Just Jennifer

One of our Videomaker forum readers spent the early morning hours of the first day of summer recording the sun rising for the Summer Solstice last weekend. He made some really pretty video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIuY-rePSw8[/youtube]

It made me want to go out and shoot video again. I’ve been rather uninspired lately, I haven’t felt the urge to pick up the camera and shoot for anything in particular.

For several years, now, I’ve only been shooting stills or videos for family, friends and “acquaintances”(read that “my friend said you’d do this for free or maybe for a small price..”) I know, it’s my fault, but I’m getting burned out on it all. Seeing this video put together by Ken Carlson, and reading his post, made me wonder why I quit… did life just get in the way?

Read Ken’s post here:

http://videomaker.com/community/forums/topic/solstice-sunrise

I remember watching the moon set every night for a week one time, waiting for that one shot I knew would come when it planted itself right between these two palm trees on the horizon as the sun barely began to pink the sky behind me. I sat up all night waiting… and the shot was worth it, it was the right time of year and the right time of morning for this incredible photo opportunity. Hum. I wonder what ever happened to that footage?

It made me realize I need to get my video groove back on and take a vacation.

I just lost a gig and I’m glad for it. A friend of mine, who had a friend, who had a hobby that he was sure he could monazite if he only had videos to sell, contacted me. After several back-n-forth emails, “well, I can’t pay you now, but you can have part of the profits…” …  “No, if I do all the work, YOU can have part of the profits…” etc. he finally agreed on a minimal fee of $150 per shoot. The editing along with DVD authoring and burning would be negotiable.

We shot three segments, but then got into the discussion of what he wanted for these stories. He didn’t want to edit out any of the 2-hours each segments, including the fluff-ups, … “oh, my… those are funny… the audience will love it…” …  “Uh, no, they won’t”… And he didn’t want to sit down and log the footage, “Just make it work…” So I edited the first one, gave him a nice clean DVD with pretty cover design and he took it to his next show and sold… one. For $3.00. Which the viewer returned a few hours later and demanded her money back.

My soon-to-be ex-client called last week and said, “Never mind, I don’t think this is going to work…”

Whew. Now back to that wedding-video-from-hell project that doesn’t want to transcode correctly for the DVD burn.

grrrrrrrrr….

So it’s been nearly a year since my car broke down and I had to start riding my bike to work.

I road for a full month before other life issues forced me to get back into a combustible engine. I did like riding, I hope to be able to start it up again. We had a few windy days that nearly blew me off my bike, but for the most part, I enjoyed the ride.

Today is a great day to ride, but yesterday it was pouring incredibly, and last night we had walnut-size hail hitting around town. Such is life in March in the Northern portion of the State of California.

I had to ride clear across town to the DMV  in a MAJOR windstorm, to get proper registration for my other car, which was registered as a non-op for 3 years. The “other” car is a 22-year old Alfa Romeo Graduate-Spider with only 72-thousand miles on it, I-kid-you-not! It’s a 2-seater convertible, so I can’t exactly cart my video gear around in it.

I finally dumped the German car that broke down, causing all my earlier drama. It’s a 1997 Audi A4 Quattro, an all-wheel-drive that really likes speed, and corners better than a Roller Derby Queen, but it also liked to spend more time in the shop than on the street. Between the two European cars, I had a whole one, but I didn’t want to put too much wear-n-tear on the Italian job, and I was afraid of the German vehicle’s expenses so I bought a new-to-me Honda Accord (2005). I like this one; it packs my video gear well and is kind on repair and gas.

I’ve been commissioned to shoot another wedding next week. Still camera, which is different for me. Video I know like a pro baseball player knows the feel of a bat in his hands, but still shooting has always been just a hobby for me.

Shooting video, I’ve run second cam for Brent or Ryan once in a while, which I like doing, but shooting a wedding solo can be a pain sometimes. Wedding videography can be a pretty lucrative business, but I tell you, some brides act as if they are the spawn of a demon on the days before the wedding. A good wedding planner can ease a bride’s drama, but sometimes brides and grooms just shoot themselves in the foot all on their own.

Trying to “bargain basement” the videographer or still photographer is not a good idea. I mean, after it’s over, for instance, who’s going to remember (or care) if the table cloths didn’t match the balloons, (I had a friend go ballistic on the caterer over this one time…) but if you have a poorly shot poorly produced video, you can’t redo the wedding to fix that. My hat is off to all of you wedding shooters out there, you do a great job, at great risk to your reputation if a bride goes over the deep end.

Well those are my musings for the week, it’s been awhile.

Did you ever play that summer camp game where someone starts a story and the next person has to continue the next chapter, followed by another storyteller, etc. until everyone has a chance to make up a chapter? Well, now you can do it with video, and maybe win a prize for your effort.

Sharp-eyed Videomaker reader, Allen Klosowski sent us a link to a cool new video contest that let’s you… or me… or Allen… or anyone, add to the story of a movie being produced.
Erik Luchauer and Kevin Antoine, the producers of Rootclip shoot the first chapter, and then it’s placed on the internet for video producer to submit their versions for the next chapter.

Luchauer adds, ” We at Rootclip produce the first chapter (a.k.a. The “root clip”) and users create chapters 2 through 6. The final chapter (chapter 6) is only eligible for submissions by the winners of chapters 2-5. I also hope to see some of your work on our site. We’re really trying to create a collaborative community and build up the excitement for a new generation of filmmakers. ”

After each consecutive chapter’s entries are in, the web audience votes on their favorite, which becomes the next official chapter, and then video producers start vying for the next chapter’s selection.

Winners of each chapter will get a $500 Visa card, and the final Chapter 6 winner gets to go to Traverse City Film Festival in Traverse City, Michigan, and meet the Rootclip creators, as well as filmmaker, Michael Moore.

It might be too late to enter this contest by the time our next issue goes to press, but check out the site for news about upcoming contests and challenges. Now THAT’s Community Sharing at it’s best!
www.knoxvillefilms.com/2008/05/rootclipcom-new-collaborative-short.html