Lighting Commercial

[Rich Rosen]

One more thing I must say re: DIY. In the past shooters were very rarely editors. Now that’s all changed with “home” editing software. I implore anyone gettting into this business to edit what they shoot. I now shoot to edit and it’s made a world of difference. Any of the programs work. I like Premiere much better than Avid, but Avid is still what the people think makes you a pro so if you’re starting out get Avid Xpress. Final Cut is also accepted for the Mac. Adobe needs to do a much better job of marketing for perception.

I am now going through 90 hours of tape I’ve shot so far for a show I’ll be pitching. What an education watching that much of my own stuff. Besides all the camera techniques in harsh settings I’m learning I’m also learning to shut up and let my subjects speak. I guess I fear that if I don’t keep the conversation going they will say nothing. WRONG. People tend to be uncomfortable with long silences so they’ll keep digging deeper just to break the silence. I’m becoming a much better filmmaker by editing everything myself.

Can I light a big feature….no. For that you need to spend a few years or more working for the people who do it, but for docs/reality, corporates, commercials up to a certain size no problem. You can learn it all yourself for about $20,000 in gear. That’s camera, lighting, sound, post. Go for it. You’ll end up a much more valuable commodity. Of course I’m talking technically. It ain’t gonna lead to Citizen Kane. For that all you need is a pad and pencil.

[Frank Otto]

[rich rosen] “What an education watching that much of my own stuff.”

Brother, you ain’t kidding.

I spent ten years as a “union” shooter in the days when one man = one job. It wasn’t until I started working freelance and for non-union shops that I finally had to confront the issue of making 3:30 out of 1:05 worth of shots.

And all you can do is curse yourself…

Cheers,

Frank Otto

[Rich Rosen]

“And all you can do is curse yourself…”

Don’t want to admidt how many I’ve said “DAMN IT.”