One of the things that sets Crossing the 180 apart is that we cover all aspects of video production. From content creators to those who have their pulse on the industry because they make products for filmmakers. At the beginning of our “Business of Hollywood” series we had Chris Huntely and Stephen Greenfield of The Wright Bros. talking about their products for writers. Today we have Jonathan Houser, CEO of Cinemek and creator of a very cool storyboard program for the iPhone, Storyboard Composer. Before he gets into how he came to create Storyboard Composer, he shares his own experiences starting in the filmmaking industry, growing and selling a very successful wedding and event video business, then starting Cinemek and creating their 35mm lens adapter. His story behind getting into the wedding business you’ll find very inspirational, particularly if you are an event filmmaker.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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“You need to invest in yourself before you can expect others to invest in you.”
~ Patrick Moreau (inspired by Michael Y. Wong)

How does a wedding videographer get hired by the NFL to create a series of videos from the Super Bowl to the Draft? Or get recruited by Canon to do a national bus tour teaching about DSLR filmmaking? Well, hopefully today you’ll glean the answers to those questions as we interview Patrick Moreau of Still Motion fame.

Patrick talks about how he went from a psychology major at university to becoming one of the foremost event filmmakers in the world. He shares how their craft has evolved over the years, from the early days of over-using the steadicam where half their clips were dazzling, yet dizzing flying shots; to how they’ve switched 100% to Canon DSLRs. Patrick really gets into the thinking behind the shoots they do, why they make the creative decisions they make. He also talks about the amazing NFL deal and how that came about. There’s just way too much to mention here. Just listen to the interview already.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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From CPA to head of production at a major Hollywood production company, Yolanda Cochran has had quite the ride in “the biz.” Her attitude about starting from the bottom, doing whatever is asked (she never said “That is not my job”), and working diligently, had paid of in spades for her. For the past eight years she’s been at Alcon Entertainment (“Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2,” “The Blind Side” and “Book of Eli”) and has since become head of physical production. Yolanda will share with us her transition from bean counter to studio exec, what genres in Hollywood are viable business endeavors, she comments about the close of Miramax and creative vs. business prowess of companies (a very insightful part of the conversation I might add, particularly if you’re in the event and corporate video industry), whether or not a creative artist needs to abandon his/her vision (i.e. “sell out”) in order to make it in Hollywood, working the film festival market, the Oscars, and other great inside tidbits and goodies about the industry.

Bumper music for this show is �Tater City� by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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Back in 1993 a little film broke out on the scene that put its co-directors on the map. The movie was the urban gang drama “Menace II Society,” and the writer/directors were Albert and Allen Hughes. As we continue our “Business of Hollywood” series, today we have Albert Hughes himself. It’s a long-awaited interview, one with great info and insight. Learn about how just 3-days into shooting “Menace,” Albert and Allen thought their careers were over (they hated how it was turning out, and got grief but some of the other filmmakers on the movie because they were so green). But the movie was a huge success, and since then they’ve been celebrated auteurs commanding enough respect in the industry to attract the likes of Johnny Depp, Gary Oldman and Denzel Washington.

This is a fascinating interview where we get insight into how they evolved into co-directors, what it’s like directing others prominent directors (who also just happen to be high profile actors), the rise in popularity of HD DSLRs,� the issue of race and whether or not he feels a responsibility to represent African Americans, and we get some inside and behind-the-scenes info about shooting “Book of Eli” (Spoiler alert: if you haven’t seen the movie yet and plan to, you may want to fast forward when we get to the “Book of Eli” discussion at about 39:00.)

TECHNICAL NOTE: Unfortunately, the phone connection with Albert was not the greatest. But this was the� best and only time to catch Albert on his brief visit to the U.S. (he lives in Prague), so we dealt with it rather than reschedule and miss the window of opportunity to interview him.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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One of the hottest shows on TV for the past eight years has been Fox’s “24.” It’s verite, block picture-in-picture, and high intensity editing has become a pop culture, signature style. Today we have on the show the man that plays a huge role in the look of the show, it’s director of photography, A.S.C. cinematographer Rodney Charters. Rodney talks about background growing up in New Zealand, the son of a photographer. He talks about the changes going on in the industry as we evolve from most TV shows finished on film to being shot on digital; he shares some of the most intriguing stories of his time as a cinematographer leading up to “24″; what it was like working on the show; his take on the HD DSLR craze; whether or not it takes a film school degree to get into the biz nowadays; and so much more. It is so inspiring hearing from such a seasoned veteran and artist talk about his craft. It’s a jam-packed hour for sure.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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Rodney Charters on “Crossing the 180″

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I should probably just call this series the “Ron Dawson Reunion Series.” Like last week, this episode re-unites me with an old friend, Dayna North, who was script supervisor for a short film I wrote/directed way back “in the day.” Today Dayna is a successful television writer and co-executive producer on the ABC Family drama “Lincoln Heights.” After Dayna and I have a good time reminiscing about the good ol’ days (dropping names of some famous actors I had the opportunity to NOT choose to be in my film), she gets down and dirty sharing informational about: the importance of film school; writing for television; the power of writers in TV vs. film; the writers’ strike; Oscar politics; and much, much more. This is a terrific insider’s look at tinsel town you won’t want to miss.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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Dayna North on “Crossing the 180″

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Crossing the 180: The Business of Hollywood

Today I’m excited to start a series on the show I’ve been prepping for a couple of months: THE BUSINESS OF HOLLYWOOD. I’ve put together a set of guests from various aspects of “Hollywood” to share stories, give insight and advice, and dish the dirt. You won’t want to miss the next four or five episodes.

Today we have ex-bosses of mine: Chris Huntley and Stephen Greenfield, owners of The Write Bros, creators of the Movie Magic product line, the definitive production software suite for all TV and motion picture productions. They are also the creators of Scriptor (the first full featured script-writing program) and Movie Magic Screenwriter (a product I helped negotiate the contract for during my tenure at their then company, Screenplay Systems). Chris and Steve are both USC Film School grads come software product developers. They have some of the most entertaining stories about Hollywood from Steve’s stint as a screenwriter and how he sold a script to Disney via a friend of his pretending to be an agent; to meetings with high-powered Venture Capitalists (like John Doerr); to determining the basis of story and using software to help you develop it; this is a perfect start to what will be a terrific series.

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Chris Huntley and Stephen Greenfield on �Crossing the 180″

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A slow tracking dolly shot sweeps past a devastated street. Groups of people crowd around a truck spraying water on the street as children try to wash themselves. An old, weathered man stares into the camera, his visage suggesting he’s either unaware or uncaring of the camera filming him. All the while a haunting music score amplifies the emotional imagery. There is no voice over. No interviews. No “play by play” of the activities. The film is color graded and definitely has a stylized look. The shots are well composed and steady. Is this journalism? Or is it just another, over color-graded, over stylized portfolio piece with no journalistic integrity? That is the topic of today’s show.

Before bringing you “The Business of Hollywood” series, I felt compelled to tackle a topic that came up earlier in the week when world renown DSLR photojournalist Dan Chung pointed out a raging debate on his blog. Seems like this young, cutting edge filmmaker, with more music videos under his belt than ENG pieces, posted a video montage of his trip to Haiti. The filmmaker was Khalid Mohtaseb. There was a barrage of negative comments about Khalid’s piece from readers on the blog. The topic prompted me to do this episode. Part 1 is Dan giving his take on the subject, and part 2 we’ll have Khalid himself. Both give us a history of their background as well. A very inspirational, educational, and insightful interview. Where do YOU chime in on the debate?

The Business of Hollywood: A Special Series Coming to Crossing the 180

This episode is a great introduction to a series we�re starting called �The Business of Hollywood.� So far I�ve interviewed a TV producer/writer, software developers, the production head for Alcon Entertainment (makers of �Book of Eli�) and the co-director of �Eli,� Albert Hughes of the Hughes Brothers fame. You don�t want to miss these episodes.

Bumper music for this show is �Tater City� by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Dan Chung and Khalid Mohtaseb on �Crossing the 180″

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Haiti Earthquake Aftermath Montage from Khalid Mohtaseb on Vimeo.

If you’re an independent filmmaker, event filmmaker, corporate videographer, or aspiring film student, there’s a very good chance you’ve heard of Zacuto. They are the “Mercedes Benz” of camera gear and accessories. The product side of the business is only five years old, but they seem like they’ve been around forever. A large reason is due to today’s guest, Steve Weiss. Nearly a 30-year veteran himself, Steve has made a point too make his products (from camera gear to online webisodes) of the highest caliber. He makes no apologies for the investment one needs to make in his products. He knows they’re expensive compared to his competition, but he also knows they are worth what you invest.

That same desire to make products of the highest caliber extends to the webisodic productions Zacuto makes. From FilmFellas (which I had the honor to be a guest on), to Critics, to his latest foray, The Great Camera Shootout of 2010. A side-by-side comparison of 35mm film (from both Fuji and Kodak) to Canon’s 5D Mark II, the 1D Mark IV, the 7D, Nikon’s D3s, Panasonic’s Lumix GH1, and even the new Canon Rebel T2i. It’s by far one of the most compelling comparison tests in the industry, and Zacuto spared no expense producing it. The production quality of the series is evident from the first few frames (see the trailer below). And it seems like the whole filmmaking world (at least the one that is social media savvy) was waiting for it. (Their servers were overloaded on the day it premiered and the whole site was down temporarily).

In this MUST LISTEN episode, Steve talks about the history of his career (did you know he started as a <gasp> wedding videographer?), the impetus of the shootout, the reason behind his philosophy on marketing and producing high quality products, the origin of Zacuto, and his take on the industry and where it’s going. This is one of those episodes where you may want to take notes. Enjoy!

The Business of Hollywood: A Special Series Coming to Crossing the 180

This episode is a great introduction to a series we’re starting called “The Business of Hollywood.” So far I’ve interviewed a TV producer/writer, software developers, the production head for Alcon Entertainment (makers of “Book of Eli”) and the co-director of “Eli,” Albert Hughes of the Hughes Brothers fame. You don’t want to miss these episodes.

Bumper music for this show is �Tater City� by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Steve Weiss on �Crossing the 180″

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Zacuto Great Camera Shootout 2010 Trailer ~ High Noon from Zacuto USA on Vimeo.

When I started this podcast, I never expected that one of my most anticipated guests would be a member of the armed forces. But today we have just that. Lt. Tyler Ginter of the 55th Combat Camera Company is an insanely talented filmmaker who really knows his stuff. He has a widely read blog and is very active on Twitter sharing resources for filmmakers. In this episode Tyler shares with us how he got into filmmaking and how he uses it in the field. He’ also talks about the power of social media for filmmakers. He also gives us some great resource links to find free stock video footage. And I naturally ask him about his take on this year’s best picture Oscar winner “The Hurt Locker.”

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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Tyler Ginter on “Crossing the 180″

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When life throws you lemons, make lemonade. Or in this case, make a movie; then call it “Lemonade: The Movie.” Today’s guest is the creator of an inspiring documentary short with that name. Erik Proulx was in the advertising industry when after being laid off he started a website called “Please Feed the Animals.” Then that project led to creating a community of other ad execs who lost their jobs. And through the power of social media, from that community was born this film. This is the episode to listen to if you’ve ever lost a job, or if you’ve had a fear about pursuing your dream. Erik and his story will inspire you.

We talk about the details of how this film got started, production details (e.g. cameras used, etc.), and how social media (Twitter and blogging in particular) helped him get this film made with almost entirely volunteer work.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Erik Proulx on “Crossing the 180″

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If you’re any kind of fimmaker who uses the web as a means to share your work, you have heard of Vimeo. It is one of the most popular video sharing sites on the web with over 2 million users. It has gained a reputation of being the place for filmmakers to post their work and get great feedback and build community. Today we have as a guest the man who heads up that community, Blake Whitman. Blake shares with us his background as a filmmaker and how he got involved with Vimeo. Learn the ins and outs of this terrific resource (including the meaning of the name). But we also go in depth about the Vimeo co-sponsored film contest “Beyond the Still.” This is a contest dreamed up by Vincent Laforet and created by Canon. It’s one of the most unique film contests I’ve seen. Blake tells us how it got started, the benefits for participating, and where it’s going. This episode also starts a series we’ll be doing on the show where we’ll interview the contest winners as they are announced. And hopefully we’ll get some of the amazing judges on here too. Stay tuned each week!

Bumper music for this show is �Tater City� by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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Blake Whitman on �Crossing the 180″

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A few weeks ago on episode 5 we interviewed international wedding filmmaker Kevin Shahinian of Pacific Pictures. Kevin has become world renown for his amazing wedding concept films. The production values of his last one, “Sno” looked like a Paul Greengrass thriller. At the time of the recording of this first interview with Kevin, he was on the verge of traveling to India to shoot his most ambitious project to date: a scripted concept film shot concurrently with the live events of the Indian wedding. His plan was to weave the concept story into the wedding so that it’s one seamless story. In this follow up interview find out why Kevin called this shoot a “production of daily disasters.” And why when it was all over, he wondered whether or not he even had enough to make the film. Shot with 7 HD DSLRs (five 5D Mark IIs and two pre-production Canon 7Ds) and one EX1, the logistics alone were a nightmare to manage. Find out how they did it all. You do NOT want to miss this episode!

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Kevin Shahinian on “Crossing the 180″

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Check out the preludes to Kevin’s trailer at Cinevate’s site.

Imagine sitting in an office getting ready to sign a contract for a corporate video gig when in casual conversation it comes up that you also happen to shoot weddings. Upon hearing that news, the client says, “Oh.. weddings? Really?” And kindly asks you to leave. Well, that’s pretty much what happened to today’s guest. Ryan Bodie of Studio 26 Productions is a filmmaker who is shooting music videos, feature films, live events, large corporate jobs and he happens to shoot weddings. We’re in a series interviewing filmmakers who have gotten their start in wedding filmmaking or are still in it doing amazing things. Ryan shares with us how he got his start. Getting accepted at NYU but instead taking an opportunity of a life time to work for an Emmy-Award winning producer. Working at ABC and Time Warner as a video journalist and cutting on an Avid. He then started shooting weddings on the side and within two years started making more money there than his gig at Time Warner. As we wedding business blossomed, he branched out into corporate work and live events. Then he got an idea for family film about a wandering hobo named Click-Clack Jack. Ryan tells us about the process  of shooting that film. There is so much to learn from Ryan. Are you ready?

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the TRUE ROMANCE collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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Ryan Bodie on “Crossing the 180″

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Today starts a series of episodes where I will highlight filmmakers who just happen to have got their start (or are still in) wedding and event filmmaking. Toss out any preconceived notions you may have about what you think wedding videos may be. Starting with today’s guest, you’ll quickly learn that some of the most talented young filmmakers in the world today just happen to shoot weddings and similar events.

Kevin Shahinian dreamed about making movies. He was a student at USC’s film school and desired to get into their prestigious Production Program (that only accepted 5-10 applicants per semester). When he wasn’t accepted, he resorted to going above and beyond in his production class and created films that were over the top. Little did he know that his professor in that class was on the acceptance committee for the Production Program and Kevin’s tenacity and hard work got him in. After film school he did a couple of short stints at uber-agent house CAA as well as a Jim “King of the World”� Cameron’s Lightstorm. But neither of these jobs fulfilled his passion of actually making films. Eventually he decided to pursue shooting weddings. Having so many friends in “Hollywood,” Kevin was embarrassed at first to even put his name on his website or blog. All that’s changed now. With the name he’s made for himself worldwide based on the Bollywood style concept films, and most recently his “Bourne Identity-looking love story “Sno,” Kevin has proudly gone forth to proclaim both the artistry and the viability of making these kind of films.

Bumper music for this show is �Tater City� by Glenn Shambroom, part of the �TRUE ROMANCE� collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

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If you like this show and all that we offer, please consider making a donation. For as less than $3/month, you can help keep this amazing program going. Any amount you decide is appreciated.

Kevin Shahinian on �Crossing the 180″

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Here’s the film “Sno” mentioned in the episode:

Megan + Narbeh’s Sweden Thriller Concept “Snow” from PACIFIC PICTURES on Vimeo.

The trailer for Kevin’s Bollywood concept film “The Heart Knows”

(Teaser) Anuja + Nirav’s Bollywood Concept “Dil Jaanta Hai (The Heart Knows)” from PACIFIC PICTURES on Vimeo.

I am very excited to have today’s episode finally air. It’s an interview with one of the most talented (and giving) young filmmakers I’ve ever had the pleasure to meet. Brandon McCormick is the founder and owner of Whitestone Motion Pictures of Lawrenceville, GA (in the Atlanta Metro). He has one of the most amazing stories about how he got into the business, what he’s doing now, and what his dreams are for the future. He and his crew are doing feature film quality work, including shooting with the coveted Sony Cine Alta camera (yeah, that same camera George Lucas used to shoot the Star Wars prequels). Brandon has no formal film school training, but has an eye for story and directing that has made him known nationwide.  His films have production values that will blow your way, including full blown musical scores. You’ll learn how he came very close to heading out to La La land to follow his Hollywood dream, but then was given an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Brandon talks about Whitestone’s production process, how he found his terrific team, his feelings about film contests and his experience with them, the importance of story, and he gives his own take on today’s Christian themed cinema. If you have dreams about becoming a filmmaker, Brandon’s story will inspire and encourage you.

If you like this show, as well as the other shows provided on the F-Stop Beyond experience, please consider giving a donation.

Brandon McCormick on “Crossing the 180″

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Here’s the film “That’s Magic” that was mentioned in the episode.

That’s Magic! from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

Here’s “Awake O’Sleeper”

Awake O’Sleeper from Brandon McCormick on Vimeo.

If you are a fan of the Star Wars site or are an avid follower of the goings on in the HD DSLR world, then you know our guest well. In fact, when you consider he has nearly 8,000 followers on Twitter, he is easily one of the most social media savvy cinematographers in the world. Internationally renown DP and cameraman Philip Bloom has been on a roll lately. From his guest appearances (twice now) on the Zacuto produced show FilmFellas, to the co-host gig of the other Zacuto show Critics, to his latest piece de resistance, the Skywalker Ranch video. However, months before he was invited to by team Lucas to shoot at Skywalker Ranch, I had the opportunity to meet with and interview Philip at the annual WEVA Expo. Philip has promised to come back shortly to give us an update on his life since Skywalker. But in the meantime, this is a great interview where Philip tells� how he got into the biz, the development of his career over the past 20 years, and how and why he uses social media and Twitter in his business. We also talk about HD DSLRs, their impact on the industry, what it takes to make a “film” look, and we discuss the downsides of heavy social media activity, “trolls.” This is a must-listen episode! To learn more about creating the film look, be sure to check out Philip’s website fstopacademy.com.

Please take this Poll

I’m helping Philip come up with a new name for his Canon 5D training video (listen to interview to understand this context). The name I came up with was “Bloom in 5D.” Tell us what you think.

Support Crossing the 180 and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That�s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the �Donate Now� button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

Philip Bloom

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Today’s guest is a testament to hard work and dedication with regards to pursuing a career in filmmaking. From his youth growing up on a farm, to his college years at Emerson where he graduated magnum cum laude, Shane Hurlbut knows what it means to work hard. Perhaps his best known project to date was the big-budget McG directed Terminator: Salvation which came out last summer. But his career has included work with famed photographer/director Herb Ritz (for whom he did lighting on some of Herb’s biggest fashion shoots), as well as being the cinematographer on music videos for Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, and other grunge rock groups. In this episode Shane shares with us how his career has progressed from the early days working on Phantasm, to his latest projects using Canon’s 5D Mark II to shoot a feature film. A very inspirational interview that will get you pumped.

He also give us great insight into using both the 5D and the 7D with motion picture caliber lenses. Good stuff man!

Bumper music for this show is �Tater City� by Glenn Shambroom, part of the �TRUE ROMANCE� collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

Remember you can catch a new episode each week at Crossingthe180.com and you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/crossingthe180. Be sure to tune in next week to hear our interview with international DP and HD DSLR guru Philip Bloom.

Support Crossing the 180 and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That�s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the �Donate Now� button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

And now, on with the show.

Download MP3 | Subscribe in iTunes | Shane Hurlbut

Today in our inaugural episode we have X-Men producer Ralph Winter. Ralph, who happens to be a fellow Cal alum (go Bears) will share with us the history of his career, whether or not it’s easier or harder to break into Hollywood, his opinion about what’s wrong with contemporary Christian filmmaking, and he gives insight into the recent announcement of Disney’s offer to buy Marvel. We also have an insightful talk about whether one can separate an artist from his art, i.e. is it okay to like Woody Allen movies despite Woody’s questionable life choices. It’s an informative and thought-provoking conversation and a great kick-off for a new show.

Bumper music for this show is “Tater City” by Glenn Shambroom, part of the “TRUE ROMANCE” collection, courtesy of Triple Scoop Music.

Remember you can catch a new episode each week at Crossingthe180.com and you can follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/crossingthe180. Be sure to tune in next week to hear our interview with the DP for Terminator: Salvation, Shane Hurlbut.

Support Crossing the 180 and get a great thank-you gift

Speaking of Triple Scoop Music, as a sponsor and long-time supporter, they are offering a great gift. As a listener supported show, your donations will help keep our great programming going. You can donate whatever amount you feel comfortable. But, for those of you who donate $20 or more, Triple Scoop Music will give you a song of your choice from their collection of over 5,000 amazing tunes you can use legally in your slideshow, film, or video productions. That’s a $60 value for only a $20 donation. Not bad. Just click the “Donate Now” button below and the rest is self-explanatory. Only while supplies last, so act now.

And now, on with the show.

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The newest creation from FSB host/creator Ron Dawson, this is to filmmakers what F-Stop Beyond is to photographers. Since Ron is a filmmaker himself, he could no longer fight the urge to have the same kind of in-depth, poignant and personal conversations with professionals in his industry. And like FSB, guests run the gamut from the obvious to the obscure. Established professionals in Hollywood like X-Men producer Ralph Winter, or Terminator: Salvation DP Shane Hurlbut; to social media juggernauts like international cinematographer and HD DSLR guru Philip Bloom; to amazing short film filmmakers like fellow Atlanta local Brandon McCormick of Whitestone Motion Pictures; and even wedding and event filmmakers like wunderkind and USC film grad Kevin Shahinian. Many more are already in the can and/or in the works.

In the future we hope to bring you more exciting, informative, and insightful programming. If you have suggestions for guests on any of the shows, feel free to email ron@crossingthe180.com and tell us who, what show, and why. Be sure to include links to any websites that will help us learn more about the person.

Tune in every other Friday, starting this Friday, Jan 1, 2010. Along with the new FSB website. Don’t miss it!