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There’s just so much to learn, and so much to do, and to be honest, it can do your head in!

But it doesn’t have to be that way…

Powerful online video marketer, Gideon Shalwick, is running a brand new LIVE webinar where he shows you *exactly* what he does to outsource MOST of his online video work.

Click here for more details about it.

I’ve followed Gideon for the last couple of years and purchased some of his online products. This guy knows what he’s talking about. He walks his talk. And I’ve been pleased enough with his products to recommend him to personal friends and colleagues.

Gideon tells me that he’ll be revealing a secret technology that he and his outsourcing expert friend discovered – a technology that can speed up your whole video production process to levels most people only dream about!

So, as Gideon would say, you’re keen to join the webinar, go check it out here

Don’t forget to mark this date in your calendar for when the webinar will take place:

- Tuesday, Sept 14, 8pm EDT (USA)

If it’s anything like his other webinars, it’s going to ROCK!

PS: Make sure you watch Gideon’s whole video because he reveals a pretty shocking surprise at the end that you won’t want to miss.

“I just got a T2i kit (18-55mm). I also got a zoom lens (EF-S 55-250mm) and I considering buying some more equipment. I’m a high-end amateur photographer and in the past years fell in love with video editing too. I use to do my short movies on my Canon HV-10, but I always missed some of the more advanced options (such as a mic input). I plan to shoot most of my videos on the T2i now and I was wondering if I should invest in an mic + ext sound recorder or mic + prime lens? The options I’m considering are “Azden SMX-10 + Zoom h2″ or “Azden SMX-10 + Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II”

Interesting question! Plugging any microphone directly into the Canon T2i is going to result in an audio track that is noisy and poor quality. I’ve tried it and, from my point of view, it’s not usable audio for anything more than a reference track.

Plus, any microphone mounted on the camera will not capture the sound of your talent several feet away. The microphone needs to be as close to the talent as possible. So the Azden SMX-10 into the Canon T2i is not a good choice.

The 18-55mm kit lens and the EF-S 55-250mm will not shoot good video in low light. My recommendation would be to go for the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II prime lens for low light video.

For a recorder/stereo microphone I would get the new Zoom H1, which includes a nice stereo mic built-in plus has a 1/8″ microphone input, “VU” meters, and a headphone jack for $99.

I would also recommend a wired lavalier microphone like the Audio-Technica ATR-35S for $29. Plug it directly into the H1 hit the record button and drop the H1 into your talent’s pocket just like you would with a wireless transmitter. You’ll get great sound with no wireless interference.

The Zoom H1, Audio-Technica ATR-35S and Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II will cost around USD $240 total. All three for less than the cost of the Azden SMX-10 and the Zoom H2. You’ll get high quality audio and a prime lens for low light video.

Just keep the mic as close to the source of the sound as possible and check everything with headphones or ear-buds.

-a-

BTW (by the way) to VJ/PJ (video journalist – photo journalist) you can add MJ for multimedia journalist to the list. Now you’ve got all the ingredients for the alphabet soup that signifies the chaos in this market segment right now.

Anyway, Jonathan took the sane position that Laforet had simply given the VJ/PJ/MJ community permission to use standard video camcorders if that suited their purpose best.

Ah… one of my favorite strategies – use the right tool for the job.

As it has been said – if all you have is a hammer everything looks like a nail.

I love taking cutting edge tech and using it on traditional marketing and communication programs.

But one of the key rules of that game is being able to see what is right for the situation and having the sanity to do just that.

Have you heard of Occam’s razor?

It goes like this…

entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem

In English that says “entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity.”

In plain English that means the simplest solution is usually the correct one.

For Jonathan, the simplest solution is a DSLR shooting stills and video. He’s in remote parts of the world, shooting by himself with no crew, without an AC outlet for miles, sometimes having to carry his entire kit in a pack on his back as he walks in where no Land Rover can get.

Add in his photographic experience and eye for stunning images and it’s no wonder he gladly traded traditional video camcorders for a DSLR and a couple of good lenses.

Laforet, on the other hand, is likely to find the simplest solution to be a bit different. He’s used to working with a full crew and all the high-end equipment a Canon-sponsored superstar could ask for. I mean, he’s the one in the video above – not Jonathan.

Just to be fair, here’s one of Jonathan’s videos. He’s a man on a mission and brings all his passion to his profession.

What’s the take away for you here?

In golf there is a strategy of “playing your game”. So every guy in your group pulls out a driver with a head the size of a grapefruit and swings with everything he’s got. And they all end up in the crap – sand, water, woods, deep grass.

You pull out your favorite 5 iron and pop one 200 yards down the middle. Guess who will win more often?

Here’s a more relevant situation.

You’re checking the lighting and notice that you need more fill. You could grab a light, a stand, an AC cable, a couple of clips and some diffusion material. Or you could slide a reflector over and lean it up against the wall. Which is simpler?

The danger in this strategy is getting stuck and watching the evolving world pass you by.

I believe the key is finding a way to try new technology that is sane. Here are some ways to do that.

• Adopt the mindset of a beginner – be easy with yourself and laugh at your mistakes.
• Learn everything you can from every source available – even people who are negative about new tech have a perspective worth considering.
• Choose wisely when to step into direct experience – spend the time and money to practice, do dry runs, rehearsals, and test shoots.
• Always have a plan B – if the timing/budget are critical or your reputation is on the line take it to another level and have a plan C.

How are you making the choice of which technology to use? Let me know…

-a-

What’s the right way to create this shot?

How do I get better sound?

I don’t know what your question is but I’m sure you have more than one. I promise that I will answer your question whether I know the answer or have to find someone else who knows the answer.

So click here and ask away!

Here’s a complete workflow that will get your Canon 5D Mark II footage into Final Cut Pro using tools in Final Cut Studio. And the best part is that it’s free!

DSLR cameras like the Canon 5D Mark II create video files in a format that is great for recording video. Most use some flavor of H.264 which is highly compressed. Besides being great for recording it’s also great for delivering your video on the web. You can burn a Blu-Ray DVD directly with an H.264 file as well.

But the compression scheme used in this format does not edit well.

To edit video you want to have every frame of the video available. Highly compressed formats like H.264 use algorithms that toss some data that can be restored later.

If you try to edit H.264 in Final Cut your transitions may be weird (if they work at all) and you will have to render the timeline after every change. You’ll lose most of the real time effects as well.

The solution is simple. Transcode the highly compressed H.264 files from your DSLR into ProRes files that FCP loves.

But the work flow to do this can be cumbersome. That’s where this great tool from idustrialrevolution.com comes in so handy.

Here’s how their system works:

This unique workflow package allows the user to choose to edit in 1080p, 1080i or straight to standard definition 16×9 25fps. Custom droplets give one click access to compressor that will convert the H264 files into ProRes for editing. The user also has a choice whether to make the clip realtime (i.e. 30fps to 25fps) or timestretch so that one frame in 30fps is one frame in 25fps. This will result in a slowdown of 20% for pin-sharp results.

Compressor droplets are supplied to get the final 1080p/i self contained movie into standard definition 16×9 too.

An easy to follow workflow diagram helps plot the conversions needed to get the best quality from a Canon camera’s HD output.

The new 1.1 version includes support for FCS3 Compressor 3.5. But will it work with footage from a Canon 7D or T2i?

These droplets will process any H.264 video into Pro Res so you should be okay. And the workflow details will help if you decide you want to create your own droplets with specific transcoding features to match your needs.

Download this free tool, check it out and let me know how it works for you.

-a-

PS – check out their other great tools while you’re there…

Click here to sign up now.

If you don’t know who Vincent Laforet is then here’s the short story. He’s the guy who shot the first HD video using a Canon 5D Mark II camera. A successful high end New York photographer, Vincent added a top notch pro crew for the shoot to create an amazing film that set off this whole DSLR HD fire storm.

It should be an amazing training from a true master.

If you can’t make it to Seattle to be in the room you can watch it for free on the web. If you can’t watch if on the web you can download all the training for $79 – if you buy it now. It will cost $129 after the training is complete.

Course Information

• Course: An introduction to HDDSLR Cinema.
• Instructor: Vincent Laforet
• Dates: Friday, April 30 – Sunday, May 2

In this course, first time filmmakers and photographers making the transition into video will be introduced to many of the core building blocks necessary to make their first short films.

Vincent will discuss a small amount of cinema theory and we will also look into different types of gear that will allow you to pull off more consistent results with HDDSLR Cameras.

We will explore the use of a variety of lenses, fluid heads, external monitors, follow focus units, JIBs and Sliders . Students will come away from this online workshop with a good understanding of what tools they need for their productions, and when and how to best use them.

Read Vincent’s Blog: HDDSLR Cinema Workshop

Or just signup now.

Video shooters are just the opposite. The rule is “protect your highlights”. And that’s where shooting video with a DSLR can make a huge difference.

One of the benefits of a DSLR is the low light capabilities. If you’re having to close the f-stop on the camera to handle a bright area in the frame a regular camcorder will likely lose all resolution in the darker areas. Things will just go black.

Open up the exposure to so you can see the detail in the low light areas and you blow out the white areas that are over lit.

Yes, you may want to work on your lighting to reduce this problem. And, if you’re working outside you’ll need good ND filters to cut the light hitting the lens to a manageable level.

The question is… how far down can you take it before you lose the shot?

Here’s a link to a set of tests showing the results of over and under exposing a standard test chart. The camera is a Panasonic DVX-100, a mid-level HD camcorder introduced a few years ago.

http://www.dancoplan.com/articles/exposing_video.html

The chart was shot with fairly even lighting and exposure was set using a waveform monitor to ensure the blacks and whites were at spec. Then the exposure was opened up 2 stops and closed down 2 stops. The results are easy to see and confirm the street wisdom – better to be under exposed than over.

While the test above shows still captured from a video and uses a Panasonic HD camcorder, this test shows actual video from a Canon 5D Mark II shooting a similar test chart.

Canon 5D Mark II – Over and Under Exposure Tests from Ben Cain / Negative Spaces on Vimeo.

While you can see most of the results here, I suggest going to Vimeo and downloading the video to view in full resolution on your computer to really see what’s going on.

The results are similar. At +2 stops the gray scale is totally blown out at the white end. At -2 stops the scale is pretty well gone at the black end. In other words, both the 5D and the DVX-100 give about 5 stops of exposure in the real world before the image is unusable.

To my eye the 5D held up better on overexposure than the DVX-100 so the street wisdom is not perfectly true. I’d still rather be on the low side if I have to choose one or the other.

Neither of these test are perfect – we don’t know how the cameras were setup and other technical details. The blog with information about the 5D test says that he dropped the saturation and contrast. Some people prefer taking it even further to a super flat setup. That would certainly affect the outcome of this test.

Ultimately, the only test that really matters is what happens with your camera, your lighting and your production. Hopefully, you’ll take some time to run a few tests for yourself to see what works for you. Here’s a simple test showing a Canon 7D working pretty well at -4 stops. Impressive.

Canon 7D latitude/exposure test from Seth Johnson on Vimeo.

One of the great things about shooting video with a DSLR camera is that you can capture great images in much lower light than regular video camcorders. That doesn’t mean you shoot in the dark just for fun, it means you can use more subtle light and create images that are more intriguing.

Here are some tips to help you learn to do this.

A recent article on dv.com documents a low budget shoot where the lighting shifted radically during the production in an apartment. The sun was up and flowing through the windows when they started but it was pretty dark outside by the time they were finished.

Unfortunately, the scene they were shooting was supposed to take place in a fairly short period of time. The lighting needed to be consistent through the entire scene.

It always takes longer to shoot a scene that the scene takes to watch in real life. If you’re shooting where the sun is a factor you have to find ways to deal with this situation. If you’re indoors, like in this example, it’s much easier to handle the changing light than if you’re on a full outdoor set.

The scene was being shot on a Canon 7D so shooting in low light was no problem. Simulating the sunlight was another issue.

As the article details, the most important thing is to have a clear idea of where the sun should be in all the shots. Sunlight is almost always the strongest light in the frame and everyone will notice if the sun suddenly shifts from one side to the other or if the color or angle of the sun light shifts between cuts.

You can always grab a quick still of the first setup and use that as a base line for the lighting. You can also make a lighting diagram or even play back a clip for comparison. The closer you get all the shots to match the same lighting, the easier time you’ll have in post production.

Another great thing about simulating sunlight indoors is that the light is rarely direct in the scene. The sun bounces off walls, floors and ceilings. It comes through drapes or curtains and gets filtered by plants and trees outside of windows.

Rather than a standard three-point lighting with the lights directly hitting the subject, you can simulate the effects of sunlight with bounce boards or by bouncing light off of existing walls.

Finally, there is always a color difference between sunlight and electric lights inside a room. You can use gels and filters on the lights to reproduce the difference in the color temperatures. But the interesting thing is to go against reality and make the sunlight warmer than the indoor light.

Subjectively we all think of sunlight as a warm golden glow when it’s actually much more blue than the typical light bulb. Notice the shot above, though, and you’ll see it look more like sunlight because it’s so warm. Remember, this is art, not a physics demonstration!

Take a moment and read the whole article, it’s worth absorbing how they solved the problem of fading daylight and turned it to their advantage.

http://www.dv.com/article/92462

And what kept coming up to me was the importance of a basic business fundamental. How do you make sure you get paid?

One of the things I’ve learned is that successful producers, directors, cinematographers and others in this business have to learn to balance their art and their craft.

Part of the craft is handling their business like a business. I’ve met more successful people that were great at business and just above average on the creativity level than the reverse. That’s why we have the stereotype of the starving artist.

I remember a story a friend of mine told me. He is a very successful oil painter. But back in the days when he was struggling to pay the rent he showed up at an opening of his work in a new gallery.

He overheard an older couple talking about one of his paintings. She wanted it. He wasn’t too sure.

He gathered himself together and headed over to introduce himself. People are always more likely to buy art if they have a personal interaction with the artist.

He glanced at the price tag on the painting as he came up behind the couple and noticed that the price was $3,000. It was supposed to be $300. He was about to interrupt their discussion and let them know about the mistake when he heard the man say, “Well, it must be worth it or they couldn’t charge that much money.”

Not only did that couple buy the painting, he sold the same number of paintings that night as he did at an average gallery opening. But he made ten times as much. It was a defining moment in his career.

I’ve had moments like that myself when I realized the truth of the sign on the wall in my studio.

This is not a rehearsal.

We are professionals.

This is the big time.

And that is another story.

It’s possible that you can be successful in the video business by marking up various line items in the budget. But the real profit comes from the charges that are above the line – charges for the creative side of the production business.

Unless you are working with a client that is looking for pure production services only and demands to see your full line item budget, you’ll likely hand the client the only first page of your budget. And that should be the last page in your proposal.

This is where you move ahead of the pack, where you begin to get paid for the value you add more than just your ability to set up lights, point a camera and deliver an edited video.

As I mention in the video, you need to understand what this project is worth to your client. And you need to understand how that client values investments like this project.

But the most important thing is how you value yourself. What is this worth to you?

This goes way beyond the usual video production budget line items. At this level your client does not care which camera you use or which cool post-production technique you added. What they care about is simple – does this project do the job they expected?

Beyond knowing about your client and your own values you have to know the real return on investment the client expects.

I just saw the web site for a wedding video company. I don’t know much about that part of the production business but I could easily see that this company understands how they and their clients value their services. They specialize in weddings in exotic locations and put their pricing right on the site – local packages range from $10,000 to $19,000. On location packages start at $19,000.

They also are clear about the services they offer but more importantly they demonstrate how they feel about their work on the site. I’m not getting married (whew!) but this company had me in seconds and I looked through every section of the site. They know how to tell their story and I believe they know how to tell the story of their client’s wedding beatifully and uniquely.

The return on the investment from hiring this company is a moving love story starring the happy couple.

That’s value beyond the budget. No line items, no discounts. And that’s what happens when you spend time figuring out what it’s worth.