Looky what I found!

http://www.exposure.co.uk/makers/minute.html

John,
great find, I didn't know about that movie, now I'll go out and get the book and video if I can find them. I saw his latest movie back home, good film, I took my nephew and nieces with me, we all had a good time.

I was planning on looking for certain scenes, like one where he talked about how he used the same 3 rocks as a background for all the scene in the mountain, but I was enjoying myself with the kids too much to look closely at technical stuff.

I'll get the DVD when it comes out, might even see it again when it comes out over here. Seeing it at the theaters, you couldn't tell that it wasn't shot on film, now that I think of it, I should have asked the theater staff if they used any digital video projectors at that theather. It was a new huge complex, I'm assuming the version I saw was a film print.

Amazon and other places both have his book and his DVD. Try
to get his double DVD pack with both El Mariachi & Desperado
on it. They both contain a 10 minute filmschool short movie and
also excellent commentary tracks. Together with the book you
have a real indie film makers treasure chest.

The book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0452271878

The DVD on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0767811054 (region 1)

The DVD on play.com:
http://www.playserver3.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=R2&title=1806 (region 2)

Has anyone had any experience at the Los Angeles Film School?

I plan on attending their 6 week Digital Film Making class on May 30th, so any opinions before then would be great?

Thank
Bryant

Well I don't know anything about the LA Film School, but check out this contest that iFilm.com is having regarding it...

http://www.ifilm.com/showcollection?listidx=0&collid=1564&cch=110

Hey, for a paper we have to do for school, about your career choice, I am stuck on what I'd actually like to do.

The only things that I enjoy and good at is computers and video. I know for a job I don't want to sit behind a desk all day, at a computer, even though I do enjoy computers, ecspecially editing video, but too much of them makes me sick. That leaves video/filmmaking/whatever you want to call it. What are some possible "career choices"? I think steadicam operator would be a fun job, but I'm not so sure about that. Maybe I should just consider somethinge else? :D Oh yeah, I'm terrible dealing with people, since that makes a big difference.

Also, don't you really have to move to like California if you want to make it in any movie making stuff?

There are plenty of production centers all around North America. I live in one: Vancouver, but there's also Toronto, Montreal, New York.

As for career choices, just look at the credits for any feature film (or any professional production). It always astounds me the army of people who are involved in putting moving pictures on the screen. 80 per cent of those people are on set, not sitting in front of computers.

"80 per cent of those people are on set, not sitting in front of computers."

For most filmed entertainment, this is still true, but not for anything with digital special effects. One need only watch the credits roll for The Matrix Reloaded--more than 60% of it is devoted to post production workers.

Furthermore, whereas nearly all on-set production crew get listed in the credits, many post artists with small contributions get left off, like so many extras.

Alex, you might consider film school. Besides having a good production program, USC also has an excellent digital post curriculum.

Whew, California...i'd probably shoot myself if I lived there for a week...

So you really do have to move to someplace like California or Newyork, right?

Alex, I thought the same about Southern California before I lived in L.A. for 4.5 years during college. Atmospheric pollution aside, California can be a breath of fresh air for someone who grew up in Midwest or on the East Coast. When hunting for colleges, I really recommend you visit as many of them as you can, spend some time on the campuses, hang out with the other students. You'll find some schools are in the middle of nowhere and offer nothing in the way of extracurricular fun; others seem to be in the middle of everything and offer a variety of options for entertainment and employ.

As for whether you need to reside in one of the traditional commercial centers of production to work in the industry: you don't need to, but it makes it easier, particularly when starting out.

Sought-after artists can live wherever they feel inspired and still be financially successful.

For your part, you might choose to combat Ohio brain drain and stick around in the location of your upbringing. Or, you could seek the path of easier advancement and higher pay. There are advantages and disadvantages to each.

When starting out, DO NOT COME TO HOUSTON! Not that you were anyway. I'm in hell. There's nothing here for a novice that pays.

<<<-- Originally posted by Robert Knecht Schmidt : For most filmed entertainment, this is still true, but not for anything with digital special effects. One need only watch the credits roll for The Matrix Reloaded--more than 60% of it is devoted to post production workers.

Furthermore, whereas nearly all on-set production crew get listed in the credits, many post artists with small contributions get left off, like so many extras. -->>>

These types of films are still the a small minority as compared to the productions that are mostly if not entirely live action.

just look at the credits for any feature film This is the point where the rest of us get up and walk out, right? :-)

Re: "just look at the credits for any feature film"

Yup. My buddy just collected another credit. This one's on X-Men 2. He's tickled silly. Mind you, it's under the wrong heading.

<<<-- Originally posted by Frank Granovski : Re: "just look at the credits for any feature film"

Yup. My buddy just collected another credit. This one's on X-Men 2. He's tickled silly. Mind you, it's under the wrong heading. -->>>


Hahaha, that would suck. What did he do and what credit did they give him?

I sit through the credits when I've enjoyed a movie. In respect to the people that made it happen.

Those that leave before the end of the credits of the new Matrix movie miss the surprise epilogue.

yeah, kinda wish i stayed now...lol...oh well...

The Matrix 3 teaser can be downloaded from plenty of places
now I think. Do some searching on the web.

I want to stay during the credits out of respect, but my buddies
usually don't want to.

Alex:


Oh yeah, I'm terrible dealing with people, since that makes a big difference


This is the first thing I would fix if I were you. There are people/
courses who can help you with this. As far as I always keep hearing
everything falls or stands with people you know etc. etc. If you
can't deal with people that will be a real problem. Also because
making movies in the "real world" is very much a colaboration
effort!

Alex, learning to deal with people is crucial, unnless you want to deliver newspapers. It is a skill that can and will be learned as soon as you hit the working world. Get a job in retail sales. You'll probably hate it, but its like a crash course in how to deal and interact with people of all types.

As for what job you should take in the film/video world, there's a whole lot to choose from. Keep making videos and decide what you aspect you like the most. You've got a loong time to go, don't worry about it.

Career advice for a real job: - remember to aim HIGH but TRED low. I.e if you want to be a steadicam operator or director start at the bottom, learn the 'ropes' and then progress on from there. I would advise for you to go to some College and/or Uni because there you will meet people in the same boat as you and people who are in the industry. This way you can build up your people skills and start to fill more confident.

I'm only 19 and just starting out with my career, I’m aiming for On-line editor and owning my own TV station (Hay I can dream!!!). I went to college for 3 years where I met the same people who were interested in the TV/ film industry this built my confidence up plus we met various people in the industry. I started work in a local Video store selling video equipment, then because of my contacts at college they put me in touch with a television/ Edit support company - where I am at the moment as support engineer. This now puts me in loads of contacts with TV station and production houses where in the possible future I could be working and to start living my career dream.

Hope this helps, May be you could be a tea boy!!! Only joking

Ed Smith

This is similar to my situation. I graduated from High School in 2001 with a keen interest in Technology, namely, Web development and graphic design. I managed to land the first job I applied for as the Website Coordinator for a Corporation. I was in the right place at the right time. The company paid me probably triple what my friends are making right now, and is even sending me through college. I continually meet very important people in the society and just recently wanted to get into videography. A co-worker of mines needed a Website, and it just so happens that her husband is a certified producer, and an avid videographer. A couple weeks later, I’m touring the local television stations and shooting with some industry professionals. Network yourself and meet new people. Go to functions and seminars and introduce yourself. Join groups dedicated to your interest, and become an active part of the industry. There are alot of people out there that are willing to take you under their wing and teach you the tricks of the trade.

People skills are definitely a must; just be patient and a good listener. You’re a smart guy, so you shouldn’t have any trouble. Go to school because that college diploma will help you in the long run. Take advantage of opportunities while you’re still young, you have nothing to lose, and of course, keep an open mind and an eye out for new things to learn. Because of course, learning is lifelong.

Good luck,

John

Alex...

Good that you're considering careers at such an early stage.

As everyone has mentioned, people skills are vital to finding a job. While it's not necessary to become a "yes man" it's much easier for someone who's a team player to find employment. I know a very successful cameraman here who's shot for local TV as well as National Geographic. It certainly helps that he's one of the top guys around, but he's also a great guy to work with.

And as John said, keep an open mind and don't stop the learning process. It certainly helped me when the newspaper I work at threatened to close a few years ago. When word came down of the possible closing, the expressions around the newsroom were reminiscent of the proverbial "deer in the headlights". Most here are good at what they do but their skill set is very narrow and there are very few newspapers here in Hawaii. I'm fortunate in that I can handle nearly anything media related -- from photography to video and audio, with writing thrown in. But that skill set was built up by constantly taking the time to learn things.

Depending on the work you're seeking, you might have to relocate. But as the film industry grows, the number of locations are growing, too. For example, there wasn't much of a high-tech film industry in New Zealand until "Lord of the Rings" was in production. Now their facilities are among the largest.

They're trying to do that here in Hawaii, but so far there hasn't been any blockbuster hits out of here, at least not big enough to sustain a massive workforce.

Good luck!
Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions

woah, another person from Hawaii on the boards. Cool... lol...hey Dean! I'm John, im from hawaii also! you work for the Advertiser or the Bulletin?

Hi John...

Nice to see another Hawaii person in the group. I'm the chief photographer at the Bulletin, the geek who got the newspaper's photo department converted to a 100 percent digital operation in 2001. Also got the first color management system in place -- at least as much as a limited budget would allow.

Doing more nowdays with video (as a freelancer) in what little free time I have. I edit a show called "The Little Grass Shack", a home-improvement show on OC-16. I also do some of the shooting. Right now it's all reruns of the first 26 shows, but the producer's about to hand me a bunch of EDL's for the next episodes. Should be airing in a few weeks.

Also developing a weekly feature program that we're hoping will air on one of the three main channels. It's a risky venture but the cost to develop is low as I have nearly all the equipment costs covered. And the crew (a really good crew at that) is working completely on spec. If it flies, we all get paid. If not, then we'll chalk it off to having spent a good time together. If it doesn't become a series, then at least we'll end up with a show we can be pleased with and proud of.

We're not quite finished with shooting and have a ton of editing to do! And we're all crossing our fingers!

Aloha,
Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions

hmm....the little grass shack eh? ive heard about that through a couple of people who are helping me along with my videography. Do you know who Lex Clark is? Tracy Arakaki? Lex is a producer/videographer and Tracy is a camera man/editor at channel 8, and also involved with happenings at Olelo. Im actually going with tracy tomorrow to help him grip for a shoot. Im so fortunate to have a couple good contacts that can help me along.

Do you know who Ikaika is? hes the guy who shoots local kine grinds and tiny tv and stuff. I was supposed to meet him through Lex...

hmm, what a small world. hehe...

It's strange, but all the OC-16 producers work independently of one another and don't get to mingle much.

I was at the OC-16 luncheon yesterday, the first one they've ever held as far as I know, and most of the producers were gathered in a single room. I didn't get to meet Ikaika who was there but I did chat with Sam and Lena who sat next to me. Also got to meet the producer for Tasty and Meatless -- I had a few phone conversations with her and swapped e-mails regarding technical specs for broadcast. Never met in person until yesterday.

There's a lot going on with OC-16 and some plans for expansion. While they're not a wellspring for funding they're the only place to go for most local programming. There's a lot that needs to be done to build up the channel's public image. There's the mistaken notion that OC-16 is just glorified public access. But as the quality level is gradually notched up that opinion should change for the better along with revenues from ad sales. Getting real viewer demographics would help, and that's an issue that might be resolved in the near future. Or so we hope.

Regarding Olelo, I saw their facilities late last year and was impressed by the kind of equipment they're using. All high-end stuff. Yet the material that gets broadcast always looks like third generation VHS. We're convinced that it goes through a special "Olelo" filter that simulates lousy equipment!

Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions

Alex, you are an intelligent and gifted young man. Stay out of trouble and continue with your little projects. After high school, think about broadcast school or film school. Like I said, you have a gift. One more thing, brush up on your English. Perhaps take creative writing and Lit. at college/university. Writing and "film making" go hand in hand.

Thanks Frank. When I have the right thing to write about, and I know what i'm talking about, I am a great writer -- or atleast all my English teachers so far have said so, but when it comes to making up a story or something, there's no way, I never get anywhere, UNLESS it's something that I have a clear idea of, and something thats pretty stupid. For example, I have 2 ideas "on hold" right now for videos. One is a "story" about a kid who has to take a crap really bad, and it will be packed with action shots of a car going extra fast, and some poopin action...probably will be around like 2 minutes, or something really short. The other one, I've had for longer, it's REALLY stupid. It's a idea for a video, that would probably end up about 5-7 minutes long, and it's about a ghost who eats humans (cannibal)...maybe when your sleeping, maybe when your walking down the street, maybe when your on the john.

Now when it comes to "directing" people, it's pretty much the same deal. I stutter, unless I know clearly what I have to say. I think it's usually because the only people I have "directed", or better yet, told what to do in a few stupid videos, are my friends, and I try too hard not to sound like I'm being too pushy on what they should do. If I was paying actors, and they were people that I didn't know, as a friend, and they were people that wanted to get it done, and do it good, more then I do, then I would be more demanding (I guess you could say) on what they need to do in the video.

<<<-- Originally posted by Dean Sensui : It's strange, but all the OC-16 producers work independently of one another and don't get to mingle much.

I was at the OC-16 luncheon yesterday, the first one they've ever held as far as I know, and most of the producers were gathered in a single room. I didn't get to meet Ikaika who was there but I did chat with Sam and Lena who sat next to me. Also got to meet the producer for Tasty and Meatless -- I had a few phone conversations with her and swapped e-mails regarding technical specs for broadcast. Never met in person until yesterday.

There's a lot going on with OC-16 and some plans for expansion. While they're not a wellspring for funding they're the only place to go for most local programming. There's a lot that needs to be done to build up the channel's public image. There's the mistaken notion that OC-16 is just glorified public access. But as the quality level is gradually notched up that opinion should change for the better along with revenues from ad sales. Getting real viewer demographics would help, and that's an issue that might be resolved in the near future. Or so we hope.

Regarding Olelo, I saw their facilities late last year and was impressed by the kind of equipment they're using. All high-end stuff. Yet the material that gets broadcast always looks like third generation VHS. We're convinced that it goes through a special "Olelo" filter that simulates lousy equipment!

Dean Sensui
Base Two Productions -->>>


Hmm, interesting. yeah, the quality of OC 16 is slowly raising. Thats nice to see. and yeah, olelo's equipment is quite nice. Ive seen some work done before its been broadcasted, and its really really nice. It would be a shame if it came out crappy looking like the rest :(

I've been pondering film school for quite some time. I know that it isn't absolutley critical, and it doesn't guarantee jack squat as far as job placement, but it's something I want to do because I feel I can learn so much with some hands on training and I think I would enjoy the experience. (yes, I read Robert Rodriquez's book and I agree it might not be necessary, but it's something I've always wanted to do anyways).

I can only learn so much from reading books without actually using the equipment I need to learn. I enjoy cinematography and my goal is to become a DP and I feel the only way for me to get my hands on some of this equipment to learn it is by going to a film school with those facilities.

Problem is I don't want to go to some crappy school with crappy equipment, or one of those bait and switch programs like the NY Film Academy or Full Sail. (heard many bad things about them but I could be wrong.) The main benefits of the good schools is that you make a ton of films and they are criticized heavily so you can learn more, unlike some of these other programs where they tell you everything you did was great so you are happy and recommend the program to other people.


I've learned that to go to film school at the most respected places such as USC and UCLA or NYU you need to be loaded. I'm not going to be getting in with a scholorship, so I'll need to pay the full price.

Upon further research, let's say I wanted to go to UCLA or USC.
It's a three FULL YEAR program for a Masters. Tuition would cost $90,000 for three years. Then they estimate you need between 15,000 and $50,000 for a thesis project. Since it is a three year intense program, I probably won't be able to work unless I want to kill myself. So, living in California I'd have to probably budget at least $30,000 a year in living expenses in order to live in a respectable cardboard box.

So, the final cost of getting a Master's in Film could be over $200,000! Wow, that's an insane amount of money. And I don't even know if I have a great enough portfolio to get in. Am I kidding myself thinking I should follow my dream and take out a loan for this? Has anyone here been to film school? I just need some advice because I'm at a turning point in my life where I need to think about if going to film school and being in major debt is worth the knowledge I could get at a film school like USC or UCLA (if I even get in).

I don't want to direct. I want to learn how to use 16mm and 35mm cameras and edit on Avid. All the programs to learn this in my area are so sketchy looking, cheap and fast 1 year programs where I'm not sure I will learn anythingfrom the questionable faculty.

Brad,
" I don't want to direct. I want to learn how to use 16mm and 35mm cameras and edit on Avid."

Are those your primary goals? $200,000 seems like a pretty high price if you just want to learn to be a technician. I'm not a film school graduate but I'm not even sure how much emphasis a degreed university program even places on operating a camera or clicking an Avid -- those are more vocational training subjects. If I was sending my son to such a program I would expect him to become well-versed in the history of film, the aesthetic use of the medium for conveying a story, etc. But I could certainly be wrong.

How old are you and what are you doing now?

Take a part-time course first, especially at the school you are looking at, and see if it is to your taste. That way you can gauge your interest, the type of education you are sampling without the commitment. I went through the same decision last year and decided taking even a year off couldn't be justified at this point in my life. Rent, debt load, and immediate future post graduation are considerations. That said, if you are young and just starting out, I can think of worse ways of spending the first few years of your twenties.

Hi guys, thanks for the advice. Ken, I certainly wouldn't mind learning more about film history and all other aspects of film. I've looked at the curriculum and all those classes are a requirement to getting a degree at places like USC and UCLA. If I only wanted to direct, I would probably try to make it on my own, but since what I want to learn is technical, they offer great training there as well. They have critical studies degrees which are basically geared towards those wanting to learn film theory and history, and then they have a production/directing or production/cinematography degrees where you learn both theory and technical. To answer your question, I'm 25 years old. I graduated from Syracuse University with a bachelor's in International Relations, so it's a completley different topic. They say they look for people with different backgrounds, but I'm sure I'll have to spend more time creating a better portfolio. Right now I'm a graphic designer/webmaster for a governmnet agency here in D.C. I'm not sure I could even get in to one of these schools. I've done a few short films but that's about it.

Another reason I want to go is to make some contacts and network with people in LA where everyone breathes movies. I think I'll be hard pressed to meet as many contacts here in DC where the environment is so political.

Keith, good idea, I think I may take a trip out there and check out the facilities, perhaps take a tour and talk to some students. Thanks guys.

Heh. I graduated from university with Political Science. What did I do with that? I went right back into school.

If you want to be a cinematographer, there are schools that teach equipment usage, including Arriflex and Avid. You can save a lot of money and take a good photography course and just shoot stills like crazy. I highly recommend slides. If you want to learn film theory you can still take individual classes at the school rather than a whole curriculuum.

Stanley Kubrick said, "If you want to learn how to make a movie, make movies". What could you make with $200,000? You'll learn much more just working for free at any shoots going on in your area. I know a lot but there are some things I got "confirmed" just by being an extra on a recent local Hollywood production.

I'm not knocking film school. I've heard USC has fallen out of favor in lala land just because everyone goes there. But it's not what school you went to, it's what you've done and sometimes who you know.

A USC MFA won't teach you craft--it's assumed you already have that, and that your portfolio will show it. The purpose of a big film school master's program is really to give proven filmmakers the opportunity to do a project that will see national or international recognition (via winning festival prizes to qualify for a Student Oscar or Student Emmy)--and thus catapult the filmmakers into careers.

Not every film grad school student's thesis pitch is approved for production. So even once you're in, it's a crapshoot.

"I've heard USC has fallen out of favor in lala land just because everyone goes there."

I've never heard this, but I have heard of the "USC Mafia." Put USC on your resumé and you'll get calls for having that alone.

Speaking as someone who started in Radio/Television while simultaneously pursuing a Communications degree... What you learn in school is usually behind the curve of what is practiced in "real life" business situations.

There are many good aspects to film school however, one of the best being "networking". Being introduced into a closed community, and creating a network of your own are probably the biggest reasons for going to "top" schools.

Otherwise, take the same money, study film history and aesthetics, BUY an AvidXpressDVPro system (The interface is almost the same on the higher end systems). BUY a nice 16mm camera and start shooting films. (Hey, you can buy a refurbished Mitchell BNCR 35mm camera and head, ready to start shooting your feature film for 10 grand.)

The most important thing you can come out of film school with is a GREAT short film and a GREAT script ready to shoot. If you are seriously inclined to being a DP, then take the best Craft courses you can (Lighting, Camera, Production) whever you can afford it, and SHOOT SHOOT SHOOT.

This is all great advice guys, I really appreciate it. You all make good points for both sides. Tough decision, but no matter what, I agree that I need to practice practice practice.

I've had the same dilema for years now.... I think making my owns mistakes and learning from them, and also developing my own style is the best route. I have another source of income to keep myself afloat, so I have it pretty good right now.

I will fully admit to being biased about film schools, having dropped out of NYU after my freshman year and remaining convinced that it absolutely did not hinder my career ascension. However, I have come across some programs in the intervening years that seemed to avoid many of the things that turned me off back in the day--AFI has a solid program, for instance, and many successful cinematographers have emerged from it.

Another route to consider is the Maine Photographic Workshops, which are craft-related and well-regarded.

The traditional way to start learning about film cameras is to intern at a camera rental house. Hardly glamorous (you'll do your share of scrubbing labels off cases in the back room) but by helping assist in checkouts you can network and start to meet folks who are working camera assistants and DP's, as well as get hands-on time with the gear.

There's also sometimes intern positions available on features and other productions. You may not get paid, but you are getting to learn for free, which is incredibly valuable. The best part is that you can start learning how things are done for real in the industry, as opposed to how some film school professor thinks it works which may or may not be accurate.

I'm not sure if this belongs in this particular corner of the DV I community, but here it goes.

Beginning January I will be an Adjunct Professor at New York University. My course is titled "Fundamentals of Sight and Sound Video." This is a core course in the NYU Film School. The students that have to take this course have their sights set on cinema, so a course on video - 3 camera live in studio, switching, boom mikes, vectorscopes, single camera doc on location, and dramatic with "real" actors is not exactly what they think they are here for.

My approach is that this is the foundation for anything they plan to do after they are done with the course. If you can't visualize a scene live with three cameras, you're in for a hard time visualizing it with one camera.

Anyway, the reason for this post is because I just went through some of the suggested texts. My lower jaw is still hanging after seeing the prices. The same text I had in graduate school in 1969 - Herbert Zettl's "Television Production Handbook" is nearly $100!!! These students are already paying $40k per year. I'm not about to require them (or their parents) to dish out $100 for ONE textbook. Instead, I've decided to give them the option to go with handouts that are cheap and more to the point. This is where you come in - I am looking for suggestions on good informational materials.

This class spans a very wide range - from color temperature, through directing, to editing with Avid. I already have a long list of suggested supplementary materials, but I can always use more. So if you have a favorite book, magazine article, website, video, DVD - ANYTHING that will help a novice class, just let me know. I'll probably end up writing my own text, but that's a few years down the line.

Thank you in advance.

Photocopy appropriate parts of that $100 text and hand those out.

Ozzie

From my bookshelf I've pulled my old supplemental text for RTF 681Ka, Principles of Television & Film Production by Louis Leung, Fall 1990 at UT-Austin. Granted this is thirteen years old now but perhaps it might be of some use as a rough and outdated guideline. It's a bound collection of photocopies Prof. Leung put together and made available to students for a grand total of $15.34 at a nearby photocopy shop. It's an assemblage of material from a variety of sources including some fairly notable books. Here's the TOC:

The Production Book
Television Terminology
The Ten Commandments of TV
Staff and Crew
Flowchart: Pre-production
Flowchart: Studio Day
The TV Producer's Responsibilities
Television Directing
The Director and the Floor Manager
Some thoughts on using the Asst. Director
Composing the Picture
The Five C's of Cinematography
Scripts and Storyboards
Bretz-Plotter - the TV Director's Slide Rule
Marking the Video Scripts
Pre-Production: Script Marking and General Info
Marked Sample Script for Director, AD and TD
Marked Sample Script for Audio
Marked Sample Script for Floor Manager
Camera Concepts: Shots and Lenses
Lighting: Additive vs. Subtractive Color
Glossary of Lighting Terms
Visuals for TV
Framing Titles
Television Handsignals
Audio Cues
Shot Numbers and Camera Cue Sheets
Film Cues
Cues Given at the Opening of a Show
Editing
Time Base Correctors
The Video Signal
Component Video
Tape or Film
Get ready, Get set, Go Remote
Five Characteristics of Documentaries
Settling on a Concept
The Instructional Development Process
Corporate Video Applications
Video Post-Production
Sweetening Audio for Video
Introduction to Digital Video
Appendix of various technical manuals for studio equipment

Total is 186 pages. If you think this dinosaur might be of some use to you as an example of the "bound photocopy" concept in planning your own texts, let me know and I'll drop it in the mail for you right away. Hope this helps,

Chris,

The TOC just about covers it all. Mr. Leung seems to have covered the field very well. Yeah, that bound text would be very helpful but I don't want you to part with a book that I'm sure means a lot to you. I'll make a copy of it and send it back. Is that possible? I can tun it into a PDF for posterity.

It seemed so ironic to be shown around the facilities at NYU - here are the cameras, here is the vectorscope, here is the audio mixing room, here is our Avid. And all the time I had my VAIO laptop in my shoulderbag. The VAIO with AVID for editing, Audition for sound editing and mixing, Encore for DVD authoring. Add a small DV camera and I would have had the entire floor in by bag.

The challenge is to not let them get "here" from where they are. It's too easy and not the best route. They really have to learn the nuts and bolts and it's my job to let them know why that is necessary.

My 15 year old son made a "movie" with his friends over the summer. I lent him my XL-1s (he's a resposible kid) and I taught him and a friend how the Avid works. Just the basic stuff. Within a few days these kids had mastered the camera AND the Avid! They were doing picture in picture, trimming, keys, sound mixing - stuff I had not shown them. Then, one night, I was talking with my son about some of his shots. I commented that he should learn to shoot in manual mode (he had complained about the picture getting darker when he included the sky) - I began to teach him about f stops and focal lenghts. In the middle of my "lecture" he stopped me with - "dad I don't have to know that..." Needless to add, I went through the roof. I won't go into my rant here but I saw his reaction as typical of so many students - they just want to get "there" NOW - all the stuff in between is boring or of no value. Where is this attitude coming from? We didn't teach hm this. It's an epidemic of "life is so easy why should I care" itis.

Anyway, it is going to be a challenge. I started teaching and it seems like the right thing to get back to, for a while.

End of rant.

Ozzie,

Since we have met before and know each other personally, of course I'd have no problem sending this up to you. Please shoot me your mailing address by email and I'll get it on the way to you a.s.a.p.

I would imagine that the 15-year-old son of a CTW producer would be most responsible with his dad's gear! By the way, I couldn't resist a Sesame Street reference when titling our meet-and-greet forum "These Are The People in Your Neighborhood." I grew up watching that show.

Give 'em the nuts, the bolts, the cotter pins, the steering wheel, the whole works! Then watch 'em put it all together.

Well the obvious website would be this one <g>. Seriously,
the single best thing that helped me (and I'm still at the beginning
of the learning curve, mind you) visualize things is editing.
Ofcourse this was with footage that I've shot myself.

The "I don't know to know this" or the "why do I need to know
this" is very familiair. A lot of people have this to in the computer
industry (working people mind you!). Basically I just think it boils
down to people not that interested in it and who are just in it
for things like a job or the money.

Now ofcourse your 15 year old is another thing. He probably
just wants to shoot (ie, not have it complicated). We know a lot
of people want to get into movie making but few do (succeed).

I still believe the best things are: seeing = believing and working
with it yourself. If you point your camera to rain or moving cars
and change the shutter speed you will see what this does to the
levels of the image and the amount of blurring. F-stop might be
a bit more difficult although together with zooming some DOF
might show this.

Personally I've always learned better and faster this way then
from any book, although they are very valuable for referencing.
Then again, this is different per person, ofcourse.

In the grand scheme of things, Zettl isn't too expensive when one considers it will form the foundation of a professional television reference library. Certainly cheaper than the Art books!

We do require it at the Community College Level for the Television Production classes. By the time they reach those classes, they've been through the basic Cinema classes and, if they are smart, the Acting for Television and the Speech classes. That way they know both sides of the camera.

The basic Cinema text we use, along with watching a lot of movies is: "Understanding Movies" by Louis Giannetti out of Prentice Hall. Louis is concerned with, as he puts it, 'Cineliteracy,' and this book is really to the point.

With only two years to work over the students, we cannot hope to get as in-depth as NYU. In fact, we are really a feeder school for SF State, USC, and even NYU.

The Leung book sound interesting too.

BTW, I just replaced most of the VHS and 16mm footage with DVD's as the old library was a bit shabby. Spent about $2500 and was able to buy most of the titles. Some wonderfully restored.

Found this interesting link on film/movie schools - MovieMaker Guide to Film Education (http://www.moviemaker.com/hop/vol4/01/education.html)

Charles, did you attend the undegraduate or graduate film program at NYU?

Brad, don't forget that for any graduate program, regardless of subject, that one of the important aspects of applying is knowing that you should also look into a variety of grants and scholarships. Also look into seeing if you can somehow gain residency and see if that doesn't cut costs down as well.

you might consider a smaller college for the 1st year.
perhaps one that has X number of students that is close to the number of camera's they have for use. it's no fun going to a school that has 4 camera's and 200 students as you can't ever get your hands on the equipment. the 1st year will give you a taste and either you want to BITE and spend the 100-200k or you might find/see a different path.

take a look at the american film institute in LA (AFI) .. they have a program for directors, producers, cinematograhers, editors , writers.. i think they accept 20 persons in each area for the 1st year .. then maybe 5 in each area for 2nd year ? classes taught by persons in the industry. may guest speakers from leading film business persons...

i went to college outside of LA . degree in film. when i went to LA i started out as PA same as most persons that have the 200K degree from USC/UCLA .. after one week in LA i took film school off my resume. i didn't find the degree help in fact i found it to be a negative back in 1982 as too many film graduates thought they knew everything and would try to tell a experienced (10-20year) film persons they weren't doing it right !!! In the end just about every job i got was because of a referral not because of sending a resume. hollywood is a very who you know kind of town.