Definitions

The switches and valves of a locomotive.

What if you woke up one day and everything you knew about what you do for a living – was different?

The physical, tangible things that you know have just been renamed.  The services you use for work life support now mean and do something else.  As part of a team or crew, your tasks have now changed too.  Everything in the business you’ve always known has a new name – and definition.

As a working professional within the production of commercial images, and some days struggling to find the best match of projects, career equity, and a moderate income – this question provides an aim toward the location of the answers.  Yes, this post is a tad subjective to marketplace and position.  Some of you may be so busy, you couldn’t give a flying.  If you’re stupid busy, you’re not reading this.

Most businesses experience change in their lifetimes and you need to adapt with them. But with our industry as a paradigm having been so altered, many of the people, titles, processes, paperwork, tools, and technology – dressed as latest-greatest meets previously-used hybrids – have become unrecognizable.  Theories aplenty are spewed daily about how the creative industry can be better and how we can ALL thrive – not just survive.  Some colleagues retort of the obvious missed basics of business.

  • “If your product is good, people will pay.” 
  • “If your process is smooth, clients will return.” 
  • “Build value.” 
  • “Provide a return on investment.”

I agree with all of these practices in an industry where the buyer knows the definition of these things.  But in a business cycle of good-enough, project award decision-making is reflecting nepotism, and best lowest price;  skills, experience, craft (?), mindset, and client services are rarely part of that conversation.

It wasn’t always like this.

I try to remain idealistic about the latter elements still hanging on and in some circles, still being required.  Yet I continue to experience their decline and disinterest on new projects.  I speak of the basics of loyalty, communication, being on time.  Perhaps some of the big picture answers are located near the fact that standard operating procedures in our industry were never ever – defined.

Your thoughts?

Photos / words are COPYRIGHT Jamie Vesay 2012-2013  USE OF ANY material requires permission.

Location Scouting: Black & White

“Marty.   Ask him about residuals.”

So the Production Designer says, “Since the movie will be shot in black and white, why don’t we take location photos in black and white?”  Silence.  Murmurs.  Yes!     Yes, indeed.  A no brainer.  And why didn’t I think of that earlier?  Settings on our still cameras were switched to shoot black and white photography.  Wait.  That brought up another question.

“Can we view the locations in black and white, say with an iPad?”  Now keep in mind, we were looking to see what the locations looked like – live – versus snapping pictures and showing what a still of it looked like.  Some of us had a small digital screen on our cameras but the iPad and even the iPhone would be better – as a viewfinder.

There were many apps available that converted black and white photos.  Some did it instantly but those still viewed in color.  I found an app called Live FX.  Once the app was downloaded (the Lite version was free) we just set it at the black and white filter * and boom – live black and white viewfinder.

It was immediately curious and fun to see things in shades and tones.  Tufts of green grass, lush fields of crops, and shade – crushed to black.

Rows of soybeans and a road to the sky.

Rows of soybeans and a road to the sky.

Lines and design on city buildings seemed to become more visible.

City Lincoln BW Jamie Vesay DSCF5425

Lincoln, Nebraska

  The sky became a whole new kind of beautiful.

Summer clouds over a country road.

Summer clouds over a country road.

Textures on buildings were scrutinized much closer.  The red barn actually had to be a certain tone of red.  Wood and peeled paint was cool.  Color was actually added to a white building (not the one below).  Let’s just say it looked better in black and white.

Barn building that tried storm windows.

Barn building with storm windows.

I share this information with you just in case you ever find yourself scouting for a black and white project.  It is indeed the way to go.  If not, try shooting in black and white for your personal photography.  And I challenge you to shoot in black and white – not in color and convert later.  It will train you to capture your vision live.  Have fun.

The movie Nebraska comes out in 2013.

* The extra steps of scrubbing through the filters on Live FX was a tad cumbersome.  Since then, another app I had on my iPhone called Vintage B&W now views instantly in black & white.  I’m sure there may be others out there.