The enthusiam of youth
Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2010 7:27 am
Through a friend of a friend of a friend etc. I have been in touch via e-mail with a young chap I met about a dozen years ago. (He is now in his late 20s) I met him through his amateur interest in magic, which as some may know, is my everyday hat. At the time he was a talented and artistic young magician. We have not met over those in-between years. His ambitions have moved on and it’s now video. In fact his bread & butter job is connected with video and he does some very nice editing with a real artistic touch. I know this because he has sent me some links to his work.
We arranged a lunch meeting to discuss matters arising. His ambitions are to move on and to hopefully make video production his main occupation. As I’m now in my mid 70s it can be seen that we are many generations apart and our views are bound to be different. I had already learnt that he has a wonderful and expensive new video camera and he has now told me that it is one of the DSLR/video cameras now becoming popular. He says that when he makes some money(?) with his video projects he will be able to add to his kit items that he feels that he needs, such as a radio mic. lights etc. I’m sure many readers here will have their own views on this.
I want to make it very clear that I am in no way intending to belittle or decry this talented young man’s admirable ambitions, but at the moment I think he is seeing the future through some very rosy spectacles. Ah yes – the ambition of youth!
I asked him what would be his main interest in video production and, as he has an interest in magic, he wants to make promotional ‘showreels’ for magical entertainers. I tried to explain the many problems. The well-established competition is there of course. There are many experienced small video production companies more than willing and able to undertake such work. In fact I know of one such company that is even now specialising in producing top-notch showreels – at a price of course. There are the logistics of getting to the performing locations, obtaining permissions and so on. There is the need for certainly having more than one camera in use. It’s also a fact that getting such work is not easy, as I know from experience that few magicians are prepared to invest big money in that sort of promotion. They rely on picking up clips from here and there, editing it all themselves on their PC or getting someone like myself to do this for a reasonable sum. In my opinion I feel he wants to run before he can walk.
His other idea for raising money(?) is to break into – what he sees as a lucrative market – WEDDINGS. I will comment no further on that, as I’m sure many of you could pass on bitter words of wisdom on this subject. In fact for about 15 years I was a wedding photographer, but only still photography.
I asked what promotional videos he could show to interested parties that would illustrate his skills and he said that at the moment none. (The videos I have seen are very specialised relating to his day-to-day work and not suitable and are copyright of course.) This discussion went on for some time but I could see that his rose coloured specs had not slipped at all.
Then I suggested I give him a simple project of going around his town and making a promotional film of about 10 minutes that could be shown to the council and others for appraisal. He was not impressed and asked what he would get out of it? Naturally I explained that he would get nothing financially from it - unless the council thought it so good they offered to buy it. I put it to him that it would be like doing a practical experience exercise at college. I put it to him many times that he should create some example projects to show interested parties.
Finally I think I have got him interested in actually doing a project that would interest him. Approach a local club for magicians and set up a project of filming a member or so performing with the others acting as an audience. I have offered to come along to assist and perhaps be his cameraman whilst he directs and so on. It’s possible that this may actually get off the ground. I have left it for him to arrange. Mustn’t hold my breath of course.
I have also suggested that joining a good local video club and getting involved with their club and individual projects. No money in it for him obviously. There is a well-known club not far from him.
Well that’s the story. What observations & comments have readers to offer?
Pete Stedman
We arranged a lunch meeting to discuss matters arising. His ambitions are to move on and to hopefully make video production his main occupation. As I’m now in my mid 70s it can be seen that we are many generations apart and our views are bound to be different. I had already learnt that he has a wonderful and expensive new video camera and he has now told me that it is one of the DSLR/video cameras now becoming popular. He says that when he makes some money(?) with his video projects he will be able to add to his kit items that he feels that he needs, such as a radio mic. lights etc. I’m sure many readers here will have their own views on this.
I want to make it very clear that I am in no way intending to belittle or decry this talented young man’s admirable ambitions, but at the moment I think he is seeing the future through some very rosy spectacles. Ah yes – the ambition of youth!
I asked him what would be his main interest in video production and, as he has an interest in magic, he wants to make promotional ‘showreels’ for magical entertainers. I tried to explain the many problems. The well-established competition is there of course. There are many experienced small video production companies more than willing and able to undertake such work. In fact I know of one such company that is even now specialising in producing top-notch showreels – at a price of course. There are the logistics of getting to the performing locations, obtaining permissions and so on. There is the need for certainly having more than one camera in use. It’s also a fact that getting such work is not easy, as I know from experience that few magicians are prepared to invest big money in that sort of promotion. They rely on picking up clips from here and there, editing it all themselves on their PC or getting someone like myself to do this for a reasonable sum. In my opinion I feel he wants to run before he can walk.
His other idea for raising money(?) is to break into – what he sees as a lucrative market – WEDDINGS. I will comment no further on that, as I’m sure many of you could pass on bitter words of wisdom on this subject. In fact for about 15 years I was a wedding photographer, but only still photography.
I asked what promotional videos he could show to interested parties that would illustrate his skills and he said that at the moment none. (The videos I have seen are very specialised relating to his day-to-day work and not suitable and are copyright of course.) This discussion went on for some time but I could see that his rose coloured specs had not slipped at all.
Then I suggested I give him a simple project of going around his town and making a promotional film of about 10 minutes that could be shown to the council and others for appraisal. He was not impressed and asked what he would get out of it? Naturally I explained that he would get nothing financially from it - unless the council thought it so good they offered to buy it. I put it to him that it would be like doing a practical experience exercise at college. I put it to him many times that he should create some example projects to show interested parties.
Finally I think I have got him interested in actually doing a project that would interest him. Approach a local club for magicians and set up a project of filming a member or so performing with the others acting as an audience. I have offered to come along to assist and perhaps be his cameraman whilst he directs and so on. It’s possible that this may actually get off the ground. I have left it for him to arrange. Mustn’t hold my breath of course.
I have also suggested that joining a good local video club and getting involved with their club and individual projects. No money in it for him obviously. There is a well-known club not far from him.
Well that’s the story. What observations & comments have readers to offer?
Pete Stedman