May 5, 2009
By Iain Stasukevich
When Paul Holtz worked for Pinnacle Systems in the 1990s, he played a part in the development of the Aladdin and Genie Plus, two effects engine cards that tied into NLE hardware and provided real-time digital effects processing. Pinnacle flew Holtz all over the world to train users how to operate the product. “All the major broadcast networks were using it,” he recalls. “The problem was I was on the road all the time, so I decided through a number of friends to put some training tapes together so I could be 40 places at the same time.”
The tapes were a hit with clients, and Holtz saw an opportunity to expand his remote-classroom business plan to encompass a wide variety of products and services. Today, his company, Class On Demand, offers online training for Apple, Avid, Autodesk, Adobe and Boris products, as well as tutorials on camera operation and physical production, and each module is taught by an industry professional well-versed in the subject at hand.
COD’s latest production tutorial focuses on how to conduct interviews for the camera. The track was originally developed by Holtz as a presentation for trade shows after he realized it was a topic no one had really covered in depth. “Doing an interview is more than just setting up the camera and lighting a person properly,” says the COD president and CEO. “Whether you’re doing it for television or Web delivery, it’s your responsibility as the producer to prompt great answers from your subject.”
As he speaks, Holtz doesn’t make a distinction between the one-man band and the fully staffed production crew. His targets are the semi-pro and pro-independent contractors looking to land gigs, be they of the safety, instructional or marketing persuasion, on a consistent basis. Statement of Work
A statement of work is a written contract, a concrete understanding between client and vendor of each party’s expectations that should be drawn up before the job actually begins. According to Holtz, this is one of the most crucial steps in the preproduction process. The statement is a way to protect the financial and professional interests of both sides by itemizing the entire process, from beginning to end.
“You really need to say how much time is being paid for setup, production, post,” Holtz notes. He urges freelancers to include incidental costs like parking and travel, hotel stays and toll fees into the statement. He adds, “A per diem is something that everyone can accept.”
Once the statement has been signed, there shouldn’t be any surprises, and everything should be discussed before it’s put down in writing. Don’t be afraid to get detailed — charge for things like digitizing, rendering and outputting, which can be different from the normal output fees. “Some people think that I only have to charge them for the production and the editing,” says Holtz. “Too many freelancers just give that away, but then you’ve set a precedent with that customer, you can’t add the details later on.”
The statement of work also establishes how the job will be paid. Ask for a 50% deposit up front. “You don’t want to be doing all this work and then find out that they don’t need it. Get 25% when the project is half done and then 25% when the project is done shooting.” Net payment can come 30, 60 or 90 days after a job has been delivered. “Having something coming in 90 days isn’t bad, because it’s coming in,” Holtz says. “You just need to stay alive until it gets paid, so you need to get something up front.”
Things to Consider
When traveling, travel light, and get to the set or location on time to avoid delays at the hands of unforeseen issues. When you arrive, scope out the situation. Who needs to be there? Keep the body count to a minimum. There can be someone the talent should be talking with to get prepped, because you don’t want the interviewee to get distracted by too many suggestions.
Venue selection is important if you consider the types of problems you’re going to run into if you’re working outside of a controlled environment, such as a busy office building or other place of business. Is it outside? Is it noisy? What kinds of visual opportunities does it offer? “Use your creativity to create an environment that looks great,” offers Holtz. “I never bring props with me. I’m expected to make something out of whatever is sitting there.”
What to Bring
A lot of corporate video producers don’t have the luxury of a grip truck or a full-time sound guy, but, with the right gear, a limited amount of equipment will take you far. At the very least, come armed with a prosumer digital camera. “The client is expecting a professional-looking image, and any of the new HDV cameras will look great if lit correctly,” Holtz remarks.
For lighting, he carries a basic two-point lighting kit — a nook light and a Chimera. “If you use this kit properly, you can create a three-point lighting kit by bouncing light off walls,” he says, and he suggests using a reflector — such as whiteboard — next to the camera for bouncing fill at the subject. Use gels to balance color temperature or to add colorful tones to existing fixtures.
Concerning audio, one should invest in a couple of wireless systems with a good lapel microphone. “When you’re traveling around the world, you want to avoid issues with wireless traffic,” Holtz points out. “Good wireless systems shouldn’t have a problem with that.”
Finally, bring a capable laptop to capture, edit and monitor on location. If needed, you can edit on site with the customer there to provide assistance or advice. Also, you can edit on the way home, on the plane, if you like. The Interviewee
“Most of the people who go on camera just wanted to be directed,” Holtz observes. “They’re usually not comfortable in front of cameras. You’re there to help them look professional, and they want you to tell them what to say.” Start by getting your subject in a comfortable space; be friendly, make sure they see the script. Be their buddy. A big part of photographing an interview depends on creating the right mood, and that extends beyond lighting and setting. Is it corporate stodgy or edgy? Open collar, or tie? Keep in mind how the camera is set up. A straight-on shot at the subject can evoke a newscast-like feeling. A three-quarter shot with the subject’s eyeline off camera feels more conversational. Also, have the background slightly out of focus. It makes the subject more prominent in the frame.
Finishing Up
After the shoot has concluded, there’s still a lot of work to be done. Holtz has more solid advice than what’s been covered here, including the editing and delivering of the final product. All of it can be downloaded from the Class On Demand site at http://www.classondemand.net/LCZ/Lights_Camera.zip
No matter what the situation, wherever the location, or whomever is in front of the camera, Holtz stresses the importance of compelling, watchable content. It’s been the key element in the success of Class On Demand. Says Holtz, “Any time compelling content is presented, people not only want to watch, but they retain information a lot better.”
| COMMENTS (2) | | 03/12/2010 | | Paul is one of the nicest guys. Willing to Share his immense talent and knowledge with anyone! Can't say enough about his company or Paul himself. Always great products and customer service. You Rock Paul |
| | 05/08/2009 | | Holtz is a great guy, he sold me and trained me on my first Alladin... and the bloody thing is STILL working in our shop today!!! |
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