Below is an interview I had with my mentor, Jefferson Drexler. I decided for the interview to use the proffesional recording studio and high quality microphones at the North County Media Center so that'd I'd learn how to set it up for a recording while setting up for my own interview.
​Reflection
So far, I've only been apart of a single shoot. Most of the work I have done for North County Media Center so far has been for the podcast network. Specifically, I have written summaries for individual podcast episodes. These are not just short, one paragraph summaries; I am basically "converting" the podcast into written form, much like a novelization of a film. These summaries are time-consuming and require a lot of attention, but they are helping me improve as a writer. Learning how to express other people's thoughts on the page makes me think a lot about my prose and vocabulary, helping me to find the most clear, concise, and evocative way to write something.
The aforementioned shoot that I worked on was a lot of fun. It was a commercial for a product called the 4Arm Strong, which is a device used by athletes who have what is commonly referred to as golfer's/tennis elbow to relax their muscles. For the shoot I helped move and adjust the lights, worked the boom mic, and prepare products for display. I also got to watch Jefferson and his colleague Bill work, which helped me understand how lighting effects an image and the importance of camera placement. The most exciting part about the ad is that it featured Robbie Maddison, a famous stunt man and motocross racer who did this, and Aldon Baker, a very well-respected motocross trainer. It was pretty cool to meet such a notable stuntman, especially when I was not at all expecting to . It was also really fun to work with Aldon who was a super nice guy and real pro, reciting his lines over and over until we got a perfect take.
Even when we are not on a shoot, I am learning. Jefferson often teaches me about the fundamentals of video production. For example, today I learned about key, fill, and back lighting. A key light is the most important light, lighting providing the main source of light for a subject. It is typically facing the subject from either their left or right side at a 45 degree angle, although this is often altered to achieve some sort of effect. Whichever side is lit the most by the key will be the most pronounced. If you only have one main source of light, that light is considered the key. For example, when creating a silhouetted image, even though the light is behind the subject that light is still considered the key. When shooting in natural sunlight, the sun is your key light. The fill is on the opposite side of the key and lights the subjects other side. If the fill is too bright, there are no shadows on one side of the subject, losing detail and making their face look flat. If there is no fill, only one side of the subject is lit, which is often used for dramatic effect. The back light simply adds light to the subjects shoulders and the back of their head, giving them a little more depth. No matter what you do, you will always have a key light. You can make do without a fill or back light, but you will always need a key light to create a comprehensible image.