Ascender Issue 2

Ascender a

ISSUE 2

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO INSPIRE YOUR VIDEOS helicopter drone

videography

ANG LEE BEHIND LIFE OF PI

Editing tips creating the story

Nicholas

Owens

World of Film

EDITING PC

ON A BUDGET

A CONVERSATION WITH ANG LEE The remarkable filmmaker talks Life of Pi, working in 3D and his process

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Ascender a

CONTENTS

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO INSPIRE YOUR VIDEOS 4 I’ve got a DSLR, now what?

The world of shooting video with DSLR can be exciting but where do you start?

6 Glide & Slide

Pull off amazing visuals and the tricks of Hollywood cinema with these gadgets.

8 Sky High

Take your camera to the skies with these remote-controlled helicopter mounts.

10 Asian Cinema

20 Bang For Your Buck

12 Nicolas Owens

22 A Foot In The Door

14 Ang Lee

20 Finding a Freelancer

Delve into the remarkable world of Asian Cinema and the directors it inspired.

Australian DOP, Nicholas Owens talks of his work and how he got started.

Academy Award winning director Ang Lee tells how he brought Pi to Life.

16 Web Tools

How to build your own video editing PC while keeping to a tight budget.

An interview with Screen Australia on how to get started on the road to a film career.

Understanding the complex relationship between the client and a freelancer.

How online tools can streamline a production and unlock potential.

18 Slice & Dice

Examining the world of editing and how story is moulded one shot at a time.

Sliders

Just one of the many accessories you can buy to give your film a professional look.

COVER PHOTO 123RF IMAGES

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Ascender Magazine is published by GAP Marketing & Management Pty Ltd on behalf of WD. Managing Editor Dave Jansen. Project Director Renato Catalan Art Director Alexandra Cook.

If you have any feedback or enquiries please contact the Editor at feedback@ascendermag.com

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“I’VE GOT A DSLR. NOW WHAT?” Video basics for DSLR cameras

Shooting a professional looking video requires more than just a DSLR camera.

Here’s a simple guide to what else you need to do.

Canon EOS 6D

A great crop lens camera to get you started with DSLR.

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hooting a professionallooking video requires more than just a DSLR camera. Here’s a simple guide to what else you need to do.

Pick up some lenses This is the big advantage of DSLR cameras for shooting video: the ability to use all of the lenses that would usually be reserved for still photography. Pick up a couple of good prime lenses like a 50mm or 85mm for standard perspectives. A wide-angle lens and specialty lenses like a fish-eye or Lensbaby can also produce great creative results. For better low-light performance and depthof-field effects, make sure the aperture is rated at around f/2.8, f/1.4 or better.

WIRED FOR Sound

The built-in microphone of every DSLR and camcorder is generally very average. To capture superior sound, check that your DSLR has the required input, and buy an external microphone like a Rode VideoMic or a set of radio lapel microphones like the Sony UWP-V1.

Draw up a plan

Create a shot list of every cut and angle you want to capture.

Whether you’re shooting a short film, an interview or a wedding, it’s crucial to anticipate all the incidental details you might want to capture in addition to the main subject. This includes the establishing shots of the

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Capture everything you can, from every angle.

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environment, people’s reactions and so on. Remember, if you miss these opportunities, you probably won’t be able to go back for them.

The more comprehensive your list, the better the position you’ll be in when you gather your footage for editing.

Take lots of footage This is the fun part. Capture everything you can, from every angle you can find. Find a higher vantage point, look for interesting

things to place in the foreground, and pull things in and out of focus.

Don’t be afraid to venture beyond your shot list. Also, pick up an extra hard drive or two because all that footage you’re going to shoot will need storage space.

Get the right software This is where you cut all of your footage and assemble it into a coherent video. Video editing software doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. Apple iMovie is more than capable of doing the job, but costlier software like Adobe Premiere will give you more advanced options to unleash your creativity.

THE DSLR TICKLIST When looking to buy a DSLR remember the following: • • •

Be practical and know your expertise Body vs accesories. What will you actually use?

Stabilisation

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SlideGl& ide handy accessories to bring hollywood style to your video projects

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ven if you own the best DSLR camera money can buy, sadly that doesn’t mean your next video is going to automatically look like a Hollywood Blockbuster. That isn’t to say it’s not possible though but creating the same style of shots used in big budget cinema requires a few extra pieces of equipment.

Handheld camera shots tend to be wobblier than a jellyfish during an Earthquake, so professional cinematographers use expensive gear, costing tens of thousands of dollars, to deliver the sweeping pans and silky smooth tracking shots that make their films looks so great. Thankfully there’s a range of goodies for DSLRs that offer the same look, but won’t cause your wallet to shriek in fear.

stabilisers SLIDERS

Price: $200 - $1500

One of the simplest ways to pretty up a scene is to introduce a very slight amount of sideways motion, called a pan. In Hollywood this is accomplished by laying down small tracks, upon which a camera vehicle can roll. DSLR users can achieve the same thing with a slider, which is a small straight piece of metal with a sliding camera mount on it. Most of them require the user to push the camera gently, with the special mount helping to even out the movement. If you’re really stretched for cash, you can also try placing your DSLR on a skateboard or other small vehicle with four wheels but make sure you secure it pretty tight.

Price: $20 - $1000

The Stabiliser is a staple of any Hollywood camera crew, allowing the camera operator to follow the action through any environment without the shaking usually associated with walking. These can cost as much as a luxury car, requiring months of training, but due to the lightweight nature of DSLRs it’s possible to buy a much more affordable stabiliser for your camera. Most of these are handheld, and use a series of counterweights to balance the camera. They take a bit of practice to operate well, but when mastered deliver incredibly impressive shots, making it one of the most versatile pieces of equipment.

Jibs

Price: $100 - $1000

One of the classic Hollywood shots is of the camera sweeping down from an aerial perspective to a lower viewpoint. This is achieved using a jib, which is basically an expensive see-saw with weights on one end and the camera on the other. Again, thanks to the itty bitty weight of a DSLR, amateur versions of Jibs are much less expensive than their Hollywood cousins. They’re very versatile too, as they can also be used for panning shots as well. High-end versions also include a remotely operated camera mount that can pan and yaw independently of the see-saw arm, but these generally tend to cost a couple of grand.

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sky high

Take to the skies to create breathtaking and unique visuals

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ver wanted to capture sweeping aerial shots for your projects but were held back by the cost of hiring a helicopter and camera gear? With the increase in quality of small cameras and DLSR, Aerial videography using remote controlled helicopters has become a viable option and is far cheaper than the alternative.

It is also a fantastic excuse to combine the joy of flying remote controlled aircraft with the wonder of digital photography - just don’t tell your partner that. When starting out in Drone videography, it is easy to blow your entire film budget on a single shot but there are cheaper starter kits to consider that will do the job nicely.

Parrot AR.Drone v2.0

CLICK TO SEE THE PARROT AR.DRONE IN ACTION

The cheapest and simplest introduction to aerial videography.

All you need to do is charge up the battery and sync it to your smartphone; the onboard computer handles the difficult task of not crashing into the ground. It’s quite a stable platform for capturing footage, and if you hook up a device to strengthen the Wi-Fi signal can reach incredible heights. The camera quality is decent, but not as good as a decent DSLR or Go Pro.

Go Pro Hero 3 Camera+ DJI Phantom Drone

Mikrokopter Basikset Octa XL

The DJI drone is specifically designed for video professionals. It’s a much more stable platform and can stay in the sky longer. The basic kit sells for around US$800, and you’ll need to add your own GoPro on top. It is quite stable and the can take amazing images. Best of all, if the drone loses signal to the transmitter, the onboard computer will fly the drone back to the take-off point, so you don’t have to go looking for it.

What’s better than a drone with four engines? A drone with eight engines, obviously! Welcome to the big leagues where the price soars. At this price point you’re getting a drone that has the oomph necessary to mount a Canon 5d or similar, but even then you’ll need to be very careful about the glass you use, as huge lenses can weigh it down quite significantly and keep it firmly attached to terra firma.

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ASIAN CINEMA

FILMS THAT DEFINED THE ART OF FILMMAKING Some of the most influential directors of all time have come from the world of Asian cinema.

Throughout the region, each country has a long history of a thriving and unique cinema culture. The early Samurai films of Japan, the action packed Hong Kong martial arts films and the recent horror films of the Phillipines have origins in the boom of cinema throughout Asia following World War II. During the 1940s and 1950s, a crop of incredible directors started making a name for themselves creating films that inspired fellow directors from all over the world.

This golden Era of Asian cinema was defined by names such as Akira Kurosawa (Japan), YasujirĹ?

Ozu (Japan), Satyajit Ray (India) , Fei Mu (China), Choi In-gyu (Korea) and a host of other directors whose works defined cinema not only throughout Asia but also in the west and in Europe as well. wider mainstream recognition around the world with the rise in popularity of martial arts and action films. On the whole, Asian cinema rebounded by the 1980s, particularly in Japan with the smash success of Anime and the rise of independent cinema.

Throughout the 1990s and through to the current era, Asian Cinema became stronger than ever with some of the biggest names to come out of the

region seeing their works become successful on an international stage. Directors like John Woo (Hong Kong), Kar Wai Wong (China), Chan-wook Park (South Korea), Hayao Miyazaki (Japan), Ang Lee (Taiwan), Kinji Fukasaku (Japan) and Takeshi Kitano (Japan) have since shown the world truly wondrous stories and remarkable insights into Asian cultures and ideologies.

It is hard to imagine what cinema around the world would be like today without the work of those early pioneers and the films of Asia that followed. One thing is for certain though, some of our favourite films of all time, from countries all around the world, surely would have never existed.

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Nicholas Owens turning passion into a career and getting youR big break

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f you watch primetime television in Australia today, chances are you’ve seen the work of Nicholas Owens, Director of Photography (DOP).

A freelancer for the local film and television industry, Owens has been behind the camera on a number of well-known television series, including Rush, I Rock, Offspring and House Husbands.

“The role of the DOP is to bring to life the director’s vision through lighting and camera design. The DOP decides on the best angles, frame size, camera moves, and the placement of lights in order to cover a scene in the best dramatic way,” Owens explains.

Owens got his ‘big break’ 16 years ago, doing ‘attachment work’ – essentially an internship during which you work for free and receive on-the-job-training – in the camera department on an ABC drama series called Wildside.

Today, he is hired on a ‘run of show’ basis.

“This means that I’m employed for the duration of pre-production, the shoot itself, and post production,” he said.

Owens is currently working on filming a new eight-part series called Love Child for Channel 9. Set in 1969 King’s Cross, the

story centres around an unwed mothers’ maternity hospital, the staff who work there, and the young girls who find themselves pregnant and alone.

Owens has access to an array of equipment onthe-job, including different cameras, lenses, tripods, dollies, hi-hats and monitors, sourced from various camera

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The role of the DOP is to bring to life the directors vision through lighting and camera design

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rental houses. He also owns his own monitors, HD transmitters, and a steadicam.

“Having top-of-the-range equipment can be very important as a DOP, as the best cameras give you greater ability to affect

the outcome of the picture in post production,” Owens advises.

“In TV and in film, the DOP often relies on the knowledge that he or she will be able to adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation and other settings in the grade (post production) as there sometimes simply isn’t enough time to get everything ‘just right’ on set. Unless you are using the best equipment available to you, these essential adjustments aren’t always possible.”

This also applies to storage equipment: “As the camera department has transitioned to digital cameras and digital storage, it has become essential to have stable and reliable storage options for our projects,” he said.

“We often go through 240gigs of data a day, and this must all be stored for the duration of the project and beyond. Any corruption due to unstable storage could mean tens of thousands of dollars worth of reshoots.”

CLICK TO SEE AN EXAMPLE OF HIS WORK 13

ANG LEE Life of Pi, visualising a story and FIGHTING TO SHOOT IN 3D COURTESY OF POPCORN TAXI

Master at Work

Life of Pi was his 12th film and first Academy Award

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rowing up in ChaoChou, Taiwan, Ang Lee discovered a love for the arts early in life, much to the disappointment of his father, a high school teacher, who wanted him to become a professor. Lee graduated from the Taiwan National Arts School in 1975, then soon after moved to the United States to study Theatre at the University of Illinois. He later moved to New York where he studied at the Tisch School of the Arts, in the same class as director Spike Lee. However, despite his work attracting the attention, Lee remained unemployed for the next six years.

It was in Taiwan that he would get his big break, winning a screenwriting contest with his screenplays for Pushing Hands and The Wedding Banquet. He made Pushing Hands into a film in 1992 and The Wedding Banquet in 1993 followed by Eat Drink Man Woman in 1995 for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe, Academy Award and British Academy Award. The film won five awards total including Best Director from Independent Spirit and Hollywood took notice.

From 1995 onward, he directed a slew of brilliant films including Sense and Sensibility, The Ice Storm and Ride with the Devil before making his first international box office hit with Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 1999. He followed it up with Hulk in 2003, the award winning Brokeback Mountain in 2005, Lust, Caution in 2006 and Taking WoodStock in 2009. Life of Pi is his 12th feature film and has gone on to massive success including an Academy Award for Best Director.

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He merely told them that less budget to do 2D is just a simple bad idea

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Based on the best-selling book Yann Martel’s Life of Pi was considered ‘unfilmable’, but after four years of production, Ang Lee created an incredible film with heart, discussions on existentialism, friendship, loss and dreams.

He recently sat down with Popcorn Taxi to discuss the film

and give some insight into how he approaches his work. He revealed that in order to make the transition from book to film, he felt he needed to create the character of the older Pi to create a link as the story unfolds. He also felt it would only work filmed in 3D to better draw the audience into the world he was creating. To film in 3D he needed an extra 25 million dollars budget which, for a literary property, was a risk for the studio.

He merely told them that “less budget to do 2D is just a simple bad idea”. Since so much of the film is set on water, the 3D would give the water extra depth and make it a character in itself.

He also discussed the how his initial intention for the film and the final product changed quite a bit during production. “To me, they are two movies. [First] you imagine then you dictate whatever is within your power in shooting. You think you have got something then you watch the first cut or the assembly cut. From my experience, it always surprises me, it’s always something else. Then it will take me about three weeks to relearn the movie, watching the dailies all over again and picking the right takes and right moments. For that three weeks I can see what the movie really is.”

WATCH THE REST OF THE INTERVIEW, COURTESY OF POPCORN TAXI

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Web tools making video easier Use the power of the web for your next video project

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ndependent projects with limited resources can be made easier by jumping online and harnessing the web. For the entire production process, from the beginning of an idea through to post-production, there are online tools that are easy to use and affordable for even the least tech-savvy filmmaker.

Something as simple as the process of screenwriting can be enhanced by jumping online and signing up to a service like Celtx.

Once you’re on there, you’re able to collaborate with fellow writers or take your project on the road with iPad apps. It allows instant feedback on your work and without having to emailing back-and-forth

with collaborators and by having your manuscript stored in the cloud, the revision and improvement process becomes a far more efficient.

Collaboration is an important part of the filmmaking process as no person is an island unto themselves. You will need people in order to get your project done.

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Finding people to work with online has never been easier. There are plenty of filmmaking forums, societies and schools with students and experienced crew looking for projects to get involved with. When in the pre-production phase, try and take advantage of every tool at your disposal to share ideas with your team. Think about using free tools such as Dropbox to make your work instantly available to access remotely and share.

With that killer script developed, it’s time to get funding. Going through the traditional channels for film funding has become more difficult in recent times as the production houses become more conservative and risk-adverse.

Thankfully, there are online tools that allow you to directly appeal to your audience. Crowd funding websites, such as Kickstarter or Pozible, allow you to pitch an idea asking for donations to bring it to fruition. Make a pitch video explaining your concept and what you need to achieve it then appeal to the world.If you reach your set goal, you’ve got your film funded and would have done so without making a single pitch to a producer.

WATCH EPISODE ONE OF THE WD SERIES ON VIDEO PRODUCTION

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Finding people to work with online has never been easier

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Once the funding is secured, it’s time to get filming with the help of one of the various online pre-production services such as LightSPEED. It offers a full suite of management applications, from mobile crew cards to stripboards, breakdown pages and crewing. For

independent filmmakers, managing the production process can be overwhelming in terms of how much needs to be done, so tools like LightSPEED will help keep the project on track.

Finally, once the film is finished, distribution could not be easier.

YouTube, Dailymotion, Vimeo, and paid services like Apple iTunes all offer the smallest of independent film projects a global audience to market and sell to, and has been a huge boost for the democratisation of filmmaking.

Use the web to your advantage

Online sources of information and web services can streamline and speed up your project

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E C I L E S IC D & How your editing choices can shape the fabric of a story

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very video or film project needs a to tell a story.

Whether you are making a music video, a film, or editing your home movies, story is the key to creating something memorable. In darkened rooms, shuttling back and forward over microseconds of images is where that story is brought to life. It is in the hands of a skilled editor that inspiration can take hold, that story takes centre stage and the art of filmmaking is brought into focus.

Editing is not simply the process of putting a series of clips together in a logical order. On the surface it seems like an obvious progression of Shot A to Shot B and so on.

However, the true art lies in the connections and at exactly what point shot A becomes shot B and how that interplay serves the story.

Becoming a great editor not only takes practice but also insight into how the audience perceives what they are watching. When it comes to editing, there are many different styles but most tend to fit under two categories - Invisible and overt.

For many audiences, the editing of a film goes unnoticed. It is invisible because to be noticed would detract from what the film is attempting to achieve. A brilliant editor needs to decide exactly

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For many audiences, the editing of a film will go unnoticed

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when to cut a shot and lead into the next, frame by frame, as it allows and audience to ignore the editing and become engrossed in the film.

On the other hand, overt editing can also serve the story to create a mood, pace, tension or style.

Fast cuts that keep the audience scrambling can put them in the shoes of the main character or create excitement while long, drawn out cuts can build suspense.

The flow of the overall film is what is most important and no matter what project you are working on, that flow is what audiences will primarily respond to. The best advice for any aspiring editor is to spend time considering those choices. Pay attention to the smallest details in each shot and how similar elements, colours and shapes change between each one. Use transition effects as your choices should be transition enough. Most of all, think of your film like a piece of music. Give it a driving beat and flow so when all your shots work in perfect harmony, the story will sing.

Ready to Create

When setting up an editing PC, make sure you have some nice speakers, a comfortable keyboard and mouse and chair with good back support as editing takes time.

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Bang for your buck

Build a VIDEO PRODUCTION PC on a TIGHT budget

TOP 5 QUESTIONS TO Ask WHEN BUILDING PC FOR VIDEO EDITING AND PRODUCTION

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n recent times, the tools available to filmmakers have become cheaper than ever before. In addition to low cost cameras and film gear, everything you need for post production can now be handled on a standard PC. The question then becomes - how much do you want to spend?

The first thing to consider is which processor to buy. When it comes to video production, the processor handles all the grunt work. The better the processor, the shorter your render times and the more efficient your work will be. The new 4th generation Intel processors are great at handling video but tend to be quite expensive at the high end.

You can always pick up a mid range Intel processor or look at an AMD FX series as they can still do the job nicely but at a lower cost.

Your processor will dictate which motherboard you need and as a

Searching for and finding your “perfect” video editing computer can seem a daunting task but there are some simple steps to help you get started:

1 how much can i afford to spend?

2 What cpu and motherboard should i get?

3 how much ram do i need?

4 what graphics card will do the job?

5 which hard drive is best for video work?

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All video projects need reliable hard drives to keep your crucial production data safe

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good rule of thumb, this isn’t an area you can cut corners. Generally, the more you spend the better it will be but it also pays to do a little Internet research as well. Also, pick up a mid range video card and make sure your power supply has enough wattage to power the card and the system. For power supplies, pick up a name brand as it will be more reliable. Again, in this respect, Google is your friend.

The case and RAM are places you can save a little cash. There are hundreds of high end cases on the market but a basic case will suffice in the short term. Make sure it has enough room to put in some extra

case fans and kit it out for cheap cooling. For the CPU cooler, there are some nice cheap cooling options out there as well, even some liquid cooling kits. For RAM, quality is more important than quantity so start out with 4GB or so and get more as you need it.

All video projects need reliable hard drives to keep your data safe. For your main video editing drive or scratch, pick up an ultrafast 10,000RPM WD Velociraptor drive or a 7200RPM drive like the WD Black as they are better suited for working with video.

For long term storage, consider an eco drive like the WD Green.

For extra protection for your data and the added convenience of for Network Attached Storage, the WD Red is a perfect solution as it is designed specifically for 24/7 use, low power consumption and low noise while remaining affordable.

Once you have your budget worked out and decide which parts you want, you can build the PC yourself or get it built cheaply at your local computer store for added peace of mind that comes with a warranty. After that, you are ready to sit down, unleash your imagination and create your masterpiece.

Choose the right drive

Whether you need speed for a main drive or reliability for storage, finding the right drive for the job is key

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Get

YOUR FOOT in theDOOR How to start your career in film, TV and interactive digital media

Use the net

Sites such as Screen Australia have figures, tips and guides available to help you understand the industry to your advantage.

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t is well known that it can be difficult to break in to the film and television industry, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible and that you should simply discard your dreams.

On the contrary: the market may be competitive, but if you do your research and have faith in your creative abilities, you can go far.

To put things in to perspective, production businesses across Australia experienced strong growth over the past year, recording a total income of $2.2 billion (up 38% from five years ago), with employment growing 23% to 13,414, according to a report from Screen Australia and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Screen Australia senior development executive, Veronica Gleeson, says you’ll have a much better chance of nabbing one of these jobs if you do your homework.

“Set yourself the task of building the best tool kit you can: the

more craft knowledge, practical experience and time spent with people making things of a calibre you admire, the better,” Gleeson told Ascender.

“At the same time, stay open to your instincts. Don’t pretend to be something you’re not, and don’t underestimate the unique way you see the world. You + technique: that’s where the true value resides.”

Screen Australia is a Federal Government body that offers funding for the development, production and marketing of Australian screen content, talent and screen production businesses.

The organisation has published a handy – and free – guide called Getting started in film, TV and interactive digital media, which is a good place to start looking for ways to ‘build your tool kit’.

Essentially a ‘Film Industry 101’ guide, it offers an extensive list of tips to start you off, including information about: production companies and employment

websites to approach when looking for work; available apprenticeships and funding; and industry guilds and associations to join.

If you’re after training, it lists full-time and part-time courses and seminars currently on offer. It also includes a section specifically for those wanting to get in to interactive digital media.

A section on networking and marketing opportunities covers all the basic avenues to get your work in front of audiences, such as through local festivals, and information about how to apply for a travel grant to attend an international event – including the famous Cannes International Film Festival, and the Annecy International Festival of Animation (both are in France).

TOP TIPS

CLICK HERE FOR SCREEN AUSTRALIA’S FREE TIP GUIDE

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hiring a freelancer Knowing what to expect and what is expected when starting a creative project

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f you are a business owner, whether in a creative field or not, there may come a time when you need to outsource work for specialty projects . In that case, you should hire someone short term that has the specific skill set you require you need to find a freelancer.

Hiring someone freelance allows you to find someone with experience and ensure the project is with quality and speed. However, unless you know their work personally or have come to them via a trusted recommendation, there is still a risk that the end result won’t be what you had hoped.

The key to hiring a freelancer is handling expectation.

Everything in the Client/Freelancer relationship is about expectation.

You have to make it extremely clear what you want and make sure that both you and your freelancer stick to specific targets and deadlines. The first step is knowing precisely what you want and then making sure you are both on the same page before any work is agreed upon and started.

Ideas are hard to convey in words as differing interpretations can lead to confusion and frustration. A great tip to get around this is to start every project with a mood board. In a visual medium, a mood board is a collection of images, fonts, colours and designs that reflect a similar style to what you are wanting from the end product.

However, the mood board concept can be used to convey any idea, whether visual or not.

No matter what project you are doing, collecting similar concepts to what you want is a fast track to

both parties understanding what is expected.

Also, set limits for yourself when it comes to the time it will take for the project to be completed. Set specific milestones that must be met which will culminate in the delivery of a first draft. Next, limit

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Be prepared, offer an extensive brief and state expectations.

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the number of revisions you are allowed to make to that draft.

Generally, two revisions will be enough to go from draft to final. If it takes more than that, your initial planning and the mood board stage wasn’t clear enough. By setting a limit on revisions, you

ensure that you will get it right at the outset and get the final product you expected.

Interview as many people as you need to until you find someone who can deliver the mood board you love and if you stick to your schedule and met expectations at every turn, you will not only get results but will also be able to use the same freelancer again later on down the road or leverage their skills to come up with new ideas and concepts to help build your business.

Also keep in mind that for work to be successfully achieved, both employer and freelancers have to fulfil their responsibilities. The employer’s role is to be prepared, offer an extensive brief, and state the expectations at the beginning of a project. The freelancer’s role is to come prepared, be able to debrief, and know the deliverables.

FREELANCER

TICK-LIST Research your freelancer. Their websites and freelancer agency websites are great.

Word of Mouth. Ask fellow companies who they use and why they are good.

Ask for a portfolio or show reel and talk through it together when first meeting.

Agree on a rate, whether it is calculated hourly or per job and work out overtime.

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IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF

Ascender In issue three of Ascender, we will be diving into the world of Photography. We will look at camera gear including accessories and lenses and check out some of the latest techniques to make your images stand out.

We will also talk with professionals in the field and offer shooting and editing tips. Issue three due in November.