Finding the Turning Point

I have been doing this documentary for a while and after over 3 months, I am almost done. I have been asking myself what I need and what to do next. There is always a sense of "more" that needs to be in the film. There needs to be more drama and more longing and more emotion. I think I finally found the emotional part of the film that has been missing: my father. I put off that interview for a while and it occurred to me while I was interviewing him that his side of the whole story is what I needed this whole time to raise the tension and emotion. His interview is the other side of the story that is closest to the subject then any of us could be, and through that, I think I can grab the audience and draw them in more where I needed it. It is hard filming this for personal reasons because I have to see all the good and all the bad and I just have to stand there in film when the bad happens or when things get intense. Hopefully all my family and I are going through will pay off soon!

My DIY helmet rig!

<p>With the rising cost of... well... everything, its hard to be a filmmaker and buy all your own professional equipment. Especiallly if you are doing it the hard, independent way with no backing. There is so much I could say about how having professional equipment makes all the difference in a huge production, but this is all about my DIY helmet cam rig!</p>
<p>Freddie Wong has inspired me to build my own helmet cam rig. Seems very difficult at first, but with a good camera you can greatly increase your production value very cost effectively.

POV shots are rising in interest and fame and it can be hard to make a masterpiece with a gopro or a huge chest rig. Full resolution for me demands a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera like Cannon 5D or T3i. (if you can afford it)

The easiest way I found to get amazing, crisp footage POV style came from Freddie Wong's behind the scenes. I took a hardy bike helmet, the head from a cheap tripod, a 5lb weight, and some zip ties to secure everything together. The camera is rigged upside down but you can see just fine through the LCD screen so there is no guessing. The whole rig was less then $50. That's conserving :)

Inaugural Sacramento Bacon Fest!

This January, Sacramento residents were treated to a epic downtown festival... Bacon Fest! I just happened to be coming up with a short news story to film for my Journalism class. Being late with an idea, I looked on my phone through the Sac News and Review and saw that the weekend our assignment had to be filmed, Nick Miller from SN&R and Guido, were co-organizing the "Inaugural Sacramento Bacon Fest 2012." How was I going to pass that up!? I got in contact with Nick and he was pleased with the idea of me filming the the three day event. So for a weekend straight, I enjoyed all the amazing bacon concoctions I could enjoy (bacon marmalade, double BLTs, bacon cookies, chocolate bacon, bacon beer!) all while shooting the only exclusive footage of this one time event. Though, hopefully, Bacon Fest will be back next January ;D To see the complete event, go to this website:

http://www.midtownmonthly.net/blog/bacon-fest-sacramento-january-20-22/