Freelance Cinematographer Production Project by Kimmy Jinn Huynh

KIMMY HUYNH MED6105 PRODUCTION PROJECT

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................................................1 ORIGINAL PROPOSAL.................................................................................................................................3 REVISED PROPOSAL....................................................................................................................................8 RESEARCH.................................................................................................................................................11 DEVELOPMENTAL MATERIAL....................................................................................................................26 DELIVERY PLATFORMS..............................................................................................................................38 FINANCE...................................................................................................................................................46 PRODUCTION ELEMENTS.........................................................................................................................50 MERCEDES PROMOTIONAL VIDEO...........................................................................................................52 COURTNEY PLUMB...................................................................................................................................53 DIGITAL PICK AND MIX CONFERENCE......................................................................................................54 SERENE RICHELLE mUSIC VIDEO..............................................................................................................55 SERENA RICHELLE INTERVIEW.................................................................................................................56 KAMAL MUSICIAN INTERVIEW.................................................................................................................57 KAMAL MUSIC VIDEO...............................................................................................................................58 GRACE WILLIAMS DANCER DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY..............................................................................59 GRACE WILLIAMS DANCER INTERVIEW...................................................................................................60 MS SOCIETY DOCUMENTARY...................................................................................................................61 VERY VEGGIE COOKING SHOW................................................................................................................62 THE CULTURE DROP NEWS......................................................................................................................63 LYRIQUE MUSIC VIDEO.............................................................................................................................64 FLEXICO CITY FiTNESS PROMOTION.........................................................................................................65 SHOW REEL..............................................................................................................................................66 CRITICAL EVALUATION..............................................................................................................................70

INTRODUCTION Contacts Details Owner – Kimmy Huynh Contact Number – 07532108612 Email – Kimmy.huynh@mail.bcu.ac.uk This production project is based on developing and applying my camera operation skills in a professional context. Over the course of the academic year, a range of both paid and unpaid shoots have been completed with each one being detailed in this production folder. In addition to this, research has been undertaken in the areas of freelancing as well as camera operation with training also being completed in specialist camera operation. The project was undertaken individually, however there have been strong elements of collaboration with a broad variety of other students and their projects. This has culminated in a freelance camera operator brand being developed and publicised on social media. A professional website, a blog, a range of industry contacts and a show reel showcasing the highlights of the shoots undertaken in this academic year of 2016/17 are also used to evidence the professional context of the project.

Team 1

The project itself was conducted individually by myself, however there were also other personnel that were influential in specific areas of the project while others were reoccurring figures across the project in the process of collaboration. All of which will be listed and given credit where credit is due. It was also a huge honour to have been aided by these different individuals and working with each of them has proved both insightful and invaluable in gaining experience. Name Kimmy Huynh Casey Li Ishmael Bell Luke James

Role Freelance Camera Operator Designer Noble Panther Productions Culture Drop News

Details Main project lead and researcher Designed logos and branding Reoccurring shoots Reoccurring shoots

Skills and Experience Prior to the start of this academic year, I have had a range of production based experience with over thirty shoots both in Birmingham and London for different projects such as weddings, events, music videos, corporate events, dramas, promos and documentaries for companies including Harlequin Productions, Lexis Agency, Follow Up TV and GRM Daily. Key Activities • Create and Manage website Designing the website and managing it. • Professionally communicate and connect with clients Communicating clearly and effectively with clients before, during and after shoots. • Filming On location, or in a studio, I will be professional in my conduct and apply my skills in camerawork and cinematography to the best of my abilities.

ORIGINAL PROPOSAL For the final year project, I have undertaken research in the area of creating an online video product. This is because video, and in particular, online video has rapidly expanded over the past decade. It can be said that this expansion is due to the developments in technology 2

that allowed for production and distribution to evolve from its humble beginnings on VHS which then moved to DVD, Bluray and now onto the on-demand streaming of online content. In terms of the industry, it is widely known to be highly competitive while also being a very open and accessible one. This is a result of how easy it is to attain high quality equipment, while media platforms such as YouTube allow for anyone, anywhere to upload content with ease. It is this same ease of access that creates the competitiveness within the television, film and video production industry. A writer named John Seabrook (2012) wrote an online article called Streaming Dreams: YouTube Turns Pro in 2012 and detailed the rapid expansion of television channels, predicting how the â&#x20AC;&#x153;internet [was] on the precipice of replacing television altogetherâ&#x20AC;? (Seabrook, 2012:13). He argued that the digitisation of video would change the media landscape forever. Therefore, the main focus of the project will be to produce and distribute video content online in order to adapt and potentially join the new wave of media. Production Idea While others may plan to make a documentary or drama series, their main focus is the end product itself. The project proposed in this document would differ from other television students in the same position by focusing on what happens behind the scenes and bringing it to light. I will essentially be mimicking freelancing in the industry, except on a smaller scale around my fellow students. I will be looking at each company as if it was a real industry company and I will build experience by collaborating and moving from project to project providing my services. As for my final product itself, I will be working alone filming what happens behind the scenes with each project I move to and from for the duration of the entire year. All of these videos will be edited into one long twenty minute video at the end of the year to detail my experiences throughout the year and to give viewers an insight into student life and how hectic a media studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life can be. It will be filmed in a way similar to Youtube vlogs, which are arguably the most recent evolution or iteration of reality television. I will also be building an online social media presence and profile, as well as designing my own website in order to network and promote myself just as a freelancer would in the industry. The main source of clients will be drawn from other students who are also conducting their final year projects as well as shoots I attend as part of the course as well as paid shoots externally. The initial idea for this project came from a discussion with other students, many of whom had approached me with an offer of joining their teams for their final year projects. This would be beneficial in the sense that a whole range of clients from across the university could be drawn from. Music students would potentially need music videos, fashion students would need promotional content, acting students would need showreels and even lecturers themselves would have need for a student offering video production services. While the project does not necessarily address a gap in the real-world market, it most definitely addresses a gap in the student market where other students have already began posting online for cooperation in projects (See Appendix A). These specific clients, being other students, will make valuable contacts in the future. Therefore, by working with the new generation of media practitioners as well as students in other subject areas, it is 3

possible to build contacts for future projects. The development of networking skills would also be essential to freelancing in the future. Industry Research As for research, several companies have been analysed in their structure and style. However one specific company, Get Deluxe, operates their online profile in a similar fashion to the social media presence in this proposed project. Hailing from East London’s creative quarter Shoreditch, Get Deluxe operates as a film company creating short films, documentaries, music videos and commercials. The style of the logo is simplistic with white text on a black background while the company’s website itself is similarly simple in its design. The design of their website is noteworthy due to the way it presents itself for its target audience (See Appendix B). As a production company, Get Deluxe’s target audience would mainly be potential clients who would hire them for a filming project. A theorist from the 1900s, Lyman Frank Baum, suggests that the most effective way to entice observers into buying a particular product would be to “place them before the public…in such a manner where a desire for the product” is developed (Baum, 1900). This is evident in particular elements and design choices of the website, for example each panel showcases the production company’s work whilst the choice of text underneath each panel states the title of that video and what type of content it is (Commercial, Music Video, Documentary). Furthermore, by undertaking a brief semiotic analysis on several of Get Deluxe’s videos, a sign of their professional context comes from an approach to branding that can be considered out of the ordinary. Throughout all of their videos, there is no clear sign of their involvement until the very end where they provide a link to their website. The only other branding they attach to video content is a small watermark on the lower right corner of the video, it can be said that they abide to a minimalistic approach in order to not draw attention away from those who had commissioned them to create content. However to those with a keen eye, this can be seen as a sign within the media text that would link viewers back to the company as well as other potential clients, making it a subtle form of advertising for the company. Bearing this in mind, branding is definitely a factor that will see careful consideration in my personal branding and online presence. In outlining the production stages as well as where the project currently stands, there are several other students who have frequently worked with me on shoots throughout the past two years and have voiced their desire to work together once more. In addition to this, I have already made contact with graphic designers in the Visual Communication course who have also agreed to design logos and work with me in exchange for my services in the future. This form of interaction and service exchange is what has driven most student projects in the past and the 'favours' I have previously collected will most definitely be called upon in the coming final year project. As for the stages of production, the first order of business would be to collaborate with designers and solidify my social media presence. Once a website, logo and social media account on YouTube or Vimeo is established, all the necessary components for distribution would be ready and video production may begin. In terms of how a website would be set up for the company, I have previously used websites such as www.Wix.com; these sites offer manual design tools where a website can easily be created free of charge (See Appendix C). Skills and Skill Development 4

A range of pre-existing skills gained throughout the first and second years of the course can be applied to this project. As a broad course student, I intend to switch into the specialism area of television production as all my previous module choices point towards that particular area. Camera work, directing, producing and editing are all areas I have had previous experience in with camera work and directing being areas that I excel the most in. Communication and persuasion are invaluable skills I had previously picked up whilst working as a door to door fundraiser for UNICEF, this would therefore be a good opportunity to develop and reuse these skills whilst talking and interacting with potential clients. Having previously studied theoretical frameworks on the branding for other companies such as Netflix, a concept to bear in mind is brand image. In a journal article written by Mathew Freeman called Branding consumerism: Cross-media characters and story-worlds at the turn of the 20th century (2015), Freeman alludes to the branding strategies exercised by large companies and how they perform â&#x20AC;&#x153;cross-media brandingâ&#x20AC;? by watermarking videos, photos and other media texts they put out. Achievability In reviewing whether the project is reasonably achievable for a student, it does not require large sums of money, nor does it require any specific specialist or technical requirements such as underwater filming or filming in another country. Equipment would pose little to no problem as any required kit can be hired from the Hires and Loans department in the Parkside building. The equipment used regularly by myself and other prospective television specialists are Canon C100 Mark II cameras that have a highly professional quality of video capture as well as a particularly useful feature that allows for footage to be recorded to two SD cards simultaneously, providing an immediate backup. In addition to this, DSLR cameras that are lightweight and portable can be used for any shoots that make carrying the large C100 equipment a problem. In filming the behind the scenes videos, a lightweight camera will prove much more useful and will hinder me less. In justifying the possibility of success, I believe the skill set currently possessed by myself and the skills that will be learnt in the coming year will greatly solidify the chances of success. The modules being studied this year; Independent Television Production and Enterprises are both module choices that will give an insight to the industry itself as well as entrepreneurship. While the biggest concern would be the cooperation with potential clients, social media will play a big part in enticing more individuals to hire me for their services. The School of Media page on Facebook frequently sees requests for filming, this will likely increase in volume during the coming academic year. In addition to this, lecturers also send out emails to students for filming opportunities on a regular basis. With a plethora of production companies doing the same thing at varying degrees of success, it is hard to determine, with absolute certainty, the success of the project. However, with over thirty thousand students at Birmingham City University, I believe a good amount of content can be created. BIBLIOGRAPHY 5

BAUM, L. F. (1900). The art of decorating dry goods windows and interiors; a complete manual of window trimming, designed as an educator in all the details of the art, according to the best accepted methods, and treating fully every important subject. Chicago, Show Window Pub. Co. FREEMAN, M. (2015). Branding consumerism: Cross-media characters and story-worlds at the turn of the 20th century. International Journal of Cultural Studies. SEABROOK, J. (2012). The New Yorker January 16th, 2012 Issue, Streaming Dreams: YouTube Turns Pro, New York, F-R Pub. Corp. APPENDICIES Appendix A

Appendix B

Appendix C

REVISED PROPOSAL The production project has changed mainly IN two ways. The first is the change in the video content produced: as opposed to making three to four videos of behind the scenes content in YouTube vlogging style, the only video will now be a show reel with a promotional package that includes social media accounts, a portfolio website and a LinkedIn profile. This revision came about as a tutor had pointed out the importance of the professional context. In addition to this, I already have a range of skills and experiences in the area of camera work. In terms of the industry, it is widely known to be highly competitive while also being a very open and accessible one. This is a result of how easy it is to attain high quality equipment, while media platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo allow for anyone, anywhere to upload content with ease. It is this same ease of access that creates the competitiveness within the television, film and video production industry. Production Idea While others may plan to make a documentary or drama series, their main focus is the end product itself. The project proposed in this document would differ from other television students in the same position by focusing on undertaking shoots throughout the year. I will essentially be freelancing as a camera operator both in the industry and with other students. I will be looking at each client as if it was a real industry company and I will build experience by collaborating and moving from project to project providing my services. I will be working both alone and within a team or crew depending on the project. As for my final product itself, I will be creating a show reel and promotional package (portfolio website and professional profile). The website will be designed by myself and will be used to network and promote myself just as a freelancer would in the industry while the show reel will consist of footage I have shot in this year alone and edited by myself. The main source of clients will be drawn from other students who are also conducting their final year projects as well as paid shoots externally. The initial idea for this project came from a discussion with other students, many of whom had approached me with an offer of joining their teams for their final year projects. This would be beneficial in the sense that a whole range of clients from across the university could be drawn from. Music students would potentially need music videos, fashion students would need promotional content, acting students would need showreels and even lecturers themselves would have need for a student offering video production services. While the project does not necessarily address a gap in the real-world market, it most definitely addresses a gap in the student market. These specific clients, being other students, will make valuable contacts in the future. Therefore, by working with the new generation of media practitioners as well as students in other subject areas, it is possible to build contacts for future projects. The development of networking skills would also be essential to freelancing in the future. Industry Research As for research, a range of freelance camera operators have been analysed. Their websites and show reels have been analysed for their content and length. From this I have gathered the core elements that make up their professional context. A clear attentiveness to branding can be seen in some website while it is lacking in others. For freelancers, reputation, work ethic and branding all contribute to the likelihood of being hired in the industry. Throughout different videos and show

reels, the length usually varies and falls between thirty seconds to one minute thirty seconds. Content wise there were a range of different shots and styles used to showcase their abilities. Close ups, mid-shots and wide shots were all present and the show reels placed online by freelance camera operators tended to be hosted on Vimeo as opposed to YouTube. A link is also often provided to their websites while contact details are also present in the videos. In outlining the production stages as well as where the project currently stands, there are several other students who have frequently worked with me on shoots throughout the past two years and have voiced their desire to work together once more. In addition to this, I have already made contact with graphic designers in the Visual Communication course who have also agreed to design logos and work with me in exchange for my services in the future. This form of interaction and service exchange is what has driven most student projects in the past and the 'favours' I have previously collected will most definitely be called upon in the coming final year project. As for the stages of production, the first order of business would be to collaborate with designers and solidify my social media presence. Once a website, logo and social media account on YouTube or Vimeo is established, all the necessary components for distribution would be ready and video production may begin. In terms of how a website would be set up for the company, I have previously used websites such as www.Wix.com; these sites offer manual design tools where a website can easily be created free of charge (See Appendix C). Skills and Skill Development A range of pre-existing skills gained throughout the first and second years of the course can be applied to this project. As a broad course student, I intend to switch into the specialism area of television production as all my previous module choices point towards that particular area. Camera work, directing, producing and editing are all areas I have had previous experience in with camera work and directing being areas that I excel the most in. Communication and persuasion are invaluable skills I had previously picked up whilst working as a door to door fundraiser for UNICEF, this would therefore be a good opportunity to develop and reuse these skills whilst talking and interacting with potential clients. Having previously studied theoretical frameworks on the branding for other companies such as Netflix, a concept to bear in mind is brand image. In a journal article written by Mathew Freeman called Branding consumerism: Cross-media characters and story-worlds at the turn of the 20th century (2015), Freeman alludes to the branding strategies exercised by large companies and how they perform â&#x20AC;&#x153;cross-media brandingâ&#x20AC;? by watermarking videos, photos and other media texts they put out. Achievability In reviewing whether the project is reasonably achievable for a student, it does not require large sums of money, nor does it require any specific specialist or technical requirements such as underwater filming or filming in another country. Equipment would pose little to no problem as any required kit can be hired from the Hires and Loans department in the Parkside building. The equipment used regularly by myself and other prospective television specialists are Canon C100 Mark II cameras that have a highly professional quality of video capture as well as a particularly useful feature that allows for footage to be recorded to two SD cards simultaneously, providing an immediate backup. In addition to this, DSLR cameras that are lightweight and portable can be used 9

for any shoots that make carrying the large C100 equipment a problem. In filming the behind the scenes videos, a lightweight camera will prove much more useful and will hinder me less. In justifying the possibility of success, I believe the skill set currently possessed by myself and the skills that will be learnt in the coming year will greatly solidify the chances of success. The modules being studied this year; Independent Television Production and Enterprises are both module choices that will give an insight to the industry itself as well as entrepreneurship. While the biggest concern would be the cooperation with potential clients, social media will play a big part in enticing more individuals to hire me for their services. The School of Media page on Facebook frequently sees requests for filming, this will likely increase in volume during the coming academic year. In addition to this, lecturers also send out emails to students for filming opportunities on a regular basis. With a plethora of production companies doing the same thing at varying degrees of success, it is hard to determine, with absolute certainty, the success of the project. However, with over thirty thousand students at Birmingham City University, I believe a good amount of content can be created.

RESEARCH Due to the nature of the project, it was important to undertake research into the area of freelancing to scrutinise other camera operators as well as the varying degrees of success achieved by these individuals. In that sense, websites, show reels and professionalism were all elements that were looked at in order to understand what contributes to a successful freelance camera operator. Furthermore, different areas of the industry were also touched on and helped further build an understanding of the media landscape that freelancers of this profession inhabit and populate.

Industry Research 11

SWOT Analysis

Strengths         

Pool of student projects University resources Potential reach in London Reach in Birmingham High Quality Cameras Special Training Experience in communication Experience in studio etiquette Keen awareness of roles and responsibilities

Weaknesses     

Opportunities   

Room for expansion of other skills Potential for collaboration Potential Networking Opportunities

Highly competitive industry Professional, experienced freelancers Equipment not always available, sometimes faulty Distance to travel Timing – Student projects

Threats    

Competitors/Other freelancers Distance and travel Potentially no opportunities to collaborate Students project times clashing

Freelancing is a flexible and equally unstable profession. Freelancers work for themselves and decide their own hours and pay, they are essentially their own bosses and are responsible for the day to day running of their business. This freedom and flexibility is both a strength and a weakness. For those who are accustomed to working in teams or as part of a larger collective, myself included, it can be difficult to suddenly rely on yourself to handle every aspect. Working in teams often help individuals thrive in terms of communicating, bouncing ideas off each other and even sharing the odd joke with others can be healthy in a working environment. Freelancers on most occasions work alone and for those who adjust, there is space to thrive and succeed. For this to happen individuals must follow a strict routine with weeks and days planned in order to avoid complacency. However, there is a middle ground. For this project specifically, I am fortunate to have built both a reputation and rapport with my peers who have all seen first-hand my abilities. In addition to this, having attended a military school, trained for leadership and led teams out in the field while working as a door-to-door fundraiser for UNICEF means I am disciplined and able to adapt. The skills learnt in previous experiences found new application in this project.

Furthermore, my lifestyle also contributes to my ability to freelance. My weekly routine consists of going to the gym four times, cooking meals in bulk at the start of each week and a morning ritual of stretching and drinking two cups of water every day. All of these habits and skills contribute to the 13

fundamental freelancer trait of holding myself accountable. Accountability and self-discipline form the foundations of this project while communication and negotiation skills learnt through both retail and fundraising jobs also support the professional context of the project.

It is also clear that while larger companies have researchers, analysts and even whole divisions to keep their companies on trend and even ahead of it, it is highly important to understand what trends may be of use. For example, drone technology has flourished in recent years while cameras on smart phones have reached new levels of clarity with platforms such as YouTube at the forefront of the new media phenomenon. In order to better understand trends I have also attended several events to hear what industry professionals have to say about these trends as well as the profession itself in general.

BBC Sports Personality Awards 2016

Having been selected to be present at the awards by Caroline Officer, I attended the venue on two occasions as an observer prior to the night of the live show. While it was an event run by the BBC, I also had contact with freelancers who had been hired to film at the live broadcast. In talking to the freelancer camera operators about the potential difficulty posed by letting Robbie Williams come off stage during a performance and how he would â&#x20AC;&#x153;go right to the back and up the standsâ&#x20AC;?, it was insightful to see how they interacted with one another and exchanged details and background experiences. It was even more interesting to see how the camera operators that work for the BBC interacted with the freelancers. There was a strong sense of professionalism and the brief conversations with both the regulars and the freelancers provided many different points of advice on how to conduct myself as a freelancer. One such point of advice was in camera equipment and the importance of buying my own equipment as quickly as possible. Another freelancer insisted that I take on experience working for a company and building up contacts before venturing into the area of freelancing.

Casey Neistat

The first area of research is YouTube, it is easily arguable that the best way to understand a new element of popular culture is by indulging in it. In doing so, I selected an empirical channel of YouTube culture. I subscribed to Casey Neistat and watched all of the content he had uploaded onto the online platform. Neistat is a fulltime YouTube content creator and partner, founder of Beme and a professional freelance film maker. His insight and work ethic were both admirable and highly respectable. The channel had a new video every day which meant Neistat was constantly out filming and editing in order to do his daily video logs. Arguably his content was a form of reality television and his character was both sincere and grounded. As a YouTube video creator, he often utilised the most on trend products to help him record. Drones are a specific and reoccurring element of his videos and adds variety to his shots. Casey Neistatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s videos often cross 1.5 million views within 24 hours of uploading and peaks at 2.2 million views within three days. As a freelancer, Casey Neistat is an empirical example of staying on trend, working alone and effectively hitting targets every single day. Having watched over five hundred 10-12 minute videos (all of his current video content as of this project submission), I myself have become a fan of his work and see him as a role model in terms of his freelance professionalism and work ethic

Freelancer.co.uk

Freelancer.co.uk is a website that acts as a service for both clients looking for freelancers and freelancers looking for clients. The website was useful in understanding roles, pricing and professionalism as interactions, results and payment can all be seen and tracked on the website. Although these published statistics are often anonymous, the service ranking and previous project make the website an excellent source of information as well as a potential platform in searching for paid work outside of the student pool.

In addition to this, it is also interesting to note how videographers are described on freelancer.co.uk:

This is significant as it directly touches on the results of hiring freelance creative while also providing some justification, statistics and background information on video.

These bullet points are also good reasons as to why a camera operator is a valuable asset. In addition to this, these are key points that can be reiterated on my own website for potential clients to understand how video can contribute to their own success.

BBC Masterclass

Damian Kavanagh is the digital controller of BBC Three and recently won the RTS award for best channel of the year beating Channel 4 and BBC 1 and 2. The BBC Masterclass that was attended by many industry professionals including many indie companies, freelancers and even current BBC employees, The event allowed for both a lecture on the different ways in which BBC Three has succeeded online as well as covering the move from London to Birmingham. There were also a range of insights provided into how freelancers, namely young creatives, and indie companies could be incorporated into BBC Three and how we can make content for them.

Role Research Russell Martin - http://russellmartin.tv/ 19

The layout of this website is relatively simple with no real colour coordination. However, where it does excel is in its clarity of existing work and experiences, although not much is stated about the camera operator himself unless the user specifically clicks through to the about page. Overall the website does not captivate or inspire. However it is clear that some high-profile clients have hired Russell with a range of stars and branded companies depicted in the thumbnails of his work. It is also noteworthy that some links, such as the â&#x20AC;&#x153;view allâ&#x20AC;? button, does not work. This highlights the importance of consistently updating and maintaining the website.

In further exploring Russell Martinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, he has a clear description of his abilities and background information such as location and equipment as well as other business ventures. It is also clear that there is an intersection of cross media as his twitter feed is embedded within the website. This highlights the importance of connecting different platforms in order to synergise and allow for potential clients to further explore.

Andrew Butler - http://www.aajbutler.com/

Andrew Butler’s site also has a white coloured theme which promotes clarity. The choice of font used in somewhat peculiar but also adds a sense of creativity and freedom. A brief description of the operator and the use of a testimonial also highlights the professional context of the camera operator to some extent. The most notable element of the website is the list of clients which consists of high profile companies. This immediately adds a strong sense of professionalism.

Chris Hood - http://www.christopherhood.com/ Perhaps the most creative and detailed site comes from Chris Hood. Hood is a “freelance camera operator and director of photography”, as well as a camera/jib operator with 12 years of production 22

experience working in the UK and abroad. This information is all relayed to the viewer immediately on the landing pageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s slideshow:

The type face, font size and choice of colouring is clear and dark with certain words highlighted in colour which adds a sense of clarity. In addition to this, there are pictures that are clearly edited and present the camera operator in an effective and professional way.

It is also interesting to note that the designer of the website has used photos from a range of different shoots to create a sense of variety. The camera operator himself is presented to be in a variation of roles and poses which highlights his flexibility.

Unlike the other websites, Hood has a high-quality logo designed. The design of the logo also makes use of the darker palatte found on the rest of the website. The logo itself is a camera that incorporates the operatorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s initials of C and H. The slogan â&#x20AC;&#x153;camera & jib servicesâ&#x20AC;? also reinforces the logo in clearly belonging to a media specialist.

The website as a whole also has a wealth of useful information for potential clients such as testimonials and contacts details as shown in the screenshot above. Interestingly, the testimonials all describe the experience of working with Chris as opposed to his end product itself. In that sense, the testimonials are an element of the site that are specifically used to appeal to clients that are other industry members. It is also noteworthy that for the website, an original domain name and email have been created which enhances the professional aspect. In discussing the three different camera operators and their websites, Chris Hood’s website is clearly the most effective in portraying his professional context and is of the highest quality in terms of design and attention to detail. Andrew Butler’s website is also effective in underlining this professional context and is saved by the listed clients that are all high profile. However, the lack of pictures on Butler’s site creates a sense of lacking in terms of website design. Russell Martin’s website has a range of pictures but lacks descriptions or testimonials, in addition to this, the website itself consists of a range of links that do not work with some redirecting to a domain that no longer exists. In assessing what can be gained and applied to my own project from these websites, Hood’s site offers the most insight in terms of website design and professional context. The importance of pictures, descriptions and contact details are all highlighted and makes Martin and Butler’s sites pale in comparison.

DEVELOPMENTAL MATERIAL As a result of the research undertaken, valuable lessons into branding, professionalism and visual appeal were gained. In order make the best possible brand and logo to attract clients, collaborations with individuals well versed in the areas of design and visual communications were contacted. A visual communication student who had previous experience in using design software as well as logo design collaborated with me to make a logo while a photographer was brought along to shoots to take photographs of myself operating camera equipment. Much like Chris Hoodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website, these two elements were combined on the website.

Branding and Logo Development

In developing the branding for the production project, it was important to take into account other cinematographers and how they portrayed themselves and as brands. As discussed in the research, there were two strands of freelancers, those who didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t create a logo or brand and those who used themselves as brands. Having opted to go for the latter, I worked with the designer to create a brand name that consisted of my name:

Having discussed several logo ideas, I created a small table to follow up on the conversation we had in our meeting. The above table consists of the different logos and designed that I had pulled from the internet to let her use as a visual aid while designing my website.

As the design student was operating in a professional manner, she asked me to fill out a client brief:

The logo design process saw many changes following each feedback interval: Phase One â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Initial designs 28

The initial designs of the logo were relatively faithful to the logo inspiration forwarded to the designer, however as a result of further discussion and feedback from friends and family, there was an impression that the logo belonged to a photographer due to the use of a camera in the centre of the emblem. Amendments were made in the following design session. Phase Two â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Amended designs

The second round of designs saw a narrowing of design types and changes to the centre icon. The symbol of a camera was swapped out for a more traditional film and video camera to avoid misconceptions on what the logo represents. Following this round of designs, we discussed the black and white colour used by the designer as a temporary placeholder until I had allocated colours that I had wanted in the logo. In addition to this, she began to implement different Chinese characters as I had previous requested of her. Phase Three â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Adding Colour

The designs in this phase were all very similar with minor differences in colour, emblem and iconography. This phase also saw experimentation with colours. Having tested several colour palettes, we decided to keep one version of the logo as the black and white seemed fitting and more professional. Phase Four â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Feedback 31

The first design was a personal favourite and had a clean black and white design, the second was an inverted version of the first which would potentially be better for print or video. Design three consisted of some colouring while four and five followed the more traditional emblem design and had simple iconography with both English and Chinese characters implemented together. The final designs were numbered and given to twenty individuals which consisted of varying ages, professions and knowledge of the media industry.

The feedback was gathered across several platforms and were as follows: Name

Choice

Feedback 32

Roger Huynh

1/4/5

Max Watkins Luke Martin James Ileana Malacrino Jessica Williams Rebecca Foster Felicity Hall Jane Anderson Andrew Kirkman Leon White Nam Phuong Huynh Chi Cuong Huynh Kevin Yip

1 1/2 1/3 3 3 1 1/5 1 1/2 1 1 1/2

Ishmael Bell Declan Valentine Yon-Prince

1/2 1/4/5

Gurpreet Kuar Jamie O’Connor Danny O’Flynn Olu-Segun Soji Akingboye Neil McGregor

1/3 2/5 1/5 1/2 1

1 but I also like the Chinese on 4 and 5, do 1 but with some Chinese on it N/A Black looks best 1 but my family all think 3 I like the blue N/A N/A The video camera looks good Great design! The first two look sleek Looks great son! 1 Yes 1 son 1 or 2 look more professional. 3 looks like the cookie monster. There’s too much going on in 4. 1 is the best, good bold lettering, easy on the eye, very innovative. The first two are better The Chinese in 4 and 5 looks sick, maybe add Chinese to 1 N/A 1 mate, definitely 1 N/A 1 or 2 I reckon number one looks the most professional

The feedback provided mostly pointed to the simpler, clearer and more “professional” designs of number one and five with three also gaining some attention for resembling the “cookie monster” character. In addition to this, there was also some popularity for the Chinese lettering used in designs four and five. As a result of this, I decided to ask the designer to create four final products: Logo one in both English and Chinese and then inverted colours. The final products are as follows:

The main logo on the left was by far the most selected in the feedback process and was further developed. Minor changes to the font size and positioning were made while a Chinese version of the logo was also made. The Chinese version of the logo would likely be used to attract Asian customers who I can coordinate and speak to in their native tongue thus utilising one of my strengths and skills that separate myself from other freelance camera operators. The lengthy process collaborating with the designer was insightful and enhanced professional skills in communication, collaboration and brainstorming. The logo was made with the intention to be used across a variety of platforms and delivery systems such as on videos, on paper work for clients and on the web site I intended to create for use in the project.

The logo is versatile and can be used on a variety of things such as business cards or as a watermark on photos:

In addition to this, conversations with the designer have given me new knowledge in the areas of mock up and photoshop which I applied in making these photos:

DELIVERY PLATFORMS The logo, video content from shoots and promotional package will all be delivered through several online platforms, however the main hub for these different pages will be kimmyjinnhuynh.wixsite.com. At the time of this research, a domain name was considered for purchase. A special deal meant that two years would have been cheaper than simply purchasing one year by itself. Several domain websites operate this kind of offer however the cheapest seems to be godaddy.com

As for wix and website design, wix offers a handy artificial intelligence based website designer called WIX ADI which I used to create the foundations of my website before switching to the manual designer and fine tuning aspects of the website:

Implementing my logo, adjusting the text and creating a slide show were all aspects of the site that were inspired by researching how other freelance camera operators conduct their business online. Freelancers such as Chris Hood and his website played a particularly larger role when considering the visual look and feel of my website. While a range of other freelancers were analysed for their written content. I have also implemented a testimonial section as well as a section about me and a contact me section for potential clients to find out more. My Vimeo and LinkedIn accounts have also been embedded within the website. As a delivery platform, Wix is free fair and easy to use. And although 39

there was a learning curve in website design, it was a new ability learnt nonetheless and enhanced my professional skills. Furthermore, by being free to use, Wix also enhances aspects of the budget â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The same goes for both Vimeo and LinkedIn although some of these platforms operate a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;proâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; package, the basic free version are more than adequate for the current use at hand.

However, in considering and further researching these premium services, there are many added benefits that are used to attract potential buyers. The free domain name for a year, the removal of Wix ads and google analytics are all attractive elements for any website start up, however in considering my own professional context, these premium packages are not essential as the basic subscription is more than adequate in providing a delivery platform.

Website

The website was created on Wix and was built according to the research gathered earlier in the project. The structure deviates from other freelance camera operators simply due to aesthetics purposes such as the navigation bar going above the slideshow as opposed to below it.

A small section about myself was inserted underneath the slideshow to explain both my background and experience while providing context and a little more about my personality, it is called Behind The Lens and it reads:

“I'm a friendly guy who enjoys traveling to new places and meeting new people. Born and raised in London, I work all over the UK. Having gained my Bachelor of Arts degree in Media and Communications (Television Specialist) in Birmingham, I have extensive experience in working at various locations - Whether it be in a studio or in the great outdoors of the British countryside. Having studied the theoretical writing behind production and utilising the knowledge in practice, I am unique in the way that I have a thorough grasp of every stage and role in the production process. This means I understand how something needs to be done and by who. This makes me a highly efficient and competent asset to any shoot. In addition to this, my knowledge, grasp and passion for filming equipment makes using my kit second nature.” Perhaps the most pivotal area of the website besides the initial slideshow and logo is the show reel. The show reel embodies my work as a camera operator and has since been updated from the second-year professional media practice module to be in line with this project’s criteria. 42

Underneath this section is the testimonials from both people I have worked with as well as clients who I have asked for a small comment in regard to my services as a whole. This section alternates like a slideshow to view different comments:

There is also a section detailing the different shoots I am available for and finally a section for potential clients to contact me via the website is also provided :

FINANCE In this section there are two budgets, a theoretical one based on the scenario of this project being operated in the industry and another that was realistic in terms of my current standing as a student. The main difference between the two is the cost of equipment hire and insurance. In addition to this, there are also a wealth of legal and financial rules operated on sole traders and self-employed freelancers by HM Revenues and Customs which will be looked at in further detail in this section.

Theoretical Budget Item Logo/Website Design

Price

Notes

£0.00 Student Designer

Quantity

Total

£0.00

Office Space

£115.00 Student Accomodation per week

£5980.00

Mobile

£10.00 Per Month (September ’16 – May ’17) £25.00 Per Month (September ’16 – May ’17) £20.00 HISCOX.CO.UK Direct Quote Per Month (September ’16 – May ’17) £100.00 Food and other expenditures per month

£80.00

£180.00

£120.00

£800.00

£95.00 C100 camera hire from Mediadoghire.com per day/shoot

£1520.00

Travel/Transport Insurance Other Costs Camera Equipment

Sound Recording Equipment Domain Name Business Cards

(Lens and Tripod Already Owned) £28.00 Sennheiser MKH-416 Boom Microphone hire from Mediadoghire.com per day/shoot £14.20 Godaddy.co.uk discounted price for two years £0.10 Vista Print Deluxe Cards

£448.00

£14.20

300

£30.00

Social Media

£0.00 Facebook/LinkedIn

£0.00

Website

£0.00 Wix

£0.00

Total

£9172.20

Contingency 10%

£917.22

Total

£10,089.42

Actual Budget Item Logo/Website Design Office Space Mobile Travel/Transport Insurance Other Costs Camera Equipment

Price

Notes

£0.00 Student Designer

Quantity

Total -

£0.00

£115.00 Student Accomodation per week £10.00 Per Month (September ’16 – May ’17) £25.00 Per Month (September ’16 – May ’17) £0.00 University Provided

£5980.00

£80.00

£200.00

£0.00

£100.00 Food and other expenditures per month £0.00 Equipment Hire free from university

£800.00

£0.00

Sound Recording Equipment

£0.00 Equipment Hire free from university

Domain Name

£0.00 Free from Wix

16 -

£0.00

Social Media

£0.00 Facebook/LinkedIn

£0.00

Website

£0.00 Wix

£0.00

Total

£7060.00

Contingency 10%

£706.00

Grand Total

£7766.00

Legally and Financially Setting Up As Self-Employed In order to fully understand budget and expenditures of being a freelancer in the industry, there are a range of legalities that come into play for the job role. By being self, I would first have to legally declare this with Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. Which according to the website, can be done online, by phone and even by post. However, it would be far quicker and convenient to be done online.

When registering, the following personal details would need to be provided: 

Name



Address



National Insurance number 48



Date of birth



Telephone number



Email address



The nature of your business



Start date of self-employment

Part of the process of registering as a self-employed freelancer includes filling out a CWF1 form. This form gives the HMRC the correct information to allow for tax to be correctly applied to my business as a freelancer. This would then enable me to utilise self-assessment tax returns in which I can inform the HMRC of my income and capital, which also allows me to claim tax allowances or reliefs.

PRODUCTION ELEMENTS Due to the nature of the project as well as working with students, there have been a range of shoots with many taking place before and after exam time hotspots on the academic calendar. In addition to this, my own obligations for final year assessments has also meant that I denied some shoots. This section will consist of a production diary that lists key events while also covering the shoot I have already finished and some future shoots scheduled. 49

Table of Shoots These shoots can also be accessed online via: Project Name

Date Completed

Client

Mercedes Promotional Video

14/10/16

Sherhyaar Mohammad Iqbal

Courtney Plumb Fashion Collection Digital Pick and Mix Conference

26/10/16 17/11/16

Courtney Plumb Fashion Designer Jemima Waltho/Arts Connect

Serena Richelle MV

20/02/17

Serena Richelle Musician

Serena Richelle Interview

20/02/17

Never Heard Of It Media News

Kamal Musician Interview

13/03/17

Noble Panther

Grace Dance Promotional Video

16/03/17

Grace Williams Dancer

Grace Dancer Interview

16/03/17

Noble Panther

MS Society Documentary

20/03/17

Harry Highland/MS Society

Kamal Music Video

23/03/17

Noble Panther

Very Veggie Cooking Show

29/03/17

Very Veggie Cooking Show

Lyrique Music Video

19/04/17

Lyrique

Culture Drop News

20/01/17-28/04/17

The Culture Drop

Flexico City Promotion

28/04/17

Flexico Fitness

Drinking Games YouTube Show

30/05/17

Max Watkins YouTube 50

Kream Ents Club Night

TBD

Jessica Wong/Kream Ents

Personal Project â&#x20AC;&#x201C; BBC3 Idea

TBD

BBC Three

MERCEDES PROMOTIONAL VIDEO Status: N/A (Cannot contact client) This was a very interesting shoot for a student client who was also a professional editor and wanted a wider variety of videos to add to his corporate show reel. He had recently bought a brand-new Mercedes and saw an opportunity in filming it and adding it to his editing show reel. Professionally I had no prior contact filming or working with this individual. It was quite daunting to go on a shoot alone with expensive equipment however it was also not necessarily out of my comfort zone meeting strangers as I had to just reapply my skills gained in door-to-door knocking for UNICEF in London. By reapplying the mindset of a fundraiser, I was quickly able to readapt and utilise skills that had been dormant. This helped me understand the importance of honing and updating previous skills learnt in different professions as they can be very easily repurposed and applied to freelance camera work.

COURTNEY PLUMB

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio This was my first shoot working with both models and fashion designers. The professional context was a promotional video that would be used to highlight the designerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest collection which was called Elevation. The shoot was relatively short and while the designer was keen on being present and having a say in how the models should compose themselves, the shoot was smooth and easily set up. There was some confusion in how the models should be lighted as the designer wanted the video to be dark, however there was a risk of the clothing not being seen properly. While I believed that the dark and mysterious look could still be achieved with slightly more lighting, the designer was happy with the footage on the camera.

DIGITAL PICK AND MIX CONFERENCE

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio This was an employment opportunity put forward by a lecturer in the Media Enterprise module. The guest lecturer was also a freelancer and worked with Arts Connect that was setting up a media conference called DIGITAL PICK AND MIX where different media industry professionals would gather 53

together and share ideas and trends. The event would be an opportunity for industry professionals to network and potentially work together and witnessing and recording the many different conversations were highly insightful. The shoot was paid and in attending the event and listening to all the key speakers and having conversations with the different attendees meant that I also gained a valuable awareness of current trends in the industry. While working in the conference environment enhanced my video skills and brought to my attention how essential lighting is on location, the information gained also enhanced my knowledge of the industry.

SERENE RICHELLE MUSIC VIDEO

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio 54

Serena is an up and coming singer from Leicester with singles on both Spotify and iTunes and contacted Tyrell Charles to film a music video for her. To do so, Tyrell needed a crew and so my details were given to Serena and she contacted me and asked me to be the main camera man. For this shoot we split into two teams to make the most of the time as we were conscious of the time it would take Serena and her parents to drive home on that night. As I had a better knowledge of Birmingham, I led the team that followed Serena while the main director lead the team with the male actor. While waiting to regroup with the other team I decided to make use of my time and took extra shots on a bridge. With this I learnt another valuable skill and trade, by constantly looking for shots even if they’re not asked for by the director, I recorded ‘random’ footage that eventually made it into the main cut of the music video.

SERENA RICHELLE INTERVIEW

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio On a separate occasion, a video interview was conducted for a news and media outlet called Never Heard Of It, described as the home of the music you’ve never heard of. The company has a passion 55

for the slept on, unheard and underground music, Never Heard of It is seen as the go to place for “the music you’ve been waiting for.” The shoot was relatively simple in the sense that it took place after filming Serena’s music video and the interviewer joined us in the studio and we set up a cross shot with two cameras and adjusted the lighting slightly to compensate for the secondary subject. With this I also learnt that it is important to clarify with the director whether or not black cinematic bars would be added. As I had given enough head space in the recording process to the subjects, the editor/director then added black bars which made the shot feel highly unnatural.

KAMAL MUSICIAN INTERVIEW

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio This shoot involved travelling to music recording studios and operating equipment on location. The shoot itself consisted of a relatively simple interview with some cutaways. The artist himself was immensely talented and I immediately knew he would be a valuable contact as he was able to play a 56

range of instruments, rap and sing. In particular, his flow with rapping was both clear and intricate in the sense that he was freestyling and he was very poetic in his stringing together of words. Throughout the shoot there were no problems however, the studio (Pirate Studios, Digbeth) was a popular location and other musicians were constantly moving in and out of the studio which caused a lot of background noise even with a directional based boom mic. While this simply required some extra patience, this also provided a positive through further networking opportunities which resulted with details being exchanged with several other artists.

KAMAL MUSIC VIDEO

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio Having worked with Kamal a month before, a new shoot was finally organised after he had produced, written and recorded a new song. For this shoot, my crewmate over at panther productions took the creative lead and in a meeting over a meal we discussed different rap and grime artists that we used to or currently listen to. In particular, we assessed the song and tried to figure out what kind of artist Kamal was similar to in terms of his music. We looked at old school artists who were still putting out music and successfully doing so. 57

We settled with doing a video similar to Wileyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6 in the Morning as we would be able to utilise available resources such as the full cove photo studio at the Parkside media house. This shoot was split into two parts, one with a black background and another with a white. We decided to split into two different filming days to suit our availability. I oversaw the all-white shoot which was heavily reliant on lighting in order to for the walls to blend together.

GRACE WILLIAMS DANCER DANCE CHOREOGRAPHY

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio For this shoot I collaborated with another final year student and his promotional company project called Noble Panther. The client had wanted a promotional video showcasing her dance choreography as well as an interview to accompany the dance piece. As is the case with many performers, studio lights and cameras often bring out the nerves on the most experienced individuals as there is an element of higher concentration needed to both be mindful of cameras as well as being able to ignore it. Grace took some time to adjust and we filmed her dancing her routine on several takes. 58

It is also interesting to note that I had left the camera rolling to time-lapse the setting up process in the large studio A of the Parkside media house, this footage of myself and others setting up equipment was particularly useful in my show reel.

GRACE WILLIAMS DANCER INTERVIEW

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio This interview follows on with the collaboration with Noble Panther. For this interview, I was the main camera and asked questions and monitored sound levels. As the subject had never been interviewed before, there was some explaining such as the details of pausing between questions and how she should answer the questions by restating them. Overall the shoot was relatively smooth and straightforward. 59

MS SOCIETY DOCUMENTARY

Video Status: Unreleased by student The MS Society is a charity for those inflicted with multiple sclerosis. A fellow student at Birmingham City University, Harry Highland, planned to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in order to raise money and awareness for the MS Society. He contacted me through Facebook to ask if I was interested in helping him film videos of him training as well as interviews of those suffering from MS. Harry is highly respectable and it is always a pleasure to work with someone as down to earth and honest as him. This was a longer shoot and involved traveling to the location of the MS Society in South Birmingham and filming a relatively sensitive topic with multiple sclerosis sufferers. Professionalism and attentiveness were essential in the shoot and interviewing each member of the society was both insightful and heart breaking. While the footage did not make it into my show reel for obvious reasons, this is without doubt one of the more meaningful shoots Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been on.

VERY VEGGIE COOKING SHOW

Video Status: To be released at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCp3M_qK9VbH44S3OpL8bCmA Very Veggie is a cooking show designed by vegetarians for vegetarians, there are a range of segments however I was contacted to film on location as the main cameraman for the main segment with the host of the show. I was involved mainly in set design, lighting and camera work. As the producer of the show had no real technical knowledge, there was a need to explain clearly to both the talent and producer how the camera set up would be most effective. By being more vocal, I also developed a secondary skill which was simply citing the words â&#x20AC;&#x153;one more for safetyâ&#x20AC;?. This was particularly relevant to this shoot as a cooking show can only have so many chances of recording the food before it drastically changes. Overall the shoot was a lot of fun and was definitely one off the better planned ones shoots in terms of the producer herself having thought about every possible aspect that could go wrong and had a contingency plan for it.

THE CULTURE DROP NEWS

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Culture Drop is your one-stop hub to get caught up on everything relevant to you! It's news without the boring stuff.â&#x20AC;? The Culture Drop is a video news company developed and maintained by Luke James. Having worked with me previously, he contacted me to help him light and film his show, although relatively simple in set up, my roles ranged from kit management and set up to lighting and script advising. This was a reoccurring shoot that consisted only of myself and Luke James and we filmed on four occasions. Besides applying some technical camera skills, the professional context of the shoot did not develop any new skills but definitely honed pre-existing ones.

LYRIQUE MUSIC VIDEO

Video Status: Released and placed in portfolio In this particular shoot, I was asked by another student to be the main camera whilst he directed the actors. I had previously worked with the director in his Follow Up TV company and it was relatively easy to cooperate with him. Upon arriving at the location of the shoot, I set up the camera and assed the shot. Unsatisfied, I readjusted both the lighting and set design of the class room. This was difficult as the lighting in the room was subpar and the dark and cloudy weather meant that natural daylight coming in through the windows were of no use. In addition to this the back wall was slanted 63

at an angle with the building and so the framing did not look symmetrical. Both of these problems were mitigated slightly with the focus and lighting adjustment settings on the camera. The singer was talented and received directions well which also made the whole shoot smooth.

FLEXICO CITY FITNESS PROMOTION

Flexico City Fitness is an Instagram, YouTube and Facebook fitness channel dedicated to pushing the limits of fitness and provide regular training videos and guides on both gym workouts and dietary needs for the best results. Having done a range of guerrilla filming on his mobile phone with ambitions to take it to the next level, the owner of the channel contacted me in order to be professionally filmed at a higher quality and in a more controlled and lit environment. With this shoot I saw a potential for collaboration and decided to also work with Noble Panther Productions in to return the favour of introducing my services to clients. In this shoot, I took more of a creative lead and came up with the concept of the video. I also had an array of extra shots that were eventually used as a further 15 second promotional piece for Instagram (below) that was also edited by myself whilst Noble Panther Productions edited the main piece.

SHOW REEL The shoots from this project has culminated in a show reel which will be both submitted as part of this project and on the portfolio website itself. Detail the different elements that went into making the show reel as well as the thinking behind it.

Format and length The show reel is a short piece that is used to show case a particular skill set and usually consists of the owners most impressive work. For cinematographers, the show reel is typically a short 60 to 90 second clip filled with highlights from their shoots with a range of shots that vary from close ups to wide shots. According to research made into show reels and other freelance camera operators, the majority of clips hang on the side of brevity and usually have clear indicators of the name behind the work. Show reels can also be used to highlight impressive clients which builds up significance and reputation. For this there were two main concerns. With some foresight, I had begun to use the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;double slot recordingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; option on the C100 cameras at the start of 2017. However, footage recorded before January were often just given straight to the client and there have been major difficulties regaining that footage. Some clients having not backed up the footage while others have become hard to contact (as is the case with Mohammad and the Mercedes footage). However, with the footage from 2017, there has been enough content to make a 60 second show reel. The editing software used was Premiere Pro CC 2017 which was bought at the start of March as there was a need to edit some work for clients. Although admittedly, editing is not something I am well suited to as I often lose sight of the bigger picture and nit-pick at the smallest of details â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an obsession I learnt I had in my second year at university. In addition to this, I also took exams for the Adobe Certified Associate for Premiere Pro CC 2015 in February which allows me to state I have advanced knowledge of Adobe editing software.

Music A song is useful for any video content as it provides a natural beat and rhythm for the image to be edited to. In order to abide by both legal and copyright etiquette, royalty free music is often used. In my search for a song to cut the show reel to, I found a YouTube channel that specifically puts out high quality royalty free piano music. There were a range of songs and I knew I wanted a slightly faster track that created a sense of awe as opposed to a slower, sombre one that creates a sense of calmness or sadness. However, I also had to take into account the main beat within the track. Within every song there is a main beat that is consistent throughout often takes the form of a clap or drum beat. This is usually the point of the song that the image is edited in unity with. I therefore needed a song that was upbeat and awe inspiring but one that had a slightly slower clap so I could show case my footage for a clear amount of time between each clap. The track selected had a clap pace of two seconds which allowed for a shot to be seen and processed easily by the human eye while also not crossing the three second threshold that makes the edit too long.

Branding It is also highly important to imprint my own name onto the show reel for potential clients to be reminded of who the footage belongs to. In doing this, I decided to animate my logo using titles and masking in Premiere Pro. The animated logo lasts for nine seconds at the start of the show reel. My first instinct was to shorten it however upon further consideration, I allowed it to linger for viewers to truly see the letters and words as it is animated to be popping in and then out. The logo is also at the end of the show reel to further reinforce the branding of the content.

CRITICAL

EVALUATION

Critical Evaluation Submitted elements 70

   

USB with show reel and all footage and end products currently released (18) Research and Production Pack Portfolio Website - https://kimmyjinnhuynh.wixsite.com/cinematographer LinkedIn Profile - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimmy-huynh-a64428aa/ Introduction

This production project was creatively rooted in applying and further developing my role as a freelance self-directing camera operator. Over the course of the project, a range of different shoots were undertaken both individually and as part of teams. In January, I officially set up a website for an amateur freelance service where I have since developed many skills while also learning more rules of the trade that come with time and experience operating camera equipment on shoots. Professionally, I also collaborated with other individuals which synergised each shoot. As for the time prior to January, there was another concept that was eventually dropped as a result of a change in tutors as well as complexities in the operation of that project idea. In the aftermath of changing the project, there were problems involving the new concept as I had to restart the research and the footage already gathered was not useable. Research The research conducted within the area of freelance camera work in the media industry was both interesting and insightful. Firstly, research into the industry of freelancers revealed the most important aspects of freelancing such as creating a brand which invokes brand loyalty and a sense of quality while the notion of personal work ethic and discipline were also highlighted as key areas that help individual freelancers excel and succeed in the businesses. There was undoubtedly a difference in working in isolation in comparison to operating in a team of like-minded individuals as I was previously accustomed to in the first and second year of my degree. Working alone often opened myself to the possibility of complacency as freelancers are mainly dictated by their own work ethic due to the freedom that comes with the profession. This freedom is highlighted in the first section of the research pack that details how the lifestyle of freelancers are dictated by personal work ethic and staying on trend. This was particularly relevant to me as these were skills that I previously utilised in other jobs such as door to door fundraising for UNICEF where I had to power through constant rejection. Keeping myself focused and active in spite of rejection is a skill I utilised while my mindset in staying active and healthy was simply reapplied to the idea of freelancing. Researching what makes a successful freelancer, therefore, guided me on how I should conduct myself in the role as well as reapplying old ones. One major freelancer that influenced my work ethic and inspired me was arguably the most popular YouTuber: Casey Neistat, who methodically produces content every day. His content is of a high quality and his camera operation skills are second to none. Further industry research was obtained first hand when attending events such as media conferences, masterclasses and large media events. Specifically, the BBC Sports Personality Awards, The Digital Pick and Mix and the BBC Three Masterclass with Damian Kavanagh. These events allowed me to come into close contact with industry professionals who are well versed in what freelancing entails. It was particularly useful to see the different opinions and suggestions put forward by individuals in separate areas of the industry. Most advised me to gain industry experience in a salary based job and then freelance on the side for extra revenue as opposed to immediately starting as a freelancer. In 71

discussing pay, those conversations led me to look up how much freelancers get paid, although I had a vague idea from previous jobs, it was beneficial to solidify my understanding of typical payments given to camera operators in order to effectively operate as a business. Professional Context Further research into how freelance camera operators present and conduct themselves online was undertaken while the legalities of the profession were also touched on while the process of registering with the government was also highlighted. One main area that I saw to be lacking in many profiles were logos and branding for the camera operators. One particular freelancer effectively branded himself as a camera operator and was highly successful in creating a sense of quality through his logo and branding strategy. This led to me focusing on branding and creating a brand for two main reasons: a brand and logo are effectively future-proof and having a logo immediately creates a sense of professionalism. To do this I contacted a designer who I had previously worked with and was familiar with her work. This resulted in five meetings and stages of development where feedback was gained by a range of different peers, friends and family over social media. After creating the logo, a website to house the content of this project was created. For this task, I instantly decided to go with Wix as I had previous experience in using the website design tools provided by Wix. A new Wix ADI feature made the process of creating a website even smoother, which, paired with a keen awareness of Wix design tools allowed me to swiftly create a website which would reinforce the professional aspect of my project along with the logo. Both of which would help me to reach my target audience and create an impression. The website structure itself also helped me reach my clients as the contact section allowed for potential clients to directly inquire about fees and services. The website, therefore, acted as a delivery platform as I was able to clearly state what services I provide and a means for them to contact me directly. Another way of reaching potential clients was done so through networking and actively seeking out clients. Upon observing the freelance steady cam operators from the BBC Sports Personality Awards network with each other on the fly allowed me to understand how to network effectively. As for the creative aspect that contributes to the professional context, a show reel was also created to showcase my work as a freelancer. The show reel consisted of my camerawork from this year and was filled with my favourite shots. However, there was some difficulty in recovering footage from the period before the project changed. This meant that there are some valuable bits of footage that was not able to be put into the show reel as I had initially envisioned. As for the legal and ethical boundaries, there was some more sensitive footage that had children, the elderly and sufferers of a disability in the frame. These shots were not included in the show reel. Further research into show reels revealed how long one of my final products should be. As a deliverable for the assessment of this project, it was an important element of the submission that would define the professional context of the project. Having already created a brand image through the logo, I also undertook an exploration into the format and length of typical show reels in the media industry. Music, content and branding were the main elements of a show reel that needed to be taken into consideration Management of the Process At the start of the project, a calendar was printed and immediately pinned up. The project calendar inserted in this portfolio and details the different events that took place throughout the academic 72

year. Having it pinned up reinforced the importance of work ethic within freelancers and seeing it every day meant I was constantly reminded of the project and could note down key dates where significant events would take place as they happened. Events such as shoots, meetings, research undertaken and equipment details were put directly into the calendar. The use of a professional contract that underlined all the details of employment allowed for a clear agreement and commitment between the client and myself and also reinforced the legal aspect of the project. A clause in the copyright section also allowed for me to use the footage as part of my show reel. This forward thinking further made management of the project flow smoothly. With that said, there were also flaws in the management of the project, most notably in the initial management of footage and in keeping in contact with previous clients. This is the case with the Mercedes promotional video. Having changed his number, I tried to contact him through Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp to no avail as his details had all changed and he was not very active on social media. Having learnt my lesson, I better managed the process of shoots by making use of the double slot recording function on my regularly used camera: the canon C100. This meant that the camera would record footage on two SDs at the same time meaning that the client could recieve one at the end of the shoot while I had a copy for my own use. In addition to this, I also became more aware of the importance of communication. The frequency, as seen in the project calendar, and length of meetings were increased and a rapport was built with clients. By having a better understanding of each other and what each party is interested in gaining from the video content as well as how they intended to use it in the long term meant that I could better advise how the footage could be used and shot. Working with clients also meant that I had to maintain a professional demeanour which would develop professional relationships. This was also the case when working as part of a team or collaborating with other production specialists where the client would see the team as a unit which meant that we would need to conduct and manage our appearance when working together to not create doubt in our clientsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; minds. Even on some occasions where a director was unsure of something or did not explain a particular detail to a client, it was important to carefully time an interjection to not make the entire team lose credibility. This was particularly the case in the Serena MV shoot where the artistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s parents also attended the shoot and had an array of different questions that were difficult for the director to answer alone. Flair and Creativity While my initial services offered were simply in the area of camera operation and the delivery of video content at the end of the shoot, I soon became involved with lighting which often determined the look and feel of a scene. Also, operating sound levels and the recording of sound directly into a camera through an external mic then meant I had all the components to edit the entire footage for the client. With some projects, I was also the only production specialist and often self-directed after clearly mediating with the client about what the outcome of the shoot should be. Having worked with many different clients over time, my role also evolved and encompassed the areas of lighting, camerawork, sound and directing. Being able to control all the elements of the mise-en-scene also allowed me to have more creative control over the videos. This is most notable in the Flexico Fitness Promotion where I had a large hand in creating the concept and narrative, lighting the subject and recording both on location and in 73

studio. Later, I also had a copy of all the footage because of the double slot record function and edited a short preview for the client as a supplementary piece. In that sense, I became more and more of a creative consultant as the role and shoot demanded it. Interestingly, I found a lot of inspiration for creativity in my research on Casey Neistat. Particularly in his technical camera skills which often led me to further researching different lenses and filming styles. Having had a long history of production work as part of my university course and in shoots outside of it, I had a keen awareness of the entire production process and I could then predict how a shot would need to be filmed in order to meet editing requirements. This was the case with the Kamal music video shoot where I knew I had to light the subject and film it in the correct settings that would make the editing process straight forward with no colour corrections needed. Technical Skills In addition to having a wealth of practical experiences on camera and being up to date with the theoretical ideas behind camera work as well as the latest models and specifications as a result of my personal interest, I decided to set out to gain professional certification for both camera work and editing. To achieve this, I undertook training sessions provided by the university technicians as well as Adobe Certified Associate exams in order to be able to state that I was professionally trained in camera operation and in editing software. Both the real-world experiences and professional training taught me many different ways of executing shoots which combined, furthered my technical expertise. Rule of thumbs such as double slot recording, clearing memory cards by formatting them, resetting all options on hired cameras, backing up footage in several locations and citing the safety rule are all rules of the trade learnt from experience. In technically assessing the show reel, there are a range of shots that vary in terms of the client, miseen-scene and cinematography. However, in critically assessing the technical skills involved, it is clear that there is some footage from the earlier portion of the project that are not as well filmed. A prime example of this being the stark difference between the Digital Pick and Mix Conference footage and the Stusio Flexico Fitness shoot where lighting, focus and framing are very well established and used to fully utilise the events of the scene. Of all the shoots, the Flexico fitness shoot has been a personal favourite in terms of how it creates excitement and motivation through the use of the song and the narrative concept. However, one technical regret was in the location shoot of the project where a lens booked by another crew member was forgotten and I was forced to use a 24 millimetre lens with a low focus point of 1.4. Using this lens meant that I had an extremely shallow depth of field and any shots of the subject doing movements away and toward the camera, such as rowing back and forth, meant that he quickly went out of focus. While it is clear that there has been a progression and improvement on technical skill, there are still mistakes that need to be ironed out. In objectively looking at the Wix website, there is a range of strong points as well as weak points. The most notable weakness is simply in the lack of content. While this can be easily nullified with the addition of content and footage from the previous years of camera work, the project outlines that all work submitted must consist of work that took place within the academic year. Perhaps the strongest point of the website is in its design and professional appearance. Conclusion To conclude, the module has been a journey of trial and error where the freedom for experimentation allowed for distinct aspects of the media industry to be explored, A range of shoots 74

have been undertaken, ranging from fashion to sport and corporate promotions to music videos. In the media industry, creative ideas are highly valuable as is the ability to execute them. In a conversation with the Digital Controller of BBC Three, Damian Kavanagh at his masterclass, he stated that young creatives who self-produce, direct, film and edit are highly valuable individuals that would have a place at the BBC Threeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new home in Birmingham. As my freelance camerawork evolved into becoming a creative consultant, there are a range of professional ambitions that I am keen on pursuing with my developed technical skills and the work ethic of a freelancer in mind. Firstly, this project has established the groundwork for me to continue freelance camerawork while a secondary, more long term objective is to utilise my unique trait as being bilingual with English and Cantonese. This gives me an opportunity to bridge the two communities in terms of camerawork. This was further reinforced with the creation of a secondary Chinese logo and a secondary Chinese show reel. Finally, and perhaps the most immediate interest is in the BBC Three and the opportunities there with planning already taking place for potential pieces to be filmed and pitched.

SUPPORTING

DOCUMENTS

This section consists of different pieces of work that were collected over the course of the project. It is also imperative to mention that the work in this section is a mixture of documents made by myself as well as by others, these documents made by others will be labelled.