Conversation with Award Winning Video Producer Amani Channel

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I met Amani Channel through another online video blogger and we immediately connected. I’ve been following his tweets and blog posts now for about 5 years. He is a great source for resources and information about video production. Not to mention he is an awesome person and good friend.

Amani Channel’s incredible story about his twin kids.

Amani Channel is an award-winning video producer, and specialist in traditional, and convergence/new media.

He is a Sr. Producer at KEF Media, and he is also the founder of a media consulting, video production company called Visual Eye Media. The company offers high definition video production services, media training, and social media solutions for companies, organizations, and individuals.

His content, commentaries, and reports have been featured on on NPR, APTN (Associated Press Television News), CNN, Headline News, BET, Black Family Channel, HDNews, Daily Buzz, and across the Web.

Channel founded a vlog/podcast called http://www.MyUrbanReport.com/.

Channel also speaks at conferences, workshops, and universities across the country about traditional and new media. He’s taught video production at Hillsborough Community College, and the Connecticut School of Broadcasting in Tampa, FL, and Kennesaw State University.

In 2010 he received a Master of Arts from the University of South Florida.

His thesis is titled: “Gatekeeping and Citizen Journalism: A Qualitative Examination of Participatory Media.”

You want more of Amani check out his websites…
http://www.webvideochefs.com/
http://www.kefmedia.com/
http://www.visualeyemedia.com/
http://www.myurbanreport.com/

Conversation with 2012 Vimeo Awards Winner Bruno Levy

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I came across Bruno Levy at the 2012 Vimeo Awards and instantly made a new friend.  Creative, artistic and a very likable guy.  We talk about his award winning video “Sweatshoppe” how he and his creative partner (Blake Shaw) came up with the idea and the process behind it.  We also cut up a bit about the future of video and what it means living as an artist.   Fun chat.

SWEATSHOPPE Video Painting Europe from SWEATSHOPPE on Vimeo.

www.sweatshoppe.org
www.brunolevy.com
www.blakeindustries.com

New media art duo SWEATSHOPPE aka Blake Shaw and Bruno Levy are back from Europe with a new video that showcases their live interactive video wheatpaste in Berlin, Bristol, Belgrade, London and Paris. Over a two week period the duo pasted their videos in over 10 spots including the Berlin Wall, Les Invalides, Cordy House and even constructed a 5 meter telescopic electronic paint roller to create a two-story tall video painting in Bristol.

Video painting is a technology the duo developed that allows them to create the illusion that they are painting videos onto walls with electronic paint rollers they built. It works through custom software that they wrote that tracks the position of the paint rollers and projects video wherever they choose to paint, allowing them to explore the relationship between video, mark making and architecture and create live video collages in real time.

Music: Artist Eskmo "Cloudlight" from the album Eskmo Ninja Tune (2010)
Copyright 2010
buy track: http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/cloudlight/id416299279?i=41629928

Conversation with Tom Maxwell Former Squirrel Nut Zipper Front Man

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First met Tom Maxwell at a fundraiser for Snüzz, a friend and fellow musician of Tom’s. It was one of those amazing nights of music and community that I’m so glad that I was able to attend and capture the evening. Tom is one of those cats when he talks you just shut up and listen…not because he demands it or is a jerk. He has a command of the modern English dialect that is just plain fun.

Tom Maxwell and The Minor Drag “Jacob Marley” from All Aces Media on Vimeo.

To purchase the single go to itunes here. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/jacob-marley-single/id491188196

Recorded live on November 26, 2011 at The Murphey School, Durham NC

Tom Maxwell – vocals, guitar
James Wallace – piano
Mark Simonsen – vibraphone
FJ Ventre – string bass
Evans Nicholson – drums

Engineered and mixed by Thom Canova
Filmed by Andy Coon, Blake Faucette and Nic Beery
Edited by Andy Coon

Conversation with Michael Ajakwe Founder of LA Web Series Festival Part 2

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Michael and I finish our conversation about the present and future of Web Series and how Hollywood views it. If you are a web series creator look into submitting your web series into the LA Web Fest and meet Michael and say you heard about him here. He is a great person and am so grateful to cross paths with him.

Conversation with Michael Ajakwe Founder of LA Web Series Festival

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I met Michael in 2011 at the LA Web Series Festival where Often Awesome the series took home Outstanding Documentary Series from 2010-2012. He put on a great showcase for a ton of independent web series in Los Angeles, CA. I was so impressed by all the talented creative web series that displayed true professional talent from; writing, acting, directing and producing. His vision helped our series reach a new audience and encouraged creative professionals around the world. Every time we talk he inspires me. This is going to be one I listen over and over. Here is a brief paragraph from his bio on his web site…

Michael Ajakwe jr. (creator-writer–director-producer)
Since 1993, this first-generation Nigerian-American has worked in the theatre with renowned performers like Emmy-winner Glynn Turman, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Debbie Allen, Ted Lange, Phil Morris, Robert Ri’chard, Hill Harper, Niecy Nash, Tommy Hicks, Tracee Ellis Ross, Art Evans, Gary Sturgis, James Pickens, Tatyana Ali, Marc Coppage, Estelle Harris, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Lee Garlington, Robert Pine, Shayla Rivera, Gary Anthony Williams, Ralph Carter, Deniece Williams, Charles Dutton and Oscar winner Mo’Nique. As a tv and film writer, he’s worked with Martin Lawrence, Greg Kinnear, Sherman Hemsley, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Tichina Arnold, Tisha Campbell, Charles Barkley, Marc Curry, Tracey Morgan, Tia & Tamera Mowry, Kadeem Hardisson, Kelita Smith, Brandy, Diondre Whitfield, Ali Landry, Kelly Perrine, Tim Reid, Tommy Davidson, Ernest Thomas, Richard Lawson, Jackee, Steve Harvey, Steve Trevino, Valery Ortiz, Eve, Paul Winfield, and 3-time Oscar nominee Djimon Honsou. As a live events show writer, he’s written for Anthony Anderson, Kimberly Elise, Jo Marie Payton, L.A. City Council President Eric Garcetti, ex-L.A. Police Chief Bernard Parks, NAACP National President Benjamin Todd Jealous, Jason Alexander, Ben Stiller, and the NAACP Theater Awards (’04-08). He’s also developed TV and/or film projects for Russell Simmons, Dr. Dre, Bret Ratner, Kim Fields, Reuben Cannon, Norman Howard (nephew of The Three Stooges), Beverly Todd, Vidal Sassoon, ex-NBA great Kenny “The Jet” Smith and Natalie Cole. Mike has written and directed 9 plays and produced 16 that have garnered 27 NAACP Theater Award Nominations, winning 5. He is a two-time NAACP Award-winning Playwright/Producer (Company Policy/Ted Lange’s Four Queens, No Trump!), two-time NAACP Award Nominated Director (If You Don’t Believe, Body Language), an Emmy Award-winning TV producer (E! Network’s Talk Soup), an award-winning filmmaker (Happy Anniversary, Punk!) and a trailblazing web tv creator (Ajakwetv.com’s Who…)

Conversation with Filmmaker Nick Gaglia

After I saw the film “Over the GW,” I was so blown away by the film that I looked for Nick on Facebook and added him as a friend, mentioning that I just saw his film and wanted to follow him on FB. Yeah, I know. That sounds a bit stalkish, but I did mention that I am a fellow filmmaker. Nick talks openly about his experience as a patient of an abusive, cult-like, drug-rehabilitation center and how that turned into an award winning film and kick started his career.

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“Over the GW” is an amazingly powerful film.

OVER THE GW – full movie from Nick Gaglia on Vimeo.

Conversation with Actor/Creator Bechir Sylvain

We met Bechir at the 2011 LA Web Festival when our web series was accepted. We made the trip and saw some amazing web series. “Make it Happen” stuck out. Andy made friends with Bechir and kept in touch. Bechir and his production is currently doing a indie gogo campaign and could use your support. Great actor and person.

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Conversation with Independent Filmmaker Nic Beery

We crossed paths with Nic on numerous of occasions while working on productions in North Carolina. Nic is one of those kind of people that once you meet him you never want to lose contact. One of the nicest guys in the profession and honest hard worker. But better than that he loves what he does and loves to be a part of production. He always gives great suggestions and talking with him was great to learn more about his background and his passion for filmmaking.

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To learn more about Nic and his company you can visit him at Beerymedia.com

My favorite Nic flick is Ben Pickle.

Conversation with Ted Tremper 2010 Vimeo Award Winner for Original Web Series

I met Ted Tremper when Often Awesome the series was named the 2012 Vimeo Awards best original web series. He handed me the award. Later that night he approached me and opened the door to a future podcast. I really enjoyed talking with Ted at the Awards and was looking forward to this conversation.

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Shrink — Pilot from Ted Tremper on Vimeo.

Ted Tremper is an improviser, filmmaker, and writer hailing from Seattle, WA, currently living in Chicago, IL. His short film series, Break-ups: The Series, won the inaugural Vimeo Award for “Best Original Series” in October of 2010, which he learned while in quarantine in the middle of the Pacific Ocean while on tour with The Second City Theater. Since then, Break-ups the series has gone on to win numerous awards and film festivals all over the globe and has been featured in The New York Times, Washington Post, Onion A.V. Club, and many others. It can be found at www.breakups.us. His new series, Shrink, which follows the stories of a young psychiatrist performing his state-mandated 1750 hours of supervised clinical therapy, can be found at www.shrinkwebseries.com. If you’re ever in Chicago, please drop by the iO Theatre, Second City, or Annoyance Theatre to see him perform. Hugs optional. www.tedtremper.com

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Slideshow Software Fotomagico 4 Review

If you are a photographer, professional or amateur this is software for you. Boinx Software has put out a very good stand alone slideshow creator. As a video professional this is a way for me to create a slideshow to slap together quickly. I prefer some bells and whistles and like to add effects and motion graphics to make it more compelling…but for presentations, weddings and events this is the software to use.

Some things I’d like to see added to Fotomagico for future updates…

• Blur effect
• Ability to crop photos and animate it
• Masking ability

It’s a shortlist but when I use images in my video I use those three things often. Check out the video review below and under the video review is a great video tutorial produced by Boinx software about new features and in-depth look at Fotomagico 4. You can download and try out Fotomagico 4 for 5 days. But make sure you are running 10.8 in order to use it.

My Review

What’s New in Fotomagico 4