Thanks so much for all the messages of support and amazing advice. I spent yesterday going through transcripts of all the interviews, writing a script to edit from and I got up this morning at 530am while the kids were asleep and by 830am I got a trailer edited together in Premiere that's looking pretty good! Yep! A 2.5 minute trailer that hopefully makes people want to see more. I'm now hunting for ways to get some funding, so looking for how to get this to people... again not a world I know... but maybe some channels/streaming services might want in and get me on my way. I won't need much cash but for what I plan on doing I do need some better kit. I feel hopeful! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I've just decided to reboot a portrait project I had exhibitions for in 2001 and 2002. I contacted the first 2 subjects, got their buy-in, and now I'm paralysed by the sheer prospect of having to carry the new format, create something that doesn't waste their time and to keep the momentum of it going once it is running without it collapsing like a flan in a cupboard. ... so I feel your sentiments. I've been in that position many times. Not many people on YT started out more or less as the same time I did (went pro in 2000), so I love your take on stuff. Many guys who are in the public eye, with the same years under their belt, is wildly successfull (many just didn't make it!), with lots of wonga and it seems like they moved onto a different place altogether. I've shot amazing projects and have done thousands of jobs, but I eke out a living, day to day, and it's great to see a guy just share that journey.
I can sympathize. Single dad here. All I have is aphorisms and one-liners. * Sounds like you're in the middle of the second act when the hero almost gives up. But we know you won't. You'll alter your approach and resolve the story in a satisfyingly novel way. * Sometimes things are fast, sometimes they hardly seem to move at all. But are you paddling the sailboat even a little bit forward each day? Congratulate yourself on getting closer to that horizon, and keep your eye on it. Your destination won't come to you, after all. * Jon Kabat-Zinn? His book "Wherever You Go There You Are" ain't bad.
Thanks Kevin, thats good to hear. Although a one tooth, a global pandemic and many grey hairs later! Ha! I had this idea in my 20s, then worked out a way to express it in my 30s and now struggling to get it made in my 40s! I will check that book out right now. I don't know about progress each day, I went hard on the research in 2020 and had loads of amazing realisations that got me hyped up and giddy! But its been a long time... I know I need to re-read everything, all the books, all my notes. But I think I've got enough for a brilliant sizzle reel teaser... but theres so many different ways to do it. I am going to lock myself in my office for a few days tomorrow and friday and try and see what I can come up with. I've managed to get all the footage on one external hard-drive so I guess it starts there. At present I thought I could start with a piece to camera and then launch into the footage with some voice over in between... that said maybe I should do the 'not quite looking to camera thing' with the best lighting my cellar can offer? Like telling the story of how I came to certain revelations and my quest to find some meaning in what I think I've discovered? I've got some amazing people to interview still, including some people who will utterly destroy my idea... but I think its good to see the protagonist destroyed at some point in the film right? Hopefully by that point I've made my case enough that the viewers are on side?
What a nice chap you are! First up, some quick fixes? Contacting film schools with a promise to students of a small payment now and more if your film brings any kind of success. If you can find a few mature students to help they would have access to kit as well. Or... buy the cheapest second hand video camera you can, but do two visits at each location, once as the film-maker and the second time as the photographer? Or... find an older, retired friend/ family member to be crew in the short term, or... shelve the difficult project for now, do a simpler one and pick this one up again when you have gathered more people to you, which also means you could look to find some younger "friends" willing to help for expenses... But also remember that being creatively promiscuous may lead to both your photography and film making suffering. I travelled down this path, first I was a theatre maker, than a photographer, then I taught myself film-making then abandoned everything and eventually found my way back to photography. My last bit of advice is to remember that production companies always need product, 25 years ago I rang up some and said I had an idea for a documentary it was me and a photography series I was working on, one of them took me on and a 30 minute programme got made in which the director allowed me to present it as well as it being about my practice, and by chance a commissioning editor for another terrestrial TV channel saw it and that ended up with three years of me being a TV presenter. All long ago now, and it's probably a lot harder to get to talk to the right people but the bottom line is you never know unless you try so be more proactive in reaching out, and keep making these videos because I look forward to viewing them! I'm Jojo, on Instagram: Jojothephotographer xx Good luck xx
@@xxxjojo3576 wow! That's an amazing story! And some great advice, thanks to this video I've had some people offer to help film. And I've been talked out of buying the fx3. The word on the street from older videographers is to get a canon c300 mark iii (I can't afford that so the mark ii will suffice!). I got up early this week and found the time to cut a 2.5 minute trailer so now thinking about who to share that to. I have no idea how this industry works (unlike Photoland!) so I guess I'm looking for some funding to help pay camera operators. Maybe an experienced producer too. Whatever happens, it is very exciting! Thank you
@@PicturesOnMyMind the last bit of advice which I embrace is understanding our aesthetics must be driven by our economics, anyway. I'll continue to be a fan and at some point i'll book one of your mentor sessions as much because you seem like a 'good egg' as for however you maybe able to help me in my own fumbling in the dark :) xx
Your honesty is brutal and a thumbs-up click does not do any justice. On the other hand, no thumbs up no help from the algorithm. Social media is not suited for art and it is definitely not suited for anything else than fake American enthusiasm. I wish you all the best. I really do.
Thanks Marcels, I think I've always been good at getting photo projects done as I could do them on my own. But every minute I can't make this film... It's eating me up inside 😜
in-between projects i go screen-printing A1 artwork traditionally (Acrylic paint rag paper etc) i know it doesn't help you but I love it. I've shot a film on a canon 5d mii works fine for me. Gear works well needs a mic and recording device though 💌
Interesting! In this case, I would advise doing a joint venture. You already have a following and lots of experience. You just need to find someone with the gear and lots of drive!!! This sounds like an easy problem to solve.
@@wombatwombaffle ha! When this popped up all I saw was "I advise doing a. joint..." One of the guys who helped me he's amazing, but when you're in your 40s you just don't have much time to do stuff just because you're doing stuff. You've got kids and a mortgage. Because editorial rates were so bad in all my 3000 assignments that I've done I only had a fee for assistants on about 20 jobs, so it's not like I know anyone because of them assisting me. There is someone in my wider family who could potentially do it but I'd need to train them up and they'd need to be interested which is also probably not the case. I'm going to try and edit a better trailer this week and just try and get some interest so hopefully I can get some funding to pay a camera operator. I could lone run and gun it myself and do interviews... I just find those kinds of documentaries really boring. I want to go gonzo
Hey Edward. Can relate to this and it's a normal part of the process! If you want an extra pair of eyes/ an objective perspective on your project let me know and I'll drop you an email. I'm no big deal but have been filming and editing moving image stuff for a job for about 10 years and am also doing a couple of self-initiated docs at the minute (one shooting and one in post). With cameras I find the FX3 and mirrorless cams a pain to shoot with and only really ok as a b cam or on jobs where they can't budget for a bigger gimbal. If you're on a budget some of the older cams are great like Sony FS7 (or even 5) or Canon C300 mk2 or 3. They can be had quite cheaply on ebay, are still used a lot professionally and don't get in the way of filming doc stuff.. they just work and are fun to shoot with. Canon would be great if you already have a lot of nice glass! Good luck with it and keep going!
Thanks Gareth, yes every experienced DOP I spoke to said to go the Canon / Black Magic route instead of the FX3. But my back isn't that great and I worked with a guy earlier in the year who had the FX3 and it looked pretty nifty. I like the portability of it for run and gun documentaries. My main issue is getting someone to actually use the camera as, well, i'm on the documentary! I've cut a trailer and I've done some interviews with my cameras but although the content is better, what they are saying is often clearer as its a straight interview, a load is lost in emotion and... well.. the chaos of walking around and hanging out. So thats the ideal, getting a great camera for run and gun docs.
@@PicturesOnMyMind Fair enough. Sounds tough if you're trying to shoot and appear in the film at the same time. I'm intrigued and would love to hear more about the story so I hope you'll post the trailer soon! If you are doing any more filming around London and I'm not busy I'd be happy to help out by filming a few bits for you.
I don't do documentaries, but when I ruminate my life could be a docu-comedy-drama-meltdown. Perhaps do what you do. Pictures on My mind. The life of Ed. You probably can come up with some interesting characters and situations. No camera. Use your mobile phone. Stop mind F-ing about the gear. Set a time up everyday to progress with the project. Everyday. The camera people can be those in your life, parents ...
@@stevenjb.9275 that's a good call. I know plenty of interesting people. But it's THE documentary I'm trying to make for 4 years that's getting to me. Not to put to fine a point on it, but some of the things I've discovered over 25 years of photographing are pretty trippy. Essentially the holy grail of street photography. Camera is important for this unfortunately as if Ione run and gun, with my eyesight, then auto focus is going to be important. I'm going to try and edit a trailer this week and try and get someone to believe in it. I really need someone to film when I'm going Gonzo with people I'm interviewing for the doc. Thanks Steven. For sure, I need to practice making docs, but I know this story for the doc I'm trying to make as, well, it is my life! Ha. I just don't want to lose anymore teeth! Continuity is going to be hard enough 😉
Sorry you're struggling so much with this, but it is a lesson for us all to see we must keep fighting our way through! As per your questions, when I read number 2 I thought of this video I had watched some time ago: ruclips.net/video/yxEpGwfHBHg/видео.htmlsi=Cz-uXTqzQvBnWcwR I suspect that machine won't be sufficient, technically, for your filmmaking needs, but it does offer a way to film yourself. Have a look, you never know. Good luck!
You seem to be a good editor of your own work, judging from what you did with the zines. If you want to be like Nick Broomfield you need a mic boom! :D and a filming wife/son/third person. What is the documentary about?
@@jbentosimoes that's the problem, as in being on my own. The documentary is about photography and it's pretty trippy. I thought about doing a PhD on the subject matter.... But then I thought no way! It's a movie.
@@PicturesOnMyMind have you watched 'How To with John Wilson'? It's one-person-does-everything (sort of, he got lots of help from a production team) and it's quite fluid, not the static camera on tripod
@@PicturesOnMyMind I dreamt that you had been kidnaped by a drugs gang that wanted you to make pictures of them and you were all excited with being abducted cause you wanted an adventure :D
I feel like in this video you documented "the inner and outer struggles of creation" very well. But struggle no more, I know exactly what to do - make a 5 minute short funny-goofy-blairwitchstyle document (with what you got right now) about the struggles of making a document that you are part of. Take this short document and sell it to film festival. Now you have money and people. Now make The Document. Just kidding, I know nothing. I derived this brilliant strategy from "Mark Duplass | SXSW Live 2015 | SXSW ON" video, seems like the guy knows what he is talking about. It is true, that mentors doesn't grow on trees - we are left with youtube. So, good luck everybody and remember - "the cavalry is not coming" :-)
@@niktoten thanks Nik. As a fan of Broomfield I thought the struggle could become part of the documentary! Ha! And you don't realise it, but saying there "cavalry is coming" has a deep personal reason to me. I will try and edit some teaser trailers that don't suck and people can work out what's going on (but not too much as my last attempts at trailers have been a little "content rich"
Thanks so much for all the messages of support and amazing advice. I spent yesterday going through transcripts of all the interviews, writing a script to edit from and I got up this morning at 530am while the kids were asleep and by 830am I got a trailer edited together in Premiere that's looking pretty good! Yep! A 2.5 minute trailer that hopefully makes people want to see more. I'm now hunting for ways to get some funding, so looking for how to get this to people... again not a world I know... but maybe some channels/streaming services might want in and get me on my way. I won't need much cash but for what I plan on doing I do need some better kit. I feel hopeful! Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I've just decided to reboot a portrait project I had exhibitions for in 2001 and 2002. I contacted the first 2 subjects, got their buy-in, and now I'm paralysed by the sheer prospect of having to carry the new format, create something that doesn't waste their time and to keep the momentum of it going once it is running without it collapsing like a flan in a cupboard. ... so I feel your sentiments. I've been in that position many times. Not many people on YT started out more or less as the same time I did (went pro in 2000), so I love your take on stuff. Many guys who are in the public eye, with the same years under their belt, is wildly successfull (many just didn't make it!), with lots of wonga and it seems like they moved onto a different place altogether. I've shot amazing projects and have done thousands of jobs, but I eke out a living, day to day, and it's great to see a guy just share that journey.
@@danienelphoto thanks Daniel. There's no "you've made it ceremony", you just get to keep going right! Thank you
@@PicturesOnMyMind 100%. Still waiting to arrive! Lol.
I can sympathize. Single dad here. All I have is aphorisms and one-liners.
* Sounds like you're in the middle of the second act when the hero almost gives up. But we know you won't. You'll alter your approach and resolve the story in a satisfyingly novel way.
* Sometimes things are fast, sometimes they hardly seem to move at all. But are you paddling the sailboat even a little bit forward each day? Congratulate yourself on getting closer to that horizon, and keep your eye on it. Your destination won't come to you, after all.
* Jon Kabat-Zinn? His book "Wherever You Go There You Are" ain't bad.
Thanks Kevin, thats good to hear. Although a one tooth, a global pandemic and many grey hairs later! Ha! I had this idea in my 20s, then worked out a way to express it in my 30s and now struggling to get it made in my 40s! I will check that book out right now. I don't know about progress each day, I went hard on the research in 2020 and had loads of amazing realisations that got me hyped up and giddy! But its been a long time... I know I need to re-read everything, all the books, all my notes. But I think I've got enough for a brilliant sizzle reel teaser... but theres so many different ways to do it. I am going to lock myself in my office for a few days tomorrow and friday and try and see what I can come up with. I've managed to get all the footage on one external hard-drive so I guess it starts there. At present I thought I could start with a piece to camera and then launch into the footage with some voice over in between... that said maybe I should do the 'not quite looking to camera thing' with the best lighting my cellar can offer? Like telling the story of how I came to certain revelations and my quest to find some meaning in what I think I've discovered? I've got some amazing people to interview still, including some people who will utterly destroy my idea... but I think its good to see the protagonist destroyed at some point in the film right? Hopefully by that point I've made my case enough that the viewers are on side?
What a nice chap you are! First up, some quick fixes? Contacting film schools with a promise to students of a small payment now and more if your film brings any kind of success. If you can find a few mature students to help they would have access to kit as well. Or... buy the cheapest second hand video camera you can, but do two visits at each location, once as the film-maker and the second time as the photographer? Or... find an older, retired friend/ family member to be crew in the short term, or... shelve the difficult project for now, do a simpler one and pick this one up again when you have gathered more people to you, which also means you could look to find some younger "friends" willing to help for expenses... But also remember that being creatively promiscuous may lead to both your photography and film making suffering. I travelled down this path, first I was a theatre maker, than a photographer, then I taught myself film-making then abandoned everything and eventually found my way back to photography. My last bit of advice is to remember that production companies always need product, 25 years ago I rang up some and said I had an idea for a documentary it was me and a photography series I was working on, one of them took me on and a 30 minute programme got made in which the director allowed me to present it as well as it being about my practice, and by chance a commissioning editor for another terrestrial TV channel saw it and that ended up with three years of me being a TV presenter. All long ago now, and it's probably a lot harder to get to talk to the right people but the bottom line is you never know unless you try so be more proactive in reaching out, and keep making these videos because I look forward to viewing them! I'm Jojo, on Instagram: Jojothephotographer xx Good luck xx
@@xxxjojo3576 wow! That's an amazing story! And some great advice, thanks to this video I've had some people offer to help film. And I've been talked out of buying the fx3. The word on the street from older videographers is to get a canon c300 mark iii (I can't afford that so the mark ii will suffice!). I got up early this week and found the time to cut a 2.5 minute trailer so now thinking about who to share that to. I have no idea how this industry works (unlike Photoland!) so I guess I'm looking for some funding to help pay camera operators. Maybe an experienced producer too. Whatever happens, it is very exciting! Thank you
@@PicturesOnMyMind the last bit of advice which I embrace is understanding our aesthetics must be driven by our economics, anyway. I'll continue to be a fan and at some point i'll book one of your mentor sessions as much because you seem like a 'good egg' as for however you maybe able to help me in my own fumbling in the dark :) xx
Your honesty is brutal and a thumbs-up click does not do any justice. On the other hand, no thumbs up no help from the algorithm. Social media is not suited for art and it is definitely not suited for anything else than fake American enthusiasm. I wish you all the best. I really do.
Thanks Marcels, I think I've always been good at getting photo projects done as I could do them on my own. But every minute I can't make this film... It's eating me up inside 😜
in-between projects i go screen-printing A1 artwork traditionally (Acrylic paint rag paper etc) i know it doesn't help you but I love it. I've shot a film on a canon 5d mii works fine for me. Gear works well needs a mic and recording device though 💌
Interesting! In this case, I would advise doing a joint venture. You already have a following and lots of experience. You just need to find someone with the gear and lots of drive!!! This sounds like an easy problem to solve.
@@wombatwombaffle ha! When this popped up all I saw was "I advise doing a. joint..." One of the guys who helped me he's amazing, but when you're in your 40s you just don't have much time to do stuff just because you're doing stuff. You've got kids and a mortgage. Because editorial rates were so bad in all my 3000 assignments that I've done I only had a fee for assistants on about 20 jobs, so it's not like I know anyone because of them assisting me. There is someone in my wider family who could potentially do it but I'd need to train them up and they'd need to be interested which is also probably not the case. I'm going to try and edit a better trailer this week and just try and get some interest so hopefully I can get some funding to pay a camera operator. I could lone run and gun it myself and do interviews... I just find those kinds of documentaries really boring. I want to go gonzo
Hey Edward. Can relate to this and it's a normal part of the process! If you want an extra pair of eyes/ an objective perspective on your project let me know and I'll drop you an email. I'm no big deal but have been filming and editing moving image stuff for a job for about 10 years and am also doing a couple of self-initiated docs at the minute (one shooting and one in post). With cameras I find the FX3 and mirrorless cams a pain to shoot with and only really ok as a b cam or on jobs where they can't budget for a bigger gimbal. If you're on a budget some of the older cams are great like Sony FS7 (or even 5) or Canon C300 mk2 or 3. They can be had quite cheaply on ebay, are still used a lot professionally and don't get in the way of filming doc stuff.. they just work and are fun to shoot with. Canon would be great if you already have a lot of nice glass! Good luck with it and keep going!
Thanks Gareth, yes every experienced DOP I spoke to said to go the Canon / Black Magic route instead of the FX3. But my back isn't that great and I worked with a guy earlier in the year who had the FX3 and it looked pretty nifty. I like the portability of it for run and gun documentaries. My main issue is getting someone to actually use the camera as, well, i'm on the documentary! I've cut a trailer and I've done some interviews with my cameras but although the content is better, what they are saying is often clearer as its a straight interview, a load is lost in emotion and... well.. the chaos of walking around and hanging out. So thats the ideal, getting a great camera for run and gun docs.
@@PicturesOnMyMind Fair enough. Sounds tough if you're trying to shoot and appear in the film at the same time. I'm intrigued and would love to hear more about the story so I hope you'll post the trailer soon! If you are doing any more filming around London and I'm not busy I'd be happy to help out by filming a few bits for you.
@@garethjohnson6208 that would be incredible
I don't do documentaries, but when I ruminate my life could be a docu-comedy-drama-meltdown.
Perhaps do what you do. Pictures on My mind. The life of Ed.
You probably can come up with some interesting characters and situations.
No camera. Use your mobile phone. Stop mind F-ing about the gear.
Set a time up everyday to progress with the project. Everyday.
The camera people can be those in your life, parents ...
@@stevenjb.9275 that's a good call. I know plenty of interesting people. But it's THE documentary I'm trying to make for 4 years that's getting to me. Not to put to fine a point on it, but some of the things I've discovered over 25 years of photographing are pretty trippy. Essentially the holy grail of street photography. Camera is important for this unfortunately as if Ione run and gun, with my eyesight, then auto focus is going to be important. I'm going to try and edit a trailer this week and try and get someone to believe in it. I really need someone to film when I'm going Gonzo with people I'm interviewing for the doc. Thanks Steven. For sure, I need to practice making docs, but I know this story for the doc I'm trying to make as, well, it is my life! Ha. I just don't want to lose anymore teeth! Continuity is going to be hard enough 😉
Sorry you're struggling so much with this, but it is a lesson for us all to see we must keep fighting our way through! As per your questions, when I read number 2 I thought of this video I had watched some time ago: ruclips.net/video/yxEpGwfHBHg/видео.htmlsi=Cz-uXTqzQvBnWcwR I suspect that machine won't be sufficient, technically, for your filmmaking needs, but it does offer a way to film yourself. Have a look, you never know. Good luck!
You seem to be a good editor of your own work, judging from what you did with the zines.
If you want to be like Nick Broomfield you need a mic boom! :D and a filming wife/son/third person.
What is the documentary about?
@@jbentosimoes that's the problem, as in being on my own. The documentary is about photography and it's pretty trippy. I thought about doing a PhD on the subject matter.... But then I thought no way! It's a movie.
@@PicturesOnMyMind have you watched 'How To with John Wilson'? It's one-person-does-everything (sort of, he got lots of help from a production team) and it's quite fluid, not the static camera on tripod
@@jbentosimoes yes, I started watching them 5 years ago. They are very good.
@@PicturesOnMyMind I dreamt that you had been kidnaped by a drugs gang that wanted you to make pictures of them and you were all excited with being abducted cause you wanted an adventure :D
@@jbentosimoes Ha! well as long as they give me some time to edit my documentary film trailer I would take that deal!
I feel like in this video you documented "the inner and outer struggles of creation" very well.
But struggle no more, I know exactly what to do - make a 5 minute short funny-goofy-blairwitchstyle document (with what you got right now) about the struggles of making a document that you are part of. Take this short document and sell it to film festival. Now you have money and people. Now make The Document.
Just kidding, I know nothing. I derived this brilliant strategy from "Mark Duplass | SXSW Live 2015 | SXSW ON" video, seems like the guy knows what he is talking about. It is true, that mentors
doesn't grow on trees - we are left with youtube.
So, good luck everybody and remember - "the cavalry is not coming" :-)
@@niktoten thanks Nik. As a fan of Broomfield I thought the struggle could become part of the documentary! Ha! And you don't realise it, but saying there "cavalry is coming" has a deep personal reason to me. I will try and edit some teaser trailers that don't suck and people can work out what's going on (but not too much as my last attempts at trailers have been a little "content rich"