Blog.

(A)ll (I)ncompassing

Read article

Fly Closer to the Sun

Read article

Loss of the Father

Read article

Lessons learned from editing my own wedding video

I’ve shot and edited many wedding films before, always with the idea of creating the most memorable and professional video possible. Now that I’ve edited my own wedding video, my perspective has completely changed.

Read article

How to represent 360 degree video in a regular video

Last week I finished up a promotional video for 121 Live, a new personalized video streaming service, and I ran across an interesting problem. How do you represent 360 degree video in a regular promotional video? There’s not actually a great answer, but I’m pretty happy with what I came up with.

Read article

Mixing video with animation

'Video and animation are like peas and carrots'- Forrest Gump. That quote might not be 100% verbatim, but it is 100% accurate. Mixing video and animation can create a dynamic, attention-getting video. If you’re not already utilizing both, you should consider it!

Read article

5 things I’ve learned while creating a SAAS

I’ve been a freelancer for a long time- helping clients make their dream come true (I’m like Disney World!). My freelance work has always been about creating someone else’s vision. Well now that changes- I’ve started working on my own SAAS- Tap Keep.

Read article

My SXSW Experience

There’s one week in the year when Austin, TX becomes an insane mesh of people, technology, and music. Thousands of people pour into the city, excited to see 'the next big thing'. As this is my first March in the Austin area, I was able to experience it- SXSW…on a bike.

Read article

How I find inspiration daily

Inspiration. It’s hugely important in my everyday life. It’s the thing that keeps me staring at my computer screens, working on project after project, unapologetically ignoring the rest of the world. It’s also the thing that helps me produce my best work. Unfortunately, inspiration isn’t always that easy to find.

Read article

The ultimate guide to video editing efficiently

As a video editor, you’ve probably spent hours of your precious time doing redundant tasks. You set up project files, organize timelines, and click hundreds of buttons to do that one action. This takes your mind away from what’s most important- telling a good story. Well here are some tips on how to edit efficiently.

Read article

Doing what I love

'What do you want to be when you grow up?' Every child remembers being asked this question. Whether it be the classic response- 'fireman', or what my little brother said in 1^st grade- 'marry someone rich', we all had our dreams. But do we actually live our dreams? I do.

Read article

The 10 questions to ask freelancers before hiring them

You’re company is re-branding. A new website. A new promotional video. A new logo. You have freelancers lined up to begin work. But what now? Do you just send them a check? First, you need to ask these 10 questions.

Read article

The importance of staying organized

It’s a boring topic. I get it. Who wants to spend their precious time organizing their workflow? Not me. Unfortunately, it’s a necessary evil. We all (should) do it. Here are some tips and tricks I use to stay organized as a freelancer.

Read article

The crazy process of tracking my hours, expenses, and mileage

As a freelancer/entrepreneur, it can be tough to track my hours, expenses, and other business-y things. There are a lot of services out there that claim to help, but fall short in implementation. So, I decided to create my own business management service for creatives- 'Tap Keep.'

Read article

Creating a podcast

They’re with you when go on a run. They’re with you in the car. They’re the voice inside your head. What am I talking about? Podcasts! Over the past couple of months, my wife and I have been recording a podcast called One Part Laugh, One Part Life.

Read article

Film fests galore

One of the best experiences as a filmmaker is seeing the final product on the big screen. All of the hard work finally results in something tangible. Something to remember. Last Spring I was able to experience that. Several times.

Read article

48 hours to write, film, edit, and get no sleep

It was intense. It was tiring. It was extremely fun. It was the SATO 48 hour film festival in Springfield, MO. Hundreds of teams and thousands of people competed. I was one of them.

Read article

Why you should be selfish... sometimes

Sometimes I need to be selfish. Forget about the world and think about numero uno. I do so many projects that other people want and rarely get to do my own project. Well, last Spring/Summer I was able to make something meaningful to me- a short film about overworking.

Read article

Creating a 360 degree interactive video

360 degree video lately has taken the internet by storm. With exciting new VR technologies on the horizon and brand new 360 degree cameras, everyone wants to experiment with this new medium. This makes me think- is it really a new medium?

Read article

10 lessons learned while building my video editing PC

Buying a pre-built computer is probably the best for your average creative professional out there. But what about the not-so-average creatives- like me? As a tech enthusiast, I love the idea of building my computer to the exact specifications I want. It’s fun and can be cost effective. But what happens when it all goes wrong?

Read article

An end of an era, a start of a dream

I just graduated. It feels good to say it. So I’ll say it again- I’m done with school! Don’t get me wrong, I like school. It’s been a fantastic 4 years, but I’m ready for the big void called Real Life. Who knows what it will bring, but hey isn’t that they fun of it?

Read article

Welcome to my blog!

Hello there! Brian Schwabauer's the name. I'm a freelancer specializing in video, animation, and design. I have filmed/edited wedding films, short films, animated promotional videos, designed 3D models, developed websites, created android apps, and photography. I truly love all things media. If it is visual, aural, or interactive, then count me in!

Read article