To view the version of the spec with music, go here: https://vimeo.com/503267765 BTS VIDEOS: Camera Test for a Spec Commercial | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHrzkxrmJ78&t=215s BTS of our Spec Commercial | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAEwxx7uY4E&t=25s It's finally here! Last fall Alex Carter, Cody Jones, and I got together to assemble a team to produce and post-produce Alex's spec commercial. We filmed it in one day last fall and finished post-production in mid-December. We tried ...
Mar 31, 2021•1 hr 2 min
Sooooooo...you want to be a video editor. Well, step into my office, friends. 'Cause I want to drop some knowledge on ya'll and save you from the pain and suffering I went through as I started my career as a professional post-production person guy. Starting a career as a freelance video editor? Deciding to add videography to your photography business and you need to learn how to edit video? Starting a YouTube channel and you just bought Final Cut Pro X, and you're here on the YouTubes looking fo...
Sep 04, 2020•13 min
🏈💵🤑$500 MILLION DOLLARS! 💵🤑🏈 Congrats, Patrick Mahomes, the NFL, and the Kansas City Chiefs! But why should someone who throws a ball around a field get paid HALF A BILLION DOLLARS? It's all about value, folks. If you haven't taken a deep dive into the Value Mindset, you'll want to watch this video. If you feel stuck in the Commodity Mindset, you need to start thinking about the value you create and what your superpower is - what's your magic? - that makes you different from EVERYONE else?...
Sep 04, 2020•12 min
"Don't let perfect be the enemy of good." That saying has been ringing in my (Matthew's) ears for the last few weeks. To get my head around this whole COVID-19 lockdown, I found myself wanting to work on projects in my studio that could move the needle for how I film and create content - a bunch of drywall work, a bathroom in dire need of updating, and a back hallway were all nagging at me over the years, but I kept putting it off due to busy-ness. What I learned while doing this work - work I d...
Sep 04, 2020•16 min
Pricing your work - especially Creative Work - can be incredibly difficult. Which method do I use? Hourly? Day rates? Cost Plus? What amount should I markup my costs? Are you stressed about projects that aren't profitable, too little profit to actually grow your business? Are you tired of feeling like you're just a vendor who's there to take orders from your client? Frustrated that your client thinks they know what's best for them more than you do? Let's talk about the Value Mindset before we go...
Sep 04, 2020•10 min
What a crazy two weeks it's been. The Coronavirus. COVID-19. In Omaha. Coromaha. Matthew got out of the house for the first time in over a week to keep his distance from everyone but try to get an idea of what things feel like out in the world. So join him as he checks out the riverfront in Omaha to not only get a sense of this new world we live in, but to try to work though just what he and Midland Pictures are going to do now that business has dropped off COMPLETELY and new projects don't seem...
Sep 04, 2020•16 min
A popular film/video vlogger with over 700K subscribers recently posted a Contest where contestants could submit a logo design for his brand for a chance to win $1,000, a shout-out on his channel, and the possibility of future work. 2nd and 3rd prizes would include a shout-out on his channel and the possibility of future work. We got involved in the comments and pleaded with this vlogger to cancel the contest because, to put it simply, it's unethical. Nobody should be paid for something as valua...
Sep 04, 2020•10 min
WWDC '19 is in the books, and we thought we'd throw our own opinions around about the new Mac Pro and XDR Display AND that $999 stand. Matthew's chatting about whether or not the new Mac Pro is a solution for Midland Pictures and how photographers might be the MOST excited about that XDR Display and stand. Check it out! Like and subscribe! FOLLOW MIDLAND: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MidlandPictures Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlandpictures Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mid...
Sep 04, 2020•9 min
A few weeks ago I (Matthew) flew out to Los Angeles to spend a week with a good friend and fellow production company owner (It Factor Entertainment!). While there, I got re-connected to my goals as a screenwriter AND my goals to create my own original content (short films, indie features, web series, etc.). In today's video I lay out how that trip made me feel and what my plan is to get back into the habit of creating original content on the regular. Like and subscribe! Click the bell! FOLLOW MI...
Mar 26, 2019•10 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Well, folks, it's been 9 months since we purchased our Canon 6D MkII for a vlogging rig. We've used it everywhere from our trip to Vegas to work on Gwen Stefani's show to the cornfields of rural Nebraska to vlog about producing videos for one of our clients. We thought we'd follow up with all of you to let you know the THREE things we LOVE about this camera ... and the THREE things we DON'T LOVE about it. Quick and to the point with this one, we promise! Like & subscribe! Click the bell! FOL...
Feb 14, 2019•6 min
Have you ever had an impulse to create something, to express yourself through that creation, to get up and MAKE something .... but this inner voice is trying to talk you out of it? Maybe it's easier to just stay on the couch, maybe it's easier to just be on your phone, maybe it's easier to just DO NOTHING. Stop doing that. Trust those impulses. Listen to them. Let them propel you forward. Let them make you CREATE something. FOLLOW MIDLAND: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlandpict ures Fa...
Feb 05, 2019•7 min•Ep. 12
How could they? How? Why? WHY??? That's right, folks, someone stole our gear on a recent shoot, and Matthew not only has the story but a bit more about how it made him feel. And maybe...just maybe...there's a happy ending.... :) Please subscribe! FOLLOW MIDLAND: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlandpictures Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MidlandPictures Website: https://www.midlandpictures.com Podcast: https://anchor.fm/midlandpictures FOLLOW MATTHEW: Instagram: https://www.instagram....
Feb 02, 2019•9 min
We love Camera Bag podcasts! That's why we made -- okay, okay. It's a Camera Case podcast. But who doesn't love to hear about the contents of a 1510 Pelican talked about by a dude who just tells you what everything is and maybe a little bit about each thing but maybe not *quite* as much info as you'd like??? Matthew's working on a camera bag, though. We just don't really use it a ton because, honestly. Matthew doesn't travel much. Especially for work. A lot of local shoots. But we digress. Check...
Jan 19, 2019•11 min
In today's episode Matthew discusses how Midland Pictures archives their projects - what drives? do you back up? how do you back up? AND...he discusses an *incredible* app that allows you to catalog ALL of your drives so they're searchable when they're DISCONNECTED. Enjoy the episode! Seagate Barracuda 2TB HDD: https://amzn.to/2M5drMV Seagate Expansion 8TB HDD: https://amzn.to/2FnrnRL ORICO 3.5" Hard Drive Case: https://amzn.to/2FullxP NeoFinder: http://www.cdfinder.de...
Jan 12, 2019•11 min
It's time for a new Midland Pictures. We've been at it for two years, and it's taken us two years to really figure out what kind of company we want to be. We've loved working with our clients to bring their stories to life, but we want to go farther, we want to get *more* involved in the process, the collaboration - 2019 is when it all begins. So here's Matthew talkin' all about it. Thanks for watching! FOLLOW MIDLAND: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlandpict... Facebook: https://www.fac...
Dec 14, 2018•4 min
So we're having a little truck-side chat with Omaha filmmaker Jonathan Schanbacher. Jonathan and Matthew were a bit early to a shoot so they decided to turn the ol' 6D MkII on and do some Q&A. Of course it gets cut short when the client calls to say they're ready to start the shoot...but at least we got a few questions in so you can learn more about Jonathan. FOLLOW JONATHAN: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjsbacher FOLLOW MIDLAND: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlandpict... Fa...
Jun 21, 2018•14 min
So we're going all-in on this YouTube thing (and LOVE it), but we needed a proper vlogging rig. Our Canon C100 MkII was too big to grab 'n go and our Sony a6500's menu/settings complexity coupled with no flip out screen was making it tough as well -- so here's Matthew discussing why he chose the Canon 6D MkII for his vlogging rig. ▶ Check out my gear on Kit: https://kit.com/midlandpictures FOLLOW MIDLAND: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlandpictures Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mid...
May 21, 2018•19 min
We've got a new filmmaker interview on the podcast today, everyone! Meet Becky Widhalm, editor extraordinaire -- Becky works with Midland Pictures to crank out video edits, run social media and BTS on all of our video shoots, and she's the proud mama of a beautiful Alaskan Malamute named Flora! We're discussing how Becky got started in filmmaking, what high school was like for a creative/artistic young woman, tackling finding a job after college, and what her favorite Instagram accounts are. Enj...
May 17, 2018•1 hr 33 min
I wanted to keep the conversation going regarding my status as a failing screenwriter. There are some specifics that I think might be useful for those of you out there who are grinding away as aspiring screenwriters. Why not hear some specifics on the projects I'm working on as well as all the screenplays that have ended up going nowhere? So far... Starting Midland Pictures is the new plan of attack, and I'm hopeful that some of the worlds I've built and the characters I've brought to life will ...
Apr 14, 2018•29 min
I earned a BFA in Acting after spending 4 years in an intensive theater program to become a professional actor. And I failed miserably. So then I moved to Florida and earned an MFA in Screenwriting after spending 2 years in an intensive film program. So next, naturally, I moved to Los Angeles. After three years in LA I failed, so I moved to Omaha. And I'm currently a failing screenwriter. So what now? Well, I started a production company - Midland Pictures - to create original content on my own ...
Apr 06, 2018•46 min•Season 1Ep. 3
First off. Holy wow is the audio *rough* in this podcast. Sorry, everyone. The furnace kicks on a couple times, and our mic placement was pretty awful. Cody sounds pretty darn good, but Matthew sounds preeeeettty prettttty lousy. Anyway.... We sat down with Omaha filmmaker Cody Jones to talk about how filmmaking became his passion. Enjoy! FOLLOW MIDLAND: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/midlandpictures/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC45W_AtKcDxSmWR1s1xsLEg Facebook: https://www.f...
Apr 06, 2018•48 min•Season 1Ep. 2
Meet Matthew and DJ! We run a video production company called Midland Pictures out of Omaha, Nebraska. This company was founded with the goal of creating entertaining, high-quality films that serve businesses, non-profits, individuals and families by telling the stories of their products, services and lives with still and motion pictures. And now we have this PodCast! In this episode we discuss how we got here -- our backgrounds, our areas of expertise, our plan moving forward. Enjoy! FOLLOW MID...
Apr 06, 2018•39 min•Season 1Ep. 1
