Back in February LMGA member Don Mann connected us with the Apple Business Team to discuss how Apple and the LMGA might partner an event. The “Tech Talk” workshop at the Grove store is the outcome from the series of meetings spearheaded by member Kim Crabb.
Kicking off the series was a presentation by Location Pro Leo Fialho on how to streamline your workflow using existing apps and software solutions.
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Leo Fialho: The crux of the location profession for me, both as a scout and a manager, is adaptability. Change is the only constant in the entertainment industry. Therefore I apply that belief to my digital tools. The quicker I adapt and change, the smoother the other non-technological changes will be.
I scout with a full-frame Nikon D600, shooting in Manual Mode for the best quality image. A GPS device connected to my camera records GPS coordinates in each photo’s metadata, an essential for file sharing. I try my best to shoot a location in the order that I will present the photos to my client. This cuts down on post-production time.
When finished scouting I import all the photos into Adobe Lightroom and use it to manage/rename/resize/print my photos. This is my digital darkroom hub. I then export smaller-sized photos and upload them to Dropbox, or whatever service the Location Manager or Director prefers. I keep all my photos and production files on Dropbox, so I can share them easily through my iPhone when I’m not on my laptop.
Some features live by cloud-based document solutions like Dropbox, some television shows prefer a self-hosted private website, and then commercials like the speed and cool-appeal of a photo-hosting website like SmugMug.
I don’t use any data management software. The reason being I am better at managing data at the operating system’s file management program (Finder on a Mac, Explorer on a Windows), thus future-proofing my data, and my knowledge. I do use a cloud-based note-taking application, which has an easy search function, and that is Evernote.
On my iPhone I use apps that cover the following categories:
– cloud-based calendar: Google Calendar
– cloud-based note-taking: Evernote
– cloud-based to do list: 2Do
– cloud-based document handling: Dropbox
– navigation & traffic: Waze
– PDF document handling: GoodReader
– mileage tracking: MileBug
– sun path prediction: Sun Surveyor
– scanning: JotNot Pro
– faxing: JotNot Fax
On my laptop I primarily use the following:
– cloud-based calendar: in-browser Google Calendar
– cloud-based note-taking: Evernote
– cloud-based document handling: Dropbox
– photo management: Adobe Lightroom
– file management within the OS (so as to avoid having to update any database software and/or a steep learning curve with a needed update): Mac OS Finder
Every job is different. And again I bring up adaptability, which is key for any successful location professional. I get a devilish pleasure of adapting my work to newer software and hardware. I can’t change the world, I can only change myself.
