I’m very thankful with Benro for putting together a webinar to discuss the 1PersonCrew Approach. The host was my dear friend Matt Hill, who is not only an awesome guy, but also a multi-talented artist in his own right. Matt’s project with handmade paper dresses and long-exposure portraiture is jaw-dropping.
I hope attendees found the webinar fun and and helpful. In case you missed it (or want to rewatch it) here’s the full recording. Feel free to leave comments and questions below, or hit me on Instagram.
The Coronavirus outbreak has forced a global lockdown. Most governments are enforcing travel restrictions with random checks on roads, highways, and bridges and are requiring justification for traveling anywhere, even within a city. Because of this (and other reasons) most shooting assignments have been canceled or at best rescheduled. But this does NOT mean we can’t continue looking for interesting spots for upcoming projects.
This short article covers the 1 Person Crew approach to legally scout locations during a lockdown in two steps:
Step 1: Google and Google Earth
A quick Google search for “the best viewpoints in Lisbon” offers 30,000,000 results in 0.87 seconds. Wow. Another option is to search for “melhores miradouros em Lisboa” (306,000 results in 0.61 seconds) which most likely offers better recommendations from locals.
Three viewpoints immediately get my attention: Miradouro de Santa Luzia, Miradouro das Portas do Sol, and Miradouro da Graça. I like these three spots for several reasons:
They are reachable by public transportation.
They are close to main roads so I can use a share-riding service like Uber to get there.
The three are within walking distance from each other, yet they offer different perspectives of the city.
They all seem to offer good shooting opportunities at sunrise, sunset and at night.
Not only the views, but the viewpoints themselves seem visually interesting.
Portugal is safe at all times, so I don’t have to worry about that, but that would be another consideration anywhere else.
Here’ s a screen recording of my research process using only Google and Google Earth.
OK. I now have three potential locations, without leaving my desk. What’s next?
Step 2: Exercise
We are being “asked” to stay at home,
with few exceptions, which usually include:
Buying food or other essential items
Going to work if unable to work from home
Going to hospitals or health centers
Going to care for someone
Returning to their primary residence
Walking pets
Exercising outdoors for short periods in groups smaller than 2 persons
Aha! This last exception is our salvation. Now that we have identified three interesting spots, close to each other, and at a reasonable distance from home, it’s time to go out and exercise.
Then we need to pack everything into the smallest possible bag to avoid drawing unwanted attention.
My lovely wife also enjoys working out while enjoying this incredible city, so I was lucky to have an assistant this time. =)
That’s it! You are ready to explore the world and
scout potential locations for your projects. But remember: Wash your hands,
don’t touch your face, maintain social distancing, and travel only for
essential tasks (including location scouting for upcoming shoots).
PS: I wanted a “spy movie” kind of soundtrack, and it took me about 3 minutes to search, find, download and cut the song “Ace of Spades” from Artlist.io by far the best music library I’ve used. And now they also offer sound effects! Highly recommended.
The premise of the event was simple: there are so many things we “need” to shoot video; from the obvious ones, like a camera and a lens, to other more obscure items like a versatile audio setup and a compact, fast and reliable hard drive to edit on the road. With so many brands, models, and price points to choose from, where do you even start?
I’ll go over the differences and similarities between shooting stills vs. motion, but a big section of the event will be focused on gear. What should you buy when getting started? When to upgrade? And which other tools should you seriously consider, even if you are an experienced pro?
After two decades of professional experience, I’ve (almost) mastered the art of packing everything I need into a single video backpack, messenger bag, or carry-on. It obviously depends on the project’s complexity, length and if I’m flying, driving, or using public transportation, but all of these set ups have one thing in common; there’s zero waste. I only bring with me what I consider truly essential, everything else stays behind.
This specific setup will allow me to shoot for a full day without recharging batteries, record a two people interview while getting very clean scratch sound, have a focal range from 24mm to 200mm (2.8 all the way), very quickly capture steady shots with my monopod as well as super stable gimbal shots. The best part is that everything fits in ONE backpack that goes under my airplane seat!
DISCLAIMER This article is not paid or sponsored by anyone. It reflects my own independent opinion. I only recommend companies and products that I trust. Some links might be affiliates, which means I may get a few pennies if you decide to purchase something. Thanks in advance for your support!
