While most people were waving their terrible towels and proudly wearing their cheese hats, Manning Productions was in the desert shooting new photos and videos for Navistar Defense.

This two-day adventure required long hours and dedication from crew and Navistar personnel. As video editor, I can only tell the story from the footage I’ve seen and feedback from the shoot, but without a doubt, it was the best shoot yet. Continue Reading →

I spent this past weekend attending a Canon HDSLR workshop in Chicago.  The three day event was put together by Createasphere and Canon to showcase and teach the many uses for this remarkable camera.  Our instructors Nancy Schreiber ASC, and Jared Abrams (HDSLR Expert) trained us on the aesthetics of movie making, and provided the technical expertise on camera operation.  Additionally, Mike Sippel, the Director of Engineering at Fletcher Camera Chicago, was instrumental in educating the group on complex menu systems and the “guts” of the camera.  If you’ve ever read a manual and wondered what the heck you were looking at, this is the guy that can explain it.

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For years I’ve been fascinated by how visual effects technology has advanced storytelling in motion pictures.  As a kid, I was first introduced to this with Return of the Jedi.  I’ve never been the biggest fan of the Star Wars films, but I watched them to see just how someone’s imagination was translated for everyone else to enjoy.  The film that changed everything for me was E.T.  I was 8 years old, and although I had no career ambitions, I knew I wanted to create things using my own imagination.  Fast-forward 26 years, and my work as an editor has allowed me to do just that.  Both in my personal and professional work, I’m allowed the freedom to create while earning a living.  Not bad.  When you have the time, take a look at the Michael Bay website and the “Reels” section of the Digital Domain website.  One provides a unique look at one of the most successful Directors, while the other shows examples of how script and imagination are translated to the big screen.