R|com Creative Blog

So, check out the photo. See where it says “microRemote” on the display? You’re looking at an iPhone. Or, alternatively, it could be an iPod Touch. Regardless, this is one of the most important new product releases since the DSLR rage hit. It doesn’t matter if you shoot with a Nikon or a Canon or whatever – if you shoot HD video, this is a really important piece of kit.

Essentially, this is a wireless, handheld, follow focus automation device. One of the big problems with DSLR rigs is they’re still small, even when you add a mattebox, viewfinder, etc. So, when the shot really counts and you’re shooting with sticks, this is a terrific way to better manage the shot.

It’s totally cool that RedRock Micro has delivered an Apple-certified iPhone/iPod touch application specifically for focus automation. And, if you add all of the proper goodies, it’s so James Bond or Jason Bourne, or (pick fave actor or serial adventure star here). It’s also cool that you can use your iPhone without lamenting about how lame AT&T is.

I could go on and on about this neat new tool. I won’t. Instead, check out the totally sales-oriented, but still nicely produced sales pitch video [ watch video clip ]

Using the iPad to show HD video on a large TV at LAFD headquarters.

Per my previous post on the iPad, everyone here that uses one has been enjoying the experience. However, there’s no doubt that our use is not “average.” Separate from development, we use the iPad to review video with clients, to deliver presentations, to connect to our servers and server farm, as a slate during video production, as a teleprompter, and so on.

On Tuesday of this past week, it all changed for me. My Macbook Pro (nearly 3.1 years old), suffered a miotechnical infarction. It had a CPU attack – and died. As a side note, I find it bizarre that it would die within a few days of its AppleCare protection expiring, not to mention on the same day as the new MacBook Pros being introduced by Apple.

Getting a new computer would be easy, but in the midst of the huge number of projects, the last thing on my mind was getting a new laptop. Worse, the prospect of migrating several hundred megabytes of data and applications was not inspiring.

It got worse. No matter what we did (the dealer and I), we could not get the content of my old Mac to transfer to the new one. Meanwhile, I had work to do. So, I decided to see what I could accomplish using the iPad. I left the migration project with my dealer, who diligently attacked the problem.

I have an iPhone and it’s great for email. I rarely use it for longer email notes. So, with the iPad in hand, I decided this would be a good test. Apple Mail is not my favorite app (on the Mac), but on the iPad, it was refreshing and even, careful now – fun. Apple gives tremendous thought to the process of their products, and it makes all the difference in the world. I love the way the in-box displays, the images pop up, etc. It’s very slick. The big trick was using the built-in keyboard.

For the first few email notes, I was not impressed. It seemed that I was missing keys and looking for other keys that weren’t there. Well, they were, but you had to swap overlays to see and use them. After three email notes, I answered the phone and walked away from the iPad.

When I came back, it was as if I had suddenly mastered typing on the keyboard. It was a cross between iPhone email and the Mac – the auto-spell-check worked nicely, and the graphical display and orientation of mail was easy to follow. In fact, it made sorting and responding to email far easier than on my desktop app (Entourage). So, using the iPad for email proved to be a snap.

Speaking of keyboards, I have been working on several reports, and thankfully, copies were stored in my mobile me account. So, I connected and transferred the files to my iPad. That was easy. But, then, after two pages of typing on the graphic keyboard, I started to get frustrated. I can type quickly. I cannot type quickly when using the iPad. Roadblock.

Then, I remembered I could use a bluetooth Mac keyboard. So, I drove to our office and snagged one from a workstation (sorry!), and brought it home. I plugged the iPad into the neat little stand you can get, and connected the keyboard. Now, I was typing quickly again. And Apple Pages for the iPad is totally cool – and it’ll cost you ten dead Presidents, so it’s cheap, too.

The next morning, in my email, I received a film budget in Excel format. Jeez, now what? Oh, I remembered that Apple Numbers was available – I already had Keynote and Pages. So, I tapped on the Apple iTunes Store (remember, we no longer click – we tap), and within a few seconds (literally), I had purchased Numbers (also ten dollars), downloaded it, and was reviewing the spreadsheet. I made some changes, and then sent it back to my finance guy. So, although I wasn’t editing video, I was doing many of the things I do with my laptop. And this is in between all of the things I’ve discussed in my previous post – keynote, video, audio, networking, etc. I was doing all of that, too.

After two days, my new laptop was ready to be picked up, but I was pretty surprised and pleased with the iPad as an everyday communications device. I would note that using it that way is not its strength. It’s really ideal for the other types of uses previously described, but when called upon, it stepped up and for the most part, was a workable solution.

Would I stop using a laptop? Nope. But, the iPad has changed the way I look at computing. The devices have started to fall into different use categories. My MacBook Pro is essentially my primary computing device. I can take it from home to the office. If working on a film production, I can take it on location. However, when running around town, meeting with clients, etc., I don’t take the laptop. The iPad is far more convenient, and workable. There is no doubt it will help us build our business. But, that’s a different story for another time.

My Academy Award-winning father (twice!) keeps telling me that we have to promote ourselves at every turn. For some, it’s easy. For me, not so easy. But, in this case, easier – as the film in question, Continuum: Against All Odds, is the work of my remarkable wife, Cameron.

The Going Green Film Festival saw fit to have its judges award our documentary on the University of Michigan’s solar racing team, best film in its category: transportation. Frankly, I thought we had a shot, while Cameron, nervous and talking a mile a minute thought no chance at all! It is sweet to hear the name of your film called out in a large auditorium as the winner of an award.

The students at Michigan deserve all the credit: their story made the film interesting. For us, this is now past history. We’re very honored, and at the same time, we’re busy moving forward with new projects. If you saw the film and liked it, please let us know. If you would like a copy, send us a note. If you want your own award-winning production, we’re open to proposals!

The introduction this week of the new NXCAM format is really great news for anyone producing a wide array of professional video product, and notably for documentary producers. The camera combines capabilities found in other manufacturer’s (often more expensive) products and the result is a flexible, high-performance full HD camera. When I started blathering on about how thrilled I was that Sony had taken this step, peers and staff asked the same question over and over again – “Why?”

The initial model (unnamed as of this date) in the NXCAM series does a number of really important things: It records AVCHD full HD 1920×1080 material (in all variations of resolutions) and as such, is easily compatible with other cameras, including as one example, the Canon 7D hybrid still/video camera. It utilizes a relatively new type of glass, and although fixed to the camera, this lens, called a G-Lens, delivers excellent optics, no doubt a result of Sony’s purchase of Minolta. And, the camera is ideal for the wide variety of production requirements a documentary requires.

In our situation, we’re interested in the best tool for a variety of situations. That means we’ll shoot portrait interviews, mount a camera on a moving vehicle, hang from a helicopter, and so on. And, if we’re doing all of these things, it also means we’re shooting a lot of material (hours vs. minutes). If you’re making a film, you’ll work from a shot list, and the shooting ratio may be 3:1. In our documentary work, we’re going to capture reality as it occurs, and then weed out the footage that isn’t essential to telling the story. The result is often 30:1 or higher. That’s right, we may shoot 30 hours of video to get a one hour show. In fact, for a documentary we did in Australia that covered two weeks of a cross-country race, we shot more than 100 hours of video. The final product was a broadcast-ready 44 minutes.

The AVCHD format is ideal for this type of work. And, being able to record to a flash drive that mounts into the camera is fantastic. There’s no box attached to a shoe that gets in the way of moving the camera about. It snaps into place. You can record literally hours of material, and then, using USB connectors, transfer the files directly to your PC or Mac.

There’s more to like as well. The imagers in the camera are native 1920 x 1080. The imagers in other cameras in this class are typically 720p and upscale to 1080p. This is really important and becomes even more so when you discover that the camera will output a full HD 4:2:2 signal via the built-in HD-SDI port while shooting. That type of flexibility allows us to integrate this camera with other, far more expensive cameras.

It’s difficult to capture a strong, clear image if you can’t see what you’re doing. The NXCAM shown off by Sony offers a 1.2 million pixel 16×9 display using backlit LED technology. The Panasonic HMC-150, by comparison (same compression system, similar price, etc.) has a display with approximately 210,000 pixels in a 4×3 display that is letter-boxed. What? To use the Panny (which has great images), you really need to add an external monitor, or you’re going to be disappointed with the results. Sony avoids that extra complication. Add-on monitors are terrific if you’re on a tripod and locked off. They don’t work if you’re jumping off a fire engine and following firefighters into a smokey building. Sony resolves that problem with not only the flip-up external monitor, but the built-in viewfinder as well. You can learn more by watching the intro video produced by Sony.

So, as we envision some of the production work we’re scheduled to produce this year, the Sony NXCAM fits in really well. We can shoot portrait interviews using prime glass on our Canon 7D. We can match that (remember, same codec) with footage captured “in the field” with the Sony NXCAM. And, we can edit in both PC and Mac NLE solutions without drama. No tape. No fuss. Oh, by the way – there’s more to like as well. Because we shoot on location, as documentary producers, we are careful to log everything we shoot. Now, with the NXCAM, there is GPS data added to the metadata of each file. Whoo hoo! So, the next time we travel 2,000 miles across the Stewart Highway in Australia, we’ll know where each shot was captured. And, if we decide to shoot in a studio, we can lock multiple NXCAMs together, thanks to the new (if proprietary) timecode in and out connectors.

The only bad news is that the camera isn’t available yet. Hey Sony – want some remarkable footage of firefighters saving lives? How about the California coast and wine country? Or, how about some footage of the latest sports cars being testing on windy country roads at speed? If so, get us an NXCAM ASAP. We aren’t asking for a freebie. We’ll own it. Love it. And we’ll tell the world.

We’ve added a Canon EOS 7D to our production equipment inventory. Already, I’ve found multiple occasions to use it during the first week we’ve had it. It is a fabulous production tool. It also represents a major breakthrough in some respects, but it is not, as some would tell you, a fix-all for video production.

First of all, a few initial comments for anyone not familiar with the Canon EOS 7D, or why we’d write about it. This is a digital SLR (D-SLR) still camera that also happens to record lovely 1080p video images. It is one notch below the Canon 5D MKII, and is competitive with a number of other DSLRs on the market.

As a still camera, it offers a new 18 megapixel sensor, a fantastic three inch viewfinder that displays 100% of the frame (many cameras show 90 or 95% of the frame). It includes a flexible AF system with a dedicated processor for focusing – so it’s fast. The shutter system is also new, permitting an impressive 8 frames per second (in still mode). As with other Canon products, it features the EF / EF-S lens mount system. Sensitivity is also terrific, with Auto ISO (100 – 3200) or manual ISO from 100 – 6400 in 0.3 or 0.5 EV increments. It offers nearly all of the professional features you could imagine for a camera of this type, and a great place to see a review of its still capabilities is at dpreview.

As a video camera, it’s also pretty amazing. It has standard video outputs in both NTSC and PAL, plus HDMI output for HD video. It includes a built-in microphone and has an input for an external mic as well (mini plug). The camera will shoot 1920×1080 at 29.97, 25, or 23fps. It will shoot 1280×720 at 59.94, 50fps or even (but why?) 6340×480 at 59.94, 50fps. It records using H.264 in a QuickTime .Mov wrapper. Note however, that the QuickTime wrapper does not mean any NLE will recognize the footage. More on video reviews in a bit.

There are three ways to use this camera: As a still camera. As a video camera. As a film-style camera.

Image shot with EOS 7D - Battalion Chief Kawai

When using this as a still camera, it’s a joy. Many people wrestle with the Nikon vs. Canon brand issue. In my experience, I see both everywhere. However, it does seem that when you’re a portrait photographer, there are reasons to use Nikon products, and if you’re a journalist or sports photographer, Canon offers some benefits.

This camera is easy to hold. It’s easy to read. The menu system is a snap, and you can pre-set commonly used menu elements. As a result, getting high-quality stills is literally a snap. As a photographer, you can really focus (sorry!) on the image to be captured – framing, lighting, depth, etc. A fantastic review of the camera can be found at Rob Galbraith’s blog. Additional reviews for photographers can be found at Alexa.

As a video camera, this is a bit of a different animal. You can’t (obviously) shoot with a vertical orientation, as you can with stills. The camera is heavy to hold for video motion, and a tripod or camera rig is an absolute requirement over the long term. However, this doesn’t make it unusable in “camera format.” Some things work differently, but it is still quite capable with just Canon lens and related support gear. Simply put, you can point and shoot and get really nice images.

There are some things you can do to improve the immediate video capabilities of the camera. One is to add a proper microphone. Rode makes a stereo mic that mounts to the shoe and plugs into the body. We purchased a Rode with the camera and it has been fantastic. Philip Bloom, the noted British DP has recently produced a really nice video package with the 7D and the Rode mic – right here in California at Venice Beach. It’s a really nice video story and highlights the EOS 7D.

It’s when you think of the 7D as a film camera that it really changes the landscape (again, sorry!) for producers. This is a camera that starts at perhaps $2,000 with a nice lens. You can start to add various bits and pieces to it, including a mic, follow-focus, matte box, remote trigger, etc. Suddenly, it’s a complete motion picture camera rig – for less than $5,000. And the images it creates are full-on cinematic quality – no “cinema mode” crap either. To see a great example of the camera rigged for news video, check out this Matt Jasper 7D video clip.

The difference is the glass. This is a camera that allows total control over the Z-axis as well as the overall frame. As such, you can dial in a lovely depth of field that permits you to shoot video with a realistic, natural, film look. You can add a prime lens to the Canon. In fact, there are a few firms already making PL mount conversions. While that may only be useful to anyone who already owns a suite of PL glass, the knowledge that you can pick a lens for any specific shot is a breakthrough event for most videographers. In fact, if Panavision rented glass without a camera, you could really lose your mind. Check this out.

In my initial shoots with the 7D, I found the camera to be very balanced. The image was crisp and as with any HD camera, the critical issue was and is focus. But the ability to shoot with such a nice depth of field is eye-opening (I’m so sorry!). Even in the first day of shooting, I was thinking, “oh this is sweet!” as I was rolling chip. That’s another thing: no tape. The EOS 7D uses CF cards (UDMA only, type 6 or faster). And with a 32GB card, I can capture more than 80 minutes at the highest resolution.

We have been really busy with production the past few weeks, so publishing our own 7D clips will have to wait for a few weeks. Rest assured, however, that we will publish a variety of 7D clips. We’ll also share opinion regarding the workflow overall and our use with editing software.

In the meanwhile, here are some fantastic examples of the 7D at work:

Canon EOS 7D at 30p – by Philip Bloom

Dublin’s People – by Philip Bloom

Around Rome – by Shawn Landersz

Cameron Barrett, James Kwok, and David Barrett on the magic carpet at the All Sports Los Angeles film Festival

When Cameron Barrett learned our documentary film, Continuum, Against All Odds, had been accepted into the All Sports Los Angeles Film Festival, she was so excited. There are a wide array of awards programs these days – so many that they may become all too common and lose their unique value. But, such is not the case with a film festival, and certainly not one that has a niche – in this case, sports.

Typically, we produce films as a team, and in many ways this one was no different. What was different was that Cameron had led her production team to Australia, on her own, and directed this show from start to finish. As such, it had her stamp, her storyline, and her blood and sweat all over it. So, to be accepted into any festival is a good feeling.

Showing up at such events is often overly “Hollywood” for me. I am not easily impressed with the glitter and so on. What made this festival so much fun was that it didn’t have any of that pretentious glitter to it – and it was in Hollywood! The event was held at the Raliegh Studios, next door to Paramount. We invited friends and peers, and it was just what you might expect at such an event – a combination of fun, dialog, and a bit of nervousness.

Our guests were terrific and very supportive. Cameron and I had never seen this particular film on the “big screen,” so it was fun to see it in a theater setting. And when the showing was complete, everyone was very kind, and they left. We took some of our team to dinner.

But we came back…

The evening was filled with other films to see – and Cameron really enjoyed a documentary about women’s six on six basketball, called Iowa Girls. It’s important to know that throughout this entire series of films and activities, Cameron never gave a moment’s thought to actually winning an award. It was enough to be in the competition.

So, when the awards were being handed out, she clapped and cheered for each additional trophy, but never showed any nerves or emotion related to Continuum. Finally, the last two awards were all that remained. Best short doc and best feature doc. Continuum made it into the short category, by perhaps one minute. And, as the award description was being read, Cameron was smiling and saying, “Iowa Girls. Iowa Girls.” I, on the other hand, was thinking of another film. Our film.

And so, when the words, “and the winner is… Continuum, Against All Odds,” were announced, I smiled. And, then, I laughed out loud, as Cameron’s amazed and perplexed expression peered at me with a look that defies description. “Go on! Get up there,” I said, laughing. So, it was fun. And I’m really proud of Cameron. And our Team. And everyone on the solar car team at the University of Michigan. Those guys and girls rock. Big time.

This is the final cut for the short film about Carol Anne McGuire and her program of music and education: Rock Our World.

Our team has recently completed production of a short mini-documentary project.  It has been one of the most delightful experiences we’ve had in the production space. The film is called “Harmony” and is about a remarkable teacher, Carol Anne McGuire, and her education program, Rock Our World. This is a “fine cut” of the project – a final cut will be completed shortly.

We first met Carol Anne five years ago. The Apple Distinguished Educator was part of a group of teachers we were videotaping for Apple. When we learned about Carol Anne and her interest in changing the world, we were smitten. At the time, Carol Anne was teaching at a school in Orange County, CA. She had just made a video film, using her students. The film was about themselves. All of the students were (and are) blind. But, that’s Carol Anne for you.

More recently (as discussed in a recent blog entry), Carol Anne has been working with the New Village Leadership Academy in Calabasas. She has been sharing her ongoing core curriculum teaching program that is founded on an international collaboration of music. The program is called “Rock Our World.” It is one of the most amazing methods of delivering education I’ve ever seen.

As Carol says, “when I was a kid, if I wanted to learn about Japan, I’d pick up a book and read it, and that book might have been ten, twenty, or even fifty years old.” Today, when Carol Anne’s students want to know something about Japan, they place a video chat call. Literally. By building musical scores with schools from around the world, and injecting core curriculum (math, science, social studies, etc.), Carol Anne’s children discover a bigger world. And by becoming part of it, they make it theirs – and perhaps a bit smaller, too.

This short video is hopefully a preview of a full-length documentary on the subject. The fine cut process is important, as it gives the filmmakers (us!) the chance to step back from the project for a few days. We can look at the film and evaluate little changes or updates that will help increase the end-result.

As we produce projects, we’ll share elements of those projects with you. The enclosed sample is from an upcoming mini-documentary called Rock Our World.

Carol Anne McGuire has been doing amazing things with kids for years. Her Rock Our World project is perhaps the most remarkable, as she brings schools together from around the world to collaborate on core curriculum, using music as the foundation for that interactive learning experience.

We were engaged to produce this short piece by William Rolland, the founder of the William Rolland Firefighters Foundation and a former Los Angeles City Firefighter. He met Carol Anne and was immediately taken with the effect her skills had on her students.

Because of the short turnaround, we decided on a run and gun style of production. We used shotgun mics, rather than lavs or studio mics, a single Sony Z1U camera for the primary shots and a Canon V30 for some of the student shots (everything in this short clip is from the Z1U), and a few stills thrown in for good measure. Editing is being done using Final Cut Pro.

This sample is ungraded direct output from the camera. No audio sweetening has been done yet. The final mini-documentary will be approximately eight minutes long. Our hope is to evolve this into a full-length documentary aimed at the education and festival circuit.

Alternative energy is becoming more of an issue in light of the overall over-the-cliff effect of the U.S. automobile industry. Some universities are working to create concepts related to solar power for a variety of things. While the technology in these cars will not likely replace engines in automobiles, they may take on a supporting role.

This production was created for up to six cameras, four en route, all in HD. Separate teams under the production direction of David Barrett worked to find the lead stories each day, during a 10-day across the US and Canada race. The project was edited using Final Cut Pro, under the supervision of Cameron Barrett. The animation was produced using AfterEffects, and the final project was mastered to HD-CAM for distribution on network and cable television.

I’ve come across a really cool gadget that is really awesome for anyone using an HD camera these days. But, before I can explain it, some background is really in order…

One of the things that most video cameras don’t do is deliver the kind of imagery film cameras provide. Or, more accurately, the kind of imagery film lenses deliver. The cocktail of performance, durability, cost, and longevity conspire to create products that deliver crystal clear pictures, but without some of the key capabilities more expensive product provide. As one example, a Prime lens on an Aaton camera will allow you to create a visual image that draws the viewer to a specific spot in the frame – based on something called “depth of field.” In a typical high-quality HD video camera, the entire frame will look almost real. The difference, however, is that when telling a story, you might not want the viewer to take in the entire screen.

Imagine a couple discussing a plan to rob a bank. They’re sitting at a coffee table in the foreground of the scene you’re shooting. In the background, a woman is applying makeup before leaving her table. She’s busty, dressed in red, and is wearing lots of jewlery. So, what is the audience supposed to look at?

If you can shorten the depth of field of the shot, you can help the audience focus in on the subject you want them to pay attention to. The couple are discussing robbing a bank. When the partner on the left is speaking, she is perfectly in focus. Her partner on the right is slightly soft, while the background is a colorful blur. When the partner on the right speaks, he is perfectly in focus, and she is slightly soft. It may be very subtle, but it really helps the audience follow the story. And, if you shoot with video, you have had limited options without spending significant money on add-on gear.

Enter JAG35. The company’s primary products are adapters for video cameras that permit the use of 35mm still camera lenses. Once installed, these lenses create the same effect as a very expensive motion picture lens – i.e. highly controllable depth of field. Because still camera lenses are very fine quality, adding them to an adapter will not create a poor quality image. In fact, in reality, if you use one of these products, your video camera will essentially be taping a projection of the image the still camera captures on a highly ground bit of glass. It may sound like hocus pocus, but it’s effin’ fantastic. Take a look at this video clip to see how the Jag35 helps the audience focus in on a single element of the screen…

What makes this even cooler is the price. There are some cool 35mm adapters out there, and I’ll even chat up about one or two in the coming few weeks, but they are typically more expensive than the HD camera to properly kit out. The JAG35 products are typically under $500. That’s really fantastic. And, it means none of us have an excuse any longer to not control the look of our images. One note about this – the use of these adapters is based on shots that are deliberately set up and arranged. The run and gun “cinema vérité” style of shooting is not what these lenses were designed for. But, combine one of these devices with some other cool stuff and your shows will be really fantastic. In fact, our shows will be really fantastic. Even better than our old shows. And those were pretty good, too.

Oh, and one other thing… the JAG35 products will make even a small HD camera, like the CanonHV30 (street price is about $780) shown above, look like a totally pro rig. So, now you don’t have to get a lot of big cameras with bad output and weak chips. Get a cool small camera and a JAG35 bit of kit and you’ll be putting a block on your phone with all the calls coming in.

Southern California is overdue for the “Big One!” Scientists have learned that over the course of many centuries, a major earthquake has typially occurred on a major fault such as the San Andreas every 125  to 175 years. The last major (+7.5) earthquake on the southern end of the San Andreas took place in the 1600s – more than 300 years ago. Ouch!

Governor Schwarzenegger talks with a patient, while David Barrett follows along with his camera.

Our team is developing an earthquake safety training program, and as a component of the production, we sent our crews to shoot a drill during the Great Southern California Shakeout, a statewide practice run developed by the USGS in collaboration with a host of partners. The event we covered related to an MCI (Multi-Casulty-Incident) at a school in the San Fernando Valley.

This is a great exercise for our team as well. It has all of the energy of a real emergency, but with the ability to take your time, take (mental) notes on camera settings, positions, lighting, etc. So, when a real event takes place and should we be rolling tape (or taping to memory stick or CF card!), we’ll be ready.

The exercise began at exactly 10:00AM, the time when the “drill earthquake” was to take place. Essentially, a 7.8 earthquake rocks southern California, beginning at the southern end of the quake. To quote the Great Shakeout scenario, “In an earthquake of this size, the shaking will last for nearly two minutes. The strongest shaking will occur near the fault (in the projected earthquake, the Coachella Valley, Inland Empire and Antelope Valley). Pockets of strong shaking will form away from the fault where sediments trap the waves (in the projected earthquake, it would occur in the San Gabriel Valley and in East Los Angeles).”

We had three cameras rolling during the two plus hours of the drill. The Los Angeles Fire Department provided tremendous resources, including helicopters, 23 companies of firefighters, scores of Rescue Ambulances, Command Staff, and others working in collaboration with the USGS and others.

Students began arriving, their faces and bodies showing visible signs of injury due to the excellent moulage efforts of LAFD Captain Gerlich and the artists she was supervising. A triage area was set up and patients were transported either to the nearby hospital or via air to other trauma centers.

I had the unusual task of being assigned to cover Governor Schwarzenegger as he toured the hospital, providing the tape to news outlets at the end of the day. It was interesting to be in such close proximity to the Govinator, as he took his “role” very seriously and was an inspiration to the crews and physicians, not to mention the students, participating in the drill.

For me, the most interesting component to shoot was in the ER. Not only were the physicians and nurses fantastic to watch (and tape) at work, but this drill included a robotic physician – essentially a robot with a mic and television screen that was managed by a surgeon at Children’s Hospital in downtown Los Angeles, 70 miles away. The robot can see everything in the room, can move on its own, including tilting up and down, and can participate in the evaluation and treatment of patients. It was truly remarkable.

Injured students await help following a 7.8 earthquake (drill) in Los Angeles.

As with most of the emergency drills we’ve been involved with, this one was extremely professional in terms of execution. The Command Post likely would be no different in staffing or operation in an actual emergency, and firefighters, EMTs, and Paramedics packaged and transported their patients with the same care and attention to detail you’d expect in a real emergency. The only weakness my crew and I could observe was the process of tracking patients – where were they going? When did they get to their destination? The tracking process is one of the most important tasks to get a handle on in this type of emergency, and there are still lessons to be learned.

For our team, we captured excellent footage for our training program. We gained additional experience working with the LAFD during a simulated emergency, and we worked as a crew, collaborating on getting the “story” – including all of the different types of images, both in the field and in the operating room as well.

You can learn more about our earthquake project by visiting: My Safe LA Dot Org.

My birthday falls on Christmas Eve. Often, it’s not a great time for a birthday, as everyone is busy with other things. This year, however, it was a day to remember.

My wife decided it would be nice if I spent the afternoon and evening with some good people, which often includes firefighters. So, we packed up a few holiday goodies and trekked up to Hollywood and the embedded ourselves with the C-Platoon at Fire Station 76 in the Cahuenga Pass

Firefighters from Task Force 27 put water on the fire in the early evening of December 24, 2007.

There was lots of laughter and good discussion and the kitchen was filled with the smells of a holiday dinner being prepared. As we sat down to eat, the long ring came in… “Structure Fire…” Typically, these calls, especially on a holiday, involve food on the stove. Still, we pulled on our gear (and in our case, grabbed our cameras, too), climbed aboard the rig and headed out into the early evening, lights flashing and sirens wailing.

The chatter on the radio soon put us in a more focused and alert stance: “OCD from Engine 82, I have a church fully involved. I have fire through the roof.” Fire is never a good thing unless it’s used for cooking or heat, but when you’re working to capture video for a documentary, as we are, there is something to be said about a good incident. People, for whatever reason (not to be discussed here!) love watching things burn.

And, it is a unique feeling to be rolling down Hollywood Blvd. on Christmas Eve with lights blazing, sirens wailing, and the radio chattering as command staff, OCD and incoming companies discuss the in-progress fire. The footage is breath-taking.

And, as we rolled up to the scene, the fire was remarkable. Flames lept perhaps 100 feet into the air. Palm trees were ablaze and the street was lit as if it were late in the afternoon, not the dark of night.

As the firefighters from 76s took up their assignment, Cameron and I went into action. In this case, she acted as the camera operator, while I directed and acted as a spotter – helping to avoid problems, while also getting into the action.

As we moved up the steps in front of the church, the waves of heat began to roll over us – and we were still 80 feet or more from the building. Embers fell on our camera, our helmets flickered as bits of flaming debris rolled over them, and our lungs began to burn from heated smoke. As we have taken the time to train for such an incident, we were properly prepared and the result was (excuse the self-promotion) remarkable footage. We moved into the fire, and we got the shots. 76s saved several exposures to the east and the media proclaimed it as a “happy Christmas” for the residents, none of whom lost their homes. The church, unfortunately, was a total loss.

Back in 76s quarters several hours later, we enjoyed some cake, some hot coffee, and remarked to one another that it was a birthday, and a Christmas, not to be forgotten.

Part of our team is about to head to Australia to shoot a sports documentary for the University of Michigan. It will be a challenging project, crossing the entire country via the Stewart Highway, a desolate, dangerous and often two lane road that sees road trains (multiple trailers pulled by a single tractor-cab) hauling ass at all hours of the day and night.

Preparation for any shoot is key to having a successful outcome. In this case, there are additional variables to be concerned with. One of them is preparing the right clothes and bug repellent, as there is quite a bit of bug action down under! Cameron will pack and unpack multiple times, not because it’s fun, or even because she’s a woman (gulp!), but because she’s experienced with this type of work. Taking the time to resolve where gear goes, where clothes go, and how to keep weight below the airlines stipulated maximums (before penalties, meaning cash) is an essential part of the pre-production process.

And, when you’re going to be on location for several weeks, often without hotels or other common retailers about, the time spent is well worth it. Even after years of doing this, I continue to marvel at how much time is involved in this process.