SOME PHOTOS FROM THE SHOOT

New Photo shoot with Flying Colors Apparel

I did a photo shoot with Flying Color Apparel today. We went down to this park near south beach. Dont remember the name of the park but Ive been there on other photo shoot. We were around there about 6:30(Golden hour) and we had a little time to waste. The sun was going down and we had plenty of clouds to deal with it.The day started rough with the first model running late, he end up not showing up at all. As soon as the other models arrived we rushed it. Alex once again help bounce any light we could get while Andy (President of Flying Colors) directed the look. At the second location we set up the models on top of these rock next the water. That where, as I was setting up the shoot, my right leg dropped into crack between the rocks. Unluckily for me a rusty jagged steel piece of metal cut form my knee up to my mid section of leg. After being helped out the hole and yelling some profanities, I sucked it up and continued with the shoot. Here is video that sums up everything.

Photos from the Flying colors shoot

So here are some of the photos I shot with Andy Guze. They turned out better then I expected. You can check more pictures and shirts on facebook at this link

Photo shoots and me: Flying Colors Shoot

Today was my second photo shoot with Mr. Andy Guze. The first one was about a week ago, Andy has been working on a t shirts line called Flying Colors and asked me to take some shots for his website. His brother, my friend and sound man Alex Alvarez helped with the bounce/shine board to reflect any light we had.Since we were shooting outdoors at Tropical Park Miami, we needed as much light as we could. I read online the day before that it could rain and was dreading it. Alex packed some rain cover just in case. Smart. We had 4 locations that Andy scouted. I wish I had a chance to check the location before we shot but I did get a bunch of test shots with Alex before the models arrived. Andy for the most part directed, I found it hard to describe a look I wanted.Its easier when im just describing the action in a motion picture then a still. Its still helps to convey what you want to your subject even if its just a word to make them smile. All and all the shoot went great and I am going to put some up on my blog soon. The you see are BTS shots of me, and Andy and our 2 models. Photos by Alex.

Things you should do and ask your video clients before taking a gig

As I grow as a videographer and freelance video editor,I learn things along the way of dealing with video clients. Its not easy being self employed because you're always on the hunt for the next job. You got to be fast and officiant in getting the project and executing it the way the clients wants it. To do this you got to know what your client wants.

1. How can I help you?
When a client calls me, I greet them and ask them about there project.Most people are calling to find out how much it cost for a shooting and editing. They mostly ask for a set price but I always asks for more details before quoting.

2.Have a pen and paper
More of a side note the a question to ask.I always have a note book handy to write things down. While the client is on the phone, I ask them to give me more detail of the project. Keep a good pen handy too. I cant tell you how many time I've gone with out a pen or it ran out of ink. Keep one around, trust me.

3. Whats the job and what do I need?
If there is production(shooting), what kind is it? Am I doing an interview, shooting an event or product etc. What equipment is needed?(Camera(s), Lights,Microphones) Do you need the media in HD or Stander def? How long do you need me to shoot in the day?(4 hours or 8 hours). These things are important to find out. You must know what you are getting your self in to, what you you need to do it, and how long it will take to do it. Otherwise you maybe under biding the cost of your time and the cost of equipment.

4. Will you need editing?
Production is one thing but what if the client wants a finished edited project? Again, details are key. If a client wants you do post production then you got to find out how long the video need to be? Will it be a 5 min summery of the event or with be one full hour? Will there be animation needed or information in text? Will you be providing music for background or will I have to create it? Asking these questions will help in determining how much of your time you're going to dedicate to this project. Editing is a complex thing and you should know everything that the client requires.

5.How will I deliver the media?
Its a good idea to ask how you are getting this video to your clients hands. Sometime I get call from a company out in New York or California who need their video shot and sent over to them. There are many ways in delivering the content. You can send it the old fashion way by sending a Hard drive or burning a mess load of dvds with the data on but you have to consider the cost of buying and shipping these things out. You should talk to your client about that if they really want the shipments, so you can bill them and add that to your budget. Now adays there are sites that can send huge HD video via email so they can download it directly to their computer or post production house. There is also Zip filing your videos.This save you alot of shipping cost and is a lot faster then regular mail.

5. Update them on results
When I'm hire to do production and editing, a lot of my clients would like to see how things are coming along. I like to show results as soon as I can and getting their input as soon as possible. I do this is by compressing a smaller version of the video(sometimes with time code) and upload to my Drop-box account (check dropbox.com ) then send a link to my client. This way I can leave the link for a short time and not go public with the project.

6.Contracts
I can't stress this enough. Get every thing on paper!!! Contracts insure that an agreement was made between you and your clients for the sum of whatever price. This will protect you and prove that you were hired to do the job. I recommend you get this signed and in your hands before you do any job. If they don't get it before the gig, then don't take the job.

I think I covered everything. Hope this advice works for you readers. Comment and let me know if theres something I should add on my list. Peace.

Why Burning HD DVDs from Final Cut is useless

Some time ago, I ran in to a little issue when a client wanted their video project to be burned on Blu Ray. Prior to taking the job, I told my client that I don't do Blu Ray because not many people have asked. Plus I didn't own a Blu Ray burner to begin with but he insisted that he would take care of it. The other reason I dont do Blu Ray is that Final Cut doesn't really have Blu Ray setting, at least my vision of Final Cut Pro 6.06. Ive seen tutorials on youtube that shows that the Final Cut 7 does have the capability of burning on to Blu Ray. But since I don't have that vison, I have to work with what I got. I figured that Id just have to burn it on HD DVD in Apples Compressor. After encoding and properly adding setting thru Apples DVD Studio, I burned the video on a DVD +R.
Once burned, I played the dvd on the computer. It looked great.
Everything went smoothly, or so I thought anyways. I ejected the disk and tried to play it on a normal dvd player. It would not play. ERROR in big letter pop on my TV screen and I didn't know why. It worked just fine on the computer, it should work on the dvd player. I tried to investigate this problem on the web, hoping to find an answer. I found that I wasn't the only video editor with the same ERROR on his screen. With no defining answer on the internet, I turned to a close friend, fellow video editor and all around techy dude. He told me that HD DVD is not gonna work because Im not playing it on an HD DVD Player. Makes senes.
My friend then went on and told me that the HD DVD would not work on Blu Ray either. Since Blu Ray won the war of HD Disk format,HD DVD players have gone extinct and very few of them are in stores. "FUCK!" I thought to myself. So what can I do?
Well I could upgrade to Final Cut 7 but Im broke and in need of cheaper solution. I do have though Toast Titanium, which does burn Blu Ray. I needed to upgrade the vision but it only cost $20 bucks.Here is a link to the steps http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3IDhivbu8k. Not bad. Still buying a Blu Ray burner and Blu Ray Disks costly. Like I said it is rare that my clients ask for it. Also the way things are going most people want their HD video uploaded on to the web, to be displayed to the rest of the world.