Posts related to various topics on this blog.

Aerial Video – First Flights

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I recently picked up a Phantom 3 Pro and my initial thought was, “Why did I wait so long to get into aerial video?” I’ve seen others post their work for some time and I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a bit of a geek for this stuff. Plus, these things have become so incredibly affordable, and the line of options available from DJI practically fly themselves. That said, I expect it will still take plenty of practice to perfect smooth camera movements and that certain finesse I’ve been seeing from other drone operators.

Right out of the gate, the footage looks amazing; 4k capture is admittedly something new for me, and even though I’ve been geeking on the footage I’ve seen from others, I amazed at how incredibly stable this thing is as an aerial video platform.

I’m obviously still working on the finer points of aerial photo/video capture. But the creative options it offers have me conjuring all kinds of new projects to work on.

What do you think of the proliferation of drones in filmmaking? Do you think it’s a miracle or an unfair advantage? And if you’re using a drone in your own work, what are your personal safety practices?

Notes on the video above:

  • This is only my 5th or 6th flight over all.
  • In the opening shot, check out the stability of the Phantom through the first jump cut – it’s almost indiscernible that the the camera isn’t locked down.
  • At around 00:16 you’ll notice the camera moving diagonally across the field. This wasn’t intentional and was due to an unexpected loss of GPS signal. I ran an IMU calibration that seems to have fixed the issue for now.
  • At 00:34 there is a jerk to the right as I rotate the Phantom – still working on the finesse.

 

Arbor Day with Seacoast Arborist Collaborative – 2016

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I have noticed myself advocating for an alternative to the over-emphasized notion of economic competition at the micro or community level. I often suggest that it is better and more favorable to cultivate a “rising-tide” approach to social-economic relationships. Of course, competition is and will remain important and shouldn’t be discounted, but at the same time I don’t necessarily believe competition has to be general rule in how I conduct my own business. Perhaps that’s because I feel confident that the services I offer and the manner with which I approach delivering those services sets me apart from many others in my industry.

That aside, I love discovering examples of others putting these same philosophies into practice, so I’ve been following a group of local arborists who get together every year for Arbor Day to give back to the community by offering their services for the maintenance of public spaces. This year, the Seacoast Arborist Collaborative convened at Langdon Park across from the Portsmouth City Hall.

Trees in any public space are in constant need of maintenance. And at the same time they can also tend to be the most neglected. For those of you are familiar with Langdon Park, especially those of you with children, there is a small clump of trees above the playground that sees a lot of foot traffic with kids running and chasing each other up and down the hill around these trees. In fact, Mayor Jack Blalock commented at the invocation before crews fired up their chainsaws that he could remember doing the very same thing when he was a young child. However, this kind of play compacts the soil around the trees and subsequently suffocates them while depriving them of moisture because water never has a chance to soak in. So as part of the maintenance, the crew from Piscataqua Landscaping and Tree Service used a tool called an air spade to loosen the compacted soil without harming the roots. It’s pretty cool. Be sure to watch for those clips in the video above and keep an eye on how the ground seems to inflate.

I love talking about this group of arborists as an example of how businesses in a competitive industry are better off when they find ways to work together. But I’m always looking for more examples so if you have any to share please send them my way. Until then….

Participating Tree Services:

Northeast Shade Tree
Seacoast Tree Care
Piscataqua Landscaping and Tree Service
The Organic Arborist
Cornerstone Tree Care

Supporting Businesses:

Beach Pea Bakery
Serenity Café
Portsmouth Brewery

Remembering Jeff Ott, founder of Northeast Shade Tree and a pioneering arborist in the New Hampshire Seacoast.

Inside Look at the Democratic Debate – Saint Anselm College, 2015

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I attended the December 19th Democratic Debate to capture a few video clips. Here’s what happened.
With Ian Servin and Zac Little (and a nod to myfriends at Wistia).

Read more

PechaKucha Night #23 – Portsmouth

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I recently presented at PechaKucha Night Portsmouth #23. For those of you unfamiliar with PechaKucha (pe-CHA k-CHA), it’s a presentation format designed to limit duration to 20 slides at 20 seconds each – so 6:40. I’ve presented in this format before, but felt an urgent need to mix things up this time around. Since the subject of my presentation was the accessibility of video and the need for developing the skills of a storyteller, I reasoned that it was perfectly appropriate for me to use 20 x 20second video slides as opposed to the standard static slides. So that’s what I did.

I admittedly stressed myself over the balance between imagery and the narrative I expected to share with the audience. I was still somewhat vague on the last point up until I was called up to the stage, but I expected that might be the case, so I broke it down into three main components – a brief backstory (for context), a practical example of working with videos sent in by friends around the world, and an invitation to experiment. That way, I figured, if I lost track of myself I would only have to make it through to the next section. As it is, I can talk about this subject all day long, so a 6 minute presentation didn’t actually scare me. I did however put aside my notes and decided to wing it at the last minute. Have a peek at the video and tell me how I did.

On the Spot Video Making with Margot @Wistia

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The other week I dropped into visit my friends at Wistia and to also meet Margot, the new community manager there. We chatted a bit, walked around saying hi to many of the folks I’d met over the years as a customer, and I royally mispronounced her name. Walking in that day I fully intended to produce a quick video with the workflow I’ve been geeking on for several years. For me, that currently includes a Sony a6000 for capture and an iPhone 5s for editing.

I pitched the idea of collaborating on a quick video with Margot and she was up for it. So we pulled Meryl in as well and spent about 10 minutes capturing this two-angle dialogue, transferring the clips via Sony’s somewhat-clunky PlayMemories app to iPhone, and then cutting it up right there. I am such a geek for this sort of thing, and I love sharing it with others at just about every opportunity. Even better was using this as a way to kickoff a connection with Margot that’s based on action, creative thinking, and getting things done.

When I share this workflow with others I inevitably come back to emphasizing that the process is what’s important, not necessarily the final result. And because I’ve managed to streamline the process down to a pair of devices I can easily carry with me, I’m able to show others that producing video with an iPhone can be an incredibly effective way of funneling video content to your professional or business oriented social networks. For me, this has become a habit… one that I may at times take for granted, but at the same time one that constantly reminds others that I’m the guy to call when they’re ready to get started working video into their communication strategy. Even if I’m not the right fit for what they need, I can’t help but point them in the right direction so as to avoid the very expensive lessons of hiring a videographer who doesn’t understand a thing about social engagement.

So what about you? Are you already using video for business? Or does it all seem so overwhelming you don’t know where to begin? Either way, let me know what’s working (or not working) and follow me on Instagram.

Here’s quick look at how the above video was edited on iPhone using iMovie for iOS.

Wistia’s Growth Prompts Changes in Management Structure

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Growing a business is the objective for most entrepreneurs. But at some point in every business journey, the organization shifts. I’ve been following the growth and evolution of Wistia for nearly 6 years. And what I’ve seen as an observer from the outside looking in has impressed me repeatedly as I’ve gotten to know many of the individuals dedicated to making the business function, as well as making customers feel valued and appreciated. CEO Chis Savage has earned a great deal of respect from my perspective, mostly for his leadership style and my perception that he has built a business where individuals are celebrated, creativity is valued, and change – no matter how difficult or uncomfortable – is embraced. In his blog post, “Ditching Flat: How Structure Helped Us Move Faster,” he describes how growth has necessitated organizational shifts he never would have anticipated when they began, and why the Flat management structure of startups no longer works for them as a business.

Click here to read the post

Click here to follow Chris on Twitter

Click here to follow Wistia on Twitter

Disney/Pixar exec says iPhone is transforming filmmaking.

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I am always talking about the potential of adopting a mobile-first approach to creating video content. With years of tinkering, experimenting, and pivoting over the years, I like to think I’ve developed a fairly compelling workflow that allows even the most technologically inept among us to contribute to the manner in which their stories are told.

Photo Credit: HypeBeast Source: Cult of Mac

Disney/Pixar chief John Lasseter seems to agree in the potential of mobile devices like iPhone and GoPro.

 

“The GoPro and the iPhone are here. [They] give a vibrancy you have never been able to have before … I think a new film grammar is going to come with these things.”

 

So what does this imply? Well, it suggests that raising the level of literacy for visual storytelling is worth the investment. Whether we are simply using it as a means of creative/personal expression or making it a cornerstone of mission-oriented communications, get to know your device (and yourself) just a little bit better.

Read original article on Planet5D »

Wistiafest 2015 recap

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For the second year in a row, my pals at Wistia have brought the leading experts together to share ideas, best practices, and insights related to video marketing. Wistiafest was totally worth the rather small investment because of all the great information and networking with folks like me who are just trying to do their just a little bit better.

Add Instagram Pics to your Twitter Stream with IFTTT

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I still see a lot of Instagram links in my Twitter stream. And while some may argue that it’s no big deal to click on the link to view the image, I say there’s a better way… using IFTTT.

IFTTT

 

Here’s the back story – Instagram and Twitter used to be great pals, they played nicely with each other and if I chose to post my Instagram pic to Twitter from within the app, it showed up in-stream… no need to click away just to see the pic my friend just posted. Then Facebook bought Instagram and changes started happening behind the scenes. The short of it is, Instagram started scaling back support for images on Twitter and ultimately removed support all together. That was December, 2012. Back then, I was left wondering how to solve this new problem, “How do I get Instagram pics to show up in my Twitter stream?”

Solution

IFTTT (If This Then That) is an online resource that offers users a way to trigger particular events when an action occurs, such as when I pull into my driveway, turn on the web-enabled lights in my livingroom. Or, when I post a pic to Instagram, then also post a Tweet with image. This is referred to as a “Recipe” and there are hundreds if not thousands of possibilities offered by the service. Best part is it’s free to use.

Click here to get Instagram pics on Twitter

Click the link above to start using this recipe for yourself. You’ll have to connect the accounts you want to use within IFTTT, but check it out and explore. And start sharing your Instagram pics directly in your Twitter stream.

NOTE: This works for images, but not for videos posted on Instagram.

If you found this article useful, please comment below, or use the share links to share it with your friends.

 

The complexly simple influence of Islamic geometry.

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Reflecting back on my own experience, I can count numerous times I was moved to emotion, contemplating complex, geometric designs. In this video, Eric Broug explains the significance of geometric design in Islamic culture, how it manifests across myriad disciplines from architecture to textiles, and the complex simplicity achieved with just a compass and ruler.