Philip Bloom is an industry veteran of 23 years of which he spent a large portion working in broadcast news and documentaries. What turned Philip into an idol for many independent filmmakers though is his pioneering work with DSLR and affordable large sensor camcorders.
Basically, he showed us all that gorgeous images are possible on a pretty low budget. We all rushed to buy a Canon 7D or even better 5D, then visited his website religiously, along with over a million other fans, hungry for the next free video tutorial.
Philip Bloom is the embodiment of the indie spirit, he globe trots with his gear and shoots and teaches along the way. He does not rent an office and chooses to either work from home or Soho House, of which he is a founding member.
Don’t think he does not have high end jobs, Lucas Films hired him to shoot RED TAILS, but he is also happy to work on a low budget documentary, if the topic and the director excite him. In his only US appearance this year, Philip came to Miami to teach a one day workshop at the Miami Beach Cinematheque. The workshop sold out in advance.
Video by Abraham Marquez, music by Chowmont
We asked him some questions…
What brings you to Miami?
I love Miami and I have visited many times over the years so the opportunity to come and teach my passion, filmmaking, was an opportunity that I simply couldn’t say no to!
What are the most exciting things that you will cover in Miami’s workshop?
Although some technical stuff has to be covered, for me the exciting part is easily the whole creativity part and showing people how they can stand out from the crowd. We are also going out for a group shoot for sunset. That’s the joy of Miami is that we can plan that. In London you would just hope the sun would be there!
What are you looking forward to do in Miami?
First off just enjoy the atmosphere, the sun, the beach. It’s winter back home so the thought of warmth is wonderful!
The most interesting developments in technology that you anticipate this year?
Everything is moving so fast it’s hard to guess! New cameras are coming out almost as frequently as newspapers!
Would you consider shooting a film in Miami?
I would jump at a chance of doing a film in Miami. Although my main genre is Documentary which I adore, I would happily shoot fiction too!
How does one accumulate so many followers, do you ever think about all these people going to your blog every day?
It took about 5 years to get to this level…it’s quite scary and I feel a responsibility to make sure there is enough new and quality content. I am a news site, I try to make it unique and that presents many challenges.
If you could do any time-lapse in the universe, which one would it be?
The universe is a big place! The options are endless and unknown…Maybe the Maldives 🙂
What does the future of independent film holds according to you?
Independent film is the future, big budget movies are becoming more and more risky prospects to make. With the internet most likely going to be the future of distribution, independent film will be huge.
Why are collectives like Indie Film Club Miami important?
Without organizations like this, which bring film lovers & film makers together, the community would not exist. It’s essential and there simply are not enough of these around the world.
Interactivity with your audience, is it important, imperative?
It is essential. I don’t talk at people, I don’t do lectures. I need people to interact. My workshops, even the one day ones, are guided by the participants and are very fluid!
Philip plans to come back to FILMGATE in 2014 for a longer and more advanced master class…and hopefully more beach time.
This was shot as part of a Phillip Bloom Intensive one day Workshop. It was 8 hours long with this 1 hour field trip to South Pointe Park where we were free to explore with our newly honed inspirations and filmed to our hearts content. It was an amazing experience to learn from the supremely talented Mr. Bloom and I would like to thank Indie Film Club Miami for bringing him down for this wonderful opportunity to grow and connect with others who share the same passion as I do. I hope you enjoy. Marco Garcia