Meet Jay Garbose, a producer based in Florida, United States and a member of the StudentFilmmakers Filmmakers Network. See Jay’s Network profile to connect.
Work: Videos underwater creatures and environments; edits and provides unique footage of marine animal behaviors. Shoots footage for documentaries.
Inspiration: “Nature, the ocean, animal life, art and music, acts of love, kindness and selflessness. Courage in the face of hopelessness.”
Favorite Technique: “Underwater photography, like cooking, has its recipes. Most experts do not share all the ingredients. Simple advice. Check for leaks before committing your camera to the deep. Always wipe away the tiny bubbles from your lens. Color white balance before and during the shoot as needed. Get low and shoot upward when possible. You be the zoom. Don’t harm the reefs or the critters. Get the shot. Enjoy your surroundings. Few are so privileged.”
Unique Challenge and Solution: “If you add filmmaking to “dive travel” you are already faced with an enormous challenge from the get-go. With today’s travel restrictions as to security and baggage weight, we have to anticipate the snags. Every place differs; sometimes you luck out, or not! Also, standing in 60 degree water for seven hours in a cage waiting for a 3-ton great white shark to show up is a challenge. Shaking hands with ‘the Landlord’ by grabbing its pectoral fin for a brisk ‘how-do-you-do’ was the reward! Bring home some great video taken from a bouncing cage was also a challenge.
“Be prepared for the unexpected. Have redundancy! Always travel with duct tape, tie-wraps and velcro! Saved many a shoot! Be courteous and stay low profile.”
On the 3D revolution or revival: “Very Excited! I am researching for my own underwater stereoscopic camera setups. May be limited in usage and effect where resolution may be more preferred with straight HD. Avatar is the most amazing film anyone has ever seen, just for the 3D effect alone. Some people are nauseated by the effect. I say, ‘Bring it on. It is time!’”
On HDSLR movie making: “Merger of still and video photography is upon us! Welcome to the club of instant replay and on-site editing. Our ‘dive down and snap a shot’ brothers are going to have to hold their breaths a lot longer to get a sequence!”
Favorite Tools/Gear: “Still using my Sony TRV900 with my Light & Motion BlueRay housing… It has its daily glitches but has performed admirably at home and abroad.”
New Projects: “Converting older format archives, looking for unusual subject matter, readying for oil damage chronicling. Finishing story and video on Rajah Ampat trip (Indonesia). Working on setting up Stock Footage internet site.”
James L. Garbose (“Jay”)
Producer (Cameraman, Editor, Purchasing Agent, Post-Production) Location: Florida, United States networking.studentfilmmakers.com/profile/garbovideo
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