The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face – On Time Is Late

Let me start by saying over the past month or so it has been increasingly difficult to post these Videographer Guide entries due to my recent workload, so until further notice I am going to make these shorter.  Maybe that is a good thing : )

There use to be a saying on the film sets I worked on – “Early is on time, on time is late, and late is unheard of“. To be fair I will mention that I am freakishly punctual.  In elementary school for two years in a row I literally won awards from the city of New York for not missing a day of school.  In 10 years of working on film sets where the start times were between 5AM and 7AM I was 5 minutes late twice. So when I say that it is hard for me to understand why people don’t simply use the strategy of delivering on time as a key strategy of success, you can understand that this is coming from the anal guy who is almost never late.

Does this work?

If you have ever had the privilege of working on the client side of the equation you will better understand why being on time is such a critical trait.  In my experience as a client most independent contractors will not only fail to deliver on a date but will fail to update you when they are late.  For some reason they don’t recognize that the client is relying on you so that they can deliver to their clients, who are probably relying on them to deliver to even more clients. How one fails to make this connection is beyond beyond.  But it happens many more times than it doesn’t.  I try to rationalize why one would exhibit such behavior.  Maybe they are a fan of Hollywood movies where the talented but temperamental artist climbs the ranks fueled by his bad boy aura.  Or maybe they have bigger fish to fry and the clients work falls through the cracks.  Or maybe they were raised by a pack of wolves who can’t grasp the concept of time.  Whatever the reason, the fact of the matter is that being on time is one of the more valuable traits you can have in your arsenal simply because so many others don’t.   If clients can refer to you as “The On Time Guy” trust me you will probably have a pretty strong portfolio.

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable” Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Jul 22, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face – “It”

For the past three weeks I would wake up on Friday morning with the intention to publish a Videographers Guide entry on what is “it” and for the past three weeks I have failed to publish that article.  It seems appropriate since the highly desirable it factor has eluded description from folks who are much more eloquent than I am.  Who has it? Where do you find it? How do you get it? Questions that if answered can make a significant difference in revenue and relevance. Sadly for each of the past three weeks the best description I could come up with is some variation of ‘you know it when you see it.’ But alas here I am again, this time win or lose I am giving it (pun intended) my best shot.  Hopefully I can give a little insight about the Who, How & Where surrounding this age old phenomenon.

Who Has It?

In the documentary on Bob Dylan titled “No Way Home,” someone commented that ‘he (Dylan) just looked at you like he knew something you didn’t,’ That description accurately describes those folks who have it. There seems to be an effortless confidence that comes from being in on the joke.  As it applies to my profession, the filmmakers who seem to have it seem to do everything right.  From their framing, to their composition to just having a knack for being at the right place at the right time.  They seem to interact effortlessly with their subjects and manage their environments with effortless grace.  This person has an eye for what works and what highly desirable clients want.  What are their secrets?  For starters it might be comforting to know that such effortless grace takes years of hard work to achieve, and maintain.  Pentagram’s Paula Scher is known for how quickly she works and responds to her clients who feel like they are not getting their money’s worth by stating that “[Her Designs] are done in a second in 34 years… every experience and every movie and every thing of my life that’s in my head.”  It’s an eloquent explanation of what it is.  It is the culmination of years of developing ones taste into an instinctive split second decision.  Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink is a great read on this process.

How Do I Get It?

Early in my videography career I considered myself a person of good taste who had a good eye, however in hindsight I see that many of my videos left allot to be desired.  The footage was shaky, the sound was inconsistent, the editing was sloppy.  Today my work is much more polished, much tighter, and maintains a level of cachet that is also reflected in the quality of clients in my expanding portfolio.  So what happened? Experience is what happened.  The phrase There is No Substitute for Experience is one of the most accurate truisms there is.  Over the years I learned through observation, trial and error what is acceptable on a professional level and strived to replicate that in my work.  The time tested technique of copying.  Simply seeing what it is you like and reproducing it is how I got better.  Steve Jobs once said… “Good artist copy, great artist steal.” This phrase is brilliantly examined in a well thought out and entertaining web series titled Everything Is A Remix.

Where Do I Find It?

So what are some ways to find good material to copy.  I suggest that you develop a resevoir of material that you can resource on a regular basis.  My routine for this type of material sourcing has been a daily ritual for about 6 years.  I start my day between 6:00 and 7:00 am by browsing my favorite blogs and twitter contacts for material that gives me some insight into what is happening on the New Media front.  I have become pretty adept at quickly being able to parse the good from the bad from the ugly.  This is how I train my eye to recognize what it is.

In the end just like there is no substitute for experience, there is also no substitute for talent.  Though it might be true that some people just have it, and some people don’t… in some ways the point of this article is to dispel the misconception that if you have it, you don’t need to work as hard at your craft.  The fact is the opposite is true… having it should be a launching pad for allot of hard work to come as well as platform from which you can begin to develop and train your eye.  And for those amongst us who just don’t have the magical it factor, you can always hire someone who does ; )

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable” Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Jul 15, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide to Not Falling On Your New Media Face – The New Media ad Model

Four years ago much of corporate America didn’t get social media particularly as it applied to video on the web. The very first videos I produced for marketing companies working in the fortune 500 sphere were internal videos used as either case studies or event recaps for their existing and prospective clients. They would never get published for public consumption. However in the last year or two corporations large and small are embracing the New Media ad model with branded videos directly targeted at the consumer. Here are some interesting stats courtesy of the The Business Of Fashion.

“According to network technology and services company Cisco, the number of people who watch web videos will surpass 1 billion by the end of 2010. By 2014, web video alone will account for 57 percent of all consumer internet traffic. Already, more than 2 billion videos are played each day on YouTube alone.”

Another interesting development that I have observed is that companies that previously only advertised in print, are embracing video marketing for the first time.  What is it about video on the web that excites marketing departments in a way that TV ads don’t?  Much of this is due to the lower budgets needed to produce and distribute web content, but also in many cases there isn’t the negative stigma that is associated with an old media commercial campaign.  I think there are two main reasons for this.

1. The web encourages user interaction where TV ads are annoying and obtrusive.

Much like print, Viewers are engaged in the experience, navigating to content that they find most interesting. In many if not most branded videos, the product placement is often very subtle if noticeable at all. One industry that is way ahead of the curve when it comes to branded video content is the always forward thinking high fashion industry. According to TheBusinessOfFashion.com

“fashion brands, both large and small, are investing in online video content, while agencies that represent commercial artists are urging their fashion photographers to reposition themselves as image-makers who can direct short films.”

This recently emerging category has been coined “Fashion Film.” Filmmakers like Ruth Hogden produce awe inspiring visual masterpieces like this video for Gareth Pugh S/S 2011 that serve the same function that a high end fashion show would but with a wider reach.

2. For the most part there aren’t any artistic restrictions placed on the content.

The web genre is redefining what it means to have branded video content. Without the 30 second limitation of conventional broadcasting, filmmakers have been freed to convey a message without restrictions. The end result are videos with little or no product placement like this recent posting for Vans or this one for Intel.  Or on the other end of the spectrum you will find videos that focus completely on the product but in a way that is a testament to its craftsmanship, like this one titled The Making of the Eames Lounge Chair. Videos like this tap into a previously undervalued consumer appetite for seeing craftsmen at work.

So What Does This Mean For The Videographer?

What photographers are to print, videographers are to blogs. The more aware you are of that dynamic in your relationship with brands, the quicker you will be able to adapt and cater your own personal brand to what your prospective clients need.

Next Friday – The Avante Garde Art of the New Media Videographer

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable” Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Jun 17, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face | Chapter 13 – Gaming The System

The term “Gaming The System” usually describes techniques used identify loopholes or tricks that allows one to evade community standards.  In this particular instance I refer to “gaming” as legit techniques for videographers to rack up views and or build their brand.

Sex Sells

Sex sells is a time tested adage that transcends all mediums, cultures and economic climates.  Photo blog sites like Lastnightsparty or Drivenbyboredom who have been showing bare-breasted hipsters for years have delved into the video realm with impressive results.  This video Hot Girls Making Out which I edited for Drivenbyboredom is a good example of building a brand by using sex as a lure. Almost 100K views with very little production merit.  This video works wonders for his site, but does nothing for me since my brand isn’t built around sex.

Cats, Storms & Natural Disasters

Exploiting natural phenomenon for views is another technique that has stood the test of time and you shouldn’t feel bad doing this.  If it’s good enough for CNN then it’s good enough for you.  Like sex it probably won’t do much for you if it doesn’t build your brand, but even one good video capturing the work of mother nature can be a big winner.  Here is one of the best titled The Aurora by filmmaker Terje Sorgjerd  3.7 million views.  This is gaming the system on it’s highest production level.

The Bandwagon

One of the most reliable ways to get quick views is to jump on a video trend with a tribute video.  This video by my friends Shinobi Ninja is a remake of the recent Bed Intruder video meme and garnered them 53k views.

The High Profile Brand Portrait

In new media high profile brands can be very different than those found in traditional media.  They can be skaters, bloggers, photographers, promoters, independent artist or they can be your traditional old media high profile celebrity.  Documenting a high profile brand for views is probably the technique that requires the most preparation. For one you will have to produce a level of work that is satisfactory of that brands time, secondly you will have have to do some legwork to contact someone that will give you access.  Then you will have to do your homework and figure out if this video will translate into actual views.  Old Media Brands are sometimes more difficult to predict in terms of how many views they will bring simply because their audiences are older and not a part of the New Media experience.

The Corporate Account

The goal of many aspiring videographers is to get corporate accounts.  It says you have arrived and are now playing the game on a level that separates you from the masses.  Another benefit other than getting paid comes in the form of views.  Now that you have corporate backing it means that the videos you make are going to get seen bringing your brand additional exposure.  This is the level of stratosphere that my brand TheNewPop occupies.  Here is one corporate video I made for The Desigual Brand titled Undie Party that has about 75K views. Keep in mind that corporate accounts can also come in the form of production houses, blogs, celebrity clients and record labels just to name a few.  But it is not the holy grail that I strive for.  That highest level of videographer existence is reserved for the High Profile Brand.

The High Profile Brand

The ultimate gamer is the High Profile Brand mentioned in the sections above.  This brand gets views simply because of who they are.  Lastnightsparty is a great example of this brand.  Bronques (The man behind the brand) has leveraged his photo blog known for documenting topless drunken hipsters into hundreds of thousands of video views and highly desired corporate accounts.  Other video brands in this category include the 13th Witness, Hypebeast, Vasthie & Maestro Knows.  Keep in mind that there are other ways to build your video brand outside of producing videos.  Of this list the only one to get their start as a New Media videographer is Maestro Knows.  The rest have either leveraged blogging fame or some combination of the gaming teqhniques listed above into building their brand. Vashtie throws parties, Hypebeast blogs about street culture. Finding even minor success in this category means that people will be vying for your services based solely on your brand name.

In the end what is the most exciting about New Media is it is an emerging field and the players and techniques are just coming into focus.  There are a number of ways not all mentioned here for you to find a small niche or achieve videographer nirvana.  As far as “Gaming The System” goes, it’s all legit as long as your hearts in the game.

Good Luck.

Next Friday: The New Media Advertising Model.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

May 27, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face | Chapter 12 – Clients

I can’t think of anything more rewarding than being your own boss and doing what you love.  You make your own hours, you are constantly challenged, and you don’t have to take shit from anyone.  I have dedicated my life to this pursuit of freedom.  It is in my blood, no one in my nuclear family works for a boss.  My father owns a cab, my brother is also a videographer and my mom and sister are house wives.  I think we would rather starve than put up with working for a boss. My pursuit of this freedom has come at a cost.  I have lost relationships, suffered humiliation, lived in constant financial hardship, met with creative crises’ and I am constantly in fear of having a bad month.  Despite these challenges every single morning I wake up at the crack of dawn excited to get to work.

The lifeblood of this creative freedom comes in the form of clients. How do I find them?  I am not a particularly social person but thanks in large part to social media and blogging I have managed to build a solid client list. In this chapter I will share a few tips that helped me in obtaining, nurturing, and expanding my client portfolio.

Prospecting:

These days I don’t do much if any real world prospecting for new clients.  Most of them come via referrals or my website (More on that later).  But there was a time when I didn’t have a single client and had to get out and do what I hate most… Network.  In public settings I am not particularly engaging, I tend to sit in the corner quietly making observations or thinking about my next shoot or edit.  Lucky me I did manage to find my first clients through the people I initially documented.  Prospecting in the arts works well if it is organic. At first most of them wanted me to work for them for little or nothing.  This was fine, in order to get clients I needed to have a portfolio of videos to show other clients what I could do.  These initial contacts provided that.  You too should use this approach and add these new contacts on your mailing list and social networks.

Nurturing:

I haven’t been in personal contact with 95% of the folks that I considered my initial client base.  People grow, people change that is just the nature of business.  What I have done is I have placed a premium on quality not quantity.  I put 95% of my networking energy into nurturing the most promising 5% of clients, and 5% of my networking energy in nurturing the remaining 95%.  I work smart, not hard.  For the 95% I send them reminders that I am still around via social networking and mail blasts.  This way even if you haven’t personally spoken to them you will continue to be a relevant part of the collective conversation granted you do great work. The 5% of contacts I consider premium contacts I keep in contact with them regularly via emails, phone calls, and referrals I send their way. It is also pretty easy to maintain these relationships because more often than not they also become good friends. It is not a coincidence that the common thread between this minority of high quality clients is usually their integrity and mutual respect.

Expanding:

This is the most challenging and creative part of my networking strategy.  While most people see social media and blogging as a great place to keep in contact with old friends and family, talk about themselves, read the news or just to be a part of the conversation… I rely on it for expanding my client base.  Do you really think I would be sharing all these valuable ideas on this blog every week for nothing?  This blog is my primary tool for obtaining new clients and building my brand.  In exchange for the valuable insight I give the reader, I hope that he or she will spread my ideas and that they will eventually reach someone who needs my services.  Every post is either a showcase for my work, a display of my taste, or a sample of my expertise.  It is probably the most efficient prospecting and branding tool a freelancer can have.  That is certainly the case for me.

Next Friday: Gaming The Sytem.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

May 20, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face | Chapter 11 – Intangible Interview Tips

Pulling off an effective interview isn’t as easy as you may think.  It is often the most challenging part of the production and usually makes or breaks your piece.  In the past 5 years I’ve probably done as many interviews as anyone in new media and I still learn new things every time.  Last week I shared some tangible interview tips that has helped me over the years.  Today I will give you some of the intangible elements that contribute to a better interview.

6. Dress The Part:

As I get older I am learning to appreciate how dressing like an adult helps in the respect ctegory.  Gone are my days of tilted baseball caps, ironic Tees, and shorts.  You don’t have to dress like you are working on Wall Street although it really can’t hurt, but you should wear something that says I take myself seriously.  My rule of thumb is if I can’t wear it on a dinner date, then I probably shouldn’t be wearing it to work.

7. Master Your Domain:

The moment you enter an interview space you have to make that environment yours even if you are an invited guest.  There are ways to do this without being rude or territorial.  Ask the hosts for permission to scout the location to find the best interview setting.  Once you have that permission take the opportunity to collect your thoughts, get comfortable with the space, and to shift into director mode.  Every single person I’ve ever interviewed from celebrities to my folks has looked for direction from me, embrace that responsibility.

8. The Push & The Pull:

One of the skills that come most naturally to me is being able to read people.  A very useful trait as a director.   The bottom line is that you want your subject to be comfortable and to feel confident.  If your subject is talking to fast, repeatedly asking you how they are doing, restarting allot, chances are the interview won’t be very good.  When you see these signs shift gears and take the pressure off.  I usually do this by talking about an unrelated topic and weaving my way back to the related subject matter.  There are dozens of ways to shift gears, many just come with practice. That being said, the interviewer’s best skill is to know when to shut up.  If the dialogue is flowing don’t feel the need to push your agenda, act more like a moderator.

9. Don’t be a Douche:

It helps if you are a likable person and that the person you are interviewing is also likable.  If that isn’t the case a producer or an assistant can be an invaluable asset acting as a buffer between you and any bad vibes.

10. Manage the Energy:

If the energy is cool and artsy, then be cool and artsy.  If you need more passionate energetic answers then you should try to encourage that in your tone and your body language.

Next Friday: Prospecting for Clients.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

May 13, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face | Chapter 10 – Tangible Interview Tips

Pulling off an effective interview isn’t as easy as you may think.  It is often the most challenging part of the production and usually makes or breaks your piece.  In the past 5 years I’ve probably done as many interviews as anyone in New Media and I still learn new things every time.  Here are 5 tips that can help you out.

1. Audio:

As mentioned in Chapter 2 – “Nothing screams amateur like shoddy sound.  It’s the easiest thing to take for granted, and the hardest thing to fix in post.  If you are using a DSLR camera at the minimum buy an external mic.  Some clients are so picky that you are probably better off budgeting for a sound guy.”

2. Location:

Choose a location with an interesting background.  Consider the subjects distance from the wall.  If you want a more intimate feel place your subject close to the wall.  If you want to emote something more grand, move your subject away from the wall.  And when outdoors please don’t shoot with the sun behind the subject.

3. Eyeline:

Whether the subject looks into the camera or not determines the directness of the message.  Staring directly into the camera is more jarring and takes on a more dramatic tone.  Looking off camera feels more conversational and also gives you more to work with in terms of different camera angles and 2 camera shots.

4. Interview to Output ratio:

My interview to output ratio is about 10 to 1 meaning for every minute of soundbytes I plan to use I schedule 10 minutes of interview time.  Due to time considerations on the editing side, the output ratio often goes down, rarely goes up.

5. Rapport and how not to ruin it:

This is probably the most important element of your interview and also the most intangible.  It is why some photographers and videographers have “it” and some don’t.  How one manages the energy between the subject and the camera is hard to define and I won’t try here (I will cover that next week), what I will do is make suggestions on things to avoid.

• Don’t be late to an interview. We had an old adage on film sets, “early is on-time, on-time is late, and late is unheard of.”  If you’ve ever worked on a film set everyone is early.  I worked on sets for over 10 years and was about 5 minutes late twice.  I got reamed both times and one time I would’ve gotten fired if I wasn’t needed to drive the truck to set.  My counterparts in new media haven’t seemed to grasp this one yet. (Note: L.A. doesn’t count they are much more laid back about time.)
• Don’t interview for over 30 minutes without a break.  I learned this one the hard way when after 30 minutes of not getting what I needed on a recent interview, the subject got restless but I persisted because I thought I was finally making headway.  Well after pushing the subject he became openly hostile to me and the client and pretty much threw us out of his loft before we could get the b-roll we needed for the video.  Live and learn.
• Keep your questions short: Subjects usually know where your going with your questions, no need to overexplain.
• Don’t let the client step on your questions.  Remind the client to pause between your question and their answer.  This one is for the editors.
• Write down your questions.  Even if you don’t know exactly who you will be interviewing, you should know beforehand what the angle of your video is and what kind of questions to ask.
• At the end of the interview, allow the subject to add anything that you may have missed during your questioning.

Next Friday: The Intangible Interview Tips.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

May 06, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not falling On Your New Media Face – Chapter 9 “New Media Cliches”

Regardless of your medium of expression, or level of expertise we have all done them, cliche shots.  In film some of these include; The man running through a flock of pigeons, Shots of subways, taxi’s.  Steam rising from the streets of New York, anything utilizing time-lapse and so on. These are just a few of the cliches that we have seen in old media.  Today there are a whole new list of cliches that have or are quickly becoming a part of the New Media vocabulary.  What are these New Cliches? Here is my top 10 list of cliches that have developed in recent years.  I will leave it up to you to decide which one of these cliches you want to add to your repertoire.

10. Craft – This one really got started by the site Coolhunting.com one of the first sites to incorporate the element of video-blogging. They excelled in documenting the obsessive craftsman or artist toiling away perfecting their creations.  It is the perfect genre for online media as it is a genre that still goes widely under-represented in old media.

9. The Lens-flare Hipster Girl combo – Nothing beats a low angle shot of a beautiful girl as the sun flares directly into the lens of the camera.  This was and still is one of my favorite cliche shots. This technique seemed to peak right around the whole MGMT, Animal Collective outdoorsy hipster years of 2007 – 2008.  A more recent example can be found on a video shot by Merlin Bronques of Lastnightsparty fame for Kanon Organic Vodka.

8. Americana – As of late there has been a huge influx of videos dealing with Americana. Putting a contemporary lens on artifacts, related to the history, geography, folklore and cultural heritage of the United States.  Hypebeast has been one of the key curators of this genre.  One recent post titled The Axe begged the question has this genre finally “jumped the shark”.  The comments on this page are among the funniest I have read.

7. Tilt Shift – This technique was great when you actually had to get a tilt shift lens to pull it off.  Now that editing software is used to achieve the same effect it is quickly becoming watered down and cliche.  The filmmaker best known for this genre Sam O’Hare does it better than anyone as this video titled Coachelletta demonstrates.

6. The Exposure Dissolve – This one sort of falls into the Vintage category, it’s the over-exposed dissolve. It looks cool, and it still works as you can see in this video titled Influencers.

5. The Act of God –  It seems like anytime there is an act of God be it a Snowstorm, a Lunar Eclipse, or a Tornado there is someone ready to exploit it for the video views only.  Maybe if they placed “God” in the directors credit I wouldn’t have such a problem with it.  A few filmmakers have managed to express these events in their own unique way as in this video from The Mutiny Company titled Idiot With A Tripod.

4. The Video Booth – This is another one of my favorites that I still utilize today.  Most recently albeit very briefly on the Artists Wanted video in which Chloe Sevigny decided to grace us with her presence.  The website ShadowScene was also pretty well known for this cliche.

3.  The Middle Finger/The Peace Sign/The Point – Somehow I managed to include all three of these in the opening sequence of this party video I shot and edited for a short lived party series called Acrylic.

2. The Vintage Look – Thanks to Magic Bullet Looks, and iPhone photo aps like Camera Bag and Hipstamatic the vintage look has over-saturated us with it’s under-saturated color treatment and vignetted frames.  This video from the kinda annoying Toro Y Moi is a recent example of this.

1. The Low Concept On The Street Music Video – There was a time when producing even the most “basic” music video required enormous resources, months of planning and tens of thousands of dollars in investments. Despite the “basic” nature of these videos they still held up on some artistic level if only for the difficulty it took to produce them. With today’s technology any one can replicate or even surpass the level of production of earlier days with nothing more than a DSLR camera and a willing participant. This video titled “Address” featuring two pretty well known artist (Stalley & Curren$y) is a good example of what can be achieved for little or no money.   Just because the location is cool, and they are a talented artists doesn’t make it right.  Many filmmakers don’t even bother to get a unique location instead opting for the gritty “New York” streets, adding a whole new level of cliches to their production.

HONORABLE MENTION:

The 80′s VHS look - This one is still relatively new but it’s already getting the Social Media overkill with videos like  Century Girl from former New Pop Host Theophilus London, or Onra’s Sitting Back.

Sex Sells – The time honored method of using sex to sell is so cliche that it has ceased being cliche only to be cliche again, where it will remain cliche until it stops being cliche.  You get the point.  Take your pick of sites that exploit sex to get viewers.   I personally try to stay away from it.  It’s just too easy.

Next Friday: Interview Tips.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Apr 29, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face | Chapter 8 – Feedback

Who Needs Feedback?

This question isn’t as silly as it sounds.  Just think back to the last time you got some criticism that you absolutely disagreed with only to find that following it vastly improved your work.  If you are a working artist this happens all the time.  Feedback is like gravity, without it your art loses it’s weight and drifts and drifts until you have no reference point to come back to.  Listed below are a few pointers that help me out when it comes to feedback.

Avoid Negative Energy.

Avoid sharing your energy with people who are not on your wavelength.  If you’re a sensitive artists avoid the cynics, if you’re happy optimist avoid the depressed pessimist.  You may think they give you  a counter-balance but the truth is they are probably curtailing you from fully expressing yourself and vice-versa.  It took me almost 4 years to figure that one out.

Arrested Development.

Some people get caught up in soliciting feedback from a niche group of friends and associates.  At some point you have to go outside your insulated world and take your work to a faceless mass or worse a corporate client. This feedback can be crude or even worse apathetic.  Even if objective feedback from the masses is tough if your work is of a high standard but polarizing then chances are you are doing something relevant.  This could be good for your art, but bad for corporations who tend to shy away from polarizing content.  So what do you do?

When To Tune It Out?

So you have found your voice, you’re at the top of your game, and your are pushing the envelope, but your corporate clients want you to tone it down.  What do you do?   I will pass on some words of advice given to me by a small cafe owner by day comedian by night a couple of years back.  He said “do one for you, do one for them”.  But that strategy may not work with all clients so I modified it a bit.  My modified strategy is one in which I get one bread and butter client in my portfolio that pays the bills and I spend the rest of my time building relationships with clients that are more on my wavelength.  As my portfolio grows so does my voice.

Next Friday: Cliches.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Apr 22, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face | Chapter 7 – To Music Video, Or Not To Music Video…

I have struggled both as a Production Assistant and now as a New Media Filmmaker with two distinct genres of film-making.  The Commercial Video vs the Music Video genres.  You may be surprised at just how different these two sides of the same coin are.  Not only in technical and budgetary aspects, but also in the culture and the temperament of the people who make up the crews.  Music Video crews tend to be younger, more insecure about their careers and less discipline on set.  Mostly due to the lower budgets, the normal 12 hour shoot day can easily go into double (16 hours), triple (20 hours), or quadruple time (24 hours), without any guarantee of additional compensation.  I know that sounds insane to folks who haven’t worked on film sets, but if your working in a non-union position especially as a PA on a set you get paid a day rate and get treated more like an intern than a professional. (Don’t think I didn’t fight it, I actually tried to organize a PA union.  lol.)

When I first started freelancing in the 90′s as a Production Assistant in the Music Video world I thought the verbal abuse exhibited on many of these sets was par for the course in regards to film-making as a whole.  It wasn’t until I got my first taste of a big budget Commercial gig that I realized just how insane the Music Video world was.  Suddenly people weren’t screaming at each other, egos weren’t being flexed at every turn, and things were run with a more professional approach than they were on Music Video sets.  There were rarely any double days and on the occasion we ran into double time there was an 80% chance you would get compensated for it.  But what really resonated with me was the fact that for the most part people were actually saying please for this, and thank you for that.  It’s amazing how far those simple words can go even in the most stress-full situations.   Yeah I am like John Travolta in the Pulp Fiction “Bonnie” scene when it comes to that.

However both genres have positive and negative aspects that need to be considered.  The Music Video world is a creative persons playground while relatively speaking the Commercial world is mostly devoid of it.  The lack of creativity exhibited on 90% of these commercial shoots was mind boggling.  However on Music Videos I’ve worked with the likes of Diane Martel, Brett Ratner, Hype Williams, Sophie Muller, and dozens of other well known music video directors and there was no lack of creativity on those sets.

Fast forward to the present day.  Here I am a filmmaker myself albeit in the even lower budget genre of New Media.  Allot of things are different but allot of things are the same.  In the Old Media environment you learn right away that the Music Video lies at the bottom of the hierarchy list topped by the Hollywood Feature.  In the film world you didn’t want to get labeled with the “music video director” tag.  It’s a tag that even the most talented Music Video directors like Hype Williams find difficult to shake. However if you have a reputation as a decent feature filmmaker the Commercial world welcomes you with open arms into their fraternity.

These days largely due to the Internet and DSLR technology the Music Video is experiencing a renaissance and finding a new audience.  The budgets are smaller than Old Media budgets but so are the required resources. As a result New Media film-making has taken on the characteristics of another genre that I worked in as a Production Assistant and thoroughly enjoyed. Working in the world of Photography I found that 99% of  the gigs were cush by any standard.  I also got the opportunity to work on sets with the likes of David LaChapelle, Terry Richardson and many more talented and creative artists who’s work did not suffer because of fostering this kind of creative more structured environment.  Instead it was the opposite, it seemed like the laid back sets nurtured a more creative and communicative environment that also kept spirits high, and made the overall production experience more enjoyable for everyone.  Too often there is this misconception that creative people are screaming ego-maniacs.  This is the stuff of Hollywood and makes for great drama.  Some are some aren’t, it has little to do with their creativity.  Regardless it is that positive and professional setting that I try to replicate on my sets.

What is very exciting about New Media is that it is evolving into something that mostly resembles the photography culture.  Old Media producers will probably never be able to let go of the perks and rules that have developed over decades and bloated their budgets over time.  Nor will they be able to make the experience of producing films as enjoyable as a smaller more intimate crew can.  And that is the beauty of what we are doing in new media.  We have a blank slate, a new beginning and we have the power to shape this landscape into our own vision.  Personally I try to make the creative experience on my sets enjoyable even in the most stress-full time crunched situations.  Sometimes all that takes is a please or a thank you.

So to answer the question “To Music Video Or Not To Music Video…”  If you can take the positive aspects of a small crew setting and make it an enjoyable experience for all involved I say Yes! I think if I ever get offered the huge budgets offered to Old Media productions I will use what is absolutely necessary for the production and pocket the rest.  Labels you have been forewarned.

Next Friday: Feedback, who do you tune it out.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Apr 15, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Comments Off

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face – Chapter 6 | Who Makes More Money?

Most great artist are also skilled technicians, and many great technicians incorporate a conceptual approach to their skills. However in both cases one usually starts off more versed in one style than the other. Those artist who create abstractly and on the fly may rely on their more technically adept friends for insight.  While many technicians who find it challenging to think in abstract terms may rely on the feedback of the conceptual artist to improve their work. So who fairs better in the new media landscape?  Well that depends…

The Corporate Environment:

Producing videos in a corporate environment requires considerable technical proficiency.  Just because the new media budget might be a fraction of what the old media budget was, somehow it doesn’t always translate proportionally to the level of work that is expected.  In my case I was coming from a background of shooting parties and events handheld and on the fly.  As a result I developed some pretty bad habits, many of which I was not even aware of until I started shooting corporate videos.  It was only when I was being judged by committee that I realized just how bad my sound, lighting and even my editing was.  After the novelty of hiring the “new media videographer” wore off, many of those old clients stopped calling.

The Indie Enviroment:

On the other hand, not being a formally trained filmmaker meant that I was learning new ways to produce videos.  I knew what I wanted and often took take the long way to create the desired results.  Many times what you will find is that taking the long way to get where you want to go will give your videos an indie polish that distinguishes it from the stodgy old media films that dominate your television sets.

So Who Fairs Better?

In my opinion the more technically adept filmmaker will fair better in the short run.  The bigger jobs are still awarded by the establishment.  And more often than not regardless of the budget they want their videos produced as flawlessly as humanly possible.  Chances are they got where they are by exhibiting that same technical proficiency with their own products.  But despair not, there is hope for the visionary.  While your highly conceptual albeit somewhat gritty videos may only fly with an indie audience, true visionaries are a rare breed indeed and corporations will pay a premium for it.  If you are patient enough to stay the course, the glass ceiling that so often impedes the ascent of the technocrat won’t exists for you. (Sorry if this reads like a Horoscope.)  In the meantime work on those technical skills to increase your short term value.

Next Friday: To Music Video, Or Not To Music Video – That is the question.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Apr 08, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Leave A Comment »

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face – Chapter 5.2 | Lipstick On A Pig

To put “lipstick on a pig” is a rhetorical expression, used to convey the message that making superficial or cosmetic changes is a futile attempt to disguise the true nature of a product.

What do you do when the shooting assignment turns out to be a dud?  Last week I gave you some shooting tips on how to salvage a less than stellar event.  This week I will give you some tips on how to get the best out of your footage.

1. Keep It Short.

Anyone that has been asked to hand in a shorter edit realizes that this is harder than it sounds.  The natural rhythm of conversations usually means that each person takes a minute or two to get his or her point across. New media movies tend to be 2 – 3 minutes on average.  In order to fit multiple interviews plus b-roll, product shots, etc into one 3 minute clip you have to learn how to shorten the sound-bytes.  Much of this is a result of your direction during the interviews.  However there is also a neat trick you can use that will shave valuable seconds off your edit.  If you cut out all the umm’s, ugh’s, you knows, and repeated words, you can shave as much as 10-20% off the run-time from your videos.  Thanks Diane!

2. Keep It Moving!

Utilize those handheld or mechanical dolly shots, camera pans, zooms, and rac shots.  Fly in some cool text. Nothing gives your video energy better than lots of motion.  And please, don’t ever unintentionally start a moving shot on a static frame.

3. The MTV Edit.

Growing up as a teen during the birth of MTV and through the golden age of music videos has thoroughly influenced and informed my work.  As a teenager every week I would tape music videos and invite all my friends over to watch them. (So dorky!).  I still have all those tapes and as soon as I get a VCR they will become a part of the Videogeekout Facebook show.  But I digress.  The unintentional consequence of all that music video consumption is that I have been informally trained for the new media short format video.  My edits are very stylized, have lots of tight shots, quick cuts, focus on mood and feeling, and are musically influenced.  If you do the same thing and do it right, 9 out of 10 of your edits will be as cool as mine. : )

4. Build An Arc.

As I mentioned in Chapter 2 in the section titled Lazy Montage I stated –  ”It is so easy to find a dope music track and chop together a compelling montage around this.” The problem with allot of folks who edit in the MTV style is that it leans way too heavily on style over substance.  The best way to avoid this is to build creative arcs in your edit.  This will keep your video above water.  Even if it’s just a collection of random disjointed sound-bytes, the picture you paint will serve your piece well.

5. Utilize Photos.

Because my old partner Tone was a photographer and I of course was the videographer this is a technique that I employed heavily in the early days of The New Pop.  So heavily in fact that our logo became a combination of a video-camera and a still camera.  We were way ahead of our time.  Today of course most cameras come with both the photo and video feature, use this to your advantage.

Hopefully these tips will help you turn that dud assignment into a dandy edit.

Next Friday: The Technical vs The Conceptual Videographer – Who gets more work?

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Apr 01, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Leave A Comment »

The Videographers Guide To Not Falling On Your New Media Face | Chapter 5 – Lipstick On A Pig

To put “lipstick on a pig” is a rhetorical expression, used to convey the message that making superficial or cosmetic changes is a futile attempt to disguise the true nature of a product.

What do you do when the shooting assignment turns out to be a dud?  Before you respond with a predictable “It’s not my job to make an event look cool” consider this.  Keep in mind that in most cases more people will experience that event through your video than were actually at that event.  If you make it your job to take a dire situation and somehow find the silver lining via a great edit and shoot, you will build a reputation as a videographer with a midas touch. There is an invisible intangible energy that flows between every person. What separates a good videographer from a mediocre one is your sensitivity to that energy and your ability to mold it.  I will share a few tips on how to turn a dud into a dandy!

1.Wait and see!

The biggest mistake you can make is to walk into an event and assume because everyone is standing around waiting for something to happen that the event is a dud.  Nine out of ten times things will pick up.  The best thing you can do is to be the fly on the wall and document things as they organically build.  The worse thing you can do is to inject your phony positive energy when it is not needed.

2. The Empty Room.

You might find yourself in a situation where the event is well attended and the energy is good but because the organizer booked a space the size of Grand Central Station it looks like nobody is there.  The solution here is an easy one.  Shoot tight.  If people don’t see the empty room, they won’t know the room was empty. Capisce?

3. Too Cool For School.

Living and working in New York I’ve run into many events where it was perfectly acceptable for folks to stand around and look cool instead of having what looks like genuine fun. Many of these folks have no time to be bothered with such things as being photographed.  After all having your image captured is soooo 2009. These events although considered a success have the potential to look like a dud on camera.  If you think sending a bad edit of a bad event sucks, try sending a bad edit of a good event. Solution; Divide & Conquer. Every event regardless of the cool factor has it’s share of people who aren’t too cool to play up to the camera. Engage these people, separate them from their cool friends, ask them for an interview, or to pose for a super fabulous portrait.  More times than not many of the folks who were secretly making fun of the too cool for school crowd will flock to your camera like moths to a flame.  Trust me on this one.

4. The Asshole.

The opposite end of the spectrum is The Asshole.  We have all encountered this guy.  Usually he (or in rare cases she) is drunk, feeling all in the moment with a sudden urge to be the center of attention.  He sees your camera and in the most obnoxious manner demands that you interview him and he won’t leave until you do. Suddenly that fly on the wall thing you had going on is about as effective as a cockroach on the wall. Solution; give him his moment and if he rambles on then mid interview tell him your battery died and run to the other side of the room.  If he finds you again, repeat.

5. When All Else Fails.

Well you have tried everything on this list and still you’ve got nothing, now what?  Solution; when all else fails get drunk and party like a rockstar. Even though I listed this as number 5 on my list, it was always the number 1 criteria of Thenewpop crew to have fun first. Here is one example of that from the Danger Party I shot in 2008.  I have matured a bunch since those crazy early days, and I don’t suggest including footage of naked guys peeing on reverends but you get the idea.  Having fun is contagious and if all is lost you might as well go out in a ball of flames.

Next Friday: Lipstick On A Pig continued – How to turn bad footage into a great edit.

Thanks

Trevor “Trevz” Bayack is a Brooklyn-born filmmaker who approaches his web pieces as mini documentaries. Recognized as a member of the 2008 URB magazine Next 100 for pioneering the “video blog” Trevz continually makes his pieces shorter, sharper and ever more shareable”   Follow thenewpop twitter feed for more.

Mar 25, 2011 | Categories: THE VIDEOGRAPHERS GUIDE TO NOT FALLING ON YOUR NEW MEDIA FACE | Leave A Comment »