GLIMPSES OF ART FROM AROUND THE WORLD

An Inspirational Series of Artist Interviews - Videography Edition

Soply has installed a short series of interviews with videographers whose work pushes the boundaries of their profession to create films that are emotional, edgy, original, and most of all, enthralled with unique moments in time. Enlisting a community of select creatives and industry experts from all over the world specializing in many genres, we have tapped into the experiences of some of our best videographers to bring you exclusive tips, insights and stories to help your professional practice.

Whether you are an amateur, a seasoned pro looking to register your portfolio on Soply, or one of our present or future buyers greatly seeking for advice and insights of this business, Soply hopes these interviews will inspire you. Upon reading, realize how you can stamp your own imprint on the landscape of great videography, or, rather, better educate yourself as a buyer in writing briefs, accommodating fees and handling expectations.

Rodrigo Tasca

Florida, United States

“The most rewarding part of my job? Every day is pretty rewarding. Just knowing that I'm doing something that started as a hobby five years ago still makes me laugh.”

Rodrigo Tasca, a South Florida-based videographer, editor & designer, enjoys capturing moments of absolutely everything from personal reels, to company re-branding, behind-the-scenes editorials, music videos, weddings and even informational videos for non-profit organizations. After asking himself one day, "How cool must it be to be the one shooting these? ", Rodrigo specialized in event videography. Now, he’s a master in getting to know his way around any social gathering, and therefore prepared for any difficulties that may come his way.

Expanding his craft is what he loves doing most, so he let us inside his world - just enough to offer our readers and users a unique insight into his creative journeys and artistic practices.

As you see it, what qualities does a good videographer possess? Passion! Anyone can hit record but capturing a moment in its perfect essence takes a certain passion for the art of filmmaking. Technique can be learned, always.

What resources do you feel are most important when starting out? Equipment? Website? Clients? A good attitude is very important and goes a long way! With technology you can shoot a movie with your iPhone. Not to say quality is not important, but I've learned that the concept behind the content can be more powerful and is therefore more important than the quality of that content.

Tell me how you organize, plan, and prioritize your work as a freelance videographer. It's a big juggle between shooting, editing, emailing clients and attending meetings. The workflow is constant, and at times, overwhelming. But, the end product is worth it, and at the end of the day, I'm just happy I'm doing something that I love.

How do you usually go about finding new clients? What factors do you consider before taking up a new job? Most of my clients come from word-of-mouth, or end up being people that I meet when I’m out shooting or working on other projects. I try to stay active and shoot things that I am passionate about on a daily, but whenever I get the opportunity to shoot something new for a job, I rarely turn it down. But I do take into consideration the concept, time frame and how long will it take to edit the project. As long as I am able to do it and help someone out while making a living for myself, why wouldn’t I try?

How would you describe a good brief? Are there relevant details or specifications clients are prone to forget or to leave out? The biggest problem I’ve run into when dealing with new clients and project guidelines is uncertainty. It’s happened all the time that the client is not quite sure how he/she wants the end product to look like, or the timeline of the project is not clear, and so that makes my job a lot harder. It’s usually a smooth process though, and I am always willing to help the client get what he/she needs.

What are some of the things clients should look into before booking a videographer? For instance, do you have any piece of advice on how to set a price accordingly? It depends on a variety of things. A client has to understand the style of each videographer and see if it matches the style he/she wants in his/her own video. The client must also be aware of the videographer’s past clients, experience and subject matter, to see that it fits the project well. Regarding pricing, I look at projects like they’re houses - no two are the same. Usually I start with my base price and go up from there: how many cameras, do they want a slider or lavalier mics for interview, drones etc.

What type of videography jobs have you done in the past and which appealed to you the most? I have worked on a little bit of everything since I started videography. I’ve covered music festivals, high-end editorial shoots, restaurant openings, non-profit infomercials and many more, but I think my favorite shoot was one I did awhile back for Summer Stage. It was my first music event in which not only was I able to capture performances by some of my favorite artists, but also be on stage with them in front of 10k people - that was an incredible experience, to be a part of something so large and exciting. I go back to that video sometimes and just think about how far I’ve come from there. It makes me glad to know that in one way or another, I always knew this was my passion.

What input do you want to receive from your clients, and what do you prefer to have a final say on? Videography is very personal and everyone has their own style, so I like to be as involved as possible in the creation of each video. Whether the shoot is for a rap artist or for a large corporate business, I like to have room to be creative. However, my job is to make the client happy and have the video fit their needs, so I like to know every detail on their vision for the project so that we can reach a mutual agreement.

What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job? Surely there are aspects behind-the-scene people are not even aware of… The most challenging part of my job is finding a way to communicate my voice while working on projects that I would not usually choose to work on myself. It’s like any creative job really: you want to please the client and make a living, but you also want to have something that speaks to you and to your style. It’s a struggle, but when you find a balance, it can be amazing. The most rewarding part of my job? Every day is pretty rewarding. Just knowing that I'm doing something that started as a hobby five years ago still makes me laugh.

Would you mind sharing an experience you had in dealing with a difficult person and how you handled the situation? Also, what have you learned from mistakes on the job? I am a very positive person and I rarely deal with difficult people on the job, but I did encounter a situation in which a client asked me to shoot and edit a series of photos and ended up backing out of the deal after I delivered them to her. I was definitely very frustrated but from that, I learned that contracts are key! I haven’t made a mistake like that since, so I took that as a win.

For more information about his work in videography, head straight to Rodrigo’s YouTube page.

JAMES HIGHET

Toronto, Canada

“I don't put my name on anything I wouldn't be proud to show my parents or have my younger cousins watch. Having a moral code helps to keep things in perspective.”

Toronto-based director/producer/entrepreneur James Highet has this great saying, “The world is vast and that there's talent in every corner.” Truer words have never been spoken.

Always having a passion for making films, he went on to create SevenSeas Productions, a wonderful website promoting some of the best talent he could find. Always looking forward for effective and innovative ways to simplify things for his cast, crew, and clients – today James will be made subject for one of our interviews, meant to teach creatives and buyers alike a thing or two about what the art of videography really entails.

As you see it, what qualities does a good videographer possess? A good videographer sees the world around him as frames, he knows what fits and what looks good; what can be left out and what could add emotion to it. He has an idea for the details and knows how to bring it out in his work.

What resources you feel are most important when starting out? Equipment? Website? Clients? The most important resources you can have when starting out are your network, your enthusiasm and a passion for what you're doing. Equipment can be borrowed, rented, etc. Websites can be made very easily these days (enough to sustain you for a while anyways) and clients will eventually come, but the most important thing is always your attitude and never underestimate the power a strong network can hold.

Tell me how you organize, plan, and prioritize your work as a freelance videographer. I've started using a virtual work board to help organize all my projects for the year and ideas for the future. Knowing how to manage your calendar early will be a saving grace later on.

How do you usually go about finding new clients? What factors do you consider before taking up a new job? A lot of my jobs have been through word of mouth, again which falls on the network aspect. However every new project gets screened for content and context. I don't put my name on anything I wouldn't be proud to show my parents or have my younger cousins watch. Having a moral code helps to keep things in perspective.

How would you describe a good brief? Are there relevant details or specifications clients are prone to forget or to leave out? I've seen some that are packed full of information but have no heart, and one's that's had a ton of enthusiasm but nothing tangible for us to use. I think it's a good blend of the two: making sure the meat is in there (budget, locations, script, amount of cast, etc.) along with a good dose of passion and excitement will make a great brief.

What are some of the things clients should look into before booking a videographer? For instance, do you have any piece of advice on how to set a price accordingly? Don't base your decision on price! Yes, you have a budget you want to stay within, but I would much rather work with someone who gets my vision, understands me, and is a good people person, over someone who just has the best price, but their quality may not be at the level you want, or they don't know how to work with you and your staff. Always choose the person, not the price.

What type of videography jobs have you done in the past and which appealed to you the most? Anything to do with cars, I love working with exotic and custom cars! Outside of that, working with people who are as passionate about their craft as I am; doesn't matter if it's a video about making paper or a music video with explosions, if they've got excitement about what they do, everyone can see it and it feeds off the production.

What input do you want to receive from your clients, and what do you prefer to have a final say on? I always like to hear what my client is thinking when it comes to the overall feel of the video. However I do like to have a final say when it comes to cuts and edits as I feel it's part of the storytelling process and can get jumbled if someone wants a certain shot or angle that really doesn't fit. But these are all things we discuss beforehand so there are never any surprises.

What is the most rewarding and the most challenging part of your job? Surely there are aspects that behind-the-scene people are not even aware of… The most rewarding aspect is when the client sees the product for the first time and the look on their face when they realize it was all worth it! As for most challenging, it would be getting the production together, sorting out contracts, organizing schedules, shot breakdowns etc. I love every minute of it, but it's definitely the most challenging part that most people never see.

Would you mind sharing an experience you had in dealing with a difficult person and how you handled the situation? Also, what have you learned from mistakes on the job? The most difficult person I worked with was an artist who wanted full control of the entire process. He had very little experience in anything production wise, so it really led to some tough times before, on and after shooting. I learned a lot from it, especially where I like to have control and what ground rules a client and I set out before the process even begins. If everyone is aware of the process and what they are responsible for, I feel it makes for a much better production and an even better final product!

For more information about James's work in videography, head straight to his film and video production company SevenSeas Productions.

Soply

Published May 2016