“PHOTOGRAPHER TO VIDEO IN TODAY’S GIG ECONOMY”
“PHOTOGRAPHER TO VIDEO IN TODAY’S GIG ECONOMY”
I’m thrilled to announce that through the School of Visuals Arts and Kadenze online arts and technology courses, I’m co-teaching a program called Photographer to Video in Today’s Gig Economy. It’s for all those photographers who need focused and cohesive instruction (read: Kick in Butt:-)) as they add video to their skillsets, or reinvent themselves as video storytellers. This is a MUST DO, as I’ve told many photographers. My transition to being an independent freelancer was made possible with video as an option for my clients, and in many cases, the primary offering. I’m honored to be among distinguished faculty who are also co-teaching this course, including Eduardo Angel, Gail Mooney and Manuel Tejeda. The experience of teaching in front of a camera was new for me (reading a teleprompter to begin with!), but I got into the swing of it.
Why is this so important and why do I care? As I mentioned in my introductory video, I was once at a meeting with a room full of photographers when an agent asked how many photographers had transitioned to video. The room was packed. Maybe 5 hands went up in the room. I was stunned and sad, especially after seeing many photographers I know give up on their careers. Who could possibly miss the signs of the marketplace that point to video? I could go on, but that’s why I lay out some of the reasons in the first class. Of course every photographer wants to be the photographer that doesn’t have to shoot video, who wants to be recognized for their vision at such an order of magnitude that video is unnecessary. I understand that thinking, but uh, good luck with that, since even the topmost photographers in the industry have embraced video in a powerful way. It’s why I started my company Three Story Media. It’s about not just about video, it’s about scaling up video productions in general. But you have to start somewhere.
From the course description: “Today’s gig economy demands that creatives draw from a wide range of knowledge and frequently adapt to new tools and workflows. Having a strong foundation in photography is a good start, but having solid video production skills will expand the number and kind of jobs you can be hired for. Photographer to Video in Today’s Gig Economy provides five courses to give today’s digital photographer a working knowledge of video as well as projects to extend your portfolio. Starting with Camera Essentials, you will gain an understanding of the camera settings and gear that is used in professional DSLR and mirrorless video production. The second course, Working with Motion and Time is a deep dive from photography to videography and shows you how to think in motion, add motion where there is none, and control focus, light and sound. Sound Essentials is the third course and, as the name suggests, covers an entirely new dimension that can make or break your video work. Next, the Fundamentals of Video Production course will get you ready for your first shoot covering everything from storyboarding to managing the crew, location and lighting. Finally, in Fundamentals of Video Post-Production you will jump into the art of editing your work.”
This program starts with the basics, assuming you have a foundation of knowledge about and experience shooting digital photograph. So if you know little or have dabbled with video, or if you’ve learned video on your own and need some confirmation of what you’ve learned together with deeper insights by other faculty, I’m confident that this program is for you.
For those people who might want to take this class as evidence to a school or employer, the Kadenze program offers this: “Completion of a program or credit-eligible course appears on your Kadenze resume/portfolio, which can be valuable for presentation to potential employers, or schools to which you might apply.”
Here are the 5 courses that are part of my portion of the program. The first session is more of an essential overview, on the way to other meatier topics:
Session 1: From Still Photographer To Videographer
Understand the importance for photographers to incorporate motion into their skillset, and the essential steps towards rethinking their creative process to create videos.
Session 2: Recording And Seeing In Motion
Understand the basics of recording video and how the different types of motion, both of the camera and subject, create meaning, mood and purpose as it contributes to the story that a director wants the viewer to experience and understand.
Session 3: Motion Methods
To deepen one’s knowledge about how to create the motion needed for a particular scene through an exposure to the different equipment and technologies that exist and the critical success factors needed to execute a director’s vision.
Session 4: Managing Focus, Light And Sound
Grasp the special significance that audio, light and focus have in a motion environment, and how the success of a video project can literally depend on controlling for the variables posed by these elements.
Session 5: The Documentary Project
Experience through hands-on practice how a very commonly done video with an interview and b-roll, combined with motion, sound, and lighting come together to create a unique experience for a viewer.
The program also offers a forum for students to interact with each other.
I’m hoping this program might be helpful for you, or someone you might know who would benefit.
Please share as you might.
Thank you!
Alex