Small Talk: Jeremy of Widen Media

Jeremy is next on my Small Talk mini-marathon.  Not just because he's attached to the previous Small-Talker, Loretta, but that does help a little since she's a great judge of character.

Yet another friend of mine from art school has done great things and happens to have a blog.  Jeremy's the film guy, a techy, gear oriented, production mind with a background in cinematography and lighting.  Widen Media highlights the busy life and projects of this freelance cinematographer, camera operator, assistant camera, and editor.

What is "Widen Media" and how does your blog tie into it?

Widen Media started out as my portfolio site. At the time, I had been hosting my blog at jdwiden.wordpress.com, but after about a year I wanted to merge the two together. The blog works as a way to give a "behind the scenes" into who I am as a filmmaker while still providing great information. Since my latest redesign, I've been able to tie my blog posts into specific projects in my portfolio.

Jeremy of Widen Media
Photo Credit

What inspired you to start your blog?

I originally started blogging as part of a portfolio class in college, but after I finished the class I let the blog drop off almost completely. It wasn't until I started dating my amazing girlfriend/graphic designer/inspiration, Loretta, that I got back into blogging. I relaunched the blog as a way to both harness my writing and to get my name out in the industry. Blogging would help me have a bigger web presence and be able to get more work.

Which topic do you enjoy writing the most?

I have a couple of different series that I love writing. My Monthly Inspiration posts let me get my fanboyism out, and I love writing about event coverage. But my favorite posts are always the product reviews and tutorials. I like adding videos to my posts as a way to give more information in a more engaging way; plus I love working with gear. These are ultimately also the biggest pain in my butt, but when I get questions and comments about them, I know it's worth the hassle. 

You have created and worked with other blogs in the past.  What has been your biggest struggle with blogging?

The hardest part about blogging is actually getting down to writing the posts. I'm not naturally a writer, so I have to force myself to sit and get a post done. I'd like to be posting more frequently (and actually stick to my schedule), but the daunting task of writing always seems to get in the way. This compounds exponentially when you're writing for multiple blogs; trying to keep up with all of them is a tough task for me.

What advice do you have for those running blogs or wishing to start their own?

The best advice I can give is before you start, figure out what you're all about. I'm in the film industry so I write about that. I'm not going to write a post about politics and have it be a mismatch with the rest of my posts. By knowing what you want your blog to be focused on, it'll make figuring out what posts to write much easier.