I appreciate the sub man! I’m really curious to see how you like Full Sail University. I see their ads pop up all the time and I’ve always wondered how their classes are. You’re going to love the FX6, it’s a beast of a camera!
@@Unlockfilm I started classes in September and I have definitely learned some things that I never knew relating to film. I have a script writing class coming up next week. I look forward to the FX6 especially since it’s Netflix approved. I’ll follow you on IG!
That’s awesome, filmmaking is an awesome world and there’s a ton to learn. There’s no final destination so learn to enjoy the journey and the filmmaking process!
One of the most down to earth video on this subject I came across in the past few months (I only started to trying to become filmmaker since May 😅). - social media: guilty as charged, hate vertical content, I need to pull my finger out… - gear paradox: happy to report, started to grove it out, but still need to get some good lights - shooting free: so true, everyone telling me in my surroundings that I shouldn’t do free work…so currently I am doing nothing 😂 Where I live at the moment, people do not value free stuff that much ( they think it is bad quality)
Man I really appreciate the compliment, it brings the biggest smile to my face knowing you found value in this topic. Congratulations on starting your journey earlier this year btw! -We’re all guilty of neglecting social media in one way shape or form. I’m focusing on TH-cam but need to up my Instagram game which is a goal going into 2025. Of course vertical content works best for things like reels and TikTok but there are plenty of accounts out there finding success posting horizontal content as well. The biggest hurdle is getting started then you can gain momentum. -In my area, the people who say don’t shoot for free are always the ones doing mediocre work. I guess they’re worried because they know they’re not good haha. The key to shooting for free and people not valuing free work is to approach them like a test client. So you go to a restaurant for example and say “hey my name is so and so, I run a video production company and I’m looking for 3 test clients to build my portfolio. You’ll receive a 30 second commercial, that can be repurposed for vertical social media content. This is in exchange for a review and feedback on the final results, client experience and overall process to better serve my clients.” So you’re using it as an exchange for not only footage to use but to see where you need to get better straight from the clients mouth. The exchange also adds more value to what you’re doing and gives more purpose to remove that ideas of bad quality. Additionally, it leaves the opportunity for them to say, “well what if I needed a 60 second video?” You can make a sale for the additional work involved.
bought a full fx3 rig shot a short a week later lined up to for more in 2025 plus a feature... pumped. My last short was in competition for the oscars this year didnt make it to the final round but...hold my beer...
Heck yeah man that's incredible! I would love to see your last short if you're able to share the link. The hold my beer mentality is the best one to have haha
Some interesting and some weird ideas here. Nice video footage by the way :). Not sure if shooting wedding videos and other stuff for clients is really being a filmmaker. It's certainly videography. If you are making fiction feature films I think you can call yourself a filmmaker. Also budgets, box office/earnings do not matter - film is art. It takes years - decades - to become a good filmmaker (with an audience). But, keep at it.
I really appreciate the kind words man, especially coming from another filmmaker. Wedding videos and client work are definitely in the world of videography more than filmmaking in my opinion. Thankfully that time for me is in the past and I DP corporate/commercial work and DP or gaff indie shorts now. I would love the opportunity to shoot an indie feature in the future like yourself. Film is 100% art and I don't think there's ever an end game when it comes to improving in that art. That's what makes it so fun and fulfilling! If you ever shoot down in the TN/GA area I would love to be a part of the crew!
That shot at 13:46. I have basically the same setup with the Zoom f8Npro and the rode wireless pro recorders but I never used them together. Can you make a video about how to set them up together and how you use them?
That was a BTS shot from a short film but I was the gaffer on that one. I'm not exactly sure how he had everything set up unfortunately. What I do know is the F8N was the primary audio source which was captured with a boom. Each actor also has one of the Rode wireless mics as a backup. So they were ran at the same time but as different sources for redundancy.
Haha it does seem like some channels are one big ad these days. Full disclosure, I'm not opposed to sponsorships but one thing I can promise is they'll never be the sole focus for this channel. I have some pretty ambitious goals for the channel but having sponsored videos every week is definitely not part of the plan.
I think it’s really interesting you mentioned a good tripod because I feel like they’re overlooked, even by myself. Tripods aren’t sexy to buy but a nice tripod is a beautiful thing. I’ve had the manfrotto fast legs for several years and think they’re great. What tripod are you rocking?
What’s your niche? How specific should you get? I’ve slowly been niching down as I figure out what I like and what I hate doing. Currently I run a small production company and do mostly corporate/commercial work and a bit of social media. Wish I could stop doing any social media (vertical video = throw up) but it pays and “everyone” needs it…
Before jumping into educational content like this, I was in the health & fitness niche. We worked with personal trainers, physical therapists and workout facilities ( one of our clients was a rock climbing gym). I initially niched down to personal training but ended up broadening it to health and fitness since they all have similar goals. Finding out what you hate doing is more important that what you love so definitely keep exploring. Then after you've found something you enjoy, find out what type of content you enjoy making for that niche. So do you like story driven content that focuses on lifestyle (think Yeti for example), do you like short-form social media content, etc. It's also a necessity to ask your clients specifically what their needs are. Think of yourself like a doctor who's writing a prescription. What are your clients pain points and what sort of solutions do you have to fix their problems. How specific you should get is somewhat subjective but you want your content to appeal to a specific type of person that solves specific problems (just like you). You also want to make sure there's enough work in your area to support your niche, especially if you want to get very specific. So if you want to create content for Ferrari dealerships but there isn't one in your city, widen it high performance vehicles for example. Social content is a necessary evil I understand the frustration. One thing I did to ease the pain (and so I could use the content in 16:9) was shoot everything in 4:3.
Nice vibe. I want to make videos so that I can share my natural building experience. Yes, a TH-cam channel to start with. BUI I am my onw obstacle. I know how to build. I know how to teach about natural building. I have been doing it for over ten years. I do see the value and purpose on my work, Why sharing it over youtube should be soo difficult. ? Fear, Impostor syndrome, ...perfectionism.... I will get there. Thank you
I know the feeling of being in your own way and imposter syndrome man and trust me, you're not alone. Every creative I've talked to has experienced it and it's typically a reoccurring thing. Never forget to look back at your past work to see how much you've grown and how far you've come. When you watch old work, if it's physically painful because it's so bad, that's a good thing haha. Starting this YT channel was and still is difficult. Simply the thought of talking in front of a camera gave me incredible anxiety. Your first videos will always be your worst videos and from recent experience, I can say with confidence it truly gets easier with time.
@@Unlockfilm Gracias for your time and reply. I do appreciate it. As a subscriber to your channel, I will follow you. Please keep going. Your work has value. Prospero año Nuevo.
As both a filmmaker and videographer/business owner, I'd love to see us get away from calling everything "filmmaking". Filmmakers make films - short films or feature films. No matter how hard we try to make the most mundane wedding video "cinematic", it's not a really a short film, nor is it really a documentary. I've made some features, I've made plenty of shorts, and I've made plenty of VIDEOS for clients over the years. They are different things and should be treated as such. I get that saying "filmmaker" sounds better than just "videographer", or "video producer", but I wish we could be honest with ourselves. Can we agree that making wedding videos is different than making docs or narratives? At least that's a place to start a discussion.
Absolutely, filmmaking and videography are very different not only in what you're shooting but how you go about shooting it. I started off as a wedding videographer and ran a successful wedding videography business for seven years. The one thing I always refused to do was call myself a “Wedding filmmaker“. I’ve since transitioned and no longer own that business. I’m now shooting Indies and a have focused on education for others looking to use a camera to make a living. Whether that be a videographer or someone who’s looking to love into filmmaking, the fundamentals remain the same in terms of creating a pleasing image. Just because someone starts their career as a wedding videographer, like myself, doesn’t mean they’re forever doomed to be a wedding videographer. I have yet to thoroughly explain my personal journey into this, and realize the mention of shooting weddings in the beginning was rather confusing. For that I apologize
I have tried "connecting with filmmakers" but some of them are incredibly thin skinned OR egotistic like hell. Which is unwarranted unless you're James Cameron. I have told them I'd love to collaborate and help and majority of these gave the cold shoulder. In fact, people at the pinnacle, at the peak of their careers have been far more kind in my experience and ACTUALLY answered questions I had. Which was also shocking to me. But majority of 'new filmmakers' even who got into some local festivals have attitudes alarmingly terrible.
Idk what it is about filmmaking or just the arts in general but running into people who are thin skinned and have egos the size of the moon are pretty common. In my experience you just have to keep trying (other people of course not the same over and over) and put yourself out there on social media to show others you’re not a douche like the other guys. If you’re open and inviting you have a better chance of people reaching out to you instead of constantly chasing others. The egos are completely unwarranted in every case. The sweet spot seems to be filmmakers who have been doing this for 2-3+ years before they get their attitudes in check. They need to have their egos squashed a bit by clients, businesses, directors, etc before they turn around (some don’t though). So what I’m getting at is don’t stop trying and never give up hope in collaborating with others. Your people are out there, you just haven’t found them yet.
2:10 - our subconscious KNOWS. Art is virtually the only way humans connect with other humans outside of physical touch and physical speech. We have thousands of years of instinct to detect art/music made by another one of our species
@@Unlockfilm For sure! Cave drawings, Egyptian hieroglyphics, the Sistine Chapel; Our brains know what real art is. We definitely see ai art and are WOWed, but if there is no artist to be connected with, then it's less meaningful than a stick figure that a 5 year old drew.
Please anyone watching this don`t let AI take over the Cinema Industry, I am willing to become a Cinematographer in the future and so are many other people and this would be heartbreaking man.
Create stories from the heart man, that's the advantage we have and will always have over machines. Don't let AI be a reason not to pursue cinematography.
For sure I completely understand that. Sometimes things come in seasons and you have to take anything and everything you can get. While you’re in between jobs or projects, that would be the best time to experiment with niching down
Many years ago I was in the Dj business if I charged more than 1500 for the whole package I wouldn't get any business My competitor who is charging Less is gonna eat it up. Famous Djs can obviously charge more
That’s fair, I’m very familiar with the DJ market, at least in my area. You’re not wrong but the DJ who’s charging less, what’s the cost of them eating it up? If they theoretically took everything, they’ll be so overwhelmed and hit burn out quicker than the person who’s charging more. I also have a really good friend who’s a local professional event DJ. He starts at $3,000 for 4 hours worth of event coverage and DJs 65 events a year. He’s amazing at what he does but is by no means a “famous” DJ
That’s true, I’m not sure how true it is but I saw it was all shot on an iPhone. He apparently wanted to keep to the grungy digital aesthetic of the first 28 days later film so there was a legitimate reason behind it. However it wasn’t just an iPhone. The way that thing was rigged out is WILD so they were essentially using a phone for the sensor.
@@Unlockfilm.. Na ‘ just a place of good will..I’m actually still watching you video as I write this .. let me say thank you and your words are encouraging and very helpful… thank you very much ..💪💪👊💯🔥🔥 all the best tay ya ma man ..
I really appreciate you watching man and I’m happy I could give you some encouragement! All the best to you as well and if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Are you working on becoming a filmmaker? What are your biggest challenges you’re trying to overcome?
Being a newbie finally making the leap into what i always wanted to. This was the most valuable video ive watched
Man I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. It’s a fun journey and if you ever have questions please don’t hesitate to reach out!
New Subscriber❗️I just started classes at Full Sail University and I am set to receive my Sony FX6 in March. This was a great video
I appreciate the sub man! I’m really curious to see how you like Full Sail University. I see their ads pop up all the time and I’ve always wondered how their classes are. You’re going to love the FX6, it’s a beast of a camera!
@@Unlockfilm I started classes in September and I have definitely learned some things that I never knew relating to film. I have a script writing class coming up next week. I look forward to the FX6 especially since it’s Netflix approved. I’ll follow you on IG!
That’s awesome, filmmaking is an awesome world and there’s a ton to learn. There’s no final destination so learn to enjoy the journey and the filmmaking process!
Great video man!
Thank you so much I appreciate it!
One of the most down to earth video on this subject I came across in the past few months (I only started to trying to become filmmaker since May 😅).
- social media: guilty as charged, hate vertical content, I need to pull my finger out…
- gear paradox: happy to report, started to grove it out, but still need to get some good lights
- shooting free: so true, everyone telling me in my surroundings that I shouldn’t do free work…so currently I am doing nothing 😂
Where I live at the moment, people do not value free stuff that much ( they think it is bad quality)
Man I really appreciate the compliment, it brings the biggest smile to my face knowing you found value in this topic. Congratulations on starting your journey earlier this year btw!
-We’re all guilty of neglecting social media in one way shape or form. I’m focusing on TH-cam but need to up my Instagram game which is a goal going into 2025. Of course vertical content works best for things like reels and TikTok but there are plenty of accounts out there finding success posting horizontal content as well. The biggest hurdle is getting started then you can gain momentum.
-In my area, the people who say don’t shoot for free are always the ones doing mediocre work. I guess they’re worried because they know they’re not good haha. The key to shooting for free and people not valuing free work is to approach them like a test client. So you go to a restaurant for example and say “hey my name is so and so, I run a video production company and I’m looking for 3 test clients to build my portfolio. You’ll receive a 30 second commercial, that can be repurposed for vertical social media content. This is in exchange for a review and feedback on the final results, client experience and overall process to better serve my clients.” So you’re using it as an exchange for not only footage to use but to see where you need to get better straight from the clients mouth. The exchange also adds more value to what you’re doing and gives more purpose to remove that ideas of bad quality. Additionally, it leaves the opportunity for them to say, “well what if I needed a 60 second video?” You can make a sale for the additional work involved.
bought a full fx3 rig shot a short a week later lined up to for more in 2025 plus a feature... pumped. My last short was in competition for the oscars this year didnt make it to the final round but...hold my beer...
Heck yeah man that's incredible! I would love to see your last short if you're able to share the link. The hold my beer mentality is the best one to have haha
Some interesting and some weird ideas here. Nice video footage by the way :). Not sure if shooting wedding videos and other stuff for clients is really being a filmmaker. It's certainly videography. If you are making fiction feature films I think you can call yourself a filmmaker. Also budgets, box office/earnings do not matter - film is art. It takes years - decades - to become a good filmmaker (with an audience). But, keep at it.
I really appreciate the kind words man, especially coming from another filmmaker. Wedding videos and client work are definitely in the world of videography more than filmmaking in my opinion. Thankfully that time for me is in the past and I DP corporate/commercial work and DP or gaff indie shorts now. I would love the opportunity to shoot an indie feature in the future like yourself. Film is 100% art and I don't think there's ever an end game when it comes to improving in that art. That's what makes it so fun and fulfilling! If you ever shoot down in the TN/GA area I would love to be a part of the crew!
@ maybe in NYC at some point. let’s see :). all things are possible.
That shot at 13:46. I have basically the same setup with the Zoom f8Npro and the rode wireless pro recorders but I never used them together. Can you make a video about how to set them up together and how you use them?
That was a BTS shot from a short film but I was the gaffer on that one. I'm not exactly sure how he had everything set up unfortunately. What I do know is the F8N was the primary audio source which was captured with a boom. Each actor also has one of the Rode wireless mics as a backup. So they were ran at the same time but as different sources for redundancy.
subbed...lets hope this doesn't became another sponsor channel like all the others :)
Haha it does seem like some channels are one big ad these days. Full disclosure, I'm not opposed to sponsorships but one thing I can promise is they'll never be the sole focus for this channel. I have some pretty ambitious goals for the channel but having sponsored videos every week is definitely not part of the plan.
A good tripod and some good mics is where I would start gear wise.
I think it’s really interesting you mentioned a good tripod because I feel like they’re overlooked, even by myself. Tripods aren’t sexy to buy but a nice tripod is a beautiful thing. I’ve had the manfrotto fast legs for several years and think they’re great. What tripod are you rocking?
@ I love my Siriu AM-25S’s. They didn’t break the bank and they use the same plates as my DJI gimbal for quick swapping. Thanks for the content!
Awesome man, I’ve heard great things about those, especially for the price. I appreciate you taking the time to check it out!
What’s your niche?
How specific should you get?
I’ve slowly been niching down as I figure out what I like and what I hate doing.
Currently I run a small production company and do mostly corporate/commercial work and a bit of social media.
Wish I could stop doing any social media (vertical video = throw up) but it pays and “everyone” needs it…
Before jumping into educational content like this, I was in the health & fitness niche. We worked with personal trainers, physical therapists and workout facilities ( one of our clients was a rock climbing gym). I initially niched down to personal training but ended up broadening it to health and fitness since they all have similar goals.
Finding out what you hate doing is more important that what you love so definitely keep exploring. Then after you've found something you enjoy, find out what type of content you enjoy making for that niche. So do you like story driven content that focuses on lifestyle (think Yeti for example), do you like short-form social media content, etc. It's also a necessity to ask your clients specifically what their needs are. Think of yourself like a doctor who's writing a prescription. What are your clients pain points and what sort of solutions do you have to fix their problems.
How specific you should get is somewhat subjective but you want your content to appeal to a specific type of person that solves specific problems (just like you). You also want to make sure there's enough work in your area to support your niche, especially if you want to get very specific. So if you want to create content for Ferrari dealerships but there isn't one in your city, widen it high performance vehicles for example.
Social content is a necessary evil I understand the frustration. One thing I did to ease the pain (and so I could use the content in 16:9) was shoot everything in 4:3.
Nice vibe. I want to make videos so that I can share my natural building experience. Yes, a TH-cam channel to start with. BUI I am my onw obstacle. I know how to build. I know how to teach about natural building. I have been doing it for over ten years. I do see the value and purpose on my work, Why sharing it over youtube should be soo difficult. ? Fear, Impostor syndrome, ...perfectionism.... I will get there. Thank you
I know the feeling of being in your own way and imposter syndrome man and trust me, you're not alone. Every creative I've talked to has experienced it and it's typically a reoccurring thing. Never forget to look back at your past work to see how much you've grown and how far you've come. When you watch old work, if it's physically painful because it's so bad, that's a good thing haha.
Starting this YT channel was and still is difficult. Simply the thought of talking in front of a camera gave me incredible anxiety. Your first videos will always be your worst videos and from recent experience, I can say with confidence it truly gets easier with time.
@@Unlockfilm Gracias for your time and reply. I do appreciate it. As a subscriber to your channel, I will follow you. Please keep going. Your work has value. Prospero año Nuevo.
Thank you 🙏🏾
You're welcome! Thank you for watching!
As both a filmmaker and videographer/business owner, I'd love to see us get away from calling everything "filmmaking". Filmmakers make films - short films or feature films. No matter how hard we try to make the most mundane wedding video "cinematic", it's not a really a short film, nor is it really a documentary. I've made some features, I've made plenty of shorts, and I've made plenty of VIDEOS for clients over the years. They are different things and should be treated as such. I get that saying "filmmaker" sounds better than just "videographer", or "video producer", but I wish we could be honest with ourselves.
Can we agree that making wedding videos is different than making docs or narratives? At least that's a place to start a discussion.
Absolutely, filmmaking and videography are very different not only in what you're shooting but how you go about shooting it. I started off as a wedding videographer and ran a successful wedding videography business for seven years. The one thing I always refused to do was call myself a “Wedding filmmaker“. I’ve since transitioned and no longer own that business. I’m now shooting Indies and a have focused on education for others looking to use a camera to make a living. Whether that be a videographer or someone who’s looking to love into filmmaking, the fundamentals remain the same in terms of creating a pleasing image.
Just because someone starts their career as a wedding videographer, like myself, doesn’t mean they’re forever doomed to be a wedding videographer. I have yet to thoroughly explain my personal journey into this, and realize the mention of shooting weddings in the beginning was rather confusing. For that I apologize
I have tried "connecting with filmmakers" but some of them are incredibly thin skinned OR egotistic like hell. Which is unwarranted unless you're James Cameron. I have told them I'd love to collaborate and help and majority of these gave the cold shoulder. In fact, people at the pinnacle, at the peak of their careers have been far more kind in my experience and ACTUALLY answered questions I had. Which was also shocking to me. But majority of 'new filmmakers' even who got into some local festivals have attitudes alarmingly terrible.
Idk what it is about filmmaking or just the arts in general but running into people who are thin skinned and have egos the size of the moon are pretty common. In my experience you just have to keep trying (other people of course not the same over and over) and put yourself out there on social media to show others you’re not a douche like the other guys. If you’re open and inviting you have a better chance of people reaching out to you instead of constantly chasing others. The egos are completely unwarranted in every case.
The sweet spot seems to be filmmakers who have been doing this for 2-3+ years before they get their attitudes in check. They need to have their egos squashed a bit by clients, businesses, directors, etc before they turn around (some don’t though).
So what I’m getting at is don’t stop trying and never give up hope in collaborating with others. Your people are out there, you just haven’t found them yet.
2:10 - our subconscious KNOWS. Art is virtually the only way humans connect with other humans outside of physical touch and physical speech. We have thousands of years of instinct to detect art/music made by another one of our species
It’s so true. I feel like some people scoff at an explanation like that because it sounds poetic but we should never forget that fact.
@@Unlockfilm For sure! Cave drawings, Egyptian hieroglyphics, the Sistine Chapel; Our brains know what real art is. We definitely see ai art and are WOWed, but if there is no artist to be connected with, then it's less meaningful than a stick figure that a 5 year old drew.
Please anyone watching this don`t let AI take over the Cinema Industry, I am willing to become a Cinematographer in the future and so are many other people and this would be heartbreaking man.
Create stories from the heart man, that's the advantage we have and will always have over machines. Don't let AI be a reason not to pursue cinematography.
@@Unlockfilm Some words of encouragement all I needed thanks! I`m subbed.
I appreciate the sub man. If you ever have questions while on your cinematography journey don’t be afraid to reach out!
biggest challenges is a niche because i do all that can bring money
For sure I completely understand that. Sometimes things come in seasons and you have to take anything and everything you can get. While you’re in between jobs or projects, that would be the best time to experiment with niching down
I threw all my money into a camera, now I am so sorry I did not invest in lights...
That's alright man it's honestly what most of us do. You don't know what you don't know but you can still make the best with what you have.
Many years ago I was in the Dj business if I charged more than 1500 for the whole package
I wouldn't get any business
My competitor who is charging
Less is gonna eat it up.
Famous Djs can obviously charge more
That’s fair, I’m very familiar with the DJ market, at least in my area. You’re not wrong but the DJ who’s charging less, what’s the cost of them eating it up? If they theoretically took everything, they’ll be so overwhelmed and hit burn out quicker than the person who’s charging more.
I also have a really good friend who’s a local professional event DJ. He starts at $3,000 for 4 hours worth of event coverage and DJs 65 events a year. He’s amazing at what he does but is by no means a “famous” DJ
Danny Boyle used an iPhone for most of his shooting.
That’s true, I’m not sure how true it is but I saw it was all shot on an iPhone. He apparently wanted to keep to the grungy digital aesthetic of the first 28 days later film so there was a legitimate reason behind it. However it wasn’t just an iPhone. The way that thing was rigged out is WILD so they were essentially using a phone for the sensor.
And always …..wear ….sunscreen …
I feel like this comment comes from a place of both experience and pain 🤣
@@Unlockfilm.. Na ‘ just a place of good will..I’m actually still watching you video as I write this .. let me say thank you and your words are encouraging and very helpful… thank you very much ..💪💪👊💯🔥🔥 all the best tay ya ma man ..
I really appreciate you watching man and I’m happy I could give you some encouragement! All the best to you as well and if you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to reach out!
@ I might just hold you to that ..hahaha again thank you and I wish you nothing but good will and success 💯