Here’s
your ticket to Go To Team’s High Definition Montage. We’ve
been telling some amazing stories using high definition. Please take
a look at what we’ve been up to.
Grab some candy and popcorn. Silence your
cell phones. Sit back. Relax. And, Enjoy. When you’re ready
to shoot, we’ll be waiting in the lobby.
Is there anything more exciting than getting THE CALL to do an exclusive interview with a national figure? Last week Go To Team got that call. Our Raleigh and Charleston crews (Tom Wells, Jimmy Hall, and Ian McCullen) shot the exclusive interview for ABC News' Nightline with ex-presidential candidate John Edwards.
The interview went off without a hitch, well, maybe just one… As any audio operator knows, on some occasions his worst enemy isn't planes, car horns or even overzealous passersby vying for a little screen time. Many times it’s the subjects themselves. This was the case on Friday when John Edwards disobeyed rule number one of the audio operator's Ten Commandments…Don’t Touch Your Mic!
And leave it to Jon Stewart and The Daily Show to point it out. Stewart gave his best impression of audio technician Ian McCullen when John Edwards tapped his chest and mic when referring to his heart. Well, Jon, you just about nailed it.
Meanwhile, on the set...after Ian picked himself up off the floor...he just shrugged his shoulders, "There's not a thing I can do about THAT."
A nod from an ABC News producer acknowledged the reality.
Outside The Lines In NASCAR
Go To Team's Charlotte crew, Skip Clark and Rene Cusson, wrapped up their work on the "Discrimination in NASCAR" story two weeks ago and it aired this past Sunday on ESPN's Outside The Lines. Skip Clark and Rene Cusson worked with talent Kelly Naqi and producer Greg Amante to gather interviews and shoot the stand-ups. There are a lot of interviews throughout the in-depth piece that took Amante and Naqi around two months to complete, but the Clark crew interviewed tire changer Chris Justice, tire specialist Lisa Smokstad, and shocks specialist Katie Muir.
They also got to interview DEI's Max Siegel (pictured); "As the only African-American team president in the sport, he's part of NASCAR's movement to increase diversity in their sport. He's also a dynamic speaker and someone who sees all the angles on this very sensitive subject."
The last shoot for the story was the stand-up shoot. The OTL piece is informative and will leave you with a better understanding of the allegations levied against NASCAR and a perspective for the other side of the story. You can check it out here or find it on the ESPN Outside the Lines website.
South Carolina Hero Honored by CNN
CNN is searching the globe for extraordinary people making a difference in their world, a search that led them to Columbia, SC where Bambi Gaddist runs the SC HIV/AIDS Council. The organization features a mobile testing center, focused on offering HIV/AIDS testing for free to anyone interested. Charleston based Director of Photography Tom Wells spent 2 days with CNN shooting a special feature for the "CNN Heroes" special. Check out the CNN Heroes home page where Bambi Gaddist is featured this week, or check out the direct link to the video here.
Raleigh Crew Witnessed Epic Game Making
Go To Team's Raleigh NC cameraman Jimmy Hall headed over to Epic Games in Cary NC for a shoot with Spike TV's Gametrailers. The episode premiered on the eve of E3(which is a videogame trade show, think NAB but for gamers) and its main focus; Gears of War 2 the sequel to the brain bashing, Hammer of Dawn (no not Dawn Nelson our fabulous Production Coordinator) obliterating, explosive arrow to the face masterpiece Gears of War. Sorry, didn't mean to geek out BUT myself along with a couple other GTTer's spent a few hours in between our busy schedules unloading clips and lopping explosives at each other...needless to say I love the original and was pretty stoked to see behind the curtain of the soon to be released sequel.
We shot this episode with the Sony HVR - V1U setting the camera up to shoot at 24p/1080p HDV.
Go here for some outtakes or checkout the episode below:
Go To Team's 5000th Shoot Party at NASCAR
In celebration of our 5000th shoot day almost everyone at Go To Team hit the road for Charlotte, NC and the Nascar offices for a day of good food and great company. We hired a catering company, Food for the Southern Soul out of Charleston to bring a little of the lowcountry to the folks at Nascar Media Group. The caterers did it right with a Lowcountry Boil and Banana Pudding! While everyone was excited about the food, I think the best part was getting the chance to visit our friends at the Nascar Studio and finally being able to put a face with the voices that I talk to on the phone, and the stories I've heard from life on the road.
And of course, meeting all of the rest of the wonderful people who work there that I wouldn't have gotten the chance to interact with otherwise. While we missed the few Go To Team Staff (Skip, Rene & Dave were shooting for ESPN) who were actually working that day (somone had to pay the bill), it was a great occasion and I can't wait for the 10,000th Shoot!
5000 Shoot Days… That’s a lot of ‘Cool TV’
It seemed like an average day at the track working for one of our best clients, NASCAR… when we were notified that it was the 5000th shoot day in Go To Team’s history. That’s right in the last ten years Go To Team has shot over 5000 shoots. That’s a lot of interviews, b-roll, live shots and hard work!
I was in Mannsfield Ohio, continuing our HD coverage of the Nascar Craftsman Truck Series for Speed Channel, when Patrick called me to let me know I was on the 5000th shoot that Go To Team had ever shot.
It was a novel thing to hear, but I was busy trying to give Mike and Keith the best footage I could, so the real signifigance of that number didn't really sink in until after I returned to Charlotte. That is a LOT of cool TV from one company.
In an average month we shoot 60 or 70 shoot days between our crews in Charleston, Charlotte, Raleigh, and Richmond. And, I always do my best to keep up with my Go To Team brethren… it was just an honor that the 5000th landed on my day.
Well, off to the next adventure...I think 10,000 has a nice ring to it, see you in the Field!
Dave Baker Shooting show "Ricky Carmichael: Next"
Go To Team's Charlotte, North Carolina Cameraman, Dave Baker recently got a new angle on Ricky Carmichael's career plans. Check out some of Dave's shots in these selects from the Speed Channel's "Ricky Charmichael: Next".
Editing Skip Clark's High-Definition DP Reel
When GoTo Team's Skip Clark asked that I revise his high-definition demo reel my first thought was “looks”. Whether it’s the saturated colors of the logo plastered stock cars or the sepia toned rustic pool hall interview, Skip always accentuates his subjects with a look. That said I wanted his reel to reflect this strength in his shooting and lighting.
The second thought I had was “moves”.As I scrolled through Skip’s footage I couldn’t help but notice range of shots he captures.From wide establishing shots to tracking dollies and close ups, Skip’s camera moves give his subjects focus and energy. An interview that could be shot with one camera on a tripod is transformed into a dynamic high-definition multi-camera shoot using 7-head ARRI lighting kits, a Microdolly and HD lenses. His shooting and lighting lends insight into his subject’s thoughts through close-ups and gives the viewer an on-set feel through dolly shots that capture the entire set. Skip is deliberate in every move he makes and in doing so he tells his story in a personal and engaging manner that makes the camera his voice.
Editing Skip’s reel was truly a pleasure given his range of high-definition footage and his remarkable lighting ability. As an editor, having so many strong shots to choose from is a blessing in disguise. Enough chat... watch the reel and feel free to comment. To learn more about Skip, check out his resume page on the GoTo Team's website.
Ooohhh.... Aaaaahhhhhh.....
Go To Team camera crew Skip Clark and Rene Cusson made their way to Daytona Beach, Florida this holiday weekend. Amidst the July 4th fireworks above the crowded beach were even more bangs and booms lighting up the Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR held it's Coke Zero 400, covered live by TNT, and made to look good in part by the creative duo from Go To. The weekend included features such as Walley Dallenbach performing some water skiing stunts with boat driver Kyle Petty, and an interview with crew chief Roy McCauley about his wife's battle with cancer just before his Daytona 500 victory last February. From the intense to the somber, the crew was ready. The Coke Zero 400 was won by Kyle Busch, and during the point leader's 6th Victory Lane celebration this year, a familiar voice could be heard in the sea of media chatter: Skip Clark, with a smirk on his face, said above the bangs of the fireworks and clicks of the shutters "Not a drop of champagne got on me this time!"
New High Definition Reel for Go To Team Charleston DP
In addition to being an outstanding Director of Photography, Go To Team's Tom Wells has an eye for editing. Tom had already created a timeline with a rough cut and just wanted to add a couple of shots and some titles. As an editor for Go To Team I was thrilled to work with him on his latest demo reel. Tom knew the type of shots he wanted to showcase. He wanted to focus strictly on his high-definition work and he wanted to use shots that emphasized his artistic eye and production capability.
We used a combination of Varicam and F-900 HD footage. As Tom selected the shots for his reel, he emphasized production. When on location he packs a 7 head ARRI kit, a Microdolly and an array of high-definition lenses and even an HD Pencil Cam to name just a few of his toys. We wanted to take this opportunity to show off some of Tom's high-definition capability.
Tom's lighting is just one of his strengths that we incorporated into his reel. His production capability separates him from a typical ENG shooter. "I can set up the Microdolly and Jib in less than five minutes and break it down in under three." he told me. Just to demonstrate that, we edited a time lapse of Tom setting up his jib and incorporated it into his reel.
To see more of Go To Team's Charleston Director of Photography, Tom Wells' work, see his resume page.
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hs that we incorporated into his reel. His production capability separates him from a typical ENG shooter. "I can set up the Microdolly and Jib in less than five minutes and break it down in under three." he told me. Just to demonstrate that, we edited a time lapse of Tom setting up his jib and incorporated it into his reel.