I’m an Associate Producer for Citizen Pictures.  I’ve been here for just over three months and have already worked on some fun, edgy, delicious and very interesting projects.  One of the best things about my job is that I get to work with the programming and corporate departments- which means I have the opportunity to be involved in a wide range of Citizen’s creative production efforts…
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For as long as I’ve worked in the world of corporate video production, would-be clients have told me they know their video will cost “$1000-per-finished-minute.” 

This was alarming to me, even 20-plus years ago. 

One simple objection I would offer is, “There are an infinite number of variables in production, e.g., shooting an interview in Paris costs more than shooting an interview in the office next door.”  Sometimes I would throw out a comparison of the most recent 30-second Super Bowl commercial, compared to the 30-minute training video they just produced:  their formula would mean that the cost of producing that cool Super Bowl commercial was only $500, while their 30-minute training video was $30,000?  (Okay, the latter may be true.)   read more...

Organization.  (Wow, this entry is boring already isn’t it…)  Don’t give up on me yet, because a huge part of my job here at Citizen involves organizing… and it’s important.  I keep our content department in order and have spent the last three years keeping track of literally thousands of tapes for our shows, including the transcripts and logs and notes that go along with them.  When an editor asks me “Where is that shot of Giada cutting those purple flowers?” or “Remember that time that one guy climbed a coconut tree?”  I check my logs… I look up tape numbers in the library and… Boom.  Got it.  Easy.   read more...

When it comes to video projects, my experience making student films and independent productions with virtually no money has truly come in handy. When it comes to figuring out creative ways to troubleshoot; “I have no money for my art,” I’m a pro.  Over the years I’ve become really good at being victorious without a lot of resources. This has overlapped into my career in a way that I’m always so proud to look at my budget actuals at the end of every project I’m involved with.  read more...

I hope, as a creative, you are constantly scouring the universe for items of inspiration.  Jotting them down, sketching them, clipping them, digging, stumbling or liking them, whatever your favorite method is. read more...

You think riding your mountain bike in a 100+ mile off road marathon is hard?  Try producing a documentary around it.

Having personally ridden and completed the Leadville Trail 100 mtn bike race 3 times before, I wanted to create a film that celebrated the incredible stories that you see in an all-day race at altitude.

The LT100 is 104 miles of mountain bike racing, most all of it is at 10,000 ft. above sea level with a total of 14,000 ft. of climbing. Held each year in Leadville, CO, this race brings the amatuer and elite riders together for an epic day. read more...