Gear isn’t nearly as important as we are led to believe
Read that again - Gear isn’t nearly as important as we are led to believe
So how does this fit into the Solo VJ paradigm?
Although having quality video acquisition tools is important, I think the future for solo video journalists will lie more in online content distribution - not which high end camera one shoots with - or whether it was edited on a MAC or PC.
PF Bentley, a respected video journalist and trail blazer in the craft of Solo Video Journalism, stated on the Digitaljournalist that:
“In the next few years we will be moving out of broadband and into fiber optic or powerline Web delivery which will enable full HD Web video and network broadcast online. This means that you are going to have to compete for viewers with 5,000 or more “stations” online. You better have some really good stuff to show ’cause you are not the only game in town for ADVERTISING DOLLARS.”
That is forward thinking and a prediction I believe it beginning to come to pass - and one forward thinking Solo video journalists should be working towards.
In my opinion, there should be more concern by Solo VJ’s about their method of content delivery on the web, not which camera, which NLE or whether to deliver to Bluray, HD-DVD, etc.
Lately I’ve been delving into DivX and to be honest, I think it’s a better delivery solution to Flash video in cost for it’s encoding tools, cross platform playback options, overall image quality and utilization of system resources. Downside is you may have to download its player - big deal.
This is the future for both local and online content distribution in HD from what I have surmised. I think too many shooters sit on discussion forums and dwell on the gear end of things and forget about how the end product is going to be delivered. Robin Berg, a professional underwater shooter for broadcast, stated in a recent email to me that he tested the SONY HC7 head to head with the SONY Z1U for Broadcast quality - and his testing showed it can compete with the much larger and expensive Z1U in the right conditions. I chose the HC7’s as my tool for lightweight, high quality video content acquisition for that very reason.
It is my opinion that too many people have become enamored with a larger camera and van loads of other video gear strictly for bragging rights yet don’t take into account their method for content delivery.
The Travel Channel Academy teaches it’s attendees to shoot with consumer grade video cameras, edit on a laptop and teaches them how to market their content to the Travel Channel. It’s about a lightweight, uncomplicated approach to story telling with a video camera. This bodes well for online content distribution which is making inroads with entrenched TV News Station Managers, whether the detractors choose to believe it or not.
There is a place for multiperson production crews, but the future lies with experienced one person Solo Video Journalists who can do it all - from conceiving the project, to shooting, editing, narrating, scoring musical soundtrack and delivering to multiple outlets.
That is the Solo VJ paradigm.
