What do you do for a living?

[Julian St Pierre]

My wife and I have a company based in New Orleans. We are primarily wedding videographers, but we produce a local wedding show called "The New Orleans Bride Show. It airs every other Sunday on our cable network.
We are both full time. We employ two full time camera persons/editors. We have a studio on the outskirts of the city. My wife has been part of the industry for nearly 11yrs now - I came on board full time 5yrs ago.

[Bob Wilkins]

Let's see...
Graduate of the High School For Performing and Visual Arts, Houston TX, 1975. Majoring in what was then refered to as "Media Technology", a catch -all for still photograpy, film, Video Production, and sound recording. We were considered "Industrial Media" trainees, and not looked upon well by some of the other school departments. We were kept apart from the Art Dept's own Photography Section, which produced some very successful people, such as Rolling Stone's Mark Seliger.
Enrolled University of Houston in the Film and TV program, transferred to University of Texas program after one year. Worked as an extra in "Outlaw Blues", as a flunky/gofer in "Honeysuckle Rose" and again in Meatloaf's "Roadie". Production Manager for "Secret Place" a documentary /fundraiser film for Goodwill Industries, graduated UT and formed a local production company with some fellow students. Damn near starved. Went to work as manager for Austin Photo nee' Austin Prints from Slides, quit dreaming for a bit and concentrated on paying bills.
Attempted a few small independent Super 8 films, but became frustrated by the cost vs quality issue.
Became a volunteer firefighter, which led to becoming an EMT, then a paramedic, and went to work for Mercy Ambulance in Las Vegas.
Did some free-lance photography for local publications, as well as a video in the then new S-VHS format for my employer. Returned to Texas, eventually graduating from the University of Texas Medical Branch as a Physician Assistant.
Kept my hand in on a part time basis doing environmental portrature, (which is not at all what it sounds like it would be)
I now provide medical care for prison inmates, which pays the bills.
I have formed a small group, Cat Herder Productions. (e-mail us at cat-herder-productions at earthlink.net) Still do portraits, but are branching out into new areas, such as forensic still photography using the 6x4.5 CM film format, and video using the Mini DV format.
For the first time in many years I am attempting a fulll -length narrative project "Rosharon", shot on Mini DV (a Canon GL2), and edited on a Mac G4 with an 800 Mhz Sonnet upgrade, using FCP2.
We are starting production here in Galveston, January 2004.

Damn! It was a long bumpy road! But I never quit.

[Adrian Douglas]

This thread has been going forever and i just never got round to writing anything so here goes...

After high school I joined the Royal Australian Air Force as an Aircraft Technician which saw me spend 8 years working on F1-11 and F/A-18 jet aircraft. I worked on engine, airframe and weapons systems and it took me all around the place. I really got into photography while in the Air Force and in 95 got into video while getting over shoulder surgery. I started shooting my friends surfing with a friends Canon L1 that he picked up when the RAAF downsized the photography section at our base.

I left the RAAF in 98 to go snowboarding and make a go of photography. I was doing back-to-back winters in New Zealand and Canada until an accident, more shoulder surgery, saw me back in Australia. During my time shooting snowboarding I also bought an XL1 as people kept asking me to shoot video for them. I did a lot of shooting in NZ for local videos, Sky TV, as well as producing promo packages for pro snowboarders.

Back in Australia I kept shooting while gong back to school and doing IT/multimedia. I shot mainly surfing and skateboarding as well as a bit of motocross. I also did a few promo packages for a couple for bands and singing groups.

I'm currently in Japan and while my video work has died of a bit lately I have done a little. I made a 15min doco on the Japanese tea ceremony and am working on three more docos on Japanese culture to eventually put together a 1 hour piece. I've also been writing a bit and getting stuff together to get back into video when I get back to Australia in about 18 months.

[Gary Brennan]

I began my working life by being encouraged to leave school as early as possible by every teacher I knew, I guess they werent as dumb as I thought!. As a kid I had always been interested in entertaining and all through my teens I fronted local bands etc. I entered into a carpentry apprenticeship and admired myself as often as possible in the mirror every morning with my hammer and screwdriver in hand (butch was the order of the day). I eventually worked for a company in the middle east and south east asia and by my mid 20´s I really did believe that the world revolved around me. I eventually returned to england and continued in building until one morning my hand got frozen to the scaffold (time to move on ). I discovered a great passion for the human psyche so invested in returning to education only to discover that what I was actually searching for was me. I financed this venture through returning to the cabaret clubs of my childhood and crooned as many sinatra hits as I could until even I got fed up with me. I got so bored with myself that I used to fool around on stage. I tried disciplining myself but before I knew it people were booking me for the fooling around and so it was that I became a comedian. Through my new opportunities I discovered a penchant for psychotherapy and found myself doing a masters in the field. It was a 10 year journey that taught me that I never actually needed to embark on it in the first place. So I spent my days working in the community running counselling agncies etc and nights legitimately heckling my unfortunate audiences. A few years ago I gave up the psychotherapy as a profession and moved to spain to watch the tide roll in and entertain the tourists. Life feels good but I never take it for granted, I just like the idea of waking up. Thanks to everyone else for sharing their journeys, fascinating stuff.
p.s. I am now depressed to discover that I can fit the whole of my existence into a few measly paragraphs.

[Jeff Patnaude]

Its been great reading the bios here.
Thought I'd add mine in as well. If there's anyone out there wondering if they'll ever have a career "in the business", perseverance!

Grew up in Northern Minnesota and moved out at 18 to tour with a small rock band hoping to "Make it."
Broke up with band, some college in Electronic music-quit school to tour with Band #2. Band breaks up, move to small town with no chance of upward progress.

Hired at public TV station, started college again in earnest. Director at station taught me a lot and mentored me during my work there.

Graduate college '87 and move to Minneapolis to freelance and make music on the side (Prince and 1st Avenue were hot then). Enter the "starvation period."
Managed to make a meager living for several years on commercials and industrials doing lighting, audio, or whatever would pay.

Landed a job with a Cruise Line- 2 years shooting and editing onboard ships in the Caribbean.

Back home in Mpls- engineered for production comany, edited non-linear for another, and met my wife-to-be. Laid off as company folded.

Moved to Wisconsin for a big opportunity as an editor in a digital post house. Laid off.

Moved to Atlanta with my wife and have been here for almost 8 years. I work for part of Citigroup as an audio engineer and videographer. I've travelled to Europe, been to Hawaii a bunch of times, and all over the US. I enjoy my work.

If I knew how to do anything else , I might have quit a few times, but I'm really glad I stuck it out.
I now can do my own video for hire and for the fun of it on the side with DV. It feeds the "story-teller" passion that corporate lacks sometimes.
Perserverance!

Good luck to you all,
Jeff Patnaude

[Scott Spidell]

Greetings,
Have just joined up, and been perusing for awhile. I work in theatre, TV, and film. I teach stage carpentry and lighting design for the stage as well as being an Equity stage manager and actor, singer, dancer (well, kinda-dancer). For TV, I have been a camera assistant, writer, Key SFX for series and commercials and am a union actor in series, commercials and film.
I started with Super 8 and simple editors. Now here at the university, I'm playing with a couple of PDX-10's, and Avid Lanshare and ExpressDV off a PC, although I'm curious about FCP on my G4 Powerbook.
Jack of all trades, master of a few of them.
Scott

[Robert Martens]

Thought I'd pop in and provide some input. I'm not much for biographies, so this won't be long.

I make my "living" (at twenty years old, and still living with my parents, I don't exactly have many bills to pay, and I hate to call it that) as a plumber. A plumber in training, more precisely. Not a real "apprentice", as I'm not in the union (YET, that is, so shut your collective mouth :P ), but I do help out, and learn stuff.

I'm lucky enough to work for my dad, and will--assuming I ever become skilled enough--take over his business one day.

I've been into moviemaking for about two years (I used to make all sorts of stupid movies with my friends on my old VHS-C camcorder, but that was a while back, and doesn't count), had my camera for a year and a half, and hope to actually FINISH something within three hundred years or so. With any luck, I should have a short film released by the time the machines take over.

I also like using parentheses (a lot).

[Roy Verges]

I've read some of these replies, and my story doesn't sound nearly as interesting.

I got my degree in music in '82, never could find any work in music, so I drifted into computer work, starting at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, then at the University of North Texas in Denton. I made enough contacts, and worked on enough minicomputers, to land my current job at the Denton Independent School District as a computer operator. With the current budget crisis that is affecting all of the states over here, more and more of us at the Technology Department have had to do more and more things - I'm doing satellite TV management, teleconferencing, automated calling, daily operations, and digital videography (camera work, editing, lighting, and I'm beginning to learn 3d graphics too). So the District's bad news is my good news, although I do have to work more hours lately.

My goal is to set up my own videography business. I've got a little studio, a good 2.4 GHz PC, and Adobe Premiere 6.5. I'll be getting a DVD burner next month (I have to moonlight to raise the money - my wife is the sergeant-at-arms, guarding my paychecks :))

I'm tired, but enthused!

Roy

[Jacko Bultinck]

I used to be an author/composer and musician , ( saxophone player), did live gigs and studio recordings for years..... then I moved to the other site of the bizz, being a music producer....., nowadays artist management, record cy, publishing and recently added music video productions to my cy.

[Michel Brewer]

I actually am not one of those who are living the dream of filmaking, I started off in politics bouncing from campaign to campaign when I dropped out of college. In '96 I got a senior position in a presidential campaign that didnt win :) and got tired of the 17 hour days 7 day weeks for months on end.

The other good thing about politics besides the people I worked for/ with was having spent a lot of time with the national press. When I got out I stayed in touch with a lot of people and one day was asked if I would be interested in working a G8 meeting for a cable news network based out of atlanta...so I did it and worked for them and some others for what turned out to be 6 years..During that time got to play with cameras in the field more and more, and had some great co workers who were willing to teach me things that helped. With my overtime from the recount in 2000 I went and bought a xl1. I was mainly intrested in field producing but the ability to get shots you couldnt do otherwise for one reason or another like leaving a stakeout or live position, or stories that they might be interested in but the $ of a 4 person crew to go get it was prohibitive. As such and again thanks to the kindness of others I got opportunites to shoot my own stuff and work with talented people who helped me craft it into something.

I decided early this year to quit after the war, so now I freelance for whoever hires me still work with great people, see the interesting and many times absurd things news covers. Sometimes I produce, sometimes I shoot with my gear or theirs and its been a interesting experience. I hope the work keeps coming and as I get better I would like to branch off into documentry type stories and some work for nonprofits. The best thing so far was being able to get a PA I worked with the contacts to get some work on the Ecoast. Ive been extrtemely lucky so far in my career due to the kindness of many who have given me some big opportunities...Im hoping to do the same at some point to pay back their kindness.

In the meantime back and forth between Colorado and Santa Barbara (thank god for michael jackson) trying to keep paying the bills.

m

[Jason Heck]

I am a trained monkey.

and an editor.

[Robert Martens]

Hee hee, Jason, your monkey comment reminded me of this (it's not too off topic, and pretty funny, so bear with me). Do a search for my name, "Rob Martens", on the IMDB, and you come up with this: http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0551713/

Well I thought it was funny.

[Scott Spears]

Started out with Super-8 film at the age of 14.

Moved up to 16mm in college at the now defunct film dept. at Ohio State. I freelanced in video for a while and then returned to grad school at OSU. I shot 2 features on 16mm while in grad school and one got distributed around the world.
I won an Emmy for a short I shot.

Finally moved to LA and got an 16mm Arri SR package. Started shooting a lot of features and shorts.

Moved back to Ohio because of family illness and did some teaching in video, but still managed to shoot 3 features.

Now, I'm back in LA and just picked up a DVX100.

I just love telling stories with moving pictures, be that on film or video. It's something that started at age 14 and has never died. It never will. I hope to be still shooting into my old age. By then they'll just have a connection in the back of your head that records right out of the optic nerve. I wonder if I'll have to get lasik surgery to keep things in focus then.

Scott

[David Stone]

I live in Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada. I work full time and I'm a part time student. I started taking courses at CDIS (center for digital images and sound) which is now called The Art Institute of Vancouver - Burnaby. I've been taking film related courses for about three years and decided to buy a camera, which turns out to be a Canon XL1S. I'm in the process of learning how to use the camera properly and intend on using it for film work with a group I'm involved with called The Film Collective, based in Vancouver.

[Tavis Shaver]

Hey David, I live in East Vancouver (just east tho, not haggard downtown eastside)

I'm just starting 3d animation and visual effects at vanarts, i'm going to buy a dv cam i Feb, either a dvx100 or 100a depending on if i can afford the extra $800 for the A version. Although i have been considering goig the waaay cheaper route and inporting a GS100 from Japan....hmmmm, decisions, decisions.

I'm always interested in talented people that are from my city. I was considering going to CDIS myself and taking their visual effects course, but vanArts just seemed like a better fit for me, i wasn't into having to take 2 years to finish right now. Anyhow, that's me.