"Cris McConkey" "Cris McConkey Productions" "video services" "event video" "event videography" "event videographer" "video editing" "video editor" "video post-porduction" "post production" "post-production" videographer "DVD authoring" "video resoration"

Production Values:

It all begins with light and sound. The innumerable hours I have labored to ameliorate the defects of poorly shot video has taught me the good sense of ensuring that the scene is properly lit to begin with. I am ever working to improve my lighting techniques and equipment so that extensive post-production work is not required. Even a mediocre camera can give very good results with the right lighting. But when lighting is sub-optimal, footage from even the best camera may require post-production work.

With a complement of microphones and an audio mixer, as well as a professional grade boom microphone, I generally get good audio. Still, a level adjustment is often needed in post when speakers turn away from microphones, and to match levels between speakers. I have developed efficient techniques to compensate in post, and I have added a hardware compressor/limiter to my audio gear to further reduce the need for such post-production work.

What I do

Event Videography: panels discussions; presentations; cultural events; memorials
Editing, including multi-cam (Final Cut Pro)
DVD Authoring (DVD StudioPro)
Post Production and video restoration

I started with digital video at the point where the cost of hard drive storage was becoming affordable and personal computers were becoming powerful enough to handle the demands. My first project was a labor of love: the restoration of a Cuban documentary music video. The original tape had been destroyed. The copy I had to work from had major problems. Using what was available to me, including beta testing noise reduction software, I developed techniques that preserved as much of the visual content while removing noise, dropouts, color bleeding, as well as correcting color. Certainly I made mistakes. But I have learned from those mistakes. My desire to help preserve a bit of history through documentation or restoration as well as to futher develop my technical skills is what motivates me.

Videography

I specialize in documenting panel discussions, laptop presentations, interviews, music and dance performances and other special events, religious services, and outdoor events. I also enjoy documenting memorial services, but I prefer not to do weddings. My main camera is a Panasonic DVC-200, a professional 3-chip camera with a manual/servo Canon zoom lens. I use it with a Sachtler fluid head tripod with zoom controller on the handle. I often work alone, sometimes with a second camera for side shots, reaction shots, audience shots etc., while I keep the main camera focused on the speaker or center of attention. This allows me to do multi-cam edits later, much as if I were switching cameras live. Other times I may work with a sound engineer, or as a member of a video team. For panel discussions and similar events, I can provide the microphones for the panelists, moderator, and audience. I can operate both cameras and audio mix board. This allows me to feed the audio mix both to my camera and to the room PA system at appropriate levels.

More services

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

"We had thirty hours to produce a twenty-five minute political documentary about Mayoral candidate Matt Ryan from over six hours of video feed. Cris made it all possible, giving us the patient, professional counsel and technical excellence that we desperately needed one week before the election. Even better, the film was an influential hit, and Binghamton now has a progressive mayor."-- Tarik Abdelazim

"Cris McConkey worked diligently for the Burmese community of Ithaca in videotaping and editing a complex event, the June 19, 2005 Burmese Democracy Day in Ithaca, which featured numerous speakers, a slide show, displays, and a replica of a Burmese prison in which several people were being held. We are very grateful for Cris's help and the excellent result -- two versions of a DVD, complete with titles, display package, and fine editing." -- Maura Stephens, Han Lin, and Maung Maung Tate for the Burmese community of Ithaca, New York

"Cris McConkey is an excellent cameraman and technician. I have had the pleasure of working with him on several occasions, the most recent being an April, '05, panel discussion which Roger Gilbert and I arranged in honor of the work of the poet, A.R. Ammons. Mr. McConkey also did the videotaping of a presentation which I gave at Cornell's Sage Chapel in November of '04. Cris's work, in each endeavor, was very professional. After skillful editing, the tapes and DVD's he produced were outstanding. He was also quite helpful in making still shots available for local media." -- David Burak, Associate Faculty, English Dept., Santa Monica College, & Coordinator, Theater of Ideas

RECENT NEWS

Citizen's Tribunal on Iraq
The Citizen's Tribunal on Iraq was held in Binghamton, NY September 18-23, 2005 at the Centenary-Chanango Street United Methodist Church. The Tribunal was held concurrent with the trial of the St. Patrick's Four in Federal District Court.

I worked with Binghamton Independent Media Center to document this histoic event.

A 6-DVD is now shipping. Click here for a detailed look. For more info, please contact me.

Proceeds will go to support the St. Patrick's Four faimily fund.