A restful week

I don't know about you, but this has been a quiet week. And I'm not complaining! Life, and the weather, made getting out to shoot a challenge this week. But I wasn't trying very hard, either. I needed the rest, and I needed to focus on the launch of my new online Bible study called "Just Some B.S." It centers around interactive discussion of some of the more popular stories of the Bible.

Our first session on Thursday was so exciting for me that I can't wait for next week's session.

anatomy of a mixtape

Mixtapes are a very popular service, especially among middle school, high school, and AAU players.

Have you ever wondered about all that goes into producing those 60 seconds worth of player or team highlights?

Allow me, if you don't mind, to break down my workflow for producing a one-minute mixtape:

1. Charge the camera, recorder, and mic batteries (night before the shoot)
2. Format all memory cards and hard drives (night before the shoot)
3. Arrive to shoot at least 30 minutes early (sometimes the games start early). 
4. Pay event admission and parking fees (Yup! I have to pay to get in, too).
5. Adjust camera settings for correct exposure (so you don't get a mixtape that looks bad). 
6. Prior to warmups (when possible), capture any supplemental content (stretches, teammate/coach interactions, etc.)*
7. Capture warmup content (when possible).*
8. Capture full game content (most games take 45 minutes to an hour).
9. Sometimes grab a lil post-game content. 
10. Drive home and load video content into editing program (Final Cut Pro).
11. Skim through approximately 65 video clips looking for the best content for the mixtape. 
12. Add selected clips to the timeline for editing (cropping, sharpening, exposure tweaks, effects, transitions, color grading). 
13. Export final mixtape product to online storage.
14. Deliver to you, the client.

All of this for about a 60 second mixtape 😉

That's a lot of work, isn't it? But in the end, when my clients post their mixtape on social media and I get to see all the love they get, it makes it ALL worth it!

Up next

Hopefully this weekend I can get out and shoot some street photography. Planning to check out the skate park and then head over to South End to learn the area, grab some shots, and get some ideas about potential photo shoots in the South End area.

Also working on some equipment upgrades to make my workflow even smoother and allows me to work more efficiently.

Have a GREAT weekend!