David Pu’u: Film School Project

David Pu’u: Film School Project

I get letters somewhat regularly, as do many of my colleagues, from Film and Art School students who as part of their class assignment lists need to study a Photographer or Film Maker.

I take these seriously. Since I get a fair amount of them, I decided to do a blog on the subject.

The following excerpt is one I really appreciated as it came from the daughter of someone I went to school with. I am pasting it below with some entertaining and informative links that will give anyone who possesses a moderate amount of effort and ability to self motivate, a great look at what exactly it is that I do. If one looks a little bit more closely (I am a firm believer in incentives-reward for effort) there is a treasure trove here for a young Creative mind.

The Correspondence:

I have known about you for a while because my dad and I would always look at Surfer mag and he would see your pictures. He would go…David Pu’u, I met him in 7th grade P.E. class. So I have always been a big fan of your work. I see from your website you have been doing some video things as well. I would just like to get some background info about you. For my project I need to talk about you from 3 min. So whatever info is most important.
Some questions:Where did you grow up?

Santa Barbara Ca. Here. Google can be your friend sometimes (Or the road to massive distraction if one is ADHD prone like I am)

http://www.davidpuu.com/?p=7882

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9rJJSiUy0I

 

Where did you attend college?

 

SBCC. I was in Pre med and transitioned to business. Never finished my 4 year degree (came close) as I was already running a  company, on the radio as a personality, and doing entertainment based projects.

When did you start photography?

When I was 12. My Dad was a map maker and Photographer in the Military. He gave me his Army issue Nikon kit, and I self taught.

 

What was your first job out of college?


I never had one. I worked my way through, as a Restaurant Manager and Production Manager for a packaging company.

Then transitioned into Professional Athletics as a competitive Cyclist and Professional Surfer.

 

When and how did you start your business?


Which one? (There are 4 right now
) I have pretty much run my own companies since I was 24. I am 57 now.

 

What kind of camera do you use?

Depends on what I am trying to create. My last film was shot for Nat Geo on an innovative high speed 3D system which WHOI built for me from scratch. I own a large Canon film and DSLR kit for stills and have a large high speed film kit which I built for high speed motion picture capture.

The way that this works is that I am required to know how to work on any system in existence. For example, on my first film project as a Director of Photography, the director asked me if I could shoot on a specific camera System made by Photosonics. I said yes, no problem. They hired me. I called Photosonics up and went in and they tutored me on their system. If I had needed more help, I would have hired an AC. Understand? I rocked the shoot, BTW.

 

How is making the transition from photo to video?


I have never been a Videographer. I am a Cinematographer. A Videographer turns on the camera and documents action. A Cinematographer uses choreographed camera moves and looks,  to facilitate telling a story.

 

What lies ahead in the future?

Depends on what you are asking about really. I am not being flippant. That is a really odd question for me. I would need it to be very specific.
You don’t have to answer all of these, but maybe we can talk on the phone sometime. Where are you located?

I am in Ventura, Ca. A Bio is attached. The links below might help a bit as well.

 

Thanks for the quick response.

No problem.
As you have probably guessed, I am not a “Surf Photographer”, though I love being one of the best in the world in that genre. I have lived a life in the water, so it is an “area of specialization” for me within the craft.
I am merely a creative who cares, and has learned how to effectively use all my skills to benefit others. If you take anything away from this, let it be that people tend to believe what they read, and since a photo is worth a thousand (s) words, we have a high level of responsibility as content authors, to be both informed and ethical, as well as highly skilled and committed.
This is why:
 
 We picked up one of the most powerful tools in the world in the pursuit of the implementation of change: the Camera.
Someone whose Tribe I am in is Seth Godin. Here Seth writes about something critical to the life of a Creative:  Competence Vs Possibility.
Here is a video that I created as a photo collage which I did at Stoneworks Gallery in Ventura, during a fantastic joint show with the Artist Robb Havassy, and Sculptor Michele Chapin. We have these wild creative evenings with our friends. Life is like this. Our work can be anything, but really, Art is all about the communication of emotion in any given medium(s).
So don’t forget to play! ;0)
Be an Artist and you will always have work. Be a Photographer and you will always be looking for work.
Below is a little Gallery I have hastily assembled from what was on my desktop today. Thanks for your sweet letter.
Aloha Nui Loa
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