The Workflow of a Professional Film and Video Colorist

I recently had a chance to write a detailed article about the workflow of my colleague Robbie Carman. Rob is a professional colorist (who works on films and television shows).



Our recent guest Robbie Carman of Amigo Media shared a lot  of insight into the world of professional film and video.  He also wanted to give you an idea of what his work environment looks like.“Well I like gear!  In reality my gear is separated into several categories,” said Carman.  “A decade ago, the color correction systems that were in use were between half a million to a million dollars.”

Fortunately the prices have fallen significantly.  There's still a lot of gear, but things have gotten a lot more affordable.

Here's the whole article.

My Presentation from the National Press Club on Podcasting

Podcasting: Get It Online — National Press Club Presentation from Richard Harrington

What is a podcast and how can it help my organization reach people online?

At this month's "Get It Online" lunch discussion, learn what a podcast is and why both communicators and journalists are increasingly using them to successful reach niche audiences. This informative session will share secrets on creating professional looking video for podcasting and other video-sharing technologies.

Podcasting is another name for audio and video blogging. The general idea is that you post audio or video content that someone can subscribe to. You are essentially creating a channel, one that you add audio, video, or print content to so it can be automatically downloaded to a subscribers’ computer or media player. All of this can occur without the need for email blasts, people logging onto websites, or expensive shipping bills.

Additionally, podcasting is much more affordable than streaming and web video options. Podcasting uses a distributed model, so instead of everyone coming to your website and clicking (then wanting to watch the video at the same time), podcasts download in the background automatically. This means that podcasts are there, waiting to be watched whenever and wherever the consumer wants them.

Project Management Tutorial: The Characteristics of a Project

Watch more at http://www.lynda.com/Video-tutorials/.... Explore the characteristics of a project, including its purpose, constraints, interdependencies, and more.

This tutorial is a single movie from the Practical Project Management for Creative Projects course presented by lynda.com author Rich Harrington.

• Introduction
• 1. The "Whats" and "Whys" of Project Management
• 2. Understanding Services Offered
• 3. Project Management Core Concepts
• 4. Scoping the Project
• 5. Estimating Time
• 6. Client Communication
• 7. Project Control Cycle
• 8. Managing Employees and Contractors
• 9. Effective Teams
• 10. Keeping Clients Happy
• Conclusion

Follow Me on Twitter or Facebook

Get 7 days of free unlimited access to lynda.com.

Essential Questions to Ask at the Start of a Project

Through the years, we’ve learned many lessons the hard way. While every project is unique, it often seems the problems remain the same. Here are a few questions we always ask at the start of a project:

• Who is our customer? Projects often have many parties involved. Know who you are responsible to keep happy.
• What is the purpose? Establish what the video is trying to accomplish.
• How will we measure success? Determine which factors will be used to judge the success of the project.
• What do we want to say? Identify the goal of the piece and the message that the audience should walk away with.
• What resources do we have? Decide who will be assigned to the project. Establish if there are any assets or resources available to the project that should be utilized.
• What is the budget? Never discuss approach without having an idea of your financial constraints. Creative types often get swept up into big ideas without knowing what the project can support.
• What are the deadlines? Equally as important as budget is schedule. You need to understand any major milestones so you can schedule work and adjust your approach to match the available time.
• Are there any customer requirements? Never make assumptions. It’s always a good idea to ask the clients if they have any specific needs or requirements for the end product. You’ll often be surprised how important details can go unspoken until the very end of the project.

Follow Me on Twitter or Facebook

Creating a Multi-camera Music Video: Field Production

The following is from a new project I'm involved in called The Power To Create.

Join us this week, as we go on location with rising country music star Tyler Toliver. Have you ever wondered how music videos are created? In this episode, Host Richard Harrington and special guest, Director of Photography, Kevin Bradley will take you behind the scenes of a multi-camera set. From camera selection to lighting, you will learn the tools to produce a multi-camera music video.

In this show you’ll learn:

• The tools needed to set up a multi-camera production.
• Why it is beneficial to use a multi-camera setup. 
• The importance of capturing audio from multiple sources.
• The advantages and disadvantages of using zoom lenses and prime lenses.
• How to use fog and practical elements  to add depth to your scene.
• How to have a cost effective multi-camera setup.
• How to manage footage securely on set.

Be sure to subscribe today (iTunes or YouTube) to not miss the next free episode.

We'll be back with episodes on editing in Adobe Premiere Pro and Final Cut Pro soon.

Don't forget to enter our monthly contest for a free Drobo!

Follow Me on Twitter or Facebook

Creating a shot list and shooting order for Photo & Video Projects

This tutorial shows how to plan for a photo or video shoot by building a shot list that addresses factors such as talent limitations, continuity issues, and location availability.

This tutorial is a single movie from the Effective Site Surveys for Video and Photo Projects course presented by lynda.com author Rich Harrington.

• Introduction
• 1. The Importance of the Site Survey
• 2. The Purpose of a Site Survey
• 3. What to Plan for, Creatively
• 4. Location Scouting
• 5. Who Should Go on the Site Survey or Scout?
• 6. Gear to Bring on a Site Survey
• 7. What to Accomplish on a Site Survey
• Conclusion

Follow Me on Twitter or Facebook

Get 7 days of free unlimited access to lynda.com.

Lynda.com Gets Bigger

As many of you know, I distribute several online classes through Lynda.com. This news just broke and I wanted to share it with you. It means that the Lynda library gets even bigger (with no price change to you). It also opens a bunch of additional languages of learning to more folks (which makes the teacher in me happy).

Here's the edited down press release.

lynda.com announced its acquisition of video2brain, a European-based online video training company that specializes in German-, French-, Spanish- and English-language courses. Now a branded division of lynda.com with a team of more than 60 people, video2brain provides an extensive multi-lingual library of 1,700 video courses covering many of the same categories as lynda.com. Based in Graz, Austria, the video2brain brand has over 400,000 subscribers who purchase access to the library either through individual and multi-user subscriptions, or through DVD and single-course downloads.

“Having video2brain become part of lynda.com creates a powerful fulfillment of some of our company’s most strategic goals,” said Lynda Weinman, co-founder and Executive Chair of lynda.com. “We welcome the video2brain staff into our family and I am confident in our ability to create an impact on education–and on people’s lives–with more reach, momentum and relevance than ever before.”

Founded in 1995, lynda.com provides software, technology, creative and business skills training to more than two million people worldwide through its comprehensive library of over 87,000 high-quality instructional videos taught by 250 recognized industry experts. In 2012, the company earned more than $100 million in revenue. video2brain, founded in 2002, has also successfully delivered outstanding instructional content created by industry experts in multi language online course libraries and on DVD.

Follow Me on Twitter or Facebook

Get 7 days of free unlimited access to lynda.com.

Why Linked In Still Matters

I was recently trying to explain LinkedIn to a few family members and friends… in this economy, people are definitely thinking about what comes next or how to protect themselves. But I think this is wrong. Business networking and your professional network can't just be resuscitated when you need it… you need to keep it healthy year round.

I recently came across my business card rolodex book, and I realized what an antique it truly was. Sure I have some pretty cards that are little bastions of miniature design… but they instantly go out of date. Here are ten reasons why I use LinkedIn… the paid version which offers more features.

1. People move around. People are constantly getting new jobs or switching employers. I need to be able to keep track of them. Once we're connected on LinkedIn, I can find them wherever they end up.
2. References matter. People have left some nice references and lots of endorsements on my profile. Nothing goes further than references… people really respond well to thoughtful opinions left about your work and character.
3. Great groups. I belong to several group on LinkedIn. These let me interact with peers in a high-quality forum environment.
4. Two or Three degrees of separation. Whenever I need a connection into a company for business… I can usually find a connection. It may be a connection that knows one of my connections, but this is an easy way to get the inside track and make a proper engagement.
5. Targeted business news. I get some great articles from my network… and why I enjoy Facebook and Twitter… there's very little talking dogs, dancing babies, and spammy ads.
6. A great app. The app of LinkedIn makes it really easy to browse the site and my connections. It also keeps my phone up to date with contact information for my network.
7. Geographic awareness. Whether I am traveling for business and want to connect (check out Here on Biz) or to filter my lists on the site to find crew and freelancers in my network, I use the site all the time to connect with other professionals.
8. It's not just resumes. You'll find videos, articles, slideshows, photos, and posts. The site is as rich as any other social media site, but a clearer focus.
9. Search for jobs or candidates. If you need to look for a job, there's lots of those. If I need to advertise a position, I can go headhunting based on lots of criteria.
10. See who's thinking bout doing business with you. Depending on privacy settings, I can see anything from their full bio to info about industry and location. This is a great way to see what's on some of your colleagues minds or to spot potential business opportunities.

Trust me… Using Linked In and taking the time to post updates and gather references… really makes a difference. Build your professional network so its strong and vibrant when you need it most.

I guess it's working… I got this in the mail today…. looks like LinkedIn just hit 200 million users…

The Power To Create Podcast Launches

Joining us this week is professional colorist Robbie Carman (www.amigomediallc.com) as he shares practical advice and inspirational techniques. Robbie's job is to enhance the visual appearance of television programs and films. He refines the visual appearance of images for both aesthetic and technical reasons. In this episode you'll learn about professional video, color theory, and client relationships.

On this show you'll learn:

• What is a colorist
• How do you train to enter the high end of the video market
• The impact of color and contrast on the human brain
• What tools and technology are useful for pro video workflows
• How to keep large volumes of digital assets safe
• What software is useful for coloring video and photos
• How to recharge your creative batteries and find inspiration
• The link between music and visuals
• Lessons learned

Be sure to subscribe and get every free episode. Get it on iTunes

Why You Should Attend SCU — Skip Cohen University in March

Looking for a great event to recharge your creative batteries and give you new insight into photography and DSLR Video? I'm teaching at SCU — Skip Cohen University. The first program: a day-and-a-half live workshop and launch event in Las Vegas, March 8-9. Registration information and extra details are here.