We all come to DVInfo to

Some DVi members actually live the film making* dream every day. Others like myself have to keep trodding along in our 9-5 jobs hoping one day we too can turn a passion into a career.

I'd like to hear from everyone, exactly what it is you do for a living. To you guys who are in the film industry, how did you end up there?

I'm an IT/network tech for the Canadian government. Save me.


* - I know, technically DV = video, but leave me alone :)

Hi Andrew:

Well, for one thing, you live in a country that has seen its level of film work increase radically in the last few years--between the government incentives and attractive exchange rate, a massive amount of film, episodic TV and commercials have moved up to Vancouver and Toronto from the U.S. If you really want to get into it, maybe it's worth getting over to those cities and making some new friends.

Breaking into the film industry is a lot easier when you have connections, but starting at the bottom is usually the way. Try to finagle an intern position at an equipment rental house, look for ads on the net or elsewhere about low-budget films needing crew for free, these are ways to get a foot in and start making those all-important connections. If people like your personality and drive, and if you exhibit common sense and commitment, the ball will start rolling for you. It may be tough going for a while financially, though. Save those IT pennies!

(Oh, just read your post again, wondering how we make our various livings. I make mine working as a DP and camera operator on features and episodic television, in Los Angeles).

well, i'll add my life history since i am still on my journey away from the horrible world of IT (this is a joke btw :).

I started in 92 with playing around with 3D Studio R3 and 4 and quickly got interested in 3D Graphics. This was while i was studying to become a Systems Architect in college. After aquiring my own copy of Lightwave 3D i began to try to teach myself all the different aspects of visual effects, both computer generated and non-cgi. Since we didn't have any schools back then which could teach you this (in sweden), you had to do it yourself. I did this by looking at effects in films and sit down and try to figure out how to do them myself. It also landed me my first (and so far only =) screen credits with a film called Designer Baby where i got to do a 1 minute long CGI scene where a fetus is "created" in a artificial tank. I know the film got a few rewards on different festivals but the funny thing is that i've actually not seen it myself yet :)

During all these years (and now im starting to feel old) i worked as systems developer, systems architect, technical project manager, network engineer and such, building me a little career doing this. But all this time i felt that i wanted to do something different. Not the best of situations at all times.

Anyway, the 3D path was in retrospect pretty good. It taught me the basice cinematography, lighting, storytelling, and gave me a good foundation to jump over to film/video industry. And in 98 i got the opportunity to start working (as a programmer) at a company that actually did both film/video production aswell as software development (web mostly). This was a great opportunity for me since even though my primary job position was not to do anything with film or video, i was at the right place at the right time. And you learn a lot from discussing with your co-workers. The film/video dep saw my 3D work and all the stuff i had done on my spare time and after 2 years there, i was offered the chance of moving over to editing fulltime. So i took a course in Softimage|DS (in London :) and after that was a full time DS operator. My editing i learned both from watching others work (films, video, tv, etc) and from working alongside our other editor who had about 20+ years of experience as an editor.

Now it would have been nice to end this with "and he lived happily ever after" but unfortunately life isn't like that. During 2001 and up til today, the video/film industry in sweden has really declined. Mostly because of the bad financial times. So earlier this year i had to leave the company since they were having financial difficulties (And today they are no longer active as a company). At that point i couldn't find anything "solid" in the business so i went back to the IT biz and are currently working as a senior systems developer.

But all is not bad. I started my own company this year, got my camera (PD100) and editing station (G4) with FCP. And currently im about to finish my corporate showreel so i can hunt for clients. The industry here in Sweden has now moved back to the good ol practise of using freelancing production staff for almost everything. The big production companies had a little stint with trying to get everything inhouse but they discovered that during bad times (as we have now) its to expensive with full time editors & photographers. So everyones going back to using freelancers and smaller production teams. This i hope will be great times for smaller guys like me with a good network of producers, editors, directors, DOP's, sound technicians, musicians, actors and vfx artists. Even though my company is just 1 person, i can get together a good crew of 10 people if i need it for a project. Doing everything from video to 35 mm.

Oh to end this somewhat long and not concluded story, during all this i also started with scubadiving and got my instructor level last year. During this time i also took up underwater videography which is also a good extra skill to have these days.

Well, hopefully my little story might inspire someone or give you an idea or two. It IS possible to exchange careers, even as different ones as going from IT into film&video. Im not 100% there yet but i'm getting there :) And since im only 30 i still have some time left :)

Right now I am the in-house designer and client services (graphics and web) guy for Destiny Media Technologies http://www.dsny.com, a small web technology company that is into internet radio and Java playerless video and audio streaming. Although most of my work is web and multimedia graphics, a significant amount of my job is presenting and encoding video in our proprietary streaming video format. A lot of video produced out of house crosses my desk so I have a good idea of the quality of business video and obviously Hollywood trailer quality.

When I started out 'multimedia' was the big buzz word and I thought I would be doing Macromedia Director stuff for CD-ROMs. Actually I was hired out of school to do 3D and 2D graphics for a 'Myst'-style game that was never released. That company was bought out by a larger multimedia title producer that did value titles and graphics technology.

I did assorted graphics for that company until they added a special effects studio with high end SGI workstations. Fortuitously, none of the original artists from the previous firm wanted to move to Vancouver (silly them) so I was given a chance to learn Alias PowerAnimator. We were thrown into modelling and animating for a cheap science fiction movie "Laserhawk" starring Mark Hamill and Jason James Richter (kid from "Free Willy"). I flew spaceships and shot lasers for most of the year and then went on to commercials and some TV.

I quit that company to pursue an opportunity for starting a games studio in Malaysia. That was actually a very near thing and funding was quite close. However, the Asian economic flu put the body slam to that. Good learning experience though.

I contracted to another small studio and made some small money writing business proposals for technology companies and learning web site creation. That got me hired by my present company. That was almost four years ago. Now, with my handy XL1S, I'm trying to get back into content creation. As you can see, I've done a lot of everything. Game graphics, 3D, business development, web creation and now digital video.

You can read more about me here: http://www.keithloh.com

Hey Andrew,

I'm a organic/biodynamic farmer in KY. My wife's just got a job editing a mag (from our farm) so I'm taking taking this next year to pursue making some documentaries. Since we grow our own food, have a solar house and very cheap taxes, we can get by on a very little bit of $, which gives me the opportunity to (for the first time in my life) Think purely of what I want to create without thinking that I HAVE to make $ from it. So I may have plenty of time to film the caterpillar changing into a butterfly.

Chris

That sounds totally idyllic.

I own/operate a start-up video production/independent movie company. I've been doing event/corporate stuff to get some money in the bank, but my first sports video is being duplicated as I type, and should hit stores Monday. My ultimate goal is to produce feature length movies.

Video production is not my main business. I also own and run an aquarium installation and servicing company called Living Art Aquariums, which still pays my bills.

I'm the Deputy Director of a state youth sports organization (60,000 members, state-wide). I'm sure dealing with the public is always going to have some drawbacks, but when you start dealing with the public's CHILDREN, then you potentially have problems to the tenth power!!!

Working in a non-profit environment, you have to wear many hats to 'get the job done', but despite the few pain-in-the-a$$ people you have to deal with, there are many jobs that I would NOT want to have (and at least I have a job!).

I'm only recently into mini-dv (GL1 and Premiere 6.0) and shot my first short (9 minutes) two months ago, but I have to admit, I'm a much better writer than a filmmaker.

I've had several short plays produced locally (no pay) and have plenty of scripts to choose from for my next project - I just lack the filmmaking (am I going to start an argument here?) : ) experience.

However, with the youth sports job, I'm in a good position to shoot some training videos, CDs, etc. for the association and get plenty of experience, along with a little extra pay!

I'm a crusty 57 year old field engineer for a large refrigeration manufacturer. I live for all things technical and have made systems and control my specialty. I travel North America, teaching, diagnosing and fixing other peoples mistakes.

Don't ask me how i got into this as a hobby cause I can't remember (oldtimers disease). I do know I progressed from a TRV20 to a VX2K in about 8 months and i'm loving every minute. It's something I don't get paid money to do. I work for smiles and laughter.

I enjoy hearing people's storys. If you believe, and I do, that film is a mirror, then a part of what is reflected in it is the background of the film maker. Another way of looking at it is film is a handmade product and our finger prints are all over it.

I started in the early 70's when a Prof offered me work at the TV station he was on staff with. My next jobs were with contacts that I made through school or work. Then I moved across the country to a new market and learned the critical lesson of how important receptionists and secretarys are. I got a entry level postion at a TV station in Dallas, Texas in the "Film Dept". We prepared 16mm prints for air, cutting them for time, cleaning them and putting in cue tabs for the projectors. One day, after only a week or so,I met the station's Lighting Director and he asked me what I had done. I told him. He asked if I could run a followspot. I asked what kind? a supertouper or a gladiator? He booked me for a freelance gig that weekend. That relationship resulted in a mentor, master/apprentice relationship and my next job at a national cable company as a Lighting director.

I have since worked on staff and freelanced and back on staff. I have shot two films that aired on PBS and a film for Africa and one that aired in India. Every project that I have done has been a result of people I have come to know and work that I have done.

I teach at a grad school part time and have seen a lot of students come through and some make it in the industry and some not. One of the things that those who make it have in common is that they are willing to work hard on other people's projects. Gaining a reputation as a responsible hard worker and gaining friendships is priceless.

commercial/indie DP 1982-1997 based out of LA but lived in SF area - shot ONLY FILM - no video = YES i was a FILM SNOB ..actually just never came in contact with video persons/work .... was only offered maybe 2-3 video jobs during that time ..

retired from FILM BUSINESS Fall 1997 .....

summer 99 ..friend showed me his XL1 ... i like the image/look of frame mode and the size ... so now i'm a hand size DV snob !!!
no shoulder camera's , no film camera's ..OK for $XX,XXX day i'll shoot anything !!!

have shot 3 documentary's on GL 1 .... a feature , B' camera on several features ... i work 2 ways .. either NO lights or with 5 ton grip/light truck ... it's either nothing or everything .. still in retirement so i still get to CHOOSE the projects i work on ...

I'm an intellectual property litigator (copyright, trademark and patent) with a major international law firm. I bought my first camcorder (a Sony TR600 Hi8) for my wedding 8 years ago. Since then, my little hobby has evolved to include a Sony VX2000, a 1.4 GHz computer with 1/4 terabyte of hard drive storage and a Pioneer 104 DVD burner, a Pinnacle ProOne realtime board with Premiere 6.5, After Effects 5.5, Pinnacle Commotion, Pinnacle Edition, and Pinnacle Impression Pro for DVD authoring. My primary interest is shooting travelogues, though once a year I direct a three-camera, live-switched shoot of a 4th of July show that my friends have produced for the last 29 years.

I started out with shooting promotional and instructional videos, and now shoot funerals, the odd wedding, accidents/news stuff, family stuff and fun stuff. Video is mainly a hobby for me. I shoot more stills than video, but it kind of overlaps.

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.

RedgumTV,

That's probably the most inspiring thing I've read here yet. Thanks.

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : I started out with shooting promotional and instructional videos, and now shoot funerals, the odd wedding, accidents/news stuff, family stuff and fun stuff. Video is mainly a hobby for me. I shoot more stills than video, but it kind of overlaps. -->>>


Funerals???

I never thought about that before.... probably because I've never seen a funeral that I'd like to see again!

Any money in that?


I used to be involved in the music business years ago (audio recording & co-owner of an all-night rock n roll nightclub), which only involved one video production. I've always had a passion for a good recording, whether audio or video.

Now, I am a Realtor that has some unconventional methods of marketing a home... including online video tours. I am building my team up so that I can spend all my time playing with the camera and the NLE... while getting paid for it.

A good friend of mine and I are in the process of starting a small production company... and I mean SMALL. I am not sure where it will lead us to, but we have a few friends in the music business that can use our services... and I did my first wedding video for my niece which was met with delight and surprise... so I might take a stab at that, as well.

My journey may lead me into documentaries. I just bought three recommended books on the subject, and I am sure I will take a whack at a few.

I, too, find a great deal of inspiration just reading posts on this bbs.

Have enjoyed reading everyone's stories. Mine is less thrilling than most. I am a total outsider. I'm just another "working Joe" - a journeyman electrician by trade, but for many years now I have been a technician in the office products industry. I currently work on large full color copiers and printers. The technical end of things got me into the business, but the day to day interaction with my customers is what I enjoy the most now (even when they're pissed off).

I don't know what got me interested in video (the idea of doing my own projects and NLE's just blew me away), but I sat on the sidelines for five years or so - reading, checking out this and other web sites. Finally last February I had the finances together and believed the time was right. I bought an XL1s, a backpack, some microphones, a tripod, a rainslicker, an old Mac G3 and FCP. I've always been interested in nature, history and the outdoors, so these are the topics of most of my video. (Though when I got into this, I promised myself that I'd follow any opportunity that presented itself - but I don't know about doing funerals! ).

So far I've only finished three projects
1) A 13 minute birding video entitled "Birds of Winter"
2) A bull riding event
3) A fishing show entitled "Kananskis Country Grayling"(22 minutes)
Nothing too mind blowing I'm afraid, but every time I make something new I learn a great deal. Right now I'm editing an hour long nature doc and having alot of fun. I don't know if this will ever go anywhere, but it's been a long time since I've done anything creative and this is definitely good for my mental health! Perhaps working a straight job can be a bit of a grind, but some of the skills (both technical and people skills) are helping me with my new venture.

Quite a cross section - it makes for interesting reading...

I got into video by default. Part of my training in medical photography was basic cine although I never really used it until the early 1980's when I made some short films on slide staining techniques for a pathology laboratory on 16mm.

Like many Public Sector areas at that time a major problem for us was 'recurrant costs' and the processing charges were hitting us hard. So, video looked like the way to go as it removed those costs. Since then we have had Low band U-matic, M2, S-VHS and currently very happy with miniDV.

I loved M2 format and missed it when I lost a lot of space in the department and it had to go :-( Time to look at NLE. S-VHS was Ok but a big drop from M2...

Along comes the XL1 and I am a happy chap again :-)

The End

I am actually a musician turned video guy and now videoguy/musician. Currently I play in a band called "Psaphonic".

I have been playing in pubs and clubs since I was 17 (don't tell the owners that).

In the Fall of 98' I went to film school for 6 months. Did my practicum on an independant Feature called "The Hot Karl", that a friend of mine was Producing in Vancouver. I returned home a few weeks later and realized there is no film industry here. So, I continued playing weekends and dreaming of the day I would be on set, lugging gear around for someone else in the pouring rain.

In the fall of 99' my brother and myself decided to take a crack at writing our own script and selling it.

In the Spring of 2000 my band,(at that time we were called GLOW... don't laugh, that's the kinda band name you need for over sees), got booked to be the house band at a club in New Dehli, India. There I met the producer of Gahndi, (sorry if Gahndi is spelt wrong), I gave him the script and never heard from him again. But that's another story.

After being in India for 3 months we returned home, had some member changes, played for a few months locally, shot a video, and broke up in the Fall.

A month later, after retiring from the music industry, I decided to start my own film/video company, and shoot the movie we wrote ourselfs, rather than waiting for Hollywood to come to us.

The next few months were spent researching equipment. I realized that I could get myself a nice Arri2 off of E-bay for not all that much, but then thought of post production and how much that would cost.

Back to that 9-5 job. Istarted working at my parents music store, where I am currently working to this very day.

What to do now? More research. Then one day I stumbled across a website called XL1 Watchdog, or something like that.
January 2001 IRONNEIL Productions was born.

Since then, we have shot 2 features, some music videos, some shorts, and so on.

Earlier in the year the singer from GLOW and I reformed a new band and now play almost every weekend.

Currently we are working on a few scripts to be shot in the spring and summer of next year. I really hate shooting outside in the winter if I don't have to.

Thats my story and I'm stickin to it!

-Nori

I am a claims supervisor with Geico Direct Insurance. I am a writer/director. I have just started Shogun Films and I am in pre-production on a Short/Feature. I have always wanted to do this since I was a kid, got sidetracked by life, but now I am focused and will see this thing through, its what I love. Insurance just pays the bills!!!!

hi all,
I am in the retail business. I have 3 pet stores called Daves Soda & Pet city around Springfield, Ma and have been doing this since 1975.
I also have a new career which is WAY more fun. I am a professional speaker. My talks are about retail and creative, cost effective ways to build good business.
My web site is
www.daveratner.com
I decided to spring for a good camera since I tape my high school kid at ALL his concerts and gigs. He is a jazz guitarist. I am the roadie.
ok, you caught me, I also tape my dogs.
Any pet questions I can help with, I here.
Dave

I work as a web developer in the Orlando, Florida area.

I've always had a love of movies since I was little (who hasn't) but it wasn't until I saw Smoke, with Harvey Keitel and John Hurt, that I really came to 'feel' and understand what an indie flick is all about. Then came Next Stop Wonderland. I was in love. Years have past and I've gotten lost in the indie dream, backtracking to see all the older indies that I've missed due to my ignorance...

I never thought that I would be able to really put anything feasible together myself. I tried messing with a Super8 film cam a few years ago. I struggled with it for a bit, and then realized how much it would cost. I never went back.

Then I realized that I'm a technology guy, living in the digital age--why would I mess with film? And after I started working at my current job, I met some friends of the company that run an all DV shop, filming corporate videos and such. The main camera guy (also the owner) enjoyed fiddling around with the occasional short film. I helped out running sound and operating a boom on a couple of his shoots. That's when I realized that I could do this. I realized all the mystery behind the filming process, video, lighting, sound, etc.... wasn't all that difficult to figure out (though it may take years to master).

Now, I'm just getting started, but my good job has allowed me to finally collect all the gear and get things going. Got friends by my side willing to make this work. And here I go...

I don't know where this road is leading, but it sure is exciting!

I'm a university bum aka professional student.

I have had jobs here and there for the last 4 years while at uni, but due to my work load ever increasing, i am back into the drudge of occasional casual work trying to find more hours in the day to finish my university work, as well as fuel my movie making hobby.

I have worked while still an undergraduate for 2 years on a locally produced tv show as the head cameraman, then moved on to farm my skills on my many shorts produced as either the DP, editor or both.

One of the shorts i was heavily involved with, recently won a couple short film competitions in Australia, and i have had the luck to become very close with a couple of very passionate people who are very comprable actors and writers.

I will be doing my masters degree in multimedia/design majoring in video production work, and hopefully my little production company i started will be enough to see me through my life.

I have never desired to be famous, just to get enough to live my life the way i want too.

zac

[long one, sorry]
My name is Matt Betea, I'm 24 and a carpet installer 5-6 days a week. Unfortunately I wasn't "gifted" with the knowledge of what I wanted to do earlier in my life. Through school I seemed to have a knack for writing and drawing. But always felt from outside pressures to "be more realistic". So I put those aside. When I was 19 going through community college here and not having a clue as to what I wanted to do I just basically lost it. No matter how bad it gets from here on out I don't think it could be as bad as it was.

Anyways one night I was flipping through channels and a movie was just starting. I don't know what caught my eye about it but I was hooked. That was the first time in almost a year I actually felt something. And the first time in my life I ever seen a movie for more than "glitz and glamour". The movie was "Night on Earth" directed by Jim Jarmusch.

Since then i've been reading(mostly), saving and watching more movies. Last year I got enough for a gL1 and some other equipment. It was nice, but still had no clue what I was doing. I've been reading more and starting to work on specific things (writing mostly). So after some failed attempts I decided I shouldn't let my equipment take up space and sit there, so I let it go. I want to have a couple solid scripts for shorts to do. So now I'm writing and saving again. Looking to get an xL1s soon and looking forward to going to rockport college.

If I ever get to meet Mr. Jarmusch I definitely need to buy him a beer or a dimebag. I would also like to thank Chris and the mods, as well as the many people here that are incredibly knowledgeable and talented. Thank you.

matt

Well...

Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

In a walnut... I didn't know I would be involved with DV at all until it hit me square in the face last year. I was oiling painting, painting theatre sets, acting, and creating promotional materials for theatre. All visual arts...

I was sent to a accelerated arts program when I was 12 years old for 2 years, but I was more interested in playing baseball, so I neglected the arts. Life has a funny way of revealing your path to you, even if it is years later.

Acting wasn't paying off at all, I still do this, so after forming a production company and doing some theatre. I decided to move forward and create using DV as my medium. (As Film is much too expensive and I think we are in a movement of DV/HD)

My bread and butter comes from computer technical consulting, MIS Support, Network Admin, which a few key people helped me secure this form of steady income so while I 'struggled' I didn't have to live in a box and eat macaroni and cheese.

DV has merged many sides, artistic, technical, learning, and imagination. It is maluable and relatively inexpensive. Although, the technical side of me wants every gadget and 'latest-greatest' thang.

So, here I am and I am 90% finished with my first legit (SAG Experimental Short) short. I have a second short on the backburner and a feature in my desk itching to be done. I know that regardless of the outcome or the support/criticism I receive.... I am in the game and will continue to be... 90% of the process is enjoyment for me...

Beers for everyone on this board who continue to take their aspirations/dreams and make it real.

Enough blathering!

Cheers!

Derrick

Hello All

My name is Doug Sapp I am retired Coast Guard. I would like to
film documentaries. I am located in Humboldt County California.



Doug

Reading all the posts from people all over the world has really made me think. I've been working in broadcasting and film all my life and have been "forced" to work in the film community when I had to. I never thought it was something people "would die for" to get into the business but from the posts I've read, I'm one of the few who do this full time and should consider myself blessed.

I've been working in TV and film since I was a kid. A friend of the family watched me when I got out of school and he just happened to work at a TV station....so...since we kinda got into things when no one was watching...they found things for us to do to keep us out of trouble. Get this...carry that...don't touch that (of course we did) and never talk to the talent! Reminds me of the day we hid under the anchors desk during the news and all was going well till I had to go to the bathroom (I was 11)...since I couldn't wait any longer...I tapped the talent on the leg to let him know I needed to get out from under there and go to the boys room...well...he was reading the news and when I tapped him on the leg from under the desk he thought something had gotten ahold of him and proceeded to scream and jump back from the desk like a snake had gotten him. He scared the hell out of me and kicked me as he jumped back and then I jumped and hit my head on the underside of the desk and started to scream too (well...it really hurt!) This scared the other girl who was sitting at the desk with him and then all hell broke loose. They went to a commercial and it was at that time I found out how loud a stage manager could yell! After that, they ALWAYS found something for us to do during the news to keep us busy and out of the way!

I guess your perspective changes when you do this full time but sometimes it's hard to find the motivation to edit all day long or shoot in the bad weather or lug around a lot of heavy gear and shoot all day and into the night eating bad food and putting up with the A*shole the thinks he has a new "creative edge" on the next "Starwars" or some thriller that only needs more gasoline and fuel oil because "I want the explosions BIGGER to suit my ego" kinda thing.

Working with Director's that thinks "I'm so great and your so nothing". Who waves his hands around like the Pope and treats the crew like they are completely stupid and couldn't find your way out of a hole without him because he has the "vision" and your just "the crew." That stuff really gets me going! Yeah...I have worked with a LOT of A*sholes in my career. Most haven't got a clue except they found the money and now they get to treat you like S*it! Nevermind I've been in this business all my life and seen SO many come and go all the while the Director is thinking "as soon as my next big hit comes in" thinking that will save them or somehow regain that "respect" they had while treating a crew like idiots. While "we" are still working and watching these so called directors and producers who thought they were so high and mighty fall from grace and end up telling stories about how it wasn't there fault that the crew was stupid and how he can't understand why were short of money because he put most of it up his nose and it was "the other guy" that caused the complete meltdown of the film...the commercial...the "show". Sheeeesh! Yeah...I'm blessed.

Where was I? Sorry...I kinda got lost there for a moment thinking about all the glamor and glory...yeah...I'm blessed. Oh yeah..right...what do I do for a living...hmmmm...well...I guess you could say I'm a kinda babysitter. I clean up messes...dry the tears...quiet the screaming...referee the fights...do the shopping....console the hurt...encourage the lost...band aid the boo boo's...fix the coffee...run to the store...change the diapers...separate the ones fighting...balance the budget...feed the hungry...sweep the floors...manage the "home" and always but always...lend a shoulder to cry on when things go wrong.

Who am I?

Just another guy on the crew thats "blessed"

I've been working in theatrical design and production since the 1970's, and am currently Director of Design and Technology at a major opera company where I design scenery, lighting and supervise construction. This is all a lot of fun, but recently a director friend and I have decided we need to make the leap to video/film.

We're putting together a project that we hope to bring to the screen in a couple years, and trying to understand the differences between theatrical and film media. This can be difficult when your mind is hard-wired to think in terms of a big proscenium stage in an opera house with thousands of people. I'm finding it very liberating, although often frustrating. We'll get our first taste of this next fall when we premiere a new stage production of an opera that uses large screen video projection of computer animation and live action. This all started out as a crazy idea of ours "just for fun", but now it appears our fantasy will actually make it to the stage and we're starting to get scared by the whole scope of the project! Later this month we hope to do a test where we rent a big Barco 17,500 lumen projector and see how the computer animation and DV footage looks on a big screen in the theatre.

FWIW at present I work with a Power Mac G4, PowerBook G4, Sony VX-2000, Final Cut Pro, Strata 3d Pro and Bryce 4.

After 30 years in marketing and sale in Silicon Valley, I had a chance to move to a small town. I shucked off computer sales and Internet worries and started a Video Production business.

Starting one is slow and I've done a lot of different work over the last 5 years but the work that paid off the most is the pro bono stuff I've done.

I did a 14 minute video about a missing girl. That introduced me to the local police department who then asked me to produce their 100 year anniversary video. I'm now producing the video for their 2003 awards banquet (4th time for the annual video) and get to ride in the police cars on patrol.

I get called out for SWAT events and I even have my own radio, plastic badge and police hat Woooo. Sort of like COPS. Some of the rides with the police are what we used to call E-ticket rides (the best rides at Disneyland back when to ride a ride, you had to have the right class of ticket.) Best of all, some of my shots of a local K-9 officer made it to TLC as part of a documentary on police dogs.

And the police chief asked me to tape his son's wedding so I got into wedding videos (although at a once per every two months sort of frequency).

Because of a second missing child video, I got a part-time job at the local community college as their Cinema and TV Lab tech (did that for 2 years), where I got to redesign and rebuild the television studio and control room. I quit there and because I did a free video background for one of their plays (Jeckyl & Hyde), I now am under annual contract with the college Theatre Department to tape and edit clips for their Acting for Television class.

Along with all of this, I joined the Chamber of Commerce where I've been rubbing elbows with the business community and the city government. I serve on a few committees and help out during their membership drives, etc.

Because of that, I hooked up with some local businesses and started producing cable television commercials. I used some Hollywood actors I met at the school in the commercials so I have a big leg up on the cable company (AT&T) who is my only competition.

Now I'm quoting on a garbage recycling video for the city (big job).

And because I did a free video for my wife so she could show a potential customer how her company operates internally, I got a contract to do their corporate video that I rework on at least an annual basis. Her customer Johnson & Johnson, has promised to consider me for some of their smaller jobs.

Next week I'm off to Pennsylvania to tape the largest Model Engineering exhibition in the world. Called Cabin Fever, (you get that back there in the Winter) there will be around 600-1000 model engines, most of them running, to tape and include in the almost 3 hour video. I will just make my expenses on that but:

Because of doing those videos, my 2 hour training video on using machinst's measuring tools is distributed by two US manufacturers of machine tools and is in use around the country in schools and used as far away as Taiwan for industrial training.

I'm also in the pre-production phase of a video for one of the manufacturers on using their lathe.

I'll probably not make the next 'Nanook of the North' but I'm having fun here.

It's great to have all my customers within a 70 mile radius and not have to fly to Japan, the UK, France or Spain for a cup of coffee and talk contracts.

I'm a Video Engineer. I install and repair and operate all forms of Video equipment. I've been a TV or Video engineer for 14 years.
Now I also do video on the side.
So, I do video at the University from 8-4 and for myself the rest of the time.

I guess I just can't get enough!!

hello from ny. i can tell im a youngin to the scene. im 17 and ive been skateboarding for years now. it has done alot and has got me into filming (filming is major in skateboarding today) and video editing. i have since developed a skill which i hope to make a career as some of my friends have already started attending art universities. im highly interested in nature and observant of human behavior causing me to seem a bit antisocial at times. i am using a trv950 and hope that i can build on with my filming career.

Hi, I am 18 and have had a passon for film and tv ever since I could remember. I was makeing short films back in the early 90's with my brother. I can still remember Hooking the Camera Up to the VCR that you actually had to carry around with you on your sholder while you filmed.

I now Film with A Gl2 and Love it. I have done Special Effects In Vancouver on a short film. "Salmon Chanted evening" And A tv Commerical. For A local dary farm.

Since Im still in school I cant start work in film, But what I really want to do Is become a Camera Opperator, Or DOP.

Hello,
I've been a commercial electrician for the past 15 years. The last 5 years I've been getting into video making, and doing wedding/event videos (mostly wedding). Three years ago, I got a business licence and started "TekVideo" http://www.tekvideo.net
Last year business really started picking up when I started offering free demo DVDs and more people were able to see the quality of my work. Even my demo DVD has advanced motion menus which hardly nobody in the Atlanta area offers for wedding clients. This year I've booked many weekends in a row, and many months are completely booked up. Business is very good. This winter I did my first big time video for Yamaha Golf car division that was shown at the PGA tour. The client called me yesterday and requested roughly 200 copies of the DVD At $30 a copy which cost me $2 a copy to make, you do the math. =)
I just got off the phone with my employer of 10 years.. I'm going part-time in the electrical field. Things are looking good for me this year. I'm a bit nervous, but think I can make it happen.

I'm a chemical engineer in snowy central NY. I used to be into 35mm SLR photography (Minolta SRT-101) but that got boring. Bought my first camcorder over 10 years ago (Pansonic VHS-C), got a cheap JVC digital a couple of years ago and learned NLE on Video Wave and Premiere. Just got my GL2 and Vegas 4. I make instructional videos for work, hope to branch out. Oh, and I'm a computer geek, and used to make web sites on the side. This forum is by far the most useful I've seen yet...

I've been a shooter in a live entertainment theater for around 8 years now. I use a full size camera (Hitachi Z-One) minus a deck since we are doing video solely for image mag. We also have 3 other remote control camera's that are strictly used for go-between static shots when I need to change position or something. Considering we do on the fly, live editing I think we get a good product. I'm fairly new to dv but I do have an Optura Pi for fun. I will be purchasing a GL2 in the next few weeks and I'm hoping to get into a some small event videography as well as hopefully do some small shorts and what not. Of course already being committed to shoot six nights a week doesn't exactly leave me available for much. In case anyone is planning on coming to the Myrtle Beach area, make sure you drop in to see a show. (shameless plug...lol) visit us at thecarolinaopry.com

Max

I am an independent, management-level, information technology consultant. My work is usually about IT strategy, architecture, and costing. I also do project and IT department audits, tasked by management to help clean up a problem or at least understand what's going on. I usually operate at the CTO level.

I've gotten interested in video and, along with my brother, am working on a commercial project for sale to the mass market. I guess it's technically a film project, but not a movie.

My entrepreneurial side has been piqued. I'm finding the whole thing much more interesting than my day job. Now all I have to do is finish it and sell it.

If only I knew as much about this business as I do about my business...

I'm a union camera assistant in NYC. This is my first posted entry. I just joined your site today, and I think its great.

I worked at a corporate production house first as a PA, then working up to the "in house" art director. We did all the media suport for Pfizer Pharmaceutical here in NYC and abroad. I made a few good contacts and left to freelance as a PA in the film and television industry in NYC. Couldn't sit at a desk any longer.

Starting over as a freelancer, I supported myself as a PA then as a coordinator and finally as a production manager in the commercial film industry. I finally realized I was staring down being a producer when I left that side of the business to get back to what I truely loved, the camera. I took the union test in '99 and three years later here we are.

Throughout all this story telling I had been shooting film as well as video. I have a good friend who allows me to shoot with his cameras a Sony DSR500, VX-1000 or a Arri SR3. I am now looking into purchasing the Panasonic AG-VX100 or either the Sony VX-2000 or the PD150. I also have invested in a G4 tower a Sony DRS11 along with FCP3 to edit my projects. Any advise on comparing these cameras is more than welcomed.

I have numerous music video credits, one unseen documentary (produced by the Greek government) indie-features as well as short credits and commercial credits as a DP.

I still make more money in one day as a camera assistant than I can in a week as a DP on some indie jobs but I love to do it. I also agree with what Redgumtv stated earlier about never giving up.

Hi all this is my first post on this site!,

im currently a greenkeeper in Western Australia and have been into dv for 2 years now. I started by doing small things for my local church and youth group and as i became more into it I purchased more equipment. I became accociated with a few other guys in our city and recently we made a youth style series for our local community TV station. This was an awesome experience for me, seeing my work on TV was very rewarding (even if it was community tv) we were also nominated for several awards.

At the moment im always thinking of how i can get out of my current job and move into the area that im passionate about---dv. We are currently in the middle of starting out our own business in the area of wedding videos and promotional work. There are three of us going into this, all with different talents----camera and editing, media and graphic design and sound.

We are hoping to develop a good production team so that one day we may be able to break our positions up more and allow us to tackle larger productions.

We are at the stage of developing a business plan so i guess you could say we are still dreaming but we are all committed and very passionate about making this work. Its quite dawnting seeing the price needi\ed to start up our business. But we will start off small and work our way up i guess.

Im rambling on, thats a bit of my story anyway.

:-)

I'm a 31 year old software engineer for Symantec New Zealand - most well known for Norton Antivirus but I work on a program called Ghost which is a hardrive imaging product. I programmed computer games for a few years before that which I really enjoyed until being ripped off by the company I worked for . ;)

Strange as it may seem, it took a very long time for me to realise that the reason I got into computers (way back when I was 12) was more because of a creative desire than a technical one, but once I did, things became a lot clearer. Over the last couple of years my creative urges started to take hold and I took acting classes and started to get into DV.

My main desire is to tell stories, and inform, through pictures - and DV is a realtively cheap way to get into it, learn, and actually get stuff done without a massive budget. My biggest, long term interest lies in documentary filmmaking, with the topic of heart being animal rights. I am also keen on dramatic movies and have a short movie in the works that I want to shoot sometime this year for a laugh.

Hopefully, like others here, the passion for drama, dv, doccos, whatever, can turn into what I do fulltime and earn enough to live while I do it.

Thanks to all on the board for both the technical help and inspiration you've given over the year I've been here.

Cheers
Aaron

My "Day Job" (actually I work nights): an RN staff nurse in an ICU/CCU for a small rural hospital.

My "Other Job" (which requires me to be an RN to help pay the bills): My wife and I own a small production company with a focus on nursing and healthcare issues. We produce albums (CD's) and live shows for nursing and other healthcare organizations that are humorous and educational in nature.

I basically got into DV world as a way to produce DVD or VHS demo tapes to help promote our small and growing business. To be honest, though, video work has been a long sought-after dream (over 20 years) which is only recently coming true.

I lurk around here a lot (and even post a few questions here and there). As said before, this is an informative and supportive site. My gratitude to those who keep it running!

Regards,

Ted

In the day, I am a nerdie and normal civil and structural consulting engineer, chasing the bucks by doing design and answering queries from the construction site of the bridges under my care.

In the night I am... drum-roll... spot lights... smoke and lasers... husband of 1 wife, father of 1 daugther (more children to come by), hobbyist in video and photgraphy, part-timer in graphics design, active in church cell-group and in my free time, I go to forums like this, spend some time and get to know other photography and video folks. Sometimes, I also freelance videos for trainings and events.

I started video about 4 years ago, straight into MiniDV, because I found analog quite a bore to work on. My serious photography started last year, when my pay came to a level that I can actually enjoy these expensive hobbies!

I am a Malaysian Chinese, staying and working in Singapore. And I can tell you that Malaysian rainforests are WONDERFUL for photgraphy and videos of nature.

Doug Quance, yes there's money to be made with shooting funerals. I don't charge a lot though. Anywhere from $120 to $220; sometimes I do it for free. It's a lot easier shooting a funeral than a wedding: the main subject keeps still for you, and there isn't a lot of action---so you don't have to run silly all over the place. Instead of shooting a happy occasion, you are shooting sadness. You get used to it, plus I look at this as doing something good, since I don't think that too many videographers are dying to get into this business.

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : . . . .It's a lot easier shooting a funeral than a wedding: the main subject keeps still for you, and there isn't a lot of action---so you don't have to run silly all over the place. . . . . -->>>

ROFLOL!!!

I know your post was meant to be serious, but this sentence really tickled my funny bone! <chuckle>

As an oncology and ICU/CCU nurse, I've seen a lot of death. As a church organist and choir director, I've played countless funerals (and weddings!) One thing is for sure: Dead people are very still! Certainly slow on the action too! :)

Peace and humor! :)

Ted

Aaron,

It seems we have the same occupation and I can tell you that
I've used both products you have worked on extensively
(especially Ghost! Thanks for that!!)

I might have gotten into computers for a creative reason as
well. Writing computer programs could be seen as a creative
thing... I think.

Hey Rob. Good to here Ghost goes well for you. I think games development is very creative, well it was when I was doing it cause we were all involved in the design and decisions so we had to make everything from scratch but yeah it is also very technical ;) Do/did you write games at all? There are/were a lot of skilled developers from the netherlands expecially in the days of the Amiga, with all the demo crews and all. Oops, going off topic.

Cheers
Aaron

I'll try to keep it "on-topic"... but... I've started a bit of game
development but never finished anything (that is worth viewing).
I'm really into corporate intranet building etc. at the moment.
I did make an audio application (that is being used by a good
friend of mine on a weekly basis) etc...

Good day to all.

What do I do for a living? The vast majority of my income comes from the robotic camera work that I do for network television sporting events. I install and run robotic cameras on the side of racetracks, on football goalposts, and at other sporting events. I love the robotics work for the travel, the people I meet, and the events that I cover (pro and college sports are awesome to watch if you've ever played sports or if your competative). It's one of those jobs that people never knew existed until their told and then everyone wants to do it (those of you who've seen robotics on some shows know what I'm talking about). I plan on doing it for years to come because it's a fulfilling job and a lot of fun. The travel is just incredible and I've seen places that I've always wanted to see because of the job. I've also met and learned from some of the best cameramen and crew in the country and that has been really awesome. On the downside it's like every other freelance job in that it can go away quickly and the work is there or it's not. I'll be busy for three months straight and then I'll be at home for two months. So the inconsistancy is a downside to the job.

What do I love to do for a living? Local video productions. News, weddings, church events. I really like to create and share with people locally who I know I'm having an impact on with my video. I got out of local news because of the pay, not because I didn't like the job. I loved the stories, the experience I gained, and the people I met. And I still create wedding video's because I have a real passion for creating videos that envoke a strong emotional response and tell a story. Telling stories through video/audio is what drives my local work and it helps open me to new ideas and people.

I'm working locally with my own equipment. A GL2, an old 500hz celeron desktop (yeah don't laugh it still gets the job done ^_^), a 1.4ghz laptop, Media Studio Pro, and the usual gear needed for production work like interviews and field producions.

Anyway, the robotics are my main stay and the local video work is my real passion. Both play an important role in my life and I enjoy the time I spend in each area.

Ben Lynn

Hello to the crew,

I got my start as a action choreographer in some Indie films that you can find on some video shelves"Blazin" at Suncoast video.
I really got the chance because I taught martials arts and a company in New York City back in 1995 was doing a film and they needed someone to set up the fight scenes hench hold on that's my cue.
And I have been involved in motion pictures every since.
But no more in front of the camera it's not for me.
But just in the pass three years I got into directing and started my
own production company out of Phila,Pa. and have become a
freelance videographer on the side to make some extra $$$$$.
It's weird I always said just sometimes being in the right place and knowing someone can open up some doors and I have had a great time opening them up.
Since then I have filmed former Pres.Bill Clinton at Harlem fest in
2001 before 911 tragedy.
Movies I have done that will be out soon.
"The Price You Pay" Suspense/Drama: Shot in Phila,Pa.
"Bloodliners" Horror/Action: Shot in Phila,Pa. and Lille, France.
In Pre-Production "Beyond Sleep" Supernatural Thriller to be shot
in Phila,Pa.

All of our productions are shot on DV format but I 'm about to venture into 35mm soon as I'm setting up a deal with some of the top people from the Hong Kong film industry wish me luck.
So I would say pursue your dream and it might take some time
trust me stick it out you thank yourself later.
To all again glad to be apart of so many talented people.

Me used to push large monkeys through small envelope slots by day.

Then I learned how-to shoot lots of movie stuff, and then became slave in front of computer for months of postpro cold coffee gut-rot.

you no believe me? goto imdb.com and push buttons on keyboard to make my name appear in search box.

:)

/tongue'n'cheek

** wrangler edit **
http://us.imdb.com/Name?Van+Der+Park,+Adrian

I am an independent filmmaker and also a Creative Services writer/producer for an NBC affiliate in West Palm Beach Florida. At work, we use DVCPro (for the last 7 years with a few cameras and decks, now totally DVCPro for 5 years). We're moving to Final Cut Pro with Omneon and I have personally helped create a relationship with Apple (the only thing I brag about). I even talked to the lead designer of FCP! That was COOL! He designed the original and the latest versions with his team. At home, I've been using a Canon XL-1 to shoot my indie films since March 1999 and FCP since late that summer. I cut my first feature on FCP 1.0 and never upgraded, because I feared I'd screw up my system and the movie. My website can be found at www.mpsdigital.com and we've had a recent premiere of a short, PUSH/PULL, at the Palm Beach International Film Festival.

THANKS!

heath mcknight