How did you start?

tony240sx

tony240sx

Well-known member
This is probably the ultimate question and I know there is really no blueprint on how to be sucessfull but I would like to hear some of your stories on how you guys got into this crazy business. I see that there are alot of people on here living the dream and actually making some money while doing what they love to do. I finally have some money and Im gonna buy a dvx100a and start doing projects of my own. I already have adobe premiere pro 2.0 and after effects 7 so I have a decent set up to start out with, I just dont know what the best way to get going is. How did some of you guys get your work noticed and get jobs from it. I would really appreciate some input and anyone in the long island area who is working on anything let me know because I just want to get some material together and work on anything I can. Thanks.
 
tony240sx said:
This is probably the ultimate question and I know there is really no blueprint on how to be sucessfull but I would like to hear some of your stories on how you guys got into this crazy business. I see that there are alot of people on here living the dream and actually making some money while doing what they love to do. I finally have some money and Im gonna buy a dvx100a and start doing projects of my own. I already have adobe premiere pro 2.0 and after effects 7 so I have a decent set up to start out with, I just dont know what the best way to get going is. How did some of you guys get your work noticed and get jobs from it. I would really appreciate some input and anyone in the long island area who is working on anything let me know because I just want to get some material together and work on anything I can. Thanks.
Click to expand...

I suppose that it depends on what you mean by getting your start. I've found getting into broadcasting to be the easiest way 'in,' although it will still take me plenty of time to get to the level that I'd like to be at. As much as I'd like to do film, TV is paying the bills right now.

How did I get started? Everyone's story is different and equally convoluted. My high school had a TV and radio station, so I learned there. Sent out demo tapes and got an overnight gig at a local radio station. Running the boards there got me my first TV master control gig. Which lead to other jobs and other contacts. Now I run the Production dept. at one station & direct/TD the news at the local Fox affiliate.

But none of it ever supplants working on your own. I still shoot shorts at every given opportunity. That's where my heart is.
 
I got into it by accident. I didn't really have an interest in video but needed a communication course during my first year of college. I took intro to video, it sounded fun. I had fun in the class and my teacher really liked my first movie, he wanted to help me redo the whole thing and enter it in fests. I didn't really have the interest at that point. For the final I made an incredibly stupid omvie with my friends (it was a gay rape), but it was a lot of fun and everyone who watched it thought it was hilarious. From there, we made part 2, and then part 3. After making the first and second ones, I had a lot of fun and wanted to learn more about the video industry.

I majored in it when I transferred schools, which lead me to an internship at a local PBS affiliate. From there I worked for a local NBC affiliate where I got to shoot and edit (linear, straight tape to tape). I had fun doing it and learned a lot but I got the chance to work at ESPN as an editor and that's where I am now. All because of a 3 minute gay rape movie.
 
Lol love the last story.

For me, I was always interested in film from a really early age. In high school I took a Broadcasting class all 4 years, which I did a ton of projects and enetered numerous festivals. After getting some recognition I still wasn't satisfied because TV was not where I wanted to be so I went to film school and majored in film/video. I then networked, met new people, and then after a few years of no responses and shady people I got my opportunity at a local Chicago TV station (WCIU) which I currently am working as a photo journalist/editor. Film is still the ultimate goal but just need the money right now.
 
tony240sx said:
This is probably the ultimate question and I know there is really no blueprint on how to be sucessfull but I would like to hear some of your stories on how you guys got into this crazy business.
Click to expand...

After 5 years of not doing it, I put in the paperwork to get my rent/utilities allowance adjusted for the newer exchange rate.

My paycheck was $11,000 that week.

Nobody had an XL1S available, so I bought a DVX.

(And a Gold Top, amp, and digital recorder, but that's irrelevant.)
 
I opened a recording studio in 1974 in Rapid City SD, and somebody came to me and asked if I could do the sound track for a slide show. I said sure - what's a slide show? They showed me one, and I thought, if I can't do better than that, I would have to shoot myself. Since I was already a photographer, I started doing slide shows, then multi-image - then 16 mm - then video - then public radio, and now back to video, vlogging and still doing documentaries. It just seemed like people wanted their stories told - organizations and the like. So I did it for them, and they paid me. Now I do my vlog - http://hollowbonefilms.com and am working on a feature length doc on fatherhood.

Milt
 
Palace Films said:
Lol love the last story.
I'm glad you liked my accidental entry into the video world.

I forgot to mention that I shot the pilot (w/ the dvx in 24p) for a reality tv show called, I've always wanted to date a stripper. It never went any where, but I got to see naked ladies and get paid for it. That was before I worked for local news.

I've also done a handful of weddings too. One on top of a mountain in Colorado with the Rockies in the background, which was pretty cool.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
I also fell into it by accident {props to griffin's posts}. While in high school, myself and a few classmates made it to French 4. This was in the 'South' and my school had eliminated French 4. They didn't know what to do with us. My dad had a camcorder (which was pretty cool at the time), so we shot French soap operas and cracked most everyone up even if they didn't speak the language.

1st year, Film 101 in college was late in the afternoon. That seemed to work with my schedule. The films were good too. The campus TV station was basically a keg party, so they didn't seem to mind me taking it over and spending their money to buy gear. I'd help people with their work if they'd help me and we won some awards. That was pretty cool.

I always cut my own stuff and when I got out, Avid was blowing up. Older editors didn't want to learn it yet and there were no 'new' guys to teach me. I found a production company, assisted their editor and we 'faked' our way through series for ESPN2 ("The Deuce" back then), Travel Channel, etc. There were no tutorials, textbooks, handholding or internships involved. You HAD to get the shows to FedEx. No questions asked.

Even if you don't think you're ready, you're here and asking questions. That's a start. There is no 'right' career / creative path, only your method. If you just start doing it then you'll already be doing it. I realize that sounds silly but mentally it's a big step and can be freeing.

A friend moved to town with no contacts whatsoever. The forums weren't working. Resumes weren't working. Even the news stations wouldn't look at his stuff. He just started shooting around town (1/2 the time with no tape in camera). "What are you doing? Making a film." Many chance meetings later, he's had his own company for a while, just hired some new people and all because he just started getting out there and stopped worrying about what he 'should' be doing.

Even if they never see some of the footage, you'd still be able to say that you've been shooting / whatever since 2006 when you were ___ years old. Just my 2 cents... That and $5 will get you a Starbuck's. Best wishes.....
 
Interesting post, I was wondering the same thing myself about a lot the posters here.

A friend of mine bought a DVX100a a while back, and asked me to help him write some dialogue and shoot some silly shorts he had rolling around in his head. After helping him out with no budget, no other equipment and no real actors, just our buddies, I realized that this is a ton of fun and I wish I could turn back the clock and go to school for it. As it is, I'm almost 30 and in IT, so I doubt a major career change is in the cards :)

Still, since I enjoy it so much, I am still saving up to get my own DVX100b, and some real audio equipment and will continue to write and shoot our own silly stuff with our friends who can't act :)

As I see it, it's just a really expensive, time consuming hobby at the moment.

Also, thanks to all the smart, experienced posters on this forum. I've learned a lot and gotten great tips.
 
apollyon said:
As I see it, it's just a really expensive, time consuming hobby at the moment.
Click to expand...

Agreed, it is a really expensive, time consuming hobby. I wish I had more time and money to devote to the system I bought. I still need to earn a lot more before everything pays for itself, but in the mean time I'm going to continue having fun with it all.
 
I started as slave labor, lugging equipment and doing little more than that. Then I found this site. I read everything I could. Now, people occasionally pay me to do this stuff.:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
HorseFilms said:
I started as slave labor, lugging equipment and doing little more than that. Then I found this site. I read everything I could. Now, people occasionally pay me to do this stuff.:Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
Click to expand...

You know, your avatar really freaks me out :)

Being paid to do this stuff would be a dream come true. I'll take it one day at a time.
 
Ya, being paid to do stuff sometimes is wonderful! 6 years ago or more maybe, i thought i was the man when i figured out how to wire 3 VCRs together and a camera to be able to put music on my videos and make hard edits! Built out of a ping pong table and some crap tv's i found.

one peice of info really, but you gotta know someone. Well dont have to , but it really helps!
 
Enjoying your stories

Enjoying your stories

I don't know if I actually qualify as being "in the business" yet. I have shot and edited lots of videos. One "Childhood's End" caught the eye of my friend Gene. He'd had several top 40 hits in the record industry back in the 60-70's and wanted to shoot a mysterious, politically flavored Science "Faction" web log called Penumbra. After 6 months of shooting about once a week and editing once a week for the last 4 months, we now have a Teaser, a Prologue, and 5 episodes in the can. We have only posted up to episode #2.

You can view them here..


http://www.youtube.com/user/penumbra06

They are intentionally sketchy and rough. There are no real scripts. Just a sketchy story line to periodically hint on. Even some of the inconsistencies have been intentionally left in. It's Gene's style and he's da boss on this one. Through all of this I am having a great time being a part of the creative process with Gene and his pal Dennis. Certainly by the 5th episode people will start to get an idea of what and who the various characters (The 180's and the Extras) are.

I also do voice work for animations. I won a bunch of awards for writing and production back in my radio station production director days. I play the voice of the Razor Shark in Endurance Challenge - Mordred's Isle. Hey.. I'm just happy to be sharing credits with the infamous Billy West. So.. here's a link to my videos... mostly done for fun. Eventually I will have years of material I can use to blackmail my kids with when they start acting up as teenagers. Like money in the bank.

http://www.youtube.com/user/stanb17



Enjoy

Stan
 
I am new to this forum but have been browsing it for a while.
I recently got a DVX100 and I'm new to the world of 24p.
Professionally, I've been shooting interlaced video and editing for a few years now. Before that I actually got started shooting super 8 and eventually began shooting 16mm and have also had the opportunity to shoot a short on 35mm.
I eventually needed to get a 3CCD camera for a lot of freelance work that I was getting but really didn't like the look of traditional video. After I was asked to shoot a mocumentary feature on the DVX100, I was sold. And here I am.

vidwerk.
 
referrals. referrals. referrals. Let everyone you know that you are now in the video business. Start with people you know, then hit up small service bureaus, graphic houses, etc. etc. if they don't need you someday someone that knows them will and if they remember you (this is where your presentation skills pay-off) they will refer you.

Production Quality will then come with experience.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top