My site has been going since I went freelance back in October 2006, it was a very simple iweb site just to showcase some of my work. Just over a year later in November 2007 I started the blog when I got the Sony EX1. Since then it has steadily grown with my use of 35mm adaptors in particular the Letus line and of course DSLRs.
With the blog I started doing more personal short films and sharing my experiences of shooting them. Most of my commercial work I cannot share on here, that is why it’s my personal work that I share.
It also slowly became a resource for people to learn about low-budget filmmaking. Totally accidental, just an offshoot of my love of sharing everything. I am really pleased this has happened as it has made the site what it is today. Sure, I could have a simple site which just shows of my work but I am very proud of what the site has become. Although there are times, detailed below, when I sometimes wish it was just a simple showreel site!
Huge thanks must go to all the people who visit every day and have turned a place to showcase my work so I can get work into pretty much a community. I know many of you from emails, comments and of course twitter (if you aren’t on twitter get on it and half the info I give out and half the silly nonsense I write is via twitter, check out the link on the top right.)
Without all the people who read the site, write to me, make comments I would not have anywhere near the motivation to keep it going like it is. Currently it takes a good 4 hours a day + to run my site and answer emails, maybe longer some days. It’s a labour of love which it needs to be as my day job shooting is what earns me money so I do that most days and the site in the evening or the odd day off (there are not that many!). It doesn’t leave much time for anything else! I write the posts myself with the odd guest post. David Kong for example did an excellent series on low-budget filmmaking. I wish I could post more frequently but this is not a news site, I try to make my posts unique to this site and not something you can read about elsewhere.
It has also been suggested many times that I get a ghost writer for emails and social media. That will never happen. What’s the point? If it isn’t me writing back then why bother writing to me in the first place?
Sometimes it is of course a struggle to keep it going, especially when I am really busy. So you may well find I don’t answer your email. If that happens am sorry but it does get to the point very often when I wake up to 300 or so new emails and to go through them all is tough and sometimes I miss some and if I do, then try emailing again or maybe do a search on the site as much is already answered on previous blogs. Just a little bit of searching on my site can help with my workload!
I don’t have to talk about this but I feel it is very important to set out what’s what in “black and grey” about exactly what do I make from this site? I get a lot of satisfaction out of the site that is for sure, and I mean it. When people write to me saying how much they enjoy my site it makes my day. What I do get is work of course, people get to see my work and recommend me and I often get my gigs that way so that is of course great for me.
It is funny that some people think making money from my site is ugly. That is a strange attitude! I signed up to my first affiliate 4 years ago when Steve Weiss of Zacuto saw that I was making nothing from the site and that I was working myself into the ground. He sorted it our for me and it has helped my workload enormously, meaning I don’t have to work every single day and I can take a day off here and there to work on the site.
I have a few affiliates from companies whose gear/ services I use day in day out and totally recommend. I was offered a very lucrative deal to have loads of ads on my site from all sorts of people. I turned it down as there were companies in there whose gear I had never used and ones I didn’t like so there was no way I would have them on my site!
I am an affiliate of Zacuto, Filmconvert, Capture and The Music Bed. I have one paid sponsor too, Rode Microphones. Every single one of these companies products/ services I used before I was approached to be an affiliate. These companies’ products are essential for my day-to-day work.
Of course as an affiliate it is in my best interests to talk about Zacuto etc…But it isn’t anymore than I did before when I was not an affiliate…I also only promote stuff I use and think is terrific. If it isn’t then you won’t see my talking it up. So if Zacuto ever start making a pile of crap then I guarantee you I won’t be recommending it to anymore, not that I can see that happening! Steve himself has become a very close friend of mine since we started Filmfellas and Critics. Mixing business and friendship is always hard but as what Steve and Zacuto do is the best and I think Steve is a truly great guy.
The site has become a victim of its success. My hits have gone up enormously since I started talking about and using Video DSLRs and I have now had to go to an expensive dedicated server and of course spend a lot more time answering questions. So these affiliate programs are a way of me being able to keep the site running in its current form. By clicking on the banners before ordering from sites like Zacuto it helps keep my site running, not just the running costs but it means I can take time to work on the site more…
Of course another downside of the success are the number of trolls I get, not just on this site but on the forums and Vimeo. There are some astonishing vitriolic tirades launched at me which leaves me perplexed. I sort of put up with it. But like many creative people I am very passionate and sensitive about my work so if someone is just plain nasty then I just delete or if I am being really stupid, reply…never a good idea. I do get snappy sometimes and when I am very busy, short, when its get to me and I am sorry if I do snap at you, I am doing my best to be a non snap zone!
Some have said there is censorship on this site with regards to comments. Censorship is a strong word and it’s use in the context of me deleting some comments is incorrect. This is my site I will continue to delete or not approve unnecessary or rude comments. I am sorry, but if you want a place to rant then start your own blog, please don’t use mine for your rants. I also ask you to please respect other people on here and write comments as if that person is in front of you. Politeness, respect and civility.
Everything I say here is just my opinion and should never be taken as gospel! if you don’t like my work don’t watch it! I don’t watch TV shows I don’t like after all! 🙂
I will continue to remain as impartial as ever. So being an affiliate won’t stop me talking about other competitive products. When I do any review of a products that could be a conflict of interests due to me being affiliates with certain companies then I will state so at the beginning of it. Also if I am given anything to review (which I rarely am) then again I will state so in the beginning of the review. Just by someone giving me a piece of gear to review will in no way mean they will get a glowing recommendation. What is the point? If I recommend something that sucks then I will be eaten alive by you lot! Every ad on my site is for something I recommend and use myself.
One very important fact. 95% of the reviews I do on my site are products which have been fully bought by me! Of course it cannot always be the case when it comes to expensive cameras like the Alexa but as much as I can, these are my own purchases! Sometimes I get pre-production cameras to try out from manufacturers. Not often but it’s great when i do as it helps not just you but also me make a decision as to whether I want to buy one! I have never been given a camera by any manufacturer to keep. Every camera in my extensive collection has been bought and paid for by my hard work!!
Am I biased? Absolutely, everyone is! But in a good way. I rave about stuff I love, that is all. Have you ever caught me raving about something I didn’t like? Never and I never will! But please take any review as my personal opinion as that is what it is. Others will agree and disagree. That is the nature of the beast.
Once again, thanks for frequenting my site, reading my blogs and I hope I can help out as many people in the coming years as is possible. Whenever I go somewhere abroad I try to meet up with as many readers as possible so please keep an eye out for those meet ups and I really hope to put as many faces to names as possible!
I have already said this but I need to re-iterate it…Everything on here is just my personal opinion. Please treat it as such!
I want this site to be a fun place. I think it is! Let’s keep it like that!
Thanks,
Philip
85 comments
Philip, I’m glad to see you making money at what you love to do. Of course we all benefit from that because you share the love. May God give you energy to keep it going!
every item of kit that you use and review has proven to be spot on imho… You need to make some cash from this site it’s a blooming (no pun) expensive to keep stuff like this up and running… anybody that whinges about you making some gelt out of what you do are not living in the real world.
I get a bit miffed by Canon this and Canon that… but only because I use Nikon and the vid is not up to Canon (yet!?!) But hey that is the situation now and the canon is the better camera for dslr vid… I just have to live with it… every single day ;-))
I thank you for writing this. It shows to me that you are a decent bloke that cares about not only what you do but how what you do is percieved and judged…
My hat is off to you sir…. (sorry a bit long)
(bloody great skywalker film like you need to be told !)
There’s nothing wrong from making a little money from your website, it’s a small reward for the great information that you share.
Unfortunately any kind of success does bring out the trolls, I agree totally with your right to censorship – I don’t have any problem with that at all. As you say, people want to rant let them rant on their own site.
Keep up the good work!
Appreciate it Rob.
Your gear reviews have influenced my purchases incredibly. I will be more than happy to help you make something back for all that you give to the community.
Thanks Phil!
Thanks Mike
You are one of my favorite sources of information, and in particular, creative inspiration. Keep up the good work!
Cheers Carl.
It is sad that you even had to do this. I think it is good that you addressed all of this, but some people just lack common sense. You give up a LOT of your time. The site that I started doesn’t get anywhere near the amount of self written content or traffic of yours but still feels like another p/t job just to keep it running, so I can only imagine the enormous amount of labor it must take to keep your site, not only running,but so relevant, up to date, and jam packed with great resources,info,examples,tutorials,reviews etc. People will make stupid comments because a lot of time critics(not meant to be tongue in cheek) are just people who can’t create anything themselves. So they put it upon themselves to try to criticize and bring down anything that someone else has put a lot of effort and thought into. Luckily,your fanbase far exceeds your trollbase. You are a geniunely nice guy that has helped me and I am sure countless others out selflessly when you gained nothing from it. That is a very noble and admirable thing to do and speaks volumes about the kind of person you are. So to the “trolls”,the “haters” et. al go get a job,a hobby,volunteer at a soup kitchen even. You have WAY too much time on your hands and it would be better spent doing something positive to build and not wasted making feeble attempts to destroy and bring down. Anyway, I would like to thank you personally for all of your hard work and dedication. I appreciate it. I think the majority of us do. And to the rest,good riddance.
Cheers,
Jon Connor
Cheers Jon.
Thanks Philip for your honesty.
You are my motivation
Phillip,
This is my first visit to your site, came through Syl Arena’s blog.
I noticed your Ethics Statement almost right away. If only more still/video bloggers were as upfront (not mentioning any names, of course).
Three hours a day? That is a heavy load indeed. You absolutely should be compensated, somehow, for all you put into this.
I tried a blog a couple times. Promised to spend one hour a day on it. That didn’t last very long, and I don’t have a day job. Obviously, I wasn’t committed to putting myself out there. You are, and it is people like you that serve as lighthouses for those of us out in the foggy waters of imagery.
This won’t be my last visit.
Thanks Ben, welcome to my site and really appreciate the comment. Phil
Phil, wisely spoken!
Couple of ideas + tips
– pimp your 5d / 7d training dvd’s on this site a bit more – that tiny banner up top does not do justice – put an ad along the side next to the zacuto / red giant banners or make a bigger top one. What would be ideal- is get a page on your site that allows for purchasing of either dvd ( similar to how you have a recommended gear tab up the top – put in a “DSLR Training Videos” ) – maybe get Fstop to help setup a payment system page on your site – allowing people to buy it whilst staying on your site.
– Maybe have someone moderate the comments / site so you dont have to approve + monitor all that stuff ? I can imagine that being damn time consuming.
– Possibly expand the amazon store a bit more into Lenses ? I noticed the section on 7D – but perhaps for the 5D and maybe a few more ( I’m sure ive seen you use more canon Lenses than on the amazon 7D page?!) along with a few thoughts …. I imagine a lot of people keen on your thoughts regarding lenses and what you find works well on what camera etc…
Anyways- brilliant site no matter what – your content is king – keep up the awesome work – and try and get some people to help you out with your site to minimize your workload – another good idea – hopefully you have a better email system happening with multiple address’ !
also – on a side note : have you happened to try millers new fluid heads?
they bridge the gap between the DS and Arrow head territory, 5 positions + genuine fluid head etc…
Compass 15 ( rated 9kg ) and Compass 20 ( rated 12kg )
http://www.millertripods.com/product_details.html?camera_brand=&camera_model=&type=1&system=&application=&series=&id=243&back_url=%2Fproduct-type%2Ffluid-heads
They are 75mm – so should replace your DS20 head easy.
Am I thinking of going for a Compass 15 with carbon fiber solo legs!
We really do appreciate your work! Your contribution to the art/craft of video making is way generous.
Great site Philip,
any news on the 7D DVD being available on Amazon. I can find the 5D one up there but not the 7D
Thanks for the great site
Daniel
Hi Philip. Besides the highly commendable level of work that you produce, you are one of the few film makers (can call yourself that now with the LucasFilm project looming) that really does spend time interacting with his “audience” as well as helping film makers to hobbyists with tips, tricks and gear to become better at their craft.
Thank you for that
Hi Philip, thanks so much for yesterday. It was great meeting you here in Toronto and getting those tips.
Vistek could consider having you at the Toronto FCP user group.
All the very best to you and Sarah. Have a great trip home.
Toodaloo Peter
PS Whats the equipment needed to get started with the Canon7D. How to I back up the media? Is 12 minutes the limit?
Good on you Philip, ethics and values, to live by, are going to be increasingly key ways of doing, sharing and publishing. Dark light collapses in on itself, bright light shines through.
Your site has been a catalyst source of inspiration for myself and many others to break through our reluctance to try and make brilliant films, on minimal kit and minimal budget.
Keep going.
Hi Philip,
Ever since I got to know your name and saw your work on vimeo, I am hooked.
I’m very grateful that you share so much knowledge and information.
I’ve watched all of your short films and am very inspired by it.
Enjoyed your latest timelapse from Toronto very much.
Also the piece about the 35mm adapters was very informative.
Although I’ve decided to invest in the 5d with some good lenses for now.
well just want to say thanks, and keep it up!
grtz from Holland
Pepijn
Great work Philip
Your the best source of info I have.
Derek
p.s. Have you tried the canon 100 mm 2.8L IS macro, just bought one what a lens………..
just bought it!
Check your site everyday! Best honest info from a true artist! Screw them all Phil, there will always be haters in this world! Just keep doing what you do! Can’t wait until you come to NY and my whole company can meet you. Cheers, Dave
My love for videography, as well as knowledge of it, grew so much because i ran into this website. Thank u much. Really appreciate your great recommendations and instructions.
Hi Philip, ever since the Dublin seminar last year, I have been following you through Twitter and this blog and have learned a tremendous amount from you. I am not a good film maker yet, but I know I will get there in time and your inspiring films and tips helping me on my way.
I will be happy to help you moderate the comments on this site if you would like.
Very best wishes
Big thanks to Philip! I bought a 7D and How to shoot Great Video with a 7D, which is awesome! Then thanks to Philip’s advice, I just bought a Zacuto Z-finder which I LOVE!!! This site is great and I love being part of it. Can’t wait til the Venice meet up in March!
Transparent and fair, that’s what this is. I didn’t realize you wrote this in December, I must have missed it on RSS or twitter.
This is really a great post and I think it completely disarms any “affiliation concerns” readers might have. To be honest, I have had a few concerns myself because I work with online marketing and have seen plenty of examples of salespeople disguised as bloggers. But a text like this makes it clear that your core concern (and love) is for the community.
It’s really all about trust. Practically all my gear (ex1/letus/hn4/gopro etc) I got on your recommendation – and I’m glad I did, I don’t know how else I would have made an educated purchase.
Well done and, as always, thanks for all the relevant information.
Great work Philip…you’ve got a lot of fans out here in LA! Since I got my 5dmk2 last year, I’ve been moving from photography into filmmaking. You have been a big inspiration and wealth of knowledge for me and my crew. Thanks for sharing your heart with us and keep up the great work! Blessings.
I stumbled across your site whilst looking for info on buying my first DSLR. I think your work and website are both stunning and have made me even more excited about my imminent purchase. (I think the 550d will be the one for me). Your site shows whats possible and then advises on how it can be achieved. If you then earn a bit by advising on the right kit and where to get it
people should be intelligent enough to make a judgement from the quality of the rest of your site that it would be strange if you suddenly lost all self respect and started recommending crap! Everything about your site suggests to me you are totally on the level. I certainly see you as a font of knowledge that I look forward to dipping in to regularly as I learn more. Well done Phillip, please keep up the good work.
In a world with so much choice I can’t tell you how much I appreciate your opinion and generosity with information. It is about your love for the right gear and passion. After three weeks of searching and deliberating, to find your “recommended gear” link is like a doorway to the heavens for me. Thank you. I hope one day I can repay your kindness.
I will absolutely try to buy from there – otherwise – when I can I would like to donate to your site.
Thank you for all you do. It will come back to you.
Envy is something natural to trolls. It´s better to ignore them. Philip, your information here is really precious, you save us time with your reviews and advises, so we can go the right way when filming or converting, or editing.
You continue to inspire with gear available for nearly all pockets. Great job, and thank you very much for your generosity. Cheers!!!
Steve a pansey! Nice touch, the whole piece a very enjoyable read. I especially like how you insist on having an opinion, always with style, and encourage, even inspire, others to do so too.
I do enjoy your work, especially appreciating your editing, musicality…your choice and use of music is precious, to be understood as Masterful. The emotional narrative is invariably detailed and compelling, not to mention your colour correction and camera artistry. But I must say your utilization of music is that which keeps bringing me back. Very impressive indeed.
Good for you.
I learn from your work. You are indeed a very fine talented fellow. Many thanks.
I used to read your reviews with interest and follow your recommendations for products but have become rather skeptical after reading that you are affiliated with so many companies with a stake in the DSLR business.
Presumably a host of companies (such as Kessler) are offering you incentives to promote their products; as such your site has become nothing more than a stage to offer cheap webvertising. It took you some time to come clean about your relationship with Zacuto after you received harsh criticism on cinema5d – so I wouldn’t be surprised if you have some other deals up your sleeve. Lucky for you so many people are duped by your claims that you do this for the sake of film-making and a crowd of fans invariably comes to your defence.
It is of course fair that you make as much money as you can out of the surge of interest in VDSLR products but please don’t pretend that you’re doing this for the sake of the community. The whole concept of the site is engineered in such a way as to steer visitors to make purchasing decisions – and you’re lapping up the profits. Good on you!
Marko,
You could not be more wrong. i have affiliates with a massive TWO companies who sell DSLR products. Kessler Crane and Zacuto. I went with these guys as they are the best. When they stop making great stuff i won’t promote them. Simple as. So that is the line about “so many companies with a stake in the DSLR business”. Two…yep, two.
The Cinemas 5D nonsense? Exactly what it is…nonsense. I put up that ethics statement EXACTLY the same time I joined Zacuto, my first affiliate. Prior to that, every bit of promotion was done out of love for their products, not cash. Just like all the other 100s of products I have promoted because I simply think they are great. Is that such a hard concept to understand? I get sent much more stuff these days to look at. I tell them straight off, if I like it I will talk about it. If I don’t I won’t.
Why do I run this blog? First and foremost it is to get me work as a Cinematographer. Secondly it is for the community. Yes I make money out of it now. Took 2 years for people to force me to do so. I had to in the end as it takes up so much of my time. This is not an easy site to run, it takes all my free time and a lot of time when I have to turn down shooting gigs because of it. That you cannot see that is a shame.
Thanks,
Philip
I’ve been making movies for 8 years. Worked my way up the digital line until I finally hit the DSLR market. I can honestly say nobody has influenced me or educated me more than Phil. He not only pushes these products, but he uses them to the fullest extent possible, the dude shoots all over the world. Keep going Phil or else I’m going to have to apply to film school.
I also own a very popular website (not video-related) and yes, I do make money off it, *but* just like Philip here I do not see anything wrong with one making money doing something one loves.
I also have a very implicit ethics statement in all I do at my site, and I’ve also know over the years others who like me do what they love, share it with everyone else, but it takes so much of their time that they *have to* make money somehow to justify their investment in time.
It also saddens me to see comments like Marko’s, as people like him have learned so much from sites such as this one or mine, and yet all they can think about is complaining about something they get for free!!!
At the very least people like Marko’s should instead click on a couple of ads to help the site’s owner as a way of saying thanks.
The last thing I want to say is this: Put yourself in Philip’s shoes: Wouldn’t you have done the same? There is absolutely nothing wrong with one making an honest buck.
Philip
amen brother
I had someone post a comment the other day on my blog where I announced I was going to run planet5D full time… something like “it is so simple to post once or twice a week and get a full time salary – everyone should do it” he said. Ha!
Only those who blog daily it know how much work it really is. Especially if you get the kind of traffic you and I get – that means a boatload of emails to answer every day. And I’m so far behind with that I don’t know if I’ll ever catch up!
And in my case, I’m taking advertisements from as many companies as I can get. I am running planet5D to make a living and feed and clothe my kids. But that doesn’t mean I won’t say something when I feel a product isn’t right. Readers value honesty and know it when they see it. You fit in that category.
Keep up the good work.
planetMitch
cheers Mitch and keep up the great work
OK I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt – I’m a regular reader of your site anyhow (at least once a day visitor) and I still read your articles with interest.
I’m not convinced Zacuto make great products, but I can’t make a fair assessment of their entire range, since I only bought the Z-Finder – but my experience with that product is far from stellar. The packaging is flimsy and insubstantial, the red ring was slightly damaged, and both Zacuto labels (little plastic fellas) fell off after a day. They claim to be in the top league of DSLR products, and sniff at the equivalent Korean knock-offs – but I’m really not impressed by the quality control. Sorry but that’s my experience. Quite possibly the stabilisers are more substantial – but after this experience I’m not too keen to risk it – the cost of the product, postage and import tax are prohibitively high. If you pay top dollar you should get top quality.
any issue with any Zacuto product has a lifetime warrantly. If you had any issues then you should have returned it for a replacement.
The ethics statement is clear. That is why it is there. You should, like anything, always seek out other opinions before believing one review.
Wow, what a disappointing comment. I’ll just say this. If Phil were only in this for “cheap webvertising” he wouldn’t have answered all the questions I’ve asked him over email and Twitter over the past year. I’ve got no idea what kind of compensation Phil is getting from these TWO vendors, but there’s no way that the compensation comes close to making up for the amount of time he spends interacting w/ folks. If you think he’s making a living off of the amount of Z-finders peeps are buying, well, clearly you need to learn more about making money off of webvertising..
VDSLR? That’s sooooooooo 2009
Hey Marko,
Don’t trust your local camera store either, they make money when they sell you things or offer advice. It is all one big lie.. the really good products are the ones no one ever talks about or recommends. This really offends me. Anyone that knows Philip knows he is most sincere person and would never offer any bad advice to anyone out in fear of someone being upset with him. He is a true servant to the people and ask nothing of you for his teachings. Come on man do you really think a guy can offer up junk and mislead people for the last 4 years and get away with it. To me this was a major dig to Philips credibility and a low blow to a guy that has been as up front and honest about the subject as a guy could possibly be. If you don’t want to read Philips blog you don’t have to but don’t jump on a guys site and publicly question his morals. That sir is rude and disrespectful.
Marko, I suggest you find a way to go to one of Mr. Blooms meet-ups.
I did. I went in part to see “the show”, I figured it might be an
Amway style pitch-a-thon. Mr. Bloom would appear to be the PT Barnum
of HDSLR everything, but in truth he seemed to me to be the accidental
evangelist. The Florida meet-up I attended was chilled and low key,
Phil spent most of his time talking with students from his film making
class. There was no sales pitch, none. I wanted to see a Zacuto finder
in person, I had to bum a look from another participant. Kessler crane?
Nope, I would have liked a look at one of those too.
So Marko, your vast HDSLR conspiracy may be true but I think the Mr. Blooms
world is a whole lost simpler and the poor guy is just enjoying a great ride.
hmmmm… Marko I strongly disagree, having met Philip a couple of times and experienced his awesome teaching style and the attention he gives to students, I can only say his heart is truly in the right place. I was actually really touched by his dedication to his ‘students’ at the workshop.
I love that you review the products you do. Paid or unpaid. If i want to be the best i have to work with the best. If you are using it, i will need to use it at some point! Keep it going! One day maybe ill do half the quality work you do!
Marko, How much have you offered for the community beside making money?
If Philip didn’t care about the community side of it, why would he even bother to make free tutorials for us to watch and help out fellow DSLR users and other camera users. (he could just save his time and not go through the hassle)
If it wasn’t for Philip I wouldn’t of known what was the best 35 adapter to get when I used a Panasonic HVX and the help to jump onto the HDDSLR magic.
Also, if Philip didn’t care then Im sure he wouldn’t even bother to reply to your comment in the first place.
Keep up the great work Philip and continue helping guide us and even newer users in the right direction! 🙂
Hey Philip! I for one LOVE what you have done for the small independent film guy or videophile. It takes a lot of work to do what you do and I for one appreciate it very much. Not only are you a solid guy (in my humble opinion) but quite funny and fun to watch!
You have helped me immensely in more ways than one and as far as I am aware not made a single penny from me. I think their are many of us who follow your blog that are truly impressed with the following you have created. Hats off to you my friend. Keep up the good work!
You are a true gentleman and scholar, Philip…and your blog shows it. I’ve seen your presence escalate worldwide over the last year, and for good reason: you know what you’re talking about, your recommendations are educational and thoughtful, and you truly express the passion and dedication to your love and craft with each blog reply, meet-up, tweet-up, and everything else.
It’s a bitch being at the top, but we’re all better off having you there. 🙂
Here’s to inspiring others!
Best,
Jason
Bloody ‘ell, you must be doing something right if people are taking shots at you, Mr. Bloom!
Marko, if you had been tracking the development of Philips’ site you will have seen that it has grown in accordance with the interest in DLSR cinematography in recent years. Philip happened to be ‘there’ at the time and the fortunate coincidence of his engaging blog, his prodigious talent and timing have meant that interest has continued to grow. It was clear that much of what he was doing was off his own back and born from a love of his work. I still use the PP settings Philip provided (for free) on my EX3.
It also seems more than a little disappointing to see folk clearly unable to celebrate the success of this site and the growth of this market by facetiously targeting proponents of *your own art*. Why would you do that?
Philip’s opinion is not gospel. You do not have to agree with him. You do not have to pay to share his thoughts nor do you have to buy anything he recommends. If you are unable to determine the worth and utility (or not) of the tools of this trade by yourself, well, do something about that. Why shouldn’t he get paid? Bills don’t pay themselves! And it cuts both ways. Philip doesn’t have to be an affiliate and these companies know that the only thing worse than not selling product is having bad reviews of mediocre equipment.
Philip, I continue to enjoy reading about what you do, learning from your skill and benefitting from your experience. I am happy to see that your success is growing and that you share your access to unique and interesting production scenarios. I would not have discovered the likes of Zacuto without your reviews and am glad to have done so. I appreciate your site.
thanks Justin
Hey Marko,
I run a site with a similar intent as Phil’s but on a much smaller scale. That itself consumes all of my free time. I am in awe of the fact that Philip is able to keep up a site of this size and find time to meet-up in person and respond to so many questions. You are way off base with your assessment of Phil. I have gotten to know him very well, over the course of the last two years. He would never mislead anyone with his advice on products. If he promoted a crappy product and people bought it on his recommendation,he would be a fraud. How many people would ever trust him again? None! He would be finished!! I think it takes a lot of nerve on your part to attack someone who has done so much for this community. There will always be people like you to try to tear down people who are trying to build. Here’s my advice. You can either make things happen or you can watch while they do. Choose your side wisely. I choose to be a catalyst not a casualty. Think about that. Make changes. Don’t sit around and piss and moan because things aren’t handed to you. No one gets anything for free. If you are honest,work hard,try to be nice and helpful,well, then doors will start to open for you,too.
Bloom… keep on keepin’ it real!!! Love the reviews and I’m saving up for the Kessler Crane!
Cheers!
@Marko: Your comment simply is mean and kind of gives me the feeling that you neither have attentively read Philip’s statement nor have you really taken the time to watch his work or read his entries here on this website. It even gives me the impression that you are kinda jealous of Philip’s gear and maybe especially his skills in film making. But seriously what’s the point in that? Zacuto and Kessler give Philip a chance to test and review their products and use them in a real shoot, not in a prepared studio environment for advertising purposes. If he has ideas to improve the products they take the time to listen to him and follow his advices (at least that’s the impression I’m getting!). There aren’t many companies out there that care about their endorsers which that much dedication!
Philip works freelance, so he is after all also a businessman. He has to bring food on his table like anyone else. So would it really make sense not to accept endorsements and instead buy all the gear by himself, just to be able to say “Yay watch me, I’m absolutely independant!”? No, it would not! After all it’s still his and only his decision what gear he uses and which companies he supports.
On top of that it still is a fact that skill is more important than the gear you use. In my opinion Philip really has the skill it needs to put his gear to a good and sense-making use!
@Philip: Please keep up your great work and please keep this website running. You’re inspiring many many people by documenting your shoots and sharing your skills and knowledge. Almost none of us followers here are or will ever be to achieve the level of movie making you are on. But you know what? I’m absolutely sure that’s ok for the majority of us (me included). Lots of your tips and recommendations can be used even on very small video shoots which is really great! I beg you to not let yourself be influenced by haters or jealousy, you can definately say that they just are wrong!
Sorry for any language mistakes in this comment, I’m German and therefore not a native speaker.
Thanks
Philipp
I am no cinematographer, just a motion graphics designer with a keen interest in image acquisition, and have seen the landscape change dramatically in the past year or so, due in no small part to the infectious, never sleeping efforts of one man. Sir Philip Bloom. He more than any other has propelled the Video DSLR into a territory even the manufacturers of these cameras where blissfully unaware of. If anyone needs remuneration it’s Phil who seems to live, breathe and eat lensing. Canon, Panasonic should be paying him!
I see no issue with his affiliation with these manufacturers, and as he says it’s 2 for crying out loud. He uses the best and calls it that way.
Thanks Philip for doing this so tirelessly and professionally. I don’t know how you do it but please continue. Your contribution to the DSLR revolution is part of history now and I for one am glad
all the best
Richard
Keep going Phil!
I’ve been following you (and a fan) since you reviewed the letus35 systems for the EX1. Thanks for testing equipment, showing us how to use them, and telling us why… You inspire us to film, make, film some more, and get out and go! We completed a feature film on the 5D a year ago, and without your reviews, we would of been stuck with lesser quality xdcam. You’ve got a sweet gig, don’t let the Marko’s of the world tell you otherwise… I hope you do make a nice living doing this.
Best,
W. Ashley
Philip knows the best gear…he uses and tests it all the time. A few times I have ignored his recommendations to save money and guess what…I have some sub-rate ebay stuff to sell. When I have listened to his advice, I have been more than pleased with the quality of what he promotes, so I’m grateful…and good for him that he is making some money for all his time.
Philip,
people will always criticise you no matter what you do, it’s hard to ignore the ignorant and ill informed who speak what they know little about, but trying to educate them is a wasteful exercise, just focus on those who show love as they’re more worthy of the attention and replies you have little time to write…everyone i speak to these days about DSLR’s seems to know your name, keep up the good work, it’s having a positive effect on the majority.
I’m sorry to hear what this guy Marko says, first of all when Philip recommends something, whatever it is, is because he has tried it and believes it to be the best at that specific point in time, sure things change and new gear shows up every day, some good, some bad, but I have been following this blog for a long time now, and all of the stuff I have purchased that Philip reviewed worked as expected, and to tell you the truth, there is no other way to get to know the gear, unless it is reviewed by someone with the knowledge and skills of Philip.
Has this guy tried any Zacuto gear or Kessler gear? Sure they are expensive, and Philip recommends them, and even makes money out of it, but if you compare the products both brands manufacture and market, they are the best available, sure there are other brands, and some make good gear, but if you want the best, you got to go with Kessler and Zacuto.
And the fact that he works with those brands doesn’t mean he doesn’t approve other things, I have met Philip, and spoke with him for a long time on many subjects, and believe me, he knows a lot about gear and the way he shares his knowledge with other people was unseen before, and we should all be grateful for him dedicating 3 or 4 hours a day to the site, he could easily be shooting all the time and dedicate his spare time to other things, but he is devoted to teaching and to maintaining the site, but someone has to pay the bills.
Hosting a site with this amount of traffic is pretty expensive and also time consuming, and if he is successful enough to be making money out of it, good for him, and if by purchasing some stuff by using the links on the site we can give back a little, I’m certainly glad to do it.
Phillip,
Your work is inspiring, your sincerity is genuine, your ethics are top drawer. That anyone would question this shows that they have never met you.
Keep doing what you do and ignore the trolls. You’re the real deal man!
Let’s all step back. Video production is a demanding and complex business. There’s no room for BS and minor errors when shooting can be a nightmare- moire, anyone?
The video community want and need the best kit, reviews and tutorials and honest, passionate filmmakers like Phil to turn to to make critical decisions. I’m happy Philip makes money promoting great kit, and generally keeping us entertained too- I didn’t know you could play the piano! ; ) Best, Ad
Woah…Marko’s attitude really is cynical and miserable. Philip had defended my site from criticism before and I will do so as well…I think what Philip’s blog shows is that with talent, hard work and the right attitude you can do anything and with the kind of generosity Philip displays even open the door for others to become cinematographers as well, no matter what their background or how much money they have to spend on kit. This blog has very little to do with money and everything to do with his enthusiasm and love of the job… Your comment absolutely baffles me Marko.
Marko: …… I emailed Philip a while back, it was an admittedly clueless question, something on the lines of “Should I get a 7D”. I never heard back from him and sure, initially I was a bit pissed off. But over the past year, having gotten a 7D and read some of his posts I realized how stupid / childish it was of me to feel that way.
Humans by nature are jealous little buggers, when someone is out there at the top of their game of course others are going to bash him. So yes, I say bugger you Philip for being so good and yes, you are so selfish for putting your time and effort into providing us with great insights into the DLSR craft!! How many people in this industry actually share their skills and knowledge, I’d say very few so no one should be basing him for his two affiliate deals. So Philip, just ignore this guy, the comments in response to Marko’s ridiculous post are a testament to your work and your giving back to the community.
yeah sorry didn’t reply. I get so many emails asking me that sort of questions i couldn’t answer them so I wrote a blog hoping to help people chose.
Hello You have definately inspired me to maintain a web site in the hope that we will get work that way and I can see the great potential in the written word.
Your website is a good example to follow. Well done ..
Maybe I’ll head over to one of the meet-ups, as one poster recommended. I’m sure Philip is a charming fellow – you can see that in his videos.
As I wrote – I have learned a lot from watching Philip. I’m really not cynical about his work as such, or jealous, – but in fact rather skeptical of the potential influence of business interests on the neutrality of the reviews/recommendations. If you’ve ever worked in marketing/communications, you’ll know something of the array of gimmick and strategies to enhance and maintain brand awareness. I once worked as a journalist and was outraged by the editorial policies on articles about our sponsors – or anyone related to the sponsors. Thus the cynicism.
Good luck to all of you in your film-making and entrepreneurial endeavours, no matter how great or small.
I am new to your blog. Very clear and direct ethics statements, I like this.
“We don’t choose our professions, we are engulfed by them” – someone famous said that. It was on the board when I was in HS school, (I don’t know what the teacher said, but I’ll never forget the visual I saw of this on the board!
Hello Philip,
I am glad of having found your blog and along with a little help from some friends I decided on jumping to the 5D revolution !
Being mostly a photographer turned documentalist and comming from P2 and more formal cameras I have found the 5D a delight to use. I have shot a lot of film with both stills as film cams and it does remind me of the look and feel.
I venture to say hello and offer for the fans of DSLR video to have a look at a formal interview just shot for the Ministry of Culture in celebration of the Santo Domingo 1st Mandela Festival.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7yB-UVKT-M-
It worked great, I use it with Nikon, last shot taken with the 14~24mm at 14mm !
Sound was made with a Fostex RF2L and an Oktava 101 mic with hyper capsule.
Should you ever come to the Dominican Republic it will be an honour to show you some top locations.
Regards and thanks for a fantastic blog.
Leo Salazar
Recently turned onto your thoughts, skills and sharing of knowledge, I’ve found a resource to get this whole DSLR thing working for me. Coming from a quarter century of conventional video production, it is so refreshing to discover ways to do it with smaller and more affordable gear. There is much resourcefulness in the products now being designed and out-of-the-box techniques which result in enhanced creativity!
Your honesty, experience, skill and integrity are welcome additions to the toolkits of video producers. Thank you Philip Bloom!
Phil,
I’ve been a follower for nearly two years…I went to your meet up in San Francisco & Santa Monica and also attended your class held this year in Hollywood.
The information on this blog helped me through my first documentary on the EX1/ Letus Ultimate and also through my latest documentary on 5D/7D. Without this guidance, I wouldn’t have insight into the gear I need or the inspiration to go out produce films with little to no crew.
I just re-read your ethics statement and could not believe some of the negative comments that have flooded in. All I can say is this – Keep doing what your doing, keep inspiring people to tell stories. Guys like you, Vincent, Shane, & Chase are positively influencing image-makers across the globe. Don’t stop.
To the trolls…you know who you are and we know what your about. Good luck on your way to the middle. I’ll keep enjoying watching guys like Phil ride to the top.
Yup, just as I suspected…. Mr. Bloom is in the pocket of Big Zacuto.
Kidding of course. Truth is that without your guidance and insight, my career wouldn’t be possible.
i want to thank u for spending a lot of time on making this website so fam.
i just love u man ! keep up the good work
dear philip
I just have seen your “real world part 1 & part 2”
i think your conclusions really help a bit making an investment decision
you are doing it in a very honest way
thank you
hans
Hello Phillip.
I just wanted to chime in as well and say how much your blog/reviews have helped me shoot and choose products. I truly believe you are one of the most fair/unbiased reviewers out in the cyber world, and I think that shows with the number of hits you get. Not all the information you write about is for me, but I generally still read it as you write so well. Thanks and please keep up the great work.
David
Philip,
Thanks for providing great information on DSLRs and all the other cameras you review. Before I found your site I was completely in the dark about what the different camera’s capabilities were. I still haven’t made a decision on what to buy but at least I know what I’m looking for now.
Your critiques are fair and full of useful information and don’t pander to the fanboys of any platform.
I look forward to another year of great reviews, blogs, and film projects you share on your site.
Bob
This is awesome or smashing as you say! for some reason I just assumed you were making a living at being our teacher! nice cat!
While we might have reviewed some of the same gear, most have probably been different but I completely empathize with your situation when some people call you on the carpet for praising certain gear you have used and tested. I have been writing reviews for the kenstone.net and lafcpug.org editing and filming websites for 10 years now with over 200 published articles for them as well as Asian Diver Magazine and I still have difficulty with a particular moderator on wetpixel who, with megalomanical zeal, criticizes me for making gear suggestions as if I were being paid to endorse those products. When I write reviews I do them honestly and am under no obligation to be positive or negative about a product. Yet, this nutcase moderator, who I will call ‘D’ is a constant thorn to myself and others. You are in a position to help others through your contacts and why someone would get on your case for sharing your experiences with products and suggesting alternatives is beyond me. At any rate, glad I discovered your site as we have much in common,
Regards,
Steve Douglas
Thanks Steve!
The edit is just great!
Ovidiu
Philip, what a great/truly/sincere Ethics Statement you have post…
Keep doing the great job…
thanks to you, a lot of us, can make things happend in FILM!
take care.
chill!
Peet from Monterrey Mexico.
Philip, what a great/truly/sincere Ethics Statement you have post…
Keep doing the great job…
thanks for everything!
take care.
chill!
Peet from Monterrey Mexico.
This statement shows that you are a responsible individual who makes it public that you do not have a conflict of interest where most of your reviews are concerned. Keep up the great work! 🙂
Vicki
Thanks Vicki
P
You’re the man Bloom!