have just put in my order for the Canon HFS-100 and look forward into my move into the HD world.

My impression so far (and I am a DVX forum member) is this is a great site!

Best,

Mike

I do theatre. Everything I do is linked to it, so most of my video work is theatre based. I'm a theatrical lighting designer, and rent out audio, video and lighting equipment to mainly performing arts based clients. When I'm not being 'technical' I work as a production manager - mainly light entertainment - so that means here in the UK, comedians, music (mostly older bands) Anyone in the US heard of Gerry and the Pacemakers, The Searchers - oh and we had the current line-up of the Drifters a few weeks ago. I did notice not all had US accents, so probably just one of the many 'official' Drifters on the circuit.

Don't like modern stuff - I did a Morrisey show in May and I hated it!

My problem is I spread myself wider and wider all the time, spending my profits on new kit, I really don't actually need!

I took time out and trained to be a teacher - working with 16-21 year olds in a college for 10 years, but gave it up again in 2004 to go back to working for myself. I reckon I've got another 10 years in me at least!

Im Sam

Im 18, Finished High School last year and have just been chilling pretty much doing the odd labouring job here and there. I now have a job at Mcdonalds which provides a tiny bit of money i suppose. I shoot drift "music" videos I have a Sony FX7 that i use, but I only shoot SD seeing as my computer cant handle editing HD. I really want to become a Music Clip Director but im not too sure how to go about it ( what courses to do etc.)

My videos can be seen here
MeZ Productions's videos on Vimeo (http://www.vimeo.com/user1021574/videos)

I am a sports editor at the local paper here in Portland, Victoria, Australia.
I guess I got into sports journalism because sports was/is my life and I love analysing and chatting about different aspects of it.
That is why I have gotten into video, to put shows together for sporting organisations, chatting about the weekly events etc. I just see a market here in Australia for regional centres that don't get any coverage at all in TV so I thought why not make a show on DVD and go from there, if it grows then great, if not I will have a heap of fun doing something that I love and give something back to my sporting clubs and/or associations.

Currently unemployed.

Finished my MBA degree in December 2008, at which point my company promptly laid me off only a few months later. Six months into looking for work, I'm starting to wonder why I got the degree at such a young age. All the MBA level jobs want more experience than I have, and all the entry-level stuff assumes I'm overqualified; catch 22.

But I'm making do with savings and the help of family; I never thought I'd be living back at home at the ripe old age of 25. *sighs*

Prior to the layoff earlier this year I was a marketing assistant and web administrator at an herbal medicine distributor. The job wasn't glorious, and mostly involved a lot of product photography in a studio that I designed from some duct tape, clamp lights, CFL bulbs and a couple of trash bags; This when i wasn't busy babysitting the SQL server doing manual imports and exports of product data. Never thought I'd miss that crappy job, but here I am. Grass is always greener, right?