Trolls Galore

I apologize in advance. This will be another slightly personal post but it has to be said...

Personal opinions are one thing but what I don't understand is very negative feedback about what is being done overall. Sure, I don't like that song, or sure, your cuts are off, or even hey, work doesn't appeal to me at all... subjectively critiquing one's work is a good thing but let me just say this:

If you have the balls to post your work online for the world to see, I salute you.

If you are giving away information to help the community, I salute you.

Honestly, I haven't had too much flat out negativity come my way but when it does I try to think about what underlying issue is going on that would cause a person to insult me. Remember, there is a difference... I swear, I'm not one of those overly sensitive girls.

So you may be asking yourself... What is a troll?

Urban Dictionary defines it as "One who purposely and deliberately (that purpose usually being self-amusement) starts an argument in a manner which attacks others on a forum without in any way listening to the arguments proposed by his or her peers. He will spark of such an argument via the use of ad hominem attacks (i.e. 'you're nothing but a fanboy' is a popular phrase) with no substance or relevence to back them up as well as straw man arguments, which he uses to simply avoid addressing the essence of the issue."

In case you're still confused I've included a photograph:

Don't let his grin fool you. As soon as he gets a chance to google you, he will find you and tell you you're a waste of space.

Here's a helpful diagram so you too can understand how the troll mind works... It may be small but it has 4 very important parts:

If you have found this post and you yourself are a troll please visit Troll Love... You too can find happiness.

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Humphrey Bogart to Cloverfield: Perfection vs. Realism and The Case Against Both

One big change that has taken place over the years in films is the sense of realism. Back in the day, everyone in a movie was perfect. Now when you watch an older movie, sometimes it's hard to take it seriously because, everyone is too polished. The opposite of this has unfortunately been a trend lately. Think of that godawful movie Cloverfield, with it's ridiculous "hand-held shaky footage looks like crap so, it must be real" approach. Don't even get me started. Anyway, I found this blooper real from Warner Brothers circa 1936. Kind of cool to see that contrary to the final polished product we see the actors are still human, and humans no matter how famous,legendary,or talented all have a common trait. We make mistakes. The good news is it's not the end of the world. The bad news is movies like Cloverfield and Paranormal Activity will still be made. Now to get that terrible thought out of your head watch great actors from 1936 screwing up. Enjoy.

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Reel World: The man, the myth, the legend. David Robin

I first met David Robin at WEVA and got to spend a bit more time with him at Re:Frame San Francisco. Not only is he one of the nicest guys I've met but he has tons of advice that he's willing to give. This man is truly an inspiration to all of us.

20 years of experience and he has a list of accolades that can make anyones jaw drop.

david robin | films has won 27 Creative Excellence Awards from WEVA int. More than any other Event Filmmaker in the world.

Named one of the "Top 25 Hottest & Most Influential Event Videographers in the World" by Event DV Magazine for the fourth year in a row.

Inducted into the WEVA Hall Of Fame in 2005.

Recipient of the Bob LeBar Vision Award.

Published in WEV Magazine, Event DV Magazine and Videography Magazine.

Featured on TNT's "Wedding Day". A Mark Burnett Production.

David Robin has successfully done what not many can. Not only does he have a studio that produces award winning wedding films but he is creating inspirational commercial work. Oh, and did I mention he's been doing this for 20 years and has been able to maintain a fresh approach?

wedding demo | 2009 from David Robin on Vimeo.



mycollegei from David Robin on Vimeo.

David and I caught up for a little Q &A about his career in filming weddings and commercial work:

How did you get started in your filmmaking career? Did you start with weddings, documentaries, etc?

Started shooting weddings in 1984. Was in retail, and sold a portable VHS vcr and camera to a client, who then suggested I shoot his wedding with it. After the wedding, exhausted and reeling, I decided that next time round I was going to charge to shoot one!

What challenges, if any, did you face when you decided to cross over into a new genre?

Corporate work came easily. My main source of business came from my event clients who were already comfortable with me, and had some kind of corporate project. The challenge was to become good at it. That took years!

What is it about your background in your initial field that helps you bring something special to the table with your newer field and vice verse?

Both mediums were so different, and required very different skill sets. Events were run and gun guerilla warfare, and corporate videos were planned, well thought out productions.

However that seems to have changed today, as we now shoot events with dslrs and 35mm lenses. Now we really have to plan out our shots, and put in far more thought to create a wedding film. Much like our corporate work.

So the lines have blurred.

Have you ever experienced any adverse reactions as a result of the negative connotations with "wedding videos?"

I have always strived to elevate the event filmmaking industry. I have spent many years educating clients, and my peers, and at the same time creating work that hopefully garners some respect. In the beginning I was treated with very little respect shooting events, but years later I have been awarded some credibility.

Hopefully i am perceived as a filmmaker now, and not a wedding videographer!

david robin | films can be found at:

www.davidrobinfilms.com 

blog.davidrobinfilms.com 

www.facebook.com/davidrobinfilms 

twitter.com/davidrobin 

www.vimeo.com/user639009 

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Haiti Earthquake Aftermath: Shot Entirely on Canon 5D MK II

Haiti Earthquake Aftermath Montage from Khalid Mohtaseb on Vimeo.

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Mutual Respect

Filmmaking is our passion and our career. As a duo, we enjoy an array of styles. Through our work, regardless of what kind of project, our ultimate goal is to produce a piece that creates an emotional reaction with the viewer while maintaining intrigue through compelling visuals and sounds. We strive for this with all our work whether it is a wedding or a commercial piece. As filmmakers who are constantly trying to improve our craft, Jon and I are perpetually striving to educate ourselves and through the knowledge we gain, educate others. Regardless of our field, in order to succeed we need to have considerable technical and creative abilities. Through further understanding of each others genres, I believe we can continue to aim for an environment of mutual respect. I sincerely believe that within each genre there are those who just have it. They have that natural gift to produce compelling work. Whether it's commercial work, wedding films, or documentaries, they have the ability to tell a story beautifully.

When I first started shooting I viewed it strictly as a hobby. At the time, I was a photographer that was attracted to the concept of a "moving picture." After a few projects I decided to do the unthinkable... Shoot a wedding. To be completely honest, I had never seen a wedding video before. It wasn't until I started to feel the pressure of all the expectations that I began to understand how challenging this new field was. Over time, my perception and approach has continued to change.

I remember when I first started speaking openly about how much I enjoyed filming weddings. People warned me, "Do not tell commercial guys you shoot weddings." I still find this very interesting. Over the last few years things have changed. Now a days, it's not as often that I encounter someone within the film industry with a negative perception of wedding films. There has been a lot of progress and there are those that educate our peers. However, as I mentioned before, I believe that through further education we can continue to strive for mutual respect.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this :)

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