Hey Indie Filmmakers

Latest Episodes:

Episode 71: Apple Updates the MacBook Pros Jul 18, 2018

Show notes

Are Apple’s new MacBook Pros worth the upgrade? I have no idea, so Nick explains the new specs. Plus, your questions about recovering lost audio, organizing camera gear, and if your computer can handle 10-bit video files.

Regarding hard-to-play video files, for playback I recommend VLC for Mac or PC, and for transcoding files—EditReady for Mac.

This simple “underwear organizer” helps store my lenses, camera bodies, cords and accessories inside dresser drawers.

For more information about camera bags Nick and I use, check out episode 69, How to Vacation with a Camera.

Episode 70: Alex Ferrari shot his film AT Sundance Jul 11, 2018

Show notes

Filmmaker Alex Ferrari is known for his website and podcast Indie Film Hustle. Alex’s latest feature film On the Corner of Ego and Desire was shot in four days at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Plus, your questions about filming concerts, creating pretty text, and which microphone I prefer.

Episode 69: How to Vacation with a Camera Jul 04, 2018

Show notes

Episode 69: How to Vacation with a Camera Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 69: How to Vacation with a Camera

As Nick prepares to travel with his family, what camera gear is essential for summer vacation? Plus, your questions about CTO and CTB gels, shooting in low light, and whether it’s legal to use a news broadcast in your film.

Nick uses a Peak Design Everyday Backpack 20L, and this Peak Design camera wrist strap.
For lighter, sightseeing travel, Griffin prefers the Lowepro Photo Hatchback BP 150 AW II or Lowepro Photo Hatchback 16L AW.

John Luna’s instagram—thank you, John for editing today’s episode!
And thank you Pierre Barr for mixing today's audio!

How I Produced, Distributed and Promoted Sriracha:

Videomaker: “Telling the Story of Sriracha”
“5 Lessons Learned from my Profitable Indie Documentary”
Episode 8: Selling My Indie Film

I used this Video Talent Release Form to produce Sriracha. As I’m no lawyer, it certainly could be more legally airtight to mitigate risk, but a simple release like this serves as proof that talent participated willfully, understands the project and how you intend to distribute it, and whether they should expect compensation.

This article by Jake Hicks on CTO and CTB gels explains exactly how much each gel affects white balance, including Kelvin numbers.

**Episode 68: Macro Infrared Photography with a Bellows** Jun 27, 2018
Show notes
Episode 68: Macro Infrared Photography with a Bellows Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download
Episode 68: Macro Infrared Photography with a Bellows
Using a DIY-mounted macro bellows, Griffin shoots some weird close-up photos with his infrared camera. Plus, your questions about being a perfectionist, how to lock the stabilization of a handheld shot, and if a zoom lens messes up gimbal balance.
View my infrared macro JPG images exported from Lightroom and the original, unedited RAW photos
Download my GH4 infrared preset for Adobe
*Place this preset file in the appropriate folder, depending on your OS and Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop version. You can also create a custom preset yourself.

Watch our bonus episode, *Converting My GH4 Camera to Infrared* (September 6, 2017)
*I paid a company called Kolari Vision to permanently remove the “hot mirror” filter from my Panasonic GH4 sensor, and install a 720nm infrared filter.
Carson recommends using YouTube’s “Transcribe and auto-sync” feature to generate and export subtitle files for free. Lorenz recommends Lumberjack Builder, a subscription-based service for generating video transcripts.
For controlling vocal audio levels automatically, Joel recommends a plug-in called Vocal Rider.
*Fstoppers* writes about why “I.S. Lock” on the Panasonic GH5 is so useful.
If you’re having trouble setting up internet file sharing with a Synology NAS, Nick thinks it could be a port forwarding issue, and recommends this support tutorial.

Episode 67: Automatic Captions for Videos Jun 20, 2018

Show notes

Griffin tests out SpeedScriber, an app that automatically generates subtitles for his latest video. Plus, your questions about editing out background music, when to use what kinds of stabilization, and issues with 24 vs. 30-frame videos.

SpeedScriber (for Mac OS) includes 15 free minutes of automatic transcription. After that, it’s $0.50/minute.

Joseph Linaschke, known as PhotoJoseph, has also experienced the DJI Spark/FCPX framerate issue we discussed last week. He sent me this thread in the DJI forums.

Nick helped me understand how 60hz televisions can avoid 24fps judder.

Episode 66: The Framerate Mismatch Problem Jun 13, 2018

Show notes

Episode 66: The Framerate Mismatch Problem Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 66: The Framerate Mismatch Problem

Griffin attempts to solve a weird frame-skipping problem showing up in Nick’s latest drone footage. Plus, your questions about handling audio tracks in Final Cut Pro X, producing a compelling story, and how to create a video podcast like ours.

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Episode 65: Ronin-S, DJI’s new handheld gimbal Jun 06, 2018

Show notes

Episode 65: Ronin-S, DJI’s new handheld gimbal Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 65: Ronin-S, DJI’s new handheld gimbal

The new Ronin-S ships on June 11, 2018. Is DJI’s new handheld gimbal worth the $699 price tag? Plus, your questions about producing political ads, how to sound professional over email, and post-production tips for audio.

The DJI Ronin-S is a 4.1-lb. 3-axis gimbal that can handle camera/lens combos up to 7.9 lbs. The Ronin-S can connect to these supported cameras to control recording and/or focus.

Upcoming workshop in Los Angeles
PHOTOCON LA 2018 is a three-day photo and cinema learning event in Los Angeles, which opens with my keynote Traveling Light While Filmmaking on June 8, 2018.

Griffin cuts these rubber sheets into pieces to squeeze between slippery metal camera parts—to keep a tight connection between a tripod head and legs, for example.

For DVD production, Nick uses MediaZilla. For email hosting, he recommends Zoho.

To learn Final Cut Pro X tips, Griffin recommends Larry Jordan.

Bonus: The Four Ingredients of Documentary Film May 30, 2018

Show notes

Bonus: The Four Ingredients of Documentary Film Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Bonus: The Four Ingredients of Documentary Film

From his recent filmmaking workshop at Illinois State University, Griffin explains the four elements of news and documentary—SOT, b-roll, voiceover and natural sound.

Upcoming workshop in Los Angeles
PHOTOCON LA 2018 is a three-day photo and cinema learning event in Los Angeles, which opens with my keynote Traveling Light While Filmmaking on June 8, 2018.

Episode 64: SD Card Problems May 23, 2018

Show notes

Episode 64: SD Card Problems Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 64: SD Card Problems

From Singapore, Griffin describes two recent problems he’s encountered with SD cards. Plus, your questions about the visual grammar of storytelling, pulling focus with electronic lenses, and the lenses I used on my latest film from Japan.

Directed by Errol Morris, The Fog of War is a documentary that features a special camera device called the Interrotron, which allowed former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara to speak directly into the camera during his interviews.

For the footage I shot in Kyoto, Japan, I relied on three Panasonic lenses—the 42.5mm f/1.2, 25mm f/1.4, and 8–18mm f/2.8–4. For Panasonic GH5 V-Log footage, I’ve enjoyed a LUT called VLog_to_V709_Varicam, included in this free zip file of LUTs created by Mitch Lally.

Here are the instructions for getting a podcast on Spotify.

Upcoming workshop in Los Angeles
PHOTOCON LA 2018 is a three-day photo and cinema learning event in Los Angeles, which opens with my keynote Traveling Light While Filmmaking on June 8, 2018.

Massachusetts Special Olympics video gig
If you’re interested in helping film the Massachusetts Special Olympics in Boston June 9–10, or the Cruiser Convoy in Mansfield, Braintree, Sagamore Beach, Danvers, or Reading, email Bruce Goguen at gig@EventsOnDVD.com

Episode 63: Filmmaking in Japan May 16, 2018

Show notes

Episode 63: Filmmaking in Japan Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 63: Filmmaking in Japan

Griffin and Amy are in Japan, filming a client project with the Zhiyun-Tech Crane v2 handheld gimbal. Plus, your questions about aspect ratios, offloading footage during international trips, and how audio syncing helps edit a podcast.

For backing up footage without a computer, there are many hard drives with built-in SD card readers:

Nick is interested to try Ferrite, an audio editing app for iPad.