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
Start of the 7th
Intern: Serena
It is completely mind boggling to think that this is the start of my seventh week as an intern at MVP Video Production! It’s really been a highlight to my summer…err, my life. I feel like I’ve gained confidence when choosing the equipment for a film shoot. I understand the basic set-up of Final Cut Pro, I know how to work with a green screen, I’ve gotten to sit in and ask questions in production meetings, I have a ton of new terminology (and industry “slang” like knowing what a “stinger” or “jelly-roll,” or “C-47″ is!)
I’ve also gotten experience as a Production Assistant on three film productions (not including the intern vlogs!), and have gotten to sit “behind-the-wheel” in the editing suite. I’ve also gotten to shadow Kirk–who has 20 years of video editing experience–and Eric–who is attending Full-Sail and once decided to spend a summer reading the instruction manuals to Adobe and Final Cut software…just for fun.
Also, I’m not the only intern at MVP Video Production! I’ve gotten to learn a lot from my fellow intern, Isaac, such as what gear to pack for a film shoot, and how to set up the studio!
Getting to see Todd networking with local businesses and leave for sales calls reminds me of the other side of a production company. And Jeff has taught me the things I won’t learn at film school, such as the costs and distribution of a production company, and what role the editors and executive producers play. (One goal I still have is to be the “fly-on-the-wall” in a sales call!). Jeff has also allowed me to update the MVP Video Production social media (aka the Twitter page!), and contribute to the blog!
What are some goals I have before the week is done?
Well, for one, I’d love to shoot another intern vlog…about sound booth and tips and tricks about sound recording! AND, possibly a vlog filmed live during a shoot (or, right after a shoot!)
There’s still time to learn a whole lot. What better place to learn than at the video production company that has just been voted the Best Video Production Company in the corridor by the Corridor Business Journal? 
Hasta manana!
7/25/11
Green Thumb
Intern: Serena
So, it’s summertime and I’m definitely getting a green thumb. No, it’s not from gardening. See, at MVP Video Production on Thursday, I got first-hand experience with shooting, acting and editing with the studio green screen! I explain how a green screen works in my latest vlog post, check it out!
In the meantime, I’m learning more and more about how to set up for a video shoot.
1.) When shooting in front of the camera… wear simple patterns or else the fabric you are wearing may appear “live,” meaning the fabric acts like it has a mind of its own, and can appear to move about of its own free will. Solids work best!
2.) Listen to your intuition. In the editing suite I thought “It’s kinda dark. Maybe I should grab the pepper light.” Then, I decided against it. When I began to edit the footage, I noticed the picture was very dark. While some lighting can be corrected in post, it’s always best to fix the problem before shooting. After all, photography is all about light, and filmmaking has everything to do with “moving pictures.”
3.) Use a lavaliere microphone whenever possible. I set up the boon mic right above me…and it picked up every sound in the room, especially the air-conditioner unit.
Today, in the production meeting Kirk mentioned giving a client a “window dub.” “What’s that?” I asked. Jeff and Todd explained that a window dub is a copy of raw footage with a time code on it. When a client is looking for a certain part of the footage, they can identify the shot with the time code. It makes it easier for the editor because a client could say “I really like that shot at 33:06,” instead of “I really like the shot with the tractor.” It also helps with audio too. Instead of writing down word for word what someone has said in a certain scene, with a time code an editor can find the exact place in the script, saving valuable time!
It’s my seventh week here at MVP Video Production. That means one more week to go.
My goals are:
- Learn After Effects
- Learn to operate and set up the teleprompter
- Go on a sales call
- Write two more articles for the blog
- Create 2 more intern vlogs
- Assist the production crew with a large outdoor shoot!
Cut!
What You Won’t Learn At Most Film Schools…
!ereht iH .ereh anereS ?kniht uoy t’nod ,sdrawkcab secnetnes daer ot drah s’ti semitemoS
What? You say you’re confused? What jibberish am I typing now? It’s not jibberish. It’s just backwards. Why is it backwards? I don’t know, but it’s a lot harder to understand.
But what seems more ironic and backwards is what I’m not learning more of at film school. It’s a simple word, but the idea is more complex. What is it? Business.
There is a creative side of film that I am learning all about, and I love that! To me, film is all about telling a story, whether it is a fiction tale, or a non-fiction biography. But after all the creative brainstorming is complete, and a film goes into post-production, there’s another point in the process. How are people going to see your story? If they don’t see it on their TV screens, how will they see it in the theaters?
In a commercial video production company, there must be a joining of the creative and business aspect. In a commmercial business, a creative mind has to remember that the executive producer (Often the ones who are paying the production costs), an executive producer must think “How much time will this take, what equipment is involved?” When production costs run high, it can eat away at the budget a production company has to work with.
There is also a hierarchy of accountibility in a business or non-profit organization. The executive producer reports to a board of directors. A for-profit organization also reports to the bank. Staying within budget increases the profit of an organization, which in turn allows that organization to be profitable which has many benefits such as gaining a better reputation with a bank when it comes to borrowing.
While, as a creative mind, I want freedom to make a product look excellent and pull out all the stops, I also have to keep in mind how much money a client has to work within, so I don’t exceed their costs, but keep the product looking great.
Even if I do not go into business at college, I think it is still important for all artists to learn some aspect of business, just like a producer knows about the different departments on a film set and how they work together. Creating more business-savvy artists would generate greater understanding on many film productions between the director and producer (and vice-versa).
This is not to say that creative thinkers should limit their thought, but having a basic understanding of how business works, gives everyone a greater peace of mind.
Could it be because most artists resist the business side of art because they feel there is no art in business? Or that people assume that artists can’t consider logical proccesses in a creative way? If that’s the case, it doesn’t make sense because the logical processes of business can be presented creatively. We all are artists, and everyone has the potential to be creative. Even if that’s with numbers. Even writing involves logical processes (like sentence structure), but once I understand the logical process, I can write creatively. Commercial filmmaking is a logical process produced in a creative (and fun!) way. So, maybe it is backwards that film schools don’t teach more business, but then, it’s never to late to go back to the basics. What do you think?
The great thing about MVP Video Production, is that clients will always know up front about the cost of a project. There are no hidden fees when all is said and done. And these guys do all they can to make sure the client is more than pleased with the end result! Talk about taking care of business!
~Serena
7/20/11
Serena’s Intern Vlog 2 – “What is green screening?”
Intern: Serena
Hi there MVP Video Production blog readers! Check out my latest vlog and you’ll be able to answer the question, “What is green screening?”
7/25/11
A Brand New Lesson
Hi reader, it’s your faithful journalist Serena!
It was a half day in the studio today. Okay, more like a half-half, or 1/8 day. Even in that amount of time I learned a brand new lesson, about branding.
I learned that marketing and branding are two different concepts. Branding has to do with a company’s logo, or image. For example, if you drove through a McDonald’s, you don’t have to question those golden arches. You know you’re at the right place. You know what to expect.
Advertising fits into the category of marketing. Having an ad on TV or in City Revealed Magazine is just one form of marketing. There are also concepts such as earned media and paid media. I’ll explain more about it in my next blog post.
Jeff suggested that I contribute to the blog on a weekly basis. It will be fun to get back to my writing roots. The best part? I get to research and write about tech news. (i.e. What are the hottest trends in the video production industry?)
One trend Jeff mentioned is that Google is incorporating videos into their search feed. So, when you’re looking for, homemade ice cream recipes to fight off the 109* heat index, you might just see a video of someone making homemade ice cream. Nifty, huh?
Until then, stay tuned. I’ll be back after these messages.
~Serena
7/18/11
Teleprompters, Rotoscoping, and Stylebooks…Oh My!
Howdy! Serena here.
There is nothing like beginning the day with an early morning shoot. Eric Foley, Todd Gutknecht and I set up the lights, camera and green screen for the President of Shive-Hattery, Inc. Tom Hayden. The company’s Web Designer, Michelle Bailey, also joined us!
I’m beginning to see certain things I would like to practice doing to be more involved on set, such as setting up the lavaliere microphone (a tiny mic the size of your thumbnail) so that you can’t see the cord, or applying make-up when needed.
At MVP Video Production, there is ALWAYS something new to learn–like how a teleprompter works, what rotoscoping is, and how a company stylebook relates to branding. I thought it was the coolest thing that Jeff had a teleprompter on his Apple laptop, although MVP Video Production does have a stand-alone Teleprompter kit.
Later that day, I did some acting to test out an experiment for another project that involves rotoscoping. This generally means, Eric explained, that an image is edited frame by frame. Since there are around 30 frames per second, well, you can see how involved a rotoscoping project can be!
Jeff told us that he is working on a stylebook for MVP Video Production. A stylebook is related to branding, he explained, because in a stylebook you can explain how your company’s logo is presented. What colors are to be used, what style of font, and how the logo is presented. For example, in a stylebook, you could learn that a company’s name is to be spelled out, and not shortened (i.e. MVP v. MVP Video Production).
So much to learn, and this is my sixth week. I’m beginning to miss my friends at MVP Video Production already.
~Serena
7/19/11
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 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
Translation…Please
Buenos dìas! Serena està aquì.
Hoy en dìa yo querìa escribirte en otra lengua. Por que? Porque puedo.
Translation? “Today I wanted to write you in another lanugage. Why? Because I can.”
Yesterday, I got to thinking about the things I am learning here at MVP. I am learning many languages. The language of gaffing, the language of editing, and the language of a video production company in general.
I began to wonder how these languages translate to my studies at the University of Iowa, especially in journalism? Just like it’s important to be able to speak a second language, it is important to expand your vocabulary of different industries because the world of journalism and film and video production are merging. As print media becomes digitized and available online, it is opening the doors for those things the web does best: linking, and including multimedia like video and audio.
I can’t think of a better “second” language. Bueno, espero que tienes una dìa llena de felicidades. Hasta luego!
~Serena
