Final Words on the Next Steps
Over the past several weeks I have applied an overview of my understanding and growing interests in the field of videography and photography. Through the work, I have discovered a deeper understanding of art and the overall quality of creativity required within any project. Originality does not come easy for a true artist, because the work requires time, an essential part of any video or photography project requires this to see and think on the subject, and the use of elements within the work. Any artist will tell you the experience is not just in the volume of work produced, but the time spent thinking and planning how the work would, could, and should look.
I have spent a great amount of time working with some of these projects and have done enough to know that one or two minutes in a video could take several hours to capture. There is planning involved. Preparation, with equipment, and the knowledge and understanding of the various ways in which technology will be, could be, and is used. In a society present with the ability for everyone to be their own videographer or photographer, the real work is not just in any picture or video. It is the creative aspects, the color schemes, and aesthetics foregone to achieve that imagery which reflects the intellect and talent of the producer. Much like anyone with a pencil can be a poet, the true artist produces work that is beyond generic and then becomes original.
Thinking critically and allowing our self time to put together the pieces of a project, allows for a work pattern of consistency. In experience with using the tools of video and photography, there is a higher ability to produce original content that is marked by the artists’ own notion of style. A noticeable pattern within every piece of work reflecting back to that individual’s own personal experience, unmatchable by anyone else. As mentioned before, Pablo Picasso has produced this through his work, culminating a new style of art known as Cubism. Picasso started out painting colorful, vivid representations of people, himself, and objects like various fruits in still-lifes. He found experience through working with these subjects. Over time, consistently working at his skills and the understanding of all the uses for each material, he formed his own design and style, discovering a new take on art called Cubism.
My blogs covered here, are representations and examples showing that consistent form of work, study, and application to the creative process as artists have done for hundreds of years with journals. Like Picasso, whose many drawings focused on his understanding of all of the capabilities with paint, light, and design. Not only is consistently working with video and photography important, it is a learning experience through fun, which leads to originality in content, and a personal pattern developed through the work.
I’ve over viewed how my focus on studying films, and television shows have brought on the awareness to needing a name for my work, or the work I plan to create. Observing various company logos, and production segments I gathered ideas on ways to form and build my own logo. From application of what I had seen to my own abilities, I managed to learn how to work with the components required to represent my work in the same way. Through the creation of my own logo, and the logo segments to accompany my work, I also acquired an understanding of the tools used to create more content from the work with creating my own brand.
The first obstacle was the hardware, researching the best computers, and cameras for producing professional media. Being able to edit them on an expandable platform requires tools that do not limit, but offer more avenues for expansion to keep experimenting, and producing original content like Bill Nye’s laboratory. I have used Macs since I was very young, finding them to be one of the best machines for producing exceptional art in digital form. I learned about Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Soundtrack Pro, Motion, and Final Draft. All software used on a daily basis by professionals for generating videos and working with photography just as I want to. I’ve watched and worked with others who produce similar content to what interests me and proved to be the styles I favored. I study their work, and manage to do similar works as part of learning how to use the tools properly. I spent time from watching others in the profession and their work to working with them. During this educational process, I found a representation of self through logo design. After drawing out my ideas, I then began building it on Photoshop into an original brand logo.
From creating the logo to represent myself as a digital media professional, I began the next step, brain storming for the stages in which I would build my brand. In observing other companies’ logo segments, I did not want to copy their work, however to clearly understand how to produce a good logo segment, mimicking their work is the first step to understanding the process. I worked to produce my own versions of the FOX News logo, the CNN logo, the Discovery Channel logo, and the CBS logo. Eventually, after I felt I was grasping the concept of designing these logos, I produced a segment involving the logo I designed for my brand. At this point I had begun to generate some of my own originality into the field I have a passion for. Seeing that was a great encouragement for me to keep moving forward and experimenting with ideas, and concepts of design.
Additional to observing other companies and their graphic designs for logos and segments, I reviewed a few books. Jeff Davis’ Foundations of Design which covers the major aspects of visual art from Space, Shape, Color, Unity, Fields of Depth, and more. I focused also on individuals in other areas of the field as well, like Mike Rowe for instance. He works in media entertainment with voiceover narration for various shows and commercials, as well as having his own shows, one of which gained my attention was Dirty Jobs. These were the building blocks for me of a foundation based solely from observing others and reproducing their content with my own take on their style, to better learn how to take on similar projects of my own. This part of the process, observing and recreating something considered unique to learn the techniques used by others, provide the necessary elements to think and reflect upon grasping the concept for original content.
In my work I have begun to make a name for myself through some of the work I have made, bringing others attention to this to learn how to apply it with their interests. This has led to small opportunities, which have allowed for me a chance to not only do what I like, but also to make a little revenue for the work as well! I began applying my observations to things within my own life, working with a friend and prior theology teacher to make a Dirty Jobs parody. This project allowed me to focus on the details of Mike Rowe’s show and learn from him, and his crew, of how to be like them, but with my own style.
Discovering my own abilities with digital media specifically through video and photography I hope to expand and cover more aspects, like a linguist who consistently finds another language to learn. I want to share a spotlight, so to speak, with friends. And build their interest in the pleasure I have found with this form of digital media. I have introduced others to be a part of various skits and interviews, leading me to research interviews as I studied another form called documentary. Incorporating others into the field and interviewing them about their lives and passions, I felt a connection with those who participated, allowing for a depth of conversation with other hard working, efficient, and inspired individuals like myself. When you surround yourself with others who you want to be like, and build up with you, motivation sets in. Through working with each other, “you” becomes “we”, and thus the inspiration to keep striving and making goals in our passions becomes present. Working on projects in a practical and productive environment open to creativity at it’s purest. I was introduced to the idea that my passion was considered a hirable talent, and money can be made with my abilities. I got a job working with a local news station. Working with others who have similar interests also provides an interconnection of networking, allowing for more ways to work, share ideas, and learn new forms of the art from the same field.
Presently through the established ground I have, working with a small local news station, and small freelance work on occasion, I look forward to the next steps. Talking with David Wall about his experiences in the field as a freelance videographer, I hope the next steps are to continue to network and experiment with video and photography. Through various projects, working with others in the same field to produce content, and equally connect with those who consume the content produced. I will continue to make a daily effort to spend time, questioning, researching, and participating in events, projects, and personal works related to video and photography. It is my passion, my interest, and my joy. Doing things with video and photography is not like any other work, to me it’s what I love, it is fun, and its’ my life!
