Category Archives: Production Diary

Hint: Try Starting with a Shot List1Aboriginal fingers on bulldozer controls—shot by Keith Back in 1968, I get a job as a director and I’m forced to work with my client’s chief cameraman. “Want the job? Then learn to live … Continue reading →

You Have to Join It It’s 2009. I’ve got to tell you, we are running out of money. My corporate video business is on the wane. I save money buying cat food at Costco. Sirius XM and Netflix are cancelled. … Continue reading →

1870 • Caught in the Act Let’s start our story in 1870. In England, parliament passes the Education Act providing free schooling to children between the ages of 5 and 13. A hundred years later and it’s time to celebrate … Continue reading →

But There’s an Avid in My Bathroom 7/22/2015 4:30 PM Eastern By : Stefan Sargent PRINTEMAIL Dear Friends, In February’s Production Diary, I wrote about how my TV studio in London had been “transmogrified” into a bells and whistles 3D color … Continue reading →

The Matrix Remember when Neo and Trinity rescue Morpheus from the agents and escape in a ’copter? They look down and pow! There it is, the AWA Tower in Sydney. Sydney’s AWA Tower I arrive there fresh out of school. … Continue reading →

Look What They’ve Done to My Studio, Ma We all love Larry Jordan, don’t we? Larry is an industry guru—was an editor, now an Apple FCP X and Adobe trainer.We meet up each year at the NAB Show. He loves … Continue reading →

Being’s Believing I wrote about my new Sony PXW-X70 video camera—you know, all the facts and figures stuff that Digital Video’s Ned Soltz is so good at. I read it and scrapped it. Sorry Cristina, no Production Diary this month. … Continue reading →

We leave Robert Altman’s yacht and walk to the Hôtel Majestic Barrière in Cannes. David sees the concierge and tips him 200 francs. “Bonjour. Je m’appele David Whiting, Hollywood correspondent for Time magazine. Je suis incognito. If anyone asks for … Continue reading →

Hitchcock, Altman and Me It’s May 1972. I’m at Nice airport in the south of France. “Stefan, what are you doing here?” Behind me is the towering figure of Clyde Packer with a new GF. I went to school with … Continue reading →

Adam and Eve No, not that Eve. I mean the one before the new year. Today is New Year’s Eve 2013 and it’s my neighbor’s birthday. Happy birthday, Patrick. So who’s Adam? He is Patrick’s daughter’s husband’s brother’s son. Confusing, isn’t … Continue reading →