Ever want to make a music video or an animated cartoon or something really ambitious like your own movie? Or how about publishing your own book or opinions? I wanted to since I was a child and saw it might be possible in the far, far future, but far, far away in LA or New York. I really didn’t want to go that far, so I waited. And waited. The years went by and technology advanced from analog to digital. The prices dropped steadily and opportunities for self expression soared on the interne,t which is widely believed will eventually replace broadcast television and movie theatres. There is no censorship; so far. Anyone can post whatever they want pretty much for free.
My first video camera: Pansonic SVHS circa 1993
The only real video production job I had that did pay really well on a steady basis was as a deposition videographer. Now talk about dry and boring. So many hours of whiplash, slipped discs and professional malpractice testimony, no creativity involved just point and shoot. Tort reform killed that golden goose. Out of towners paid well and I had lots of gigs hauling other people’s gear as a video production assistant. Lots of public access TV, too. A stint as a switcher and camera operatore at Catholic Television was another boring, but educational experience. I came to loathe Mother Angelica, but I learned how broadcast television worked. My heart and mind yearned to create and it was a disappointment to learn that most commercial video work would not offer me any creative opportunities;I would have to make those for myself.
Time at Public Access: "Did You Know" Show.
Creating multimedia no longer requires millions of dollars and knowing the right people and not even that much talent. Heck, most high end cell phones like my EVO have a camcorder that shoots decent video if there is enough light. I recently read of a guy in Japan who is making a movie shot on a cell phone. And as for distribution it just a few clicks away on YouTube and Facebook. No agents, no deals, no lawyers or documents to sign. Every genre has its niche and like minded individuals can congregate with people who share their interest. The digital frontier is wide open and anyone with a dream or idea now has the power to become rich, famous or notorious even if only for a short time.
Today, anyone with enough imagination and a minimum of equipment can become a musician or video producer or publisher. You can buy an HD video camera for under one hundred dollars, a laptop for under five hundred. Software of all kinds can be had for free. My production company now fits in a backpack instead of a van and a spare room at my house is my studio. The only thing that limits people from achieving their digital dreams and expressing themselves is a lack of imagination because it sure isn’t because the technology is not available. For me, digital multimedia has become more of a means of expression and communication than a hunt for a job. I now do what I love. Sometimes, I even get paid for it.
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