Image Video Services & Productions

Some year end thoughts for 2011

2011-12-21T07:23:00.000-08:00

My business is now approaching 7 years of full-time effort in video production. It amazes me how the pace of change has accelerated in this industry. I started out with XL2 video cameras shooting DV Standard Definition tape all edited on Final Cut Pro 3 on a huge Mac Pro tower. Today I sit in front of my 27" iMac all in one computer editing on Final Cut Pro 7 and soon to be Final Cut Pro X. We now use High Definition cameras with SDHC cards, no more tape. I have transitioned through 3 generations of cameras - SD to HD and now HD with large format sensors. We went from Canon Xl2 to JVC HM700 HD and now Sony HM100.

I ask myself ... was it worth the investment? Are the end products visually better, or have I simply embarked on some male testosterone driven need for the newest equipment? I really believe that our most recent camera, the Sony HM100 gives me an ability to tell stories that makes the learning curve worthwhile.

You see, it allows me to visually define what I want you to look at in an image. I can selectively blur backgrounds and make the subject of the image razor sharp. This technique is known as "bokeh". It's an impressive tool and I think it is the greatest advance in videography since we transitioned from tape to digital images.

We told some great stories 2011. You may recall an ad we did for the mysudbury campaign that ran all summer on CTV. It featured Sarah Craig and lots of stunning aerial footage. We also produced a series of TV ads for Girones lawyers that currently run on CTV during the news spots. The most enjoyable shoot was working the Beth Mairs at BAM North productions ... they keep me young and inspired.

Next year I am moving into documentary work to explore some personal topics of interest and you can follow that adventure on Facebook. I would like to wish our clients a blessed christmas and a successful new year.

Regards, Dan

Steady as She Goes!

2009-02-13T10:22:00.000-08:00

With my clients time is money; so, I am always looking for ways to get the best video in the shortest amount of time. The one technology that has interested me is the steadycam. The picture speaks more than 1000 words about this device. It is a spring loaded arm that absorbs all the motion of walking producing a smooth shot as you move. In hollywood this is standard equipment for big budget productions and best of all - I JUST GOT ONE!

I won't tell you how much I paid because I am still suffering greatly from the sticker shock, but I think the results will lessen the pain. So how does this benefit my clients?

It produces fabulous shots in difficult locations. When doing a plant tour, I go for a walk with the steady cam and tape the tour guide. It looks interesting, in focus, and very smooth. In outdoor locales it opens up a whole range of possibilities for action shots - everything from walking, running, in the back of vehicles and out of airplanes - all with fantastic results. Finally I get to move away from being tethered to a tripod and this means quicker shooting with better results for my clients. In combination with the Jib Crane, I can shoot locales just like hollywood does - but not at their price.

Oh by the way - that's not me in the picture!

The Elgin Street Mission

2008-11-14T21:45:00.000-08:00

Our company does some pro bono work for nonprofit groups and one of these is the Elgin Street Mission, located on Elgin Street in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. They are a unique organization because they support the poor and homeless with regular meals, a place to shower and clean up, and a place of safety - yet receive no government funding... go figure!

We came in with a small video crew to tape some interviews and put together a 6 minute video.This would be presented at a fund raising dinner and to corporate donors. The poor are considered a "hot button" news story and they have a lot of cameras pointed at them. As a result they have developed a distrust of video/film makers and I can't blame them, after all people have pride and who wants their face splashed over the news or in a video.

In one sense this distrust is a good thing, it means they want to change and find a way out of their circumstances. At any rate, Tammy, the administrator of the Elgin Street Mission had informed the patrons we were coming and gave assurances we would treat them with respect and show them in a positive light, so there was a good crowd.

We set up our crane, tripod and cameras and began to tape. By the end of the evening we had interviewed some patrons, volunteers and workers, and taken lots of b-roll of what goes on at the Mission. It was pretty crowded with all our technical gear but the people were gracious about the inconvenience.

The Elgin Street Mission is an uplifting place, not a place of fear and desperation. They look to improve the quality of life for the poor and they offer a strong spiritual component, which offers people hope regardless of the circumstances. When interviewing the patrons, if you can gain their trust, they are painfully honest. Life is pared back to survival and the mission is truly viewed as an anchor in their lives saving many of them from certain death.... heavy words. The most painful sight is the bulletin board for announcements. It is filled with death notices, cards of condolences and newspaper clippings. The poor need friendship and they feel sorrow just as we do when those friends pass on. The comradeship is evident in the street names they give to each other, "soupy", "skid", "cheech", "princess". When you meet the holders of these names they make a lot of sense.

Hope is felt in the spirit of the volunteers and patrons because, for now, they have a place to call home - the Elgin Street Mission.

It's quite a story and I was touched by the entire experience. If you want to see the video for yourself, go towww.imagevideo.ca/page8/page8.html