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It\u2019s been a while since I\u2019ve written a blog.\u00a0 I use to write them all the time when I was on the road for Go To Team.\u00a0 Every new shoot meant a different client, a different producer, a different camera, and a different city.\u00a0 It also meant I had time to write blogs.\u00a0 Nowadays I find myself in Waco, TX as the Director of Photography for HGTV\u2019s Fixer Upper.\u00a0 I haven\u2019t really had the time to write blogs.<\/p>\n We are currently filming the third season of Fixer Upper.\u00a0 Working on the hit show is certainly different from what other cameramen at Go To Team are use to.\u00a0 I have a consistent work schedule now.\u00a0 I usually work five twelve hour days a week.\u00a0 I get to experience weekends.\u00a0 It\u2019s weird.\u00a0 It\u2019s nice to have weekends.\u00a0 It\u2019s nice to know the shoot days are guaranteed.\u00a0 Most freelancers don\u2019t have the luxury.\u00a0 I do not take this for granted.\u00a0 My work life isn\u2019t as spontaneous as it use to be and I\u2019m okay with that.\u00a0 I wouldn\u2019t sit here and lie to you that I miss the two in the morning calls to run out the door for some news agency.\u00a0 I don\u2019t miss that.<\/p>\n As my schedule allows, I plan on getting back into the rhythm of writing blogs.\u00a0 I\u2019ll be sharing my experience working on Fixer Upper.\u00a0 Of course, I can\u2019t give you details about episodes or houses but I can talk about my experience as it pertains to cameras, other gear, and challenges that one may face DP\u2019ing a house restoration reality show.\u00a0 I\u2019ve learned so much since shooting the pilot for Fixer Upper back in October of 2012.\u00a0 It\u2019s incredible to think that I now have thirty episodes of the show under my belt.<\/p>\n Before I wrap this blog up I\u2019d like to share with you a piece of gear that has made life a little easier on the set of Fixer Upper.\u00a0 As you can probably guess, we shoot a lot of time-lapses with Go Pros.\u00a0 We have houses under construction scattered all over the Waco area and it\u2019s not always possible to get back to the house in time to change the battery.\u00a0 When we can, we plug the Go Pro into a wall outlet but not all houses are powered during the early stages of construction.\u00a0 This is when an external battery comes in handy.\u00a0 We use an external battery that has solar panel built into it made by Zero Lemon.\u00a0 It literally charges as it powers the Go Pro.\u00a0 The battery itself will power a Go Pro for about 20 hours but it can go a day and a half if even a little sunlight is hitting it.\u00a0 If the solar powered external battery pack is in the sun all day it can go for days.\u00a0 It\u2019s a very cool and helpful tool that allows us to focus on scene work with Chip and Jo while construction happens at other houses.<\/p>\n Fixer Upper\u2019s third season doesn\u2019t start airing on HGTV till the fall or early winter of 2015.\u00a0 HGTV loves to run marathons of Fixer Upper if you need a fix.\u00a0 Keep an eye out for the next Fixer Upper blog.<\/p>\n Roger Woodruff<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a>