Latest video
My latest video about Palmer High School’s Computer Program has been uploaded. I’m pleased with it. There is some jerky camera work that I didn’t see for some reason, but the audio levels are good and consistent throughout the piece. I’m also getting a little more comfortable with voice over work. I do have to remember though that I should do that sooner in the process than after putting the piece together. My VO was way long for the space I had left for it. I just rewrote it, but that takes time.
Today I’m going to work on a natural sound piece at the horse track. It’s the last day of racing and I want to do a cool piece on the races with quick cuts and good sound. Wish me luck.
More Video
I’m working on my fourth video now. It’s a straight forward piece, and I’ll be putting the final titles and such on it this morning. Once it’s up and posted I’ll copy in a link for comments.
I’m not an expert at video by any stretch of the imagination, but I think that I’m getting better. It’s such a different mentality for me. I can blend into a room with my still cameras and no one knows I’m there, but that’s not possible or even practical with video. You are going to be seen, and you have to get in people’s way; not only in their face for an interview, but also in their face while they are working. This will take a while for me to adapt.
Perhaps the most interesting thing to me is it isn’t coming easy for me. I’ve got to work at it. That means I can spend a couple of hours editing and not think anything of it, in fact in doesn’t even feel like that much time. (Depending on computer crashes.) Since I’m slow at the editing process, I’m not afraid to take a little more time to experiment. If at first you don’t succeed as they say.
I should also say that I’m lucky. I’ve been choosing assignments that I don’t have to turn around the same day. This is primarily because I still have my normal assignments to cover as well. Squeezing all these assignments in is a challenge, but I’m adapting. This weekend I’m debating shooting a nat-sound video piece on the last day of racing at Fonner Park. I’ll post that too, maybe even with a still photo.
My transition to videography.
Last week, April 4-10, I was in Norman, OK, for the 49th annual National Press Photographers News Video Workshop. It was intense. No really, it was intense.
After getting over only being allowed to know the schedule when we arrived each day, I quickly settled into the 13-14 hour days and routine of morning lectures, afternoon hands on shooting, and more lectures and extra sessions in the evening. It was completely worth the effort and expense. Now I am working to keep my promise to the paper of producing 1-2 projects a week. The first two can be seen at:
So I realize that it’s impossible to remember and apply everything I learned about sequencing, cutting on action and screen direction. I am trying though and I think that is progress. I’m just trying to adapt to the changes of the industry and learn new skills. That will be good for my paper and good for me.
One of the most important things that I came away from the conference was that you have to get off the sidelines and get into the game. Now I’m in.
