RHS MORNING SHOW
  • Home
  • Rocket News
    • Course Overview and Expectations
  • TV Production 1
    • Course Overview and Expectations
    • Presentations and Study Guides
    • Student Work
  • TV Production 4
    • Course Overview and Expectations
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Student Work
  • Global Communications Club
  • School Events
  • Blog
  • Global Alumni
  • Home
  • Rocket News
    • Course Overview and Expectations
  • TV Production 1
    • Course Overview and Expectations
    • Presentations and Study Guides
    • Student Work
  • TV Production 4
    • Course Overview and Expectations
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Student Work
  • Global Communications Club
  • School Events
  • Blog
  • Global Alumni
Search

Practice Video

9/1/2014

4 Comments

 
With the switch to the new editing software, I wanted to make a short video myself to get some practice.  I kept it simple, so this is what I would call a basic edit.  First impressions?  It'll take some getting used to.  Importing was strange, and a couple of nit-picky navigational things we'll have to get used to, but I think ultimately it provides more opportunity to express yourself and sculpt your vision.  If you have any concerns about what to expect, fire off in the comments below.

The Journey from Thomas Leonard on Vimeo.

4 Comments

Life's A Story, We Just Put It On Film

5/30/2014

0 Comments

 
So about half way through the 10 Day Film Challenge Screening yesterday, I realized something I have been preaching since day one of class.  Tools, tricks, equipment, heck even actors, are all second to one extremely important aspect of storytelling,   and that is the story itself.  

Summer Montage from Thomas Leonard on Vimeo.

I heard today that some people were looking to do some independent film work over the summer.  That is awesome.  I used a large chunk of last summer working on a script to a feature I am someday looking to put into production.  And after seeing 30 films yesterday with varying degrees of success, I would say the weakest link in all of them was story.  

My advice?  Take two or three times longer working on a story.  Develop your characters.  Read "Screenplay for Dummies."  Anything you can do to become a better writer will only help you.  Then, once your story is complete, plan plan plan. Plan some more.  And then plan again.  Schedule.  Make phone calls.  Have back ups.  Have back ups for your back ups.  Then when you have it all figured out, everything will go wrong.

It's inevitable.  Even the best laid plans go foul right?  It happens.  It's almost part of the Hollywood process.  But get through, and finish.  Once it's in the can, you go back to your schedule.  Your pace.  Your speed.  Take some time off before you start your edit.  But take your time with it.  If something is going to bother you now it's going to bother you every time you watch it.  Re-shoot if you need to, and if you can't, well then hope that all your planning lends itself to a solution that allows you to fix it with what you have on hand.  

Promoting is it's own entity and I won't touch upon that here.  But show it to as many people as you can.  Put it on vimeo.  Not youtube, vimeo.  Share it with facebook.  Tweet the link 1,000 times.  Then when you absorb all the positive feedback, analyze the negative feedback.  Your parents are going to love it.  Your best friend who talked you off the ledge during shooting will love it.  Filmbuff95 online will say terrible things.  Decide if they're being a jerk for the sake of being a jerk, or if they really have criticism.  If they do, learn from it.  And when you go to start your next project, you will be astonished at how much you have learned on your own, just by doing.

I started making films in middle school, with an old clunkly VHS camcorder I found in my parents basement used only to capture terrible footage of my brothers and I as babies.  I looked at this device, this machine....this tool.  I looked at it and wondered why this has only been used to capture a moment in time.  Then I thought, "why can't I use this to tell a story?"  A story.  The heart of all films.  So I told stories and in retrospect, terrible ones.  But they got better.  And better.  And better.  Once you learn how, you need to learn why.  And you will see, every new project you take on, will end up being the best thing you make.  

Filmmaking is an art, but a learned art.  You can learn it, and you can apply it.  Only by doing so as often as possible will you get better.  The path of a filmmaker is not easy.  It requires a lot of hard work both on the creative side, and the business side.  The payoff is only worth it if you enjoy the journey.  The artist who makes it big, or has a hit film won't return to the craft if hates the process.  

My goal as a teacher is to share this process, and hope that some of you take to it, and love it in your own way.  And for those who haven't, no hard feelings.  For those who have, awesome!  I hope you feel you've been taught well.   And what's wonderful, as I heard some of  my students say this about 10-Day, is that it was the best video they have made all year...

All I could do was smile, and say, "yeah....until your next one."


0 Comments

That's Billion...with a B

5/19/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
So rumor is circulating that Youtube (owned by Google) is looking to purchase video game video streaming service Twitch.  For those who don't know, Twitch is a service that streams live video feeds of people playing popular video games.  Why Twitch does this?  I actually haven't found a good reason, but these streams are very popular, with 45 million viewers each month.  What does it say about Google wanting this service?  Well a lot about the entertainment industry actually.

Video games are popular.  Very popular.  They pull in more money each year than Hollywood.  Major League Gaming, is an ACTUAL thing.  People get paid (albeit very little, and I'm sure most of it comes in the form of sponsorships) to play video games competitively.  The "sport"* is growing, very quickly, and Google wants in now before it gets any bigger.

Think of how big Youtube is.  Kind of a silly question now.  It's a given, an internet staple.  It's hard to think of one without the other.  Back when google purchased Youtube it was a bold move that many people thought was crazy.  Why spend the money (and lots of it) on a service that draws in very little to no revenue?  Well they were clearly looking at the bigger picture.  The landscape of what the internet will be used for.  

Clearly this is a landscape move.  Imagine a youtube strictly for video games, with live streaming content.  Premiering new content.  Hosting huge industry related content (Twitch TV + E3 would = big deal, with lots $$$ coming in) to the masses.  It pulls video games even more into the mainstream, and makes the force to be reckoned with, a little more intense.

Do you watch twitch?  I'm curious to see why, and what for.  Fire off in the comments below.

*for the record, I am an avid gamer and I follow the industry closely.  I however also fail to see how video gaming could be considered a sport, but thats just me.  Sports involve the body, not just thumbs.  
Picture
0 Comments

Coming Soon

5/3/2014

0 Comments

 
Hi everybody.  I was looking to update some things on the website (hope you like the new look) and I wanted to add this section to add some new elements.  A lot of what we do is rooted in our daily culture and since I love researching or finding out about new tools, trades, tips, films, technology, the "industry" and more, I thought I would use this space to share with you fine folks my findings.  Right now this is in experiment mode, so lets see if I can keep up with it.  I'll do my best to update as often as I can which is a challenge for those that know my schedule.  Please feel free to add to the discussion if you're so inclined.  The goal is to share with you film/video related content.  Diehards only?  Time will tell.
0 Comments

    Author

    It's Mr. Leonard.  Teacher, Videomaker, Professional Goofball

    Archives

    September 2016
    July 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014

    Categories

    All
    Business
    Creative
    Industry
    Movie Insight
    Shooting Info
    Tech
    Thoughts

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Rocket News
    • Course Overview and Expectations
  • TV Production 1
    • Course Overview and Expectations
    • Presentations and Study Guides
    • Student Work
  • TV Production 4
    • Course Overview and Expectations
    • Tips and Tricks
    • Student Work
  • Global Communications Club
  • School Events
  • Blog
  • Global Alumni