The UK Airport Stranded Travellers December 2010

Front page of the worlds newspapers. Terrible stuff. Plainly, the situation has been handled badly by the airline people involved, but at the end of the day, what can they do about the weather. I am sure it was very unpleasant for those with babies and for the unwell.

I can't help think though, that all those travelers of able body and mind, have an opportunity here to learn something.

There is an upside for all the healthy strong people who experienced this brief period of airport inconvenience. It has given all of you a taste of what life must be like for all the worlds homeless, be they refugees or down and out types in our parks. When you eventually reach your destination, you will all be slightly better people and may even be a little more understanding of those who will not be jet setting around the world for Xmas. Some won't even be eating anything on Xmas day. Dwell on that for a moment while feeling sorry for yourselves. When the weather clears, you will likely reach your warm destination and enjoy all that is to be had at your Xmas festivities. Spare a thought for the others. Caring is free.
Merry Xmas

A wet wedding day need not be all bad

As I begin the edit on last weekends wedding, I appreciate the bad weather we had. That may sound a bit strange because for a wedding day, rain can ruin everything. 

The wedding began in the Blue Mountains where the weather behaved. Clouds meant that faces were not shadowed and the garden greens were vibrant. The girls with their dark dresses and burgundy roses framed the Bride & Groom beautifully.

The rain began on our way to the photo shoot at an elegant old colonial homestead in Richmond. We sheltered under huge old verandah’s which ultimately featured in the photo shoot scenes along with the gardens between showers.

This kind of weather brings out colours you don’t see on most other days.
If the weather is looking like showers for your wedding day, don’t despair too much. Grab plenty of umbrella’s, look for some verandah’s and have fun.

Doug

Using my camera's to tell your story

My name is Doug Wiggins and I’m a video producer. Our production studio, Video Innovations is near Windsor NSW. For many people, Video Producer brings up mental images of a huge hollywood style studio set and film crews worthy of feature films. Not to burst my own bubble, but with todays technology and some carefully honed skills, my operation runs quite nicely with nowhere near all those frills, bells and whistles. Exploring the other pages of this website http://www.film.com.au/ shows most of the services we offer.
Just like Hollywood, most big city production companies still have a seperate department for everything. Of course this makes your project expensive. After a camera crew and director have shot the video, the editing department do their bit on the video. Then the audio department, then the graphics department. It goes on and on. Who has the budget for that?
I do things a little differently at Video Innovations. In the beginning, it was a necessity that I be able to do all  those jobs in house. I have never seen any good reason to change that.  This means that in one pre-production meeting, I gather all the details of my client’s requirements, and because I will be taking care of every process, I can provide an accurate estimate more quickly. If my client requires still photography in the video production, I do that too. Likewise with any graphic design needed.
If your project does require more crew and equipment, we can take care of that too because of our strategic alliance with other industry professionals.
On any given day, I might be involved in a client meeting, shooting video in the form of a news story, conference, commercial, wedding or even a funeral. I might be on the ground or filming from an aircraft. In the same day, I am likely to be editing the video, audio and even the stills in Photoshop.
Each day is an empty canvas and never boring.
I am a video professional. I use my camera’s to bring pictures to life. I love my work. If you find my line of work interesting, drop me a line in the comments box.
Cheers
Doug

Lawn sprinklers at a wedding

Imagine if you will, the Bride and Groom along with their wedding party, enjoying the photo shoot on a racecourse near the finish line. The late afternoon sun is just right, the shots are fantastic, and then... the racecourse sprinklers come on!

Try to picture us all scrambling through the barriers. We all had trouble getting over and under the fence going onto the track, but no such problem when the jets of water began to threaten wedding gowns and camera’s. I thought the bride would clear the fence in a single bound. A narrow escape for all.

I am filming another wedding at the same racecourse shortly. I might suggest that we film in the winners circle this time.

Sprinklers aside, it was a beautiful wedding with great people. Congratulations Beck & Nathan.

Doug

The Dreaded Funeral

Something we never like to speak of, but which is inevitable for all of us. A private time of mourning is often made more difficult when we have to deal with such a chaotic day like a funeral, and all that goes with it.

This period is also very difficult for those people who, because of distance or poor health, cannot attend the funeral of a loved one.

There was a time when I would have thought it bad taste to have a video made of a funeral. This changed when my Mum passed away back in 1994. Due to school holidays and other events, I was unable to get a flight to New Zealand and could not attend her funeral. I was devestated.

Still to this day, I regret not being there for her. I now realise, that had someone produced a video of the funeral, I would have felt included, and I believe it would have helped me to grieve.
Since then, I have understood perfectly when asked to produce funeral video’s for families in similar situations. As we settle our families in all corners of the world, funerals often catch relatives at short notice and just like me, they are unable to attend a loved ones funeral.

When they receive the DVD a short time later, they are transported right through that difficult day in a tasteful, respectful and discreet video that is carried on a bed of music, usually chosen by the family.

This can really help people who couldn’t be there in person. I know it would have helped me.

Doug Wiggins

Behind the 6 oclock news

Did you ever wonder how the news stories get to your TV set? Every day and night, we sit down to watch it, but where do those pictures come from? Well a lot of them come from independant cameramen just like me. Sure, the TV networks make it look like they do it all, but in truth, their camera crews are not many in number and simply cannot be everywhere. Instead, they rely quite heavily on a large network

of freelancers with the right skills and equipment. Some of those, like me are running their own production business. Personally, I am a full time video producer. As an independant, that means I am a cameraman, editor, graphic designer and photographer. Among other things. When I have time available, I log onto an "on call" system for the news services.

Sometimes I don't roll tape for news for a couple of weeks. Other times it might be daily that I get a call to respond. Like the others, I never know when that call will come. It can be the middle of the night when a call wakes me. I request that the details are texted to my phone as I get out of my warm bed. The camera gear is always packed and charged ready to roll because it is vital to be on the road within minutes of a callout.

A quick check of those directions and its off to find the scene. One of my last callouts was for another MVA (motor vehicle accident.) I always hate going to these. The callout said this was a bad one. Two cars, possibly a fatality. The location given was close to home. I remember thinking, I hope I don't know the people involved.

Finding these locations at night is easier. All the flashing lights from emergency vehicles.  I arrive and speak to police on scene to identify myself. They are in the thick of it still assessing the situation and confirmed there is one person deceased. A 17 year old male driver. The other driver is injured and will need to be transported by road to hospital.

I collect my gear, hoping there not be any of the victims family on scene. The emotional side of this is difficult to handle. I set up at a respecful distance and consider the various angle that will tell the story without being too graphic. During this time, I am in communication with the on scene police officers. There is always a lot of waiting, but it doesn't matter. They are dealing with a tragedy after all.

When I have the necessary images to accompany the story, I pack up to leave only to find my hazard lights have flattened the car battery. Looks like it will be a long night. Home to bed by 2.30am. Before 6am comes the call wanting the footage I shot. Back into the car to meet one of the link vehicles. From high ground, the link vehicle points it's microwave antenna towards Sydney and I connect my camera. On the signal, I  press play and 3 TV networks receive my footage instantly, some 40 klms away. In all likelyhood, I won't even see the story go to air. 

Why do I do it? Well it isn't the money. With tragedies like MVA's killing young Australian's, I do it because I hope my footage will shock some kids enough to make them slow down and stop treating the roads like a computer game.

Other events such as bush fires or industrial fires can be pretty exciting in a dangerous kind of way. Our footage from events like those, sometimes ends up being used for firefighter training etc.

On any given day, I never know what will be in front of my lens. When I am not filming news, My work is the most fun I have ever been paid for. Creating projects of value for people. It might be a video to help train staff. It might be video showing the world what a company offers. It might be the highlights of a wedding day.

This is life as a cameraman.

I hope you found it interesting.