by Steven Digges: The Evolution Of My Industry

[Don Bloom]

I'm promoting this not because I'm mentioned (which I am and thanks to Steven) but because IMO it hit's the nail right smack on the head. Those of us who have been around a while STILL have a lot to offer and a lot of experiences that maybe some of the folks who haven't been around quite as long might benefit by. Or not, it's up to you.
Regardless, it's a well written piece and I think should be read by all!

The Evolution of My Industry at DV Info Net

[Steven Digges]

Gentlemen,

Please keep in mind that much of this article is satirical humor. I am not making a statement, I attacked everyone from the manufacturers to us end users. The only problem with it is I am not as funny as Don Bloom! Thanks for the prop Don. I knew you would get it.

Steve

[Don Bloom]

Yeah I forgot to mention the humor. Satirical humor. Maybe some won't get it but I think most will.
Enjoy!

[Art Varga]

Great insight Steve - thanks for sharing!

[Chris Hurd]

Trust me, I had to grit my teeth through a couple specific paragraphs, but in the long run, I did next to no copyediting on this piece. So yes, I took my lumps along with everybody else... heh.

[Steven Digges]

OK, shields are up, standing ground. No one has ever accused me of not liking a good debate. But I have never started one. Oops, bold face lie. Won't do that again. I just noticed something.....I did not attack myself. Oh well, shields up. Don, you still going to have my back?

Chris H: Thank you for having the guts to publish this seven headed monster. Just keep reminding yourself.... I have been here since the site was called the Canon XL1 Watchdog. Never mind, so I don't really have skin in this game....You do...Brave man...Thank You!

Steven

[Shaun Roemich]

You forgot the D at the beginning of DEVOLUTION...

;)

Well written, Steven. I'll read it again with fresh eyes tomorrow as I'm tired from the awesome 2 hour discussion I just had over supper with a guy a couple of years (okay... TEN) my senior who is also a news shooter from my home town. We compared notes and laughed and cried... okay, actually just laughed.

I'm an Old Guy in a slightly less old body at 42 with 15 years in as a pro and 32 years in as an enthusiast.

In solidarity, although I've never shot from the end of a rope...

S.

[Steven Digges]

Shaun & Art,

Thank you for the positive comments.

Shaun, I checked out your web page and blog a couple of weeks ago. If I had done that before I wrote the article there is a line on your blog I would have stolen for sure. "There is more to video than a shallow DOF". You said it, we both live it. I have read enough of your page (all of it, because you made it clear and easy) to know I can say we operate in the same world. I am not a film maker either, you make it clear you're not. Like you, I am a working videographer, with a background in sports. Then I transitioned into the corporate production world. If I had not read your entire web site I would never be presumptuous enough to compare myself to someone I have never met. Your site is something I am keeping in mind as I rebuild my own right now.

Steve

[John Nantz]

Steven - that was a fun read! If you ever need a second career perhaps writing would be a good choice.

There were a number of things I would have liked to comment on but now I've forgotten them. One thing I would say, is shortly after joining DVinfo I was doing some Internet searching about my new-to-me 4-year old prosumer camera and came across some really neat videos taken by a guy using the same camera I had. He was in Texas and liked cars. You know, the soup-ed up ones, chrome, fancy paint jobs, tough sounding engines, etc.

He was a hobbyist like myself, just shooting with neat shots, wide to close up, low and high angles, using reflections, really just a lot of very imaginative shots. Even the edits were good with short cuts to a long but only when it added, and then just enough. The cars were glitzy teen-age or young dude types.

I tried to get him to join the forum but being a real-name board I think is what caused him not to. The other thing was, he and his brother were from Jamaica so that may have been a problem. Anyway, like you said, it is the talent that is important.

Video cameras and radioactive materials have one thing in common: they both have a half-life. The $1,500 pro-sumer camera that I got came out in 2006 but today it would have a street value of, maybe, on a good day, around $300. Fortunately, I got it used in 2011 so not that much loss. My other kit gear, though, will hold the value much better. I am looking out for another camera that will have better image quality and be a little bit better in low light.

In the meantime, what I'm working on is the story line, doing better edits, and improving audio. Just watched a good library video "Tales From The Script" and I'm in the middle of "How to Shoot Video that Doesn’t Suck," by Steve Stockman, a fun read by the way. All this while concurrently learning the FCPX 10.1 update. For the record, while I have a Mac I won't knock PC users. I still have my old HP Pentium Pro running Windows XP (Preliminary) for some legacy stuff. While I won't knock 'em, I will feel sorry for 'em.

Did my first video with a Bell & Howell standard 8 then upgraded to a Sekonic standard 8 but with a built-in light meter and a 3-lens turret. Both cameras were wind-up (no batteries).

[Shaun Roemich]

Steven, you are seriously too kind.

Are you heading to NAB this year? I should be there Monday to Wednesday again this year...

[Steven Digges]

I'm probably going to skip NAB. I am not in an acquisition phase right now and I find window shopping painful. But.....after what I have learned about you and Dylan in the DV Challenge forum I am tempted to go just to tip one back with you guys. On second thought, no, that could be painful too. I don't recover from nights like that as fast as I used to!

Steve

[Shaun Roemich]

Actually, I quit drinking. NOW the question will be whether NAB is REALLY as fun as I remember it being, running through the streets, getting into fist fights in front of Caesar's Palace...

I'm sure D will still bring his "A-Game" though...

[Shaun Roemich]

I'm looking at 4k this year. 4k and post.

[Chris Hurd]

Steve: we have an entire evening at NAB devoted to a friendly DVi get-together... it's on Monday night at our secret headquarters (think ultra-retro cozy lounge and cocktail waitresses)... it would be well worth the trip up from PHX!

[Steven Digges]

You guys are killing me. Come to think of it, there are some new webcasting solutions I need to research...

Steve