Identity Crisis
Sometimes I don’t know how to identify myself. I bridge the role in my former life as an”old school” broadcast journalist and television producer with my new career today being a “social media maven” and jack-of-all-trades blogger, video producer, consultant, writer, photographer, marketer, speaker, editor, and publisher. It’s something that I struggle with a lot…not only what to call myself now, but with the sort-of decaying art of ‘professionals.’ No one used to be able to just simply publish something they wrote for the masses to read and now they can. And no one used to be able to just pick up some video camera and shoot and edit a video and broadcast it (unless they were just filming home movies or were actually a TV or film professional) and now they can.
Just Hit Record
Perhaps it is part of the reason that despite people asking, I didn’t shoot a ton of video during my trip around the world. Besides not wanting to do my “day job,” I didn’t want to shoot half-assed videos that I knew could be better if I had more gear, more time, my crew and a desire to be ‘producing’ rather than really traveling. But like it or not, video producers are emerging all over the web, some good, some bad, and eveything in between. So instead of railing against it, I decided to help them, by offering video training and consulting over at LLmedia. And as far as me, I still shoot sparingly, but still prefer to do it with a crew and not as a one-man-band.
Making Videos with Your Phone
Case in point. I was just given this incredible new toy – the Samsung Galaxy SIII mobile phone. But since many of you know I hate talking on the phone and also save a ton of money by only having a pay as you go plan (not very common in the U.S.), I mostly use the gizmo as an internet portal and a camera. And well, of course you know it shoots video. So I decided to test it out on my trip to Big Sur. It was super easy to use right out of the box and I do like the ‘edit in camera’ function of just being able to pause record in between shots which then saves it as one clip. I needed a little tripod of some sort, and while I did buy a bracket for it just for this purpose, wouldn’t you know it arrived in my mailbox in Chicago, after I’d left for my trip…so I went handheld the entire time…not something I usually recommend. For simple little videos, it certainly does a bang-up job, but I still missed having control to manually adjust focus (not a fan of ‘seeing’ it re-adjust and eek in and out during recording), and adjust my aperture, etc. as I do on my DSLR. So it can’t really compare to that, but otherwise it still looks pretty good. Oh and being I was shooting by myself, I do NOT recommend driving and filming like I did. Stupid, but looks cool. Check out my video and let me know what you think?
If you are unable to see embedded video, please head here to the Tubes.
Disclosure: My trip to Big Sur was made possible by Samsung who also gifted me the Samsung Galaxy SIII with which I shot the video shown here. As always the views expressed here are my own and do not reflect the views of Samsung.
Dalene
Quite impressed with the quality of the footage coming through on the phone – have to try it out myself!
Lisa
Thanks Dalene! I honestly would use the phone for quick vids I don’t care much about, but mostly I will stick with the quality of my DSLR.
Sofie
I like your introduction to this post because I can really relate. I have a full time job as a marketing coordinator, so I’m a marketing coordinator. But besides that I also have a blog that I promote using different ‘marketing’ techniques and on which I write and post pictures. Does that make me a marketer? A writer? A photographer?
I think there will always be professionals, but there’s often, certainly when it comes to ‘digital’ things, no more fixed boundary between ‘being something’ and ‘not being something’.
When I fill out an online profile, as we often need to do on platforms like linkedin, I don’t dare to call myself a writer, my I do say I have skills in writing.
Is there a big difference? I don’t know. At which point does someone who often writes/takes pictures/shoots films and does so well, become a writer/photographer/film maker?
Does it have to do with frequency? With know-how? Or are you only something when the world around you recognizes you as such?
Wow, I should write an essay on this 😀
To conclude: I think we should determine for ourselves what we want to be. Of course it is important that others agree that you are what you say you are, especially in business, but I think we should also we confident and say “I’m a writer, give me a topic and I’ll wirte you a text”. Because how do you want someone to take you seriously if you don’t do so yourself?
Lisa
Love what you say here. So true about the non-fixed boundary nowadays. It used to be much clearer…especially in our parents generation: Get a degree and that IS your profession for life. Now, it is so grey! But, yes, I agree, although professionally I was a TV producer (which is actually also a writer since I wrote for TV), I never called myself a writer until now that I am actually a published freelance writer. It takes a long time for me to acclimate to this new life and these labels!
Bessie
Great video! Your editing skills were put to good use!
It’s interesting what you’re contemplating – technology plays a huge role in leveling “career paths” and years of built up professional skills. It’s a modern world!
Ryan
Not bad! I think I’m giving in and getting the iPhone 5 vs Samsung Galaxy III. I’ll take some video and send it to you to compare 🙂
Linda
Several thoughts! (1) I’m almost ready for a new phone, so your take on the Samsung is really interesting. Am taking it all in. (2) Love the video. That’s a road trip I’ve dreamed of doing most of my life – honestly since I saw it in some movie or other when I was quite young! And definitely to stay in that hotel, which looks marvelous. (3) I finally caught up with “Big Sur” last year. Although didn’t like it nearly as much as some Kerouac it’s imagery has stuck with me, so it was like seeing the pictures in my head come to life. (4) When I tell people what I do, I’m flummoxed too. It’s still new to me to admit to it, so I’m experimenting, but have taken to mumbling when I say “blogger.” Some folk respond, “How great. Where can I read it?” but I notice many people’s eyes glaze over. Noticed that especially at WTM. Lots of people clearly still don’t get it. Someone said to me, “Well do you WRITE or do you just blog?!” (5) No crew and no tripod how did you shoot yourself? :=) Thoroughly enjoyed it all!