Last weekend there was a little spring fair in my hometown and I decided to take my new 70D out for some practice with the movi in a movi ring.
This little (long) text is also about getting (little) opportunities.
(Trying to bring a little inspiration to people wondering where to start.)
I wanted to see whether it was doable to walk there on my own, with the gimbal stand in my backpack, and shoot for a few hours. Without the ring I can't really shoot hours on my own if I can't hang it on a stand in between the takes.
This part of the test succeeded: thanks to the movi ring around the gimbal I could take a rest by putting the gimbal down and letting the ring rest on a table or on the street while only having to keep it in balance. During longer breaks I could lock the ring between my feet and ankles, while getting the stand from my backpack. Once the stand was out on the floor I could really relax. (Remember: in my hometown I can't go to a fair without bumping into family and friends, so I 'had' to take a few breaks.
)
About the 70D: I'm pleasantly surprised!
I don't really like shooting with a DSLR, but this turned out ok.
The autofocus is pretty fast and the HD signal going to my monitor made it easier to judge the focus.
(My primary use will be shooting stills for timelapse, hyperlapse or just as single pictures.)
About getting experience and opportunities:
I know this is a pretty simple video, but lots of people (known and unknown to me) asked me what I was doing and why. (Okay, walking around with a gimbal looks even more mysterious
)
So if you are looking for something to practice filming, try accessible events like this to play around with your camera and get creative. At the event people (not everyone, but some) will notice what you are doing and since you aren't hired by anyone you can have a chat if you want. This can lead to unexpected opportunities like:
"Do you know blabla (s)he is also making videos/into filmmaking" so have some (business) cards ready or "do you also make promos?" (again: have your business cards ready!).
Afterwards, when you finished the video, the people who were there and the people who organised it will be happy to share the video. (Credit yourself!)
Changes that this kind of things will land you on a Hollywood set are very very small, but:
- you gained some extra experience (shooting and editing)
- you completed a video, so you have at least something to show
- you gain a little attention and that can open the door to new opportunities.
For me this little unpaid project I used to try some gear has brought me 2 new serious leads for paid projects.
(That might not be your ambition, but I do make videos for a living, so this is a nice potential bonus.)
Anyway: long story short: if you don't know where to start as filmmaker or corporate videoproducer: check the neighbourhood's agenda. Little stories are literally on the street
Did I make a masterpiece?
Is it a perfectly shot video?
No, but I think I did capture the vibe of the fair pretty well and the local online newssite did share it, just like a dozen facebook pages did.
(Okay, I'm not as good a proller as CF, but I hope this might inspire someone to not wait for the perfect camera, script and whatever )
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dAL4hOSJz4
This little (long) text is also about getting (little) opportunities.
(Trying to bring a little inspiration to people wondering where to start.)
I wanted to see whether it was doable to walk there on my own, with the gimbal stand in my backpack, and shoot for a few hours. Without the ring I can't really shoot hours on my own if I can't hang it on a stand in between the takes.
This part of the test succeeded: thanks to the movi ring around the gimbal I could take a rest by putting the gimbal down and letting the ring rest on a table or on the street while only having to keep it in balance. During longer breaks I could lock the ring between my feet and ankles, while getting the stand from my backpack. Once the stand was out on the floor I could really relax. (Remember: in my hometown I can't go to a fair without bumping into family and friends, so I 'had' to take a few breaks.
)About the 70D: I'm pleasantly surprised!
I don't really like shooting with a DSLR, but this turned out ok.
The autofocus is pretty fast and the HD signal going to my monitor made it easier to judge the focus.
(My primary use will be shooting stills for timelapse, hyperlapse or just as single pictures.)
About getting experience and opportunities:
I know this is a pretty simple video, but lots of people (known and unknown to me) asked me what I was doing and why. (Okay, walking around with a gimbal looks even more mysterious
) So if you are looking for something to practice filming, try accessible events like this to play around with your camera and get creative. At the event people (not everyone, but some) will notice what you are doing and since you aren't hired by anyone you can have a chat if you want. This can lead to unexpected opportunities like:
"Do you know blabla (s)he is also making videos/into filmmaking" so have some (business) cards ready or "do you also make promos?" (again: have your business cards ready!).
Afterwards, when you finished the video, the people who were there and the people who organised it will be happy to share the video. (Credit yourself!)
Changes that this kind of things will land you on a Hollywood set are very very small, but:
- you gained some extra experience (shooting and editing)
- you completed a video, so you have at least something to show
- you gain a little attention and that can open the door to new opportunities.
For me this little unpaid project I used to try some gear has brought me 2 new serious leads for paid projects.
(That might not be your ambition, but I do make videos for a living, so this is a nice potential bonus.)
Anyway: long story short: if you don't know where to start as filmmaker or corporate videoproducer: check the neighbourhood's agenda. Little stories are literally on the street
Did I make a masterpiece?
Is it a perfectly shot video?
No, but I think I did capture the vibe of the fair pretty well and the local online newssite did share it, just like a dozen facebook pages did.
(Okay, I'm not as good a proller as CF, but I hope this might inspire someone to not wait for the perfect camera, script and whatever
)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dAL4hOSJz4
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