Portfolio Center Blog: Film

An Introduction to Archiving Your Work

What are Archives?

Archives refer to any collection of records, as well as the location of the collection. In order to truly keep an archive, copies of records are kept in separate location. This is known as redundancy. Duplicates protect the original record in event of a disaster, technical or natural, destroys an original. Most copies are in a digital format, which usually is used for the web, allowing a greater audience to access the records.

Why do I need to keep an archive of my work?

For you, the important part of this is to keep a copy of your work in a digital format, and to make sure that copy is stored in a separate location. This way, if something happens to the original, you will have a copy. The digital copy of your work will also help you as you graduate, and produce a final portfolio or reel reflecting your own body of work. Many seniors use these files for their professional web sites or DVDs that they construct with the help of the Portfolio Center.

Storing Original Work

Since work by students at Columbia College Chicago is varied, we will not address specifics of how to archive a painting, sculpture, or other three dimensional materials. We will, however, give you some general ideas for storing work. Most people find that the room with the greatest storage capacity is a basement storage area. These places can be the worst for keeping work, as there is generally a high level of moisture. Over a relatively short period of time, damage can become noticeable through yellowing of pages, fading of colors, and even growth of mildew.

The location you choose should be relatively dry, free from excessive dust and dirt, and out of any direct sunlight. This means that typically a shelf in a closet will work for you. Avoid floors, or bookshelves near a bright window. If possible, purchase an acid-free storage container. Most of these are available at art supply stores. These are perfect for keeping smaller paintings, and most sizes of photographs and documents. What is acid-free? Many plastic products and glues that are used contain acid. Even over a relatively short time, this can affect the integrity of what is stored next to it. The words ‘Archival’ and/or ‘Acid Free’ are typically displayed prominently on these items. The cost difference between non-archival and archival material is usually nominal. Books or larger items may be best stored in plastic sleeves, which also can be purchased at art supply stores.

More information regarding preservation of physical work can be found on the Columbia College Chicago's Library Archive site.

Documenting Work

Making physical copies of paintings, sculptures, or clothing you created may be nearly impossible. In this digital age, the best option is to make a digital copy of whatever you have. If you work in a digital format, this isn’t that difficult. Videotape is the obvious choice for any time-based art form, but still images can show details that can enhance your documentation. So you want to copy your work, but you don’t have access to a still or video camera. If you are a senior, you can contact the Portfolio Center for assistance with documenting your work. Find more information about Portfolio Production (pdf) from the Portfolio Center’s website.

If you are not a senior, you may want to review the guidelines on our site (in some instances, you may qualify if you aren’t a senior). Some departments may provide resources for photographing or videotaping your work, providing facilities or giving demonstrations on how to do this. Another way to find someone to help is by posting flyers in the Photography, Film, or Television Departments. Dorms are a great place to meet fellow students who may have the skill to assist you in documenting your work. Many students are looking to assist other students in this area. Providing compensation is the best way to ensure that work gets done. You could offer monetary rewards, or trade some of your work to pay for the services.

When you find a student to assist you, make sure that you do not turn over your original work. The best practice would be to meet with the individual at the time they would do any photographing. This not only creates less of an opportunity for your work to be lost or damaged, but will let you in on how the process works.

Documenting your work is not the time to be artistic. If you are doing still photography of the work, you want to have even lighting, usually from the side to avoid any glare. Framing should center on the object. You want to be as straightforward with your images as possible. This will let the work stand on its own strength.

Storing Digital Copies

Once you have your work documented, or if your work is already in a digital format, you need to store the digital files. Many students make the mistake of only saving the files on a CD or DVD. The problem with this method is that many CDs or DVDs have a life of only 5 years. Glues that hold the recorded layer to the plastic can give out, especially the inexpensive spindles you purchase at office supply stores. Markers that most people use to write on the discs contain acids that can speed up this process.

CD-RW and DVD-RWs create a new set of problems, as the more you re-record on these discs, the more chances your files may corrupt. These discs also fail to hold the integrity of the original file, and you may experience a loss of resolution.

It is important to understand that a CD or DVD should only be considered a method of delivering your files, not a method of storage. The best way to store digital files is on a hard drive. Some people store all of their images on their computer. This is problematic when your hard drive crashes, as you may lose all of your files. File sizes can also eat up your storage space.

The ideal method of storing your digital files is to purchase a hard drive that is dedicated to storage. Many affordable options are available these days, most under $300. Of course, if you are storing movie files, you will need a much larger drive. For this ideal method, your storage drive will be backed up either on your computer or a second drive. This may become cost prohibitive to many, so we will outline the next best method.

The second best method is to store your files on the storage drive, and make CD or DVD back ups. If you do this, make sure you purchase metal discs, as the glue is much better. These discs can have a life of up to 10 years. Silver discs are the most affordable and readily available. The cost difference between these discs and the budget discs is not drastic. For labeling your discs, purchase an acid-free marker, available in many camera stores. If the hard drive purchase is out of the question, let’s look into the budget solution to storing digital files.

The third best method of storing files is on CDs and DVDs. We already mentioned why this isn’t the ideal method, but if you are on a tight budget, this is the way to go. Remember though, only by metal discs, no rewritables, and make sure you use an acid-free marker. This will work for you until you can purchase a storage drive for your computer.

A few words about file formats

The most common formats for saving image files are JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), GIF (Graphics Interchange Format), and BMP (bit mapped). For movie files, MPEG (Motion Picture Experts Group), and audio files MP3 and WMA (Windows Media Audio). All of these formats are considered lossy, which is a fancy term meaning resolution is lost when saving in this format. What happens in the creation of these files is that your computer runs an algorithm, also known as a codec (for compression/decompression), to compress the information into a usable size. While this helps with storage space, you risk losing important information. Unless your original image is in one of these formats, you may want to choose storing your images in one of the following formats. These are generally considered lossless, meaning there is little or no resolution lost.

Preferred Storage Formats for Digital Files

This list is intended to give you a starting point for file saving. There are many more options, but these are good places to start.

Note that when storing your files in one of the above formats, the file size can become very large. You may not be able to store these files without an external storage drive. If you need to keep a smaller version of your file, make sure compression is at a minimum.

Movie Files

Movie files will no doubt rapidly take over your hard drive. A five-minute movie, uncompressed, could be as large as 20 gigabytes. A solution to this is to record a copy of your movie on a DV tape (Digital Video). This records a digital version of your file on a tape. The only drawback to this is unless you have a DV player, you won’t be able to watch the movie again. Here are a couple of ways to back up your movies.

Best-case scenario is to save an uncompressed version on a storage drive, and make a back up on a DV tape. This allows you to have two copies, uncompressed.

Second best scenario is to record a copy to DV tape, and save a compressed copy on either your hard drive or a DVD-ROM. A DVD-ROM can store up to 4.7 gigabytes, which may work for a compressed movie.

Some people are under the impression that an authored DVD is the same as a DVD-ROM. This is not true: An authored DVD is one that is playable in a DVD player and usually has a menu. All files on this type of DVD are compressed, and while it is convenient for delivery of your files (viewing), it is not the best way to store your files.

A DVD-ROM is more like a CD-ROM. They can be the same blank disc as a regular DVD, but you use them like a CD. Drag and drop your files, then burn the disc. Note that you must have a DVD burner on your computer in order to create DVD-ROM discs.

Digital File Naming Conventions

The way you name your files can have a drastic effect on compatibility between computers and the integrity of the file. Below are a few guidelines for you to follow.

Following the above conventions can assure compatibility with multiple platforms and older software programs.

What not to archive

Many classes give you footage from existing movies or images from existing advertisements to work with. For example, a Television student may have footage from the British Television Show Brightwolf; a Film student may have used Law and Order: SVU for an editing project; or an Advertising Art student may have pulled images off the internet for a class ad campaign. While you may want to save copies of these until you create more advanced work, you typically want to avoid using copyrighted material in your final reel or portfolio. For more information regarding this, check with your instructor or our website to find a Portfolio Advisor in your area.

Your next step

Review the work you have and determine which you would like to archive. If you need assistance with this, review your options with an instructor, or an Industry Expert through the Portfolio Center. Once you have choices made, document what you can into a digital format. As you save your work, subscribe to the Portfolio Center blog to get the latest announcements on other workshops about archiving. When you are a senior, sign up for Portfolio Production, and we can help you put it all together. Once you have your work packaged in a professional manner, sign up for Show Off events to show your work to visiting professionals. And don’t forget, the Portfolio Center Archive is always looking for submissions. Students, alumni, instructors, and employers view the online Archive. Now go out and start saving your work.

Dirk Matthews is the Assistant Director of the Portfolio Center and an adjunct faculty member in the Film/Video Department of Columbia College Chicago.

July 6, 2007

WIF Event: Directing in Chicago's Market | July 14

Saturday, July 14, 2007 – Women in Film Roundtable Series presents “Directing In Chicago’s Market”. What are the challenges faced by Directors in Chicago? How is the market in Chicago different from other production communities? As a Director, what choices do you have to make to ensure you find work? For new and seasoned Directors to meet and discuss issues facing them.

Time: 3:00 – 5:00 pm

Location: Under The Ginko Tree Bed and Breakfast, 300 N. Kenilworth Ave., Oak Park.

RSVP to rsvp@wifchicago.org with Directing Roundtable in subject line.

Visit Women in Film Chicago's website for additional information.

Posted by mcooper at 8:46 AM

June 2, 2007

Electronic Press Kits are all the rave

One way you as an artist can sum up your talent and gain exposure for yourself in the professional realm is via a press kit. The press kit is your chance to brag about how great you are. You can include samples of your work, press coverage, and upcoming events where people can check out your work. All that you probably already knew. However, more and more creative industries are turning to the EPK (electronic press kit) as opposed to the paper assemblages. This is increasingly true with music and film.

Most independent filmmakers have been broken in by such services as Without A Box because currently most film festivals worldwide prefer paperless entries. And as a former film student, I'm not complaining. It has definitely saved me time and money. If you don't already know of this system's benefits basically for each of your films you can upload pertinent information for an online press kit as well as all the information that would possibly be required for festival applications. The downside of this system is that it doesn't generate a PDF document or link that you can e-mail to people. Only festival programmers with access to the system can be sent your film's information through the system. One positive is that although Without A Box does charge a fee for some levels; basic registration is free.

The music industry equivilant of Without A Box seems to be Sonicbids. This service is available to musicians, booking agents, managers, promoters and event organizers. It seems like a great way for artists to compile information about their musical style, including performance specs and music tracks. There isn't an option for free membership; but you can choose a monthly, 6-month or yearly membership. It costs about $50 for the year. However, you can e-mail your custom weblink to whomever you desire. That's a huge plus.

This year the Portfolio Center plans to organize a couple of events to discuss EPK and PDF portfolios in more detail. Be sure to check our website and click on theevents page frequently so you don't miss out.

Posted by mcooper at 12:35 PM

May 22, 2007

On the Lot with Mike Chait '06

We met Mike Chait '06 when film advisor Ritch Barnes pulled one of us into his office to see Mike's reel. It was incredible. Not just because Mike has a penchant for pulling off Hollywood-esque production quality, but because Mike knew a little something about cutting together an actual Director's reel - something more than just a series of pieced together film segments. We'd like to think Mike's reel took some shape from the several Show Off sessions he took part in, but it probably had something to do with his talent as a filmmaker as well.

That talent will be on display as part of the Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett project, The Lot, a competition style reality series based around a select group of up and coming filmmakers. Mike is not just the only Columbia grad in the show, he's the youngest contestant as well. You can see Mike on The Lot's pilot episode (..and maybe longer depending on how far he gets), airing Tuesday, May 22nd at 8pm (CST) on FOX.

If you're wondering just what Mike had to show to impress Spielberg et al, it's online as part of the show's contestant capsule. His work is also being featured online as part of Sundance & Sci-Fi channel's exposure film contest. His latest reel is in the Portfolio Center (623 S Wabash, Room 307), if you want to stop by and see it, please do.

We'd also like to dig a little at all those advertising & copywriting students who didn't apply for our "Get Your Spot Shot" contest. Not only did you miss out on a funded :30 spec spot, you missed out on the opportunity to have Mike direct it. So there.

Congrats Mike. We hope you'll remember us when you're big.

Posted by mgreen at 2:47 PM

May 11, 2007

Short Cuts (Video editing and DVD authoring) | May 21st - 25th

To get good work in your industry, you need more than a business card and a cool hair-cut. You need a well-cut reel that is professional and authored onto a DVD. Get it done at Short Cuts, a solid week of editing and DVD authoring. On campus. For FREE.

Call 312-344-8624 for guidelines and to schedule an appointment with an advanced editor.

This opportunity is open to all currently enrolled students of Columbia College Chicago and May 2007 graduates who have a rough reel already assembled.

Posted by mgreen at 2:10 PM

May 7, 2007

Photo Doc Day | May 18th by appointment

On Friday, May 18th, Columbia students and recent graduates will have an opportunity to get their portfolio samples documented by advanced/expert photography students for free. Fashion design, product design, flatwork and paintings, headshots, portraits, sculpture, packaging . . . if it fits in the door, we'll get it shot for you.

The Photo Studio is at 72 East 11th Street on the 6th floor. You may sign up to work with a photographer at either 10 a.m., 1 p.m., or 3 p.m. Lights go out at 5 p.m.

Call 312-344-8660 to sign up. Your work must be organized and absolutely ready to go.

The maximum number of items you may bring is 10. If you need special props and/or special materials, you must bring them. We'll provide you with a CD of your images.

You MUST sign up in order to attend.

This opportunity is open to all currently enrolled students of Columbia College Chicago and May 2007 graduates.

Posted by kscott at 12:04 PM

May 5, 2007

Business Card Day | May 17th by appointment

The best portfolio in the world won't help you get work if employers can't figure out how to get in touch with you when opportunity knocks. Get a business card. One that you can be proud of.

To sign up for a design session on May 17th with one of Columbia's finest, call 312-344-7280.

This opportunity is open to all currently enrolled students of Columbia College Chicago and May 2007 graduates.

Posted by kscott at 11:51 AM

April 27, 2007

IFP presents MARKETING: Selling Your Film | May 5

Interested in learning how to promote films with effective PR materials? IFP's Producing Series concludes with :

"MARKETING: Selling Your Film," an all day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. workshop on trailers and materials, developing a website and finding publicists and producer's reps. Extra: Pitch Your Film to Industry Pros," lead by Michael Moore's producer, Jim Czarnecki ("Fahrenheit 9/11").

At 1104 S. Wabash, 8th floor. Registration, 9 a.m., sessions 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Lunch provided, noon-1:30 p.m. Cost for Columbia College students is $10.

Posted by mcooper at 9:06 AM

April 20, 2007

Show off to BuzzCo | May 1st @ 9am

The question isn't who should meet with Kelly Klawonn and Rebekah Levine from BuzzCo, but who shouldn't. BuzzCo has rightfully earned the reputation is a premium source for creative talent in Chicago and as a placement agency they match creative talent with agencies and studios in advertising, design, interactive and television post-production. Kelly and Rebekah will look at work samples and give students advice for packaging and marketing their work for Chicago's creative employment market. This session is open to seniors, graduate students and December '06 grads.

If you haven't already, register with the Portfolio Center and make sure you select the 'Show Off' option. Then, call 312.344.7280 to sign up to show off your work.

If you're reading this after this review came and went, check the Show Off page for a current schedule of guests.

Posted by mgreen at 2:46 PM

April 16, 2007

Chicago Creative Expo | April 21

Something for all creatives is the motto of the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs/Chicago Artist Resource's annual Chicago Creative Expo. On Saturday, April 21, from 10AM-4PM at the Chicago Cultural Center, venders and seminars will be a plenty with resources on issues such as affordable housing, creating a business plan, protecting intellectual property, insurance and the list goes on. The event seeks to connect artists with tool and services available to them in Chicago. So go and get connected...it's FREE!

Posted by mcooper at 2:08 PM

April 14, 2007

Show off to Mode | April 24th @ 10am

Motion designers are in high demand these days, and one of the places scouting talent is Chicago's own Mode, a collective of animators, designers and artists creating work for a range of clients in advertising, television, music and beyond. Managing director Brooks Ruyle and Creative director Steve Juras will visit to meet aspiring motion graphic artists, talk to them about their work and advise them on building a buzzworthy graphics reel.

If you haven't already, register with the Portfolio Center and make sure you select the 'Show Off' option. Then, call 312.344.7280 to sign up to show off your work.

If you're reading this after this review came and went, check the Show Off page for a current schedule of guests.

Posted by mgreen at 11:06 AM

April 13, 2007

Submit: Adobe Design Achievement Awards | Deadline April 27

Not that you need validation as an artist but a little recognition is always nice. So why not submit your work to the Adobe Design Achievement Awards? Projects must be original works created primarily with Adobe or Macromedia software. Individuals and groups may enter projects in the following categories: Animation, Digital Illustration, Digital Photography, Environmental Graphics and Packaging, Interactive and Web Design, Live Action, Motion Graphics, Print Design Multi-Page, and Print Design Single Page.

It is free to enter and a first place win gets you $5000, a paid trip to San Francisco or Adobe software. Very cool.

Submissions are due by April 27, 2007. For more information, visit www.adobe.com/education/adaa

Posted by mcooper at 9:00 AM

April 10, 2007

Submit: The Chicago Underground Film Festival call for entries

After the chaos of pre-production, through the ordeal of production, and beyond the tediousness of post...lurks the (deep echo of a voice) festival submission process. Que scary music.

To some, it's the most daunting phase of any film project. You're a filmmaker, not a marketer...right? Wrong. You made a film. Ostensibly for people to see. Making the film, as hard as that was, is only half the battle. Now your attention should turn to building an audience. This is the intersection of films, film festivals and a film portfolio. Get busy getting into festivals or get busy being a frustrated filmmaker.

The Chicago Underground Film Festival could be a good place to start. It's no lame-o fly by night festival, nor is it a massively overproduced Sundance wannabe. It's a good place for emerging filmmakers, who pride themselves on having a unique vision, to submit their work. It's also been a helpful venue for several Columbia filmmakers searching for an audience.

The early entry deadline is May 1st, 2007. The late deadline is June 1st. Details at the CUFF website. So...good luck with that.

Your friends,
The Portfolio Center

Posted by mgreen at 9:49 AM

March 26, 2007

Diane Weyermann of Participant Productions to visit CCC

The Film & Video Department's Graduate Program presents M.F.A. Alumna Diane Weyermann.

Monday, April 2 from 2:00-4:30 | Film Row Cinema, 8th floor, 1104 S. Wabash

Diane will show clips of films produced by Participant Productions, where she is currently Executive Vice President of Documentary Productions. She will discuss with the audience aspects of her career and of her work in the industry, including proposals, acquisitions, festivals, exhibition and distribution of both narrative and documenatry films.

All faculty, alumni, and students are welcome to attend. A reception will follow the presentation.

Posted by mcooper at 9:23 AM

March 25, 2007

Show Off to Radar Studios | April 5th @ 2:30pm

Radar is a Chicago post animation, design and fx institution. They got that way by consistently producing high quality orginal fx and design work for some of the top brands and agencies out there. If you watch TV (and don't use TiVo to skip every commercial) you've seen their work. And now they're coming to see yours.

If you haven't already, register with the Portfolio Center and make sure you select the 'Show Off' option. Then, call 312.344.7280 to sign up to show off your work.

If you're reading this after this review came and went, check the Show Off page for a current schedule of guests.

Posted by mgreen at 11:23 AM

March 13, 2007

Send us your web portfolio!

Graduating students & recent alumni:

Do you already have a web portfolio? If so, please email your website to us, so we can include it in our collection of online portfolios. Not only might you end up getting a call from a potential employer, but you'll be helping those who haven't yet completed their portfolios by giving them an excellent example of how it's done.

If you DO NOT have a web portfolio, and you are about to graduate or have graduated within the past six months, then let us help you create one! You can register for portfolio production by filling out our registration form.

* All web portfolios received will be reviewed before adding to our portfolio collection.

Posted by kscott at 10:03 AM

March 5, 2007

Grad School Applications in the Arts | March 13th at 4pm

Arizona State Professor, Artist, Choreographer and Scientist Jodi James will visit to discuss ASU's Arts, Media & Engineering Program and will engage students in a discussion about preparing a graduate school application which includes a portfolio of educational materials. This discussion is highly recommended to any student considering graduate school (not just hybrid dancer/scientists). All students and alumni are welcome to attend and bring their portfolio materials for Jodi to review.

This discussion is located in Room 405 of the 623 S Wabash Bldg.

Also, you do know you can always make an appointment to see graduate school portfolio advisor Emily Easton don't you? Well, now you do. Emily is available, by appointment, to meet students developing a portfolio for grad school applications.

Posted by mgreen at 3:01 PM

February 27, 2007

Show Off to Outsider | March 9th @ 10am

Five years ago Outsider Inc. producer Charlie Sato was participating in Show Off as a student. Now the circle is complete. Charlie, whose post production credits include work for Playboy and PBS special Design: e2 will visit to meet post students, advise them on building a professional caliber reel, and scout talent for internships and freelance positions with Outsider. Outsider is one of Chicago's largest and most visible post production studios with extensive credits in both television and advertising. This session is open to juniors, seniors, graduate students and December '06 grads.

If you haven't already, register with the Portfolio Center and make sure you select the 'Show Off' option. Then, call 312.344.7280 to sign up to show off your work. Don't be shy. You're an artist. It's part of the deal.

If you're reading this after the fact, check the Show Off page for a current schedule of guests.

Posted by mgreen at 4:44 PM

February 13, 2007

That's a Wrap: Packaging & Marketing Film Work | Feb 21st @ 4pm

Films are about the final product. In addition to what's being seen and heard on screen, your films are also being evaluated on how they are presented. Whether it is assembling your reel, developing a website or designing a film's marketing materials the output must be a professional representation.

We'll show examples and have several local film professionals & film festival organizers comment on what sells and what doesn't. This session takes place in conjunction with Production Week (pdf); a handful of sessions designed to help you (the student filmmaker) better pitch, produce and package your film work to attract the attention of crew & film festivals. This event is open to all current students and alumni.

Our guests: Mike McNamara, Co-Director of the Midwest Independent Film Festival; Annie Porter, Producer for Image Union; Dixon Galvez-Searle, Editor for Screen Magazine; Joanna Mackenzie with the Chicago International Documentary Festival; and Kimberly McArthur, Publicity and PR expert with Edelman PR (and formerly the Chicago Latino Film Festival)

All student and alumni filmmakers are welcome to attend and to bring copies of their marketing materials (stills, DVD covers, headshots, etc.). We will be able to show and discuss web-based reels as well.

The discussion begins at 4pm in "the HUB" of the 1104 S Wabash Bldg.

Posted by mgreen at 11:49 AM

February 11, 2007

Editing (post-production) Industry Expert Eric Bee

Eric Bee is a 2003 graduate of Columbia College Chicago's film and video program. He started his career as the college's staff editor before moving on to work in the advertising industry as a creative editor, working with clients like S.C. Johnson, Coors, Kraft and rock group Fall Out Boy.

All sessions are by appointment only. If you're interested to meet with an Industry Expert call 312.369.7280 for details.

---

Q: Whoa there. What are Industry Expert sessions again?

A: It's a service provided by the Portfolio Center that pairs students with working professionals in their field. An Industry Expert helps you understand what materials to put in a portfolio (and what to leave out), how to package and present your work, and how you'll know when it's ready for prime time.

Posted by mgreen at 9:03 AM

January 29, 2007

K.I.S.S.: Contact Information

No, we do not have the direct line for the Knights in Satan's Service. But we do have some practical advice on creating a usable, professional email. In a nutshell? Keep it simple, stupid.

Avoid numbers. If possible, try and avoid something with a number at the end. Did someone take the email you wanted? Tough. You might easily remember the year you were born, but an employer won't.

Do not divulge your less than wholesome hobbies. While it's best to avoid nicknames all together, email addresses with the words "stoner," "420," "hottie," "sexy," "lush," or any other word referencing sex, drugs or booze is a quick way to make sure no one writes you back. You're not being slyly clever; everyone knows what all these words mean and no one usually wants these characteristics in a employee.

Be yourself. Your best choice of an email? first name.last name@whatever.com Or, if that's been taken, consider first initial and last name. Or, try your putting in your middle initial. However, using your name means you're easy to remember- and get a hold of if something comes up.

Armed with a simple, professional email, look into printing up some business cards. That way, whenever you meet someone, you can make sure they can reach you at a moment's notice, without being afraid to hire someone calling themselves "midnightlover2003."

Posted by eeaston at 4:54 PM

January 22, 2007

Production Week | Feb. 19-23 | Pitch, Produce and Package

Production Week is a handful of sessions designed to help you (the student filmmaker) better pitch, produce and package your film work to attract the attention of crew & film festivals.

Monday, Feb. 19: Pitching Session 4-7PM / Room 503, 1104 S. Wabash / Presented by Producer's Guild of Columbia

Let Production Week begin! Experience the Art of Pitching from Producing and Screenwriting Faculty that will provide feedback to students with advanced projects in order to successfully prepare for Meet and Greet the following day. All students are encouraged to attend! Food and beverage will be provided.

Tuesday, Feb. 20: Spring 2007 Meet & Greet 4-7PM / Rm. 801, 1104 S. Wabash / Presented by the Advanced Production Center

Looking to work on an advanced film this semester? Need to fill out your crew? Stop by the 2007 spring meet & greet, pitch, watch a pitch, grab a snack, shake a few hands, and GET CREWED UP!!! (It's that simple.)

Directors & Producers -- Sign up to pitch in the Advanced Production Center (Room 517) or the Film & Video Office (Room 301) or just show up ready to go. Note: This has to be a Columbia sanctioned project to pitch -- Sorry.

Cinematographers -- Bring Reels

Everyone Else -- Bring Your Bad Self (along with resumes, reels, portfolios, samples of work, etc. -- if you got'em. If not, just your bad self will do.)

Wednesday, Feb. 21: That's a Wrap: Packaging & Marketing Film Work 4-6PM / HUB, 1104 S. Wabash / Presented by the Portfolio Center

Films are about the final product. In addition to what's being seen and heard on screen, your films are also being evaluated on how they are presented. Whether it is assembling your reel, developing a website or designing a film's marketing materials the output must be a professional representation. We'll show examples and have several local film professionals and film festival organizers comment on what sells and what doesn't.

Thursday, Feb. 22: Producer's Guild of Columbia General Meeting 5-7PM / HUB, 1104 S. Wabash / Presented by Producer's Guild of Columbia

All students interested in learning about producing, want to sign up to work on advanced productions, or want to be involved with the Producer's Guild of Columbia are encouraged to attend. All majors welcome! Food and beverage will be provided.

Friday, Feb. 23: Staged Readings 2-5PM / Room 302, 1104 S. Wabash / Presented by Producer's Guild of Columbia

The final wrap-up session to Production week will give students a more audio/visual experience of what Columbia's advanced films are about. In addition, interested students may sign-up to work on films or answer short questionnaires to aid the filmmakers in the process.

Students working on advanced projects may submit their scripts to be read and Advanced Students interested in directing stage readings should all contact and/or send submissions to PGCOLUMBIA@YAHOO.COM.

Production Week is a wicked collaboration between: Advanced Production Center, Columbia Click, Portfolio Center, and Producer's Guild of Columbia

Posted by mcooper at 11:19 AM

January 12, 2007

There's one for you, nineteen for me

A common mistake most young artists and freelancers make is to forget about the Taxman. Failure to plan accordingly can doom a self-employed individual's livelihood. The good news is, there's help. The Chicago Artist's Coalition is hosting their annual Tax and Record Keeping Workshop 1:00 on Saturday, 20 January at the School of the Art Institute, 280 S. Columbus Drive.

Led by Mary Fahey, C.P.A., this workshop is for all self-employed individual including artists, filmmakers, photographers, dancers, etc. There's a nominal fee for the workshop, and more information is available online.

Posted by dmatthews at 9:43 AM

January 11, 2007

Pitching your art is an art...Find out how

What does it take to sell your TV concept in Hollywood? Find out at IFP Chicago's The Art of the Pitch: Selling Your Television Ideas To Hollywood. The event takes place Monday, January 22, 2007 from 7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at WTTW Channel 11, 5400 N. St. Louis Avenue. Cost: NATAS Members, IFP members and Students: Free; Non-members: $5.00. RSVP by calling 312-435-1825 or e-mail infonatas@aol.com and check out chi.ifp.org for more information.

If you aren't able to attend IFP's event; don't worry we've got you covered February 19-23 during Production Week, a wicked collaboration between The Portfolio Center, Producer's Guild of Columbia and The Advanced Production Center. Check our website's Portfolio Reviews and Events page for details.

Posted by mcooper at 3:43 PM

Professional Guidelines for Freelance Writers

If you can write with proficiency and creativity you may want to seek out freelance writing jobs. The truth is, you may not obtain a full time job immediately after you graduate. And in many fields, such as advertising, marketing, public relations and journalism, freelancing is fairly common. And yes filmmakers, you too may want to consider corporate scriptwriting to pay a bill or two. I know; the truth hurts. No need to feel ashamed. However, you should be prepared and know the rules of the game.

Independent Writers of Chicago has published a set of professional standards to guide you through the process. Issues such as written agreements, expenses, spec work and terms of payment are included in a concise and informative document published on IWOC's website at www.iwoc.org.

Posted by mcooper at 7:15 AM

January 10, 2007

Video Resumes -- Benefit or Drawback?

This past Sunday (January 7th), an article appeared in the Chicago Tribune, entitled "Candidates make videos part of resumes," that discussed a new trend in "video resumes." According to the article, these video resumes feature prospective employees highlighting their experience and discussing why they want a career in their particular field. The candidates then either send their clips to prospective employers or send their clips via a link through e-mail. Sounds like some sort of strange version of a video dating service to me, but then again, how many of us spend more time with our employers than at home with our significant others?

Apparently, there has been some success with this method, as the Chicago Tribune illustrates with a few examples (pdf). But others are skeptical and voice concerns about sending video clips to prospective employers, suggesting that some candidates could be turned down "for interviews after seeing what they look and sound like on video," which could also leave some employers "open to discrimination lawsuits."

Another article by NPR points out, in "Job Hunters Seek Winning Edge in Video Resumes," that while these types of resumes have been around for years, the "growth of broadband connections and the proliferation of easy-to-use video-making applications" have created a large increase in the number of people who post or send video resumes to employers. NPR similarly highlights a number of success stories with people that have utilized video resumes and received numerous interviews and job offers. But again, there's a cautionary warning: "pitching yourself on video can backfire." Not only might you turn off a potential employer with your video, but according to Peggy Mastroianni, "as associate legal counsel at the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission," videos can be problematic because they can also "reveal information -- race, religion, disabilities -- that shouldn't figure into who gets an interview and who doesn't."

So our advice? Tread with caution. If you do decide to pursue this route, you might want to get feedback from professionals in your industry before turning the camera on yourself. And then weigh the positive possibilities against the negative. You might hit gold, but then again, your video might become the thing that people send around the office for a good laugh.

What we do encourage is the utilization of technology (audio, visual) and the internet to showcase your talents . . . your actual work. Creating video or audio clips of examples of your work that are easily made available by the click of a mouse has also proven to be quite beneficial, but without many of the accompanying concerns over potential discrimination.

Posted by kscott at 9:17 AM

January 8, 2007

Breaking down the cost of building a portfolio

How much does a portfolio cost to assemble? Well, everything at the Portfolio Center is free, including Portfolio Production. However, if you need to take care of it yourself, here's a rough idea on what you should plan to spend:

Business Card Design: 60$-150$ per side

Headshots: 100$-300$ for a one location, one setting shot

Assembling a Reel: 250$ (not including cover design, which costs an additional 135$)

Website Design for a 5 page, HTML site: 350$-750$

Website Design for a 5-page, Flash website: 500$-1400$

Web Templates: 75$-240$

And, the more skill and experience you require, the more you can expect to pay. You may be able to find a diamond in the rough (similar to yourself) who just needs to get their work out there and is willing to work cheaply, but, be prepared to be flexible about what you can demand.

As always, it's your choice. If you're comfortable spending between 250$-1700$ to get your first job, don't let us stop you. In fact, take us out to lunch at Custom House and tell us all about it. But, if you'd rather have someone else foot the bill, remember, we're here to help.

Posted by eeaston at 1:34 PM

We won the SILVER!!

We, at the Portfolio Center, were recently notified that we won the 2006 NASPA Excellence Silver Award for the "Careers, Academic Support, Service Learning and Community Service" category!

What's that mean? It means the Portfolio Center has been recognized as the second best in the nation of all those who submitted in this category.

So congratulations to us! And congratulations to you, too, because our center's success is a huge reflection of our students and all of our collaborators (faculty, staff, and industry professionals).

Posted by kscott at 8:33 AM

January 4, 2007

Why YOU should have a Business Card

Yeah YOU. All of you. I know, some of you feel weird carrying around a business card when you're "just" a student, but you wouldn't believe how helpful they can be in getting you that gig, interview, or freelance opportunity. Think about it. You're at some event (like Show Off), and a professional actually shows interest in you or your work. There's some mumbling about a possible job coming open soon. You want to give her your contact information, so you fumble around for that pen and scrap of paper, scribble it all down, and thrust it into her hand.

Now, be real. How likely do you think it is that she'll even remember where she stuffed that little wad of paper or who you are if she ever does find it? That piece of paper will most likely get dry-cleaned the following week. Or worse, yet, pitched in the nearest trash can.

A nicely designed business card, with your contact information and website (if you have one) is much more likely to get that second look; it's also easier to file for future reference, and it looks so much more professional! Even if you haven't done much of anything yet, it says, "I take myself seriously, and so should you."

Have confidence in yourself and think of business cards as a convenient and efficient way to network and share contact information.

Now, how to get them? We're holding a Business Card Day on January 25th. We'll have some of Columbia's finest designers custom create a business card for you (pdf) , according to your specifications. All you have to do is call us to set up an appointment (no, you can't just walk in). Call 312-344-8660 and reserve your spot!

Posted by kscott at 3:56 PM

January 2, 2007

Interview with script consultant Dan Rybicky

Scriptwriters don't need a fancy powerpoint presentation or anything flashy to showcase work. But you do need to make sure what you have to present is your best work. Writer, consultant, producer, and educator Dan Rybicky has read ALOT of scripts. We recently chatted him up as he shared his insights about what scriptwriters should submit and to whom. (mp3)

Posted by mcooper at 9:35 AM

December 21, 2006

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Columbia College Chicago will be closed for the holidays between Friday, December 22nd and January 3rd, 2007. We, at the Portfolio Center, would like to wish everyone very happy holidays! Be sure to check back in January for upcoming spring semester events!

Posted by kscott at 9:06 AM

December 18, 2006

Social Networking for Screenwriters

MySpacers, Facebookers, etc.; put thy social networking skills to use for your career. If you're unawares, social networking refers to any web-based networking system. Although the aforementioned social networking giants are well known, there is a growing metaverse of social sites that focus on specific interests, hobbies and careers. (Indeed some industrious Columbia students have started one specific to our school.)

MyCreativeCommunity is one such site which focuses on screenwriting and screenwriters. It's new, so it's not yet what one would describe as "jumpin' off," but it's getting there with the help of a little media buzz.

Non-screenwriters, take heart. If a social networking site relevant to your career isn't out there, you can get one started. Networking is after all a part of the portfolio process. What good is great work unless you have people (other than your roommate and mom) to show it to.

Posted by mgreen at 9:04 AM

December 15, 2006

Protect your work: Copyrights 101

With everyone putting their portfolios online, lots of you are asking questions about how to protect your work from being used- or, rather, stolen. Do the benefits of the online portfolio outweigh the risk of having someone take your work?

The answer is: yes. An online portfolio is an invaluable tool- and keeping people’s grubby little mitts off your work is fairly easy, but, there are a few things you should know.

Any time a piece of original work is affixed to a medium (paper, clay, ink, document), it is immediately protected under copyright. Copyright is exactly what it sounds like: the right to copy work. As the creator, you are (most of the time) considered the owner of the copyright and allowed to dictate the terms of what and how your work maybe copied by others. You don’t even need to put in the “�” or “all rights reserved”; thanks to the Berne Convention, copyright is established the moment the original idea takes a physical form. It’s as simple as that.

The most common special cases for students involve intangible ideas and work you do for an employer. Ideas or concepts cannot be protected- which is one reason you should never include an undeveloped idea in your portfolio. Additionally, when you create work for an employer, the employer holds the copyright- meaning you cannot use it anywhere (including your portfolio) without his/her permission. While many employers allow students to use work from internships and projects, some do not; ask first. If you are allowed to use it, this is a case where the “�” must be used to show who owns the copyright (since everyone who sees it will assume it’s you.)

The complicated part of protecting your work comes AFTER someone has used it and, should you choose to press civil charges, you will be asked to prove that you created the piece first. There are three main ways to establish when you own the rights:

1. Any website/digital document will be assigned a time stamp that indicates when it was created. This is sufficient evidence for any piece of work as a “born on” date.

2. The “poor man’s copyright” is used by artists, writers, record label owners and pretty much everyone. Put your piece in an envelope, go to the post office and mail a copy to yourself using “registered mail.” Should the need ever arise, you can use this to threaten anyone who has taken your stuff- since you have proof you committed it to a medium by a certain date. However, the poor man’s copyright does not stand up as official evidence in court, should things escalate to that level.

3. If you’re really concerned about someone stealing your work, the most official way to protect it is to register each piece of work with the U.S. Copyright Office. For 45$ (per piece) you can be sure no one will touch your stuff without a smack from the swift sword of federal justice. It’s the priciest option, but, if you’re really concerned, can you put a price on piece of mind?

And, there may also be cases where sharing your work increases your visibility and acts as free publicity (or, maybe you just love to share.) In that case, you can dictate the terms of your “right to copy” by registered for a Creative Commons License. They’re free and, once displayed on your website/work, they let people know the terms of how they can use your work.

Posted by eeaston at 2:35 PM

December 8, 2006

Proofing. Another way to keep your materials out of someone else's trash can

Proofreading is essential if you want anyone to take you or your work seriously. You can spend hours of the material, work with a Portfolio Advisors, gets a professional web cite created, but, the butter the portfolio, the more glaring the typos.

You owe it too yourself to check each and every peace of copy - obviously including you’re resume- at least twice before you ad it to the finished portfolio. Reed it out loud word buy word. Get a friend too look it over. Alls it takes are one teeny tiny mistake and an employer stops reading an moves one.

Are we being too hard on you? No. Were not. That extra ten minutes of reading means a huge difference in how you present your self. Simple typos make and employer question you’re ability to pay attention to detail, submits quality work and the pride you take inn what you’ve done. No employer want to compromise on these issues- we don’t care what industry your in.

Microsoft Word made this process Evan easier a few years ago when they addled a super sophisticated grammar and spelling editor to their programs. Guess what? Its not perfect. It missed 30 errors in this entry alone.

Posted by eeaston at 9:26 AM

December 6, 2006

Show Off to Cutters | Dec 8th

It's official. Show Off 2006 is going in the books and we're closing out with a visit from one of the nations premiere post-production operations, Cutters. Cutters reps will visit the Portfolio Center on Friday, December 8th at 1pm to meet seniors, grad students and Spring '06 grads who have a working editor's reel and want some feedback on imporving it.

As always, if you've already registered with us, kewl. You can just call 312.344.7280 to sign up to meet Cutters. If you haven't registered, ok, you can do that now....and then call.

Posted by mgreen at 1:29 PM

December 5, 2006

Pawky: A Web Portal for Your Short Films

With the popularity of websites such as Atom Films, ifilm and YouTube and even dare I say, becoming a staple in life, your short form film and video content has numerous options to be seen outside of film festivals and your parent's living room. One (relative) new kid on the block is Pawky. I recently read about them in Screen Magazine. Based in Evanston, I hear the founders are avid film watchers and festival goers. Their site provides a forum for filmmakers to distribute shorts and receive feedback from other filmmakers and fans. One distinctive feature though is that the site allows members to post a resume and a reel as well.

Check out www.pawky.com for more information on how to post films and such. And if you're currently a senior and need help putting a reel together check out The Portfolio Center's portfolio production services.

Posted by mcooper at 10:30 AM

CMGF07 = The Chicago Motion Graphics Festival 2007 | Submission deadline Dec 8th

The Chicago Motion Graphics Festival 2007 is a four-day premier Midwestern event catering to 3D and compositing effects. It takes place January 25th through 28th in downtown Chicago. The festival features an awards ceremony, industry mixer, HD screening, a 4-day educational conference, and year-round online coverage.

CMGF will screen work that includes: special effects, compositing, music videos, commercials, experimental, machinima, game graphics, animatics, web motion designs, dvd intros and micro-cinema. The festival accepts entries from all over the world, but will emphasize work from the Midwest.

This year we will give special attention to work at HD resolution.

The DEADLINE for entry is 8 December 2006.

To submit a motion picture for consideration, please enclose a print out of the application form (pdf), a check for the $15 entry fee made payable to Design After Next, LLC, your entry in one of the accepted formats, and mail to:

Motion Graphics Chicago
1573 North Milwaukee Ave #510
Chicago, IL 60622

All entries should be submitted on DVD, MiniDV, HDV, BetaSP or compatible data file formats such as an uncompressed Quicktime file.

Entries should also include:
(1) A brief artist or company bio.
(2) A list of the software used to create the work,
(3) An indication of the content's original format (i.e. computer animation, live action footage, hand-drawing, stills, etc.),
(4) A description of the work of 35 words or fewer, and
(5) An optional, separate description of not more than 100 words.

Please send an email with your name and the name of your project to filmfest@mgchicago.com when you have mailed your submission, and we will notify you when your entry has been received.

Entry Fee is $15.00 per person or company. Each person or company can include as many pieces, works, or movies in their entry as will fit on their entry DVD.

Please Note: All submission become the property of Design After Next, LLC to be used at their discretion. All relevant permissions and copyrights are assumed to be cleared by the entrant. The accepted festival entries will be shown at the festival screening, MGChicago events, on the festival website, and on the festival DVD.

If you have a question about your entries eligibility please contact filmfest@mgchicago.com.

Posted by mgreen at 10:08 AM

Not-for-Profit Incorporation Workshop | December 7

This is not exactly portfolio related. And the Portfolio Center is not hosting the workshop. However, I thought it would be a good idea to post info about the seminar below since I know several students (from dance to film & video to AEMM majors) who have started or are interested in starting not-for-profit organizations. And of course we want to support you as you find independent ways to outlet your art & media.

The Lawyers for Creative Arts will again present its workshop on Not-for-Profit Incorporation and Tax Exemption on Thursday, December 7, 2006 from 5:30 p.m.- 8:45 p.m.

This workshop will discuss whether to start a NFP, how to establish a NFP, as well as certain recurring operating problems. Also covered, how to obtain a 501(c)(3) tax exemption and discuss several legal issues regarding maintaining tax exempt status. The cost is $75 for one person, and $100 for two people.

Please call LCA at 312-649-4111 to register. Visit www.law-arts.org for more information.

Posted by mcooper at 10:03 AM

November 30, 2006

PR, Film Publicity Industry Expert Kimberley McArthur

Kimberley McArthur rejoined Edelman in July 2006 in the Tourism & Lifestyle and Multicultural practices. As an integral member of both teams, Kimberley focuses on executing national and regional Multicultural campaigns for a varying array of clients.

Kimberley previously held the position of Director of Development and Public Relations for the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago (ILCC), where she created custom programming tie-in opportunities for corporate partners looking to strategically communicate with the Chicago bilingual, bicultural Latino market. Her relationships and experience with local and International media helped to add a new dimension to the publicity of the organization, increasing the diversity of coverage and content for the Chicago Latino Film Festival and other year-round programming.

Prior to joining the ILCC, Kimberley was an integral member of the Diversity Solutions practice at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide. There she leveraged her background to execute innovative media and promotional campaigns for health, food and consumer packaged goods clients wishing to break into the U.S. Hispanic market.

She has also worked within such organizations as TeleFutura Chicago, Goodbay Technologies and NewsWire One. Her experience has focused primarily on media, entertainment, business-to-business sales and Hispanic marketing and promotions.

Born in Brazil, Kimberley spent her childhood living throughout the Americas (Colombia; Costa Rica; Mexico; Ontario/Quebec, Canada) and settled in the United States, specifically Arizona, in 1992. She graduated from Arizona State University in 2001 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and minors in Marketing and Spanish. She is fluent in English and Spanish, and has a working knowledge of French and Portuguese.

Actively involved in the community, McArthur has worked closely with Y-ME of Illinois for more than four years, Gilda's Club Chicago, GenArt and local community organizations. This year, she will be serving her third term as an adult jury member of the Chicago International Children's Film Festival.

Featured in the media, McArthur was named one of "Chicago's fabulous 20somethings" by RedEye and MetromixTV in the summer of 2004. She has also appeared as a spokesperson for the ILCC in local and International print, radio and television news coverage.

*Availability: Weekdays between 12:00PM-2:00PM or 5:00PM-7:00PM (off campus).

All sessions are by appointment only. If you're interested to meet with an Industry Expert call 312.369.7280 for details.

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Q: Whoa there. What are Industry Expert sessions again?

A: It's a service provided by the Portfolio Center that pairs students with working professionals in their field. An Industry Expert helps you understand what materials to put in a portfolio (and what to leave out), how to package and present your work, and how you'll know when it's ready for prime time.

Posted by mgreen at 9:46 AM

November 20, 2006

Filmmakers: Show Off to film rep Chris Karabas

Chris was originally lined up to be one of our guests at Reel Exchange, but business being business, he couldn't make it and Chris' business is the business of film. Specifically Chris, as a partner in the House of Representatives, reps some of the bigger commercial production companies on the planet (He also once negotiationed a huge payday for Woody Allen. Just thought we'd mention).

So how does this relate to you? Well, are you a filmmaker? Do you have commercial aspirations (commercials, music videos, industrials, etc.)? If you said "yes" and then "yes" again, you'll have the chance to collect Chris' advice on your work, your reel and your roadmap to actually getting paid to direct or to shoot.

If you've participated in a Show Off before call 312.344.7280 to sign up. If not, visit the registration page - register - and then call to sign up. Spots are going quickly. Oh, he'll be here on November 30th. FYI.

Posted by mgreen at 3:40 PM

October 26, 2006

Singed, but not burnt to a crisp | Portfolio Center events proceed or will be rescheduled

Due to the fire and damage to the 630 S Wabash Bldg (aka the George Diamind Steakhouse) we unfortunately had to postpone (and hopeful can reschedule) Show Off visits from Wunderman and Pie Town TV. Go Go Graduate School (located in the 1104 S Wabash Bldg) however is still very much on for Friday, October 27th at 10am as is Monday's 7pm session for interactive designers, Too Flashy? Showcasing your interactive talent. (The 623 S Wabash Bldg is currently slated to re-open on Monday the 30th.)

Posted by mgreen at 8:44 AM

October 25, 2006

Apologies to Nissin Food Corporation | Considering Graduate School

It's a sad fact, however, the old cliche of the starving artist sometimes feels very real to people trying to make a living as filmmakers, photographers, performers, painters and other fabulous and creative professions. Some keep at it by surviving on ramen noodles. Some devote the 9-5 portion of their day to a desk job. And some go to graduate school.

But, how would more school help anything? You studied your craft for 4 years (sometimes more) so how would another two or three or even five years of learning get your closer to your goals? Well, graduate school and undergraduate school are two totally different experiences.

For starters, graduate study allows you to focus more specifically. While your undergraduate career has armed you with the basics, your graduate career will most likely offer a more unique and specialized course of study. The culmination of your graduate study will most likely allow you the opportunity to make that documentary, shoot that series or sharpen that specialized painting technique that started your interest in making art.

Additionally, graduate school offers you the chance to meet more artists and make more connections. With projects and grants for support, you will have more opportunities to get your name out there with the backing of a university. Those connections come in pretty handy later when you're out on your own.

Lastly, many programs will offer some level of funding, meaning you have a chance to work on your art without accruing too much debt (also meaning you may escape the ramen noodle diet after you earn your degree.)

However, to apply to graduate school, you need to prove to admissions committees that you are focused and committed to what you intend to study. Part of your application package will include a portfolio, and that's where Go-Go Graduate School leaps to the rescue.

On Friday, October 27th, the Portfolio Center and the Advising Center are bringing over 25 programs to campus to help you get the inside track on how to make the most of your application. We'll be offering panels on the visual arts, film & television, as well as a general "how-to" and information about the newly emerging "digtized portfolio." Not a listener? All of the schools will be there answering questions and reviewing work. It will be a great way to start learning about the process. You don't need to apply right away, but, the information will come in very handy should you ever find yourself trapped in a cubicle.

Posted by eeaston at 1:26 PM

October 18, 2006

Get Schooled

If you're reading this blog, then chances are you've stumbled across the basic concept of a portfolio 11 or 12 times already. However, while mostly we're concerned about getting you a job after graduation, sometimes a job isn't the answer. Sometimes more school is the answer. Well, we've got you covered there too.

A portfolio for a graduate school application is a whole different body of work. You need to be prepared to show what you can do and what you plan do all in a concise set of 8-15 images or a three-minute reel, along with an essay explaining your intentions during your future study.

How can we help? Well, we can't really. But, we did invite a whole mess of people who can. 22 schools from around the country are arriving on Friday, October 27th to give YOU the insider information on what makes a good application rise to the top of the pile. We'll be hosting panels on the Visual Arts application, the Film/TV Application, and digitizing your portfolio. Heads of Music and Theater departments will be there to explain how to nail your audition. Law school representatives will be there- and no, you're not a sell out if you're excited to talk to them. Interested in psychology? Five art therapy programs want to help you get started.

Come by. Bring your work to get some feedback. Grab a brochure. Go on to greatness. You can thank us later.

Posted by eeaston at 1:28 PM

AFI presentation and screening. Oct. 26th.

The American Film Institute, known to their friends as AFI, will visit Columbia this month to tell you about their MFA programs in Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. There is no easy route to "amke it" in film, but certainly AFI is a program that has many successful alumni to it's credit. Admissions manager JJ Jacksman and Stephen Lighthill, ASC Filmmaker-in-Residence: Cinematography will cover the basics of applying and getting into AFI, and screen work from it's students and graduates. (Fyi - they count among their students TV hopefuls as well as film).

So....at 6pm on Thursday, October 26, 2006, be in Room 504 of 1104 S. Wabash if you're considering (or curious if you should consider) AFI in your future.

The following day, you'll find JJ and Stephen can also be found at the Go Go Graduate School event in the Conaway Center.

Posted by mgreen at 1:05 PM

October 16, 2006

Viva Volunteerism Service Expo

On November 8th from 11am-2pm, the SOC (Student Organization Council) is hosting Viva Volunteerism! Columbia College Service Expo in the Hokin Annex, 1st Floor, 623 S. Wabash.

The goal of the expo is to connect students to community partners and to develop partnerships between the two. Focusing on the 3 main components of working within the community; social, academic, and career development, the expo hopes to host between 15-20 community partners and 5-10 student organizations that actively participate in community life through service. Tables will be set up in the comfortable Hokin spaces of Columbia. Students, staff, and faculty will be able to view tables with information and speak to representatives. Refreshments will be served.

Visit www.colum.edu/leadership for more information.

Posted by mcooper at 9:10 AM

October 13, 2006

Show Off to Pie Town. Don't act like you don't watch reality TV....

One of the purveyors of cable reality shows, Pietown Productions, will visit the Portfolio Center on Thursday, October 26th to scout future TV talent and give advice to budding production professionals on the creation of a reel. Specifically if you're interested in work as a Director of Photography or Camera Operator, Pie Town is seeking interns ready and willing to shoot. If you're interested, sign up to meet Pie Town's Kenneth Arkow, show him your stuff, get feedback, ask questions and ask about the Camera Internship.

Pie Town's visit is part of the Show Off program, thus, if you haven't already, please complete our registration form before calling 312.344.7280 to sign up. This event is open to Juniors, Seniors, grad students and spring '06 grads.

Posted by mgreen at 2:40 PM

Network Your Art at Click's Midday Mixer

Mid-Day Mixer hosted by Click, Thursday, October 26, 12:00-2:00 PM, 623 Wabash, Hoken Annex

Click's Mid-Day Mixer is a social networking event offered to Columbia students and Chicago land artists. The purpose of this event is to create an interactive atmosphere that will encourage networking for artists.

The event will display artist work of all kind. Displays of paintings, photography, dance, music, graphic design, video, writings, and anything else you can think of will be included. Free nonalcoholic mixed drinks will be distributed to guests. There will also be interactive tables where guests can create artwork of their own!

For more information about the event and how you can display your work, visit columbiaclick.org.

Posted by mcooper at 9:42 AM

Postcard from Reel Exchange 2006

Dear emerging filmmakers, animators, and TV moguls:

Hi. How are you? Us? We're great. We held an event on October 6 called Reel Exchange. The annual event is a meeting of the minds of sorts. It's the only program anywhere that allows you to hear how your body of work, the sum of your abilities, sells in the industry. And as you go off into the world applying for jobs and grants; many organizations prefer to view a reel and not just one particular project.

The event was open to all. With a selective screening process, 28 students and recent alumni screened their reels for 17 professionals whose jobs range from directors & producers to lead animators to DPs to post production extrodinaires. Hopefully these individuals benefited from the array of feedback they received.

We wish you were there. But no worries...will do it again next fall. Bigger and better.

XOXO, Portfolio Center

P.S. -- If you wanna gear up to submit work to be screened at next year's event, check out our Short Cuts program. This resource will pair you up with an editor to cut your reel as well as author it to DVD.

Posted by mcooper at 8:43 AM

October 12, 2006

Flickr mini-cards. Good lookin' business cards, on the cheap

Just to be clear, we're not in the habbit of stumping for anyone anxious to get their hands on your money. Nor do we endorse any company or product. If, as is the case here, we mention a service that is not free it's because we think it's worth looking in to....so, we think MOO's Flickr Minicards program is worth looking in to. For $20 clams (more like $25 when you add shipping) you can use some of the nearly infinite imagery on Flickr as the basis for your business card. Judging by some of the cards we see, you could use the help.

...and keep an eye out 'cause once in a while, our Portfolio Production guru Adam Berry offers up some of Columbia's best design talents for the custom creation of business cards. To ensure you hear about that when it happens, be sure you're registered with us.

Glad we could help

Posted by mgreen at 12:21 PM

Resfest in Chicago on October 19th. Go.

If you've never heard of Resfest, we pity you. It's a film festival on visual steroids (but legal). It's also on wheels and will be rolling into Chicago (housed in the Museum of Contemporary Art) on October 19th. It's got nothing to do with reels in the purset sense, but everything to do with visually impressive short films, music videos, experimental animation and motion graphics. Q: What is a good reel after all without good work? A: It's a trick question, there are no good reels without good work on them. Your good work starts with the appreciation of others'. Go. See. Appreciate.

Posted by mgreen at 10:26 AM

October 10, 2006

Cinematography Industry Expert Alan Thatcher

Alan is one of Chicago's most active DPs with 2nd unit and camera credits which include Proof, Light It Up, and Stir of Echoes and Cinematography credits including Jeff Farnsworth, Steps, Totally Confused and The Kill Reflex.

All sessions are by appointment only. If you're interested to meet with an Industry Expert call 312.369.7280 for details.

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Q: Whoa there. What are Industry Expert sessions again?

A: It's a service provided by the Portfolio Center that pairs students with working professionals in their field. An Industry Expert helps you understand what materials to put in a portfolio (and what to leave out), how to package and present your work, and how you'll know when it's ready for prime time.

Posted by mgreen at 9:53 AM

October 9, 2006

Show Off your directing or producing to Ebel Productions' Executive Producer

Storytelling in 30 seconds usually takes place in the form of a commercial. On Friday, October 20 one of the top commerical houses in Chicago will be at the Portfolio Center to spread the knowledge. Ebel Productions' Executive Producer Jason Schettler will review work from student directors, cinematographers and producers in one-on-one, 20 minute Show Off portfolio reviews. Only 9 spots available so don't wait to sign-up.

Students who have yet to register with our office will need to before calling 312.344.7280 to sign up to meet Jason.

Posted by mcooper at 10:39 AM

Short Cuts

Do you need someone to edit your reel? Some DVD authoring too? Read on:

To get good work in your industry, you need more than a business card and a cool hair- cut. You need a really good reel cut -- professional and authored onto a DVD. Get it done at Short Cuts, a solid week of editing and DVD authoring. On campus. For free.

Monday, November 6th through Friday, November 10th

Get guidelines and schedule a meeting with an advanced editor by calling 312-344-8624.

Posted by adberry at 10:21 AM

October 4, 2006

AFI Conservatory Presentation and Screening

THINKING ABOUT ATTENDING GRAD SCHOOL FOR FILM???

JJ Jackman, Admissions Manager of the American Film Institute will be back again to speak with Columbia students about the school's diverse programs in cinematography, directing, editing, producing, production design and screenwriting. He'll be joined by Stephen Lighthill, Filmmaker-in-Residence: Cinematography. AFI's fellows receive advanced hands-on creative experience within a 60-plus credit hour Master of Fine Arts degree program. For many Columbia College graduates, AFI has been the next step in their careers. Come learn more about AFI's graduate film program and check out recent thesis work from AFI fellows!

On Thursday, October 26, 2006 @ 6:00PM, 1104 S. Wabash, Room 504

You can also receive individual feedback from JJ Jackman on Friday, October 26 from 10AM-3PM at the Go-Go Graduate School event. He and representatives from other film programs can watch your reel and give you pointers to improve the packaging of your work.

Posted by mcooper at 8:36 AM

September 29, 2006

Reel Exchange 2006

An astute student just pointed out to me that the name Reel Exchange implies that anyone and everyone can just bring a reel and trade with others; like a swap meet or a potluck dinner. Ok, that's not what happens, so here's our justification. The exchange is one of opinions, if not reels themselves.

We take great care to get professionals who speak from several points of view. Film festivals don't want to see the same work as a Director's Rep. Feature editors and commercial editors prep their reels differently. The list goes on. We pull these diverse voices together - not to promote confusion - but to offer a variety of perspectives. A variety we believe you'll encounter in your professional life after Columbia. Cool? Cool.

So back to the event itself. We know only a handful of Columbia students have a working reel and the Exchange is our flagship effort to get those balls rolling. The brave few film and tv students who have submitted their work, will get it screened in front of an impressive panel of film, tv and animation professionals. We didn't promise screeners the guests would take it easy on them, and we didn't have to. Showing work and taking criticism is a part of breaking through and breaking in. These students get it. You will too. Start here.

Posted by mgreen at 12:39 PM

September 22, 2006

Film festivals. Your press kit and getting in.

by Sean J.S. Jourdan

When you finish you film, you're justified in feeling a sense of accomplishment.

You've likely written it, directed it, and taken it through the maze of post-production. Now, the trick is getting people to see it.

There is any number of ways to go about this - screenings for friends and family, online streaming, etc. - however, film festivals should be a part of your strategy. And, as you begin to research and apply to film festivals the words "publicity materials" and "press packet" begin to crop up again and again.

If you're like me you're a little lost in the world of public relations and marketing. That's a whole other major. Yet, as an independent filmmaker, the burden of this effort often falls on you, and if you're thinking about this now for the first time, after you've completed your film, then you've already fallen a little behind. Let me offer a few suggestions based on my own experience that you should consider during the pre-production and production phase (I know, a few more choice items to add to your already full plate):

First, have all your key crew positions and actors provide you with short bios (no more than a paragraph long) and digital photos that you can use in any future press materials. If you get them early, then you don't have to worry about tracking down your actor who moved to LA and your DP who is now shooting a documentary in Borneo.

Second, take still photos on set. Often time, for students still photography means taking picture of the crew setting up or the director working with actors. These can be useful and I encourage you to take them. I also strongly encourage you to take stills of important moments in the film. After you do a take, hold everything and have the still photographer step in - very quickly - to capture a frame that mirrors what will be in the film. Do not rely on digital captured stills from your edited movie - these are typically of low quality and not useful for much. If you don't photograph stills on set, you'll have to do them later, after the principle shooting has been completed which means gathering up everyone, their costumes, props, and securing access to the location again. Get them on set. It's much easier.

Now it's time to write a synopsis. Revisit your treatment. You're film has probably changed since you originally wrote it, so revise your treatment to reflect those changes. Distill it down to a paragraph - now you have your synopsis. Meet with your producer to go through all those release forms (you've gotten those, right?) and build your credits. Thoughts about the film itself, the theme, what it means to you- put it down. Now you have your director's statement.

Each of these items form the foundation for what will become your press packet.

As part of a Show Off visit in the spring of 2006, I met with Philip Bajorat from the Chicago International Film Festival. I brought my film with me (which we didn't watch) and the items, compiled in a very rough form, which I describe above. Philip's advice to a short film director is to build a neat and simple press packet that contains the following items:

• Your contact info
• Technical information regarding your film (shooting format, running time, aspect ratio)
• A short synopsis/log line (two or three lines, approx. 30 words)
• A longer synopsis (50 words)
• Director's Statement
• Bios of Cast & Crew
• Credits
• A CD of stills from the film and of the director

You don't have to spend a lot of money on it. In fact you shouldn't, just make sure it has a clean design/layout.

He emphasized it's the film that gets into the festival not the press packet, so the film has to stand on its own. However, a well thought out press packet can't hurt. A press packet shouldn't eclipse your film, however, in terms of quality or cost, but support it.

Not only can a press packet help you as part of the submission process, but most festivals require many of the elements listed above. If you're accepted into the festival, include your press packet as part of their program and marketing campaign.

And who doesn't want to be a part of that?

---

Sean J.S. Jourdan is writer/director whose short An Open Door is an Official Selection of the 42nd Chicago International Film Festival. He is currently in the Thesis stage of his MFA from Columbia's film program, manages the Advanced Production Center at Columbia and teaches Production I.

Posted by mgreen at 10:02 AM

September 21, 2006

Film Directors & Music Composers Meet & Greet

Directors/Producers of Advanced Projects: Next monday the film department will host a special Meet & Greet with composers from the newly formed MFA in Composing for Screen program. Students producing advanced projects (Special Studies I & II, Directing III, Doc II & III, Independent Projects, Grad) are invited to attend. This is a great opportunity to make some musical alliances.

When: Monday, September 25th @ 6pm

Where: Room 504, 1104 S. Wabash

Students should be prepared to talk a little about their films. They'll have a set-up to screen any rough cuts, assemblies, etc - if needed.

Please RSVP to the Advanced Production Center at production@colum.edu or contact with any questions.

Posted by mcooper at 9:51 AM

September 20, 2006

Show Off 5.0

Each year we, the Portfolio Center, face a battle that is at once new and familiar: getting you to show off. One of our cornerstone beliefs is that advanced students in the arts and media should spend a good deal of time showing work to professionals in their field and collecting feedback on how it can be improved. One program in particular, Show Off, is our go-to when it comes to getting senior, graduate and recent grads' work in front of experts in their field. Following is a brief explanation of what Show Off is, and how you can use it to your benefit.

First, Show Off is ongoing. It runs throughout the year, hitting a crescendo in the middle of the Spring semester. It could happen on a Monday afternoon as easily as a Thursday evening, October through May. We book visits based on the availability of our guests, many of whom travel to Chicago and take time out of otherwise hectic schedules to be here.

It is not a recruiting program, although a number of students find work, internships and exhibition opportunities through it every year. Most of the guests who come are indeed looking to scout talent, but at the same time, the focus of each advising session is on helping you understand how to move your portfolio presentation along to the next level. Some guests are tough, some supportive, but they're all coming to help.

So, how does it work? Simply. Once you register you'll get email updates whenever we book guests in your field. When we book someone you want to meet with, call us at 312.344.7280 and we'll get you scheduled for a specific time. Then its you, the guest and twenty minutes to show off what you can do. These are tightly scheduled meetings, so showing up late (or not showing up) is not cool.

We have about 120 Show Off sessions each year, but when you break it down, each area gets somewhere between 3-10 chances (we get more guests from specific fields like advertising, design and photography) to have their work reviewed. About 250 students participate and most take part in multiple reviews.

Don't wait until the late Spring to get started. It's not uncommon for Spring schedules to fill up quickly.

Your pal,
The Portfolio Center

Posted by mgreen at 3:08 PM

September 19, 2006

A BLOG ABOUT BLOGGING . . .

I'm the PC staff member that is probably newest to blogging. Call me slow to grab onto the technology. But I have to admit, this thing is really cool! Everytime we've got a new event, portfolio advisor, article, portfolio example, or even some new tidbit of information that we think is important for you to know about, someone here at the Portfolio Center blogs about it.

But the neatest part is that you don't have to keep coming back to the blog page to get the latest. Just subscribe to the blog! And I'm talking to all the faculty, too, not just the students!

On our main page, there's an RSS icon that you could just click on and then subscribe to ALL the blog feeds OR, if you just want to know what's relevant to you, click on the blog subscribe icon from your major/industry home page, then subscribe!

A "feeds" link will then show up on your browser's toolbar, and all you have to do is LOOK - all the new blogs will be there. Waiting. Patiently. Silently screaming . . . COME TO THE PORTFOLIO CENTER . . . we've got events for you! advisors, portfolios, ice cream . . .

No wait, that was across the hall, the Multicultural Affairs folks were the ones giving out the ice cream (well, you never know what student affairs has got going on around here, so it's a definite benefit).

Posted by kscott at 1:43 PM

September 18, 2006

Go-Go Graduate School

GO, GO to this event on Friday, October 27 from 10AM-3PM if you want to meet with representatives from several of the nation's leading arts & media graduate programs. Both the eager prospective applicant and the undecided knowledge seeker are sure to benefit from attending. You'll have the unique opportunity to meet admissions counselors, program coordinators and MFA directors and receive one-on-one feedback about packaging your application materials; including your portfolio or reel. You should attend. But please-- walk, don't run! We don't want you to hurt yourself before getting accepted.

Check out the Go-Go Graduate School page for details and a list of attending schools.

Posted by mcooper at 12:43 PM

September 11, 2006

A call for Reels!

Animation reels. Bring. Directing and producing reels. Bring. TV production. Bring. Cinematography, Videography. Bring, Bring. Editing. Bring. Motion Graphics. Bring.

The Portfolio Center is looking for a few good reels to screen at the 2nd annual Reel Exchange. The exchange will bring a number of prominent animators, filmmakers, editors, shooters and tv professionals to Columbia to look at students' work samples and share their advice for preparing and presenting a body of work in their field.

Reel Exchange happens on Friday, October 6th. We need your reels by September 29th. To be considered we need a DVD copy of your reel (not random work samples). Be sure to include your contact info with the DVD. This is for grad students and seniors, but if you think you're an advanced junior, drop it off and we'll see. Recent graduates are welcome to submit their work, but only alums who have been out less than a year will be considered. Priority consideration is given to those who will be in attendance.

If your reel is selected, we will notify you by October 2nd. If your reel is not selected, you're welcome to bring it to the event. Some of the guests will be accepting reels in consideration of internship (and possibly freelance) opportunities.

Questions? 312.344.7280 or portfoliocenter@colum.edu..com

Posted by mgreen at 4:50 PM

September 9, 2006

Film and TV Industry Expert Kelly Luchtman

Kelly Luchtman is a producer of television and educational non-fiction programs. Her popular Chicago by "L": Touring the Neighborhoods, was shot in Hi-Definition, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for WTTW, Chicago's PBS station, and was distributed nationally on PBS and Discovery. She has also produced segments on Tango and on Artists' Space for Artbeat Chicago, WTTW's Emmy Award winning weekly arts series. In Chicago, Kelly has produced and directed non-fiction pieces for The Field Museum, The Girl Scouts of Chicago, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Joyce Foundation, and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Since 1997 Kelly has been producing, directing and writing video case studies for McGraw-Hill's Higher Education Group that feature companies such as Honda, McDonald's, and Walt Disney World.

Her own projects include a documentary in progress on the Acme Artists' Community in Chicago, for which she was awarded an artists' residency at the Ragdale Foundation in May of 2005 and a special assistance grant from the Illinois Arts Council.

She holds an MA in Film History, Theory, and Criticism from Northwestern University and a BA in Economics from the University of Colorado.

Kelly's availability varies. Appointments are held off campus.

All sessions are by appointment only. If you're interested to meet with an Industry Expert, and have already registered with us, call 312.344.7280 to schedule an appointment. If not, complete the registration form and be sure to select the Industry Expert option. Easy.

---

Q: Whoa there. What are Industry Expert sessions again?

A: It's a service provided by the Portfolio Center that pairs students with working professionals in their field. An Industry Expert helps you understand what materials to put in a portfolio (and what to leave out), how to package and present your work, and how you'll know when it's ready for prime time.

Posted by mgreen at 9:43 AM

August 2, 2006

We love us some web portfolios

Narciso Carlos has one of those "problems" where, prior to graduation, he was pulled into the ad/mktg/design business. Talent can be hard to contain. That said, talent must be "on display" to be noticed. If that sounds too obvious, it's mentioned here because too many talented students aren't outward enough with their work. Narciso is not one of them. A new design and integration of blogging tools into his portfolio site are worth the look to all who have or want an online portfolio. There's a wealth of links to other creatives and their portfolio sites as well.

This fall, the Portfolio Center will host a program, "blogging for portfolio." (Day and time TBD, so stay tuned.) Narciso, you're invited. We hope you can make and share your thoughts on the subject. Your site looks excellent (as does the work inside) and the blogging is right on. Tells who you are, what you do and highlightes your creative talent. Bravo.

All the best, Portfolio Center.

Posted by mgreen at 10:30 AM

July 31, 2006

Just a reminder: MySpace is not your portfolio

I'll admit it, I'm a 30 something with a MySpace account. I have fun with it, connect with a few friends and some of my favorite celebrities, (Ohhh...isn't it cool that I'm friends with Stewie Griffin!) but there's two things I don't do with my MySpace page. One, I don't put anything up I wouldn't want my boss (or Mom) to see. Two, I don't pretend it's an acceptable replacement for an online portfolio.

Yes, I too have heard all the stories about MySpace as a networking tool and how bands have made it big from their MySpace profile - etc. Connecting with people, however that happens, is (almost always) a good thing. Job hunting is different.

In the creative fields the employers read into the way you present yourself to them. Any business that hinges on selling creative ideas to clients or customers is largely about effective presentation (sure, creativity has something to do with it too...). The Portfolio Center emphasizes presentation in many of our programs for exactly this reason. When guests visit to look at student work, they often comment, "The work was good, but your students need to up their ability to present it."

So how does this relate to MySpace (or am I just ranting)? MySpace is the easy way out. Sending your MySpace page along is like writing a 10 page paper the night before, they're gonna be able to tell. There's no shortcut here. Online portfolios are the wave of the future and are already the norm in many fields. If you're not a proficient web designer already your options are to get crackin' learning Dreamweaver, to partner with a talented IAM student, or, if you're approaching your last semester at Columbia, ask us to produce a website you can be proud of. If it stops you from putting your work up on your MySpace page, you'll be doing yourself a favor

Posted by mgreen at 9:45 AM

July 13, 2006

AICP Seminar July 29th

Commercial Production Assistant Seminar

So, you want to work in the film business? (Learn how to get a job, make a few connections and start your career.)

DATE: Saturday, July 29th

TIME: 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m.

PLACE: Essanay Studios, 1346 N. Northbranch, Chicago

Meet the following working members of the film community who will tell you how they got their start and share tips on how you can "get into the biz." [Executive Producer, Director of Photography, Line Producer/Production Manager, Assistant Director, Art Director/Production Designer, Wardrobe Stylist, Gaffer, Key Production Assistant]

As well, you will learn practical information that will help you get your first job and be successful. Representatives from the following film industry vendors will be on hand with helpful tips:

Schumacher Camera

Essanay Studio and Lighting

Rolling Stock Rentals

Please call (312) 266-2900 and ask for Jonah Mueller to reserve your spot at the seminar. Alternately, you can e-mail lisa@radarstudios.com to do the same.

Seminar registration cost: $20 - includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

Just FYI, AICP is the Association of Independent Commerical Producers. Here's my two cents: There are bound to be great contacts at the event. If you attend, be sure to ask about developing a portfolio. Heck! You should even take your developing portfolio with you. You may have the opportunity to receive some good feedback!

Posted by mcooper at 12:04 PM

June 29, 2006

Editing Reels for Chicago Work

So what you really want to be is an editor after you graduate. You've edited Flying and every other editing exercise your instructor has thrown at you. Maybe you've even gone the distance and edited various student shorts (as you should). You think you've got a pretty good reel together. Right? Well, you could be wrong.

If you're planning to stay in Chicago and apply for jobs at Chicago post production houses, having a reel with only narrative work may sever your chances of being employed. Why? Because let's face it kids, Chicago is a commercial town. So what do potential post production employers want to see on your reel-- commercials. Pay attention.

On Tuesday, June 27, Executive Producer of Film and Tape Works, Adam Marton came to the Portfolio Center to interview 6 potential editing candidates for a full time position. While overall he was impressed, he also did not see reels that reflected the type of work that his company does. He commented that he would have liked to have seen more variety in genres as well as more original footage from the aspiring editors. Adam is not the first visiting professional from a post house to make this point.

Bottom line: know what type of work the company you are applying to does. Don't make them have to use their imagination to guess if you are able to cut commercials or corporate video. Show them that you can on your reel. Well, that's if you want to work.

Posted by mcooper at 4:49 PM

June 19, 2006

Webfolio. Fred Miller, Director of Photography

Fred Miller has skills. Thus we grabbed his reel (mpeg) for our archives. As an emerging DP he already has a few credits to his name. He also has an online portfolio, making it easy for prospective clients, and Director's, to see what he's capable of.

If you've been reading this blog for any length of time you'll know we can't get enough online portfolios. They're the future, and for many of you, the future is already yesterday. So get crackin'.

Congrats to Fred for doing so, and for a fine start to his career.

Posted by mgreen at 3:41 PM

June 15, 2006

Digital Portfolio Workshop

Chicago Artist Coalition is another organization that has, for lack of a better description, good stuff. Check them out! Here is one event that they may have trumped us on.

Entering the Digital World

June 29, 6:30-8:30pm

Led by Rachel Powers, Associate Professor of Digital Design at DePaul University

This workshop will walk participants through the ins and outs of digitizing their work in preparation for a web presence, as well as the creation of a digital portfolio. The workshop will cover best practices for taking digital pictures of one's work, saving these images and getting them ready for:

- a website (what software to use when editing digital images),

- a portfolio,

- a CD-Rom,

- and slides.

Additionally, this workshop will cover standards for uploading images to online portfolio websites, such as the CAC Online Gallery.

Visit www.caconline.org for details about costs and location.

Posted by mcooper at 10:14 AM

Kimberley McArthur. PR expert. Events expert. Publicity for Film expert. And your new Portfolio Advisor.

We first met Kimberley in April when she was on of our guests at PR Portfolios. Uncharted Territory. We were impressed. She's got great things to say about the next generation of PR portfolios and the experience to back it up. She's worked for giant PR agencies, non-profits, film festivals and for herself. She's also been recognized as one the "who's who in Chicago under 30." (Bragging moment: She's not our only portfolio advisor on tha list.)

If you're looking to break into PR, Kimberley is your Advisor. Take advantage. And hey, if you're a savy film student, looking for strategies on publicizing your film, this might be a match as well.

Posted by mgreen at 9:44 AM

June 13, 2006

Summer Show Off for Editors, Motion Artists

We swore we would never do Show Off in the summer, but what can you do when a place like Film and Tape Works calls and wants to scout post production talent? Answer: You book it.....So we booked it.

Thus, on June 27th at 4pm any senior, grad student or recent graduate planning on a career in post production is eligible to sign up to meet Adam Marton, the Exec. Producer and Film & Tape Works to show off their reel, get his feedback and; for the lucky ones, land a paid gig.

To sign up call 312.344.7280 - BUT - if you haven't already, visit the Show Off page and register to receive email updates whenever we confirm new guests in your field.

Posted by mgreen at 12:20 PM

June 12, 2006

Take your Vitamins

Our friends at Vitamin, a production and post production studio in town just got a nice write up in Screen Magazine. They also (finally) have their website up and showing off their immense design skills. Take a peek.

Posted by mgreen at 10:14 AM

June 8, 2006

Motion Graphics Chicago

Just 'cause it's summer, and we're not doing a whole lotta events here at the Portfolio Center, doesn't mean you can rest on your laurels. (What are laurels and how can one rest on them?)

Motion Graphics Chicago is an excellent group of professional motion designers, who meet regularly and show their work off to each other. They also offer a plentitude of workshops of developing motion artists.

Their next event will be June 14th at 6:30 and will focus on AfterEffects and it's interaction with 3D applications such as Maya.

Happy trails! The Portfolio Center.

Posted by mgreen at 2:02 PM

Business Card Day (Yes, we'll design a business card for you!)

It's not a portfolio in and of itself, but business cards are a good startm unless of course they're bad business cards. Whats makes a business card bad? We don't know, we only know from good business cards and if you come by on June 20th, we'll sit you down with a skilled designer who will design a business card with you. One you can be proud of. To sign up, call 312.344.8660.

Posted by mgreen at 8:58 AM

May 16, 2006

Photo Doc Day. Free photograpy for your portfolio needs

Photo Doc Day

On Wednesday, May 24th , Columbia students and recent graduates will have an opportunity to get their portfolio samples documented by advanced/expert photography students, for free. Fashion design, product design, flatwork and paintings, headshots, portraits, sculpture, packaging . . . if it fits in the door, we'll get it shot for you.

The Photo Studio is at 72 East 11 th Street on the 6 th Floor . You may sign up to work with a photographer at either 10AM , 1PM , or 3PM . Lights go off at 5PM. Call 312-344-8660 to sign up. Your work must be organized and absolutely ready to go.

The maximum number of items is you may bring is 10. If you need props or special materials, you must bring them. We'll provide you with a CD of your images.

You must sign up in order to attend.

*Brought to you by the Portfolio Center with the generous support of the Photography Department.

Posted by mgreen at 3:25 PM

May 11, 2006

Photo Doc Day

On Wednesday, May 24th, Columbia students and recent graduates will have an opportunity to get their portfolio samples documented by advanced/expert photography students, for free. Fashion design, product design, flatwork and paintings, headshots, portraits, sculpture, packaging . . . if it fits in the door, we'll get it shot for you.

The Photo Studio is at 72 East 11 th Street on the 6th Floor. You may sign up to work with a photographer at either 10AM, 1PM, or 3PM. Lights go off at 5PM. Call 312-344-8660 to sign up. Your work must be organized and absolutely ready to go.

The maximum number of items is you may bring is 10. If you need props or special materials, you must bring them. We'll provide you with a CD of your images.

You must sign up in order to attend.

*Brought to you by the Portfolio Center with the generous support of the Photography Department.

Posted by mgreen at 10:48 AM

May 9, 2006

Danielle Corches, webfolio

If you've been reading this blog, you know that one of our favorite things are beautiful, effective and stylish online portfolios...and I found another. Recent MFA graduate, and interactive media producer Danielle Corches, maintains a nice webfolio that details both her professional work and her life as a filmmaker. No small feat. Looks great Danielle! Congrats.

Posted by mgreen at 11:07 AM

April 27, 2006

Editors, Motion Artists...one spot left

Ok, usually we blog when we just book a new guest in an effort to get you to sign up. This one's a little different. We booked Cincinnatti based Lightbourne to come on May 2nd (same day and time as S2) and thought we better get the word out quick.

Too late, word got out and we only have one spot left. So if you're reading this and are a senior editor/motion artist, visit the Show Off page asap and register. Then call 312.344.7280 to get that last spot.

For the record, Lightbourne is also looking to hire some folks FT, so it's a good idea to bring a polished resume along with your reel. If you're not looking for work, or just want to use this as a chance to get feedback and advice, that's cool too.

Posted by mgreen at 4:22 PM

April 25, 2006

Artist Unite with Click Fusion

A lot of students often wander into the Portfolio Center (sometimes desperate) requesting our Portflio Production services. Portfolio Production meaning we hire a producer to work with you on presenting your body of work. If you aren't a senior or recent graduate you probably aren't eligible for this service. Or you may need help documenting, photographing, recording, or designing one specific project and our office isn't quite set-up for that either.

But have no fear, Columbia College's newest student organization Click is here. Click will act as an online networking group for Columbia College artists looking to collaborate with other students on a per project basis.

Thursday, April 27 from 5-9PM Click will host their first networking convention at 1104 S. Wabash in the first floor Conway Center. They'll have musical acts, raffle prizes and guest speakers. It will be a really hip opportunity to network with ALL types of artists!

Visit Click's website for more information. www.columbiaclick.org

Posted by mcooper at 4:37 PM

April 20, 2006

Learn to show off your directing chops

On Wednesday, May 3 @ 2pm Gay Guthrey, one of the midwest's top director's reps will be here to meet our emerging directors and advise them on ways to develop a reel aimed at landing commercial and music video work.

Gay's clients include Biscuit Filmworks, Whitehouse Post and MJZ (whose roster of directors includes Spike Jonze, Phil Joanou and Marcus Nispel). All five of the director's nominated by the DGA last year for best commercial director, were repped by Gay. She will visit Columbia to meet film and tv students, review some of their samples and discuss successful strategies for putting together a reel. TV and film directors will find this a useful meeting.

If you haven't already, visit the Show Off page and register to receive email updates whenever we confirm new guests in your field.

Posted by mgreen at 9:59 AM

April 11, 2006

Film/Video Master Classes

*The following announcement was recently made by the Department of Film/Video. Looks to be a great resource for filmmakers.....

Creative Collaboration Master Classes and Screenings with Charles Robert Carner (Writer/Director), Michael Goi (Cinematographer) and Marc Leif (Editor) who began as a Production Team at Columbia in the 1970s. They have gone on to highly successful careers in motion picture and television production.

A series of three master classes. One class each will cover Editing, Cinematography, and Producing/Directing/Writing. Each session will begin with critiques of student work followed by discussion and interactive assignments. Each will also feature clips from a film by the teacher. The full feature will then be screened that evening along with a q&a.

Classes will be sign-up only. Sign-up sheets are located at the Film & Video reception desk on the 3rd floor at 1104 S. Wabash. Students may take any or all of the classes.

Students who will be attending the master classes must bring a short film or sequence (3 minutes max) to the class for critiquing.

Screenings will be free and open to all.

Tuesday, May 2 TIME: 2:00 -- 5:00 PLACE: Room 503 TOPIC: Producing/Directing/Writing with Charles Robert Carner SCREENING: Red Water SCREENING TIME: 6:30 SCREENING PLACE: Film Row

Wednesday, May 3 TIME: 2:00 -- 5:00 PLACE: Room 711 TOPIC: Editing with Marc Leif SCREENING: Who Is Killing Atlanta's Children? SCREENING TIME: 6:30 SCREENING PLACE: Film Row

Thursday, May 4 TIME: 2:00 -- 5:00 PLACE: Room 711 TOPIC: Cinematography with Michael Goi SCREENING: The Fixer SCREENING TIME: 6:30 SCREENING PLACE: Film Row

Posted by mgreen at 10:36 AM

April 6, 2006

Putting together a portfolio for grad school applications

by Emily Easton

Applying to graduate school can be a daunting process. As opposed to most undergraduate applications, you need to show the graduate admissions committee a portfolio to demonstrate that your undergraduate career has sharpened the skills you plan to utilize for your next set of academic challenges. Selecting the right work for your portfolio and presenting it correctly will be a deciding factor in the success of your application.

The selection process begins with the work that you and your professors consider your very best work. From that collection of work samples and projects you should create a selection tailored to the specific program you hope to be accepted to. This may require some research on your part to know the academic and aesthetic agenda of the schools you plan to apply to. This may require leaving some good work out of your portfolio because it doesn't fit with the programs you're interested in. For example, if you are applying to a fine art photography program, don't include commercial photography samples unless you feel strongly that you can substantiate (in the application) your ability to move that work in a fine art direction.

If you are applying to a program that will be a continuation of your undergraduate studies, you should have plenty of material to work with. However, if you plan to study in a field that marks a departure from your previous studies, you should consider including any work that would be relevant. (Many schools are interested in having students trained in disciplines other than their own and will adjust their portfolio expectations accordingly.) For example, if you are applying to an architecture program, any drawing classes you've taken may have produced some useful samples. If you haven't done anything remotely related to what you plan to study, consider taking at least one class in your new area of interest.

Whether or not you are continuing your studies, or branching off in a new direction, you should also be sure your portfolio is tailored to each and every program you are applying to. This may mean you need several different portfolios. It's more work but an individualized portfolio shows that you have thoroughly researched the program and chosen it because you feel you can contribute something significant. One way to know the agenda of a specific school and department is to research the work of the faculty who teach in the program. If your work is in the same vein as theirs or you are inspired by their work, that program may be a good fit for you.

Once your work is together and you've chosen your best pieces, you will need to format your portfolio according to the program's guidelines. Follow directions to the letter; you should be creative with your artwork, not with your formatting. These instructions will vary by school or even program. If you don't give the school what they asked for, most schools will consider your application incomplete and throw it out before they even look at it. And don't give them more than they've asked for . Go over the instructions carefully and, if you have any questions, call the Admissions Office; they will be happy to answer any questions if it means they receive a correctly completed application.

Lastly, when you find yourself with a finished, formatted, ready-to-send portfolio, get a second opinion; another set of eyes will help you identify any areas you should strengthen. Your professors and academic advisor are a great place to start. Many schools also offer informal portfolio review sessions with their Admissions counselors and National Portfolio Days bring several schools together to review portfolios. Take advantage of these opportunities. A little advice from the other side of the admissions process can help your strengthen your application and your portfolio.

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Emily Easton is a Coordinator in the Portfolio Center of Columbia College Chicago.

Posted by mgreen at 11:50 AM

April 3, 2006

S2, Show Off for Editors and Motion Artists

On Tuesday, May 2, S2Post (formerly Swell Inc.), one of the post production facilities in the midwest, will descend on the Portfolio Center to give feedback to emerging editors and motion artists.

Our guests include S2's President Monna O'Brien, Elsie Ogelle, graphics creative director, and Brian Clark, editor. Students interested in internships and freelance work are also encouraged to attend. Grad students, recent grads, seniors and juniors with multiple original editing samples are eligible to attend.

If you haven't already, visit the Show Off page and register to receive email updates whenever we confirm new guests in your field.

Posted by mgreen at 3:13 PM

March 30, 2006

Portfolios in Motion: Advice from Manifest Digital

Manifest Digital puts the multi in multimedia. Their designers create print campaigns, identity work, motion graphics, interactive video, flash animations, kiosk design and the list could go on and on. Wait! Have we said this before?

Yes! We were actively searching for junior and senior motion design and interactive multimedia students to participate in portfolio review sessions with Manifest Digital's Creative Director, Justin DeLara.

Seven of you took advantage. For the rest of you, here are some words of advice:

The main message I received from Justin is that when applying for a job make sure you research the company and learn about what their focus/market/niche is. Then with that information, make sure that your portfolio speaks to their needs.

If you're a film major with an interest in a motion design position you may not come across as a true designer. Likewise if you're a terrific developer or coder, design jobs may not be for you. And if you happen to be extremely talented at motion design, build a portfolio to reflect that and only that. Bottom line-- know your talents and if you don't know, ask someone.

Internships are an excellent way to expose yourself to various companies and may help you determine where you "fit in." Okay, one last chance. Manifest Digital did mention that they are looking for motion design or web interns for the summer. For more information e-mail us at portfoliocenter@colum.edu

Posted by mcooper at 12:51 PM

March 28, 2006

Parting thoughts from Pete Biagi

Congrats Columbia cinematographers, Pete was impressed with the quality of work he saw during his March 7th visit. He also left us with a couple of pearls to share with all of you about DP reels.

One, get more content. When you graduate, you probably won't have had much time to get beyond-the-classroom work on your reel, but that is exactly what you'll need to begin impressing film folks with your abilities. Reaching the point that you're being paid to shoot film means you've already paid your dues by shooting numerous projects for free. So buddy up to those emerging directors and low budget producers and don't be so above shooting for them that you limit your chance to put together a diverse reel....which leads us to Biagi point number two. Show some diversity. It's good to have a personal style, but it's equally imperative for a young photographer to show their ability to work on a variety of project types and in a variety of environments.

Thanks Pete, and we'll see you next year. The Portfolio Center.

Posted by mgreen at 2:38 PM

On Target with your Cinematography Reel

by Peter Hartel

As in any creative endeavor, it's best to think of where you're going and where you want to land, in order to determine the best way to get there. A young cinematographer just starting out usually has a limited body of work to choose from to create a representative reel, and there are limits to the production value, type, genre, and overall variety of the work. Choosing what to use is often determined by what you want to do: whether it be commercials, corporate or industrial films and videos, dramatic narratives, documentary shorts, or feature films and videos, for example. You may not be at a point in your development as an artist to be this specific, and you may not want to specialize in any one genre; but don't fret. In the past, cinematographers have cut separate reels for the different types of work that they might be seeking, but today, it is most common to create a DVD of your work that can be organized into categories and even include related work (such as photography, painting, or drawing) that will give your prospective clients a better idea of your overall artistic sensibilities.

So what does this clientele look for? More than anything else, they're looking for consistency and competence. Put yourself in a producer or director's shoes; they've got thousands of variables to juggle when putting together a production and making it work. Any good manager knows that they can't do everything, and there isn't enough time in the day to be everywhere at once and make every critical decision. So that person needs highly qualified people in key positions who can do important work on his/her behalf, consistently and reliably do the work, and make choices as their proxy. Furthermore, s/he is looking to the cinematographer, to bring ideas and creative experience to the project and to do it in a way that is elegant, as well as cost and time efficient.

To show a prospective employer that you can deliver work that is more than just pretty pictures or showy shots, look for sequences that cut together well, that tell the visual part of the story succinctly, efficiently, and in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Be sure to include sequences that are capable of an emotive response, even if it's out of context in a short scene. Because beginning cinematographers don't usually have a lot of material to draw upon, the montage cut to music is a convention that is used to create a lot of first reels. This is fine as a starting point, but think of a montage as only a point of departure. Be sure to also have a number of scenes or sequences represented on the DVD that are elements of the montage and label them as ?dramatic scene? or ?documentary sequence? or ?:30 second television commercial,? etc. This way, the client can look at your montage, if they choose, in order to get an overall impression of your work, but they can also reference more specific work on the DVD as well. As you build a greater body of work and perhaps become more specific in the type of work you're pursuing, you should consider jettisoning the montage in favor of a reel that showcases specific scenes and projects.

Remember that television commercials are truly short stories told in 30 seconds or less; even though documentaries are based in reality, they still convey drama, and the visual elements of dramatic work are sometimes the most evocative part of the storytelling process, as long as they are well integrated with the other dramatic elements. Don't forget sound and sound design. Unless you're planning on a career in silent cinema, now is the time to heighten your awareness of the critical importance of audio in supporting your meticulous visual work. Nothing negates the impact of good visual storytelling more than crappy sound!

A final thought on your reel. Keep it short and simple. Most producers and directors won't spend much time looking at each reel, especially if they're looking at a lot of them. Your packaging and presentation and the design elements of the DVD can be a very important part of why they choose to even look at your reel. Don't skimp on this consideration. Be sure to show your reel around to people who have opinions you trust, and especially to people who are willing to give straight criticism, unvarnished, in order to get a clear picture of what's working and what's not. Be sure to be as generous to other artists with your time and experience as your career progresses; it's this kind of artistic camaraderie and collaboration that makes our profession the special way of life that it is!

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Peter Hartel is a full-time faculty member in the Film/Video Department at Columbia College Chicago. His filmmaking expertise spans post- production and visual effects as well as optical camera operation and computerized motion control.

Posted by mgreen at 10:14 AM

March 24, 2006

Short is the keyword in Short Films

We recently hosted guests from the Chicago International Film Festival and the Movieside Film Festival and from each we heard the same thing. Your short film isn't really that short.

Keep in mind even the smaller, niche-film fests receive hundreds if not thousands of short film submissions. Judges get tired pretty quick, so if your film runs even five minutes longer than it has to, each extra minute is sort of reducing your chance to get into that festival. Sensing this was something we needed to share with all our film students, we asked Movieside founder / head film screener Rusty Nails to write an article about it. Enjoy.

If you haven't already, visit the Show Off page and register to receive email updates whenever we confirm new guests in your field.

Posted by mgreen at 2:15 PM

March 15, 2006

Less Can Be More in Short Films

by Rusty Nails

Cinema was born, by today's theatrical length standards, as a short form.

Most early films were mere seconds long. Throughout the history of celluloid many great filmmakers have worked in the short format... Georges Melies, Buster Keaton, Maya Deren, Chris Marker, Francois Truffaut, David Cronenberg, The Quay Brothers, Lynne Ramsay, Orson Welles, Jean-Luc Godard, Tom Palazzolo, Jane Campion, Jem Cohen, Miranda July, Dave Fleischer, Roman Polanski. The list goes on. In many ways short films give film and videomakers their largest shot at creative freedom. The budgets are often low enough to give the filmmaker much greater control of the project without having to worry about studios, distribution deadlines, or producers.

They're called SHORT FILMS for a reason. I have seen an endless stream of short pieces that were in the neighborhood of 12 to 30 minutes that were way too long. I've seen films that were too long at 8 minutes! Don't feel married to everything that you shoot. The truth is that your film takes precedent over your ego; rough shooting schedules, impressive shots that took endless hours to set up, or long anguished production days. Don't let anything override the quality of the finished film.

There's an old saying that directors shouldn't edit their work. Hand your project over to an editor. I fully recommend it. You get final cut. They see the shots and the frame of the film with fresh eyes and you get to work on other things in the process. Try two edits. Just for the fun of it. Make a full version of your piece and then a shorter version and see how they work. You might end up preferring the shorter version. I've made a few films that I have two final versions of. I liked both versions of the film for different reasons.

Ask people to watch your final cut and get their honest opinions. Being strong and open to ideas is really helpful to filmmakers. You might be too close to the project to have a clear view of it. Again, you don't have to change a thing.

Here are things filmmakers are not told enough - by peers, family members, film books, schools or other filmmakers...

• BE CREATIVE!!
• Be fresh!!
• Be political!!
• Be vibrant!!
• Be abstract!!
• Be silly!!
• Mix Genres!
• Create Genres!
• Question!!
• Write intelligent female characters!!
• Write intelligent male characters!!
• Defy film traditions!
• Upset Gender Stereotypes!!
• Act out!
• Try something new!
• No more using the word "bitch"? as a punch line it's not funny.
• Make mistakes!
• Stop using homeless people as maniacs, criminals, wierdos, or comedy fodder!
• Take chances!
• Experiment! Experiment! Experiment!

People see films to be entertained, challenged, to question, to learn, to be riveted, to be taken to NEW places, shown NEW possibilities, NEW cultures! We can see the whitewashed world all day long in Hollywood cinema. Independent filmmakers should offer an alternative.

Make the film you want to make!! The only film that's going to be noticed is the film you REALLY wanted to make in the first place.

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Rusty runs the Movieside Film Festival, the largest short film festival in the country. As a filmmaker, his films have played at over 50 film festivals around the world.

Posted by mgreen at 10:17 AM

March 13, 2006

Show Off your print, motion, and flash skills

Two upcoming professional visits for design students.

On Wednesday, March 29 @ 3pm, Manifest Digital will be here to look at Graphic Design, Web Design, Flash Design & Motion Graphics. Manifest Digital puts the multi in multimedia. Their designers create print campaigns, identity work, motion graphics, interactive video, flash animations, kiosk design and the list could go on and one.

They are scouting for potential freelance talent and actively looking for possible interns. If your work isn't in a working portfolio yet, but you do have some samples to show, this would be a perfect Show Off event to attend.

On Thursday, April 6 @ 2:30pm ThereMedia (formerly ThereTV) will be here to look at web, flash and motion design portfolio in progress. Like Manifest Digital, ThereMedia is one of those "does eveything" creative agencies. Their motion and interactive projects can be seen on national TV promo spots, commercials, corporate videos, artistic projects and even in fanciful flash ecard designs. They've even done work for the Electric Company (the children's show by the way, not ComEd).

Both these visits are good for students getting ready to find work, and those just beginning to gather materials for a portfolio.

If you haven't already, visit the Show Off page and register to receive email updates whenever we confirm new guests in your field.

Posted by mgreen at 11:24 AM

Did you Represent?

Approximately 125 students and alumni gathered for "Represent: Agents and Artists' Reps" our first session dedicated to the issue of artist representation (hence the title).

With six professionals on the panel who rep artists in the fields of fine art, photography, film and video, screenwriting, literature and performing arts, attendees received a solid overview pertaining to what reps look for in talent. We then broke them up into groups allowing participants to ask the professional guests questions that pertained specifically to their interests.

Some attendees said the session helped fill a void in their emerging careers others called it forward thinking. We just like to think the program was one out of the many ways the Portfolio Center prepares graduating students to enter their desired fields.

To find out what else we have planned for the semester, visit the Programs page

Posted by mcooper at 10:36 AM

February 27, 2006

Show Off to DP Pete Biagi

If you don't know what DP stands for, this session is probably not for you. On Tuesday, Mar 7 @ 12pm, Cinematographer Pete Biagi (89) will be here to review cinematography reels for current seniors and grad students preparing for a career shooting film.

Making a living much less flourishing as a Cinematographer based in Chicago is no easy task. Pete has done just that and more. His credits include Stolen Summer, Outing Riley and the documentary Red, White & Blue. He is also one of Chicago's go to camera operators when large film projects come to town. His camera credits include the Robert Altman films The Company and the upcoming Prairie Home Companion.

If you haven't already, visit the Show Off page and register to receive email updates whenever we confirm new guests in your field.

Posted by mgreen at 4:30 PM

February 16, 2006

Motion Graphics Reels: Keep it short, styled and online

On Wed Feb 15th we were honored to host Vince Haycock and Ryan Dunn, a pair of artists turned motion designers turned just flat out creative creators who also happen to be the design gurus at Vitamin Brand, a relatively young local design house that specializes in motion design and fx.

Vince and Ryan shared their personal design wares, answered questions, and critiqued some of the motion reels from the Portfolio Center archives.

So, what did we learn? You gotta keep it short, styled, and online.

Virtually every reel that was screened ran too long, according to Ryan and Vince. If your reel runs over a minute, it is definitely too long. Lengthy reels can actually have an adverse affect. What seems impressive in the first fifteen seconds can loose steam if it drags on. Redundancy is another problem with long reels. If you show a piece early and then drag it out two or three more times, your viewer will likely just stop watching half-way through.

The focus then shifts to what you show in the precious short time you do have to impress someone. The short answer? Only show your best. Ryan and Vince both agreed that they could care less if a young designer has worked professionally or not. If you have a great class project or spec piece, then lead your reel with it. Just because you were paid to do something doesn't always mean you should show it. Both guests agreed that the critical function of a reel is to show off your personal style.

Finally, if you don't have your reel online, you're limiting your chances to get it looked at. How important is packaging your reel? Both guests talked about how rarely they will take the time to play a physical reel! They both suggested that it's an ADD world, folks, so get your reels online. Easy to get to, quick to load, and if they're interested in following up, you're just a click and an email away.

A big thanks to the Vitamin Brand folks: Ryan, Vince (and Maggie who set up the visit!). They had a lot more great things to say, so kudos to those who made it out to the event.

Posted by mgreen at 1:59 PM

February 15, 2006

The Marco, a Motion Graphics Webfolio

About a year ago the people who run Vitamin Brand told me they had an incredible motion design intern from Columbia, Marco Campobasso. When I finally met Marco his computer had just crashed and he lost all his work. I asked him if he could create a new demo reel and be ready to show it in just over a week to Digital Kitchen and some other guests we had in at the Reel Exchange event last fall. He said he would try.

Try he did. His work went over great with the guests and a subsequent Show Off session with Arc Worldwide he impressed the visitors enough to land a FT job. His only hold up now will be working night classes around a work schedule.

Congrats Marco, great work.

Posted by mgreen at 9:33 AM

February 14, 2006

Iga Toshinori, Webfolio for Post

A good, easy to fly around, site for motion / FX / compositing artist Iga Toshinori, a 2005 grad. It offers a small selection of movies (everything from live-action to stop-motion to graphics) and of course the all important Demo Reel. Letting visitors choose between Quicktime and Windows Media is a simple, but appreciated touch. Simple. Stylish. Professional. Bravo.

PS: If you're a fan of the site design, credit Narciso Carlos, another Columbia product and fortunately for Iga, his roomate.

Posted by mgreen at 9:11 AM

February 10, 2006

Motion Graphics, What We Like and Why

Two creative directors, Vince Haycock and Ryan Dunn, from local motion graphics boutique Vitamin Brand Design will show examples of good motion graphics work and conduct an open inclusive discussion with attendees about the ingredients of a good motion design reel. Haycock and Dunn both started Vitamin Brand after several years with local motion design powerhouse Digital Kitchen. All who are interested in careers in the motion design field are encouraged to come and get a look at the type of work that will land you work. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to show their motion samples and get feedback. This event is free and open to all students. Details: February 15th @ 4pm in the Portfolio Center, 623 S. Wabash. Rm. 307

Posted by mgreen at 11:17 AM

February 6, 2006

Show Off for Filmmakers

Due to popular demand we have scheduled two Show Off dates designed specifically for those with questions about preparing their films and pressmaterials for entry into the festival circuit.

Rusty Nails is a director, actor and producer who has directed two feature films including the documentary Highway Robbery, which will screen at Columbia on February 22nd as part of the IFP Rough Cut series. His short films have been featured at numerous festivals and have been seen on a variety of outlets across North America and Europe. In addition to making films, Rusty is also the creative force behind the Movieside Film Fesitval, the largest short film festival in the world. This will be a unique opportunity for students to get feedback from both a filmmaker and festival director.

...and also....

Chicago International Film Festival Programming Coordinators Philip Bajorat and Helen Gramates will visit Columbia on 3.15.06 to meet film students, review their work, discuss the importance of preparing press materials, and give the inside scoop regarding what types of films programmers seek for festival inclusion. This is a rare opportunity to collect feedback from the people who coordinate the judging process of one of the world's major film festivals.

If you haven't already, visit the Show Off page and register to receive email updates whenever we confirm new guests in your field.

Posted by mgreen at 10:30 AM

February 2, 2006

Show Off: Edit Diva

Owner and Chief Editor Mindy Hilt will visit Columbia on Wednesday, Feb 22 @ 3pm to look at editor's reels, motion graphics reels and interactive video work as part of the Show Off program.

Edit Diva is a full service production facility with strong capabilities in post production and motion design. A small firm, Edit Diva uses a large number of freelancers and interns to compose their projects. Mindy, will be giving students feedback on their work and scouting for potential freelance and intern talent.

If you haven't already, visit the Show Off page and register to receive email updates whenever we confirm new guests in your field.

Posted by mgreen at 12:15 PM

January 30, 2006

A is for ARCHIVE

FEBRUARY 13th @ 5:30 p.m. & 15th @ 12:30 p.m. Portfolio Center Lobby @ 623 S Wabash, Suite 307

No matter what you're year or major . . . this is for you!!

What is archiving? And why should you be concerned with archiving your work? The answer is simple: when you finally put together your body of work in a portfolio or reel, you want to be able to look over ALL of your work, not just your most recent or final projects. While early work is not always appropriate for a reel or portfolio, there may be a small gesture, a certain shot, a remarkable moment that could wow a potential employer or win you that grant.

The idea of archiving can bring to mind back rooms of libraries and museums filled with shelves of materials preserved for future generations. While the image and idea can be daunting, the process of saving your work can be simplified. Archiving your work involves two main components: saving the highest quality possible and keeping a copy in a separate location. Come find out the most effective and efficient way to do both!

This sessions event will be led by Dirk Matthews, Assistant Director/Archivist of the Portfolio Center.

Interested in seeing great examples of archived work? Check out our archives!

Posted by kscott at 2:02 PM

January 26, 2006

Spotlight on Web Portfolios

For the past few months the Portfolio Center, and by the Portfolio Center I mean our Portfolio Production manager Adam Berry, has been busy hooking students up with other talented students to help produce polished, professional portfolios.

Much focus of late has been placed on web portfolios. The web after-all is a medium that can accomodate all formats of portfolio work - photography, poetry, fine art, public relations, film, etc.. You name it, a website can be conceived to promote it.

Interested in a portfolio site of your own? Would you like the Portfolio Center to help? If you are a senior or grad student in your final semester, you may be eligible. Visit the Portfolio Production section of our website for more details.

Posted by mgreen at 11:22 AM

January 22, 2006

Screenwriting Portfolio Advisor Dan Rybicky

Dan is a playwright and screenwriter. His stage work has been produced in different venues in NYC, and he has spent the last year writing a screenplay for independent producer Andrea Sperling (Pumpkin , But I?m A Cheerleader ). He continues to do script consultation for actor/performer John Leguizamo and has worked in different capacities for David Mamet, Martin Scorsese, and John Sayles. He currently teaches part-time in the film department of Columbia College and has recently begun work on a documentary about Tryon Farm, a conservation community located in Michigan City, Indiana.

Dan can help students explore topics such as: producing, playwriting, and screenwriting for both film and television. He will be happy to look at student?s scripts, what they are currently working on, or have already written. He will also be available to help out those who have advanced and specific career preparation questions relating to screenwriting and/or producing.

Dan is generally availabile to meet students on Wednesday from 2-5pm; Thursday from 10 am-noon and Friday from 2-5pm

All portfolio advising sessions are by appointment only. If you're interested to meet with a Portfolio Advisor, and have already registered with us, call 312.344.7280 to schedule an appointment. If not, complete the registration form and be sure to select the Portfolio Advising option. Easy.

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Q: Whoa there. What is portfolio advising again?

A: It's a service provided by the Portfolio Center that pairs students with working professionals in their field. A Portfolio Advisor helps you understand what materials to put in a portfolio (and what to leave out), how to package and present your work, and how you'll know when it's ready for prime time.

Posted by mgreen at 9:50 AM

January 17, 2006

Promoting your film on the web

Soldier, a film by Alum Daniel Pico, is screening this month in LA. Savvy filmmaker that he is, Daniel knows a thing or two about the need for promotion in the crowded world of short films. That is if an audience is indeed what you seek.

To that end, Dan sent an email to all his contacts with links to the promotional website for the film. Notice the relevant URL, the downloadable presskit, trailer, soundtrack, poster, desktop image, photos, concise synopsis, crew biographies and contact information. Other adjectives that come to mind include: arresting, coherent and professional.

Posted by mgreen at 11:57 AM

November 22, 2005

PORTFOLIO ADVISORS

Everyone can use a Portfolio Advisor . . .

Are you in the beginning stages of portfolio production and wondering what work to save for your future portfolio? Or do you have an upcoming internship interview and not sure what work to show and how to prepare? Maybe you're a music composition student, and you're interested in finding out how to break into the film industry -- how would you present your composition portfolio to someone in film and to whom, exactly? Or perhaps you're a senior or graduate student about to graduate and you just got a call from a potential employer about a job, and you're not sure whether you should include the work you did for your most recent class project in your portfolio. Or are you that film directing student, who has also done a lot of work in animation -- should you have one portfolio or two? And then there's that photography buddy of yours who has already created an impressive portfolio, has received good feedback on her work through Show Off portfolio review sessions, and is interested to learn how to get an agent to promote her work, but she has no clue where to go.

These are all questions that you and your friends could ask our portfolio advisors, working professionals in a variety of industries who are available by appointment to address these questions and more.

You can also show our portfolio advisors your work-in-progress and get feedback. And while you've got their full attention, ask these important questions, learn more about your media/major, and NETWORK!! You just never know what doors you might open when you walk through ours.

The Portfolio Center
623 S Wabash, Suite 307
312-344-7280

* Don't see someone in your field? Email mgreen@colum.edu and tell us what kind of industry professional you would like to have available.

Posted by kscott at 1:30 PM

November 18, 2005

Reels Exchanged. Notes from the Directors chair

If you made it to Reel Exchange this past week you know all this already, but if not, here are a few notes gathered from our guests in the Directors screening areas. Similar reports for animators, editors, motion artists and DPs will be forthcoming.

The guests screeners for our emerging directors were Ted Lega, a commercial and music video Producer, Director with Eightball Films; Qadree Holmes, a commercial producer with Line 9 Films, Casey Lundin, an independent Director, Writer, Producer; Donna D'Aguanno, a director's rep and Andrew Ryann, a director, producer and editor with Pixel Brothers. The moderator was Film & Video Faculty member, Chris Peppey.

Only four reels were screened, but all told, a lengthy discussion ensued from each. Directors, it should be noted, generally have a harder road to hoe than other types of film and tv students (editors, DPs, animators, etc.) A director's reel doesn't have a standard format and must split the difference between getting the point across quickly, but fully. That type of creative freedom allows for invention and creativity in putting together a reel, but it also requires discipline and focus. Below were some of key discussion points of the day.

1. To montage or not to montage? Not. Didn't seem like our panelists were too into montage sequences, especially for directors looking to highlight their narrative abilities. Montage use, if used, should be short, possibly used for a brief introduction. Possibly for transitional sequences in between clips, although not everyone on the panel agreed about this last point.

2. DVDs and menus. DVD menus make the compilation of directors reels a whole lot easier than the days of tape. Most on the panel favored a sort of menu selection option that highlit a main reel up top and longer, possibly complete projects below. The main reel gets attention and promotes. If it works well enough, it will draw the viewer into the longer pieces below. Also, don't create a complex of visually chaotic menu design if its not your fortay. Keep it simple, or find someone who can do it for you.

3. You're a director, now edit. The panel saw a lot of good work with actors, great shots and compelling action - but also that needed tighter editing. Editing your reel is definitely an area you may very well want to collaborate with someone on. Someone you know to be a good editor.

4. Avoid flash. One common theme that emerged was that a series of edgy shots, rumbled together over an ear-shattering soundtrack doesn't impress anyone. Your first reel may impress you and your friends and family, but keep in mind your audience. The people who might hire you or give you a chance. And they've seen it all before. Don't let flash and style get in the way of storytelling. Directors are storytellers and their reel should tell a story or series of stories. If, after watching your reel, viewers don't know anything about the characters or care about them, you're missing something crucial.

Posted by mgreen at 2:17 PM

October 10, 2005

Bios and Artist's Statements for Web Portfolios

by Tim Long

A portfolio presentation in any format is a demonstration of your skills and talents and a suggestion of your style or artistic vision. Crafting a carefully written statement to put on your portfolio website can enhance the impression your work makes and clarify your goals.

Understand a bio not as a chance to tell your history as a creative person ("I was five years old when I started drawing pictures of my cat...") but instead a chance to say who you are right now ("My illustration work is about capturing motion; in animals, athletes, cars, windblown trees, waves, whatever."). A bio is also an opportunity to say what your take is on how to be successful or do good work in the profession or medium that you are entering. If you've got attitude, commitment, a great work ethic; make sure it comes across.

State your immediate goals in your bio, not your long-term goals. "I wish to direct major motion pictures that will bring about world peace," might be off-putting to someone looking to hire a PA or even an Assistant Director. "I want to work on every feature that I possibly can, to learn as much as possible," is more effective.

Be sincere and to the point. Funny is good, if in fact, you are funny. Most importantly, be yourself. Don't try to sound like an art historian, Snoop Dogg, or Don Pardo. Use your own words. Write in the first person or risk sounding like a punch-drunk boxer. (Everyone reading it will know your bio was written by you not by a professional writer, right?) Write it like you'd say it aloud, only cleaned up in terms of grammar and punctuation. And lastly, be brief. You should be able to get all of the above done in a paragraph.

If this writing task seems impossible, get help from a teacher, advisor, or someone in the Writing Center. In all cases, have someone proof your work for correct grammar and punctuation before you put it on your website.

An Artist's Statement is integral to the presentation of a body of fine art online or elsewhere. It can position your work among other genres and media, provide a historical context, and better enable the viewer to appreciate your project. Ideally you will have completed this important written piece as part of the process of completing the body of work it accompanies. Right? Right.

A strategy to consider in a web presentation is to put an excerpt of your artist?s statement on the homepage with the full statement linked to another page or pdf. A carefully selected excerpt will give the viewer the essence of your project and might further encourage them to read the full text but won't sidetrack them from viewing the work itself.

As above, if you need help, get it.

If neither a bio nor an artist statement seems to fit your particular web portfolio, consider finding a quote that gets to the heart of your work without leading the readers attention astray. Or simply write a line or two that introduces the work. Or if you think your work really and truly speaks for itself and won?t suffer from the lack of grounding that a written piece can provide go without.

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Tim Long is an accomplished photographer and the Director of the Portfolio Center.

Posted by mgreen at 10:58 AM

October 6, 2005

Professional Screenwriting: Rewrites, Log-Lines, Los Angeles

by Dan Rybicky

According to one of the most celebrated screenwriters in the business, William Goldman (Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid; All the President's Men; The Princess Bride), when it comes to producers, directors, and agents who think they have figured out the formula for making a film that will achieve critical and commercial success "nobody knows anything." And that sentiment applies to the advice I'm about to give as well. There is no one way or right way to become a paid screenwriter but there are several tactics that seem to be common to many successful writer's experiences.

Rewrite, Rewrite, Rewrite

If you are developing ideas, creating step outlines, crafting treatments and writing scripts on a regular basis, you are already a screenwriter. And nobody has a career in screenwriting without first having written several scripts.

While writing scripts first drafts, that is might be a great start, it just isn?t enough. I have never known of a film that's been made in which the script hasn't gone through several drafts. The key to being a good writer, therefore, is to become a good rewriter. Nobody I've known gets it right the first time out. My friend, Karyn Kusama, wrote and directed the film, Girlfight, which shared the prize for Best Film at the 2001 Sundance Festival. Her script was rewritten and revised and polished over ten times before going into production and, as far as I know, this is par for the course.

Make connections now

You must have dedication to your craft. You have to love what you're doing. And if you do, chances are good that all of your hard work and passion will yield some high quality scripts. But that?s still not enough! As important as all of that is, it is as important, if not more important, that you start building a community of peers in the film world by fostering relationships with other students and teachers who you are instinctually drawn to and whose sensibilities align with yours. Start putting your work into the hands of people who can give you constructive criticism and help you improve upon what you?ve already done, people who can get to know your work and better understand your style, people that soon might want to film your work or someone else who might. In fact, the experience of seeing your work actually produced is something that you are much more likely to have happen at this stage of your burgeoning career. So while you are still in school, equipment is more readily available, and people are more willing to help out, try to get something you've written a short script, maybe produced. Not only will you learn from the experience of seeing your work go through the production process and along the way develop relationships with directors and other people who may provide you work in the future, but if the film turns out well, you will be able to show people your name in the credits and prove to them that you are serious about what you do.

Film is a collaborative medium, and it is through connecting to others that you are likely to get work. So start making those connections now. The people sitting next to you in class, the people that you work with on your earliest class productions could and often will - be the same people who will hire you in the years to come.

You do have a Portfolio...

For a screenwriter, a portfolio is primarily a script hopefully, one that has gone through several drafts and is incredibly well written with memorably good characters and a compelling storyline. Sure, it would be wonderful if you had two really great scripts. Or maybe even three! But, for now, I recommend getting at least one of your scripts into the best shape it can possibly be in.

I always make the analogy to the cars on display at car shows. Car companies produce several types of cars in the course of a year, but the one they choose to show the world at a car show is always their sleekest and most beautifully designed. It?s the one that represents the best they have to offer. This is how you should think about what script you are giving people to read. Make sure it's your best: the one that wonderfully represents your voice, your style, and your understanding of your craft.

But before someone in the film business will read that one great script, they will most likely want to know what it is about. So you should also be prepared to pitch your idea either in person or over the phone. And, in terms of written material, you should have the following:

one really great script (or, if possible, two or even three!)

a one or two sentence log-line that summarizes what your script is about

a one-paragraph summary of your script

a more in-depth synopsis of your script (one to two pages)

And of course you should have an updated resume that details the various things you've written, as well as all of the film-related work you've done and classes you've taken. Although most agents and producers won't give you a job writing for them based on your resume (this will only happen because they like your scripts), you might end up getting hired in some other capacity as a script reader doing coverage or maybe as a script supervisor.

Research, Research, Research

Some of the first people in the film business you will most likely send your material to will be people you've been referred to by other people (teachers or fellow students or others you've worked with). But you will still want to get your script(s) into the hands of as many people as you can. The best way to hone your search is to be smart about understanding the film business and where the sort of writing you do will best fit into it. For example, if you specialize in writing incredibly dark, violent action thrillers, you won?t want to waste your time sending out a query letter to a company whose last five produced films were rated G.

If you don?t want to waste your time sending out scripts to people who won't be interested in reading them, you can hone your search and start targeting agents, producers and production companies that will welcome your particular style of writing. I often suggest that students or recent graduates buy a copy of the Hollywood Creative Directory or subscribe to advanced services offered by either the Internet Movie Database website (imdb.com) or the industry standard newspaper Variety (online at variety.com). These sites usually offer free trial periods during which you can spend your time gathering the names and current contact information for agents and production companies that look at unsolicited scripts.

In general, if you are interested in a career in film, you should be seeing as many films (old ones as well as new ones) as you can and not just for the purposes of being entertained. You should start understanding how the business of film works, become familiar with the names of the producers and companies in the credits, and figure out which ones you would personally like to send out query letters to.

Query letters

As I previously mentioned, the best way to be introduced to someone in the film business is through a mutual friend or through someone you've worked with who knows and respects you and what you do. But you will also have to contact people at agencies and companies that you have no familiarity with whatsoever. And you will most likely be told to send a query letter briefly introducing yourself and offering a few words detailing what your script is about and asking if it would be possible for you to send the entire work for consideration.

I'm sure everybody has a different idea about what makes a good query letter. I recommend that you keep it short and sweet. Think for a moment about how many of these sorts of letters the people in these offices receive every day. What could you write that will set yourself apart? I try to introduce myself in a way that will put a smile on the face of the person who opens my letter. Everybody wants to laugh, and if I can make someone laugh, that person might be more inclined to want to read my entire script.

Equally important is the way I describe my screenplay. This should initially be done in a sentence or two a couple of lines that hopefully evoke the feeling and story and major theme of my work and will whet the appetites of those reading to want to read more. Not an easy task, believe me! But the more you do it, the better you will become at it. And if you are serious, you will become a master at telling others what your script is about with just a few carefully chosen words.

Move to Los Angeles?

If you're interested in not just being a screenwriter but in making a living as a screenwriter, at some point you will have to move to Los Angeles. It's unavoidable. Even if you end up returning to the Midwest, you will have to go to Hollywood to hustle your scripts and be social and take meetings. In fact, everybody I know who has a career in the film industry and never forget, it is a major industry whose epicenter is L.A. - has had to spend a significant amount of time living on the west coast.

Although it will ultimately be the originality of your voice and the overall quality of your writing that will get you work, you won't be hired over the phone and most of the people who like your work will want to meet with you before giving you a job. In fact, taking meetings is one of the things people in the film business like to do most in L.A. You will have to be prepared to sell yourself and your work before you are able to get an agent who will do it for you.

Again, it comes down to creating a community, and that will be much easier to do when you are living in the town where the people you will want to be working for live as well. Many of the screenwriters I know made names for themselves in other cities writing plays or became finalists in respected screenwriting competitions (more on that later). But several more moved to L.A. and got jobs working in production companies or even just waiting tables but they kept writing at night, honing their craft, and making their scripts better and better. After years of writing and getting to know more people in the industry and yes, after years of being rejected, they finally sold their scripts or, based on the quality of the writing they'd done, got hired to write new scripts.

Good luck!

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Dan is a professional screenwriter / script consultant, and a portfolio advisor, available to meet students by appointment, and consult them on their screenwriting materials. To learn more about Dan's background and expertise, read his biography.

Posted by mgreen at 11:01 AM

September 9, 2005

Industry Experts

Industry Experts are working artists and media professionals we've lined up to give you practical advice on building and showing a portfolio in your field. Whether you're putting together a final portfolio presentation or just trying to decide what you could possibly show, a session with an industry expert will prove helpful.

Questions for your industry expert:

• What does a portfolio in my field look like?
• What format(s) do I need to be able to show my work in? (web, pdf, print, reel, etc.)
• How long should my portfolio be? or how many pieces should be in it?
• Is what I have now good enough right now to find work?
• What parts of my portfolio need more work?
• How do I get my portfolio in front of people in my field?

Eligibility

Juniors, seniors, graduate students and alumni within six months of their date of graduation are eligible to meet with an industry expert. Students are limited to one appointment per semester and appointments are made on a case-by-case basis.

We find that most of the above questions can be answered by one of our staff members so start by visiting us during our walk-in hours. If we can't get you going then we'll pair you up with an industry professional who can.

Posted by mgreen at 9:16 AM

August 28, 2005

Portfolio Production

Portfolio Production refers to the process through which the Portfolio Center will help students build and present a professional caliber portfolio. Most often this translates into services like graphic design, photography, reel editing, DVD authoring, and portfolio web publishing. Most anything that will make your portfolio presentation visually stronger...we'll help.

These services would literally cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars to obtain on your own, but through the Portfolio Center, they're free. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth....We're the gift horse.

Eligibility

Portfolio Production is open to seniors and graduate students in their last semester as well as alumni who are within six months of the date of their graduation.

Get started

Production begins when you've prepared your final portfolio materials. Read over the portfolio production guidelines...seriously, read these first and then register with the Portfolio Center and select the Portfolio Production option. If you've already registered with us, call 312.344.7280 and let us know what type of services you want.

Posted by mgreen at 2:04 PM

August 18, 2005

Show Off

Show Off is the primary way the college brings creative arts & media professionals to Columbia to meet you, give you feedback on your work and, if you're lucky (and good), hire you, sign you for representation, buy your script or put you in their gallery. It happens all the time, but only to those who show up to show off.

Show Off works like this...you come with your portfolio-in-progress. You'll have twenty minutes with a successful person from your field. They'll give you a god's honest opinion about your work as it is, and also give you advice for presenting and marketing your work to people in your field. Bam. That's it.

Eligibility

Show Off is open to all juniors, seniors and graduate students, as well as alumni who are within six months of the date of their graduation. Others may participate with a letter of recommendation from a faculty member in your department. These letters should, in effect, let us know you have developed a body of work that is at a point of development that warrants professional feedback. Check out the Portfolio Review Quick Guide to prepare.

When does this take place?

Show Off sessions are scheduled based on the availability of visiting professionals. We work with our professional guests to find time for them to come meet you. You have to be ready to meet them when they can come. Sorry, that's how it works out there. You can check out our events schedule to see whose coming in soon.

How can I make sure I don't miss out?

If you join our mailing list , we'll email you whenever someone in your field schedules a visit. This will translate into anywhere between two and twenty chances to participate, depending on your field.

Scheduling

You must RSVP to reserve a Show Off appointment time. No walk-ins. These schedules usually fill up fairly quickly. Also, no "no shows." Call us if you can't make it. If you no-show, you'll be killed. Ok, maybe just beaten. Ok, not beaten either, but you will be at risk to lose any future privileges to participate in Show Off, portfolio production, and Industry Expert appointments. And that's bad.

Posted by mgreen at 2:24 PM

August 10, 2005

Conquering the Reel World

by Jake Lambert

This is what you've been waiting and working for. The end of school is in sight and you're ready to make a creative contribution to the world, the likes of which has never been seen before. There's only one small glitch - now you have to figure out how to pay your own bills.

Every incredible career starts with that first job, and every first job starts with a good reel. So let's translate the basic ins and outs of building a good resume and reel into some terms you might be more familiar with.

Scripting

No reel should ever go out without a resume and cover letter. Writing them is a little like writing a script. They should be interesting and enjoyable for the viewer and have a storyline that leads to a conclusion; in this case, a job. A good resume format for job seekers fresh out of school includes 3 things:

Experience

Educational background

Accomplishments

Let's start with your experience. You may not have a lot of it, so make the most of what you have. List projects you've worked on in chronological order. Make sure you include the role you played and a brief description of the project. Keep it simple, though. Each entry should be no more than 2-3 sentences.

Listing your educational background is a good way to fill out your resume. You should include the school name, your concentration, degree and year of graduation, even if you haven't graduated yet. You can list your GPA if you wish, but it's not necessary. And don't go into a detailed narrative of your education. Unless there's something unique about it that makes you stand out from the other applicants, your audience will probably find it unnecessary information.

Finally, a short list of relevant; let me repeat, relevant - accomplishments is a good thing to include. Did you win an award for something you worked on? How about professional affiliations? Or school organizations? Anything that will set you apart from the competition while still being related to your desired position is good. And remember, you should keep your resume to one page.

Casting

On to the reel. Just like casting a film, you need to cast your reel by choosing the pieces that will best convey your message to your potential employer. In order to do this, you need to know a few things about yourself and the company you're applying to.

First, figure out where you want to focus. Do you want to be an editor? Producer? Writer? Chances are, whatever decision you make will change, or at least be refined, over the course of your career. But it's always good to have a goal in mind, even if that goal changes from time to time. Make a list of the pieces you have worked on that best fit your career goals. For example, if you want to be an editor, pick out the pieces that really showcase those skills.

When you cast a production, it's important to know your target audience. There are tons of actors whose biggest talent is connecting with an audience. Likewise, you need to choose clips that will connect with the company you're applying to. Within each discipline, there are many different paths. For example, producing a news program requires a completely different set of skills than producing a TV spot. If your ultimate goal is to be a news producer, select pieces you have produced that showcase news or documentary style programming.

Editing

Now that you know what pieces belong on your reel, it's time to do a little editing. A reel with 6 one-minute clips is much more interesting than a reel with 1 six-minute clip. Give your viewer some variety. If you show one long clip, you have two potential problems. The first is, unless you're Spielberg, your viewer is going to get bored. Six minutes is a lot longer than you think. Second, what if the viewer doesn't like the clip you chose? You're sunk. But if there are 6 shorter clips, you have a better chance that they will like something you have to show.

Once your reel is built, make sure you include a list with the title of each clip and your role in the production. Alternatively, you could convey this information with CG on the screen, MTV style.

Design

So, now you've got it all together. You've written (and proofed!) your resume and cover letter, and your reel represents who you are, or at least who you want to be. It's time to put the finishing touches on the package. Put a little thought into the presentation of your materials. You're trying to find a job in a creative field, so your presentation should reflect that.

Don't panic when you're trying to figure out the look for your materials. It doesn't have to be fancy; it just needs to be consistent. Keep the typeface the same across your resume, cover letter and media labels. If you've gone as far as to design a logo for yourself, use it, where appropriate, on all your materials. If you've picked out a great color scheme or a cool paper for your resume, figure out how those get incorporated into your VHS or DVD labels, too. When you're done, all of your materials should look like they belong together.

The End

Here are a few final notes to help you conquer the reel world. When you have a great idea you want to incorporate, write it down. Get paper samples from the paper store and put them where you will see them every day for a week before you decide which one to go with. Talk to your friends and professors about what you're planning to do and ask them for feedback. And most importantly, don't be afraid to experiment.

There's no doubt that marketing your skills is a lot of work. But plan it out, step-by-step, like you would any other project and your big debut will be a smashing success.

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At the time of publication Jake Lambert was a Sr Producer at Broadview Media; production hub for several popular home improvement and reality shows. He is currently a Sr Producer with Draft|FCB.

Posted by mgreen at 1:12 PM

July 30, 2005

Submitting to Film Festivals

by Kristie and Usama Alshaibi

So you've completed your film and you want an audience. It's time to submit to film festivals. If you.ve never sent your work to a film festival before, start small. There are literally hundreds of micro-cinema programs that would be more than happy to look at your work. For a good comprehensive and consistently updated listing of film festival deadlines across the globe sign up with festival e-mail lists such as www.withoutabox.com, www.indiewire.com, or www.filmfestivals.com. Also, check out film festival listings in film magazines such as Filmmaker, the Independent, and Micro/film.

The advantages of starting with smaller festivals are that you will gain experience, you have a greater chance of being accepted, their entry fees are more reasonable, and often, if you contact the programmers of the festival, they may waive the entry fees for students on a tight budget. It never hurts to ask. Also, don?t forget to submit to festivals outside of the U.S. They are typically better funded than American fests, so they often do not charge entry fees.

Always take a look at the festival's mission statement if they have one available. You may find that they have certain content restrictions, or specific themes and/or genres that they prefer. Obviously, you wouldn?t want to send a romantic comedy to a horror film festival. If they do not explicitly state what kinds of submissions they seek, try to find a list of movies they have screened in the past to get an idea of the tastes of the programmers.

As programmers of a short film festival in Chicago, we have a few pointers regarding what to include with your submission. Don't blow a lot of money on creating festival packets. Keep in mind that they may just end up in the trash. We often find that the expense of the promo packets filmmakers send to us is inversely proportionate to the quality of the movie. In other words, fancy promotional materials for an independent short are almost always a bad sign. Your work should speak for itself.

This doesn't mean you can't include a few supporting items. A still from the movie is very useful. A single representative photo is fine, or a postcard if you've made one. Postcards are cheap to print in large numbers (try Stamp Graphics in Chicago), and are great promotional tools. Any reviews from past screenings of the film are also welcome. We always like receiving supporting materials on a single CD, including a typed description of the movie, the filmmaker's bio, contact information, and an image. It's immensely helpful when creating our show catalogue. This may not be true for all festivals, however. If in doubt, ask the programmers.

Check the festival guidelines to find out what formats they accept. Most festivals will accept either VHS or DVD screeners. If accepted, the festival organizers will probably ask you to send a better quality copy of your movie. Don't go to the expense of sending a Beta SP tape or a film print, for example, unless the festival accepts your work. Festivals generally do not return submission materials.

Fill out the submission form completely. And finally, do not send any submission in a fiber filled envelope. Bubblepacks work best. Fiber filled envelopes can cause static electricity and damage equipment.

Submitting your work to small film festivals is a great way to find an audience, and to begin to become recognized as a filmmaker. Relationships created with the curators of these events can often last for your entire career and lead to future opportunities. Remember, let your work speak for yourself, and don?t spend too much energy on fancy supporting materials and packaging. Save the flashy promotional stuff for your premiere. Expect plenty of rejections, but just keep submitting. With the number and variety of events that have sprung up in past years, you're sure to find one that will accept your movie.

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Kristie and Usama Alshaibi are a filmmaking, multimedia duo who also organize the Z Film Festival. Usama's latest film (produced by Kristie), the documentary Nice Bombs was awarded the Best Documentary Award at the 2006 Chicago Underground Film Festival

Posted by mgreen at 11:07 AM

July 29, 2005

Reel First Impressions

by Ted Lega

The presentation of your reel is one of the most important facets of entering the professional film community. When you present your work, you're selling yourself to creative professionals who are inundated with reels on a daily basis. There are some strategies to put to use and some things to avoid. Let's go through the do's and don'ts of constructing and presenting a successful reel.

1. Do make the best first impression with your reel, as you may not have a second chance. Regardless of whether you?re new or not, one or two good pieces of work is better than six average pieces on the reel. Most creative executives look for reasons not to hire you, not the other way around, so don't be afraid to dump work that does not exemplify your best. Ask for advice from instructors and others in the industry.

2. Do not, I repeat, do not open your reel with a montageor other silly clips. Showing you are creative is great, just don?t try too hard. We want to see the work in the context for which it was made. If you made a 30 second commercial, we want to see the whole thing, not 4 seconds of it. Also, try not to use major artist music under your work. It may work for movies, TV, and commercials, but not for your reel.

3. Doplace your work on DVD. It can play automatically, like a standard reel with a simple title (your name and occupation: editor, director etc.) or with an easy to use menu (e.g. name and title; work; contact info). An attractive, but modest, cover and a business card are all we need. The more attractive the packaging, the more likely we will look at it. Using VHS and other formats (betasp, 3/4) are abig no no. Using those formats makes you look out of touch with today's market.

4. Do try to place work on your reel from shortest to longest, with the following exceptions: A) If your longer work is your best, then place it first. B) Customize your reel: place the work most relevant to my upcoming project or core business at the beginning. Because there is a chance we may not get through the whole reel, make sure that we view your best and most relevant (to us) work first.

5. Do present your reel to as many people as possible, while also understanding that industry people are busy and may need time to view it. Being professional, polite, and likeable goes along way towards getting your work viewed, as it is an indicator of how you work on set. Alwaysfollow up to show that you are serious and not just fishing. Try for a one-on-one; at least get the reel to whoever is interested as quickly as possible.

Bottom line: The work is most important. You and your reel are a branded product. That product should always be under constant refinement and improvement.

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Ted Lega is a commercial and music video director / producer, formerly with with Eightball Films in Chicago. He's also a frequent guest of the Portfolio Center.

Posted by mgreen at 11:13 AM

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