What do you do for a living?

Jason J. Gullickson · July 13th, 2005, 01:03 PM

Well I see that someone needs to step up and start representin' for the land of milk and cheese, so it might as well be me...

I've been a Producer most of my life but I didn't realize it until about a year ago when out of some sort of coincidence I picked up a copy of "From Reel to Deal". The line "I have several projects in various states of development" (paraphrased) could have been on my business cards.

My first films were shot on a PXL-2000 when they were contemporary. Editing was accomplished with a pair of thrift-store Betamax decks and a six-channel RadioShack mixer. This setup got me through several films and several cameras up until the time that I traded my mixer in for a guitar.

My musical career spanned several years and followed in the DIY tradition of self-performing, self-recording and self-promoting. By the end of this era we had built a local scene and cultivated many spin-off projects; enough to keep the scene alive without us, so we left. You can learn more than you ever wanted to know about this period when our documentary "Breakdown" is completed this fall.

After that I decided to move to the city and become a Tech Support guy, then a Network Engineer, then a Programmer, then a Consultant, then a Programmer again. This was about the time that DV came along and made the idea of producing a feature film at home possible, but I ignored it for the most part for the "security" of the technology business. After 8 years with the company, they decided to cash in and liquidate 1/3 of the staff...

...so much for security...

So maybe that's why I picked up "From Reel to Deal", because the only thing that had held me back from becoming a filmmaker before was the false sense of security I had with my current career. After reading this book, I found out that becoming a filmmaker isn't just luck or magic, but systematic hard work just like everything else I had done in my life up to this point.

A year or so later, along with my cohorts in "the society" I've put together several shorts, had a showing or two, organized an annual film festival and produced a documentary film (currently in post, so I can't say I've completely produced it yet). I've been consuming books at a rate 10x as fast as any other time in my life (including when I was studying for the MCSE/MCDBA) and shooting every chance I get. We have an aggresive plan for the next 9 years so I have to keep at it.

Along the way I try to stay in touch with my DIY roots, to remember that technology comes and goes but a great story is timeless. I have nightmares of Robert Rodreguez telling me I'm not ready yet, so I keep sharpening the blades every chance I get.

I have to say that this site has been indispensible and thanks to everyone who's chimed in with advice. I'll try and do the same.

If you want to know more about us you can check out http://2soc.net, or you can check out http://jasontheproducer@blogspot.com to see inside my brain.

Thanks again all.

Lauren Brazil · July 13th, 2005, 01:05 PM

Well I'm about as new to the DV world as anyone could be. I fell in love with moviemaking about 7 months ago, through screenwriting, and met some people who wanted to shoot my scripts locally with little to no budget. So I dove right in, and I bought an XL2 a three weeks ago. But to be honest, I think I have WAY too much machine on my hands now. I've been reading these posts and I'm slowly realizing how much I have to learn about everything.

I am a college senior, and I've already shot two shorts. I don't work, just live off financial aid currently. But it gives me time to fiddle with dials and settings on this camera. I hope to learn as much as possible about my camcorder's capabilities through this site. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

-Lauren

Steven Davis · July 13th, 2005, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauren Brazil

.....But to be honest, I think I have WAY too much machine on my hands now.

-Lauren

Well Lauren let me be the first to welcome you to DV/Video stuff (stuff: technical way of referring to things.) I'm just wondering if you can have too much of a machine. I always push my equpment for all it's worth. Thus I have to buy computer equiptment on the frequency of getting a hair cut.

p.s. If you feel guilty about the camera, I'll send over my mailing address. hehe.

Marco Wagner · July 13th, 2005, 04:40 PM

I am an Enrollment Counselor for the University of Phoenix Online. Anyone wanting to get their BA or MBA online CONTACT me. We are the largest school in the WORLD and are fully accredited. We are not a diploma mill, this is a serious school.

Want to go? marco.wagner@phoenix.edu

Patrick King · July 13th, 2005, 04:44 PM

Marco,
Do you have any video/film/broadcasting related courses of study?

Mike Teutsch · July 13th, 2005, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lauren Brazil

Well I'm about as new to the DV world as anyone could be. I fell in love with moviemaking about 7 months ago, through screenwriting, and met some people who wanted to shoot my scripts locally with little to no budget.

-Lauren

Lauren,

Next step, cut-up all of your credit cards and turn over control of your bank accounts to someone you can trust! It becomes an obsession.

Welcome,

Mike

Dale Guthormsen · July 13th, 2005, 06:13 PM

I have been on the list for a couple few weeks, its a great site!!

I am a practical and applied arts teacher. I have 30 pay checks to retirement, I amn't coutun really! I teach everything from basic computers to graphics arts, automechanics, fine wood working, photography, welding and some other stuff of no value.
In my last graphics arts class I got the school boaard to spring for adobe elements and we did a videography module for half the term. It was a blast to help them do their "gone in sixty seconds" project. They Had to tell a story that had situation complication and resolution.
I plan to create my own DVD's to a small sportsminded clientel when I retire from formal education.
At my age climbing the techno-ladder his been a huge uphill climb, and i can't even see the top from here.
I live in rural Saskatchewan Canada, our province is bigger than texas and less than a million people. The deer population is greater than the people population. My smallest class has 6 students, the largest 16.

dale guthormsen

Marco Wagner · July 13th, 2005, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patrick King

Marco,
Do you have any video/film/broadcasting related courses of study?

I WISH! (since my tuition is 100% free!) It may be something the ground campuses will add in the future. They tend to add online programs that are in really high demand. Video/film/broadcasting would be something I'd probably want to take mostly on a ground campus anyway. When I was first going through their programs I had my fingers crossed...

Kevin Calumpit · July 15th, 2005, 08:38 PM

Currently i am working part time as an "editor" for a company based out of San Diego Ca, i havent done much editing partly because i just learned FCP and Avid a few months before i started, but since ive been here all the other editors like the help i provide for them. So i guess im an Assistant Editor if thats even a real job title. Most of the footage we shoot and work with is HD all shot on HD CAM tapes and not sure which cameras we shoot with I think Sony HDW 700a i really like the job alot but since im still in school the hours are limited.

Heath McKnight · July 16th, 2005, 07:06 AM

Welcome, Kevin. I do a lot of freelance editing with Final Cut Pro, and I love it. Been using it since 1999, and it's only gotten better!

heath

Dean Sensui · July 16th, 2005, 03:29 PM

To update my info posted earlier on this thread: At the end of last year I left the newspaper business to work full-time co-producing a one-hour fishing show.

I was the chief photographer of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin (worked there for 24 years) and am now one of three co-producers of Hawaii Goes Fishing. Besides field camera work I also edit, take care of the website (www.HawaiiGoesFishing.com) and deal with many of the technical issues.

The other producers also shoot and edit. One is also the host of the show. The other is a long-time veteran of television production and understands the economics of the business.

We don't have a central office but work out of our homes. We collaborate via phone and email. Whenever a segment is edited it's posted on an ftp site for review. Saves on a lot of driving and eliminates renting a facility. Edited segments of the show are swapped via firewire drive. The final assembled show is also transferred via a firewire drive. I'll do the color corrections, EQ and mixdown the audio, and master to Betacam for delivery to Time/Warner.

We're a small company but our ratings have been very good. Our show is seen statewide -- population of just over a million people -- and we're hoping to get some exposure elsewhere.

The change of careers is a welcome one. It's a medium I've wanted to work in since high school, and that was a long, long time ago!

Devin Eskew · July 19th, 2005, 05:20 AM

I left the fun life of being a retail manager three years ago, went back to college and will have an A.A. in Communications Technology this December. I've been doing weddings and events with some corp work on a part time basis for the past two years, and work three part time jobs hoping to land a job doing what I love here soon. I work at the local community college doing production as a shooter, the same for the city of Greeley "City Meetings are oh so fun!" and at CBS 5 up in Wyoming as the studio camera person usually on the weekends when I'm not doing a wedding. Very busy, I'd just like to be busy in one place it makes life easier on the wife!

Maxine Capilli · July 23rd, 2005, 11:46 AM

I'm a Eurasian who worked in Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines before relocating to Paris recently, where now I'm asked by a new Asian television station with satellite links, to look into producing television programmes for Asia and in particular China covering cultural and lifestyle programmes and documentaries, and coordinating work between the two regions and "internationally".

The setting up of a production company here in Paris, even a liaison office or a subsidiary office isn't easy, not when you have to learn French first, to read and write it, and then to understand the media/broadcasting laws, and if you're Asian, it's worse because things work so differently in Asia and I have to constantly explain things to both sides.

For one, no one realises in Asia the importance of getting all the right permits and passes and that EU countries are very particular about this. Not to mention the copyright laws that have to be noted and enforced ... I've been documenting mostly now and haven't gone round quite yet to setting the company up properly as Paris isn't the only link I'm to consider, I have to work links to Germany and Italy as well. Plus, there's all these administrative requirements! Don't you just love filling forms out in German, Italian and French?

Oh, and did I mention I've had no prior experience in the business other than to be a news anchorwoman and programme host?

Okay, I do have one strength - I'm familiar with international marketing and technology. Did head regional marketing on the Asia-Pacific region for Apple computers and Radius Technology at one stage so that should give me a bit of a "fearlessness" somewhat and the ability to "go where angels fear to thread". Probably means I'm also the one who needs having the space between my ears examined for oozing gray matters that refuse to coagulate.

With this work for the station, I feel like a perpetual student especially in the face of loads of homework, mainly legal stuff, on the EU, so kudos to this website and all the fabulous characters posting in! I'm so impressed and really pleased to have found my way here while researching on "film permits" - this is one of the most gallant, fascinating and knowledge-intensive sites I've come across.

Do hope you great and experienced minds and talents won't mind an insignificant somebody like me writing in and asking some timid questions once in a while.

--maxcap

Mike Teutsch · July 23rd, 2005, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maxine Capilli

Do hope you great and experienced minds and talents won't mind an insignificant somebody like me writing in and asking some timid questions once in a while.

--maxcap

Wow, sounds pretty impressive to me! Hope you get a lot from this site and I'm sure you will be able to help a lot of us out too!

I don't envy you for the tasks ahead of you, but you sound more than capable of handling it all. Welcome to thia forum.

Mike

Max Wilson · July 23rd, 2005, 09:27 PM

Well im just getting more into video and saving for a XL2 while i build my Rig based on Cody Deegans plans, with some small mods.

I work 7-3 at TomsHardware.com as a Web Developer... Its a fun job, and they are all a great bunch of people to be working with. :)

July 13th, 2005, 01:03 PM	#211
Jason J. Gullickson Regular Crew Join Date: May 2005 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 170	Well I see that someone needs to step up and start representin' for the land of milk and cheese, so it might as well be me... I've been a Producer most of my life but I didn't realize it until about a year ago when out of some sort of coincidence I picked up a copy of "From Reel to Deal". The line "I have several projects in various states of development" (paraphrased) could have been on my business cards. My first films were shot on a PXL-2000 when they were contemporary. Editing was accomplished with a pair of thrift-store Betamax decks and a six-channel RadioShack mixer. This setup got me through several films and several cameras up until the time that I traded my mixer in for a guitar. My musical career spanned several years and followed in the DIY tradition of self-performing, self-recording and self-promoting. By the end of this era we had built a local scene and cultivated many spin-off projects; enough to keep the scene alive without us, so we left. You can learn more than you ever wanted to know about this period when our documentary "Breakdown" is completed this fall. After that I decided to move to the city and become a Tech Support guy, then a Network Engineer, then a Programmer, then a Consultant, then a Programmer again. This was about the time that DV came along and made the idea of producing a feature film at home possible, but I ignored it for the most part for the "security" of the technology business. After 8 years with the company, they decided to cash in and liquidate 1/3 of the staff... ...so much for security... So maybe that's why I picked up "From Reel to Deal", because the only thing that had held me back from becoming a filmmaker before was the false sense of security I had with my current career. After reading this book, I found out that becoming a filmmaker isn't just luck or magic, but systematic hard work just like everything else I had done in my life up to this point. A year or so later, along with my cohorts in "the society" I've put together several shorts, had a showing or two, organized an annual film festival and produced a documentary film (currently in post, so I can't say I've completely produced it yet). I've been consuming books at a rate 10x as fast as any other time in my life (including when I was studying for the MCSE/MCDBA) and shooting every chance I get. We have an aggresive plan for the next 9 years so I have to keep at it. Along the way I try to stay in touch with my DIY roots, to remember that technology comes and goes but a great story is timeless. I have nightmares of Robert Rodreguez telling me I'm not ready yet, so I keep sharpening the blades every chance I get. I have to say that this site has been indispensible and thanks to everyone who's chimed in with advice. I'll try and do the same. If you want to know more about us you can check out http://2soc.net, or you can check out http://jasontheproducer@blogspot.com to see inside my brain. Thanks again all. __________________ Jason J. Gullickson Producer the second society http://2soc.net

July 13th, 2005, 01:05 PM	#212
Lauren Brazil New Boot Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 8	The newbie Well I'm about as new to the DV world as anyone could be. I fell in love with moviemaking about 7 months ago, through screenwriting, and met some people who wanted to shoot my scripts locally with little to no budget. So I dove right in, and I bought an XL2 a three weeks ago. But to be honest, I think I have WAY too much machine on my hands now. I've been reading these posts and I'm slowly realizing how much I have to learn about everything. I am a college senior, and I've already shot two shorts. I don't work, just live off financial aid currently. But it gives me time to fiddle with dials and settings on this camera. I hope to learn as much as possible about my camcorder's capabilities through this site. Any help will be greatly appreciated. -Lauren

July 13th, 2005, 04:40 PM	#214
Marco Wagner Trustee Join Date: May 2005 Location: Saint Cloud, Florida Posts: 1,043	I am an Enrollment Counselor for the University of Phoenix Online. Anyone wanting to get their BA or MBA online CONTACT me. We are the largest school in the WORLD and are fully accredited. We are not a diploma mill, this is a serious school. Want to go? marco.wagner@phoenix.edu __________________ www.facebook.com/projectspecto

July 13th, 2005, 04:44 PM	#215
Patrick King Major Player Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Enterprise, AL Posts: 857	Marco, Do you have any video/film/broadcasting related courses of study? __________________ Fear No Weevil!

July 13th, 2005, 06:13 PM	#217
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	What I do for a lving. etc. I have been on the list for a couple few weeks, its a great site!! I am a practical and applied arts teacher. I have 30 pay checks to retirement, I amn't coutun really! I teach everything from basic computers to graphics arts, automechanics, fine wood working, photography, welding and some other stuff of no value. In my last graphics arts class I got the school boaard to spring for adobe elements and we did a videography module for half the term. It was a blast to help them do their "gone in sixty seconds" project. They Had to tell a story that had situation complication and resolution. I plan to create my own DVD's to a small sportsminded clientel when I retire from formal education. At my age climbing the techno-ladder his been a huge uphill climb, and i can't even see the top from here. I live in rural Saskatchewan Canada, our province is bigger than texas and less than a million people. The deer population is greater than the people population. My smallest class has 6 students, the largest 16. dale guthormsen

July 15th, 2005, 08:38 PM	#219
Kevin Calumpit Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: San Marcos, CALIFORNIA Posts: 103	Currently i am working part time as an "editor" for a company based out of San Diego Ca, i havent done much editing partly because i just learned FCP and Avid a few months before i started, but since ive been here all the other editors like the help i provide for them. So i guess im an Assistant Editor if thats even a real job title. Most of the footage we shoot and work with is HD all shot on HD CAM tapes and not sure which cameras we shoot with I think Sony HDW 700a i really like the job alot but since im still in school the hours are limited.

July 16th, 2005, 07:06 AM	#220
Heath McKnight MPS Digital Studios Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Palm Beach County, Florida Posts: 8,531	Welcome, Kevin. I do a lot of freelance editing with Final Cut Pro, and I love it. Been using it since 1999, and it's only gotten better! heath __________________ My Final Cut Pro X blog

July 16th, 2005, 03:29 PM	#221
Dean Sensui Inner Circle Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Honolulu, HI Posts: 2,054	To update my info posted earlier on this thread: At the end of last year I left the newspaper business to work full-time co-producing a one-hour fishing show. I was the chief photographer of the Honolulu Star-Bulletin (worked there for 24 years) and am now one of three co-producers of Hawaii Goes Fishing. Besides field camera work I also edit, take care of the website (www.HawaiiGoesFishing.com) and deal with many of the technical issues. The other producers also shoot and edit. One is also the host of the show. The other is a long-time veteran of television production and understands the economics of the business. We don't have a central office but work out of our homes. We collaborate via phone and email. Whenever a segment is edited it's posted on an ftp site for review. Saves on a lot of driving and eliminates renting a facility. Edited segments of the show are swapped via firewire drive. The final assembled show is also transferred via a firewire drive. I'll do the color corrections, EQ and mixdown the audio, and master to Betacam for delivery to Time/Warner. We're a small company but our ratings have been very good. Our show is seen statewide -- population of just over a million people -- and we're hoping to get some exposure elsewhere. The change of careers is a welcome one. It's a medium I've wanted to work in since high school, and that was a long, long time ago! __________________ Dean Sensui Exec Producer, Hawaii Goes Fishing

July 19th, 2005, 05:20 AM	#222
Devin Eskew Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 115	I left the fun life of being a retail manager three years ago, went back to college and will have an A.A. in Communications Technology this December. I've been doing weddings and events with some corp work on a part time basis for the past two years, and work three part time jobs hoping to land a job doing what I love here soon. I work at the local community college doing production as a shooter, the same for the city of Greeley "City Meetings are oh so fun!" and at CBS 5 up in Wyoming as the studio camera person usually on the weekends when I'm not doing a wedding. Very busy, I'd just like to be busy in one place it makes life easier on the wife! __________________ We learn by doing, we learn better by making mistakes!

July 23rd, 2005, 11:46 AM	#223
Maxine Capilli New Boot Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Paris, France Posts: 8	From Asia to Europe I'm a Eurasian who worked in Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines before relocating to Paris recently, where now I'm asked by a new Asian television station with satellite links, to look into producing television programmes for Asia and in particular China covering cultural and lifestyle programmes and documentaries, and coordinating work between the two regions and "internationally". The setting up of a production company here in Paris, even a liaison office or a subsidiary office isn't easy, not when you have to learn French first, to read and write it, and then to understand the media/broadcasting laws, and if you're Asian, it's worse because things work so differently in Asia and I have to constantly explain things to both sides. For one, no one realises in Asia the importance of getting all the right permits and passes and that EU countries are very particular about this. Not to mention the copyright laws that have to be noted and enforced ... I've been documenting mostly now and haven't gone round quite yet to setting the company up properly as Paris isn't the only link I'm to consider, I have to work links to Germany and Italy as well. Plus, there's all these administrative requirements! Don't you just love filling forms out in German, Italian and French? Oh, and did I mention I've had no prior experience in the business other than to be a news anchorwoman and programme host? Okay, I do have one strength - I'm familiar with international marketing and technology. Did head regional marketing on the Asia-Pacific region for Apple computers and Radius Technology at one stage so that should give me a bit of a "fearlessness" somewhat and the ability to "go where angels fear to thread". Probably means I'm also the one who needs having the space between my ears examined for oozing gray matters that refuse to coagulate. With this work for the station, I feel like a perpetual student especially in the face of loads of homework, mainly legal stuff, on the EU, so kudos to this website and all the fabulous characters posting in! I'm so impressed and really pleased to have found my way here while researching on "film permits" - this is one of the most gallant, fascinating and knowledge-intensive sites I've come across. Do hope you great and experienced minds and talents won't mind an insignificant somebody like me writing in and asking some timid questions once in a while. --maxcap

July 23rd, 2005, 09:27 PM	#225
Max Wilson Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 62	Well im just getting more into video and saving for a XL2 while i build my Rig based on Cody Deegans plans, with some small mods. I work 7-3 at TomsHardware.com as a Web Developer... Its a fun job, and they are all a great bunch of people to be working with. :)