The Lens is Mightier than the Sword
Our intern, Isaac, signed up for his first college course yesterday. Or rather, he ranked his preferences from a long list of courses and crossed his fingers. One in particular caught his eye and we began discussing it in the studio. The course focused on the effect that social media has on human rights and the new found voice of those who could not previously be heard. We thought back to the events that took place in Egypt earlier this year. Through the workings of Facebook and Twitter, disgruntled citizens organized and sparked a revolution.
This was not the first time such a thing has happened. Over the past few years, people around the world are quickly learning to fight injustice with camera phones. Suddenly, people had the power in their pocket to capture acts of violence or injustice and share them with the world in a matter of seconds. All they had to do was pull out their cell phone, record a video, and upload it to YouTube or Facebook for the world to see. The general public became their own journalists, publishing events that would otherwise go unnoticed.
It happened in Iran in 2009 as protests sparked up during election season. In Japan after the tsunami, the first videos seen by the world were from people on the ground with camera phones, before journalists could get there. The conflict in Libya was no different, and even the current riots in London are most thoroughly documented by bystanders.
Whether it be an authoritative injustice, the aftermath of unforeseeable events, or any other circumstance that could quickly go unnoticed by the world’s quickly moving attention span, those who need to be heard are realizing that the lens is often mightier than the sword.
Schindler’s List
Intern: Serena
I have two days left at my MVP Video Production internship. And, I had two movies left to watch on my AFI 5 of the Top 10 Challenge. So, last night I decided to watch movie #8 on the Top 100 List: Schindler’s List.
Steven Spielberg’s 1993 retelling of Oskar Schindler’s story was like watching a heart-wrenching memoir. The black-and-white movie felt more like a documentary at times, it was the simple horrors–like when a train filled with Jewish women are taken into a large shed with pipes on the ceiling wondering if they are about to be poisoned, or when “Schindler’s Jews” were placed on a train, and the camera shows close-ups of the alarm in their eyes–that made the movie memorable. Spielberg did not exaggerate the tragedy to make the movie more exciting. Simply showing the reality of the situation was enough to make it a horror.
The part of the movie that moved me the most was towards the end ::SPOILER ALERT::
The war had ended, and the Jews were free. Before fleeing, Schindler looked at the six thousand people he had kept alive, and looked at his possessions. He began to realize that even the gold pin on his coat could have saved two more lives. He saw the impact of saving just one life. It makes me think, I have the same power. I could spend $20 on a DVD, or I could give $20 to feed 100 kids. I could save a life and I’m making choices every day. In the end, Schindler did save more lives because the descendants of those people wouldn’t have been alive if he hadn’t done what he did.
This part of the challenge helped me realize that it’s okay to challenge myself and step out of my comfort zone when it comes to movies. I had put off watching this movie for about a week because I was afraid it would try to use shock therapy to get people to see how gruesome this part of our world’s history is. But, the story didn’t try to cover every terror of the holocaust. It told the story it purposed to tell. Schindler’s story.
It is worth watching. We’ll see what I think of my last 5 of the Top 10 Challenge: The Godfather.
8/10/11
A Matter of Matte Boxes
Intern: Serena
This week I learned how to set up a matte box, and it’s only Wednesday. Kirk explained that the matte box is a piece of camera equipment that shields the camera’s lens from glare. It has the same effect of putting your hand over your eyes on a bright day.
In my opinion, the matte box is the most elaborate and difficult piece of camera equipment to set up because there are about 15 parts that come with this particular kit, and the camera must be placed on the tri-pod just right for the matte box to even fit on the tripod.
I also finished editing my third vlog post on the vocal booth. I plan to upload the video to the MVP Video Production YouTube site this week. Even though the topic was on sound, the audio was my biggest challenge. I’ve learned much about lighting (i.e. you need it!), and hooking up the audio to the camera–for example, you have to let the camera know if you are using an internal mic (the mic built into the camera), or an external mic like a boom–the hardest part of the audio is making sure it sounds good.
So, in this vlog post I did my best to avoid doing an impersonation of Lina Lamont from Singin’ in the Rain!
Still learning!
8/9/11
Friday at MVP Video Production
Intern: Serena
It’s Friday! And I’m here at MVP Video Production. It’s the end of my 8th week here. I can still remember the day I was interviewing for the position! Today I finished editing my third vlog post on audio!
Before this internship began, I didn’t know how to even operate a camera. Now I am confident to set up a shot with sound, lighting, and how to white-balance as well!
Coming in on a Friday allowed me to do more research on a new blog post on the new HTML5. I began writing this blog with an attempt at explaining what HTML is, how it’s a format and not a codec, the early differences between Adobe and Apple when it came to HTML5. Then I realized that trying to understand and write about concepts I’ve never heard about isn’t a great way to inform others. So, I thought, “why not lead others to trusted sources?”
Sometimes the best way to learn is not to teach, but to be taught alongside someone.
AFI Top 10 Challenge…Update!
Intern: Serena
Welcome back to the Intern blog! You probably remember the time I took the AVI Top 10 Challenge. If you don’t remember, Jeff and Todd at MVP Video Production challenged me to watch 5 of the top 10 of the top 100 movies on AFI’s Top 100 Movies list! Before this challenge I’d seen 3 of the top 10: Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and The Wizard of Oz (and two of those were for class assignments!)
Yesterday (and early this morning)…I watched David Lean’s Lawrence of Arabia starring Peter O’Toole. I feel like I just spent a month in the desert.
Of all the movies I put on my “Top 5″ list (Singin’ in the Rain, Gone with the Wind, Lawrence of Arabia, Schindler’s List, and the Godfather), Lawrence of Arabia looked like the most dry movie of them all (pun totally intended). And it was a war movie.
That’s just to say, I abhor movies where thousands of people die and the hero never suffers a scratch (or movies with “Romeo and Juliet” endings!) I’m glad to say, Lawrence of Arabia didn’t fall into that category! It was more like a non-fiction film…well almost. The story is based on a true one.
I learned about a part of history I hadn’t known before. The soundtrack–which I’m playing while I type this–was stunningly enchanting! Maybe it’s morbid, but I was actually glad it began with the death of the protagonist, because I didn’t have to watch the back story and worry if he was going to die. The main character, T.E. Lawrence is not a card-board cut-out of a war hero. He’s a bookworm, well-educated, and an introvert, and he cared about the Arabs and his people. He put himself in their shoes.
I definitely recommend this movie!! 
And taking the AFI Top 10 Challenge!
8/4/11
The AVI Top 10 Challenge!
Intern: Serena
It’s time for an update on my AFI Top 10 Challenge! See, last week Todd and Jeff at MVP Video Production challenged me to check out 5 of the top 10 movies on the American Film Institute’s Top 100 list. I am a cinema major, after all!
Well, thankfully, the Hiwatha Public Library had 3 of the 5 including “Singin in the Rain,” “Lawrence of Arabia,” and “Gone with the Wind.” This weekend I watched the first and last film. I can’t believe what I was missing!
So what did I learn from my experience?
Singin’ in the Rain
A new favorite! This 1952 movie produced by MGM in it’s golden years had everything a great musical should have. Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds dancing was superb! The now-over-60-year-old costumes and sets special effects were still believable! But, above all that, it told a good story. If you’re ever wondering what the transition from the silent film era to the talkies was like, watch this movie.
Favorite Scene: When the producer decided to make the silent film into a talkie, there was a hilarious scene when the director can’t get Lina Lamont to speak into the mic. After watching a short documentary that came with the film, I learned that many actors and actresses lost their job because they couldn’t sing or speak properly, others had to hire diction coaches!
This film is relevant today! Every time technology changes, there is going to have to be transitions. The director in the movie found the talkie to be a nuisance, but the producer knew that if they didn’t change, they would eventually be the only silent studio left. Maybe in a few years we could see this transition in movie theaters with 3-D technology?
Gone With the Wind
At nearly 4-hours-long, I watched this movie in segments. It was so good! Somehow, I thought a four-hour movie made in the 1930′s might be a yawner. But, not Gone With the Wind. The characters were so…alive! Scarlett especially, she was the perfect character to carry the storyline forward. She was unpredictable, passionate, and hot-headed. This movie gave me a picture of what the South may have looked like in the 1860s. There were no dull characters in this film (well, except the Ashley sometimes felt like the cardboard cut-out of a Disney prince!).
My only dislike was the ending. Scarlett had a beautiful life despite the war, and losing family members. But, she always made herself miserable longing for something she couldn’t have.
I experience first-hand that a character doesn’t always have to be likeable to be a good character.
What’s next on my list? Well, “Schindlers List” (with a full box of tissues), “Lawrence of Arabia,” and “The Godfather.”
Stay tuned!
8/1/11
Lights, Camera, and Sound!
Intern: Serena
Why, hello there! Today is all about SOUND. I recorded a spec script in the sound booth for one of our ad agencies!
What’s a spec script? A spec script–in a video production company–gives a client a visual or audio reference of what a final product could look like. So, if a client wants a sound recording featuring a woman’s voice, a spec script would have a woman’s voice reading those lines. It’s not the final product, but it gives people a better idea of what a final product could turn into!
Even more fun, I played the part of a flight attendent! This was something I was hoping to do at MVP Video Production (not necessarily play the part of a flight attendent, but to record in the sound studio). It was a dream fulfilled!
I got to thinking, what better topic for an intern vlog? So, Isaac and I set up the camera, monitor, pepper light, and lavalier mic in the sound studio. Next, we wrote down a list of questions to answer…
…in the sound studio
1. What is the puffy foam in the sound studio for?
2. Why are there curtains in the sound studio?
3. Why are the walls painted black?
4. How does sound get from the sound studio to the editing suite?
5. Why record in a sound studio?
…and in the editing suite
1. What is the sound box in the editing suite?
2. How is sound recorded into the computer?
3. How do you control mic levels?
4. What happens if they are too high?
5. What software does MVP Video Production use to edit sound?
6. What are the lines across the screen mean?
Some studios–like MVP Video Production–hire voice talent to use with studio projects like podcast recording, and voice-over for commercials. These actors can manipulate their vocal cords to give a project a unique flare.
In our intern blog, we will feature the many vocal impersonations of MVP Video Production’s own Todd Gutknecht!
8/1/11
AFI’s Top 100
Intern: Serena
Good morning!
At MVP Video Production on Friday, I joined Kirk and Eric for a shoot in Waverly, Iowa! I’m very glad I chose to go. On this shoot–for Jerry Roling Chevrolet–they brought the jib! A jib (aka jib crane, crane, boom, knuckle-boom crane, articulating crane, etc. etc. etc.) has a camera attachment at the end of a 12 foot pole. By placing weights at the other end, shots with a crane can give the viewer a feeling of being lifted off their feet into the air!
Kirk brought the truck–which his girls endearingly termed the “Tank.” I followed Kirk and Eric in my car. We ran into some strong rain, but thankfully, it didn’t rain when it was time to gather B-roll outside. We even set up the jib outdoors for a cool angle! Not that I don’t mind Singing in the Rain, but the wind died down so none of our equipment was Gone with the Wind, though it was not quite Sunset Blvd.
Why have I become so punny all-of-a-sudden? Well, these are just some of the names of the top 100 films recommended by the American Film Institute! See, at MVP Video Production, I’m surrounded by movie buffs. So when Todd and Jeff found out I hadn’t seen some of the greatest American films of all time, I was given an assignment–and a fun one at that! I’ve been challenged to watch five of the top 10 films that are on AFI’s Top 100. What made the top 10?
| 1 | CITIZEN KANE | 1941 |
| 2 | THE GODFATHER | 1972 |
| 3 | CASABLANCA | 1942 |
| 4 | RAGING BULL | 1980 |
| 5 | SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN | 1952 |
| 6 | GONE WITH THE WIND | 1939 |
| 7 | LAWRENCE OF ARABIA | 1962 |
| 8 | SCHINDLER’S LIST | 1993 |
| 9 | VERTIGO | 1958 |
| 10 | THE WIZARD OF OZ | 1939 |
Source: http://www.afi.com/100Years/movies10.aspx
I stopped by the Hiawatha Public Library and struck gold with Gone with the Wind, Singin’ in the Rain, and Lawrence of Arabia.
I mentioned that I do not usually choose to watch movies that get me out of my comfort zone. Or movies that I don’t think sound interesting. But, this assignment will really challenge me to see what makes a great story. I am a cinema major, after all. These movies weren’t chosen by random draw. They all do something extremely well. Well enough to make an impression on thousands (maybe millions) of people. And that’s something to look at!
I’ll report my progress here on the intern blog! Until then!
What’s Your Story?
The storyboard gives Kirk a "visual" picture of what a shot should look like.
Intern: Serena
What’s your story? I went on a film shoot with Kirk and Jeff to get footage of the workers installing Metal Design Systems carefully made steel at Prairie Point.
It was quite the shoot–just think 90+ degree weather surrounded by cement and steel siding!
After taking a look at this picture, I began to think of one thing. Water. The second thing I thought about is how powerful an idea is. Do you ever think that most shots that a cinematographer captures was first an idea in someone’s mind? Maybe it was an organization that had the vision, or maybe it was the camera operator, the director, or the man on the street. But someone had the idea.
Think about the movies. You’re watching the compilation of someone’s (or some ones) idea! One man named Napoleon Hill understood this concept, too. He often said, “What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
If you can dream it, you can achieve it!
Storyboards help cinematographers “see” the idea that producers and directors and organizations have for film project.
-The End
7/26/11
Lost in Cyberspace
Intern: Serena
Media is changing…fast. Fifteen years ago, I was scrambling to get the latest album, on cassette tape. Fifteen years ago, I was begging my parents to buy the latest theatrical release…on VHS. Before the i-POD, there was the walk-man. Before the Nook, there was the library. Okay, so we’re not that far removed from the tangible media, yet.
In fact, I clearly remember getting my first cell-phone…at age 16! I loved the simple Nokia ringtone and the pixelated ‘Snake’ game. Now, I catch myself fuming over my first generation Blackberry because the internet isn’t up-to-date.
The media industry is changing while I’m in college. I’m studying for a cinema and journalism degree, and the print industry is experiencing a dramatic shift with tablets like the Nook, Kindle, i-Pad, and smart phone. It’s a new era.
Just as the beginning of the industrial revolution allowed people to become more specialized, the same change is taking place. Instead of the frontier, we’re now entering cyber-space! Thousands of new websites are popping up every day. People are inventing like never before. It’s both exciting and confusing.
Businesses also have the opportunity to market in ways they could never have dreamed just ten years ago. Before, the options of marketing were limited to print, radio, and television. Now businesses can choose to set up a QR code on their TV ad or print ad that takes customers to their website, which is connected to their Facebook fan page that also posts their tweets, which has a link to their Flickr site! This tangled web is just made up of new ways of networking with people. Add to that there’s a company in Europe that is working on a QR type of code (think a ringtone) for radio.
In some ways, this intangible, shapeless trasition to a new media era helps us get back to the basics. Everything starts with an idea. Ideas are not tangible, but they are the building blocks of everything we see. In fact, Brian Solis wrote in his article “Why Brands are Becoming Media” that it’s not enough for a brand to just engage, but to create. He explains that the brand creates a sort of hub, and social objects (i.e. Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, Facebook, Delicious, and FourSquare) are constantly inputting into this social hub.
So, what are some tips for not getting lost in space?
1.) Stick with the basics, the idea. That way, no matter what new terminology may be created to explain the change in online media marketing and branding (i.e. earned, paid or owned media), or whatever new social media sites are launched, remember that is just expanding the idea. No matter how much the field of journalism or media changes, the idea of transferring a message to others to create change is still the same.
2.) Learn to embrace change. By the time I graduate, the industry will look much different. People in my generation will be looking at renewing their skills every four years or else getting rusty on the skills we graduated with.
3.) Change is your friend. Change will always stay the same!
4.) Don’t settle for “okay.” Become a professional. The other day, Kirk was showing us a video project he produced 10 years ago! Get this, the producer was so impressed he commented “Wow, it’s even in stereo sound!” The editing, music and video were professional.
The lesson to be learned is that it’s not what you have, but what you do with the what you have. Just like anyone with a Macbook and Final Cut Pro can edit, and anyone with a blog can be published. Learn to be a professional.
7/27/11
