IPS Portland – Intro to DSLR Video Workshop

The times I feel most alive –times when I feel like I’m doing exactly what I was created for – are when I get to use several of the talents or life experiences that God has given me simultaneously to accomplish a specific task. Last week was one of those times.

Having just come off of a strenuous week of editing for the Challenge 2010 conference (another, “I was made for this kind of week”), I came home for less than 24 hours, repacked some gear, kissed my family goodbye once more, and headed to Portland to teach my first week-long course as a lead instructor with IPS.

I’ve been involved with IPS for a little over a year and a half, and can say without hesitation that the quality of their instruction and the results that their students are producing after attending a workshop are simply amazing. The only problem is that they had never offered any video courses – that is, until last week.

In my intro to DSLR video workshop we covered everything a student needs to know to introduce themselves to the world of narrative storytelling – and how to do it with excellence. Topics included planning, shooting, editing, effects, and delivery. Some sessions were highly technical, while others were entirely hands-on. Students learned how to conduct interviews, work with double-system sound, shoot timelapse, stop-motion, three-point lighting, and even had a brief introduction to multicamera techniques.

All in all, it was a phenomenal week, bordering on the edge of information overload, which resulted in some very well-equipped students who I am sure will change the world.

The video below is an example of some of the student-generated work from the course.

Edited by: Aaron Meinicke, Sony Vegas Pro 9
Interviewee: Sarah Hutton
Course Instructors: Rowan Gillson, Carl Larsen, Nathan Bollinger

Photo Credits: Christina Dickson