- More Than a Filmmaker
- Posts
- Week 15
Week 15
Jordyn Dunseath
May 21, 2024
TIP OF THE WEEK
This is a very specific tip - but it may be helpful for some of you. There are thousands of plug-ins (for video editing platforms) you can buy out there. It can feel overwhelming and it’s easy to waste your money. The one that I’ve used the MOST and I think has done a great job is the Neat Video plug-in. This plug-in helps you reduce/remove “noise” in your footage and it does it extremely well.
I’m adding this part in after I wrote the tip above: I was just on a mentorship call today and out of nowhere, the person I was talking to brought up how she uses the Neat Video plug-in and truly thinks it beats out all the other competitors. I told her I had literally just written the tip in this newsletter talking about the same plug-in. That doesn’t feel like a coincidence to me. Obviously it’s a really good one. I hope it helps you!
JORDYN UPDATES
Haha that smile looks so fake, I promise I’m good. This is me as I’m writing this newsletter.
Highs of the week: | Reality of the week: |
**Please forgive me for my tired brain writing. I sometimes can “write” like I “talk” and I apologize if that makes it hard to understand.
Oh man, I had one of those weeks where everything I set out to do was interrupted by other things that had to take priority. I had so many plans and goals that I wanted to accomplish, but life got “in the way”. Welcome to the heart of “More Than a Filmmaker”. This is exactly why I built this brand. Because life does that. Life often interrupts our plans. If I had it my way, I would have been sharing my finance tracker with you guys in this week’s newsletter. But that’s okay. I simply need another week to make it great for you all.
A perspective I like to carry through life is believing that timing works out as it should. I truly don’t care if this is a naive perspective. I think it is ultimately healthy and helpful. If something gets delayed against my own will or preference, then so be it. There’s probably a lesson to be learned in patience or something even better around the corner. Really annoying, sad, and bad things happen in life. It’s hard to carry that positive perspective when something seriously negative happens. Of course there’s a million caveats to what I’m saying (like it’s okay to be sad, it’s important to grieve, missed/lost opportunities are disappointing, and so forth)…but one thing I know - a consistent negative perspective on top of the “already hard reality” is often not helpful.
I could have super easily gotten frustrated by the continuous obstacles I faced this week. But I genuinely feel at peace. Two weeks from now, I probably won’t even be able to recall the obstacles of this week. I imagine I will feel the effect of how I perceived the week though. I think mindsets and overall dispositions tend to linger longer than the tangible specific memories of an event. Thus, I would rather naively think “well, it was probably not supposed to happen at that time anyway”. At least for me, this type of thinking shifts me back into peace. Surrendering the tight grip on how and when life is supposed to happen opens up my heart to enjoy what actually is taking place.
I know this isn’t a specific creative mindset this week but I’m sure you can see how it applies creatively. Sometimes, your creative plans get interrupted. Maybe just maybe, a better creative idea will arise that you wouldn’t have thought of if the project happened as it was supposed to a week ago. Like I said, who knows. This stuff isn’t measurable. But a positive mindset about interruptions is sure better than the alternative.
Guys, I have so much going on in life. So no podcast or weekly newsletter update. I thought about pushing through and recording a podcast tonight, but I decided it was more important to prioritize other things. An extra tip of the week: if there’s anything to intentionally re-focus on in life on a regular basis, I would suggest reflecting on your priorities. Consider whether they are appropriately ordered. This is how you actually pursue the things you want to pursue.
This week’s creative challenge:
Have you ever tried filming with your camera upside down to get low angle shots? This works best on a gimbal but you can attach it to a handheld tripod too. It can be difficult to film low angle shots when you’re holding the camera upright…so just film a scene upside down and then rotate the footage in post. Maybe try to do something creative with that technique this week.
AN ONLINE COMMUNITY FOR CREATORS!
 | WHAT’S INSIDE? |
WANT TO CHAT WITH ME ONE-ONE-ONE?
 | Do you have specific questions you want answered and don’t know who to ask? Are you in a creative rut and just need someone who understands to encourage you? It is my favorite thing to connect with you guys! No dumb questions here - just two creatives connecting and learning from one another. 60 Minute Video Call | $250 |
MY TOP RECOMMENDATIONS
AN EXTRA FOR THOSE WHO MAKE IT TO THE BOTTOM OF MY EMAILS :)
I talked about the creator “Struthless” in one of my podcasts. I wanted to share him in the newsletter this week. I honestly don’t even watch him much and have no idea why I keep bringing him up. I guess he’s one of those guys where his content just stays in my brain. I so appreciate the effort he puts in. Here’s a recent video I’ve seen of his - I think some of you may find it super helpful.
—
Have a great day!
Best, Jordyn
If you were forwarded this email from a friend and want to receive to the “More Than a Filmmaker” Newsletter