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Introduce yourself
  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    Topic intended for new and existing members.

    Tell us who you are, that you are doing, that you like and that you don't.

    If you have some unique gear or skills, this is also welcome.

  • 90 Replies sorted by
  • jfilmmakerjfilmmaker

    I make art films and videos, sometimes narrative, sometimes documentary. Attempting to working on a avante-garde feature documentary here in Los Angeles (PM for topic). I do everything in terms of making my films, so I have to be reasonably competent in all areas. On a personal level, I'm into progressive politics, political philosophy, art, and I try to bring that into the work.... Also, I'm really into world cinema.

  • cmountmancmountman

    Hi I have just purchased a GH2 last week I am new to this group. I have several 4/3 lenses: Leica 14-50, Sigma 30mm F1.4, Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 and M4/3 14mm. I also have some C mount Cine lenses for 16mm old film cameras an Angenieux 12-120, Schneider Variogon 18-90 and a few prime lenses.

    I have built a dolly from a skateboard and am trying to get the pieces together to build a steadycam glidecam...I don't think it should be too difficult..

    I am just learning to use the camera so any advice or tips is greatly appreciated

    Thanks

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    how about you Vitaliy? I am sure many are interested in your story.

    You can just google 43rumors interviews

  • FlaaandeeersFlaaandeeers

    Kind of a writer. One novel written and a few short scripts. I've studied filmmaking for a while, but I'm learning more here than at school. From Argentina. John Carpenter, my mom, then the rest :)

  • MeierhansMeierhans

    Media designer from germany, doing ads, image videos and technical documentations. Once in a while also live stuff (sports, theater). Teaching part time in a school. Been into spinning music and doing visuals for events in the past. (Less wild now. ;) My focus (itm) is on lighting and grading, but do (like) all the other departments as well. I work with Adobe Suite, can handle FCP, Color, Pro Tools and the like if I need to. I love the fact that you never stop learning in this job. Sometimes I miss the wild times. I still live somewhere between 120 and 140 BPM.

    Things like this make me happy:

    https://soundcloud.com/mysterymix/max-cooper-i-long-version

    http://www.wdcs.co.uk/media/flash/whalebanner/content_pub_de.html

    Guess there is a lot more to say, but as this is a public space I believe it does not really fit in here.

    I love this place for the people. I read it like a daily newspaper. ;-)

  • ahblezaahbleza

    Is this the PV addiction support group? :-) Hi, I'm ahbleza, and I'm a documentary and narrative filmmaker. So far I've shot a few short films, music videos and documentary or news pieces, but hope to lens my first feature length narrative later this year. My background is IT, so I tend to geek out over the technical aspects sometimes, but I love stories and their telling.

    Nothing unique in terms of gear. I have a Nikon D7000, Nikon D800, Panasonic GH2 and AF100. I also have a hexakopter for aerial shots. My BMCC MFT hasn't arrived yet.

    I'm based in New York, but travel occasionally to other cities for work.

  • BurnetRhoadesBurnetRhoades

    Hi, my name is Sean. I share my name with the famous creator of the Friday the 13th franchise and since nearly the birth of internet e-mail I'll get a few messages a year intended for him which is at least part of the reason for standardizing on my current handle at online forums and such.

    I'm a long time visual effects professional but have spent a good chunk of the last twelve years trying to focus on independent film. Over the last year my brother and I successfully acquired distribution on our second feature length motion picture, Sick Boy, which I shot on a Canon 7D. The project serves as a first time project as DP on anything this length. I also created all of the more difficult visual effects and color graded the film.

    In my "former life" I did stuff like animate the Maverick missiles fired by the Harrier jets during the causeway sequence of True Lies, designed the flying traffic for futuristic NY, NY in The Fifth Element and turned Senator Kelly into a puddle of water for the first X-Men film (I've since "killed" this actor a second time with a bullet to the head for The Millionaire Tour, LOL). I guess those would be considered my "greatest hits" but I've got some pretty cool b-sides too.

    Right now I'm getting prepped for what will be the next film my brother Tim and I make. It could be a scifi period script a friend (and producer on Sick Boy) wrote or could be the horror-fantasy-documentary Tim is writing now. Until then I'll keep working on paying the bills pushing pixels and having a good time with my camera (currently GH2) and anamorphic cinematography while I procrastinate on my own writing.

  • QuickHitRecordQuickHitRecord

    My name is Nick. For the past five years, I have worked in corporate video in the Washington DC metropolitan area. I write, produce, direct, and edit, but my main focus is shooting. I'm always trying to get involved in some interesting side projects (that don't involve talking heads in suits).

    Currently, I own a GH2. It's a heck of a lot lighter and easier to carry than the cameras that I have to lug around at work. I'm a sucker for anamorphic lenses -- I have owned and sold almost a dozen of them at one point or another on my quest to find my favorite.

    A few years ago I spent two weeks backpacking and bushwhacking through Alaska trying to get some good footage of bears with my 7D:

    Best time of my life.

  • tcarrettitcarretti

    Hi,

    My name is Tony and so far, videography is just an expensive hobby. I've made a little back doing small projects for people, but my real job is as a personal fitness trainer. I've had aspirations (as many probably do...) of making interesting short films, but unfortunately, it's difficult to find like minded people here in San Antonio, TX. Not the greatest moviemaking city in the States!

    What I have decided to do (as of this morning...) is to finally start my own exercise and nutrition blog so that I can share the 23 years of experience I have with people outside of my normal circle of influence. I'm 50 years old, and I've seen and helped a lot of people realize their health goals. Hopefully, I'll be able to use some of the gear that I've amassed over the past few years so that it will be quality content.

    If you're interested in getting advice on fitness, exercise, nutrition and motivation, take a trip over to my newly minted blog at:

    http://www.carrettiworld.net

    My goal is to post content a few times a week ranging from healthy recipes, exercise videos, health strategies and a lot of my own (sometimes helpful, sometimes not..) opinions of those subjects. I'm glad to have found this community, I just wish that there was a way to meet up personally with some of you for collaboration, maybe that way, some more of my passion for movie making could be realized.

    Cheers to all of you,

    Tony

  • B3GuyB3Guy

    Hey. I'm a very soon-to-be graduate of Bethel University in Minnesota, with a BA in my own custom major, titled "Film and Art". I spent the previous semester studying fine art in New York City at the New York Center for Art and Media Studies (NYCAMS), and the semester immediately preceding that, I spent at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center (LAFSC) in Los Angeles of course. My primary interest is in film as a serious artistic medium, but I also study philosophy, literature and other dip into other subjects whenever I get the chance. I love anything creative, and play several instruments. I claim the Hammond organ as my primary instrument, although I also play electric guitar, piano and electric bass. The Beatles are and always will be my favorite band, but I'm also a big fan of The Glitch Mob and Washed Out (to name a few).

    I'm here because I am a big fan of the GH2. The image out of a GH2 with Vitaliy's modified firmware and the Driftwood's All-I settings fit my tastes and filmmaking style like a glove. I shoot with a Kowa 16-H anamorphic an increasing percentage of the time. I'm hoping to work up to shooting my own feature-length film set in Minnesota. Los Angeles and New York City are amazing places with lots of creativity going on, but everyone's seen films set in those places a million times over. I've got a sneaking suspicion that filmmaking is going to continue to change slowly but surely with the advent of affordable RAW cameras and the ever-increasing ability to deliver high definition content via the internet. Hopefully this enables a few more independent filmmakers to achieve success over time, with stories and films made right at home on a home budget.

    Besides, the only accurate Minnesota film is Grumpy Old Men. We could use one or two more. (Because, let's be honest, Fargo isn't set in Minnesota, it is set in the Cohen Bros. crazy brains.)

  • FrankLanternFrankLantern

    I'm a Jazz Guitarist from Northern California. Pretty much a noob around video but fairly comfortable around audio. I am here to learn more about the video side. It's always been a goal of mine to set some visuals to an album I recorded. It's a drums, bass and guitar trio. The sound is ambient but organic...uh...that sounds ridiculous but I can't think of a better way to describe it off the top of my head.

    Here are 8 10-20 second snippets of some of the ambient tunes. I have called these soundtrack material in the past.

    https://soundcloud.com/frank-lantern/flying-boats-soundtrack

    Here is one of my jazz tunes

    https://soundcloud.com/frank-lantern/10th-and-j

    My main gear is a Warmoth Tele, Warmoth Strat, Cubase, Fireface, Fractal AxeFx II. Just purchased a Gh3 with a 12-35 lens.

  • rockroadpixrockroadpix

    My name is Chris. I live just outside NYC in NJ. I have been in production since July 1993 when I moved to NYC and got a job at City Stage (Film production facility with 4 stages then) working with Steve Steigman (he took a fairly famous photo). Freelance since 94.

    I set my sights on DoP duties when I was Crew or before that, PA'ing and somehow got shoe-horned into producing/AD'ing about 13 years ago. Over the last 7 years, I've transitioned more into directing and shooting. Back where I wanted to be all along! It's a strange trip. I started my own company 3 years ago and things are picking up, though I still hire myself out to other companies. I work on mostly commercials with some corporate work, but I'd like to start doing more narrative. I have a couple of good doc subjects rattling around upstairs along with a script or two. I need to get it onto paper- tough at times with wife and two small kids. I've worked on more than 270 gigs I have (2) Gh2s a buttload of lenses and other gear. Currently have a MFT BMCC on order...

    Cheers!

  • AriaAria

    Hello all :) I'm a long time Audio Engineer and Songwriter. I used to be a working musician, but had moved on to running a professional Recording Studio and a small Indie Label. I was born and raised in New York but have lived in Georgia for the last 8 years. I've been filming local TV talk shows, Music Videos, events and even produced a Televised Music Talent show that did quite well locally. I have a GH1, T2i, Vixia HG20, S21 and older Pro DV camcorders. I'm still very new to all of this but it's been fun learning and improving in my technique.

    I want to produce documentaries and hopefully one day a short narrative film. In the meantime i've got a LOT to learn, but it's really fun and exciting so far.

  • Lincoln11Lincoln11

    @rockroadpix Chris, I worked there when I was a kid. It was called Big City Films when I was there I think. Remember a guy named Ron Leysner with a year round tan?

  • Lincoln11Lincoln11

    Ok bear with me, this ain't easy.

    I'm a guy from Kansas who drew comics when I was a kid. I saw Blade Runner and wanted to make films so I took my art portfolio to New York and applied to School of Visual Arts. I got in, took a film theory course and transferred to NYU Ugrad program for film.

    My first film sucked, my final film sucked less. I did the first film edit negative matchback from EDL at NYU using a CMX Edge edit controller. It was a nightmare and I lost my really hot girlfriend due to lack of relationship maintenance.

    From then on-

    -Intern for a Broadway casting director who looked like a sweaty thumb
    -In-house editor and sometimes camera PA at a sound stage/production company
    -Editing assistant at Post Perfect/National Video Industries
    -Online editor GVG/Sony/Paltex analog/digital National Video Industries/National Video/Betelguese, bought an Aaton S16mm camera with the money I made
    -Director hip-hop music videos (20) Riviera Films
    -Quit online job to try new thing called "non-linear editing" took pay cut to work on EMC2 then DVision/Videocube/Avid
    -returned to NYU for my MFA
    -Won awards for my NYU thesis film
    -Screened at DGA same year
    -Got a call from director Robert Altman, inviting me to L.A.
    -Did a music video for a band and got a Honda Civic for payment
    -Loaded Honda Civic took my two cats and headed for L.A.
    -Got my MPE 700 union card and worked with Altman as editor
    -Completed my first feature film with Altman's help, won awards
    -Sold Aaton S16 camera, bought VX2000
    -Completed a short for Fox Searchlight Searchlab shot on DV went to Sundance
    -Got tired of working in “the business”
    -Edited freelance while working on my scripts
    -Completed my second feature film with Panasonic SDX900, upconverted to HD, did the festival circuit
    -Went to Tribeca and Busan film festivals for script competitions
    -Cat dies
    -Invited to Korea to teach at a university, accepted
    -Other cat dies, bought 5dmkII
    -Completed my third film as Korea/U.S. Co-production with Canon HV30/Cineform capture
    -Did the festival circuit, won awards, sold 5d, bought GH2
    -Hacked GH2 (much love Vitaliy)
    -Shot documentary in Antarctica solo with my GH2, editing now
    -Invited to China to teach at a university, accepted
    -Bought BT Red One MX
    -Debating whether or not to shoot my fifth film here
    -Kept the rights to all my films rather than lose money with limited distribution deals, waiting for online options
    -Looking for understanding Chinese girlfriend:)

    http://www.youtube.com/user/LincolnlogFilms?feature=mhw5

  • haribabisharibabis

    Hello. My name is Haris and i feel good! Location Greece, freelancer videographer in weddings mostly and had make some short films and be glad that two of them took 1st place in domestic festivals. First camera Panasonic DVX100A and now proud owner of GH2 and FZ200 and GF3, various lenses with or without adaptors!

  • Dave_CherryDave_Cherry

    Hi folks. I'm Dave. I've been a lurker for too long. This has been a valuable resource in my foray into the mft/gh3 world. I hope I can add my experience and knowledge to this wonderful board. My backround is in grip & electric. So if anyone has a question feel free to give a shout. Thanks.

  • badhussarbadhussar

    My name is J-P and I've been in production since 1995.
    I've actually worked many jobs with rockroadpix back in the day!

    I transitioned from PA to Art Department then to Producer.
    I got tired of sitting behind shitty editors so I took up the craft on my own.
    Since then I'm known as a PreEditor and work for History, Discovery, A&E and many others. At the same time I've also been directing/shooting/Editing television programs for History and Discovery. I started with a DVX100, moved to the HVX200, and then on to the GH2.
    Although I still have to go Alexa or Red on occasion 'cause the client thinks 4K is the "best"-whatever. Its cool to read everyones intros!

  • stoneystoney

    I'm a wonderer. Totally lost in the vast sea of information. Just keep pedaling before sinking. I found this site quite interesting. Maybe I can express myself through the lenses without speaking a word. Don't get bored. Never get bored. Boredom is the root of all evil.

  • RamboRambo

    G'day from sunny Sunshine Coast Australia. I've been called Rambo for 20 years ever since my coach named me so for climbing an outrigger with knife between my teeth and re-rigging the securing ropes mid -race, yep we still won.

    My business Ocean Sports Media (just me) travel the world circuit producing video for, yep Ocean Sports. I like to work alone with my GH1/2s and GoPro cameras and tend to not follow the normal sports video reporting formats or templates, preferring to let my camera work tell the race stories with very little commentary. But that's what interests me and obviously my viewers like what I do ( I had 3.2mil video plays/hits to my vimeo acct in 2012 from embeds on various distribution websites). As well as shoot and produce I also promote the videos so the events get exposure as well as their sponsors.

    I'm probably in the minority here as most seem to be in or want to be in the filmmaking business rather than sports reporting, but I see that as an plus as I don't have many competitors.

    I love the travel, I get to go to many awesome places like Tahiti, Hawaii, NY, San Fran, Italy, Cook Islands, Fiji, NZ, Hong Kong, Slavakia and this year additionally Mauritius, Portugal and Sth Africa as well as travel my own country.

    My success as a Nationally ranked competitor has opened doors for me and given me race knowledge and contacts that others lack, so what limited skills/experience I have in production and camerawork, is supported by my race and on-water experience. This explains why I can operate as a single cameraman and still capture as much action as a crew, plus I'm normally very mobile on the back of a jetski.

    If you love what you do, you will never "work" a day in your life, following your passion is the single best advice anyone can give.

    Cheers R

    ADDITION - My clients love me because I'm affordable (happy to sleep under a coconut tree), get the job done (video is up 1 week after the event) and I only drink Coronas and Ouzo (not together).

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @Rambo

    Someone must make documentary about you :-) I'd like to be on premiere.

  • RamboRambo

    Haha .. VK, my life is interesting, but not me, unless you like 60 yo Ex hippies that love spending lots of time with their Grandkids :-) ( I entertain my 2yo Grandson full time 3 days a week outdoors, he's my camera mount guinea pig)

  • Vitaliy_KiselevVitaliy_Kiselev

    @Rambo

  • peternappeternap

    My name is Don and I've been Peter Nap since the pre-internet BBS days. I'm a part time farmer, Political Activist and an old time photographer turned videographer.

    I make Documentaries. I enjoy it and actually make a living at it. I have no artistic talent and struggle to keep up with the technology....but I damn sure have fun.

    I've worked on exactly two major productions...there won't be a third.

    Like Rambo, whose career I've followed for a couple of years, I'm stuck at being 18 years old but won't ever see 60 again.

    I love this place. There is more talent and less attitude than any other I frequent....except maybe Rambo's.

  • aljimenezaljimenez

    I'm a nerd/geek grandfather who is near retirement. The last dozen or so years, I have been teaching Calculus and other advanced math courses at a University. Prior to that I worked in high-tech developing simulation programs. I have loved photography and taking videos of my family since film and Super 8 days. I am very excited about the GH family of cameras and look forward to using my large collection of Minolta lenses and LUMIX lenses to improve my film making, which has been mainly of my family, after I retire this summer. This site and the work here has been so good to my learning and I enjoy all the details of the great work that has been accomplished here.

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