Parade this weekend....Help!
 

Any advice on shooting a Thanksgiving Day Parade? It's a huge parade in Stamford CT, 2nd largest after the Macy's in NYC. Should I bring my tripod? I was going to stay in one spot but I want to get shots beyond the crowd viewing area, I want to get in with the action, and dont want to leave my tripod sitting there, I'll be by myself. Theres going to be like 25 huge balloons, any advice? Just my Cam and Bag?

I dont work at a station yet, but I have been in touch with a local staion, sent them a demo tape etc, its in another forum. I dont know if they are sending a crew to cover it, Should I call them after I get my shots prob B-roll and ask them if they want the footage for the nights 6pm or 11pm newscast? OR Should I call them ahead of time to let them know I am going? I just didnt see anything on the news from last year.

Try a monopod. It'll keep the camera steady and you can pick up and move easily on a moments notice.

Get the footage and then approach the tv station.
Keep in mind you'll have to have better footage than the stations videographers if they do send someone out and as far the examples of footage I see on most television stations, that'll be easy.

Unless you are a dead solid off the shoulder shooter, then definitely take the sticks. I shot one of the local "Santa's Ariival" parades yesterday, ( I think the third year they called me to shoot it LOL - guess no one wanted to be out at 8 AM Sat )
Pick your spot early, so you can set up with no one in front of you.
Get some reaction shots from teh crowd, particularly the kiddies...
Take some creative shots, if you don't want to walk away from your 'pod the drop the legs, fold them and use it like a monopod for some low shots from the street, or use it like a glide stick for shooting your moving shots, be amazed at ow much vibration those folded legs can dampen.

If you have established a relationship at all with the station, I'd probably drop them a call and tell them something along the lines of - I noticed last year you didn't have any video from this parade, I'm going to be there and shooting it if you would be interested in the video.
If they were planning on sending someone, they may take yours and use that body somewhere else, or might pick it up even if they didn't have it assigned anywhere... since it will be available.
Have you talked to them about any standard fees for video yet? If not, this might be a good time to open up the conversation about what they expect to pay for stringer video. I know in the other thread you said you were interested in a staff job, so this might be a good chance to give them another look at your raw footage, and a chance for you to show off some creativity in your story telling.
It's a little tough to get creative in a breaking news situation, but here you can have some fun with it.

It's hardly conceivable that they didn't shoot it last year. Quite surprising. Knowing nothing about the layout of the parade, I would caution to go to the route tomorrow at the same time you'll be shooting. You're looking for a vantage point where you can shoot down the street as well as nearby closeups, in the same lighting. You don't want to be in direct sun when the rest of the street approaching is in shade. All sun, all shade....but not some of both. THAT will ensure reasonably constant lighting which is a huge thing.
As for working with the local station...I'd sure want to know if I were shooting for b roll or for myself for fun. Huge difference in how you approach it. Only one camera eh?If you are looking to fill a 5 second studio flash that would be totally different filming technique than if you wanted to do something for yourself and different again than if they were doing a story and might want a minute or two of continuous footage. I'd say learning what you are going to be shooting before you shoot it would be a good thing. :)

Call the parade organizers and see if you can get permission to move down on the street and close up to the performers, etc. too. This is where you can get some great footage.

Hey,
I went to the parade and got to get in the "other side" of the barriers. I had my GL2 with shotgun mic attached, my tripod and my bag and the cop thought I was a news guy. I said can I get in to get some better shots he said sure. I went up close followed the bands that were playing got to get close ups and good shots of the 25 balloons. I head there were over 200,000 people that attended.

I noticed a camera guy with a shoulder cam but did not notice a TV logo, he had a rain cover on the cam. And also there was a newspaper photog there as well.
After I got the footage I called the station and said I captured some B-roll and asked if they wanted to use it, she said shell call me back and never did, so they must of not needed it.

Next time push (sell) your footage hard with the station rep, and maybe you'll get them to at least look at it. They're not going to need any of your footage until they SEE that they need some of your footage.

Moderator notice
 

Kevin: I've merged your two threads into this one thread to keep
everything together.