I have left the Apple professional editing software ranks. To be honest, I left over a year ago. I had already been dabbling in the Adobe CC ecosystem. So when I joined the team at my church, it was an easy transition to Premiere.
I realized that I had this copy of Final Cut Studio sitting in my garage. I know many people still like to edit in FCP 7, so I am making it available:
If you or someone you know needs a copy… Free shipping. Make me an offer.
Many weekends I am I the director chair, calling cameras during the weekend services at my church. Other times I’m in the TD spot, punching buttons as another director calls the shots.
I have to confess, I’m not sure what my direction always looks like. I know what I see in my mind. And I know if the members of the team executed the calls correctly. But I don’t always know what it looks like as it goes down. I hope it looks like what I imagined.
As you call cameras, you have 3 things in mind all the time: the shot you were just on, the shot you’re on now, and the shot you’re going to next. And sometimes you even have a fallback shot in mind. As soon as a camera comes free, you are calling the next direction to that operator, while you are waiting for the timing to go to the next shot after the camera you are currently on. It’s a continuous flow of past, present, and future imagery. If you have a good crew, they can help you out by getting shots you like without much direction. But even the best operators can’t read your mind. Much of directing is communicating complex instructions quickly, clearly, and succinctly.
Then there are the times that you get into the zone, and you know the song, and what your camera folks can do. And you can truly be immersed in the worship moment, as you are calling cameras. That’s when it’s fun! You have to find this place where you’re focused on executing the technical and artistic parts of the service and able to worship. That’s only possible if we are all doing our part.
So, there’s about a million things going on. I’m not always conscious of what the shots actually look like, I’m always conscious of what I want them to look like. You cannot direct and micromanage at the same time. You have to turn loose and trust that the team will execute the orders you give. Sometimes you might see a camera op get into focus trouble, or go shaky, and you have to clear off that shot faster than you plan. So you know when things don’t go as planned. But it’s not until I watch the program back that I know exactly what it looks like.
You must trust the team. It’s a creative process, and everyone involved has a part. if it looks good, it’s just as much the result of talented team members as it is competent direction.
Logline: A young man discovers how just how much social media alerts can change his life.
Cast:
This is a 3-minute short film. The goal is to enter it into the Rode Reel 2016 short film competition.
Should be fun to shoot. I can’t wait to work on it in a couple of months.
It’s so hard to resist.
Just when you get to know this great piece of equipment, and you are really utilizing the features, turning out some great work… They announce a new, better version. Suddenly the camera in your hand is just junk, and you must have the new item.
That phone, that camera, that microphone that was perfectly fine before suddenly loses it’s shine.
Today Sony finally announced the update to the Sony a6000. I just got my a6000 last year. It’s an awesome camera. Mirrorless so I can adapt almost any lens to it. Full on usable unto focus in video with E Mount lenses. I loved it, right up until I read about the new Sony a6300.
Oh man, I want one. Full 4k, s log 3, 120 fps at 1080p. I didn’t even know what I was missing until this new one was announced! Still no external audio input short of an expensive Sony add on (seriously?) but a nice step up. Unfortunately, I’m not dropping $1000 on a new body just yet. I would love to make the upgrade, and I’m sure I will some time in the future, it just won’t be right now.
But so you can join me in the new desire for this new mirrorless body from Sony, here are some videos:
Scott Link Media 