Hey Indie Filmmakers

Latest Episodes:

Episode 62: Cheap vs. Expensive Sliders May 09, 2018

Show notes

Episode 62: Cheap vs. Expensive Sliders Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 62: Cheap vs. Expensive Sliders

Griffin buys an $820 Kessler Stealth slider, compares it to a $249 carbon fiber slider by Benro. Plus, your questions about SD card speeds, how to record two mono audio tracks, and whether to shoot your documentary in 4K or 1080.

Items I purchased today:

Kessler Crane Stealth Slider Standard (39.5")
Kessler CineSlider crank handle—can you believe this costs $50?!
Benro MoveOver8B Carbon Fiber Slider and Case (35.4")
(used) Manfrotto 3021Pro Tripod Legs

Nick thinks I need to upgrade my 37" 720p/1080i television. He just sent me this link—he recommends this new TCL 4K TV.

Episode 61: Digital Cinema Specs May 02, 2018

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Episode 61: Digital Cinema Specs Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 61: Digital Cinema Specs

A document from Australian theaters shows what tech specs they expect for your digital cinema files. Plus, your questions about SD cards and X-ray machines, the difference between European and American camera models, and how to film a weeks-long time lapse.

Thank you to John Cochrane in Brisbane, Australia—CEO of John Cochrane Advertising—for sharing these tech specs from Valmorgan Cinema Network:

View PDF—Production Specifications and Requirements

Episode 60: The Story of the Fire Apr 25, 2018

Show notes

Episode 60: The Story of the Fire Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 60: The Story of the Fire

Fire destroyed Griffin’s mom’s apartment in Bloomington, Illinois. She is safe, and the recovery process is going well. Plus, your questions about crop focal lengths, tracking freelance hours, and the best headphones for under $100.

Central Illinois news agencies reported on the fire, including this story in The Pantagraph.

How to protect yourself
The Red Cross has several fire preparedness tips—most importantly making sure you have working smoke alarms.

*My mom also appears in episode 54—she's interviewed on-campus at Illinois State University.

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.

Regarding Austin’s question about counting freelance hours, I’ve come across ZEI° by Timeular, a tabletop device that tracks your working hours.

Although I prefer to trust wired lavalier mics (like the Sony ECM-44B) when possible, I’ve recently purchased a Sennheiser EW100 G3 wireless transmitter and ME 2-II lavalier mic.

John—looking for sub-$100 headphones—is considering the Sennheiser HD 280 PRO. Griffin likes his Sony MDR-V6. One of Nick’s favorite review sites, Wirecutter, has several suggestions.

Episode 59: Blackmagic Design Pocket 4K camera Apr 18, 2018

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Episode 59: Blackmagic Design Pocket 4K camera Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 59: Blackmagic Design Pocket 4K camera

Film tech announcements from the NAB Show, including the new Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. Plus, your questions about shooting for cinema screens, what framerate to choose for editing, and if you should spend $1,000 on a microphone.

NAB announcements that caught our eye:

Episode 58: ProRes RAW in FCPX 10.4.1 Apr 11, 2018

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Episode 58: ProRes RAW in FCPX 10.4.1 Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 58: ProRes RAW in FCPX 10.4.1

Final Cut Pro X’s latest update (v10.4.1) to video editing adds ProRes RAW and closed captioning right in the timeline. Plus, your questions about when you’re allowed to record audio without permission, the etiquette of film festival laurels, and how to sync timecode between cameras.

Next week, I’m teaching a one-hour filmmaking workshop at Illinois State University!
"Upgrade from Amateur to Documentary Filmmaker"
Tuesday, April 17, 5:00pm CT
Normal, Illinois
Illinois State University
Fell Hall 280 (Communication Innovation Center)
Facebook event—Let me know if you're coming!

This free event is part of COM Week—a series of educational events focused on entrepreneurship and career-building, hosted by the School of Communication at ISU.

HIRING
I’m hiring a few freelance positions around the world for an upcoming project. Email me at griffin@hey.film. Looking for—

Drone operator in Tokyo
Location scout/manager in Tokyo
Drone operator in Taipei
Location scout/manager in Taipei
Drone operator in Singapore
Location scout/manager in Singapore
NYC-based editor fluent in Japanese
NYC-based editor fluent in Mandarin Chinese

Episode 57: New HDR Monitor to Test Apr 04, 2018

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Episode 57: New HDR Monitor to Test Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 57: New HDR Monitor to Test

BenQ sent Nick their latest 31.5” HDR LCD monitor to test out. Plus, your questions about editing video on a Surface Pro, finding video work through the internet, and whether to place a lavalier mic on the bride.

In two weeks, at Illinois State University, I'm teaching a one-hour filmmaking workshop. And you're invited!

"Upgrade from Amateur to Documentary Filmmaker"
Tuesday, April 17, 5:00pm CT
Normal, Illinois
Illinois State University
Fell Hall 280 (Communication Innovation Center)

Facebook event—Let me know if you're coming!

This free event is part of COM Week—a series of educational events focused on entrepreneurship and career-building, hosted by the School of Communication at ISU.

Bonus: "What's your biggest failure?" Mar 28, 2018

Show notes

Bonus: “What’s your biggest failure?” Jonathan Tilley & Griffin Hammond Download

Bonus: "What's your biggest failure?"

Jonathan Tilley is a personal brand strategist, and author of the book Embrace The F Word: Failure. On his interview series, he asked me about my greatest failure.

Bonus: How do I recover corrupt video files? Mar 28, 2018

Show notes

Bonus: How do I recover corrupt video files? Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Bonus: How do I recover corrupt video files?

After shooting a music video, Taylor worries his SD card is corrupted. Nick recommends software to recover missing video files. Plus, we won “Best Podcast” from Johny Bosworth!

For recovering deleted or corrupted video files, Nick recommends the free, open-source, multi-platform software PhotoRec.

Episode 56: New, quicker FAA authorization for drones Mar 21, 2018

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Episode 56: New, quicker FAA authorization for drones Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer Download

Episode 56: New, quicker FAA authorization for drones

In the United States, the FAA is rolling out a system called LAANC to make it easier and much quicker for commercial drone pilots to receive authorization to fly near airports. Plus, your questions about filming loud concerts, entering film festivals, and storing video assets.

Articles on this subject:

Airmap: Nationwide Expansion of LAANC to 500 More Airports Begins Next Month
Nextgov: FAA Expands Instant-Approval Flight Plan Program for Drones
UAS Magazine: FAA expands drone airspace authorization program

Brendan asked about film festivals. Here’s a spreadsheet from 2014 that details the film festivals I entered Sriracha into, including their various deadlines and costs.

Episode 55: Cameras used by SXSW Filmmakers Mar 14, 2018

Show notes

No Film School asked 43 filmmakers at this year’s SXSW film festival what cameras they shot with. (It’s mostly ARRI Alexas.) Plus, your technical questions about the Panasonic GH5, lenses, hard drives, and what audio mixer to hook up to your computer.