Intern Isaac has been busy at Stanford
Well…..it’s pretty quite around the studio without our two interns that we had over the summer. However, we know that they are actively involved at their respective schools (Stanford University and the University of Iowa), so we forgive them for not checking in with us and keeping us updated on what they are doing.
But, we did get an email today from Isaac, our Intern from the past three years, who is now at Stanford. Seems the young lad has landed himself on the student Senate, as well as is writing for the Stanford Daily. To see his first article that got published in the Stanford Daily, click the link.
And, it has come to our attention that he is attending the Jay-Z / Kanye West concert as press for the Stanford Daily. Way to go Isaac! We are sure he will have a blast!
Nearing A Close
Intern: Serena
El final…o quizas, el principio. This probably doesn’t make a lot of sense if you don’t speak Spanish. It means,”The end, or perhaps, the beginning.”
Today I went on my last on-location shoot with Kirk to Coralville, Iowa for yet another project. Innovative Software Engineering. I was a PA on set, gaffing and transporting equipment when needed. Our main interviewee from Innovative Software Engineering was from the Canal Islands!
After filming testimonials everyone stepped outside dressed in their business attire. All the employees stood behind him as he cut a red ribbon with a golden pair of scissors to dedicate the site. Everyone cheered. The mayor gave a speech and others wished the new business well.
My time at MVP Video Production feels more like a beginning in a way. I have gained so much, in experience, knowledge, and confidence (and especially more confident as a cinema major! Talk about some major confidence) 
I have been gathering photos from different folders on computers of the stills I’ve taken for my final project, and placed my favorites into one folder. I also gathered all my vlogs and the MVP Video Production “Thank You” video we created after the Corridor Business Journal voted the company the best video production company in the corridor.
Tomorrow is my final day. The end is near, but so is a new beginning.
I can’t think of a better place to have interned this summer!
8/11/11
In Your Dreams!
Intern: Serena
“In your dreams!” It’s usually the dramatic phrase often rehearsed on TV when a character tells another that their hopes are improbable or impossible. But, I would ask, what are your dreams made of?
From one intern to another, I encourage you to challenge yourself to step outside any box you might create for yourself. My internship at MVP Video Production was all I dreamed it would be. But, I had to dream it first, and share that dream with my sponsor, Jeff. Your internship doesn’t have to look like everyone else’s, because you are not like anyone else. Yes, you want to make sure you are getting professional experience that will help you in your field, but what does that look like? Synergize with your sponsor because they may be able to take your dream even farther than you thought possible.
All this to say, I’m totally psyched about a new film opportunity I have with MVP Video Production. And it all came about because I finally asked to be a part of it–thus staying with my internship for a couple more days! It’s the season of elections and straw poles, and I will have a part to play in documenting this season with Jeff, Kirk, Eric and Isaac.
It’s more than I dreamed of. So, I just got to thinking, maybe I was dreaming too small?
Kirk and Eric set up the teleprompter in the studio and I got to practice reading off one. It’s an interesting contraption that lets you read on a reflective surface that is placed in front of the camera, so you are looking straight into the camera, but the camera cannot see the words you’re reading!
I’m also excited that I have an opportunity to think outside the box with my final internship project. I’m compiling an interactive DVD with these blog posts, a slideshow, and the intern vlogs.
Sayonara!
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!
