Ok, I've been lurking in the shadows around here for a while now. Thought I'd finally take the time to introduce myself.
I'm Jeff, and I live in Nashville Tennessee. I've always had a passion for moviesp, and never cared much for watching sports (although I loved playing sports). To this day I'd rather watch a mediocre movie, then a good sporting event. A lot of my best childhood memories involved going to the movies. I spent 4 years in the Navy, after high school, and then worked in the night club business most of my adult life. About 8 or 9 years ago, my mother had given me a hi8 camera for christmas. I ended up using that camera to film 3 music videos for some friends. I edited those videos using some cheap consumer NLE program. But I soon became frustrated over the limitations of what I could do. I knew nothing about lighting, or how/why cameras do what they do. At that time I just thought I needed a better camera. That passion I had kind of got pushed to the side, cause I started doing well at my regular job (making incredible money). Just under 3 years ago all that changed, the owner of the business I had been running for 13 years, decided he had enough and sold it. I was unemployed, and at 37 was tired of the night club business.
One night a friend asked if I wanted to meet for dinner. She had her laptop with her (MacBook pro), and was editing together a wedding video, for her brother, that she had filmed. She knew I had once done those music videos, and asked if I'd take a look, and maybe offer some ideas. That meeting sparked my interest once again.
Over the next 2 years (from then until now) I've spent just about every free moment reading (books, websites, forums) on film making, and video production. I've put together a decent home editing system (8 core Mac Pro, final cut studio 3, adobe cs5, pro tools 9, with mbox pro, for mixing 5.1 audio). I'm still learning a lot about After Effects. But I've also spent a great deal of time learning about cameras, lighting, and production. I use to watch movies, and then get frustrated because I couldn't get my stuff to look any where close to what I was seeing. Movies always looked so dreamy, and mine was always so video'ish.
Once I finished my editing system (not 100% done, but close), I knew it was time to get something so I could actually film with. Did a lot of research (and saving). This past week my Sony fs100 arrived. I know I'm not a working professional, but I wanted something more then a dslr offered me. Truth be told, I had been saving. And waiting for the 5D mk3 to be announced/released, and I fell in love with the Sony. I'm currently only using eBay bought canon fd lens, but plan on a set of zeiss primes, as money permits.
I'm hoping to spend this winter learning the ins and outs of the Sony, while also writing. My goal is to film a short, worth submitting to festival next year. One thing I know about myself, when it comes to ideas and writing, I'm not necessarily the guy who thinks of the best ideas, but I'm great at taking an idea, and looking at it from every direction, and expanding on it. One of my goals, as far as writing goes, is to find one or two people to collaborate with.
I know this is a long post, but I'm excited to be at this point in my life I am. I feel like its never too late to try something new. I look forward to posting things, and getting feedback from everyone around here.
Jeff
This isn't something I filmed, but it's something I edited. I basically had no clue how to use final cut pro, and my friends asked me to take some footage they had, and make a promo video, to help them attract funding for a project. I know this isnt the screening room, just thought I'd add it as it was my first effort.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuT11Lcm2HA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
I'm Jeff, and I live in Nashville Tennessee. I've always had a passion for moviesp, and never cared much for watching sports (although I loved playing sports). To this day I'd rather watch a mediocre movie, then a good sporting event. A lot of my best childhood memories involved going to the movies. I spent 4 years in the Navy, after high school, and then worked in the night club business most of my adult life. About 8 or 9 years ago, my mother had given me a hi8 camera for christmas. I ended up using that camera to film 3 music videos for some friends. I edited those videos using some cheap consumer NLE program. But I soon became frustrated over the limitations of what I could do. I knew nothing about lighting, or how/why cameras do what they do. At that time I just thought I needed a better camera. That passion I had kind of got pushed to the side, cause I started doing well at my regular job (making incredible money). Just under 3 years ago all that changed, the owner of the business I had been running for 13 years, decided he had enough and sold it. I was unemployed, and at 37 was tired of the night club business.
One night a friend asked if I wanted to meet for dinner. She had her laptop with her (MacBook pro), and was editing together a wedding video, for her brother, that she had filmed. She knew I had once done those music videos, and asked if I'd take a look, and maybe offer some ideas. That meeting sparked my interest once again.
Over the next 2 years (from then until now) I've spent just about every free moment reading (books, websites, forums) on film making, and video production. I've put together a decent home editing system (8 core Mac Pro, final cut studio 3, adobe cs5, pro tools 9, with mbox pro, for mixing 5.1 audio). I'm still learning a lot about After Effects. But I've also spent a great deal of time learning about cameras, lighting, and production. I use to watch movies, and then get frustrated because I couldn't get my stuff to look any where close to what I was seeing. Movies always looked so dreamy, and mine was always so video'ish.
Once I finished my editing system (not 100% done, but close), I knew it was time to get something so I could actually film with. Did a lot of research (and saving). This past week my Sony fs100 arrived. I know I'm not a working professional, but I wanted something more then a dslr offered me. Truth be told, I had been saving. And waiting for the 5D mk3 to be announced/released, and I fell in love with the Sony. I'm currently only using eBay bought canon fd lens, but plan on a set of zeiss primes, as money permits.
I'm hoping to spend this winter learning the ins and outs of the Sony, while also writing. My goal is to film a short, worth submitting to festival next year. One thing I know about myself, when it comes to ideas and writing, I'm not necessarily the guy who thinks of the best ideas, but I'm great at taking an idea, and looking at it from every direction, and expanding on it. One of my goals, as far as writing goes, is to find one or two people to collaborate with.
I know this is a long post, but I'm excited to be at this point in my life I am. I feel like its never too late to try something new. I look forward to posting things, and getting feedback from everyone around here.
Jeff
This isn't something I filmed, but it's something I edited. I basically had no clue how to use final cut pro, and my friends asked me to take some footage they had, and make a promo video, to help them attract funding for a project. I know this isnt the screening room, just thought I'd add it as it was my first effort.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuT11Lcm2HA&feature=youtube_gdata_player
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