Hey Reader,

How has the start of Q4 been going for you? I've been asking my friends this question because for most, the year hasn't been great.

I was pleased to hear that they are experiencing an upswing of work and new opportunities. Companies have their final marketing budget, and are ready to execute their campaigns

This is a great time for creatives to seek collaborations and new opportunities

I am excited to share share some BTS 🎬 from my trip the Salt Flats, and a few lessons learned, but first - here are the 6 Key Components to Prompting ChatGPT

Better Prompts = Better Results

If you’ve been using ChatGPT but not getting the results you want, this is guaranteed to get you close. The secret lies in how you prompt the AI. Think of it like having an intern do your work—you need to be clear, concise, and specific. And patient 😉

6 Key Components to creating effective prompts

1. Task: Be direct about what you want the AI to do, using clear action verbs like “analyze” or “create.” I also like to include a number for lists to keep the initial responses limited.
   • List the 10 steps involved in post-production for an indie film
2. Context: Provide background information to make your prompt relevant.
   • Considering a limited budget, list post-production steps for…
   • I can dedicate 10 hours a week to posting content on LinkedIn this month to grow my following. How should I spend that time to reach my goal?
3. Exemplars (Examples): If you have an example, include it! This helps guide the AI’s response.
   • Give me a budget plan similar to the one used for ‘Moonlight’.
   • Have a previous budget/project you want to mimic? Copy and paste the information and prompt GPT to use that as a guideline.
4. Persona: In creative tasks, telling the AI who to ‘pretend’ to be can improve results.
   • Write a dialogue as if you’re a character from a 20th-century British novel.
   • "Write the description of my pitch [after supplying ChatGPT with detailed information of the pitch and client] as if you're a confident, humble, and professional director of photography.
5. Format: Want a specific output style? Tell the AI.
   • Format the list in bullet points with concise descriptions.
   • Format the copy in an easy to read list that I can use during my virtual meeting.
6. Tone: The mood matters.
   • Write a suspenseful script for a thriller movie scene.
   • Write a friendly and confident email thanking ABC Agency for taking the time to hear my pitch and considering me for the director of photography role.

By understanding how these 6 components enhance responses, you’ll get closer to getting useable results from ChatGPT and getting to them quicker.l, tailoring it to your specific needs—whether you’re editing, developing scripts, or on set.

🎥 Filming in the Salt Flats 🪐

I've only been to Utah a few times, but I think it may be amongst my favorite filming locations. It seems everywhere you look, there is a gorgeous mountain in the background. I was excited that the space series I am working on brought me to the Salt Flats for the first time.

Our goal was to make this location look like the moon, or at least a planet other than Earth. We were hoping to have clear skies to help sell the scene, but looks like we will be working on that in post production 😬

The Salt Flats offer an easy filming location and the ability to drive far away from others enjoying the public land. The tool that came in most handy was my favorite weather app, Carrot. Specifically the radar map where I was able to view wind speed/direction, cloud coverage, and precipitation. Saving us a 4am wake up call that would have resulted in a hidden sun and rain.

Anyone that has tried filming during sunrise or sunset will quickly learn how little time you have with that perfect light. I wasn't sure we were going to get anything great the first night. But then, the clouds started pushing past the mountains where the sun was setting. We had the actors walk towards the sun as we ran around capturing all that we could. The sun was gone in about 15 minutes.

These above screen grabs are just a rough color as we decide on the overall look we want for the final film. Interested in being one of first to see the first trailer? Be on the lookout in the next newsletter for more on that 👀
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See you next time!

☕️ Rob