After neglecting my sad Blogisphere for so long I thought I would finally get back to posting some interesting items for those of us who are new to the film creation/post production industry. It seems as though there will finally be an After Effects User group for Portland! I am particularly excited about this because it gives me a chance to get connected with a large group of Portland Natives who are interested (and may actually have paying work with) the motion graphic industry. The first meeting seems like it’s going to be amazing with several amazing speakers from this area and there is rumored to be beer there. Who doesn’t like discussing after effects and drinking? My two favorite things. Which leads me to an interesting topic: As an amateur, getting involved with User groups or any sort of group is the best thing an inexperienced compositor/editor could do.
As a sophmore at the University of Oregon I had a bit of luck stumbling into the UFO (University Film Organization - http://www.youtube.com/user/UFilmOrganization ). There I met some friends, learned about alot of interesting facets about making films and actually got to experience a wide variety of post production. Best part about getting involved in a group is that you get to constantly find and discuss new things your learning and hear from people who have something to teach you. There is nothing more frustrating then sitting in front of your computer, by yourself, spinning your wheels, trying to come up with a creative and visual stimulating solution to a problem. Sure you could ask Google. But the inspiration and innovation you can gain from listening to how other solved the same problem is the best way to learn and grow in whatever industry your interested in.
Here is an amazing video by Vincent Laforet, Stu Maschwitz, and David Nelson using a prototype Canon EOS 1D Mark IV cameras and only the available light. For anyone who has tried to light a scene can understand the awesomeness of this video.
As a total amateur film maker/editor/compositor/expert at life I have made the same mistake again and again. No one thinks about post production when filming. In school, post production was just another step to reach the finish line of a project but what they didn’t tell me is that post production is something that needs to be considered far before any actual production begins. When I create films with a group of fellow future film makers I end up with tons of footage of varying sizes, types, color and am expected to create a something that looks like a professional feature film. Don’t get me wrong, I am right there, on set, looking at a shot and saying “Well we can color correct that in post” or “We can fix that in post”. After many hours of trying to fix footage that was shot with the idea of “fixing it in post” and talking with Eric Escobar, I have finally concluded that having it “fixed in post” is NEVER a good idea. This may sound like common sense to most of you but you would be surprised how many writers/directors/producers, who have never done any post work, will say this on set when faced with a problem.
Eric Escobar gave a presentation at the SlamDance Film Festival in Park City, Utah about how to shoot for post production. Here is the video from RG TV on Vimeo:
I have linked my twitter, vimeo and facebook to this blog. My blog links to my vimeo and twitter (working on facebook
I seem to be stuck in an infinate circle that is the interwebs. It’s an interesting place to be. I never went to school to be a compositer, my degree is in Digital Arts (a glorified bachelor degree in photoshop). But I learn a new animation trick or after effects short cut or new link to an amazing bit of motion graphics everyday. What they don’t tell you when your in school is that once you graduate (if you keep your ears open) you learn 10x more in a job or working on your own projects then you would ever learn in school. There is this gap forming between the people who go to school to learn animation or compositing or editing and the people (like me) who didn’t have the means to go to a school like that but still have the passion for these skills none the less. So I make films with my friends. I get my hands dirty and grasp at any chance I get to figure out how to get closer to looking like a professional. I have all the ambition and motivation, I just lack the skills. But that is where the internet comes in. If I am stuck on how to get my AVCHD footage into FCP I turn to google or the apple forums or creative cow, the possibility and variety of answers are endless. Sure I have to shlog through some crappy questions and incorrect workflows but the information you can find is amazing.
So in an effort keep myself motivated enough to keep this blog updated I am going to put up the problems and solutions I run into everyday as a young professional, trying to break into the animation/compositing/editing industry. And hopefully get a little more useful information out into the interwebs to help people who are just looking for some answers.
And an excellent animated history of the internet for your enjoyment. Seriously some sweet animation!
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