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| COMPLETE APPRENTICE AUTOBIOGRAPHIES & PROGRESS |
Tosha Shope
Dear Mr. Trout,
I'm not exactly great at describing my thoughts in words. My thoughts come to me in pictures, and I often have problems explaining them. It just seems there are too many missed details when I speak.
That's why I think movies and music videos could be my gateway into a near perfect future. I've grown up watching these with all these thoughts forming in my head on how I could make them better, and after years and years of these thoughts collecting, I feel like I'm going to explode if I don't get my ideas out there.
My favorite directors are Darren Aronofsky - "Requiem for a Dream" and Quentin Tarantino "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas". I like these two particularly because they depict things in ways the naked eye won't ever see them normally. They give us raw images, and different sequences of order. I, of course, also have a high respect for George Lucas, (even though I've never seen a whole Star Wars movie) for he is truly the godfather of film, and Steven Spielberg, of course, because he has practically set the bar for future directors and producers such as myself. As far as music videos go....Trent Reznor is my idol. I love his "Closer to God" video. He finds beauty within the beast. I also like all the Deftones, Marilyn Manson, and Mudvayne videos because they all hold the same surreal, beautiful deserted fairyland effect.
I understand that it could be years until I can be heard, but I'm definitely willing to start at the bottom and work my way up. I'm confident that you will be very impressed with my abilities, as well as with how quickly and I learn. I don't have any experience. I am only 19 years old, but I am eager to learn. I don't want to go to college, and get a 9-5 office job wearing pantyhose and complaining about how my high heels hurt my feet. I don't want to be a sheep. I want to come to work and love my job, and see my art on the TV screens in everyone's homes.
I don't want to have an impact on some. I want to make an impact on all. I just need someone on the inside who can teach me what they know, and help slide me in. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Tosha Shope
"We met with Tosha yesterday and she is very motivated and pleasant. She is going to be able to go on a shoot with Joe this Friday to observe a press junket!"
Debbie
Deborah Cantu, Production Manager
Texas World Television Inc.
During the month of March 2004, Tosha has been exposed to multiple areas of the film and video industry. She has worked with basic ENG/EFP
audio equipment (field mixers, shotguns, wireless, hardwire lavs, etc) and video equipment (BetaSP camcorders, DVCAM camcorders, lipstick cameras, portable record/playback decks, etc). Tosha has become familiar with both tungsten and HMI lighting packages -- as well as the principles associated with each. Tosha has also worked in the studio environment with green screens, teleprompters, etc.
Tosha has also had the opportunity to interact with many professionals in diverse areas of the film and video industry. She has met and worked with directors, producers, camera ops, audio techs, grips, gaffers, make-up artists, tele-prompters, production coordinators, steadicam ops, production assistants and talent. This interaction has lead to a good overview and working knowledge of the industry, as a whole.
While the hands-on experience has been most beneficial, we have discussed film and video theory, as well. Tosha has begun reading from a list of books that I have personally found very useful. The list includes:
"Mike, Spike, Slackers and Dykes" by John Pierson
"Rebel Without a Crew" by Robert Rodriguez
"The Film Director" by Richard L. Bare
"My First Movie" Edited by Steven Lowenstein
"Spike Lee's Gotta Have It" by Spike Lee
"Thinking In Pictures" by John Sayles
"I Wake Up Screaming" by Frank D. Gilroy
"How To Adapt Anything Into a Screenplay" by Richard Krevolin
"Story" by Robert McKee
"Matters of Light and Depth" by Ross Lowell
"Masters of Light"
"Surviving Production" by Deborah S. Patz
In addition to these books, I have given her free magazine subscription cards to:
DV Magazine
Producer
Videography
Videomaker
Markee
Millimeter
Emedia
Last month Tosha worked on several high-end shoots for companies such as: MTV, America's Most Wanted and Kinkos, Inc. She has also worked on shoots at MPS Studios and attended an extensive lighting set-up for "Cathedral of Praise" where I was hired as the Lighting Director. Next month we are planning to begin work in our edit suite, learning fundamentals of editing and a basic knowledge of Final Cut Pro.
Sincerely,
Joe Cantu
During the month of May 2004, Tosha continued working on many areas of the film and video industry that she was exposed to in the previous months. Tosha has continued to work with industry standard audio and video equipment. Tosha is learning, not only the practical application of this equipment, but basic check-in procedures and maintenance of the equipment, as well.
This month Tosha worked with one of our freelance crews on a concert shoot for MTV Nashville. The concert was at Texas Stadium; and, featured George Strait, Allan Jackson and Jimmy Buffet. The crew was shooting B-Roll and interviews of the performers. On this same shoot, Tosha was able to observe the actual filming of the concert, as well. The concert shoot consisted of seven cameras (being switched live and ISO'd) a full size jib, hand-held cameras, locked off cameras and cameras on remote heads.
In the coming months, Tosha will continue to work with the equipment on shoots as well as, in house. She will also continue to work on production coordination in our office, continue reading and discussing the material I recommended, begin shooting small projects and editing the footage in our Final Cut Pro Suite. Tosha will also continue working on various productions and continue working with the preparation of the equipment for these shoots.
Sincerely,
Joe Cantu
Dear Phillip and Apprentice-Mentor Association,
During the month of June 2004, Tosha continued working on many areas of the film and video industry that she was exposed to in the previous months. Tosha worked with me on a public relations project in which we were sent an edited piece with blank "windows" in it. Our job was to shoot additional footage, edit the footage we shot and drop that footage into the "windows" of the existing piece. Tosha also worked on a promotional piece for the film "The Notebook". On this project, we shot a series of stand-up interviews with movie-goers both before and after the sneak preview of the film. This month Tosha also worked in our office learning the ins-and-outs of production management, coordination and planning. This included booking shoots from clients, crewing the shoots, sub-renting specific pieces of equipment, bidding new projects, compiling freelancer invoices, billing, etc.
In the coming months, Tosha will continue to work with the equipment on shoots as well as in house. She will also continue to work on production coordination in our office, continue reading and discussing the material I recommended, begin shooting small projects and editing the footage in our Final Cut Pro Suite. She will also continue working on various productions and continue working with the preparation of the equipment for these shoots.
Sincerely,
Joe Cantu
During the month of July 2004, Tosha continued working on many areas of the film and video industry that she was exposed to in the previous months. In addition, Tosha began studying industry standard script writing format and technique. Tosha began with a single scene, which she submitted to me. We discussed the draft and possible revisions/rewrites that she might consider. Tosha is currently working on a short script that she will shoot herself, employing an "in-camera-edit" technique. This technique emphasizes the importance of planning and pre-production. Moreover, this technique forces the filmmaker to consider edit strategies and transitions during the actual production of the piece, instead of relying on post-production "clean-up". All of the exercises are designed to prepare Tosha for a final project that she will write, pre-produce, shoot and edit herself.
Sincerely,
Joe Cantu
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