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Hey Indie Filmmakers

Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer

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"Hey Indie Filmmakers" is a podcast about DIY filmmaking, cameras and technology, hosted by documentary filmmaker Griffin Hammond and tech expert Nick Bodmer. Watch video versions of these episodes on YouTube.
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Griffin didn’t buy the Insta360 Link 4K Webcam because it has a gimbal. But it turns out, auto-tracking movement is its most useful feature. Even better, the image quality outperforms the similarly priced 4K Opal C1 ($300), which is marketed as “The first professional webcam.” Plus, Nick lets Lensa AI reference his selfies to generate “Magic Avatar…
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Nick has been writing prompts for AI images on Midjourney v4. Griffin’s been playing with DiffusionBee on Mac. Our faces may render horrifically in AI, but for many other use cases, the results are uncanny, with plenty of rapidly arriving ethical and copyright implications for artists. Nick recommends listening to this interview with Midjourney fou…
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Griffin shares his crazy experience filming Election Night in America—how much travel, expense and work hours go into building maybe 5 minutes of a television show. He earned a “Director of Photography” credit on Showtime, and safely navigated around a known COVID-positive team member on set.By Griffin Hammond & Nick Bodmer
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The U.S. State Department has invited Griffin to teach DIY documentary filmmaking in Zimbabwe—should he do it? Nick says yes. We apologize for the delayed uploads. It’s been a rough month—Griffin’s mom Carol died mid-October, and he wrote this tribute to the positive impact she’s had. Many commenters have referenced previous episodes that featured …
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Griffin asks for your input: Should he activate YouTube memberships, the paid tiers that allow creators to offer additional value alongside their existing, free channel? Nick offers his opinions, as they review the various monetization options available across platforms. Griffin shares revenue numbers from the monetization methods he already uses, …
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Griffin calls it a “Robo Camera.” It’s the Feelworld NDI20X, and it’s $6,244 cheaper than the pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera used at his former job (Panasonic AW-UE100). Nick helps Griffin set up his network to remote control this 1080p camera over ethernet, using NDI Tools software. Nick shows off his new office, featuring an Elgato Key Light and Elga…
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My footage solved an IRONMAN mystery A surprising story from one of our listeners: Griffin’s documentary footage solves the months-long mystery of missing timing data at IRONMAN Wisconsin. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Go to squarespace.com/griffin to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.…
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I was wrong about Monopods Filming a multi-hour celebrity interview in Los Angeles, Griffin finally finds a reason to try a Manfrotto monopod. Specifically—the Manfrotto XPRO aluminum video monopod—which retails for $269, and cost $25/day to rent from Samy’s Camera in LA. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Go to squarespace.com/…
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Nick convinced me to upgrade: M1 Max MacBook Pro Griffin travels to New York, with his new MacBook Pro M1 Max. Improved battery life, integrated SD card slot and HDMI port—much-needed features, but how did Nick convince Griffin to upgrade to the more expensive “Max” configuration rather than “Pro”? Nick noticed this tip from Jonathan Morrison—for v…
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Filming an IRONMAN in Madison, Wisconsin With a drone, a gimbal, and a hat-mounted light, Griffin and Nick explain how they filmed a 13-hour IRONMAN triathlon in Madison, Wisconsin—for their friend Matt. Watch the first IRONMAN film Griffin produced for Matt. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Go to squarespace.com/griffin to sa…
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How Freelancers Can Build Retirement Savings For self-employed freelancers – who don’t have access to an employer-sponsored 401(k) – is a SEP IRA the best option to save for retirement? Nick and Griffin share their savings strategies, and explain why a SEP IRA (Simplified Employee Pension) might not be necessary for many freelancers. Let’s first ac…
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My home office renovation is finally complete! After months of recording the podcast from his bedroom, Griffin’s home office renovation is finally complete, though it still needs some audio treatment to eliminate reverb. Plus, a side-by-side comparison of the anti-reflective coating on the new Lumix GH5M2 camera versus the original GH5. Equipment m…
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Your questions about the new Lumix GH5M2, answered After Griffin released his short film Texture, shot on the new Lumix GH5M2 camera, you had lots of questions. We’ll answer those—plus, select moments from my interview with Lumix expert Sean Robinson. My Lumix GH5M2 landing page has my film, behind-the-scenes, more—griffinhammond.com/GH5M2 Hey Indi…
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Battery-powered Smart Bulbs for Filmmaking The Aputure Accent B7c lights are colorful, battery-powered, flicker-free smart bulbs for filmmakers. Not compatible with smart home automation—these 570-lumen bulbs aren’t intended for everyday use. They’re designed for portability, to take on-location, for Bluetooth control over practical lighting. Aputu…
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I shot a film on the new Lumix GH5M2 A behind-the-scenes look at Griffin's latest film, and the upgraded features in Panasonic’s new Lumix GH5M2 camera. Watch my short film, “Texture” (available in HDR on YouTube) My affiliate link—Pre-order the GH5M2 at B&H ($1,700—ships end of June 2021) For more GH5M2 tech specs, I recommend PhotoJoseph’s excell…
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Passing the FAA’s New Drone Pilot Test Griffin completed the FAA’s new free drone pilot course, and earned 93% on the exam. Turns out, it’s pretty easy to renew your Part 107 certification, through this new online method, introduced in April 2021. On April 6—following a month-long delay—the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) made it cheaper…
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Film Gear Garage Sale—items from $20 to $480 Griffin is selling his unneeded filmmaking gear. Microphones for sale, a “pancake” lens, a 1700-lumen projector. Plus, your questions about ripping DVDs, and how to make sure clients pay you. Griffin’s Film Gear Garage Sale: (Choose items at griffinhammond.com/sale) [[SOLD]] $20 Zhiyun-Tech TransMount Mi…
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YouTube now performs copyright “Checks” during uploads Now when you upload a video, YouTube checks in real-time for copyright claims and ad suitability issues—before publishing. Griffin and Nick explain this new “Checks” system. Plus, your questions about copyright, documentary storytelling, and the microphones we use. Good news! After we read alou…
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You can sell your videos as NFTs. Does it kill the planet? Video artists are minting their works as NFTs (non-fungible tokens) onto cryptocurrency blockchains. Sometimes selling for thousands of U.S. dollars. But what does it mean to own an NFT? And why is Griffin morally opposed to selling his videos? Some of the NFT sales mentioned in this episod…
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The vintage lens known for its “swirly bokeh” Griffin purchased a 40-year-old lens on eBay, the popular Helios 44-2, known for its “swirly bokeh.” As Nick describes the effect, “Very strange. I almost don’t like it!” These vintage 58mm f/2 M42-mount lenses sell between $30–90 on eBay. To mount it to a full-frame Lumix S1 camera, Griffin purchased t…
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Buying a Boom Arm Instead of a C-Stand Griffin doesn’t like C-stands (too heavy) or mic stands (not versatile). So instead, he picked up a 57” Westcott boom arm to position his newest microphone—the Audio-Technica AT4053b. Product links: Westcott Mini Boom Arm & Weight Bag available from Amazon \ B&H \ Westcott Audio-Technica AT4053b Hypercardioid …
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Testing USB Podcast Mics Under $150 Griffin tests four USB studio microphones, ranging from $60 to $150. Blue Yeti ($130) Movo UM800 ($150) Elgato Wave:1 ($130) FIFINE K678 ($60) Motivation behind this test: Two years ago, I reviewed the FIFINE K670 mic for Indy Mogul. I liked its frequency response—but sadly, it suffered from a disqualifying inter…
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Speed test: M1 MacBook Air vs. Intel iMac Pro Three surprisingly close video transcoding tests between the Nick’s new M1 MacBook Air and Griffin’s more expensive Intel-based iMac Pro. THREE TESTS: A 42-minute timeline render in Final Cut Pro X* *while full-screen recording in Quicktime ProRes transcoded into 10mbps H.264 in Adobe Media Encoder H.26…
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An Update on Griffin's Smart Lighting Setup With Nick’s helpful tech advice, Griffin has figured out which smart lights and smart switches to install in his renovated office. Plus, how to fix two camera shots that drift out of sync over time. Griffin’s Smart Lighting Picks: RunLessWire Click is a wireless, battery-less smart switch (powered by kine…
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Smart lighting for my office renovation As Griffin begins renovating his office / recording space, Nick shares his knowledge of smart lighting and home automation technology. Is it possible to install sufficient lighting for filmmaking, movie-watching, and every color temperature in between? In Nick’s theater room, he uses LIFX Color 800-lumen smar…
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Bonus Episode: #Freelanswers with Adam Rahn Griffin Hammond met Adam Rahn in college, while producing student television. Now he’s a guest on Adam’s podcast, #Freelanswers. In this conversation, they discuss their education paths, how to keep learning, and tackle the age-old question, "Do you need to go to film school?"…
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The Secret Vignette Lighting Trick At the end of each shoot, Griffin turns off his lights to capture a dark backplate for this vignette lighting effect. Plus, socially distanced interviews, the latest with Apple’s M1 processors, and Nick’s newest camera. Griffin’s current lighting setup: Key light: Westcott Flex LED bounced off a white wall Back li…
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Using a short-throw projector and After Effects, our friends Susie and Brett have mapped an impressive Halloween show onto the front of their house. Plus, Apple’s latest iPhone cameras, and Nick’s camera overheats during an important work meeting. Projection Mapping Resources: Susie and Brett are using this Optoma 4,000-lumen short-throw projector …
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Filming with a 20-year-old Digital 8 camera Filmed with a 20-year-old Sony Handycam, Griffin explains interlacing, pixel aspect ratios, IEEE 1394, and the quirks of shooting and editing in standard definition. Features of the DCR-TRV320 Sony Handycam— Records standard-definition, interlaced video (720x480i) onto Digital 8 tapes 25x optical zoom, 18…
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Recording voiceover audio in a closet Griffin squeezes into a basement closet to record voiceover, while Nick maneuvers his lighting into a new position. To convert this closet into a DIY recording booth, Griffin bought 24 of these DEKIRU “high-density” acoustic tiles and this Sound Addicted 4-pack of foam bass traps. Nick just bought a new everyda…
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What does Apple’s switch to ARM processors mean for filmmakers? Griffin makes a big life change, and Nick explains what Apple calls “the biggest leap ever for the Mac.” What does Apple’s switch to ARM processors mean for filmmakers? Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Go to squarespace.com/griffin to save 10% off your first purch…
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Racecar Driving in a VR Cockpit Nick is a virtual reality racecar driver, having set up an Oculus Rift and racing cockpit in his home office. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Go to squarespace.com/griffin to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain. When he started iRacing, Nick already had an old Logitech Drivi…
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Now working, editing from home (with kids) Filmed on March 26—Griffin’s 13th day working from home in NYC. The podcast moves into our living rooms to capture the everyday noises we’re usually trying to hide from the audience. My talented coworker Brennan Murphy made this video—the awkwardness of working from home. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to…
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Upgrading Nick’s Lighting Setup Nick wanted better lighting for his home office, so he purchased a budget 2-light RGB LED kit. And Griffin arrives in Nevada to help him set it up! The LED kit Nick purchased (on sale for $160): GVM 800D-RGB LED Studio 2-Video Light Kit Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Go to squarespace.com/grif…
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Covering Presidential Politics with the Peak Design Travel Tripod Griffin is on the campaign trail, days before the Iowa Caucuses—with drone shots, gimbal maneuvers. Is the Peak Design Travel Tripod up to the challenge of political press events? Watch Griffin’s latest film from the campaign trail in Iowa. Or download The Recount app on iOS or Andro…
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How to Locate Free-to-Use Archival Footage Using tools like youtube-dl, and sources including presidential libraries and Archive.org, Nick and Griffin explain how to locate and download historical news footage for documentaries. It’s the workflow behind Griffin’s weekly archival web series Rewind. Download The Recount app on iOS or Android. Watch R…
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I smashed my camera on the campaign trail While covering the campaign trail in Iowa, Griffin accidentally broke his Panasonic GH5S camera, and busted a lens as well. How he managed to complete the video assignment regardless. Watch Griffin’s short film for The Recount. Download The Recount iOS app, and check out Griffin’s weekly deep dive into the …
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Recreating this podcast look on a budget For the video version of this podcast, Griffin and Nick use decent cameras, lighting, and a few filmmaking tricks. But can it be simplified, replicated for budget-conscious non-filmmakers to achieve the same look? Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Try it for free, then save 10% off your …
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Why does the new iPhone need 3 cameras? Griffin is in Villenave-d’Ornon, France, and Nick explains why Apple added a third camera to their newly released iPhone 11 Pro. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Try it for free, then save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain—visit http://squarespace.com/griffin Below—a pho…
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The lens that shot “Sriracha” Griffin is selling a lens and a microphone! Email griffin@hey.film if you’re interested. Plus, your questions about ugly slow motion footage, what questions to ask in a documentary interview, and why that purple fringe creeps into your shot. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Try it for free, then s…
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When GoPro shuts down your Kickstarter campaign Ukranian filmmaker Artem Gavr marketed a spinning boomerang-like device for capturing “bullet-time” slow motion effects. Problem is, GoPro says he infringed on their trademarks. I covered the WinGo story during July 10 and July 17 broadcasts of Indy News. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squa…
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The VR headset that goes anywhere Griffin upgrades to the untethered Oculus Quest, a portable virtual reality headset that uses “inside-out tracking”—that is, four infrared cameras on the headset see the controllers and recognize the shape of your living room. "Hey Indie Filmmakers" is brought to you by Squarespace. Try it for free, then save 10% o…
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Would you spend $599 on a travel tripod? In 10 days, Peak Design has already raised over $5 million for their new travel tripod. Nick is one of nearly 12,000 Kickstarter backers. But would you spend nearly $289 for a small aluminum tripod? Or $479 for lightweight carbon fiber? (Final retail price will be $599.) Griffin has been testing out the Rapi…
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Can I make my own press pass? I attempted to hire Vistaprint to create a plastic card with my name, face, and the word PRESS on it—a press pass that I designed. But the proof was rejected as “suspicious.” A press pass is not a government-issued ID. It’s akin to a business card, something that honestly conveys what you do for a living, and something…
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How long should freelancers save clients' video files? If a client from six years ago emailed you, would you still have their wedding video? Nick and Griffin discuss their data retention policies for freelance clients. Hey Indie Filmmakers is brought to you by Squarespace. Try it for free, then save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domai…
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