Frequently Asked Questions
These are the top questions I get depending on the client, your experience producing videos, your passion for tech, etc.
You may have other questions, so send them my way.
How do you produce videos "more cost-effectively" than others?
There are a few factors driving this, three of which are unique to my model of production:
- Team structure: I keep the teams lean. Because I have the experience, I can comfortably wear multiple hats on a shoot: Director and Director of Photography (DP), plus Audio Engineer in a pinch. For other shoots that are more complicated or demand slick commercial aesthetics, that's the last thing you want to do. In those cases, I tap into my best-in-the-biz peers: DPs, designers, etc.
- Authentic style: Documentary-style authenticity can bring cost benefits too: making the best of locations rather than renting studios, prioritizing available light and supplementing with LEDs rather than spending hours faking it all; asking for a bit of help here and there from clients on set, which they usually find fun and always find less expensive; charging by the hour, not by the day to allow for greater agility in planning, etc.
- Edit speed: Now we're getting into AI. Recent edit advancements are crazy cool: I now use automatic transcribing, text-based editing, automated audio repair, and node-based color correction, which all save a ton of time.
- Evolving technology: Today's tools have come down in price over the years, which benefits everyone.
What if I'm a client just getting into video production for the first time?
Then my job is to make you an expert in the things that interest you. Some clients just want breakthrough outcomes whatever the secret sauce and others come to love certain aspects of the process: production planning, writing, interviewing, story structure, editing, tech, you name it. (I teach filmmaking to students, and I'm amazed how fast they pick stuff up and shoo me out of the way.)
With all clients, I spend time upfront talking about the things that can go wrong and how to easily prevent them. I also believe in showing cuts early and often, as a way to confirm I'm on the right track and getting your feedback now versus waiting until the end. So much success with new clients comes from over-communicating every step of the way.
What do you teach your students?
The principles of documentary filmmaking from a production standpoint: interviewing, shooting, and editing. But most importantly, story structure.
Today's video producers and filmmakers get a lot right, but videos that fall a little flat usually share one defining characteristic: weak story structure.
The surefire way to know there's an issue: You get bored. The opening is strong, the shots are beautiful, the audio is pristine, the graphics are gorgeous, but your mind starts to drift.
It's a hard nut to crack. Hollywood gets it (mostly,) but we're not making million dollar feature films here, we're working in non-fiction, so why even make the comparison?
Because the greatest thing we can learn from Hollywood is story structure, especially for non-fiction. Learning to think and edit in story beats is the secret sauce for ensuring audiences stay engaged in your message.
At its core, storytelling is about change and transformation, but also character development, human values, plot reversals, and pacing. Fueled by the power of music, but that's a whole other topic.
These are lessons we can apply to a $5,000 video, let alone a blockbuster. Every video I've ever made has benefited from even the simplest application of these principles.
Of all the story structure models to study, one of the simpler and more powerful ones is Save The Cat.
Be warned though: you'll never watch another movie the same way again. You'll also never be boring.
What equipment do you use?
Red cameras because they have a look that blows the others away. The new Canon lenses because I love their high-end look and documentary-friendly size. The latest DJI gimbal with LIDAR autofocus because Red's autofocus kinda sucks. DJI drones.
LED lighting (the norm these days) which is agile, cool to the touch, and won't blow circuits. Wireless mics to cover more of the action and eliminate the need for a boom operator at times.
Editing and color correction in DaVinci Resolve because the tool grew up in Hollywood and is more reliable than Adobe Premiere. Adobe After Effects and Cinema 4D for graphics.