What do you do for a living?

[Kevin Henderson]

I'm kickin in at the big 40

Some significant transistions taking place right now. So I decided to jump out into the wild blue yonder and try to get some things going on my own.

I've been going at it for 2 months now.

I'm locacated in York, PA. I am into doing almost anything video and multimedia wise to make a buck. Things that I'm into: wedding and event videography, format conversions, duplication services, college and schalarship application video, keepsake montages, legal depos, memorial services, training events and curriculum and more. Any thoughts, suggestions, words of wisdom, lessons learned, leads, etc are very much welcome.

[Patrick Norman]

I'm just starting my sophomore year of college, and with that I'm also continuing to run my own DV production company. I've made a few short films under it over the past few years, but as I'm now at the point now where I can actually buy some higher-end gear, it's really starting to take off.

During the school year I'm obviously a student, but I'm also an intern/contractor at a local web, print, and graphic design firm. This summer, like last, I'm interning in the press office of the Mayor of Cleveland.

All throughout high school I taught Tae Kwon Do/Hapkido to children while working at a local movie theatre.

I'm also an unsolicited movie critic. :0)

[Wesley Wong]

loved movies as far back as I remember.

didn't get into filmmaking til my late teens as there simply wasn't accessible. Met some people doing a short on 16mm and voluteered to be grip. Made up my mind to further studies in filmmaking.

graduated and first job was a studio photographer, doing food photography. didn't mind the job but the employer and workplace was a nightmare. enter 2nd job, as a vendor of additional enrichment programmes to high schools and below. Taught simple DV production and got screwed over and over by schools, that take my kindness as weakness. Simply, they make me do things for them for free, through my boss and I can't finish my own job scope as such. ~ they think you're there to sovle their own personal inadequacies and simply don't want to learn aobut the joys of self-discovery in DV. 1 school simply made me edit their terribly shot video of eons ago, and passed off as their in-house video production in front of the minister of education. *sheesh*.

Had enough, took a loaner from parents, got a DVx100A, some other accessories and jumped straight into freelance camera for hire, as well as weddings and events, while still stuck in school trainings. About to break free now. Emancipation.

Intend to finish own script and bent on start production of my 1st feature, even if I have no way of finding finances yet. somehow, someway, sometime soon.

Maybe I'm destined not to work for anyone but myself.

sooner better than later.

[Joshua Starnes]

Almost all of my video is entirely for myself. I've been a professional writer (albeit a very poor one) since I was sixteen. I love making movies (which I've also been doing for about 10 years), but my focus is on the writing. I've done some freelance video work - about a dozen weddings, a sufing competition, and a car race - but that's not really what I'm into filmmaking for. I've done three shorts now (two on video, one on 16) and I'm very, very slowly writing the script for my first feature (along with some very early pre-production work). One of my problems (and strengths) is that I take a very, very long time preparing before I shoot. Professionally, I work in publishing (which is close to my first love - writing).

[Andre Bentlage]

my story in short:
doctor of political sciences 1989
F&B Manager 1991-1997
Cameraman/editor 1997-now
Satellite Up/downlink engineer 2002-now

I don't have a 9 till 5 job, lucky me
sometimes I work around the clock
for days even weeks
dirty hands a lot
not even one meal a day
sometimes lots of whiskey in 5*hotels
meet lot of interesting people who don't say "thank you" anymore
politics
wars
sports
terrorists and stars
colleagues

welcome to the End of Culture

[Richard Tamayo]

I am a Electronic Technician for a casino for 10 years. I also work in a hockey rink parttime ( mainly for free ice time). I started video taping hockey games 8 years ago. I have family in the film and video production buisness that inspired me to start editing the video I shot. I am very happy with it and it has changed my life so much. I enjoy making other people happy with the work I can do for them. I still have alot to learn about editing.

[Rob Simon]

I'm a manager at a major insurance company, which pays well but doesn't leave much time for other things. I've been making simple videos for about 10 years, starting with a Hi-8 camera up to the Sony TRV 950 I have now.

I have no actual training of any kind, nor have I sold any of my work. But I've been reading magazines and trying things on my own, and my work has defnitely become more interesting and watchable, at least to family and friends. My favorite movie is a family history I did with photos, narration, and video. I've also started doing "year in review" movies that show snippets of our annual vacation, kids sports, etc along with some interviews.

I'd like to thank everyone that participates on this site. It is definitely the best resource I have found for someone like me.

I live in the suburbs of Chicago, and if anyone is working on a project in the area and could use a helping hand, I might be able to join your crew for a day. All I ask is the opportunity to learn from someone more experienced.

[Jon D Freedman]

Read through your thread - you got some good advice. Bottom line - Follow your dream. If you are truly commited to working in Film/Video it will happen, there is no right or wrong way. I've been pursuing my film career since I was 16 (30 yrs. ago) went to 2 film schools - have lived and worked in the industry in LA, Chicago, NYC, Miami, and now I'm doing a thriving business up here in the boondocks of the Florida panhandle working for a few different clients but mostly on a daily TV series. For more detailed info you can check out my site at www.theimagesmith.net.

Self employed is unemployed when your not working but I have been self employed for over 20 yrs. Worked on more than 50 feature films, visited over 41 countries, and gone from starving to feasting and back. If you are stuck behind a computer wishing to live your dreams - stop wshing and do it - There are no guarantees (other than your own commitment) but one thing is for sure if you never try it dam sure won't happen.

Good Luck

JDFTV

[Heath McKnight]

Not sure if I've updated this or not, but I left local news (YES!) to work as a film school teacher (Palm Beach Film School) and focus much more on my films and film society.

heath

ps-I still do some freelance, but it's sporadic at best. And every time I try to work on a potential TV show, another hurricane comes along. Seriously...

[Jon D Freedman]

Interesting at one point I did a short stint as a Producer at a company in Palm Beach - on Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. - Quite close to Wellington. Also worked on another show (Caspar Weinberger's World Business review") and the Production Company was based in Southern Palm Beach (Boca Raton) so it sounds like our paths came close to crossing at some time.

J D

[Heath McKnight]

Which company? Caspar works for Forbes now, right? Wasn't he in Reagan's administration?

heath

[Jon D Freedman]

Caspar has been the Chariman of Forbes Magazine for a while. Or at least he was when I was working on the show back in 96 & 97. Caspar is no longer with the series (he is getting old). It is now hosted by General Alexander Haig (sp).

And I am no longer with the company having spent almost two years there first from the very inception of the show as the head of the production department and then after the show was well underway I switched jobs and became the director of syndication and got to see a side of the business I never had - the true money side. Quite interesting traveling around the world to different distribution conferences in Monte Carlo, Cannes, Hong Kong, etc. and setting up the worldwide distribution of the series.

For more info on the company (Multimedia Productions, USA Inc.) and the series you can visit the website (www.wbrtv.com). You might enjoy the show as it has a tendency to be very tech heavy with interviews and presentations with the CEO's and execs of companies like, Apple, IBM, Motorola, Texas Instruments, etc. talking about their latest cutting edge technology.

JD

[Heath McKnight]

Interesting. I met General Haig once. I almost thought the company was WJMK in Boca, which was kind of getting in trouble a little while ago. They had major news people endorsing products, which is a no-no in the news world. JMK got mentioned briefly in Time or Newsweek, and it wasn't a good blurb.

Take care,

heath

[Jon D Freedman]

You are definately on top of things. Multimedia is one of about 40 infomercial companies in south florida started by former staff of WMJK. (Who I have never worked for). My ex-boss was head of sales there until he decided to start his own venture (MMP). The format was the same. Ifomercials proporting to be objective news shows. I was the Supervising Producer the boss hired to do all the video "stuff". As such I focused on making the show great and the opportunity I had to make something from nothing. He focused on the money which is why he is a millionaire (and still, I think a great,hard working, and talented perfectionist) while I'm grinding out a liviing (albeit a good one) doing what I love - the tech/ creative stuff.

On another subject I thought I read in another thread re: the new JVC 1 chip hi def that you own one and that the DP felt that it was a deficient product. How do you feel about that. if you had the chance to buy a JVC HD10 now knowing what you know would you make the purchase? As expressed in another thread I'm in the process of purchasing one to fill in for the next few months unitl the Sony 3 chip is available because I just sold my 2nd camera (a JVC GY DV 500 - my #1 is a Betacam SP package). Do you feel it is worth it? I only need to rent it 10x for it to pay for itself but don't want to ge stuck with an inherently dedicient product.

Please give me your honest assesment.

Thanks,

J D

[Heath McKnight]

It's a good camera when you use it while knowing the limitations. Jon and I will likely try and get our hands on the FX-1 and test/review it.

Go over to the HD10/HD1 page for more!

hwm