Tips Archives - Tim Frakes Productions

Rube Goldberg Teleprompter

timfrakes — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 14:04:25 +0000

Necessity being the mother of invention, I decided to build myself a Rube Goldberg teleprompter. Additional motivation was supplied by Andy Weir’s novel, The Martian. I am also cheap.

For those not in the TV business, a teleprompter allows talent to speak into a camera lens while simultaneously looking at the script through a reflected image. Light from the performer passes through the front side of the glass into the lens, while a shroud surrounding the lens and the back side of the glass prevents unwanted light from entering the lens.

The text is piped into the monitor from a laptop computer via HDMI cable.

Here is the recipe:

– an old, broken luggage cart (wheels removed)
– old wooden picture frame spray painted black
– standard picture glass (mirrored prompter glass is better, but I’m cheap)
– Panasonic Lumix GH4 camera
– Manfrotto MVH500AH Tripod Head
– tripod
– Konova K2 Slider
– Apature 7″ monitor (mounted to the slider with an articulating arm)
– black cloth
– An old TV monitor for use as a viewfinder

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Crafting a Nonprofit Video Strategy

timfrakes — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:51:40 +0000

Webinar: Crafting a Nonprofit Video Strategy

View more documents from See3.

Recently I participated in a packed webinar about nonprofit video strategy hosted by Michael Hoffman, CEO of see3communications .

If you work in a non-profit organization and want to know more about crafting a nonprofit video strategy, this is information you can use. I certainly found it useful!

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Arab Women’s Union

timfrakes — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 17:24:12 +0000

The Arab Women’s Union provides jobs for poor women in the West Bank while helping to preserve traditional Palestinian embroidery techniques. www.frakesproductions.com

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Thanks to Rembrandt

timfrakes — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 12:15:17 +0000

Long airport layovers are a travel downer. Amsterdam?s Schiphol Airport makes the wait more pleasant by teaming with the Rijksmuseum to offer travelers some 16th century Dutch eye candy. “Thanks to Rembrandt” is a free public exhibit that features samples of work from Rubens, Johannes Vermeer, Hans Bollongier and even Rembrandt himself. www.frakesproductions.com

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Tips for Better Home Movies

timfrakes — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 13:10:19 +0000

Tips For Better Home Movies
By Tim Frakes

Why do home movies look and sound like, well, home movies? Here are five tips for making your home movies look and sound more professional.

1. The Law of Thirds
Most home moves are recorded from a single angle, typically from the back of the room. At the birthday party, the moviemaker stands in the back of the room, hits the record button, zooms in and out, pans left and right, capturing everything that is going on. A better option is to divide every scene into thirds: wide, medium and tight. Hold each shot for a minimum of ten seconds. For example, at a party, stand in the back of the room and record a ten second wide shot. Turn the camera off. Walk up to the birthday boy/girl and record a ten second medium shot. Turn the camera off. Hold the camera next to the birthday cake and record a ten second close up shot. The results will be more pleasing to the eye. Later, you can edit the material to make it even better.

2. No Zooms! If you want to get closer, walk closer. The most common home movie mistakes are made with the zoom. It is almost impossible to hold the camera steady when you are zoomed in. Watch a Hollywood movie and turn the sound down. Count the number of times you see a zoom. Not many. You may see a dolly or truck. The entire camera is rolled in/out/left/right using a track system. The Steadicam is a device sometimes used by Hollywood. Either way, the zoom is rarely used. The zoom is used in professional sporting events. In this case, the quality of the lens and tripod systems are light years beyond your home movie camera. Plus, the camera is run by a professional.

When it comes to home movies, keep your lens at the maximum wide angle. Get up out of your chair and move to the next shot when you want a close-up or medium shot.

3. Shoot humans at eye level. Keep the lens of the camera at eye level. Don’t stand over Billy as he sits and blows out the candles. Hold the camera so that the lens is parallel with is face. This will make your subjects appear to be far more credible.

4. Keep the light source to your back. When indoors, don’t shoot into an exterior window. You can’t compete with God’s light source! Put your back to the window. Your camera will be much happier. When outside, try to record with the sun to your back. You will find that this is much easier in the early morning or evening when the sun is low in the sky. Again, notice Hollywood movies. It is always sunset!

5. Get the mic close. When recording the human voice, make sure your camera (and the attached omni-directional microphone) is within three feet of the person talking. The microphone on your camera is omni-directional. It picks up sound from every direction evenly. Home moviemakers often wonder why they can’t hear the speaker standing across the crowded room? If you want to hear the person speaking, walk over and record the person from three feet away. You will like the results.

www.frakesproductions.com

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Independent videographer shares his calling

timfrakes — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:38:00 +0000

This article appeared in the April 17, 2008 edition of “CHIPS” the Luther College Campus Newspaper.

Former ELCA video producer brings his story to Luther
By: Melanie Wargowski, Staff Writer
“Are you stressed about your future? Are you suffering from anxiety?” Tim Frakes’ opening words at chapel generated groans and nods of agreement from listeners.

Frakes was on campus April 7-9 as a Sense of Vocation visitor. He is an award-winning independent videographer who has produced major video documentaries in over 19 countries.

Along with speaking in chapel, Frakes visited classes, held a video production workshop and hosted an open discussion on campus. He gave students advice about discovering their vocations and talked about the path that led him to his own.

“Anxiety is a great motivator,” he said. “It’s like walking on a tightrope with no net. It’s exciting and energizing. It keeps your attention focused, and if nothing else, it gets you out of bed in the morning.”

In his conversations with students, Frakes discussed his understanding of vocation as a God-driven calling.

“Whatever honorable work you do is a holy calling from God,” he said. “What a blessing it is to fulfill that calling. Once we recognize it, there are two things we have to do: obey it and trust that God will work out the details.”

Frakes also emphasized the important role individuals play in living out their own sense of vocation.

“The moment you realize what you’re called to do, figure out what it will take to make it happen,” he said. “What market are you going to go into? Who do you need to contact?”

Sending e-mails to prospective companies, planning corporate visits and networking are key steps to achieving a career in any field, Frakes explained. Also, individuals looking for a job can benefit by reading trade publications and staying up-to-date on the organization and industry they are interested in.

“It’s never too early to start,” he said.

Frakes got his first job at a Chicago newspaper when he was a junior in high school. He attended Harding University, a small Christian liberal arts school in Arkansas. He first studied journalism, then radio broadcasting and finally settled on television production before graduating with a degree in mass communication.

After college, Frakes got a job at a Chicago television station. Over the following seven years, he worked his way up to a position as a producer. He then moved on to a corporate job with the network, where he spent four years producing videos. In that position, he worked with a wide variety of clients. One client he frequently produced videos for was the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

“I was working with them so often that they hired me to be their chief video producer,” Frakes said. “It turned out to be a blessing in a lot of ways.”

In his position with the ELCA, Frakes had the opportunity to make many interesting videos. His work took him all over the world: Africa, Asia, the South Pacific, the Caribbean and Europe.

“It was a great job,” he explained. “I liked the people I was working with, and I found meaning in what I was doing.”

Last March, after 14 years with the ELCA, Frakes left his position and started his own video production company.

“I could have worked with the ELCA until I was ready to retire, but I felt called to do something more,” he said.

Through his work with his company, Tim Frakes Productions, Frakes still gets to travel the world. He works for a wide variety of both corporate and non-profit clients. His recent projects include video shoots in the Palestinian West Bank and Nairobi, Kenya.

“I’m doing now what God was calling me to do all along,” he said.

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