I've looked the forum over and it seems this place has a great range of knowledge base, I figure I'll be hanging out here so I might as well introduce myself.

I have a degree in communications, really video production, from Ohio University that hasn't been put to use. A small bit of work for a tiny production house right out of college and then some work on a couple B films in OH and LA is all the experience I have. That was 8 years ago, before LA had an earth quake while I was out of state and I didn't decide to go back.

Since then I've switched fields and now test software for a living. However, I bought a Sony TRV-25 last fall to take pictures of the 18 mos old. After having several tapes building up, I decided to start editing. I got annoyed with the freebee 'editor' that came with Windows and the other editing software packages that I had access to. Somehow I came across Premiere and downloaded the trial version. I bought the package this week and have gotten adicted to DV.

Some of the questions I'll ask will likely be mundane. Bear with me, a lot has changed in 8 years.

My dream is to make children's videos at some point. My immediate goal is to learn Premiere as best I can in the next 6 mos. I'd like to start buying some equipment and as a means to have the equipment start paying for itself, I plan to offer simple transfer services, VHS to DVD, for family, friends and the local folk. After I have a working knowledge of Premiere, I may move up to offering editing services for home videos.

I'm just starting out, so if any of you have suggestions on equipment for starting the transfer service I would appreciate hearing it.

Indeed, this DV stuff can get addictive, can't it? Well you've joined a community of (at this writing) over 3,000 other people with similar afflictions so you're in very good company.

There are certainly frequent questions here, but none are dumb or mundane. We pride ourselves in offering thoughtful help and opinions to darn near everyone who asks a question.

Welcome to DVInfo! Start firing those questions!

Welcome, Thomas. Whereabouts in Ohio are you located? (Why not fill in the location field in your profile?)

Welcome, Thomas!

I looked last night for the profile but couldn't find. It no worries, I found it this morning. We're in Columbus.

Welcome aboard, Thomas! If I were you I'd first start to learn
the basics involved in editing and getting the footage to a final
medium like VHS, (S)VCD & DVD. Especially DVD can be a "difficult"
beast to master.

Make sure you have enough know-how to help your clients out.

Good luck and you can post your questions in the relevant forums!

I agree, I definitely need to get a working knowledge of Premiere before offering the editing services even to my family. However, I think Getting things set up to capture video from VHS or similar format to DVD will take less time and could start generate money to purchase other video equipment faster. Granted I still have to learn the ins and outs of transfering the media, and I won't be ready by next weekend, but I have a short term goal of being set to go in the next few months.

Hey Thomas,

Welcome back to the video industry!

I'm an OU alum as well who's teaching multimedia production, (audio, video, graphics, web, etc,) at a regional campus of Ohio U in Lancaster, Ohio.

I freelanced for many a year with my XL1, (bought back in '98, and still going strong!)

I bought my XL1 after reading all the great info from many of these folks that Chris has collected, cut, pasted and distilled into the original Watchdog site.

The Watchdog grew from that little puppy, into a massive collection of no-nonsense, no-hype info from fellow users, (not resellers,) and I have continued to look here for ideas, and contribute where I could. These folks won't steer you wrong.

Anyhoo, I'm not far from Columbus at all. If you ever need a hand or just want to talk gear/shooting/editing, drop me an e-mail at thefish@frognet.net or at troutd@ohiou.edu

We're all in this together!

Hey Robert I'm from Cleveland, too.
What/where do you usually shoot?

The project I'm currently involved with--we're in the final stages of posting--was shot on 24P HD, 35 mm, and 16 mm in Paris in August 2002. It's called 2 + 1. The project has a web site at www.2plus1.net, but hosting for that has been shaky.

I don't do a lot on DV any more except for a few personal projects. These days I'm trying to write and develop some of my own material, all of which is coming along slowly but slowly. Still, I have a lot of great equipment that's not being put to full use, and I'm always receptive to joining promising local projects.

Since I moved back after college at USC in 2001, I've been repeatedly disappointed in the local film scene. Cleveland Filmmakers and the Ohio Independent Film Festival all but collapsed in the early 2000s, and all that the Cleveland Film Society and Chris Carmody's Cleveland Film Commission seem to have accomplished is the facilitatation of Cleveland's reputation as the home of a half dozen B-grade "action" bombs produced by Joel Silver coffee gofer Alan Schechter. (The award-winning American Splendor, while a likable and perhaps even innovative docucomedy, hasn't done any service to the city either.)

So--it's up to you and me, Kevin!

I'm sorry to hear that about Cleveland. I still have a warm spot for my hometown, even though I haven't lived there since '79.

I have been slowly attempting to write and produce my own material as well. Right now I'm just Directing music videos for some local and national acts. I'm not into the local film scene, and have no experience with those foundations and societies... I think those are crap, and as you said it would be up to us! If you were serious about wanting to get a local project going.. any ideas? I've got a ton of resources, a LOAD of motivation, but not much on equipment. If you're looking to really get something going I'm sure we can stir the water a bit.

Do you have any instant messangers?
AIM: KMdigitalStudios

Anyone around the Canton/Akron area? :D

Wow I feel for you guys, I'm from columbus ohio and it is a pain sometimes to do a project around here.

I am getting ready to shoot my first big project and you would not believe the headaches I've gone through. I just took the Dov Simmons class that was in cleveland about a month ago. If you guys missed tha one you should really try to attend.

My website is www.imlproductions.com go to the aglerroad link and check out some info about the movie. I still have some things to add to it.

Kevin, give me a holla I would love to talk to you. You can send email through my website and give me your email. I love doing music video and maybe you could give me some pointers.

Robert please holla at me too.

Hi Ozzie,

A friend of mine recently moved to Columbus and is putting together a "Film Troupe" to work on projects. His name is Sean Wheeler--maybe you've heard of his group? If not, you might contact him at sewheele@hotmail.com.

(IMNSHO Dov S-S Simens is a shark and any lip service paid him is more than he deserves.)

Cool I wil contact him and find out what he's up too. Sorry you feel that way about dov. I enjoyed his class and he did have some good info but he is very loud.

Robert, are you willing to try and get something going around here in Cleveland?

Ozzie, my email is kevin@kmdstudios.com or if you have AIM I'm usually easier to get ahold of through that. My screen name is KMdigitalStudios