Letter to a Friend

Attached is a letter that I wrote to my roommate that gave him an overview of my research project: 

Dear Alex,

I’m taking a class at Belmont this semester called “Third Year Writing.” Instead of writing several papers like the majority of the other sections, our professor is having us research a topic and write one large paper at the end of the semester. We have to chose a topic of interest that pertains to certain culture. As you know, I’m already actively involved in the film industry and have consequently chosen to write my paper about it. I plan on doing most of my research through observation while on various sets for music videos and commercials. In addition to that observation, I also plan on interviewing several people in the industry and getting their take on some questions. Some of the questions that I plan on asking are: how is the industry evolving? What makes Nashville a unique market? and finally What traits must one have to be successful in the industry? Not only do I plan on learning more about the market that exists in Nashville, but I also want this project to serve as a tool for me when I graduate. I want to know as much about the industry as possible before I dive fully into it.

As a friend and roommate I appreciate your advice and opinion on this project. 

Thanks in advance for hearing me out,

Jon

Glossary of Terms

Glossary of terms of the main crew positions on a film set in Nashville...

Producer- In charge of overseeing budget of a video, planning, and hiring crew for production. Also main liaison between client and crew.

Production Manager- The Production Manager supervises the physical aspects of the production (not the creative aspects) including personnel, technology, budget, and scheduling. It is the Production Manager's responsibility to make sure the filming stays on schedule and within its budget.

Interview- TK McKamy

I recently interviewed a director named TK McKamy about the film industry in Nashville. TK is new to the film industry and has only been directing videos for approximately two years in Nashville. He's experienced wild success over the past 6 months and he attributes it to a few factors such as having a drive. However, this has not come without sacrifice. "The worst part of my job is the toll that it has taken on my personal life. Its hard to find balance when you have to be so driven. I'm almost there- balance is near" the young director exclaims. TK also spoke of the uniqueness of the Nashville market. "The Nashville Market is interesting...its a boutique market and clients are definitely smaller."McKamy went on to further discuss the evolving industry. "Its much easier to break into directing these days due to the advancing cameras and broader media needs across the board.  However all the Shi#%y stuff  is making my stuff look even better." To conclude my interview, I asked TK what he lives by and he responded with the following statement "Over-deliver and exceed expectations. Work Hard- Play Hard. Most importantly- play hard while working." Wise words from a 28 year old that's already directed a video that went #1 for four straight weeks in a row on CMT.

Mental Map

Below is a mental map that I created of the hierarchy that I've found to exist in the film industry here in Nashville. There seems to be two paths: Production company and freelance. Most production companies sign directors full time- much like a sports team signs a player to contract. The director works exclusively for the production company and writes treatments for videos that are assigned to them. The production company also employes assistants and normally a director rep. The director rep. gets the director videos. After a video has been assigned to a director the freelancers are called up. A producer is hired by the production company and then the producer will hire other freelancers to fill each of the production departments for the video. See the below chart for a visual representation. 

Cultural Artifact- The Camera

The cultural artifact that I chose to write about is the motion picture camera. The motion picture camera is unique in more ways than you'd think. First of all, its an insanely advanced piece of equipment. It took a company and a group of designers and engineers a great deal of time to create- especially the modern digital cinema camera. In terms of the film industry- it is probably the single most important element to any film set. Without it, a video could not be created.

 The camera also says a lot about the person using it. In the industry, one does not simply become a camera operator. It takes several years to work their way up a figurative ladder to get to the point of becoming a Director of Photography (the person that operates the camera). The person who operates the camera has spent a ton of time perfecting their craft- working first as a 2nd camera assistant taking notes about each shot and loading and unloading equipment. The person then progresses towards a 1st camera assistant and learns the ins and outs of the camera. They also are responsible for making sure that everything is always in focus and keeping lenses and other support equipment in full working order. Being able to finally operate the camera is a big deal as a lot of a video's success depends on that person. I was fortunate enough to work at a camera rental house a few years ago and really learned the ins and outs of the camera world. Its an artifact that has evolved greatly over the past 100 years. Cameras used to shoot on film, now everything is digital. Its truly incredible the power and significance of this object. Never before has anything else been able to capture a slice of life and tell a story!

Project Ideas

For my class project I'd like to study the filmmaking industry in Nashville. The industry isn't nearly as large as in cities such as New York or Los Angles, but certainly exists. I plan on working in the industry upon graduation, so this topic thoroughly interests me. I feel that by researching it further, I will also have a leg up on others in the industry as I will know more about the culture that exists within. Primarily, I would like to answer the following question: What makes the Nashville Music Video, Commercial, and Corporate Video production market different than other markets that exist in cities (such as New York, Atlanta, or L.A.)? I will research the culture of the market by working on several shoots and interviewing key figures in the industry.

Immediate Culture

I went home to visit family recently and decided to observe the culture that exists between us. Home for me is in Grand Blanc, Michigan. A sleepy suburb of Flint, Michigan that is known for being the most violent and depressed city in the nation. This is hard to believe as Grand Blanc is still a nice town full of mostly middle class people like my family. My family consists of myself, my younger brother Matt, younger sister Rebecca, and my parents- Mark and Brenda. This year has been a transition year for everyone. My brother went off to college, sister entered high school and I will be graduating from Belmont in the spring. I can tell that my parents have been feeling the effects of this greatly.