Image credit: Jem Schofield
Just came across Jem Schofield’s website theC47. Sure, I like the strong, clean design of the site, but what’s most interesting is “gearbox”, his short, succinct daily video podcasts that offer tips on camera, audio, lighting, post, and tech gear.
Don’t turn away thinking this is one of the many facile “how to be a filmmaker” sites you might have seen around the web. Instead this is a smart, savvy approach with useful comments and observations by someone who teaches and writes books, but also works from production through post with an eye to fast, efficient production with the latest tech in hand. (The arcane name of the site is a tribute to a simple product heavily used during most productions–head gaffers will sometimes request “a C47″ as a tease to newbies on set, who can only stare blankly in return. Want a clue if you’re not production-wise? Try to decipher the wireframe image behind the site’s name…)
What a useful discovery! The site is, well, a gem, and that makes sense, since Jem is one of those multi-tasking types who actually seems to pull it off, running a successful production company, traveling in his guise as a highly regarded Apple Pro trainer, and authoring a number of books, the most recent of which–Peachpit’s Apple Pro Training Series: Motion 4 Quick-Reference Guide—releases later this year.
I met Jem at the New York Post Production Conference, which I blogged about earlier. Among the courses he taught there, Jem presented an in-depth look at using HD DSLRs for production, and what you’ll have to know to get the most out of them for post. That makes sense because Jem shoots gearbox with a Canon EOS 5D Mark II, and is now using it in production for his commercial clients.
Even though he’s using a double-system sound setup, Jem does each podcast by himself, so he must have some tricks worth watching. I think the video looks incredible, with great modeling and the true value of that fat Canon glass and full-frame sensor showing their worth. Definitely worth checking out on a regular basis.
if you email him, Jem will fess up about the exact gear he uses to produce his great looking podcasts as well as divulge the “secret” behind C47. He also said that he’s always looking for suggestions and questions for the daily podcast, so if you want to learn something particular, don’t hesitate in emailing Jem via the link on his site.
