A year ago I shot a video for Jon at Spksmen and this time he wanted to shoot a different type of promo video. A two location shoot which included his artist sketching up the design for the newest hoodie and shots of the new hoodies being printed. Not sure if this paragraph includes the correct terminology, but I’m a video guy

The set up for the graphic was the Ikan 500id LED light, a 7D on sticks and I viewed it all through the Marshall 5″. A great set up and was able to get sharp images with the Nikon 85mm lens. The factory was a bit of run and gun/stealth. Shot it all with the 7D, a Z-finder and Sigma 17-50. This kept me out of peoples way and allowed me to blend in a lot easier than if I had a huge camera on my shoulder.

Edited this in FCP 7 and colored the first part of the video in Magic Bullet and the second part with the 3 way color correction. Enjoy!

Many of you are probably laughing at this title, and to be honest I still don’t believe that I like editing with Final Cut Pro X. It looks like iMovie and the workflow is totally different. But I continued reading about it and watched some great tutorials from Chip Dizard over at Web Video Chefs (click here to see the webinar). It got me more curious and a few days later I am here.

So once I got used to the different workflow it began to make more sense and it didn’t bother me. As I mention in the video below there are still things I don’t like and hope they change. Along with that, I am still learning and it will take many more projects to become proficient.

I’ll start with the things I do not like and would like to see changed and then quickly get into why I am starting to love FCP X. No bins. Media is organized by date (See Below). Can not do multiple sequences, must be multiple projects but you can duplicate. This one I am sure I will get over, but on bigger projects, especially when making multiple versions may not work out. I have not found an easy way to mute all audio tracks. That is about it for now and I am sure like anything, there will be more after using it more.

Lets get on with the good stuff. Speed. This software is packed of so many features that it was hard to pick the ones I wanted to talk about. Granted, a lot of this features and filters/effects you would never use on a professional project, but there are many that you will.

The ones that stand out to me are; back ground rendering, color correction/grading, searching sound effects library, key framing, trimming, Ken Burns, and chroma key. Another feature I haven’t played with too much is the text tools. If people want, I can work on that and put out another video, even a tutorial. Check out the video below to see these features.

I hope you enjoyed the video and if you want to see more tutorials please check out Web Video Chefs. If you want me to go over more features and have additional questions don’t hesitate to ask. I would be happy to try and help!

***Updates***

As I mentioned I am still very new so in about a month I will do another post after working on paid projects with this software. For now, there is something I wanted to add:

You are able to do a bin type organization. Right click on the event name in the Event Library and create a new folder. Name this whatever you want, lets say BRoll. Under this folder you are going to add a ‘New Keyword Collection’ and from there you can drag and drop your media into. Again, different/weird workflow but as time goes on I am getting used to it.

iPads are being used more and more in video production and Ikan is making some awesome products that go with this trend. I was lucky enough to get a new teleprompter both hardware and software from Ikan. Awesome piece of equipment and recommend it to anyone doing teleprompter work and those with very quick set up and break down times.

The first thing I noticed about the kit is weight. I remember as an intern I had to carry a big bulky kit around DC all day, up and down stairs for a construction safety shoot. Needless to say I hated teleprompters from then on. This is under 10lbs and takes only about 5 minutes to set up and the same to break down. When you order yours, be sure to take the time to put it together before going on a shoot. There is a little installation time and luckily I had the time to put it all together the night before.

So how’d it do on set? I was shooting for 522 Productions for a corporate training video so the talent were the ones who worked there. Non of them had experience with reading off a teleprompter nor speaking into a camera with Kinos lighting them up. Some of the comments I received were ‘That was so easy to read’ ‘The pacing was perfect’ ‘After a while I forgot there was a camera behind it’. As a producer and director, that’s exactly what you want to here. As the teleprompter(er) it makes you look good. We shot on the Sony EX3 and the big Ikan baseplate worked great.

The only thing I didn’t like, which isn’t much of a problem for me and many others, is there was no case included. For only $699 I wasn’t surprised and rather then jacking up the price by adding a case, it gives the owner an option on how they want to case it. I recommend a Pelican case. Wouldn’t need anything big and mostly just something to keep the glass and iPad holder safe.

That covers it for the hardware. I will be posting a video soon to accompany this post. The other thing I was able to test is the Elite Prompter iPad App. This thing is great. Simple, easy to use, and you can import scripts from Drop Box and Adobe Story. What I did for this shoot was open the script in Mail, copy the script, and pasted it right into Elite Prompter. From there I was able to change the size, color and bolded certain words. The other feature I loved was cue points. There were different topics that needed to be touched on and I ‘marked’ the beginning of these. What this enabled me to do is easily skip to each topic like you would chapters on a DVD. Although you can set a speed and let the iPad automatically run, I used an Apple wireless keyboard and recommend that. Much easier to control and didn’t have to move. Although you can hook up a monitor to your iPad, I just sat a little aways from the talent and that worked fine.

Overall both of these products work great. If you have any questions, or want me to test out anything in particular be sure to comment and I will try it out for you. Hope you enjoyed this review and be on the look out for a video!

I usually test out new gear a few times before using it on a paid gig but on my last shoot I had to break that rule. I was shooting some shop safety videos for MetaMedia and had the Ikan ID 500 LED light which does a great job but with all the shadows and sharp edges of a sheet metal factory, I needed some extra fill in certain places.

The Ikan iLED-One did an amazing job of getting extra light into the tools, machines, and hands of the worker. I was a little worried that the tungsten bulb wouldn’t play nice with the daylight balanced ID 500, but I was wrong. It added a nice golden punch and looked great. Having the set up that Ikan put together made for some pretty awesome options. I connected the light to my tripod, light stands, cables, tools, benches and pipes. Pretty cool right?

So what’s cool? The flexibility and output of this light are very cool. Will test as a fill light soon and update this post. The articulating arm allows the user to easily point the light exactly where they want it quickly. I wouldn’t be surprised if I get another one along with the other available bulbs. Check out more at http://ikancorp.com

This past weekend, Bryan Tosh and I put together a meet up for those interested in learning more about video and DLSRs. We have done a few before but this one was the best yet. We had a great group of people come out from all different backgrounds and skill levels. The one thing everyone had in mind is that they have a passion for visuals, whether still or moving.

These meetups are a great way to learn something new, teach others something you know, network with professionals and enthusiasts, and try out some cool gear. I hope that more will join us and those that have, Bryan and I are already planning for the next one and it will be even better. Hoping to have more hands on, planned scenarios, lighting, audio and shooting!

I made a quick video showing some of the attendees and Bryan explaining what’s going on. Enjoy!

Ikan was the booth I wanted to see first, and I’m glad I did. They got a lot of cool things going on in Houston, including two prototype lights they brought with them to DC for the GV Expo. The first light shown on the video is the ID 1500. This thing kicks some serious (insert your choice of word here). My first thought was an LED version of Kino Flo. I think this may be about right but I’ll let you be the judge. A very long soft throw with an arm that works like the Kino Flo arm makes this one serious light that everyone should be looking at. He also mentioned that it will be bicolored (tungsten and daylight). And one last thing, I could easily pick this up on the stand with one hand and move it. Yeah, this light is awesome.

The Second light Ikan showed me was their new 508. I’ll take 2! It has the same throw as their ID 500 (we tested it side by side) but has an affordable battery option. I have the ID 500 and this will make an amazing addition to that. Extremely light weight, portable and even has the option to power via AC. Great stuff from Ikan.

Side Note: I also played with the follow focus and that thing is amazing! For only $349 you get a complete kit and it feels identical to the Zacuto. Built tough too. I had that rigged to their stealth rig.

Great Stuff Ikan!

Available for hire for various production postions. This reel highlights my work as a Director of Photography, Camera Operator, Colorist and Editor.

For more information on myself and my work please visit ruschervisuals.com or email me at rob@ruschervisuals.com

To see my more check out my portfolio on Vimeo http://vimeo.com/album/1550930

With the success of past meetups, Bryan Tosh and I have decided to make this meetup the best one yet. Instead of only grabbing drinks and talking about shooting, we are going to be shooting this time. And don’t worry, there will be drinks after!

The plan is to meet at 1PM outside the Arlington Cemetery Metro. Arlington Cemetery offers a great place to get some cool shots and set up tripods to get some killer timelapses. I am talking with a few people and will be trying to get my hands on multiple Intervalometers for both the 7D and 5D and some other cool gear. Any rental houses that are interested in participating please let me know. We’d love to have you. If you have any cool gear you want to show off, bring it! Along with that we will be working with the Glidecam and allow anyone who wants to, to get their hands on it and take it for a test drive. Weather permitting, we should be here until about 4PM and from there we are going to grab drinks and food at Whitlow’s which is right by the Clarendon Metro. This will give the opportunity for others to meet up, talk about whatever is on your mind and network with local shooters and enthusiasts. Whether you have been shooting since the beta days or just getting into the production world, all will have fun and hopefully learn some cool new things. If you have any questions feel free to comment or email me directly at rob@ruschervisuals.com Please help us make this a great event and pass on the word to your friends.

Hope to see you all there!

What People should bring:
-Any camera you have
-Tripod for time lapses
-Cool gear you want to show off
-Business cards to network

It’s a great time to be in this field. The technology is never ending, cameras are getting more powerful, lighting has numerous options, and the gear… oh that gear . Not to mention the announcements from Canon and Red. I won’t fill this post about those cameras for two reasons. I haven’t event seen them (as most haven’t), and there’s enough information out there already. I recommend checking out Vincent Laforet’s blog and watch the beautiful short he shot with it. Amazing.

Ok, back to what I wanted to talk about. There are so many options out there when it comes to cameras and gear to get the shots you want and bring a clients vision to reality. For almost two years I’ve been shooting with the Canon 7D I love it. Why I love it more is because it plays really nice with other cameras. Whether I end up getting an FS100, Scarlet, C300 or the mystery Canon DSLR, the 7D will always be an amazing B camera. With a nice prime, you can’t knock on that image quality. It served great as one of the cameras I shot with in a project with 522 Productions. It was a 7 day shoot where there were always at least 2 cameras running. Most days there was 3 and one day there was 4. Luckily they had a slate!

After working that many days with those cameras, the 7D is still my favorite. The 5D is great but for the price, I’d rather have a 7D and a nice prime. The 60D was cool but lacks some of the features of the 7D/5D. Plastic body, menu configuration and the ability to shift the white balance beyond the basic white balance control. White balance brings me to the AF100. Ugh.

I know some people love it but the camera still disappoints me. And I wasn’t the only one. It’s not lack of features, size, or even image quality. We had Zeiss primes and it look amazing. But dialing white balance is a headache. When matching 3 other cameras this took way too much time on the AF. I wasn’t on the AF much but the director of photography that was said he couldn’t trust what he saw on the monitor. That’s not good. But again, the image that came out of the camera (with Zeiss) looked clean and crisp. Having audio meters in the camera and dual XLR inputs really helped too.

Needless to say, there are a lot of options in cameras and you just have to decide what camera will work best for you and the projects you want to get. If I have learned anything it is to invest in lighting and glass. After that, a nice tripod and a multi purpose rig will get you far.

I was lucky enough to shoot the Annual Salvation’s Army Most Amazing Race in Pittsburgh. I shot this same even last year but this year seemed to have more people and move along much faster. Luckily I am in decent shape because I had to cover over 17 miles of Pittsburgh and was on my feet the whole day. What an event though and for an even better cause.

Although I was hired to only make one video, I decided to make an additional one that doesn’t do much explaining of the event but hopefully makes you want to find out more. It also gave me the chance to practice more with Color which I really enjoy. I am currently working on a 2-3 minute edit that will do a better job of explaining the event and have more of a story to it. For now, I hope you enjoy the minute piece I put together.

You can find out more about the efforts of the Salvation Army of Pittsburgh HERE and more on the event HERE.

I shot it all with the Canon 7D and the Sigma 17-50 2.8. Didn’t have time to change lenses; I had to eat pizza while running and jumping into a car just to keep up with the racers! (Gel packs saved the day and my stomach!) The rig is a custom handheld rig that has a follow focus, shoulder pad and single handle. Made for hoping into vehicles, running around the streets, and going into businesses much easier. I also had the Rode Video Mic Pro attached when it wasn’t raining. Once again, the 7D amazed me with what it was able to do.

***UPDATE***

Here is the completed longer version showcasing the event.

I am teaming up with Allegheny Cyclery, a local bike shop, to bring some cool videos highlighting their shop, the amazing spots to ride in the area and the fact that they now carry Pivot Cycles. The first video we are putting together is the one advertising Pivot Cycles and I couldn’t be more excited about it (Especially since I have one!). Can’t say more than that but as soon as it stops raining we should start shooting. For now, I wanted to talk about the Epic HD Helmet Cam.

Warning: These next two paragraphs get technical. If you aren’t interested in all that skip these two

When I posted using this on Twitter the immediate question was “is it better than the Go Pro?” Now before I answer that let me give you all a quick overview of this camera. It puts out 1280 x 720 at 30 FPS with the option of 4X digital zoom. The camera angle is 168 degrees which is pretty wide. It has a long list of accessories including a monitor that plugs in via USB. I like this feature and all though I have not used it, I think it would be easier to mount and check your shot without it being connected to the back of the camera. You do have the option to shoot in 720×480 and 640×480 if you want. It records on to an SD card as an MP4 and compressed using H.264. It is powered by 3 AAA batteries which is ok, but id rather have an internal battery. For $280 you get the camera, 3 batteries, a strap mount, adhesive mount and elbow mount.

To quickly compare the Go Pro 1920×1080 at 30 FPS, 1280×960 at 30 FPS or 60 FPS which is huge. Allows you to easily slow down footage by converting it to 30 FPS or even 24 FPS in post. Seeing as I shoot with the 7D, this makes it very easy for them to get along in the same sequence. The lens has a 127 degree angle of view in full HD mode with the option to shoot at an ultra wide angle at 170 degrees but it must be down converted. For $260 you get the Go Pro, rechargeable battery, waterproof housing, adhesive mount, quick release buckle, some cables and a one year warranty,

What does all this mean? On paper the Go Pro seems to be a little better. I have only used it once so I cant accurately compare. The prices are pretty even and with the Go Pro offering full HD with an option to shoot in 60 FPS, it looks to be the winner. Be warned though; if you don’t plan on spending another $80 on a monitor, the menu system is very hard to navigate seeing as there is no screen. The Epic seems to have an advantage when it comes to easy usage. It took me no time to dial in the settings and start recording. For those looking for a fun helmet camera to play with, this could be the one.

Overall I like the Epic HD and hoping to use it in the upcoming videos. Here is some test footage from the first time I used it. Will be working on getting better angles for the real thing. Not knowing what you are getting is a bit stressful so for the real shoot I will be sure to bring my laptop to check my shots after each trail section.

ENJOY!!!

A couple weeks ago I shot the wedding for Jenelle and Zane. Anyone who shoots weddings, whether it be pictures or videos, would love to capture a couple like them. Most importantly, they wanted us there. That may sound funny but I’ve heard horror stories of couples that could care less about cameras there and couldn’t wait for it to be over… what a drag!

Luckily, both Zane and Jenelle were open to all of mine and the photographer’s (Jessi Adams) suggestions. Her pictures turned out amazing and you can see them HERE. It makes such a difference when the client has full trust in you and just goes with it. Even as stressful as a wedding can be, this couple had so much fun and I think it really shows in the video. Hope you all enjoy!

For the techies:
Canon 7D
Sigma 30
Sigma 17-50
Nikon 85
Custom built hand held rig
Edited and colored in FCP 7

Last week I went over to Jamestown NY to get some shots of BMX riders Matt Baglia and Ryan Baglia to showcase the HTFU clothing line. It was pretty cool to have the entire park to ourselves and be bothered by anyone. Matt and Ryan are pretty solid riders so I was fortunate enough to get a couple redos to get a better shot.

I am still messing with high frame rates on the 7D and keeping a good look (anyone that has shot with 60fps at 1280×720 knows what I mean). Anywho, enjoy the video and if you have any cool tips about shooting action sports with the DSLR, let me know… There is more coming!

It has been quite a while since I last wrote a post. So where have I been and how come I haven’t been posting videos? I decided it was time to get away from 100% freelance and get a full time production job (again). It is a company that is new to video production and I am still trying to get permission to post the videos I have been working on. How’s that going? Notice that there is no video in this post .

I work now for an online education company and have been learning a lot. I only have one person to answer to and on most projects I’m on my own and doing what I feel is best. A great transition from freelance to M-F. It helps to be surrounded by cool people that I enjoy seeing everyday. I still manage to keep up with freelance work on the weekends and will have some really cool stuff to show at the end of the month. Along with that I have some more weddings lined up that I will be shooting in the next month. That’s all I want to go on about what I’ve been doing for now (don’t want to bore you). I wanted to write this post for another reason.

Twitter is a great way to share ideas, meet people, and learn. But there is another thing that I have recently learned about Twitter. You can easily keep in touch with friends and stay current with people you have worked with even if you moved 6 hours away. I am still able to get work back in DC and branch out to new opportunities to where I am now. I don’t plan on being here forever and DC will always be my favorite city. Because of Twitter, it is much easier to keep up on opportunities and not get lost in the crowd. I believe so much in Twitter that I am working with people to give my new job a social media presence.

I will continue to push to put up my newest work and hopefully that happens soon. Thanks for all the support and encouragement many of you have given me.

Until next time,

Rob

I was lucky enough to shoot the wedding of Kristin and David. I can honestly say they have been my favorite client to work for of all time. They moved a few things in the ceremony just to ensure me the best shots. The initial meet up only made me more enthusiastic about the wedding and about making a highlight video.

There was a lot going on during the wedding and I needed a second shooter. I brought along David Banks and he did a really good job. Great attitude, fun to work with and constantly shooting until the end of the day.

Their wedding was so much fun and matched their personalities perfectly. Hope you enjoy the trailer I put together. Feel free to comment.