Be a part of the 1st Columbus Production Forum June 30, 2009
Posted by Scott Handel in News on June 5, 2009
As this year has been a little slower for some of us for various reasons, I have had the opportunity to spend more time with my production friends in non-work situations. So… what do we end up talking about? You guessed it… Work. A few months ago I got the idea that it would be great to capture these conversations and share them with the production community at large in hopes creating more conversations and a greater sense of community and collaboration that can help us all. It is an exciting and challenging time to be involved in production. There are so many new tools and ways to approach the work that didn’t even exist 5 years ago. With the onset of HD, new “cine” tools, solid state workflows, lens adapters, and cameras like the RED, our clients have more choices than ever. And while this creates a lot of opportunity it has also created a lot of confusion. Before you even power the camera up we have to have conversations about 1080i, 720p, 16×9, 4×3, 24p, 60i, 30p, SxS, P2 and on and on.
For this reason I am working with various production professionals in the Columbus market who are helping me to create the first of what I hope becomes a series of discussions about various production tools and best practices and how we approach our craft. I see these as round table discussions that can be cut down to 2-5 minute webisodes that provide insightful production info while promoting the use of Columbus talent and resources. I want the sessions to be inclusive of various production professionals. The webisodes will be freely distributed to anyone who wants them to post or distribute as they please.
The initial discussion will focus on the shoot side of the business with a DP round table. Although I initially see this as DP forum I want to expand it to audio, grip, art department, production coordination, and post workflows. And then some cross discipline discussion that will help production and post have a better understanding of each other’s needs. It would be great to make this a bi-monthly or quarterly event to keep the content relevant. I would like to cover simple topics in a broad way to help producers, clients and indie filmers get a better grasp on what tools and resources are available and how best use them.
Topics might be…
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How do you see your role of a DP?
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Working with ever shrinking crews
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Lensing Choices
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Lens Adapters
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Monitor choices and proper set-up
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Digital Cinema
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Differences in cameras (Choosing the right gear for the project)
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Filters
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Lighting Styles and Tools
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On-camera Lighting Options
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Camera movement – Dollies, Jibs, Tripods, and Steadicam
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RED One Basics
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Underwater, Lipstick & other specialty cameras
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Indie film tips
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How to assemble the best crew for the job
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Set etiquette
Other topics could include…
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Mic selection
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Best ways to hide a lav
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Wireless Practices
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Digital Workflow Solutions
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Audio for the RED One
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P2, SxS & other solid state recording options
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Archiving
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1080 vs. 720
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Grip Tools & Rigging
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Car mounts
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Lighting for small spaces
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Pre-production / Coordination
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Art Department
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Why it’s important to have a stylist
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Studio Requirements and Set Construction
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And most importantly the best items to have on the craft services table
For a better idea on what I am envisioning please visit this link from Zacuto.
I would be interested in other contributors thoughts about what might be interesting fodder.
Earlier this week I spoke with Bill Jingo at Brainstorm about using their amazing new studio space to host the first forum. Bill and Ron at Brainstorm generously agreed to and we have reserved the space for June 30th, which only three weeks away. Now the goal is to recruit the panel. The panel would consist of 3 – 5 people depending on topic. If we have a group of 10 – 15 participants I am hoping that we can rotate participants on and off of the set, and those who are not on the set for a particular segment can shoot. I am anticipating shooting on a simple black limbo set. I plan on shooting three cameras with one on a 12’ jib or dolly.
I would ask you to please consider being involved in this project. I welcome your feedback and topic suggestions as well. Space is somewhat limited and panelist will be chosen on a first come first served basis. So please let me know if you are interested asap. Also, please forward this email to anyone who might be interested in the project, now or in the future. I think this could do us all a lot of good, and bring some positive attention to the production potential in Columbus.
For questions, suggestions, or to reserve your spot on the panel email Scott Handel @ scott@ohiohdvideo.com.
Scott
Scott Handel
Ohio HD Video
1355 Bingham Mills Dr.
New Albany, Ohio 43054
Web: www.ohiohdvideo.com
E-mail: scott@ohiohdvideo.com
Mobile: 614-327-3388
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