Hello all,

We will be holding an open casting for an upcoming film.  Production will take place on consecutive weekends from April 3rd, 2010 to April 18th, 2010.  The film will be submitted to several choice festivals and is intended for premiere in our local theaters.

This film is written as a drama by a very talented local writer.  There are four available roles for men and two for women.  Though the project is not-for-profit, the cast/crew will be provided lunch on days of production.  If you are interested in being involved in what plans to be an exciting adventure – we encourage you to attend the casting and/or leave us a comment HERE. 

|JONNYHEE|

Tony West and Logan Bowes ask me to DP this trailer.  It was shot in a day for the DCWF Film Scramble (theDCWF.org).  Shot on the XH-A1 with a Letus Extreme and two lenses – Nikon f1.2 28mm and Nikon f1.2 50mm.  Our team drew the suspense/thriller category and everyone had to use an unseen character named “Johnny Jenkins”.  The film premiered at the Crescent Theatre on January 30th, 2010.  The 80 people in attendance voted on the films showing:

◙ Winner of the Brainiac Award (Best use of movie trailer format)

◙ Winner of the Make This Award (Trailer of a film you would most like to watch)

◙ Winner of the “Johnny Jenkins” Award (Best use of “Johnny Jenkins”)

This is a video presentation for Jerry Peterson’s acceptance in the the SC Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. Jerry has worked in radio and television for almost 60 years and was a pioneer in the industry; being the first meteorologist to broadcast in chroma-key (weather wall green screen used widely today). He has been a television meteorologist at WBBN & WGN in Chicago, WTVT in Tampa, and WSOC in Charlotte. You can still hear Jerry doing weather on WHRI in South Carolina.

The Problem
We all use this set-up and probably all run into the same problems.  The camera is now attached to something.  The extra wires cause many inconveniences in changing set-ups and handheld work.  And, you are monitoring your sound levels and quality from a camera which is not ideal.  Shots are probably your number one concern when standing behind a camera - not audio.  This run-and-gun solution works 90% of the time.  For the other 10% when you need to impress:  You have a client/interview/film that needs a little “wow” in it.  You have an idea for something big with the “look” and being hassled with boom mic placement is a distraction that you can’t afford.

The Solution
By recording your sound independently from your camera set-up - You can be more creative,  more mobile, and more precise.  More subtleties can be realized and you free your eyes from level meters to the picture.  If you are low budget, but maybe have an extra person on hand,  make that person your sound guy/girl.  The benefits of quality of sound will outweigh what this person could attribute as extra grip.  This DIY field kit is easily set-up and operated and you can teach just about anyone how to use it.The Set-Up
There are many solutions out there that range from all-in-one field recorders to complex 12 channel boards.  The system described in this article falls somewhere between the two.  The intrical piece of the system is how sound is interfaced digitally.  This DIY kit is built around USB audio interfaces used for recording in home studios with Pro Tools - specifically the M-Audio Fast Track Pro.  It gives you dual XLR or 1/8 pin inputs, 48v phantom power, and is powered by USB.  I connect the Fast Track Pro to a Asus Netbook.  These mini notebooks have just about everything that laptops have.  You can run full operating systems like Windows 7 and since the screen is so small and the hard drive is SSD, the battery life is extraordinary (5-7 hours per charge).  With software you have a couple of options – You can use Pro Tools (M-Powered in this case) or free audio editing/recording software such as Audacity.

The Advantage
You have endless options to effect the quality of recording “live” that you are not afforded with the cameras “level” controls.  It gets your camera “wireless” from any audio devices which allows for freedom of movement.  You now have a dedicated person for audio which enables a more concentrated effort for picture and talent.  And, you have a stand alone system for grabbing natural or b-roll sounds without having to break out any camera gear.  Give it a try and shoot me a message or comment with some feedback.

|JONNYHEE|

ASU won three consecutive Division 1-AA National Championships in 2005, 2006, & 2007.  This program exemplifies what we love about collegiate athletics in the South.  The film goes behind the scene of the Mountaineers 2008 season.

**Here is a 35mm DOF adapter comparison chart.  The information was gathered from each manufactures website.  Remember that you still need a camera and lenses to make these work, so the price is for the adapters and accessories only.  There are many upgrade options that will add to the cost of each. 

Additional Features:

Letus Extreme
◦ Best edge-to-edge sharpness in the industry.
◦ Battery is fully enclosed and secured by 2 magnets for ease of replacement during a shoot.
◦ Optional relay offer direct mount to ENG type cameras.

SGblade
◦ Choice of 3 ROTOrazor (ground glass element) for various shooting environments.
◦ Variable speed controller for spinning element.
◦ Now offer PL mounts.

M2 Encore
◦ Rotating screen enables you to stop down to f16 without seeing the screen grain.
◦ Integrated collimating lens mount, and the adapter comes pre-collimated.
◦ Widest angle-of-view of all adapters.

Brevis35 MP.2
◦ Microprocessor controlled adapter.
◦ Interchangeable diffusers allow for a variety of looks/setups.
◦ Waterproof ABS case provided.

These numbers come from the least expensive set-up which usually includes mounts for “still” lenses like Nikon, Canon EF (OES), and Pentax K mount.  If you want to use the grossly more expensive “film” lenses, the PL mounts and others are several hundred dollars extra.  This chart is to be used as quick reference for people needing a side-by-side comparison that would usually come in the early stages of the whole process.  Please be sure to investigate before you buy so you know exactly what you are getting when making a purchase of this size.  You can leave a comment here.

|JONNYHEE|

This is our short entry into the SoAL Film Festival’s 48 Hour Film Scramble. We had 48 hours to write, cast, shoot and edit.

Him – Buddy Cordelle
Her – Francesca Butler
His Friend – Chris Kuss
Her Friend – Laura Wilson

Director – Garred Brannon
Co-Director/DP – Jon Herndon
Assistant DP – Sokem Dira
Screenplay – Andy Byrd
Executive Producer – Wade Miller

Shot with HVX-200 with a Redrock M2 adapter