Week 10 Photo Challenge: Professional Networking Event

I would consider myself a people-person. When in a new group of people, I usually try to break the ice with my sense of humor and make an effort to talk to everyone that is around. I attended First Friday in September downtown. My first stop was Blackbird Studios. A friend of mines boyfriend’s brother was debuting his work there. Sadly, by the time I got there, they were gone, but there was still plenty of art to be seen and plenty of people to talk to. As I entered the gallery, there was a colorful array of charcoal art on multi-colored paper. I was fond of the Mountain Dew pieces but I did not stop there.

As I wondered from room to room, I talked to the artists, introducing myself as production professional. We chatted about their inspirations and what their plans for new pieces were. Surprisingly, it seemed they were more interested in knowing what it is that I did. As soon as I told them what it was that I do, digital media production with a specialty in audio and video, it seems they were intrigued. It was an authentic meeting of new minds and comparing the paths that lead us to our passions. I concluded the conversions by cementing in their hand, a business card.

Next stop, the CAC, Contemporary Arts Center. I only visited the bottom floor of the center since the upper floor is mostly resident artists. I was really excited when I saw that one room was converted into a toy shop! I went to the counter to chat with the creative minds behind these stellar pieces. I was able to chat with them for a moment. Unfortunately, they were out of business cards but they did point me to their websites. I was pleased to learn that they had been wanting to do a promotional piece for their work and my golden opportunity was called. I gave them a business card and gave them the light spiel on my talents and told them to give me a call when they were ready to create their video.

After I made my rounds in the CAC, my last stop for the night was a favorite place of mine, The Beat Coffeehouse. I absolutely love this place. They had a local band. I was able to steal a seat on the bench. Next to me was a young couple, visibly pregnant. I conveniently bumped into them and apologized and there was my “in” to a conversation. We started talking about baby showers and I told them I was about to be an Aunt myself. We chatted about planning and I informed them that I would be doing a video for the shower, since I am in production. They said they had the same idea but weren’t sure if they could afford it. I gave them a business card and told them, I can work within any budget and make it memorable. I made some great progress that night and made some great connections.

Week 9 Photo Challenge: Producer's Choice

This was one of my favorite projects. Something that I have been trying to do lately is work on my live audio skills. This recording was done with a friend’s band. It was suppose to have vocals but the vocalist couldn’t make it, so it became an instrumental. We recorded two songs. The plan was to do a scratch track as a reference then track them individually to the scratch track. In theory, this seems simple.

First was the set-up. Since there were no vocals, we had a drum kit and an acoustic guitar. I miked the guitar with a stereo pair of microphones.  One was aimed at the hole for the direct sound and the other at the frets to pick up some of the fret noises. For the drums, we had another stereo pair for the overheads, a SM 57 on the snare, another stereo pair on the Toms and a Beta 52 on the kick. There were eight tracks total. I had to patch the 1-2 DAW outs to 23-24 monitor inputs to be able to monitor in protools. I assigned a master fader, and after some fiddling with the Aviom system, we were in business and ready to begin.

The scratch track went well. I ran into problems when we tried to record the guitar. The guitarist had trouble keeping rhythm. I decided to create a click-track and had to tap out the bpm. I thought that would have been the solution to that problem but he was still having trouble. I decided to let him fly solo and have the drums track to his solo. That proved to be troublesome as well at first. Then he eventually was able to get into the groove.

After a few tribulations, the session was over and it was time to edit. I listened to it raw a couple of times for the best takes. I decided to go with the second one. It kept the rhythm the best and the two of them seemed more in tune. From my initial analysis, it was drum-heavy. I needed to create a space for the guitar to shine and breathe. I did some fine-tune EQ-ing and listened again.  It sounded better and just needed to be brought up in the mix. I added a delay to the guitar to make it sound more spacious and full. That was the presence it was lacking and that instantly made a difference. One last listen and it was complete. 

Week 8 Photo Challenge: You as the Professional

      This photo was taken in the home office.  I dressed up in a sweater and dress and sat on a stool and had my sister take this photo. After a few snapshots, I settled on this image. I think it is very professional-looking. I would give me a large sum of money and trust that I would do only honest and honorable things with it.

     I had originally planned to Photoshop myself out of this photo and into another more expensive chair. In fact, it was one of the candidates for the director’s chair challenge. I still love that chair and want it for my living room! But, after taking a second look, I thought it was much more authentic looking since the book case was right behind me. I thought the point came across very well.

     Behind me is the bookcase. I often do my work here. This is where I plan to base the post-production side of the business. Anything post will take place here. Also, this is where the equipment will be stored. This is the place of business for me. My office away from office (home away from home), so to speak. I do think it is important that when you own a business, you should look like a business professional. Since the nature of my industry my require a little grunt work, I think casual Friday attire is acceptable. No messy-rool out of the bed- look here at JZM Media Group LLC.

Week 8 EOC: The Producer’s Most Important Role

When it comes down to the role of the producer, which producer are you speaking of. There can be several on any given project of a decent size production. There can be executive producers, producers, line producers, and associate producers. They all have there own roles.

• An executive producer is at the top of the production chain. They are usually in charge of handling the film’s financing and all the top decisions having to do with the actual production of the film, for example hiring the director, actors etc.
  

• A producer supervises and controls the project from conception to completion. The responsibilities range from hiring the cast and crew for all the technical aspects to the financial aspects.
  

• The line producer is more of a link between the set and the production office. This person deals with cast and crew and handles all the little issues in the film.

• Lastly, there is the associate producer. This is one of those titles that are just given to someone to get him or her to be a part of the project.
  

There are many elements to a producer’s role, all of which should be clearly defined. This is where the producer services agreement comes in. It should in detail explain what controls the production company maintains and what controls the producers are able to have. Maybe the producer needs verify that they are able to financially produce the film before they are hired and if they are hired, their work is contingent among the finances to support the film. Perhaps they are required to fulfill and types of engagements for the film. The role of the producer can be whatever it is crafted out to be in the agreement.

Week 7 Photo Challenge: Screenplay Cover

Politik is a screenplay that I have been thinking about doing. It is about the millions of Americans who are without insurance and are unable to get any kind of help anywhere. This story resonates with me personally because my mother is one of those Americans who are ill without health insurance.

When I was in my last couple of years of high school, my mother's health started to decline rapidly. She was missing work because she literally lost control of her entire body. Her muscles would spasm uncontrollably. One minute she would be fine, and then the next, she would be struggling to walk, pick up a glass, etc. My worst fear was that she would fall down the stairs when I was at school.

She has seen multiple doctors and still no diagnosis. She has tried to work since but ended losing her job because of her illness. She has since started a new job, in hopes that she will make it to get insurance again. It saddens me. I know that there are millions of people in similar situations and wanted to shine a light on the seriousness of the problem.

Politik will be an adaptation of the stories of the millions dying on some of the richest soil in the world.

Week 7 EOC: Keeping it Real

Having a legitimate office front is important. I have chosen the Watermark Executive Suites. They have several locations around the Las Vegas Valley. I have chosen an office at the Rainbow location. They offer an array of amenities. If you are unsure what amenities you need, they offer them a la carte, so you only pay for what you need. If you do not an actual physical office, you can go the virtual office route and select the services that you need. There office spaces start at $500 and can go up if you want to add more services. These are the services that are included in the actual physical office package.

• License Hang
• Mail Receiving & Forwarding
• Call Answering
• Call Screenings
• Receptionist Services
• Break Room and Kitchen
  
• Training Room seats up to 20
• Small Conference Room
• Unfurnished Offices from 120 sq ft - 600 sq ft

It might be a good idea to start out with a virtual office since I can do a lot of the grunt work from my home office. It is nice to be able to customize the amenities. Below are the services that you can choose from.

$15- Use of address for only License Hang
$50- Mail Service and License Hang
$120- Phone Number (1) , Voicemail Box (1) with 24 hours access, Mail Service and License Hang
$150- Call Answering,(100 Calls), Phone Number (1) , Voicemail Box (1) with 24 hours access, Mail Service and License Hang,
$220-Virtual Standard, 8 Hours of Office Time, Call Answering,(100 Calls), Mail Service, License Hang, Phone Number (1), Voicemail Box (1) with 24 hours access
$280- Virtual w/Conference Room 4 hours and 8 Hours of Office Time, Call Answering,(100 Calls), Mail Service, License Hang, Phone Number (1) , Voicemail Box (1) with 24 hours access

*These prices are based on a 12 month agreement*

Additional Services

$15 Lobby Directory Sign monthly fee
$60 Call Screening
$35 Secretarial Services
$5 411 Listing
$25 Office time per hour
$35-$45 Conference room per hour
$60 Training room per hour

There is a lot of flexibility with this location. I think starting out with a virtual office, maybe with some additional amenities, is the best route starting out. Eventually, transitioning to a physical office will be necessary.

Week 6 Photo Challenge: Special Effects

Special effects in audio is something I like learning about. I did a project recently that required the use of some effects. It was for an cut scene to the video game, “Oddworld: Munch’s Oddysee.” It was basically about how this sea creature’s race just up and disappears one day and he is the only one left. He goes on a search to find them but what he thought was the call of one his people was actually a trap set by the aliens that had captured everyone else.

The task for this project was to replace all the sound with new original sounds. This scene tasks place in the ocean and in the forest. The creature, Munch, is what I perceived to be part alien and part sea animal. I manipulated his voice so that he sounded somewhat human and somewhat like an alien using various plug-ins and sound effects.

Replacing the natural-sounding elements of the scene like the ocean and land sounds was quite fun. I was to do this by using everyday items to create the sound of water and rolling waves. After added some cool effects like a dull drum and underwater effect, it sounded beyond real. It was pretty cool.

Lastly were the sounds of the spacecrafts. I had some sounds that I had never used for a previous project that made the perfect noise for a spaceship, of course after some processing. I added some synthesizer sounds for the power up and power downs and some alien effects and voila…it was complete. I am really proud of how it turned out.

Week 6 EOC: How do I see my role starting in the industry?

When I think about breaking into the industry, the path that will get me there will most certainly be built on relationships and exposure. No one will see you in the dark, unless you shine a light, or unless you were born with incredible night vision.

As I plan ahead in my mind, I see myself working the independent business owner circuit providing digital media services to help expand their businesses. On my own time, I would like to produce a few shorts of different genres. Ideally, I would have complete creative control and use all my skills to create the projects.

It would be amazing to gain exposure through an original work and become famous overnight. But, realistically, I think that I will have to stay in touch with the technology, fellow creators, and social networking sites to get my work out there.

I think that it is fair to say that I will have to take some chances. It is easier to do it now as a no name industry professional than to be a famous somebody and risk that that chance you took may not come out in your favor.

Lastly, I also have come to the conclusion that I have to be an active part in my media creations. I need to maintain dignity about my work and pride. Now that I am ending my school days and stepping into my days as an industry professional, I want nothing more than to produce the kind of work that I can be proud of.

Week 5 Photo Challenge: Directors Chair

This was an interesting challenge. I would consider myself a pretty knowledgeable user when it comes to Photoshop. I spent a long time looking for the right chair to use. I wasn’t sure what I was going for but I went through about 50 chairs until I came across five that I liked. Two of them had watermarks so that narrowed it down to three.

One was all white and very modern looking. That was my favorite but it technically was not a director’s chair. It was just a part of an ultra sleek furniture collection but if I was picking out a directors chair… that would be the one I would pick. I would definitely buy that for the house if it weren’t so expensive.

The final two were your average wood frame and canvas back material chairs. One was blue and the other was black. They were almost identical. I went with the blue one since it happens to be my favorite color.

Next was the photo. I had a friend take a few close-ups of me and a few full body shots. I decided to use one of the close-ups because the way I was sitting in the other two posed a problem when cutting out the pictures.

I used the magnetic lasso tool to cut myself out of the background and cut it to a new layer. Then I was simply able to just hide the background. Luckily, the chair I used was on a white background but it wasn’t tall enough, so I just made a new layer that was taller and dropped the chair layer on top of it. Next, I dropped my self on top of the chair layer. After some resizing, cropping, and image finishing, I was done.

Week 5 EOC: Progress towards my Four Professional Contacts and Progress on Networking.

I never use to network. I did not realize how important it was and how often opportunities are handed out by it. I just thought it was a schmooze and booze fest. That may be true to some extent, but it actually is fun. Last summer, I was doing an event for my job and ended up talking to one of the Catering Directors at the venue. She told me that our company has been on the preferred vendors list at their resort for years and it was clear why. She said we always do a good job and are professional.

Right then and there, I realized something. It was not about schmoozing, in the grand scheme of things, but more about creating a connection to establish a relationship. I knew that if I wanted to be successful that I had to start building these relationships within the industry. So, whenever I was out with some friends and we talked to people, I tried to make a connection. I have made a few good ones. I met a few people who were interested in doing some commercials for the web and for presentations. I also met a few contacts in the hotels through friends that work in the casinos. I like to strategically show up when they are getting off and have them introduce me. So I am getting there. I have faith that I will have my contacts.

My father is opening up a restaurant in few weeks. This has been over a year’s time in progress. I decided that I wanted to be a part of the journey. I went with him on meetings and met some of his contacts. That is how I met three of the four required contacts for this class. I met his CPA, lawyer, and insurance agent. I briefly chatted with them about what I was going to school for and what my plans were after graduation. They told me to call them when I needed their services and I said I would. That last contact I needed was a banker and I did not have to look farther than my house. My roommate work at a bank and there you have it.

Week 4 Photo Challenge: Movie Poster

My sister is a graphic design artist. Her last year of college, she was inspired by mannequins. As she was driving home, if she a stray mannequin laying in the trash, she would rescue it. By the time graduation rolled around she had a whole extended family of them. It was quite bizarre. If you would open any door in her condo, there would be a mannequin staring at you. I jokingly said, "We're being attacked!"


The funniest thing was that we all (my sisters and I) waited for my mother to go to sleep and when she did, we planted the scariest one, the one in this poster, in the hallway. Figuring she would get up at some point to maybe go to the bathroom or get a drink of water, she would not have any indication of what was lying ahead of her as she rounded the corner in the hall.


Well, she did get up, and let me tell you…the shrillest scream I ever heard! She assaulted that mannequin like it stole her pocketbook! Hence, I said we have to do something with all these mannequins. They were just merely existing as decorations in her condo.


I snapped a few photos the last day I was in North Carolina and an idea occurred to me, a stop-motion film on people being attacked by mannequins. Short, simple and sweet. In between some dramatic cut scenes would take place to further the story-line along. I like the idea of taking something so ridiculous and having fun with it.

Week 4 EOC: Executive Summary

My concept for my business is to provide affordable Audio and Visual services. You do not need a million dollar budget to produce great, memorable, and professional media. A great testament to that is a new, innovative show titled, “Rhett and Link Commercial Kings.” They have a huge YouTube following and at the same time produce professional, creative, and entertaining videos.

It is true that the level of technology that is out there and available to the mass consumer market has created the buzz of becoming an industry pro with consumer products. The difference is knowing when and how to use them.

There is a market for my video and audio services throughout Las Vegas. There are a lot of independently owned businesses and there will always be a need for commercial production. This is a town that thrives on entertainment and events. That alone is another market. Videographers and audio technicians are in demand but for the right price. That is where I come in. I can provide some of the same services as the competing production companies using less expensive but equally functional equipment and at a better rate since the cost of me to start will be a lot lower comparatively to my competitors.

My immediate financial gain would be to turn a profit and be able to invest back into my business to meet my long-term goals, which would be to have several independent contractors and be able to provide full audio and visual services and be able to compete with my competitors on a more commercial level.

Week 3 Photo Challenge: Storyboard for a Commercial

I did a commercial, not too long ago, for an online cooking show titled “Ergo-Cuisine.” The message of the show was to convey to the audience that cooking does not have to be complicated for anyone to do it.

When I initially was coming up with the creative aspect for the shoot, my first idea was to put together a multi-cam shoot of several cooking segments and the commercial would consist of quick cuts, from segment to segment. The motto of the show is, “fun, fast, and for all.” The motto is the important selling point to the audience and I wanted to convey that viewer. I decided to do take that motto and integrate it into the video as text overlays. At the end, there would be a text animation of the show name and necessary information.

The shoot would take place in the chef’s own kitchen, to create a warm an inviting appeal for the viewer. Watching a chef cooking in a commercial kitchen on a cooking show sends an air of intimidation to the viewer. The average viewer does not have half the equipment of a commercial kitchen and the only commercial grade appliance they may own, more than likely, is a stove. I wanted to parallel the idea that, even though, the chef is classically trained, he goes home to a fairly typical kitchen as the typical viewer does.

It is important to bring out the message of the show and I believe that I captured it in its justice.

Week 3 EOC: Where are you now and where are you going?

A common thread in my life lately has been the, “life talks,” I have been having with my father. Now I am having them with my friends. It seems like we are all in the same point in out lives. We’ve all come down this winding road and are about to come to an intersection of paths. Prior to a year ago, I was not sure of what I would be doing or how I was going to get there. It occurred to me that I am going to have to take the pencil and draw my own way. Sure Career Services can be a tool, but it is ultimately up to me to make my professional career happen.

This past year, I have really tried to get my act together, professionally and financially. I started free-lancing. Some projects I do pro-bono hoping they will call me back every year and maybe in the future, they made need me for something else. I have also started doing projects outside of class to expand my demo reel. I am currently working on the beginning stages of a commercial for a new restaurant in town. My goal is to get my name out there and be in the position to always be working on something.

It would be nice to take all my work to next level. That requires capital. I do not have much of to spare at the moment. As the famous saying goes, “Life happened.” I am working towards being in a better financial position to advance my career. It is coming along. By next year, my goal is to only have one bill I am responsible for, and that is the almighty student loan.

Week 2 Photo Challenge: Professional Photo of You Working

In this particular photo, I was doing the video, lighting, and audio for a commercial shoot. This was a challenging day, seeing that there was a limited amount of time to capture everything. Also, I was flying solo due to scheduling difficulties of a colleague. I had to be very well organized to accomplish all that this commercial shoot wanted.

I started my day extra early. I needed ample set up time and time to test all the equipment to make sure that it worked in harmonium together. This shoot was for an online cooking show titled, “Ergo-Cuisine.” The message of the show is to convey to the audience that cooking does not have to be complicated for anyone to do it. By using simple ingredients and techniques, anyone can become a great cook.

With that said, there was a four course meal planned out for the shoot. The challenge was to get as many camera angles of each dish being prepared and give the illusion of a multi-camera shoot. To accomplish this there were multiple passes at each stage of cooking, and yes, it was very time consuming. I shot each step three times: wide angle. mid-shot, and close up. After the first few takes, I gained a good rhythm for the chef and he was in-tune with each step of the production.

After I wrapped the shoot, and finally got a chance to look over the footage, I was very pleased with how everything came out. I edited the commercial for the client and could not wait to show him. He was very pleased with the final product. I admit that day was stressful but it all came out great in the end.

Week 2 BOC: Get Some Copyright Law Under Your Belt

The first link that I found for information on copyrights is, http://www.copyright.gov/title17/. This website is important because, if you ever are unsure what the laws are, you can reference them. Better to be safe than sorry. It breaks it down into sections. You look up the laws on infringement if you are not sure if you are infringing on someone else’s rights. You can look up the laws on royalties if you are unsure of what the breakdown is when it comes to what is owed to you and how much.

The second website is http://www.mpa.org/copyright_resource_center/church_musician. This one pertains more to copyrighting a musical recording. It explains the generics and basics of copyright law as well as goes in depth about what you can and can’t do when it comes to performing a musical recording. It talks about what happens if you want to use something that is copyrighted and you cannot find the original owner of the work. It talks about what is fair use and what is public domain. This website will help you in all your audio endeavors.

My last website is http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html. This website actually explains some myths about copyright. A lot of people have the misconception that if you buy something, you own and that gives them the right to makes copies and distribute then as they see fit. This will tell you what you need to know when it comes to defending your copyright, if there is not a copyright symbol on the actual product, and so forth.

Week 1 Photo Challenge: Make a Film

Here is a little film I made. When I first saw this set and the characters, I thought, “How hilarious!"So I made fun of the fact that one of the characters is ridiculously dressed. There is also a bit of a plot how he acquired his attire. If you cannot take a joke, this is not something you will want to watch. However, if you can laugh at the expense of others, what does that say about your personality (see, funny).

The characters have no names. This was intentional. I wanted to portray a casual relationship between two good friends. They simply refer to each other as “Man” and “Bud.” They are having a great conversation about the attire one of them is wearing. Little does the audience know, there is somewhat of a dark and twisty way of how the character attained it. The plot thickens as he begins to explain the tale of how he ended up in this ludicrous outfit.

I decided to give them an English accent. Everything is funnier when spoken like a true “Brit.” The accent was more for dramatic effect. I thought in terms of the outcome, this would pack more punch when the other character realizes some disturbing news about his dear friend. The fact that it starts out so casual and how he talks about his experience, it will leave a little puzzled and possibly squeamish when you complete the circle.

It was only supposed to be a sixty seconds but after the first thirty seconds of writing the script; I just let it flow and did not want to leave any important detail out. The truth is, it was too hard to cut it down and still make it make sense. So, please do enjoy!

Week 1 EOC: What sacrifices am I willing to make for my career?

I am a quarter away from graduation. All I can think about is how will I feel on this day. I had this talk with my father a couple of days before school. He said, “ I can’t figure you out.” My clever response was, “ How do you figure that? ” He told me that he sees potential in me that I cannot see in myself right now and that I could do anything and be anything.

For a second, I had a little doubt but I realized that my doubt stemmed from fear. What was I afraid of? I was afraid to be known and disliked. Then I thought, so what? Not everyone will like my work and me. That is just an absolute fact of life. So that fear was short –lived because I was not expecting that statement from my father.

Sacrifices make up the stepping-stones of our lives. What am I willing to give up? At first, the things that matter to me the most look grim in the face of this question but then I think, “Would I regret not taking the opportunity?” What is my mission right now? To gain experience and for that I would sacrifice spending time with my family and friends, money, sleep, change of location, and well…anything at this point. I can take the contents of my home and slap it in my storage unit, send my dog to live with my sister in Flagstaff, and go. At the moment, that is all I would have to sacrifice and that seems like a pretty short list.

Week 1 BOC: Will you be living in Las Vegas in five years?

I have asked myself where I will be living in the next five years or even ten years and every time I draw a blank. Just two years ago I had a clearer vision of what I wanted to be doing in terms of my career but in just that two years, so much has changed for me.

Two years ago, I would have told you that I would be somewhere on the west coast, in Los Angeles, engineering for a great production studio. Now I am unsure. The economy has changed so much and has me questioning if that is the right choice after I graduate. I have come to terms with the fact that I was living in the clouds at the time. I was so focused on what I wanted to do that I didn’t take the time to think about how I was going to get there.

Now, my plan is to gain experience. There are so many avenues that I was unaware of when I started my education and I want to experience as many of them as I can. I want to gain the experience and I am starting in Las Vegas. Where it takes me, I am happy to go.