David Wall of Wall Digital Media
David Wall, a long time friend and owner of Wall Digital media, has been a freelance videographer and professional photographer for the last sixteen years. David started using cameras and related equipment as early as age five, and became inspired to follow a building interest in the field after watching a behind the scenes television segment in 1977 of the making of the original Star Wars. I was able to have the opportunity to interview him recently about his experience as a professional in digital media.
MIKEY: David, what types of videos or work do you feel you’re most experienced with?
DAVID: Most of my work is 30 second TV commercials but I also do multi-camera live event production, corporate videos, and music videos.
MIKEY: Did you go to school for your profession, did you seek work experience elsewhere, or both?
DAVID: I started young, with Super 8 film in the third grade, making movies with model planes and action figures. I got my first video camera in the 7th grade, and started shooting events for my school and actually got paid sometimes. I went to the Savannah College of Art and Design and studied video production while working with the local cable access channel there. In 1996 I became a producer with Cox Media and started Wall Digital Media in 2000, which I still run.
MIKEY: Do you have other family who’ve had or do have a similar profession as yourself?
DAVID: No, but my youngest son is now doing what I did with cameras as a kid.
MIKEY: What inspires you, or makes you passionate about your work?
DAVID: I just enjoy the creativity of it. I like telling visual stories. It’s rarely the same job twice, and that keeps everything fresh as well as playing with the new gadgets as technology moves forward.
MIKEY: Have you ever thought of, or had any work with celebrities, or others in the field of videography, actors, directors, working with movie productions?
DAVID: I’ve done some ads with some lesser-known celebrities like John Boy and Billy, and I’ve done promotional video work that included musicians Luke Bryan and Vince Gill. I have worked with a few crew members from the Walking Dead as director of photography on a short film that may or may not become a pilot for a TV series. We have been shooting bits and pieces for 2 years now based on hectic schedules. I’m not allowed to say much more about it yet.
MIKEY: What kind of equipment or software do you use?
DAVID: Canon Cameras (for photography and videography), Final Cut Pro, After Effects, Motion, Photoshop
MIKEY: How have you seen the equipment and technology change over the period of time through which you have been a professional videographer, using these technologies?
DAVID: When I started, cameras weighed 30 pounds on your shoulder, and it took a room with about $1,000,000 worth of equipment to make really good professional videos. We shot on tape, and editing was linear, so you did not have editing flexibility if things needed to be changed quickly. If you wanted aerial footage, you hired a plane or a helicopter. Now you can shoot gorgeous 4K video on a go pro with beautiful drone-shot aerial footage. Non-linear computer based editing and storytelling are much more fluid allowing for much more creativity. You can even shoot and edit a good video with just your phone.
MIKEY: What is one of your most exciting projects you’ve done as a videographer?
DAVID: The short film I’m working on now is pretty cool and probably tops everything as I’m getting to actually make a film instead of my usual commercial productions.
MIKEY: Could advanced technology of present day, and suspected changes in the near future affect your profession, and if so, how?
DAVID: I think it only makes it more accessible to everyone, but everyone does not have the talent to get what the technology can produce. It comes down to talent and creativity. Whether its commercials, shorts, or theatrical productions, its all about storytelling. There will always be storytellers and newer technology will enhance that.
MIKEY: Thanks for your time David!
DAVID: Absolutely, happy to do it!
Here are a few examples of his work locally from his website:
If you’d like to contact David or learn more about his work with local businesses as a professional you can find him online at www.walldigitalmedia.com.
