Category Archives: Production Diary

How I love American Cinematographer magazine. Next to Digital Video, it’s my all-time favorite. Every month I open it to the inside back cover, the same as you do with Digital Video, but instead of my stuff, there’s an interview … Continue reading →

The Job That Flew Away You remember Mary from my Production Diary a couple of months ago. Yes, of course you do: she’s the client who said, “It’s perfect. I absolutely love it!” and then, a few weeks later, wanted … Continue reading →

With Me, They Happen All the Time Miracle at the BBC I am making a VidiWall about the first 50 years of British television. I am in the office of the head of the BBC’s library. It’s 1986 and I … Continue reading →

The Cat Stays in the Picture” It’s Friday morning and the phone is ringing. “Howard here. I need a 10-minute video about my new product. Can you do it?” “Sure, how about 10 tomorrow. I’ll shoot it greenscreen.” Greenscreen is … Continue reading →

The Best of My Stuff His name is Chuck. At the NAB Show, he sees my name tag. “Wait ’til I tell my wife that I met you. We loooove your stuff. Our favorite story is ‘Dead in Denver.’” “Thanks,but … Continue reading →

TURN AND FACE THE STRAIn I make a little film—no, I mean video – for Mary. She comes here, sees it once and loves it. “Put it on our YouTube channel and make me a couple of DVDs.” Six Kodak … Continue reading →

A Tale of Two Cameras Published On: 03/19/13 03:03:38 PM By: Stefan Sargent Remember last month’s Production Diary? I wrote that I put my two Sony HVR-V1U camcorders on eBay. What a fiasco! AaarrrggghhhBAY Gee, I was only trying to sell … Continue reading →

TOYS FOR BOYS Spring Cleaning It’s March and I’m throwing everything out. Portable DVD player. Who needs it? Not me. Out damned DVD player! Goodbye DIY polecam, sad to see you go. Hello DJI Phantom Quadcopter, how high can you … Continue reading →

The Ultimate, Infinite Jib Is Mine, Mine, Mine This isn’t the Production Diary that I’d planned. To be honest, I’d written 650 words saying that in 19-something, I screwed up and then cleverly saved the day. You know, the usual … Continue reading →

Yes friends, that’s me. I’m asleep and getting paid for it. I’m outside on our deck doing a Rolf. That’s me, doing a Rolf My client knows FinalCut Pro and I’ve left him to it. He works, I sleep. Clients … Continue reading →