4 Reasons Why I Chose to Attend PLUG-IN W/ JB Workshop

Hello world, today I will be discussing with you 4 reasons why I chose to attend "Plug-In With JB" film production class in Atlanta, Georgia. So before I made my transition to move to Atlanta I saw a post from Director of Photography Jeremy Bell aka "JB the DP" informing the public that he was offering another installment of classes. So I took it as a sign. At the conclusion of this post check out the video below that was produced by Plug In With JB and ABlackCreative. Thanks for reading!

Location - Firstly I chose to attend PIWJB was because it was in Atlanta, Atlanta is a centralized city in the Southeast and reasonably affordable and convenient to get to.. At the time of my attending the class I was scheduled to do a wedding in neighboring Columbia, South Carolina so I was easily able to adjust my arrangements to be able to attend the class. The class has expanded since I was a student and has become a 3 day workshop. With the added days it gives students an opportunity to see the city of Atlanta a tad bit. Atlanta has quickly become a production hub on the East Coast and in the South, rivaling the big city flows of Los Angeles and New York City while doing it at a cheaper cost. The bustling nature of Atlanta with its diverse population makes it a city of comfort with a thriving big city attitude.

Affordability - Secondly there was the price point, the ticket price to enhance your education via PIWJB as opposed to formal education is tenfold. Be it your trade focused technical college / trade school or a 4 year degree university you're going to pay between $10,000 - $100,000. I was quick and and eager enough to be a fortunate early bird special participant so my "one day" ticket was discounted and that benefited me greatly. I was still prepared and willing to pay full price for my ticket due to the value of the ticket. I don't know of anywhere else that's offering hands on education like this for the cost.

Experience - The overall experience was extremely informative and hands on. My initial intention for investing in myself with the class was the opportunity to learn the skill of gripping and electric (G&E) to light various scenes for moving and images and ultimately still images. From the beginning of the class we dove right in, JB provided a welcoming atmosphere which was very open to asking questions. The amount of instructors and industry professionals that were in attendance were an excellent additions, because outside of JB's viewpoint the instructors provided their various perspectives about their set experience and tools and tricks that they have picked up along their career. After an initial round of icebreakers and a general introduction to video production then the fun happens. We were able to touch the tools leading professionals use to make the magic happen, PIWJB was the first time I had the opportunity to touch a RED camera or an ARRI camera. JB was adamant about getting a feel for the camera, he does a very good job of getting you familiar with the equipment and in such a short time. He also had some special guests stop by the class to share some words, my experience was truly rewarding.

Results - So lets fast forward 17 months after attending the class, I'm currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia and is able to work full time in production. By far not the easiest transition in my life, and I'm definitely grateful for the support system that I have in the city. The resource of the network being plugged into was a very vital piece in getting me this far. I have been able to invest a lot of time into learning and practicing the skills of both the camera department and gripping and electric. JB has provided so many hours of hands on, on the job training after the completion of his class, and I have also been able to acquire my own jobs and be proficient and safe on those jobs due to my preparedness the class set me up for. I am currently working on scaling up my business and presenting it in a way that makes my services and the others around me shine brighter using the tools and skills garnered in PIWJB.

All in all this was one of the greatest decisions I've made in my life, I came into the class with an open heart and mind ready to receive what was waiting for me. The outcome has been very rewarding. I have gained a new group of individuals I see as family and who have been essential in my continued elevation to be a better person both professionally and personally. This class was a look into how there is a more wonderful approach to how a multitude of things can be better handled. Below is a link to purchase tickets to the next class and also a video that Plug In With JB and ABlackCreative produced about the class experience and why the class is important.

https://www.ablackcreative.com/plug-in-tickets