Sometime ago, I had talked about the DC Video Shoot Off I was participating in.
Today, I finally get around to posting a link of the video here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGeuvTdvgDA&list=PLEVSO3UzJgCvfHUGrYixt-BSTKIShcfA0&index=8
Lessons Learned:
Often when someone is so sure they are good at something, put them in a different role that will challenge them. I won't elaborate too much on that lesson but it should be pretty self explanatory.
Even if you are rusty at this craft, dive right in anyways. I let my feelings of being unsure of my skills get in the way of some of my exploration into my craft.
Come to a consensus about what you want to be the absolute focus of the project, characters, etc before moving forward. Often we lose the original version whether we have lots of time (usually in our professional lives) and when we have very little time (as was the case in this shoot off).
When its time to take a breather, TAKE ONE! Burying yourself into a project regardless of a time crunch gets you no where. You only get more frustrated and locked in instead of exploring it. To be truthful, video and media are and can be art. With any work of art you have to allow the piece to unfold before your eyes, yes you start with a vision but most importantly listen and observe. Sometimes a "mistake" can be exploited. I do this all the time with my paintings, it can be applied to this as well.
Don't be afraid to listen to all ideas that come to the table, approach it with an open mind. This Workshop is for learning and playing with new equipment, ideas, experiences, and stories. There is always something to learn in a collaboration, don't be afraid of the opportunity to learn. Also, no one likes an insufferable no it all.
Don't insult your work before it is finished, seriously, what a downer. I have to cite something specific that was said in my group: We're just polishing up a turd at this point. Um...no...but if you go into the art of creation with that being your focus well...then it will be a turd.
Not everyone in the group can be a leader. Ever heard the saying "too many cooks in the kitchen"? Well it applies to this lesson. Often when too many people are trying to lead a project or discussion, you get into a place where something that should be a simple process turns into a chaotic mess.
Things I liked:
I liked meeting new people in this field. Networking is an awesome thing and I love making new connections and acquaintances.
Going into the field. Whether in a learning environment or for work, I love love LOVE going into the field to capture footage. This above all was my favorite.
Talking over ideas/brainstorming. While we did struggle through some of this portion as a group, we had fun.
The mentors. Also a great opportunity to network with people in the field and make new connections, but also our mentor was a pretty cool guy and was an excellent resource for knowledge. Due to some differences in personality when it came to our group, I feel his talents were under utilized but he offered as much as he could and stayed with us through the long hours of the editing process that evening. I salute you sir and thanks for the book! :)
The feedback. I felt the feedback was useful and allowed me to go back and think of how things could have been done differently and how to handle a future project of that magnitude. Thanks to the judges for their notes and remarks.
