Building a new community center in Sendai
I just returned from a week-long trip filming relief and re-building work on the eastern coast of Japan. We traveled well over a thousand miles to capture stories of churches working amongst those who have been displaced by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. This trip was part of an ongoing video project for longtime client Asian Access. Previous trips with them have taken me to Sri Lanka (after the 2004 tsunami), Mongolia, Cambodia, and other countries throughout Asia.
Interviewing a pastor surrounded by donations for tsunami victims
Here’s a breakdown of our gear:
- Sony Handycam
- Canon EOS-7D with 4 batteries and 3 lenses (18-55mm, 55-200mm, and a 50mm fast lens)
- Zoom H4N for audio recording
- Sennheiser G2 wireless microphone
- Audio-Technica AT897 shotgun microphone
- Manfrotto tripods
- Kessler-Crane Philip Bloom Pocket Dolly (4-ft. slider)
- Lots of Compact Flash and SDHC cards
- MacBookPro laptop
- G-Raid Mini 750gb hard drive
Plots still being cleared right next to brand-new houses
I could have used more than one G-Raid. As it was, I had one set of captures on the laptop and one set on the G-Raid. I think I should have had both on separate external drives (I started to run out of space on the laptop’s internal drive).
The Kessler-Crane slider was great for getting really smooth motion for b-roll, and even during some of the interviews. I was worried that it was going to be a pain to carry around and get through security at airports, but it wasn’t (and it’s still under the weight restrictions, so bringing it along didn’t cost me any extra).
The water in some places has not sunk back to pre-tsunami levels
The rest of the team was Joshua Clayton, Jeff Johnston (of Asian Access), and Takeshi Takazawa (also of Asian Access). We were a good team — we have all worked together before — so we got a lot of footage and some great interviews.
One issue that came up very quickly was the challenge of language. I felt that we would honor the interview subjects best by conducting the entire interview in Japanese, and then figure out what they discussed later. I don’t understand Japanese, so I had to get a synopsis of the interview from Takeshi before determining what b-roll would be needed to tell the story for each interview. We’ll see how well that went as I cut the pieces together over the next week or so.
Joshua capturing a small shrine to honor those who died in the tsunami
But all in all a very productive trip. I was happy with the portability of my kit (both audio and video) and how well everything worked. Can’t wait to show you all the footage as it gets finished…
(photos by Joshua Clayton & Loren A. Roberts)
My friend and collaborator Craig Detweiler was profiled in Image magazine this past month. His work ethic and attention to the craft of filmmaking has taught me a whole bunch about filmmaking.
Check out his essay for Image detailing how his most recent documentary, Purple State of Mind, came into being. I helped out on that film by providing some of the camera work from our time together in Japan in 2004. Craig also shows up in my reel [below], as the narrator for Asian Access’ documentary Missions: Redefined that I produced and edited.
Last summer I helped produce a reunion for the West Covina High School Chamber Singers. We had a wonderful time, and [finally] I was able to get the time to do an edit of all the footage that was shot at the event.
Purchasing the DVD via PayPal can be done on the WCHS Chamber Singers site.
This was a fun side project. No money was charged for my time; I hired a videographer to be at the event, so that I could participate in the event myself.
The whole process was a good learning experience, and another chance to bring a project from conception to completion.
Back before Fuller Theological Seminary had even hired any staff for this new venture, the Lloyd Ogilivie Institute of Preaching needed a multichannel piece that would bring in relevant candidates for the new chair of the program. So it needed to be high-end, concise, fast, and under-budget. We designed three pieces: a magazine ad, a direct-mail piece, and a (mini) website. In addition, we filmed several people on campus, all talking about what the Institute was going to do.
All design and filming (and subsequent printing and DVD replication) was turned around within one month, and perfectly on budget. The campaign was successful: Mark Labberton is now the chair of the academic program, and has successfully moved it from infancy to relevancy across the campus.
Ryan Scott Oliver, PMTP‘s creative director, wrote a brand new musical for the students who participated in the Summer 2011 session of the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program. I am a member of the board of directors of this fantastic program. We now have a partnership with the Pasadena Playhouse, and are looking to expand even further into the community.
But back to the musical, Jasper in Deadland. I filmed a bunch of the shows and rehearsals, and mixed the live sound off-the-board for this recording. It gives a good glimpse of what the students got to experience over the summer: originating roles in a fantastic new musical, and getting to work with musical theatre professionals — directors, choreographers, lighting and sound and costume and set designers, etc.
Does practice make perfect? Then why does society’s meta stories tell us otherwise? On Crazytown Blog this morning. http://bit.ly/spGW4p
We recorded our live show at the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department’s annual Fun In The Sun Chili Cookoff in October 2011. Straight off the board, with some compression/limiting done after the fact. Sounds great. And some really nice photography by Katie Macquarrie to show off the band.
We had a great time. Check out Tribute for more information. Maybe you want to book us for your next event!
Kari Davis, one of the fabulous students from the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program, sat down with me and recorded a few covers (as well as a few of her own original tunes). This is her take on an old Johnny (and June) Cash song, It Ain’t Me, Babe.
Nice.
I had forgotten how much fun this little shoot was, from back in April 2011. But people keep coming and watching this piece (with almost 700 views on YouTube), even thought the concert that this short advertised is long-over. I think Zach is a fantastic ambassador for new and unique music, because his passion and deep understanding of the music is clearly evident when he starts talking about the Berio piece.
I filmed this in a quick two-hour session; approximately one hour of simply letting Zach play while I shot from different angles, and then another hour (probably less) of Zach and Young Riddle talking about the piece. The awesome sound comes from mics set up both on the stage and out in the middle of Zipper Hall picking up the great acoustics of that room.
Happy that so many people are enjoying this simple piece. I wonder if I could do something similar for your business or project…what are you passionate about?
Totally cool:
While this was taken from the International Space Station, the timelapse was conceived and assembled by a guy simply requesting still images that we all have access to, and stitching them together. Awesome.
Flickr Photos
