How I Got Started in the Video Profession - by Mark Schulze

Many students and young professionals approach me wondering how I got started in the industry of video production. I've been involved in the profession so long now (nearly 30 years) that my story is almost mythological. I started my own company, Crystal Pyramid Productions, in 1981, after graduating from UCSD. I had reached my decision to go into video production after leafing page-by-page through a copy of the Yellow Pages. Most young people may not know exactly what this is because you can now find everything you need on the Internet.

Anyway, when I had reached the "V's" I knew that Video was truly the career for me. The way I got started was to intern while a student in college. Then, when I had become a businessman - which entails a bunch of paperwork and official certification - I began offering my services to nonprofit companies at reduced rates. I also placed small ads in local publications. I gave up my weekends to shoot lots of weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and other special family events.

Eventually I began making a name for myself. I collected testimonials from people and created demo reels from clips off of finished videos. Little by little my company rose, along with the help of my partner, Patty Mooney, whom I met in 1982, to the place where we are now - a high-echelon, award-winning broadcast and corporate video production company.

Looking back, I realize that my rewards were not the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, but that they were embedded in my path from the very beginning. To those bright and shiny students who want to enter the realm of video production, I say, make sure that video production makes you happy. It's the kind of work that requires a lot of manual labor, responsibility, constant decision-making and sometimes long hours. It also pays in the dividends of meeting all kinds of great people, seldom working in the same location twice, and the pride of creating art that will probably outlive you.

In the above photo you'll see a production still from one of my very first productions, "Get Smart About Toxins." It was a video for the Environmental Health Coalition about the dangers of toxic waste (paints, varnish, battery acid, etc.) to waste collectors. I had a chance to direct waste collection personnel, Paramedics and representatives from the Fire Department. To my knowledge, the EHC is still using that video today.

Outdoor Video Production Can Be Tricky - by Mark Schulze

Over my nearly three decades as a video producer, Director of Photography and videographer, I have participated in both inside and outdoors shooting. The outdoor shoots can be a bit trickier because of several factors. Rather than working in a controlled indoor environment, when you are outside, the sun - your main source of lighting - will shift. The savvy camera operator needs to constantly be aware of where the sun is and how it is affecting your shot. You may have to white-balance the camera more than once, particularly if a series of clouds passes over the sun.

The above photo was taken at an Animal Planet shoot for their series "Baby Animals." We chose to set up under the shade of a tree with the morning sun at our backs. We sat our talent down in a spot that had consistent shade (not mottled). We used a reflector (a big round fabric disc that is shinier on one side than the other) to direct more lighting to her face. You want to avoid backlighting in which the subject is almost a silhouette and the background is blown out.

There is a fine tightrope you walk when you are working outdoors, not only when it comes to lighting but when it comes to sound. San Diego is notorious for its military bases and with military bases come big toys such as F-16s, helicopters and transport planes. These all crisscross the sky just when the talent has finally perfected their sound bite after the 20th take. You can check it out for yourself. Your location will be eerily quiet as you set up your camera, tripod and all the ancillary equipment. Just as you are pulling the trigger on your camera, you will be accosted by crows, and then the leaf-blowing gardener will get started fifty feet away.

Just joking. Not really.

If you really want to include outdoor shooting in your production, and you are a perfectionist like me, just budget a little more time than you think it will take to capture beautiful shots with clean audio.

Proud Finalist of "Most Admired CEO" Awards

I was honored to be a finalist in the San Diego Business Journal's Third Annual "Most Admired CEO Awards" competition. SDBJ held a well-attended gathering downtown at the San Diego Marriott Ballroom where we all had a chance to network with each other and enjoy "heavy hors doervres." I was in great company with other CEO's from around the region.

It's always a good thing when you receive recognition for your work. And my profession as a video producer and Director of Photography is a little bit different than your usual "nine to five." Each video production calls for a whole new venue and cast of characters. It's rewarding, but there's a lack of consistent social interaction, as you would find in most jobs. So shaking a few hands and networking with other CEO's was a lot of fun for me.


I even had a chance to say hello to San Diego's Mayor, Jerry Sanders.


Photographs by Brian Bostrum, Brian Bostrom Photography. Thanks Brian!