[Jim Brodie]

Will you need to run a 3rd party Trim program with your SSD when you load High Sierra or does it come with it built in?
Thanks!

Jim

[Jim Brodie]

Well said Mark. I consciously avoided broadcast work in the mid-part of my career so I could spend more time with my wife and daughter. I missed greater travel and adventure and the creative satisfaction of working on something ‘big’, but my daughter has grown into a bright, happy young lady who captured one of the 50 spots out of 800 applicants at the National Theatre School of Canada in a program. She’s passionate about it. Also, I’m still happily married to the love of my life. I’ve so much to be grateful for!

To the Original Poster:

It does make sense to keep the training wheels on for a while (a day job) until you’ve got you’ve go direction and balance. Its good to establish a few anchor clients who you can rely on for at least a few years. I still have one client who has kept returning to me for seventeen years! I have also worked with other producers who have needed extra help. Down the road I was able to passe work and referrals to them so it became symbiotic. I also came into the business with expertise on certain topics that interested me. This helped me to define a niche and demonstrate a subject expertise. This helps you to differentiate a little at the beginning and separates you from crowd.

[Jim Brodie]

I’ve found the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680 to quite good but I’d have to agree that the Saphire is probably your best option.

[Jim Brodie]

Ned, that is wise advice that every young filmmaker should listen too.

The other ridiculous term I’ve heard is “sweat equity”…you lower your standard rates with the promise you’ll be called again.
Well, for this particular client he called again, but each time it was to do the same for less.

A project that started out 10 years ago for $50K is now “what can you do for $10K?” And so I go from doing five or six humorous sketches with scores of actors and a decent crew to myself and an assistant rigging GoPros in a car to simulate that Jerry Seinfeld thing. “Project creep” is another irritation where you’re asked to just add another one or two minutes or scenarios for the flat project rate you agreed upon eventhough you spend an extra 30% of your time in post. Your grievance falls on deaf ears: “Oh, but think of it as sweat equity.”

I agree that for a young person to survive or better still thrive you need to research the best people out there, mentor or apprentice with them for nominal rates to build your skill.

The worst thing is to work alone. You’ll end up doing everything yourself and at one point loathing the whole enterprise. Find a core group of people where you can compliment one another’s strengths and grow from there. It’s also a lot more fun.

Ned mentioned that the best opportunity to earn a livable income is to produce. I highly agree. Find a niche and become the best in that niche. If it dries up you’ll need to reinvent or tweak or develop another niche.

I have a friend who has made a good living producing humorous tribute videos for wealthy clients… a very narrow niche. He has evolved from personal tribute videos that involved shooting on three continents to corporate biographies and vision videos. His base work has remained the same but he has continued to branch out into other areas. No one would have thought there was a living to be made in this area, but he did.

His key strength was a background in journalism, an excellent sense of humour and a gregarious nature that attracted clients. He hired crew, editors and other production personnel. He was loyal to his freelancers.

I like the the term: “big ideas and big execution.” Think big, its your life that you are building, make sure the foundation is strong and durable and not built on sand. Specialize in your area of passion but keep the vision of your life big.

All the Best,

Jim

[Jim Brodie]

Thanks Mark. The Lecturer likes to bob and weave when she talks so we may be chasing her with the camera all over the stage. I just prefer the look of progressive film look over the TV look I see in interlaced material. Although, when I think about it Vimeo prefers material in 720p and down converts 1080p to that format so it plays properly. Maybe 720p is the way to go. Although I’ll sort it out with my crew this week and decide. Thank you again for your input.

[Jim Brodie]

Hi Mark,

I really appreciate your detailed response. I think your advice to switch on site and record simultaneously in the cameras makes the most sense. Your editing time estimation of 30 hrs of raw footage matches mine which is reassuring. But as you mentioned who wants to store hours of material on a bunch of drives.

We were planning to chunk down this person’s talk in post. The gentleman presenting the talk is one of the most extraordinary speakers I’ve ever encountered. He can talk for ten hours without any notes or supporting material and his audiences are riveted (no exaggeration). I edited an interview with him a couple of years ago and every statement he made was fascinating, detailed and precise with no flab to cut!
The final indexed segments of his long presentation will be used to train other trainers or they can use him in their own seminars to explain concepts no other person on earth can deliver with as much authority and knowledge.

With that said, I will certainly be looking for ways to condense and compress. I agree that it has to be divided into digestible chunks or viewers will bolt.

I have just a quick technical question, I usually record in 1080p when the end product is streamed on the net or projected from a laptop. Most of the switchers I’ve investigated are 1080i etc with no progressive options with the exception of the BlackMagic ATEM-1 M/E. Should I go progressive or interlaced on this? Again, I’m grateful for you opening this discussion with me.

[Jim Brodie]

Hi Gerry,

Place the clip in one of the animation tracks. Double click on the clip to edit. In Boris Red go to the Keys & Mattes filters and choose the BCC Light Matte. I usually choose the intense Luma Matte preset and tweak from there.

Its quite simple.

All the Best,

Jim

[Jim Brodie]

This is sage advice for all of us. Thank you for this generous offering of wisdom!

[Jim Brodie]

Thank you for your advice. It is much appreciated!

[Jim Brodie]

Hi Floh,

Thank you so much for this information!!! I’m very grateful for your expertise.

All the Best,

Jim