Florida Film Festival 2012

Enzian once again will be hosting the Florida Film Festival starting April 13th and ending April 22nd. Festivals of any kind have been known for the after parties and the networking experiences. On this years Press Preview Party, there were sneak previews of some shorts and what they think will be hot.

The first film to be shown at the festival is 'Renee' at 7:00pm.  Within Winter Park, Florida, everyone knows about 'Renee' because it filmed part of their scenes on Full Sail University campus. The film pulled in students and even some teachers to help make their film complete.

A part of the films, there are many featured guests and jurors that are also a part of the festival. Some include Cloris Leachman, Barry Levinson, celebrity chefs Jeff Pottter, Chad J. Galiano, Martha Hall Foose, Marcel Vigneron and also Gui Alinat. Meeting these people is the icing on the cake for most but listening to them speak about their jobs, lives and making it in the business is breath taking.

If listening to people talk is not your thing, maybe you'll enjoy the parties. Some cost a bit more than others but it's all about the experience. The first party to take place is the Opening Night Party on April 13th from 8pm to midnight. For the party only is a whopping $85 to get it. But if you're more into the food tasting kind of parties, than there is a taste and presentation for only $10. There are evening feasts, morning brunches and award shows.

For those that are strictly business, you can expose your company in front of hundreds at the events by becoming a festival sponsor. Just some of the benefits you get is logo placement on the website, posters and programs. You also get access to ALL the parties and events; that is worth it since one party itself costs $85 to get in.

Overall, there is something for everyone at the Florida Film festival whether you are the film guru, celebrity fanatic, food hog or party animal. Enzian puts on a great show every year and the participants are never disappointed in what they see. Come out and celebrate in whatever way you want. 

Organization Programs

Being organized can be easy for one person, however doing it for a team is a different story. While in my internship, I have been put into a position where keeping everything organized is key; keeping my entire group organized however, is turning out to be a difficult task. There are many programs out there to help keep your mind clear and workflow simple. These two are just some of my favorites.

The first of these programs is 'Basecamp'. 'Basecamp' is the best of the best in my opinion. When you get onto the website, you can easily take a tour that guides you through their many setups. My favorite is the to-do list that can be checked off after each task is complete. One of the best things about this site is that you can invite as many people to group as you want and they can each put up a little picture of themselves so you always know whom you are talking to. The bad thing is the price; starting out is $20 a month for 3GB. If you have a bigger company and you are in a position to make this a requirement for everyone to use, then I suggest you use it.

Another one of my favorite websites that is similar to this is 'Do'. Just the video itself is enough to get you join the program. What I love about this is that it is all generated towards apple products. Where I work, every student I come in contact with has an Apple Mac so this helps. A major plus for me is that you can set up text alerts and email alerts so that no matter what your employee says, you know they got the message.

There are plenty of websites out there that you can look up for your company. Every company has different needs so you have to be careful when choosing what you want. For example, I like 'Base camp’s' calendar and schedules but it is just too big for what I need it for.  

What is this about?

Many of you are probably wondering why I am doing a blog; after all I post videos on YouTube telling you what is going on in my life, I post on Facebook pictures of what is going on. However, I don't talk business within those areas. This...is for my business.

I have called this My Producing Pocketbook because it's those little things that I keep in the back of my pocket when things happen. I will be putting up who I think are the up and coming actors/actresses in Florida, what equipment I think is going to change the industry and some little random things that I want to share with the world.

I am hoping this will keep me more organized when it comes to future planning and promote myself as a production manager and producer within the film industry.

Blackmagic Cinema Camera

At the NAB show held in Las Vegas, Nevada there was a releasing of a brand new camera that could potentially change the industry. If you do not know what the NAB convention is, their website created mini walkthroughs of how it works.

The camera that was one of the highlights was the Cinema Camera presented by Blackmagic. When the footage is seen, the biggest thing is that the footage looks like 16mm film. This is due to a similar image sensor. For those that do not know what an image sensor is, it is basically what captures the image, turning it from an image to an electronic signal.

If the price wasn't enough (it is incredibly low for such capabilities), the package also includes a program called DaVinci Resolve. What the program does is specific color correcting for this type of camera. That isn't the only program it includes however. UltraScope is another feature that will help give accurate scopes but the bad thing is that you need to be connected to a computer that has Thunderbolt. 

My favorite feature about this camera is the different outfits it can go into: there is creative (the basic camera), the studio (includes an eyepiece) and the rugged (includes eyepiece and handle mount). 

A smart move from Blackmagic however was to include a touch screen display. With so much technology today being at a touch of a finger, this helps draw in customers. I know that today I am still using the old buttons on a worn out camera and most of the buttons are missing. This touch screen adds a sleekness and modern style to a brilliant body.

The only really bad thing from my point of view that I see from this camera is the manufacturer's warranty; only 12 months. Any camera professional can tell you that their camera kit comes from a company that offers lifetime warranty. Especially with the touch screen feature, there will be a lot of mishaps that will pop up to the user well after a year and it is unreasonable to accept that as a timeframe.

Overall this camera will be the face of the up and coming within the film industry. As there is a war going on between the film die-hards and the new digital era, this camera brings the best of both worlds. Even with a few mistakes that it has, it is new and will create a foundation that any company can build off of.