Jon Ellison

 Greetings everybody, I hope we all had a lovely day on Father's Day and the bright weather has provided a nice treat. I did; I had a pleasant experience with my family. This has especially been a welcoming and calming moment following a series of things to prepare for future events including applications and a music event I'm rehearsing for. This is especially why there are some subjects I wanted to mention this month, but time constraints have contributed to delays. However, I do have an announcement regarding an upcoming goal of mine. You may have seen my website which displays my videography; Well, I have a small videography business in plan. That one's separate from my filmography. Instead of narrative films and documentaries and stuff, the fully independent business I'm starting will consist of videos of gigs, public events, weddings and so forth. In previous years, I've filmed stage shows and I even produced two videos for Ht Music & Entertainment Limited...

Usually, when something new and interesting happens in my life, I write about it quickly. However, daily responsibilities often delay me. Now seems like the right time to share some updates. Recently, I've been working as a freelance sound recordist and assistant on various short films and features, mostly on location. Earlier this month, I assisted on a short film in Coventry, using the provided equipment, including a Mix-Pre-6. Though it was new to me, it was easy to use. Owning your own equipment can be very helpful, which brings me to my recent purchases. First up is the Zoom F8N. Previously, I used a pocket-sized Tascam, which I still have. The Zoom F8N allows for multiple microphones to be connected. I tested it with a new boom microphone, and the sound quality was excellent. It's great for both indoor and outdoor shoots. However, for outdoor use, always carry spare AA batteries because the device consumes a lot of battery power. One issue I encountered was that a couple ...

 Once a month, I would post something on this site and talk about something in particular. However, I had company in recent months - a friend I had not seen for a few years had visited me and occasions like this where I catch up with old friends and relatives do often come first. Speaking of which, that friend has had to head back to her home country for reasons relating to her family and work. With that being said, it was awesome to see her again.  One update I do want to share; I may not be an IT expert. But with some skill, I have managed to connect this blog to my website (jdefilms.com that is). So I want to allow this to test this out. You will see this blog on the web's main page somewhere under this introduction. So, let's test it out.

Happy International Women's Day everybody! It's that time of year again when we celebrate the rights deservedly gained some time ago by the female members of the public. And speaking of women's rights, I thought that on this occasion, I'd review a film I recently watched with a Chinese lady friend of mine. The film I refer to is RBG, a documentary movie about Ruth Bader Ginsburg who for those of you who don't know, was the first American female Jewish lawyer (2nd in general) who soon achieved her title as the Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. As a matter of fact, I had no idea about that at first, but there are still lots of things out there to research. It was great to see, despite the film being made just two years before Ruth's unfortunate death, how well she was keeping at the time - seeing shots of her in her local gymnasium and with her trainer. I also loved the way the film expressed her development, not only through her career ...

 Further to the project I announced last year in May, the same project is now live on Indiegogo. For those of you wondering, this project is a short documentary about the impact of lockdown, particularly on mental health. The documentary will feature personal stories, subtle humour, and interviews with medical experts. The plan is to raise the target for crew expenses, festival submissions, and travel costs to interview a family in Gloucestershire who lost a young man to suicide during lockdown. As stated, this project is up on Indiegogo . All donations given will be appreciated, but even if you can't contribute financially, spreading the word via social media, publicly and wherever else will be equally appreciated. Thank you for your support.

 Happy New Year readers! Entering 2024 brings a mix of reflections and hopes. The lows of the past year, marked by global challenges and personal loss, are acknowledged. The struggles of countries like Ukraine, conflicts, and the ever-present cost-of-living crisis are on the forefront.  Of course, we lost some famous faces in 2023. They include; Adan Rich Alan Arkin Algy Ward Annette McCarthy Arthur Schmidt Barbara Bosson Barbara Bryne Barrett Strong Bernadette Hunt aka Falcon from Gladiators Bill Butler Billy The Kid Bo Goldman Brian Tufano Bruce Bould Burny Mattinson Burt Bacharach Burt Young Charles E. Bastien Chas Newby Dale Meeks David Crosby David Elliott Dee Dee Wood Donald W. Ernst Doreen Mantle Droz Earl Bohen George Armstrong Gloria Dee Harry Belafonte Ian Bairnson Jean Boht Jerry Springer Jim Gordon Joe Fagin John Gosling John Nettleton John Waddington Keith Reid Lawrence Turman Lisa Marie Presley Mark Gilpin Mark Goddard Mark Margolis Mark Stewart Matthew Perry Mic...