The Free(lance) Life

So, my wonderful readers,
My life as a freelance videographer continues.  I have been hired by a production company to film the construction of a huge set they are building.  I am not at liberty to discuss too many details, but it's a pretty breathtaking set out in the Utah deser.  And with no clouds in the sky, it's a scorcher there every day.  The wind blows dust everywhere and there is little shad to be found.  And I am out there during the hottest hours of the day, from about 11:00 am until 4:00 pm--the sun is at a pleasant "right above me" angle.  Suffice to say, my tan has developed without any effort on my part.

From a technical viewpoint, the capturing of a multifaceted development process with a camera is tricky.  I have had to try and develop protocols for my methods of filming so that I don't end up in Final Cut wishing I had filmed something, while at the same time not shooting too much of what may ultimately be useless or irrelevant for the final product.

It has also been challenging for me and my personality to really get involved in the lives of the workers while respecting their space and privacy.  I try not to be an obnoxious cameraman, but in order to get high quality footage, a modicum of aggressiveness is required.  Trying to tightrope walk that line has been hard, but I am gaining confidence in my ability to judge how much is "too much."  I have also further increased the degree to which the construction crew is comfortable with my presence, which allows me to get more information and more genuine interaction without them being self-conscious that there is a camera around.  I have found that introducing myself, my intentions, the purpose and final use of the product, and reminding them that I am more than happy to respect their personal space and privacy has gone a long way towards embedding myself in the construction environment.

I have found some crew members more than happy, and in fact eager, to share what they do with me and my camera, while others don't mind me being around, and others prefer me to minimize the time that I need to be around them as they ply their craft--and craftsmanship is indeed what they are doing.

It has also been scintillating to be around and find out how they do everything--how they build facades, how they fashion worn stone steps with a mud mixture, how they streak the walls to give them further age and authenticity.  After my first day I though that I had already captured the best of what there was to see.  I wondered what else I could film the other days.  Then I further explored the construction microcosm and discovered just how much more was going on than I noticed before.  And as the set evolves, tasks begin to take the place of tasks that have been completed.

I will be out filming the set a few more days next week and from then on out I will only be visiting once or twice a week until they begin principal.  The bulk of my time will be spent building from footage a masterpiece of my own, just as the workers have built an astounding city out of the dusty Utah plains.

Until next time...