Multimedia – Page 8 – Journeys of a Hybrid

January 21, 2010

Findings From the ASMP Motion/Video Study

ASMP recently formed a Motion/Video Study Group to explore how members have embraced video. Video has become much more prevalent in visual communications as electronic publishing continues to replace traditional print media. The increased availability and low cost of broadband has enabled and created a huge demand for video. At the same time, there is a convergence of our tools as “hybrid” cameras are capable of shooting both stills and video.

As head of the Motion/Video Study Group, I spoke at length with fourteen ASMP members who have integrated video into their businesses.

Some General Observations:

As expected, there was a wide range in responses as well as in the markets that each participant works in.

• Participants are working all across the spectrum in the video/motion sector – from simple multimedia projects (still images with sound/music) to big budget broadcast spots for ad agencies.
• Most people have either been asked by their clients if they also shoot video or they have presented video as an up sell to their existing clients.
• Participants are positioning themselves as producers, directors, camera operators or all of the above. Many have set up production companies.
• Almost all participants have created partnerships or work in collaboration with others – sound people, editors and camera operators to name a few. Video production is based on collaboration because of it’s many facets.
• The learning curve can be steep – especially for editing and motion graphics applications.
• There is a lot of confusion and chaos in terms of file and codec standardization.
• Ownership and copyright are handled in a variety of ways depending on the production, the market and how one has positioned themselves. Traditionally in video, the camera operator is a hired gun and does not maintain ownership of the content. Depending on the market – the ownership and copyright is maintained by the end client or the production company.
• Most shooters invoice their still images and video as separate line items when shooting both mediums on a job.
• All see opportunities in the video medium in almost all markets.

To see the full report please go to http://asmp.org/tutorials/getting-started.html

I would love to hear from others who have added video to their businesses.

January 14, 2010January 14, 2010

The Future and Video

Video seems to be the hot topic these days amongst still photographers. Their clients are coming to them and asking them if they shoot video and many are starting to incorporate video into their still photography businesses to be able to fill their clients’ needs.

We all spend more and more time getting our information and communicating electronically. When you analyze that, you quickly realize that there has been a shift in the way that we as a culture communicate, and that has changed our industry – still photography. Not because a still photograph is obsolete or has lost it’s impact, but because the traditional outlets for still photography are slowly disappearing – print newspapers and magazines.

We can debate which medium – still photography or video – delivers a visual message better – but it would be a pointless debate. Truth is, a viewer is meant to linger on still images, while motion mediums are meant to hit us with the added dimensions of movement and sound. Neither medium is better than the other and neither medium is going away. At least not as far as I can see.

The real debate shouldn’t be which medium is better, because there isn’t a one size fits all answer. Some things are visually communicated better in stills and some things are better in motion. The real question we should all be asking ourselves from a business point of view is – What are our clients asking for? And – Are we in a position to fill our clients’ needs?

I see a future where I shoot still images and video. Some jobs will call for still photography and some will call for video depending on the message or the story that our clients want us to tell. I want to position my business to be able to solve my clients’ needs with whatever medium does that best.

January 11, 2010January 11, 2010

Talking Techy – New Video Gadgets

As far back as I can remember, ever since being the only woman in my graduating class at Brooks Institute, I’ve been in a male dominated business. Along with that comes a lot of tech talk and I’d like to think that I can hold my own “talking techy”.

Lots of new gadgets and tools have been announced in the last couple of weeks. The much-anticipated Scarlet camera has been formally announced for spring – early summer 2010. Check out the 3K Scarlet prototype along with some other new gadgets from the RED folks, and you too will be amazed. And the proposed price – less than $3000 for a 3K video camera that shoots RAW.

Another interesting camera to debut is the Panasonic full HD 3D camcorder camera. Pretty cool, but I wondered how one will look at their 3D footage? Panasonic thought of that as well, and introduced 5 new 3D HD TV sets.

Check out MacVideo’s blog on CES 2010 predictions for digital cameras – smaller, video, interchangeable lenses and wifi enabled are all new features to watch for this year.

And Skype enabled HD televisions are coming so Skype users will now be able to make HD video (phone) calls as long as they have an HD web cam and plenty of bandwidth.

I played around with the popular hybrid cameras, the Canon 7D and Canon 5DMarkII over the holidays. I absolutely love the visuals that these cameras create but they felt clumsy to me, being the street shooter that I am, because I couldn’t look through the viewfinder to focus while shooting. I had to use the LCD monitor on the back of the camera to focus, which was tough outdoors and it also made the camera hard to stabilize because it wasn’t braced up against my eye. I do realize that there are 3rd party viewfinders available that attach to the back of the camera which help with focusing in bright sunlight but also helps with camera stabilization.

Lastly, I wanted to check out a company I heard about called Animoto.com. They provide a subscription based service where one can upload still images, video clips and text and a video is automatically created from your assets (or theirs) in a matter of minutes. They also have an interesting selection of licensed music to choose from, which you can use in your videos. I literally spent less than an hour of my time to register, upload my video clips, choose a piece of music and create a short 30-second video.

2010 has just begun and I’m already overwhelmed by all the new toys and gadgets.

December 15, 2009March 30, 2010

Mistakes Still Photographers Make When Shooting Video With a DSLR

They don’t understand the importance of audio and don’t use external microphones. Audio is everything in video.
They think in “moments in time” and start shooting video too late or stop shooting too soon. You need to let the camera linger longer.
They don’t shoot sequences with a beginning, middle and end.
They don’t think in “storyboard mode” – You should ask yourself “How will I get into and out of a shot and what’s next in the story?”
They don’t shoot enough B-roll with variations in angles and focal lengths – very important in the editing process.
They move the camera instead of letting the motion take place in front of the camera.
They turn the camera vertically. There aren’t too many vertical TV sets and monitors.
They don’t use a tripod forgetting that video is “time in motion”. It’s one thing to hold a camera steady for 1/60^th of a second and quite another to hold the shot steady for 10 seconds.
They don’t consider the frame rate and how that will affect workflow and editing.
Aren’t careful keeping their sensors clean from dust. Retouching video is a lot more involved than spotting still images.
They “throw” some video clips in with the still photography job, not putting an added value on them and thus setting a bad precedent with clients.
They don’t consider the output and the type of file to be delivered. There are dozens of formats and codecs in video. Choose according to your target audience and viewing platform or device.

December 10, 2009December 14, 2009

Video News

I came across some interesting things this week, so I am passing them along.

One was the much anticipated announcement of the debut of the Scarlet – a new camera from the same company that makes The Red. There have been a lot of rumors about this camera over the past year and it will be rolled out in 2010. Check out Philip Bloom’s blog about it. And here’s another post on FreshDV with information about the Scarlet.

If you’re a Sony EX-1 shooter, here’s an interesting tip along with a how-to-video on using the Zacuto Z-finder with that camera. This viewfinder was made for the Canon 5d, but Martijn Schroevers found a clever way to attach it to the LCD of the Sony EX-1.

Next up is yet another new video camera format from Sony – NXCAM. The NXCAM can record 1920 x 1080 images at 24Mbps (50i or 25p), as well as supporting 720/50p and Standard Definition recording.
Very interesting but I wish these camera manufacturers would standardize formats and codecs.

I also came across a very interesting company called Wistia. They allow you to share and host your videos but in addition they offer heatmap tracking which gives you a visual spectrum of how your visitors watch your videos and what attracts them or confuses them.

And to give you an idea of how much web video viewing has exploded, here’s an online channel Expotv where consumers send in video product reviews. No fancy production values but an interesting concept of sharing information that has really caught on.

With all those news items I figured it was about time I changed my header – gone is that template blue – replaced by something more relevant to the blogger.

December 9, 2009December 14, 2009

Watching TV Without The Sound – A Lesson In Editing

Every morning I spend an hour on the treadmill while plugged into my iPod listening to music. Sometimes the TV is turned on but with the sound turned off. I have found that just “watching” TV and in particular the commercials, is a great way to learn editing technique. I’m not distracted by the audio so I can better see how the elements get cut together.

Commercials need to get their message out in 15 seconds so the cuts are generally quick and the story needs to be told in an efficient manner. Action-reaction shots, cutaways, close-ups, sequencing – all stand out to my eye because I’m not distracted by the sound. It makes for a great lesson in editing. I notice the visual storyline – what shots are bumped up together, how long they stay on the screen and how they all make up the whole in presenting the message.

Conversely, if I have the TV on in another room (with the audio) and I’m just listening, I can usually get the message without seeing any visuals. That’s why great audio is essential – it drives the story. If people can’t hear something or understand it because the audio is poor quality, the piece fails to engage.

So try it sometime. Watch TV without the sound and notice how the story is told through the visuals and how they are cut together. It will help make you a better editor. And then try watching a video that you create with and without the sound. It’s a great way to see if you are telling the story that you meant to tell.

December 3, 2009December 14, 2009

Print vs Electronic – What Is The Future?

Just yesterday I was talking about the good and bad of social media and the potential pitfalls with time management. My routine each morning is to check for any news items on Twitter or Facebook or bookmarked blogs after catching up on my email. This morning there was one post on Facebook that caught my eye and was definitely worth the click through.

Via Mashable.com was Time Inc. Show Us Their Idea of The Future of Magazines [Video]. It was about how publishers are preparing digital versions of their magazines for the Apple Tablet. Apple hasn’t even officially confirmed they are working on this device. Embedded in the post was a pretty sophisticated demo of Sports Illustrated.

Amazing as the demo was – it had its critics. Check out Gizmodo’s post Time’s Manhattan Project Will Explode Like the Atomic Bomb It Is. The article questions how it’s any different from a web page and at ten times the cost. They state it’s pretty packaging but still stale and dead.

The future of publishing is an interesting debate. I suppose it really all comes down to how we the consumers want our information. What do you think?

November 29, 2009December 14, 2009

Video Production Tips

Don’t assume anything – ” But I thought ( fill in blank) was going to ( fill in blank).”

Keep an email trail – document everything between you and your client.

Keep a binder – it’s always good to keep a hard copy back up even if everything is recorded electronically.

What to look for on location:
• where the outlets are
• where the windows are and which direction they face
• do the windows have blinds or shades
• what is the ambient lighting in the room
• what kinds of ambient noise is in the location and can it be controlled
• what’s the best-spot for an interview
• where are the bathrooms
• where is the freight elevator
• where is parking
• what is the building contact person’s name and number

When packing for location – don’t leave things behind unless you absolutely have to. It is far better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it.

Be redundant – bring extra connectors, adapters and cables. If you only bring one – it almost guarantees that one will fail.

Make friends with doormen, secretaries, building electricians, janitors, security guards – you will need these people on locations.

Whenever the call time is – be there early. I’m always the first one on set.

If you don’t schedule a rain day, you will end up needing one.

Always shoot the most important shot first thing of the day.

Maintain an attitude of calm and professionalism – the crew will look to you for the answers. If you show indecisiveness they will go off in all different directions.

Never label a video file or tape “Final” – Whenever you do – there always ends up being another revision.

Always break for lunch – working through lunch guarantees a hungry and cranky crew. Ultimately you won’t get 100% from a hungry crew, thus defeating the time saved.

Slate everything you can. Use the back of the slate for a white balance target. Also attach a printed color bar chart to the slate. This can be helpful in color correction later, matching scenes and/or cameras.

Tape/storage media is cheap. Don’t be afraid to overshoot. That extra b-roll or cut-aways will become valuable assets in post. Get room tone at the same time.

During the mic check for interviews, record a brief statement where each subject states their name, the date and that they are giving permission to be taped. Always make sure your subjects also sign hard copy waivers/releases.

Things always take longer than you think – so estimate more time when scheduling.

In post production back up projects as different versions. Save a clean sub master version without titles and lower-third graphics and where the audio tracks are not mixed down. Most likely you will get a request to change a graphic or a music track and it’s much easier to make those changes on a sub master than to have to redo an entire project.

When a client suddenly takes the project in an unexpected direction, save a version of the project file up to that point.

When editing with a room full of client people – only answer to the guy/gal who signs the checks.

November 23, 2009December 14, 2009

A Time of Opportunity

You can look in the rear view mirror and lament the past or you can get excited about the future. With all the gloom and doom in the photography business in this poor economic climate, I remain optimistic and see it as a time of opportunity. It’s tough to be an optimist in times like this but if you look back through history you’ll see that many businesses got their starts in bad economic times.

There’s nothing new about video but with increased bandwidth and the proliferation of mobile devices video is “hot” right now. In some markets like the corporate and institutional sectors, I’m seeing more of a demand for video. I’m hearing from traditional print graphic designers who are asking me if I shoot video because their clients are requesting it. Their clients want to add a video presence to their online communications that can be distributed internally and externally. And can also be spread virally through social media networking.

Editorial markets have expanded into video. Just about every magazine has an online presence and nowadays it’s not just a regurgitation of their print edition but a lot more. Take a look at NY Magazine or Zagats.com.

The travel market is ripe for video. When I’m researching a destination I like to get as much information as possible so if I can watch a 2 minute video – it usually hooks me further into that website to explore more and link to other sites where I can facilitate my travel plans. Many times videos made for online travel sites are repurposed and used at trade shows. Check out what Intercontinental offers as destination pieces about places where they have properties.

Of course there are hundreds of instructional videos and pod casts, and on the retail end there’s weddings and family biographies.

Even if you don’t shoot video or want to offer video to your clients, you may want to consider using it to promote your own business. A short web video about your business or your creative approach with some behind the scenes footage of you working provides added insight and information to potential clients.

These are just some of the areas I see opportunities in. I love to hear from other optimists where they think the opportunities are.

November 18, 2009March 24, 2014

Looking For People Making a Difference

Maybe it started after seeing James Natchwey speak at Photo Plus Expo – the desire to create awareness with my camera. But I think it started long ago and in fact goes back to my roots and why I wanted to be a photographer. Simply put, I know that a camera can be a powerful tool in bringing awareness to a cause and with that the ability to bring about change.

I’ve always been interested in the power of the individual, those that are so passionate about a conviction they let nothing stop them. One young woman Maggie Doyne who graduated from high school with my daughter 5 years ago, decided to travel instead of going off to college. She wound up in a small village in Nepal and using her babysitting money, started a school/orphanage for Nepalese children orphaned by war. Learn more about Maggie’s Kopila Valley Children’s Home.

But what’s equally impressive about Maggie is that she speaks to students about how they can make a difference, thus planting seeds in the minds of our youth. That’s a powerful thing and each one of those people she speaks to has the potential do something that could make a difference.

This leads me to the point of this blog and how you can help. I’m embarking on an international project – to make a documentary that features people who are truly making a difference around the world. I am currently searching for those people who have a compelling story to tell. For this project, I am not looking for those who are specifically working for an NGO or some type of organization, such as the Peace Corps, because their stories – the stories of those organizations – have already been widely told.

I am searching for individuals who have embarked on their own personal projects to help make the world a better place – people who have followed their passions, ambitions, dreams, to start something that they care about. Their projects do not have to be massive or overly ambitious – it could be something as basic as restoring old churches in Russia. The people can be natives of their country or expatriates, young or old. Ideally, I would like to find 7 people, one on each continent.

So, if you know someone who is making a difference, please let me know. gail@kellymooney.com And if you don’t know someone, please pass this blog along and get the word out virally. My hope is that by using my skills to tell these stories, I will play my part in paying it forward.

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