Film at 11 (long post)

"His body was found by his mother, whom police identified as Amanda Clarke. Police could not say what led the woman, who neighbors said taught English at a Queens high school before recently retiring, to make the discovery."

Well, lets see... he was dead in the trunk of the car for a week. Hmmm. Nope... I sure can't figure out what would have led her to look there.

[Ken Tanaka]

OK guys, admit it. How many of you immediately wondered if his gear was still in the car?

[Simon Plissi]

<<<-- Originally posted by Ken Tanaka : OK guys, admit it. How many of you immediately wondered if his gear was still in the car? -->>>

Err, not me.

Someone at college once shot something for the local news. He was in the right place at the right time to shot an incident, I forget what, on his Hi8, which he subsequently sold to the local station. Of course, the reason he was in the right place at the right time was because he was using a police scanner. I suppose one would also come in useful in what Charles talks about.

Last I heard he has his own rapid deployment digital satellite newsgathering service.

[Jeff Donald]

Scanners are still tools of the trade for local news gathering. I used to have to wear one.

Jeff

[Dale C. Elliott]

Hey Dylan, I would be interested in the freelance eng. I did a little eng when I worked for a station in Alberta. Also in the area I live now, I am about 45mins south of Ottawa, and half way between Cornwall and Kingston. Lots of things happen in this triangle, but sometimes is too far for the Ottawa stations to send a crew. I think only the New RO does this often.

Dale Elliott

[Dylan Couper]

<<<-- Originally posted by Charles Newcomb : You know, I think this has given me the Mother of all Ideas.

I did some searching on the Net and I have not been able to find an association of freelance (electronic/digital) photojournalists. We have the makings of forming one right here.

But I'm not just talking about one of those associations that's a Good Ol' Boys Club and nothing more. I'm talking about pooling our skills and offering them to the major media. We create a list of who is available, where they are, what equipment they have, etc. Then we make that list available to assignment editors with all the major TV stations and networks. Maybe we could even have a designated webpage, updated several times a day, with mini-features available to the media. This is exactly how AP, Reuters, etc. got started.
->>>

So anyone have any thoughts on how to pursue this great idea further?

[Michel Brewer]

Charles:

First congratulations, and Salidas a great place..I work for CNN and was actually there the day before passing through after staying at my parents mtn. cabin in Buena Vista (actually Nathrop above the hot springs).

One correction I would make for those eager to sell...CNN, MSNBC, FOX etc do not pool material, however Fox and ABC and either NBC or CBS do through NNS. Did you sell to the locals without putting a local market olny waiver. CNN if its freelance video generally has to pay for it besides the local who bought it.

If your in this spot again could I suggest sell it local first you have two markets for that story Colorado Springs and Denver. Second most stories wont but this and the firefighter story are the type you can charge a premium for....of course the high bidding local station can have it as a exclusive. But again NO NATIONAL Rights for use in their market only. The problem is once you sold it to CNN every station in colorado could pretty much get it for free...they (well most) are affiliates, and once CNN purchases they all can get it unless you have already sold it as a exclusive to Denver and Colorado Springs in which case the material would not be open to those stations.

Now for the Nationals, the locals you sold it to are getting calls from the CNN National Desk looking for video they would tell the desk that you have the material and furnish your number then CNN would call you to try and buy it from you. In addition Fox has a bureau in Denver and the NNS group has a office there to....both are buyers.

You might make even more selling it that way, but as for all the other advice you are right on the money....fact of the matter with shrinking news budgets and staff freelance video is a even hotter ticket, especially if you do it the way you described getting the elements and good sound. You also should look up crew connection on the web they are based out of Golden and they are a nationwide crew booking service. They take a cut of the booking but if they can get you some jobs, its worth it...the charles nelson thing worked because someone reccomended you. Crew Connection gets lots of calls every day maybe some for the Salida area once in a while.

And as for no one laughing, dv is a format everyone uses these days (everyone seems to like my xl1)...they only laugh if you dont shoot it well,(theres been times some stuff I shot got chuckles) and from the advice you gave you know your stuff. Im back in Buena Vista /Nathrop several time a year maybe next time I am out there we can grab coffee.

Michel

Michel:

Actually, the first piece I sold went the way you said: I pitched it to a Colorado Springs station (CNN affiliate), who had the assignement desk at CNN call me. The Springs station hardly ever has any budget for freelance stuff, so if they do it this way I get paid fairly and they get to use the stuff. And you were right about the referral to the Rob Nelson show... apparently KKTV is an affiliate of Fox and CNN, and they turned Fox onto me.

I've really cut back on pitching to the Denver stations. Channel 7 and Channel 4 are both owned by an East Coast corporation and they take their dear sweet time paying, and they make you grovel. I hate that. CNN and Fox take about a month, and they treat you professionally. I'm kind of partial to CNN anyway, because a friend and colleague of mine, Larry Woods, was one of the first people on board at start-up. I knew Ed (not Ted) Turner, too.

The biggest problem, for me, is getting the footage somewhere to uplink it. I have to drive to Denver (3 hours) or the Springs (2 hours). It's rare to have the luxury of a satellite truck coming here. But if you can talk CNN into leaving one here, I'll make a place for it in my garage.

Re: coming back to BV/Nathrop for a visit -- coffee, hell; let's go wet a line!

Charles

http://www.centralcolorado.com/newcomb

[Scott Silverman]

If Charles's idea ever gets put into action, I would love to take part in it. I have a GL2 not a XL1s but it sounds like a great idea and I would love to take part in it. My location probably isn't the best because this area is pretty populated with news-guys I believe, but it would be worth a try! And thanks for the great stories and advice Charles!

[Didi Schoeman]

Hi Charles

I just read your posts, must say I like your idea!

The nice thing about it is that it could be a global network, I'm based in South Africa, and there are many others on this forum dotted accross this pretty little globe of ours.

Should give a new dimention to news and stories hitting the airwaves from all corners of the planet, maybe even give a voice to those in countries whos goverments like to sweep things under the carpet!

Didi Schoeman

[Michel Brewer]

Charles:

Bait a line a offer to fish with a local, count me in.....yeah i'm one of those who has been fishing wrights and chalk creek to long. Seriously if your up for it so am I...

As for the idea of a nationwide group of freelancers, shooting stories or at least all the elements count me in...I think it would work in a world of shrinking news budgets if you could bring it to the attn: of the nat desks of networks and shows I think it would work, good for everyone.

Michel

FYI: I shot a mini-feature for CNN Thursday... about an 82-year-old man who downhill races on skis. He had to quit for a year a few years ago... broke his hip Rollerblading in the Wal-Mart parking lot.

Anyway, it was supposed to air on CNN's "American Stories" today (Saturday), but got pre-empted by all the Space Shuttle news. Look for it to run as soon as things calm down, CNN says.

[Rhett Allen]

I think it would be a good idea, there are a ton of people out there with cameras these days. The Apartments that were on the news today from the Space Shuttle ordeal are very close to me, my dad actually called me to tell me what happened, (we heard the noise) he actually lives a couple of blocks from it but the area was crawling with people with video cameras. Plano has a lot of people with disposable income to buy very nice toys so the competetion for the news footage there would be very stiff.
Well anyway, I ended up not shooting anything because I am actually in the middle of a project right now that I couldn't get away from.

It's a great idea though.

[Don Parrish]

Quality video and audio is a must. I hate to be the one to say it but somehow members must be trained or proven, If an upstart got a bad name in the news industry it would be hard to overcome. If a network calls on someone and gets a bumb deal, or the video is often poor, it will fail. All camera people are expected to be capable of shooting good stuff. The one thing not mentioned here is, TRIPOD TRIPOD TRIPOD, unless it is intense moving action, it will be expected to be smooth.

[Scott Silverman]

I agree, but it is also better to have some maybe-not-so-expert video than no video at all. Like with the recent shuttle event last weekend. They showed shaky consumer Hi-8 video on most of the news stations. Training would be extremely hard if not impossible. However, I think this forum provides a ton of training and like I said, I think its better to have video and get the experience that to get nothing at all. But yes you are right, if this ever happens we should strive for the best quality video possible.