…I teach screenwriting and cinematography in a film production program at a community college in the states. Students enroll in our program because they are interested in becoming independent filmmakers. Of course, we foster their interest and try to help them understand the aesthetics of film and the nuances of shooting and editing. Realistically, though, we also have to explain that they likely won’t make a living off of their filmmaking – at least not immediately. To assist them in imagining ways they might use their skills, I often scour the web to see how others are using their videography abilities to make a living. That’s how I came across David Silis’ photo studio in Warrington.
With some browsing on his site, I could see that he was doing much more than just photography at his Warrington photo studio. I was particularly keen on his use of videography. I wasn’t surprised by David’s use of videography to capture in motion the many moments of a wedding. I had seen that before. What struck me was how many other videography services he offered to the people of Warrington and beyond through his photo studio. He’s used his services to make reportage videos, product commercials, music and standard video productions, promotional videos, and the video recording of interviews. His work really opened my eyes to opportunities our students might have, and I will certainly direct them to his site so they can see examples of what they might do. If he’s doing so much at his photo studio in Warrington, maybe they can do the same in their hometown of Saginaw, Michigan.
When I had the chance to email with David, he made me aware of a newer use of his videography skills. He said he has been working lately on behind-the-scenes videography. His focus was on getting behind the scenes of photography, but I’m guessing any type of artist or business could benefit from a behind-the-scenes video. He said it was a great way for photographers to “attract more clients.” One of his goals is to reach out to photographers to see if they would be interested in having a behind-the-scenes video made of their work. I questioned him as to how many photographers with photo studios he thought that there were in Warrington. He wasn’t sure, but he mentioned that he didn’t limit himself to Warrington and was more than willing to travel to make a behind-the-scenes video.
For the sake of our students and their own future aspirations, I was pleased to see that videography is thriving in David Silis’ Warrington photo studio. I hope our students come to David’s site and get ideas about how they could establish their own business with their videography skills.
–Jeff Vande Zande, Professor of Film and English, Delta College