The Practical Filmmaker

To get the right lighting for your film, you need more than just power and lights. 

This week, Corey Brown, Key Grip, shares the gear he likes to help him get the lighting just right for his projects.

Listen to Corey share what lighting gear he prefers to use when lighting a scene. 

Gear:

Wag Flags 

Nova Aputure 

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When filming a humanitarian project in a crisis, it starts with putting the camera down and developing a relationship with your characters. 

This week, Tim Wolfer, humanitarian filmmaker, shares his secrets of capturing compelling stories in the midst of chaos. In this episode he talks with Tanya about how he sneaks into foreign countries, ethics as a filmmaker, and capturing the insurrection at the Capitol on January 6. 

Tim's recent film, The Right Girls, follows three transgender women as they make their way to the US in the 2018 migrant caravan.

Listen to Tim share how putting the camera down and developing relationships with your characters can help you capture better stories.

Key points:
1:17 - Why he decided to become a filmmaker
3:00 - Getting into foreign countries
5:37 - What you won't learn in film school
7:17 - Why specialize in humanitarian films
10:55 - The Right Girls Film
15:37 - Ethics as a humanitarian filmmaker
16:20 - Steps to distribute docs
19:50 - January 6 Capital Insurrection 
23:57 - The market in Baltimore
26:58 - Favorite Gear
30:10 - Building a good team

Links:
Wolfer Productions
The Right Girls
Film Freeway
Sennheiser MKH 416
Tascam DR-10L
Stella Pro Lights

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There's two essential tools every art department needs to make their job easier on set. 

This week, Coby Wester shares why the Wagner Paint Gun and Command strips are essential in his tool kit. 

Listen to learn how you can make your job easier in the art department. 

Gear:
Wagner Paint Gun
Command Strips 

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The old way of making an indie film — submitting it to film festivals  and finding a distributor — is dead. 

This week Alex Ferrari, founder of Indie Film Hustle, shares the new realities of what it takes to get your independent film made in today's digital world. 

Listen to Alex share how your film can make money in today's environment.

Key points:
1:12 - How he got started
2:30 - Shooting a movie for the mob
3:27 - Starting Indie Film Hustle 
12:00 - The problem with dollars for hours
14:12 - Multiple income streams for filmmakers
17:43 - What it takes to be a Filmtreprenuer 
21:40 - Future of distribution 
26:20 - How many indie films that make a profit 
32:35 - Breaking of the mold of traditional filmmaking
36:06 - Talent worth the ROI
40:53 - What gear do you recommend 
44:54 - Getting someone to work at a lower rate
45:32 - Getting started 
50:00 - Exclusive Announcement 

Show Links:
Shooting for the Mob
Indie Film Hustle
Rise of the Filmtrepreneur: How to Turn Your Independent Film into a Profitable Business
Protect Yourself from Predatory Film Distributors/Aggregators
DaVinci Resolve
Blackmagic Cameras
SIGMA Lens
Filmmaking Process

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Get a signed agreement in minutes, not hours or days. 

This week, John Harding, locations manager, share's the tool he uses to get e-signatures for location agreements. His preferred tool, eversign, helps him get signatures 90% faster than emailing a PDF. 

Listen to John share why he likes eversign and how it can help you streamline pre-production.

*There is no paid endorsement from eversign. 

Gear:
eversign

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David Alan Arnold has one of the coolest and scariest jobs in the industry.

Every year he goes to Dutch Harbor, Alaska to film Deadliest Catch from a helicopter. 

In this week's episode David shares how he got started as a helicopter camera op, and the crazy stories that come with the territory...from death spins and crash landing near hungry grizzlies, to the Cubs winning the World Series and running out of fuel over the Bering Sea.

Listen to hear some amazing stories from Alaska.

Key Points:
1:36 - How He Got Started
10:26 - Favorite Story from Adventures
14:55 - Time on Deadliest Catch 
18:02 - Why Do This Dangerous Job
24:01 - Tools of the Trade
30:30 - Favorite Old Piece of Gear
32:48 - How To Get Started
37:03 - Close Call on Job
41:19 - Favorite Shot
44:52 - Skills Learned Outside Film Industry 

Links:
Contact David
Help From Above: How I went from Sweeping the Floor to Painting the Sky
Cineflex

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Building a set doesn’t have to be costly or time consuming.

This week, Charity Honeycutt, production designer shares her favorite things to help her save time and money.

Listen to find more ways to make your set look amazing on a budget.

Gear:
Wagner Paint Gun

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When you imagine an in-house video producer, you might think of someone working in a cubicle with fluorescent lights glaring off their screen while editing the latest talking head video from the CEO.

But not all corporate jobs are created equal.

Blaise Douros has a corporate gig as an in-house video producer for KUIU, where he gets to film in helicopters, tell great stories, and travel to some of the most remote areas in the US.

Listen to Blaise share the upside of working at a corporate gig that doesn't suck.

Key Points:
1:15 - How He Got Started
7:23 - Shooting from a Helicopter
10:50 - Creative Freedom
14:21 - Working with a Team
16:04 - Creating a Product Video
19:25 - Best New Gear
30:06 - Favorite Old Reliable
35:42 - Best Skills for B2C Video Marketing
39:15 - How Do You Measure Success

Show Links
KUIU
Syrp
Auto Edit 3
Helios 44 Lens
Yashica Lens
KUIU YouTube
Portfolio 

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A lot has changed on set with COVID protocols but the tools remain the same. 

Shane Palmer was a Production Coordinator who transitioned into a COVID Compliance Officer (CCO). She uses the same gear in her new role but for a new purpose to keep cast and crew safe on set. 

Listen to learn how she has repurposed her gear.

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After working on films like Star Wars and Basic Instinct, Eric Jewett put Hollywood in his rear view mirror.

Eric teaches at the University of Colorado Denver and develops micro budget films with his students.

Listen to Eric share stories from on set and how you can improve your micro budget film.

Show Links
Artemis app
Sun Seeker
IMDB

Key Points
1:27 - How He Got Into the Industry
2:57 - Working on Star Wars
6:34 - Going from Film to Television 
9:37 - Second Unit Directing
10:51 - Second Unit Directing for TV
12:54 - Moving to Colorado
13:59 - Producing Micro Budget Films
16:48 - Mistakes in Producing a Micro Budget Film
18:35 - How to Improve Micro Budget Films
20:21 - Transitioning to Teaching
23:30 - What Do You Miss From the 80's & 90's Filmmaking
25:16 - What Positives Do You See with Streaming Services
26:24 - What Gear or Gadgets Do You Use
31:16 - Working with George Lucas
34:36 - Favorite Project
36:11 - Current Project

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