Hello everybody,

After trying to find a home at VideoMaker forum, and finding it a little TOO quiet, I've decided to try my luck over here! I'm an avid videographer (but not an AVID editor!) and lover of all things video production.

I "started" video production four years ago, at the age of fifteen - making skate videos using Serif MovePlus X3. Since then, I've slowly dipped my feet in video editing... Trying out the cornucopia of available editing programs. After experiencing editing through Serif, I worked briefly with a consumer version of Sony Vegas (Although I can't remember what it was called now!) before hopping over to Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5. Luckily enough, I got it during Adobe's transition to CS6... nabbing the upgrade for free!

As my software for editing grew, so did my acquisition tools. After starting with a basic Sony "Point'n'Shoot" camera, I grew into what I considered to be a professional camera - I wanted to be a professional, and professional people use professional tools! I picked up a used Canon GL-1 off of ebay, and I was out and rolling... quickly learning the pains involved with Mini-DV tape and interlaced video.

These days, I'm up and running with a Blackmagic Cinema Camera MFT, working regularly with Premiere Pro CS6 and DaVinci Resolve. I enjoy "portrait" style documentaries, where I am able to share little slices of life with the world - the behind the scenes of every day life that we never get to see. I'm working hard to grow my abilities in videography, editing, and Resolve... and sincerely hope this community will aid me as I try to improve.

Alas, I ramble to much! Without further ado...

Hello, from Dayton Ohio.

- Mark

Welcome to the fold. You'll find folk here very helpful. The webmasters are positive and do not brook any misbehaviour, so you will find the place remains congenial and good to be around.

Dayton. - I spent a few days there in 1996 whilst visiting the USAAF museum. There, I filmed a WW2 Bristol Beaufighter aircraft which was under restoration at the time of my visit but will have been completed by now.

It is a British designed aircraft which was also built here in Australia. In a rare reverse lend-lease arrangement, it was operated by US airmen in the middle-east in two squadrons of night-fighters until the US - built Northrop Black Widow was deployed. The museum specimen core airframe was a British built aircraft which was sent to Australia before Australian production of the aircraft.

As a photogenic subject for documentary, the museum could not be better but you may have to work pretty hard to gain a media permit unless you guerilla-film as a tourist. The landholding remains a serving military base and since 9/11, things may have tightened up even more since I was there. They were nice polite people. They just initially said no courteously but with polite persistence, they came across. - The following clip is not my footage.

Bristol Beaufighter at Air Force Museum - YouTube

Not far from you is a town named Xenia. You will likely know its history of having been the victim of a tornado disaster. The town was the subject of a rather bleak and unpleasant indie movie titled "Gummo". You may also know of this as it referenced the post-disaster syndrome which follows overwhelming catastrophic events from which some communities do not completely recover. Xenia, two generations on from the disaster is probably as good a topic to revisit.

There was a local documentary screened via television in Dayton whilst I was there. It examined the emigres from Appalachia who at that time still represented a disadvantaged subculture in Dayton. That topic might well be worth revisiting.

Thanks for the warm welcome, Bob! And thanks for the leads on documentary material ripe for the picking!

Welcome aboard from a fellow Daytonian (Centerville)

I am in Denver, CO. My son attends the University of Dayton, and loves the school.

Welcome aboard from a fellow Daytonian (Centerville)

I am in Denver, CO. My son attends the University of Dayton, and loves the school.

Thanks for the welcome, both! I'm off to Wright State University, located in Dayton, to study "Motion Pictures" and Computer Science. Hoping for the best!

Welcome to the board. There's tons of great info and people here. I'm in Cleveland; Ohio represent!