Hey Indie Filmmakers

Latest Episodes:

How to Locate Free-to-Use Archival Footage Dec 23, 2019

Show notes

How to Locate Free-to-Use Archival Footage Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

How to Locate Free-to-Use Archival Footage

Using tools like youtube-dl, and sources including presidential libraries and Archive.org, Nick and Griffin explain how to locate and download historical news footage for documentaries. It’s the workflow behind Griffin’s weekly archival web series Rewind.

Download The Recount app on iOS or Android. Watch Rewind, Griffin’s weekly deep dive into the political video archives—including episode #12 Cuban Missile Crisis.

To download videos, Nick uses the free command-line tool youtube-dl. (Watch his short tutorial video.) Griffin uses a paid app, Uniconverter by Wondershare. Other video downloaders could contain adware, so if you download something suspicious, we recommend Malwarebytes to scan your computer.

Sources for archival footage:

Archive.org has the last 10 years of U.S. television news, searchable by captions
C-SPAN is a giant repository of U.S. government videos, including Senate sessions, presidential addresses.
Presidential libraries like the Clinton Library and Kennedy Library have searchable digital collections.
High-resolution scans from old newspapers at Newspapers.com (7-day free trial)

To see the new Mac Pro in the hands of professional music producers, watch Jonathan Morrison’s short film This 2019 Mac Pro Review is Different...

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**I smashed my camera on the campaign trail** Dec 04, 2019
Show notes
I smashed my camera on the campaign trail Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

I smashed my camera on the campaign trail
While covering the campaign trail in Iowa, Griffin accidentally broke his Panasonic GH5S camera, and busted a lens as well. How he managed to complete the video assignment regardless.
Watch Griffin’s short film for *The Recount*.
Download The Recount iOS app, and check out Griffin’s weekly deep dive into the video archives—on *Rewind*.
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Recreating this podcast look on a budget Oct 30, 2019

Show notes

Recreating this podcast look on a budget Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Recreating this podcast look on a budget

For the video version of this podcast, Griffin and Nick use decent cameras, lighting, and a few filmmaking tricks. But can it be simplified, replicated for budget-conscious non-filmmakers to achieve the same look?

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Most of the gear I talk about in this episode is listed out at griffinhammond.com/gear. But I also mention several mobile phone-ready microphones I’m testing out:

**Why does the new iPhone need 3 cameras?** Sep 30, 2019
Show notes
Why does the new iPhone need 3 cameras? Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download
Why does the new iPhone need 3 cameras?

Griffin is in Villenave-d’Ornon, France, and Nick explains why Apple added a third camera to their newly released iPhone 11 Pro.
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Below—a photo of an antique motion picture camera in Oviedo, Spain, featuring a turret lens system, and the beach in Zumaia, Spain. And Nick’s deconstructed Mac Mini, in which he upgraded the RAM from 8GB to 32GB.
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The lens that shot “Sriracha” Aug 31, 2019

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The lens that shot “Sriracha” Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

The lens that shot “Sriracha”

Griffin is selling a lens and a microphone! Email griffin@hey.film if you’re interested. Plus, your questions about ugly slow motion footage, what questions to ask in a documentary interview, and why that purple fringe creeps into your shot.

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Cleveland Sept. 13–14
I’m teaching two 3-hour filmmaking workshops at Pixel Photo Fest in downtown Cleveland—on the mornings of Friday, September 13 and Saturday, September 14. Pixel Photo Fest is a three-day Photo & Video conference, featuring all-day workshops, hands-on classes, events, photo walks, parties and more! I have four VIP 3-day passes to give away! Just email griffin@hey.film to let me know you’ll be in Cleveland that weekend, and you’re entered to win!

When GoPro shuts down your Kickstarter campaign Jul 31, 2019

Show notes

When GoPro shuts down your Kickstarter campaign Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

When GoPro shuts down your Kickstarter campaign

Ukranian filmmaker Artem Gavr marketed a spinning boomerang-like device for capturing “bullet-time” slow motion effects. Problem is, GoPro says he infringed on their trademarks.

I covered the WinGo story during July 10 and July 17 broadcasts of Indy News.

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The VR headset that goes anywhere Jun 30, 2019

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The VR headset that goes anywhere Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

The VR headset that goes anywhere

Griffin upgrades to the untethered Oculus Quest, a portable virtual reality headset that uses “inside-out tracking”—that is, four infrared cameras on the headset see the controllers and recognize the shape of your living room.

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Catch my weekly Indy News episodes on Indy Mogul—including this one about the new full-frame 6K camera, the Lumix S1H.

Would you spend $599 on a travel tripod? May 29, 2019

Show notes

Would you spend $599 on a travel tripod? Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Would you spend $599 on a travel tripod?

In 10 days, Peak Design has already raised over $5 million for their new travel tripod. Nick is one of nearly 12,000 Kickstarter backers. But would you spend nearly $289 for a small aluminum tripod? Or $479 for lightweight carbon fiber? (Final retail price will be $599.)

Griffin has been testing out the Rapid Filter System by Alter—a quick way to flip an ND filter on and off your lens. Also available through Kickstarter.

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Panasonic tells me they’re planning a Lumix “product announcement” this Friday, May 31 from CineGear Expo in Los Angeles—but that’s all they’re telling me. It’s 12:30p PT, probably live-streamed as these things usually are. Check Lumix social media for more details.

This Thursday night, May 30, I’m running the Midnight Half Marathon—a crazy, live-streamed 13.1-mile race, with no set course. Just eight checkpoints throughout Brooklyn.

Can I make my own press pass? Apr 24, 2019

Show notes

Can I make my own press pass? Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Can I make my own press pass?

I attempted to hire Vistaprint to create a plastic card with my name, face, and the word PRESS on it—a press pass that I designed. But the proof was rejected as “suspicious.”

A press pass is not a government-issued ID. It’s akin to a business card, something that honestly conveys what you do for a living, and something you have to make yourself if you’re a freelancer. A press pass is not the same as media credentials, which are created and granted by an event organizer. The freedom of the press extends to all U.S. citizens—anyone can do journalism.

Ultimately, I was able to print my design through Custom Lanyard.

So why would I want a press pass?
Delta Airlines, for example, will allow media organizations to check excess-weight bags for $50, instead of the usual $150 fee.

“Camera, film, video tape, lighting and sound equipment that is tendered by representatives of network or local television broadcasting companies or commercial film-making companies will be accepted as baggage at the fees noted below. Valid photo ID with company insignia is required.” (Delta Airlines)

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Here’s Nick’s finished video—a very short tutorial on fixing his speaker with a vacuum.

How long should freelancers save clients' video files? Mar 29, 2019

Show notes

How long should freelancers save clients' video files? Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

How long should freelancers save clients' video files?

If a client from six years ago emailed you, would you still have their wedding video? Nick and Griffin discuss their data retention policies for freelance clients.

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When it comes to pricing for client work, Nick recommends watching Mike Monteiro’s F*ck You, Pay Me.

After Nick expressed interest in piloting a plane, John Patrick Bishop shared his pilot video.