The latest going on “officially” over there (aka: what’s sucking up J.R.’s time)?

• Working on deals to grade and finish two feature films in HD.

• Looking at two upcoming projects- a feature doc and a couple more non-profit shorts.

• Script development on a short film series to begin this fall.

• Further conversation with two series producers about involvement.

• Studio build-out: working on projector calibrations and shopping for plasmas. Then the process of treating and furninshing.

• Investigating ways to get further involved in the local community- including working with under-privileged kids to cast a vision for creativity and filmmaking even on the smallest of budgets and basic of tools.

• Planning trips to NYC, DC, LA and Chattanooga- one of those to screen the latest documentary Unheralded now in edit and moving to online shortly.

Oh yeah…and still working on getting that darned website up and going…

Cheers!

~ JR

Tags: Production, red futon films

As part of the eight, 35-minute session teaching resource, I put this promo together last week: motion graphics, color, kitchen filming, and online editing and grading. The dramatic vignettes and session recording was done by Scott Brignac at Introspect Media down in Houston (@brignac on Twitter). You can see more of his stellar work here.

Tags: Production, video

This business is about making content that people want to see. But I believe the key to all of it is relationships.

Making it Happen

When I was NAB, I’d made it a point to put relationships over exhibits I wanted to see or workshops I wanted to attend. That’s hard to do with all that gear candy. But I maintained that commitment and came away with a few simple thoughts: there are people I met or knew a little bit online that I would call and trust with my budget, vision and project. There are others that are a level deeper and will remain friends for life. Then there is the sector of people who I will never work with; I was disregarded, blown off, and otherwise ignored.

The best part of it? Those that are cool, I WANT to work with them. And even if their work isn’t as great as the other guy’s work, because they’re cool, invested in people more than product, and fun to be around; I’ll hire ‘em.

Take away? You never know what kind of vibe your sending. That vibe speaks way louder than the level or amount of work you have.

Getting it Watched

I believe relationships are at the core of the non-fiction stuff I do. If an audience can connect not just with the story, but with the character in the story then it’s accomplished. If they can walk away feeling connected to the character they’ll feel connected to the story. More often than not, the what IS the who. The story, the location, the cuts, the color, the sound; all just tools to help you reveal who the character is and keep the pacing going. But the relationship between the audience and your subject is where the connection with the content really happens.

Take Away: Connection is people to people- that’s always gonna sell more than pretty shots.

Tags: philosophy, Production