filmmaking

Be Creative Everyday

“Do something creative every single day even if it’s not filmmaking related, in fact it shouldn’t be whatever your creative vocation is it should be different and exercise that muscle every single day.”

Joe Harris lends his advice to create everyday to young creatives who are trying branch out into the creative space in this clip from episode 66 of our podcast.

Joe Harris is a director, editor, and cinematographer at the Dallas-based video production company; Side Chops.

Listen again as we talk about how his background in music has a vital role in filmmaking and content creation; how his definition of success has adapted throughout the years. We also talk about how Joe found a work-life balance and engages with his family to find creative inspiration and support.

Find episode 66 on Apple Podcasts Work-Life Balance In Content Creation, How Success Changes As You Mature, And Importance of Creativity As a Daily Habit

How His Background in Architecture Influences His Creative Business, Resonating With Client Pain Points, And The Value of Learning New Skills

We chat with Aman Johnson a producer, director, and founder of Johnson Media Co., a video production company specializing in storytelling in commercial, documentary, and narrative work.

Listen to this episode as we talk about how his experience in architecture helped him with his confidence and problem-solving skills for his business and how he attentively listens to his clients’ stories to resonate with them to help him with his process. We also share the value of learning new skills and showing kindness to others to increase overall personal growth.

Find episode 67 on Apple Podcasts How His Background in Architecture Influences His Creative Business, Resonating With Client Pain Points, And The Value of Learning New Skills

How To Use Hard Drives to Store Your Video Footage

Now that you’ve made your video, do you know how you’re storing your video footage? If you’re editing videos, then you’ll need a secure tool to save your work properly. Choose a hard drive that is suitable for your device and your project. If you buy a hard drive that is incompatible or has less storage than you need, that may slow down your video editing workflow. In this clip from our video content course, we show you what to look for in buying an external hard drive that matches your device and editing needs.

Work-Life Balance In Content Creation, How Success Changes As You Mature, And Importance of Creativity As a Daily Habit

Our latest podcast episode focuses on the value of music, the definition of success, and a work-life balance. Joe Harris is a director, editor, and cinematographer at the Dallas-based video production company; Side Chops. He recently won a Gold Telly award for directing a commercial spot for Dr. Squatch-Shampoo.

In this episode, we talk about how his background in music has a vital role in filmmaking and content creation; how his definition of success has adapted throughout the years. We also talk about how Joe found a work-life balance and engages with his family to find creative inspiration and support.

Find episode 66 on Apple Podcasts Work-Life Balance In Content Creation, How Success Changes As You Mature, And Importance of Creativity As a Daily Habit

How To Expose Your Videos Properly With Light Meters and Zebra Lines

Do you find it difficult to adjust the exposure on your camera? Wondering which tools and settings you need to balance for proper exposure in your videos? Proper light exposure has ideal brightness and shadows on the subject in your video or photo. Use tools such as a light meter or zebra stripes to fix the exposure. In this clip from our video content course, we explain two camera settings used to control the amount of exposure in images and videos.

Psychographics And Content Creation, The Method of Creating Content Around 5 Feelings, And How Holistic Well-Being Helps With Creativity

Hear from our next podcast guest Natalie Cass! Natalie is a corporate photographer and filmmaker at Cass Studios: an entertainment, commercial photography, and video production company.

Listen to this conversation as we talk about how her psychographics led her to create content; how music, being active in nature, and optimizing her health and wellness helps her leverage her flow state; her method of focusing on five feelings she wants her audience to feel when developing stories for brands, and how artists can build their career by being comfortable in the unknown.

The full episode 65 is available on Apple Podcasts here: Psychographics And Content Creation, The Method of Creating Content Around 5 Feelings, And How Holistic Well-Being Helps With Creativity

You're a filmmaker if you say you are

“There’s no currency for excuses. So man, I think you’ll find out whether or not you’re passionate about it because you have to be.”

Andrew Miller brings some well needed advice for all budding filmmakers. In this clip, he encourages filmmakers to start making films and building a network to learn and grow in the industry.

Andrew is a storyteller, cinematographer, filmmaker, producer, and owner of Dox, a production company specializing in telling strong stories, particularly documentaries.

Listen to this episode again as we talk about the valuable experiences and benefits to gain from film school, his content strategy with corporations, and why it’s essential to have a system and documents to make the creation process easy and consistent.

Find podcast episode 63 on Apple Podcasts: Pros and Cons of Film School, Creating Videos For Corporations While Keeping Your Creative Integrity, And The Importance of Systems When Running A Creative Business

A Different Approach To Editing Videos

“What I do in that process is I’m suddenly familiarizing myself with the footage, and whether I want to or not, I’m piecing the edit together in my head. And that’s starts to create excitement about the actual edit.” 

In this clip from episode 62 of our podcast, Wes Evans shares his approach to get into his flow state while editing videos. This approach allows him to organize, visualize and love the scene while he’s editing the video.

Wes Evans is an actor, writer, director, and filmmaker for Icarus Burning Productions.

Listen again as we talk about how to collaborate with clients in a way that fulfills both the client’s and filmmaker’s desires and how the benefits of developing his creativity and portfolio through passion projects allow him to create lasting connections and opportunities. We also discuss why it's important to explore outside your environment and spread kindness.

Find podcast episode 62 on Apple Podcasts: The Right Way To Collaborate, Benefits of Passion Projects, And The Importance of Exploring Outside Your Environment

Pros and Cons of Film School, Creating Videos For Corporations While Keeping Your Creative Integrity, And The Importance of Systems When Running A Creative Business

We chat with Andrew Miller, a storyteller, cinematographer, filmmaker, producer, and owner of Dox, a production company specializing in telling strong stories, particularly documentaries. He has also worked on feature films such as True Grit, Spy Kids 4, and A Bold Experiment.

Listen to this episode as we talk about the valuable experiences and benefits to gain from film school, his content strategy with corporations, and why it’s essential to have a system and documents to make the creation process easy and consistent.

Find podcast episode 63 on Apple Podcasts: Pros and Cons of Film School, Creating Videos For Corporations While Keeping Your Creative Integrity, And The Importance of Systems When Running A Creative Business

You Need To Stand Out

“I think that your best way is to really figure out what your client’s problem is, what the customer’s problem is, and you’re there to solve it for them instead of just selling yourself…“

In this clip from episode 61, Castleview's executive producer Heather Mansfield Jernigan lends her advice for prospective and current agency owners on figuring out a niche in your market that also focuses on and addresses a solution to the problems your clients face.

Listen again as we discuss the benefits of using internal video as a holistic approach for current employees and customers to elaborate on your company’s values and the importance of time blocking and scheduling your tasks to optimize productivity. We also talk about how to stand out from the crowd by finding a niche and focusing on the clients in your company.

Subscribe to our podcast and listen to episode 61 on Apple Podcasts: Internal Video As A Holistic Approach, The Importance Of Time Blocking, And How To Be Unique

Understanding Focus & Depth of Field

Wondering how to improve the images in your shots? Do you need to direct your audience’s direction to help them focus on an aspect of your story? Then applying the depth of field concept while adjusting the aperture, focal length, and distance to the camera will guide you on adjusting the focus on the objects or subjects in your shot; so your audience understands any elements of storytelling you want to portray. In this clip from our video content course, we demonstrate the depth of field measurement and how to adjust your camera settings to make your image or shot clear and crisp for a flawless video.

The Right Way To Collaborate, Benefits of Passion Projects, And The Importance of Exploring Outside Your Environment

For our next podcast guest, we have actor, writer, director, and filmmaker for Icarus Burning Productions, Wes Evans. Wes has worked with The University of Texas, Tastemade, eHow, and Livestrong.

In this episode, we talk about how to collaborate with clients in a way that fulfills both the client’s and filmmaker’s desires and how the benefits of developing his creativity and portfolio through passion projects allow him to create lasting connections and opportunities. We also discuss why it's important to explore outside your environment and spread kindness.

Find podcast episode 62 on Apple Podcasts: The Right Way To Collaborate, Benefits of Passion Projects, And The Importance of Exploring Outside Your Environment

Basic Camera Movements

Want to know how you can create creative shots with your camera? Moving your camera up and down, side to side or other camera movements does wonders for your scene and video production. The camera shots and movements you choose help to convey the mood and context of the scene. Want your audience to know a detail hidden in the background or know the significance of the primary location of your video; then using camera movements such as pans and tilts, dolly and tracking shots, and crane shots will assist in narrating your story. Play around with the basic camera movements mentioned in this clip from our video content course to decide which ones you want to incorporate for your next video shoot.

Have a Monthly Budget

“What helped me was write out a budget and be like, What do I need to live? Because if you don’t know what you need to live on, you’ll just chase money forever if you chase money you’re gonna end up running out of energy.”

Hear Nick discuss the importance of planning out a monthly budget to afford time and money to focus on their creative energy with his brother Josh in this clip from episode 59 of our podcast. Nick and Josh Holden are award-winning directors, writers, actors, and co-owners of the film and video production company Mishnoon.

Listen to this episode again on Apple Podcasts. We talk about how they separate creating videos for clients themselves to continue to pursue their passion while growing their business and how finding their own voice and collaborating with clients created videos that matched their clients' personalities. We also mention why artists should create a personal budget and set realistic goals to stay on track and motivated in their creative careers.

Listen to episode 59 on Apple Podcasts; Creating Videos For Clients Vs For Ourselves, Balancing Passion & Business, And How Budgeting Can Help In Your Creative Hustle