Guerrilla-Style Videos
I’ve produced and edited video for outlets like the Associated Press and international platforms, often working solo in less-than-ideal conditions — tight timelines, limited gear, and the occasional curveball on location.
I work selectively in video, focusing on projects where a visual layer adds something the written piece can’t carry on its own.
These days I work with a lightweight setup (Canon DSLR and laptop), which keeps production fast and flexible, especially for web and on-the-ground reporting.
While studying film theory at the Argentine film syndicate, I also signed up for an editing course.
After the first class, I realized the software was intuitive enough to teach myself, so I dove in solo and dropped the class.
At the time, FCP 7 was the industry standard, and I was all in — until Apple pulled the rug with FCPX.
If you’re an editor, you know what I mean.
Here are some short form videos I’ve created to fulfill the growing multimedia need for my websites.
Video Production Experience
Green Living: North America’s Most Ecological Home
This video on the most ecological home in North America was for the Associated Press. Sent over the Associated Press wire (sans music) on June 9,2008
The home of Emmanuel Cosgrove in Montreal is considered one of the most environmentally sustainable in North America, reaching the Platinum level of the Green Building Council’s LEED rating system.
Here Cosgrove gives some money-saving ‘eco-tips’ for the consumer.
This video was more of a challenge than I anticipated because my friend ,who I was staying with in Montreal, also a filmmaker, was suppose to help me film, but when I woke her up that morning she didn’t want to get out of bed — it was a chilly fall day in Montreal after all.
So in the end I unexpectedly had to shoot this all on my own.
Additionally, one of the home’s residents didn’t seem to be too happy about me being there and was running the garbage disposal while we were filming, rendering the audio of those shots useless. Holy steep learning curve!
As we only had a short time to film, I also didn’t get as much B roll as I would have liked.
I made my own simple soundtrack using Garage Band.
Video wasn’t really searchable on the wire at the time, but AP bought it and it’s out there somewhere on the information superhighway.
Montreal: The Biosphere
While in Montreal, I did some video production work for Geobeats.
This is a video on Montreal’s Biosphere with a terrific host, Carmine Pierre-Defour who has now moved onto bigger and better things, But I did I spot her talent early on, and made a great choice in hiring her.
The piece is no longer publicly available following changes in the company’s distribution, but it remains a solid example of field production, hosting, and editorial pacing.
SCRIPT:
One of the highlights of Montreal is the Biosphere. (outside shot with Carmine in front of the dome.)
I haven’t been here since I was a kid — let’s go check it out. (Entrance)
Designed by architect Buckminster Fuller, this is the world’s largest geodesic sphere.
The exhibits cover a range of topics, including water, ecology, and energy.
Here we are at the water exhibit. It’s a reminder of how essential water is—and how easily we take it for granted here in North America. (Water exhibit)
This part, called Walking on Water, shows what many people around the world have to do daily just to access clean water.
The Biosphere is full of interactive games. It might be designed for kids, but adults love it too.
Another Walking on Water exhibit teaches about certain lizards—turns out, even though they have four legs, they only use their back legs to run across rivers.
Walking backward is supposed to be easier. Or… maybe not. (Carmine trying out the interactive exhibit).
Once you’ve explored the exhibits, head up for a 360-degree view of Montreal. (Roof shot)
I’m Carmine Pierre-Defour, showing you Montreal.
Eco-fashion in Argentina
This is footage that was shot for the International Videojournalist Agency, tiva.tv.
My partner on this project, Iair Kon and I sold the raw footage. I made this voice-over video to add to my website later because — while I am not particularly a fan of fashion — I do like practical items and incorporating solar panels into clothes was pretty unique at the time.
San Telmo Sundays: Tango Orchestra Performs ‘Tarde’
While filming a charity event in San Pedro Telmo Cathedral the sound of music wafted in from outside, interrupting my filming. If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! I went outside and instead filmed the El Afronte Orquesta Típica, who was performing, ‘Tarde’ by José Canet.
This tango orchestra used to play in front of the San Telmo church on Sundays, during the San Telmo Fair.
I love this classic melancholy tango tune and the singer’s delivery. I couldn’t find a written translation of this song, so I posted my own on Wander Argentina. A reminder that sometimes the best material isn’t what you intended to film.
¿De Donde Sos? The Number One Question for Visitors to Argentina
A fun video we did for Wander Argentina, playing on the classical porteño phrase ‘¿De donde sos?‘which is ‘where are you from?’ in Rioplatense Spanish.
It is something visitors get asked a lot in Argentina, but often they find the more neutral Spanish they studied in high school doesn’t prepare them for the Rio Plate version of the question.
Barrio Kidz: Villa 20, Buenos Aires
This is my first video I produced, for Lucas Brunetto’s documentary class at the Sindicato de la Industria Cinematográfica (SICA) in Buenos Aires.
The assignment was to make a video with stills, so I used photos from a story I did around that time on the slum neighborhood of Villa 20 for the Associated Press.
The video quality is quite poor. As mentioned, I made the mistake of getting a DV camera right before HD hit the scene.
The song is Forma by Bajofondo Tango Club Presents: Supervielle
Kidz in the Hood
A second video with the same material. I recall my prof at the Argentine Film Syndicate thought the first one was too jumpy — more wannabe MTV and not documentary style, so I made a slower version.
The music is by Coyita from the album Ronroco by Argentine composer, Gustavo Santaolalla.(affiliate link)
A girl’s gotta eat, so I’ve also produced real estate videos, and castings, including one which I produced and appeared.
‘Reality TV’ is anything but of course — although in reality I would have loved to buy that apartment!