The Nuts and Bolts of Metal Design Systems
Good morning! It’s your MVP intern, Serena!
Last week I came in to the office at 8 a.m. one morning to help Jeff and my fellow intern Isaac load the film gear into the truck for a 9 a.m. shoot at Metal Design Systems on the SW side of Cedar Rapids. Today, I didn’t have as many questions about what to bring…it’s finally becoming routine.
When we arrived, Jeff backed the truck into the warehouse full of Ivy and Wilde wall art where they make steel, aluminum, and other metal parts for building. The purpose of the shoot was to focus on a special new laser–completely computerized and 100% precise.
After unloading the truck (camera, scrims, pepper light, tripod, etc.), I got to work taking stills and helping out where I could. Eric shot with the Panasonic HD, and Isaac did gaffing and grip, and Jeff kept up with the business side of things, and made sure we knew where to shoot next!
In a way, today felt sort of like a field trip. There was always someone busy somewhere saudering, or molding, or folding giant slabs of plastic between to large metal rolls (sort of like a pizza crust shaper), or moving large crates on lifts. What surprised me most is how much humans assist in the process. Before, I sort of thought a piece of metal could be thrown onto a machine and by the end of the assembly line, it comes out looking like–well, whatever it is supposed to.
There’s so much to learn, and the best is yet to come!
~Serena
