What type of videomaker are you?

[ARichards]

Just wondering about the sort of video enthusiasts that frequent these boards. Are you guys narrative videomakers, documentarians, industrial, event, or hobbiests?

Me, I’m into narrative.

take care,

Allen

[Anonymous]

Corporate training for work. Maybe 10 to 15% of my work.

Short [like 5 to 10 minute max] "movies" and animations for fun.

I did stills for a wedding once and I’ll never do that again. Ever.
For those bread and butter wedding shooters – you all have my total respect!!!

[Endeavor]

I do weddings full time and I love it! What was it about weddings you didn’t like? I love it because everyone is dressed their best, everything is all decorated, I can’t think of a better job to have. I figure I get to have fun for a living!

(and by the way, depending on who you ask, it can be pretty good money too)

I have worked in TV News as well and it was pretty fun but the money was a scam. After a while I decided that I wanted to be in control of not only how much I make but every other aspect of the production as well. I’m so glad I didn’t stay in TV.

[Anonymous]

Amatuer videomaker.
I do mostly narrative: Western, spy, and scifi. I think all have been comedies (and usually intentional). 😀
Ken Hull

[Anonymous]

Although video is not my primary line of work, I wish it was. I do event recording (weddings, live bands, music videos, etc), editing, DVD authoring for myself and another production company, graphic design, and disc duplication in central Massachusetts. I also do from time to time short movies. In fact, in 2004 I was the primary cameraman on an independent tv series called "CREEPS". Its a b/w comedy horror show (like the Munsters and Addams family). If you go to YouTube and type "CREEPSTV" in the search, you’ll find a few clips from the show, (only the B/W stuff labeled Creeps is mine). Its low budget. We were hoping some major tv company might give the idea a chance but that hasn’t happened. We did sign a dead with Troma but those guys are so screwed up, nothing ever happened. We had a new person working on our deal every month. They must have a revolving front door with the amount of employees they go through.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=creepstv&search=Search

[ralck]

I’m a student (actually, my official major is Computer Engineering, but my school, RIT, has a film department, so I take a few classes from there). I’m mostly into doing indie stuff (I guess that would be narrative?), and a bit of documentary stuff. If I buy a car by the end of the summer, then I’ll offer local bands and such my services to make music videos and such. Oh, and I’ve also dabbled a tiny bit in some formalistic stuff (not really sure what category that would be under).

So I guess I’m all over the place as far as what kind of videographer I am. I have never done, and don’t plan to do in the near future any wedding work because I don’t think I’m talented enough to do that kind of stuff (my docu work hasn’t been very good at all). Also, I only have one camera at present, and while a talented person could do it with one camera, it’s not really fair to the bride and groom to limit them to only that.

I’m mainly still learning, but having so much fun doing it. If I could, I would do this as a living, but the Comp. Eng. thing is my ‘backup plan.’

I’d just like to say, this is a really cool question to find out what people specifically do. I think, though, that no matter what kind of video you do, as long as you enjoy doing it and are respectful of the people/places you are filming, then it’s great. And it’s also really cool how forums like this allow us videographers to get together and collaborate to make the artform better and increase what we are all capable of. Excellent question, ARichards, and excellent forum, Videomaker!

[ARichards]

ralck Wrote:

I’d just like to say, this is a really cool question to find out what people specifically do. I think, though, that no matter what kind of video you do, as long as you enjoy doing it and are respectful of the people/places you are filming, then it’s great. And it’s also really cool how forums like this allow us videographers to get together and collaborate to make the artform better and increase what we are all capable of. Excellent question, ARichards, and excellent forum, Videomaker!

Thanks for the kind words. I’m all about networking and getting to know people on these online communites. If you have a problem, you know who to go to directly.

[Anonymous]

Wow, this is a great thread. Thanks for starting it, ARichards.

Outside of Videomaker Magazine I mainly make documentaries. In fact, I had the great pleasure of working on more than a dozen mini-docs in the past year. My stories are typically based around youth culture. Locally, I like making action sports videos for friends and family. These projects always seem to take me into unexpected and challenging places.

Inside Videomaker, my main videomaking involves helping with a weekly vidcast. I’m also finishing up some special projects that you’ll be able to see very soon 😉

Best,
Andrew Burke

[Anonymous]

Live to tape studio shows
Live News
Field produced shows (both single-cam and multi-cam)
In the past, I have worked on spots, trade-show infomercials, and documentaries.

Mostly, I’m a crazy tech 8)

[birdcat]

Amateur mostly – Doing some corporate video (more and more as of late for the company that employs me for computer stuff) – Also do lots of volunteer stuff for non-profits (mostly cancer related but others as well).

Have done one wedding (shot and edited, just editing on another very soon). Have done several "Love Story" type video slideshows (Bat Mitzvah, wedding, memorials, etc…).

Also do a lot of family stuff (vacation vids, recitals, stuff like that).

Bottom line is I really love this and am hoping it will segue myself back into this type of profession (used to be a pro photog – a couple of lifetimes ago).

[ARichards]

chicoab3 Wrote:

Wow, this is a great thread. Thanks for starting it, ARichards.

No worries, I hope we can keep it going. I enjoy finding out who I’m networking with.

take care,

Allen

[SpencerStewart]

Thanks again for a cool thread. It’s always cool to see what the people on here are up to.

For me, I’m a student, and I like producing narratives, documentaries, and some, uhh random videos with my friends.
I’ve been using the Canon XL2 and GL2 (and when I have to, a ZR200), editing with Final Cut Express.

As for the future, I would like to be involved in Hollywood, however likely that may be. I’m looking to go to Chapman or USC.
For a career… haha, I’m hoping to be a director or DP, but I’ll be happy doing anything for Cinema.

[moglepro]

-Short training videos w/ PC captures & narratives.
-Promo videos for an audio company I work at, and promo videos for a local youth camp.
-Short advertisements.
-Audio recording

I would like to get more into amateur film making, but I need more high quality equipment first. For the most part I am pretty unexperienced but I’m learning a lot here 😀

[videolab]

I am a marketing broadcast designer for a FOX/ ABC affiliate. In my spare time I am trying to produce some 2d animation and a documentary.

[Ryan3078]

Amateur. I started out doing the action stuff with friends, but have gotten into effects work as well. I am currently editing some documentaries that I shot, and have just done my 3rd wedding.

[mfederico]

This is a great way to find out what others do…
I’m off and running doing weddings and special events. I love the editing part of it as it brings out
my creativity. I have a real job where I sit most of the day, even tho I love what I do, it’s good to have something else a little more challenging and fun. THe rewards are when I show the wedding
to a living room full of of family or friends, the compliments. And when someone says,"WOW! I can’t believe what you did with this! Its awesome!" All the hard work and hours until 3am is worth it.
For anyone looking to do more networking, go on line and look for a videographers association.
I did and I cant tell you how much they helped me!

[matjusm]

I love editing and have been into it for about a year now. I specialize in fanmade trailers but also do some other stuff as well.

[ARichards]

I guess I should have asked for people to post links to their work.

take care,

Allen
B-Independent.com

[Ryan3078]

^ In that case…

http://www.youtube.com/ryan3078

[push-play]

I’ve done weddings, slide shows, and video transfers. I’m trying to get away from weddings and incorporate documentaries and coporate shorts into my arsenal. Also I encourage all to add web dev to your arsenal. The web is a good place to publish your talents.

[Anonymous]

push-play Wrote:

Also I encourage all to add web dev to your arsenal. The web is a good place to publish your talents.

Very true indeed.

I started out in stills [35mm and 6×7] then I started web design and video soon followed because it was just a natural flow to me.
I made training programs [paper printouts] for work which included many of my stills but I soon saw how using the web [intranet] could open things up and because moving images are more natural than stills for training, it was the logical move to make.
Now I make interactive standalone programs using everything from XML, .NET, Flash, stills, video and the kitchen sink.

Even without the need for interactivity the web is opening the floodgates for truly independent filmmakers and large studios are using the web to reach a larger base as well.

If you can’t see the open format the web is and how it’s moving towards a more "interactive – TV" type format…. you’re not looking.

The key I think is to really hone the creative side because video making will become as common as writing so only the good stuff will become memorable and not just more YouTube fodder.

[dave44]

I produce a weekly news broadcast for my company. The broadcast is between 5 and 10 minutes long and is delivered every Monday morning at 5:30 AM through our intranet. It is currently my primary occupation although I also produce specials generally emulating television news programs like 60 Minutes or television magazines like 20/20 or Dateline. Those are a bit longer in length…20 minutes.

I handle everything from soup to nuts. Write, direct, produce, lighting, sound, camera, editing, graphic production (both 2D and 3D), publishing software and distribution. The only thing I don’t do is produce the theme music for the news broadcast.

It is great fun! And they pay me for it!

[Anonymous]

Dave,

If you ever lose your mind and leave that job (for insanity is about the only reason I can think that anyone would leave a position like that) you need to get them to send me an application, okay? X-D

[bobo1203]

hi its really great to see so many videographers here, i am from macau, if anyone knows where that is, ahha

anyways, i just started working as a freelance videographer, got a documentary series for a local TV channel lately, and will be doing some corp video in china, besides, i will be filming some MV and shorts just for my own pleasure and to build up my folio.

[spastic]

Hi gang, I’ve been shooting event videos for my boss for 7 years now, we sell high performance cars, Cobra, GT 40, Daytona Coupes and we have driving instruction events for our owners. I shoot and edit the whole deal. It pays for my software, Adobe CS 3. I refuse to do weddings ( I’ve only shot my boss’ wedding). Hope to get REAL camera soon. The consumer level stuff just doesn’t doesn’t cut it anymore.

[Anonymous]

bobo1203 Wrote:

i am from macau, if anyone knows where that is, .

I didn’t but do now. Off the coast of China. (Its easy to look smart as long as Google is your friend)

[airtime143]

I began shooting and editing as a sports training tool, and began to enjoy the process of editing itself.

I spend my summers wakeboarding, and reviewing video and making adjustments is a great training tool.

Since I have to enlist the help of my friends to hold a camera for me, I began putting together clips of them riding to music of thier choice as a thank you. Nowadays, the yearly video has become a beloved part of our offseason.

[Author]

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