In box readers' letters

Mr. York - Wow! That article you wrote for the September issue sounded very "inspired." I always read what you have to say before delving into the magazine. I've seen some times when you've been disgruntled by "YouTube" videography and the absurdity of some of the postings there - mainly, other people's misfortunes. I appreciate how you tried to lend the idea of getting back on track to the readers and focus on good video.

It's easy to get overwhelmed with keeping up in video - and that's everything: new cameras, lighting techniques, cinematography, editing platforms, new media, you name it. I work a full time day job and run a part time video business with friends. We make a little - enough to keep buying new equipment but that's about it, and we don't actually WANT to work two full time jobs and not have lives. I really appreciate the way you "think" and I'm glad to hear your inspirations. This was one time I thought I'd send you a little feedback.
Robert Livingston

As a former art director to several special interest magazines, I found it joyful to read and share your angst with the tensions of politics involved in the production of such a magazine. ("Between Editorial and Advertising", Viewfinder column, November 2008 ). It seemed to be a response to something or a venting exercise, but I hear you loud and clear and I'm glad you clarified that your magazine does not give in so much to the point of changing its editorial voice to sway towards the advertisers. I subscribed to several magazines in the areas of video/film production and have let all the others lapse. I will always look forward to my issues of Videomaker. Power on!
George Stoll

It's like coming upon water in the desert to find a review of sound acquisition equipment, in this case the RODE NTG-3 Shotgun Mic, in a digital video magazine, to say nothing of such a technically sophisticated and nuanced article. As the author points out, sound is just as important, if not more important, than picture. And further, we are indeed awash, especially in magazines and reviews, in endless opinions of the ever-proliferating camera flavors of the month. There are certainly as many microphones in the world as camcorders, but this remains a mostly secret world. This review is only missing some comparisons to the other RODE shotguns and maybe even other shotguns in the same price range. Maybe that's another article. To say nothing of mixers, windscreens, XLR adapter boxes, headphones, and booms.

And in my humble opinion the rock-core microphones are a wired lavalier and a cardioid, not a wireless and a shotgun. But that's just me.

Thanks to Videomaker for including at least one review of a microphone in the October issue. Would that this could become a regular feature and sound acquisition could assume a larger and more balanced profile amidst the image acquisition discourse. Keep up the good work,
Robert Withers