A Swiss guy in Maryland
 

Hello everyone,
my name is Vasco, have been lurking around here for quite a while & just started
giving back my two cents to the forum.
Worked 20+ years for Swiss Public TV (as a producer, reporter & director), moved to the US four years ago, now free-lancing in the one-man-band mode
(and usually end up working for the same guys at Swiss TV...)
Equipment:
Canon XH-A1 (dual standard: PAL & NTSC), a bunch of shotguns & lavs (wired & wireless), an ENG-44 mixer, two sets of lights, etc.
I still edit with Premiere 6.5 & Canopus RaptorRT on a fairly old no-name Pentium 2.4GHz (affectionally called Jimmy)- but as they say: "never change a winning team" (Jimmy works wonders: why dump it?)
BTW: Italian is my mother tongue; I also speak English, French, German and Swiss-German
That's all, folks.
Greetings from wonderful Rockville (despite all the jokes they make about us in downtown DC)

Vasco

Hey Vasco! Welcome to DVinfo. I'm up in Baltimore not to far from you. I've been at it for 6 years now myself and what a fun ride it is.

Monday

Thank you, Monday!

Vasco

Hey hey and welcome from Baltimore.

Wow, a lot of languages. Do you do translations and voice overs?

Thank you, Sean!

Re: languages
Actually yes, I do translate documentaries and reports
for the Italian-speaking branch of Swiss Public TV
(from English, French, German and Swiss-German into Italian).
But don't ask me to translate from one of these languages into English:
my command of English is still too weak and shaky.
Voice-overs? I've done a few minor things back then.
I guess I could do Italian voice-overs, if needed...
(in a pinch, I could do some French and German stuff as well,
but the accent wouldn't be quite right, of course: close, but not the "real thing".
And I could do Swiss-German pretty well: but who on earth needs Swiss-German???)

BTW, and since you are both from Baltimore:
after devouring seasons 1 to 3,
my wife and I are currently rushing through season 4 of "The Wire"
(can't wait to get the next DVD from Blockbuster!);
we literally got addicted to it: it's stunning, beautifully written, acted and shot. A real masterpiece!

Well, ya'll have fun, guys!

Just a suggestion, you may want to work on your English skills as you say they need improvement. Being so close to DC you may be able to expand your services with offering multi-language solutions to a diverse client based.

Good luck

Thanks, Sean.
Yep, working on my English every day, but... you know how it is with foreign languages, don't you? You never get to really master them. Damn...

Gotta say I think your english is outstanding!

I'm coming over from the UK to Rockville in a couple of weeks to shoot a segment for a corporate video.

Do you have any contacts in the lighting/camera support hire business? I've spoken to a couple (outside of Rockville) but they won't touch me because of my UK insurance (it won't cover me to hire hear in the States). I only need a simple lighting kit and a modest tripod (525 legs with 503 or even 501 head would work). A few people at the Baltimore Videographers Association have offered to help but they are all like 50 miles away! At a push I'll have to make the trip but if there's anyone closer . . .

Any ideas?

Also looking for a decent place to hang out in the evenings!

Thanks,

Ian . . .

"BTW: Italian is my mother tongue"
Bravo. Anche io parlo il Italiano e son nato a Zuriggo. Abito in Gaithersburg e parlo Inglese perfettamente!
Contact me and lets share a bira ;)

Welcome. I am not to far from you in Silver Spring.
Retired last year after 25 years at NBC4 in Washington DC as a shooter/editor.
Right now have my own gear and looking for some freelance work.
You will like the area....much to do and see.
Best
Jim

Thanks, Jim.
I DO like the area! (actually, I love it)
Take care

Vasco

Welcome to DV Info
 

I moved to the DC area in 2002 from California. I work in Silver Spring, though most of my work takes me out of the country. There are a bunch of DC people here on DV Info. Gary Krimstein lives up in Gaithersburg and is a freelance producer like you.

It would be nice at some point in time to set up a meeting for all the DC based DV Info people. Good to have the chance to network.

Dan Weber

Dan,
sounds like an excellent idea to me!
Best

Vasco

Vasco, welcome to my part of the world.
Cold enough for you yet. Sorry that we don't get much snow here, just freezing rain and cold during the winter months.

Sounds good to me.

Jim

Thanks, Michael.
Actually, I've found out that I can live pretty well without mountains
(I mean, REAL mountains, not the little bumps around here).
As far as snow is concerned, I gave up skiing
a few years ago, after my third major accident.
And a walk in Georgetown is worth a vacation in the Alps...
(I do mind the freezing rain, though)

Best

Vasco

To Dan & Jim (& others willing to join):
since Americans are known to be masters in networking,
I'll let you set up a first meeting - is that OK?
Who knows: we might find ways & ideas
to do some work together...
Here's my email address:
vasco [at] donesmedia.net

See ya

Vasco

Ok that sound fine to me.
My email is dreaux88 (at) gmail.com

There is a Final Cut User group the evening of the 17th of February at the Navy Memorial in DC. It runs from 6:30 until 9:00. I am planning on being there. That would be a good place to meet. You can register at Apple Macintosh Service, Training, Sales and Support in Washington, Virginia, Maryland - Large Format Printing - Epson 7900 & 9900 - HP Designjet Z3200 , under the events tab.

Daniel

I am not able to meet on evening of the 17th. Any chance of getting together at some restaurant or Denny's etc some evening (or daytime). Somewhere that is convenient for all?

Final Cut? What's that?
(I'm still trying to get over the fact that my daughter
just FORCED me to buy her a Mac: I won't even touch that
slimy thing...) :-)
Anyhow, I second Jim's proposal:
let's forget FCP and meet somewhere else...

Best

Vasco

How does thursday the 12th around 7pm sound. Some resturant in Wheaton....that apprears to be in the middle between Rockville and us in Silver Spring?

Sounds good to me, Jim.
Dan? Anyone?

I'm down. Been following the thread but haven't posted.

Great. The only restaurant I can think of is IHOP on University Blvd in Wheaton. If anyone can recommend a better place (restaurant) to meet, let us know.

Best
Jim

Jim (Isa?, Dan?, others?),
IHOP, 2526 University Blvd, Wheaton
sounds good to me.
7PM?

Best

Vasco

Sounds good to me. I will put in the calendar.

See you there

Jim

Room for one more?
 

I was briefly talking with Vasco by email a while back and let it drop because I got busy.

But I'd like to join this dinner too if that's okay with everyone.

--Shayne Weyker

Welcome aboard, Shayne.
See you on Thursday.

Best

Vasco

I will try to make it. I have a couple of things to re-arrange first.

Dan Weber

Dan, we'll be waiting for you...
See ya

Best

Vasco

Vasco,

How will we know what each other looks like? How will we meet up? I am 6' 5", about 260 lbs. I will be wearing a blue blazer with a blue and white striped shirt.

Any ideas on how to actually figure out who each other is?

See you tonight.

Dan

I was wondering the same thing Daniel. I'll have on a black hoody :/ I'm 5'8" and will be looking like I'm lost ^_^

And here's your truly:
Dones Media LLC - About Us

(noooo, not the first picture, sorry: that's my beautiful wife;
scroll down... yep, that's me, unfortunately:
beard, moustache, hair gone with the wind...)

See ya

Vasco

double posting

triple posting (sorry)

It was great meeting up with you guys last night. I enjoyed being able to put faces with the names on these boards. Take Care

Monday

Monday,

It was nice to meet up with you as well as everyone else who showed up.

We should do it again sometime.

Daniel Weber

Yep, of course!
Thank you all for coming: it was fun, guys.

See ya all next time

Vasco