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Profile: Filmmaker George Ingmire PDF Print E-mail
Thursday, 30 June 2005
After getting our new gear, we had a digital video boot camp at the Bywater Tech Center last week. Our drill instructor was George Ingmire, who has been working with us on the AuthorViews project for about 18 months now...
George Ingmire is a man of many talents. He came to me through a mutual friend, Chris Lenois, who I worked with at Tenagra. Both George and Chris are disk jockeys on New Orleans' beloved public radio station, WWOZ. New Orleans is not a high wage city. Most people live there for reasons not related to money. Music is a top-three reason for living there (food and winter weather are the other two). In a town that worships music, WWOZ disk jockeys are like rock stars. You feel special when walking the streets of New Orleans in the company of either of these men.

George was no doubt attracted to the radio station because of his background in sound. He has done the sound work on several recordings and just completed a six-month stint doing sound for the Dukes of Hazard DVD due out this fall. George's interest in sound led to studies in filmmaking and ultimately teaching digital filmmaking and editing at The University of New Orleans. You can see some of his clips at the web site, MiAbuelo.com.

Last year, George began teaching web design at Tulane's University College. He's a great teacher. In Day 1 of our Bywater Boot Camp, George and cameraman Jesse Vohs assembled all the lighting and camera equipment we purchased and began testing and making notes about things we would need, such as longer microphone cables and 9-volt batteries for the phantom power.

On Day 2, George gave Jesse instructions on the camera while filming me, and gave me instructions while we filmed Jesse. He taught us to give the authors more room when they're being theoretical, and come in close when they get personal. George has an undergraduate degree in anthropology, which came into play as he gave me hints on interviewing technique: "Get them to pause at the end of each statement. Let it hang -- don't rush in with another question too soon."

On Day 3, George supervised and assisted while Jesse and I interviewed two authors, Tripp Friedler and Josh Peter. After each author departed, George critiqued us -- less with negative criticism than positive suggestions such as "never let them think you don't know what you're doing by fumbling for a fresh battery. Quietly put the new one in and keep rolling." Later that day, Jesse and I filmed author Gary Michael Smith by ourselves.

On Day 4, George taught Jesse Vohs, Lance Vargas, and me how to edit using Final Cut Pro software. All of us have a little experience with video cameras, filming, and editing; George has a lot. He led a group editing class, showing us keyboard shortcuts, how to smooth transitions, how to manipulate the microphone tracks separately from the video track. Then we each took an author and started editing, with George going from student to student and assisting. I was the worst student; I was too busy with client work to sit and edit a video. I tried to absorb as much as I could by listening and watching.

And that was Bywater Boot Camp -- four days of training in filmmaking and editing by George Ingmire. Then Jesse and I hit the road in search of authors to shoot while Lance has been editing back in New Orleans at the Tech Center. George and I have discussed offering classes at the Bywater Tech Center, but so far the training has all been for staff only. If you'd be interested in taking digital video classes, send George an e-mail at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it . If we get enough interest, maybe we could lure you to the Town That Care Forgot for classes, great music, good food, and warm winter weather?

Tags: Documentary, Videography,
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 February 2008 )
 
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