Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Midterm Reflections

  The most obvious learning experience is hands on camera involvement. I have watched hours of tutorials from YouTube and Vimeos finest arteurs, but nothing compares to playing with and experimenting with an actual camera. I’ve enjoyed the ability to discover what I like, as I really don’t have what I believe to be a style just yet. I hope to develop one quickly for my scene assignment, and I feel confident in my abilities. 


  The confidence comes from my next greatest learning experience yet, which is the importance of being prepared. The idea is generally known, but unfortunately dissipates without much thought. I was fortunate in that I am slated to direct photography for a well-prepared director with a clear vision to convey. The greatest learning experience thus far has certainly been the in depth conversion betwixt the director, our instructor and myself. The conversation was so informative that I immediately phoned group members and relayed the urgency of preparedness. I am finally grasping the need for each of the strenuous tasks that lay as obstacles in the way of your vision, and am finally treating them as tools of the trade that will make my jobs easier and enrich the final project.


  It is certainly easier to learn when the subject matter is something that you do not dread delving into. Having the want to create and use visual tools is very compelling, but a want will not suffice. The world of videography seems never ending and at times daunting, but without technical skill we are left to barely tread water. I have an understanding of camera terminology and practices, but this is a field that I will forever have to maintain an educational approach. Learning the ability to learn is often more important to educational sustainability. I feel like each class period there is something that will help me to teach myself how to better implement some aspect of this industry.


  Such small details that truly matter such as filter application, which was the first real eye opener for me, have provided a base knowledge that I will carry on for as long as I have any sort of career in this field. The basic fundamentals of lighting, which I had honestly looked into but certainly not as far in depth as we have as a class, are invaluable in practice. Something that we know we will encounter in this field but I didn’t believe I was good at is collaboration. We should have all had some practice by now, but not in the way of truly relying on people. I like to do things for myself, and being forced to lean on someone to accomplish something we will both be proud of is hard but satisfying. And that is something I hope to continue to improve upon.

1 comment:

  1. You are 100% correct - this field is always about learning and growing. Technology is constantly changing and it is important to keep up with the latest tools. I would say follow the "greats" (see blog links) and learn about what tools they are using, and how they are using them.

    And yes --- film! A lot! Best way to learn is to do. Then to watch. Then to do more. Repeat.

    = )

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