As none of you probably know, I love downhill skateboarding, and will probably try to incorporate that into many of my blog posts. This one is going to be about driving dangerously close behind a skateboarder while having a DSLR rigged to the front of the hood with a suction mount.
Getting good moving footage of skateboarding can be difficult, there's really no safe way to do it without putting either yourself, the skater, or the camera at risk of getting broken. Regardless, skaters will do it anyways. One of the most popular methods of doing so is using a follow car, and driving no more than ~10 feet behind the skater. Here's an example of that:
This is my good friend Liam Hayes, skating down a famous run in Malibu, CA. This entire time, the follow car (driven by Alex Ameen), is ridiculously close to him to ensure good footage. Most of the time these videos are shot on a DSLR, with a wide angle lens or a fisheye at about 8-15mm focal length.
Here are some pictures from other angles of shooting follow runs.
In this last picture, you can see two DSLRs, as well as extra lights attached to the car. Two cameras ensure different angles without having to drive the run multiple times, and the lights are attached for various reasons, often to shoot night follow runs, as seen in this video:
I've driven and skated during a few follow runs, and its equally scary to be in each position. When skating a follow run, don't look back! You have to have insane amounts of trust in the driver not to get too close to run you over, and believe me, it gets too close for comfort too often. Being the driver, you have to make the decision of where the safest distance to follow from is without sacrificing the quality of the shot. Normally I try to stay ~7 feet behind the skater, but this can be difficult on open roads with speeds of up to 55+mph. When driving that close, you can barely see below the skaters butt over the dash. Here's a screenshot of me getting a little too close to my friend, Dan Snyder, on a follow run I drove.
Overall it adds an extreme element of danger to an already ridiculously dangerous sport, but its worth it to get the shot!
Anymore sound can be recorded directly onto the camera however most DSLRs have a very poor performing on-board mic system even on cameras like the 5DMII and III. Audio is something most people take for granted while in reality a lot of the time audio makes or breaks the film. The most common thing said about student films is that there sound is the worst part. There are a lot of ways a beginner can get good audio though without dishing out thousands of dollars for a Tascam and a nice shotgun microphone. One of the most renowned onboard shotgun microphones is the Rode VideoMic series.
This is the best comparison video I could find. The main difference between these two models are the size. The Rode VideoMic costs about $150 and the VideoMic Pro is about $230. There is now a newer model of the VideoMic that has fixed the wobbly shock mount and is the same price.
(Newer model of the VideoMic)
I hope to invest in the VideoMic within the next few days. I plan to use the microphone for interviews for short documentary and feature type work. I'm on a limited budget and this is part of the reason for not going for Pro version and in reality I don't really believe that the $70 dollars is worth the size difference which is the big difference between the two models. Eventually I hope to invest in some lavaliere microphones and eventually a zoom H4 recorder for this type of work. But for now I believe this will suffice.
Magic Lantern is a free software add on that frees your Canon DSLR and runs from the SD/ CF card ultimately providing an assortment of features to the Canon EOS cameras that weren't included with the factory settings. Originally created for filmmakers the free add on allows for a wide range of lenses, includes manual audio, zebra (peaking), focus assist tools, motion detection and much more. Additionally the add-on has full control over the H264 bit rate, trap focus, follow focus and rack focus. If your not sold yet the FREE add-on has been downloaded thousands of times as of September 2009 and of those downloads there has been no damages reported. As I am in the market for a more sophisticated DSLR but have little money for a legit set up a friend personally recommended the free software to enhance a rather inferior setup. I would like to branch out and give a little more insight on this add-on other than the little information provided on the internet but haven't got a chance to try it for myself. Either way if your as interested as I am and have a Canon DSLR fitting the models listed below then you can download the free software add-on at www.magicalantern.fm
Above are the Pioneers of the DSLR prosumer industry. I will bring them up on countless occasions throughout this blog so I thought it'd be good for you all to have a little bit of background on these two technology trailblazers.
First, here are some reasons why DSLR use makes sense in the industry:
DSLRs Level the Playing Field:
With the introduction of nice DSLRs, people are starting to acknowledge the fact that you don't have to go to film school to make it in the industry anymore. You don't have to have the money to afford paying for school, or film, or a really, really, really, great film camera.
Vincent Laforet exemplifies this when he reminisces about his introduction into the field:
"I couldn’t afford the traditional video formats. At the time, a good, quality digital film camera cost $250,000, or it cost you several thousands of dollars to shoot and process film. You have to go to film school and pretty much pay $250,000 for education to get a chance to shoot a few films during your tenure there. So this was the first readily available camera that I and pretty much everyone else got in their hands that gave them that filmic look. I had bought that first Panasonic camera a few years prior that shot 24 frames per second, and the sensor was just too small and the lens choices were incredibly limited, so I brought it back. This was the first camera that was just completely liberating. That’s why it’s had the explosion that it’s had, because people could use the lenses they have, it’s affordable, it’s small and light, and it’s incredibly sensitive to low light. It’s everything you need if you don’t have a budget." -Laforet
DSLRs don't create good filmmakers, they just help good filmmakers get discovered. Furthermore, as easy as they sound to use; DSLRs still have a learning curve. You won't produce professional quality footage without putting in lots of quality time with your camera and it's manual.
Industry Going Digital
Movie/Film projection is becoming increasingly digital because, honestly, its just the more economically practical way to go. Film cans are incredibly expensive to ship due their enormous size, and printing the prints can add up to a small fortune on top of that. Furthermore, most film is now being scanned digitally before being printed back to film. It is a digital age, incorporating Digital Single-lens Reflex Cameras into film is the logical next step. Technology determines the types of products being made, not the other way around. Filmmakers don't ask camera companies to make a camera a certain way, they use the technology that is available and make what they can with it.
Beautiful Quality Images:
According to Laforet, the Canon 5D Mark II has one of the best sensors in the world. If you film a brick wall without a shallow DOF so that you can see every brick, what you'll see will look much like an acid trip. This phenomenon occurs due to the camera's binning process. Canon 5D Mark II is essentially binning with a 21 m pix chip so it has to skip lines. This process is what creates the beautiful artifacts you see on screen.
If you haven't seen anything shot with the Canon 5D Mark II on the big screen, then you really can't fully understand the camera's main draw. For instance, Canon 5D Mark II footage on a large screen is considered by many to be "more beautiful than anything." Footage that looks horrible on your laptop screen transforms into this magnificent spectacle when enlarged and digitally projected. Here's why: One of the main reasons the video on the laptop screen can look horrible is because you can literally see the compression. However, this compression absolutely disappears the minute the video gets projected on a large scale-- ultimately producing video magnificent beyond compare.
So Are DSLRs Actually Used in the Industry?
Yes. And don't let those film lovers tell you otherwise.
Film people, whether they'll admit it or not, (they usually do) tend to be stubborn when it comes to shooting on film as opposed to shooting digitally. Take Roger Deakins, winner of four American Society of Cinematographers Award nominations and filmmaker extrodinaire. When asked if he'd ever consider shooting digitally he responded pertly: "Well I rather like the way I shoot film thank you very much" a few years later, however, Deakins shot a feature with the Alexa and was quoted saying that he will never go back to film.
"The idea may seem preposterous at first (seriously, how can anything beat the wonderful grain and color quality of 2K or 4K film stock used by Fuji and Kodak film cameras) but when the pros saw the comparisons, their mindsets changed. While today, it is possible for independent film-makers to go solo (or in a guerilla team of 2-3) and shoot a HD film solely on a DSLR (check out the trailer to Pacific Pictures/Kevin Shahinian's City of Lakes, shot entirely on a Canon 5D Mark II and 7D), the pros predict that at least for now, it is possible to marry the use of a DSLR/hybrid with professional camcorders (eg. using the DSLR as a pick-up-and-go device for unplanned or alternative angled shots alongside the professional camcorders)." -Terence Ang, author for Tech Trends and Commentaries.
Still, DSLRs don't have to be used as the primary "A-mark" camera. In fact, many videographers use DSLRs on the side as B, or C cameras. Sometimes, they even use them for "back up back up" shooting. Phillip Bloom explains:
"Now I need to make this clear, the idea was not having the Canon as the A or B camera but to be used for extra angles (as we could sneak in almost anywhere) but also mainly side with Camera A (Sony’s F35) to see how well they compare... There is something so unique aesthetically about this camera but what we also needed to do was make sure what we shot didn’t look so wildly different from the F35s that we could not cut the shots into the movie… " -Bloom
Bloom shoots about 75% of his work with the Canon 5D Mark II This statistic may be attributive to his unconditional love for shallow depth of field, a characteristic that the 5D Mark II in particular is known for due to it's large sensor.
Example of 5D's shallow DOF:
Although most people love that bokeh-heavy look, the large sensor does come with some disadvantages. For example, the 5D Mark II is not the ideal camera to shoot documentaries on. Documentaries are one of those genres that call for everything to be in focus all the time. Because shots aren't planned, shooting with the typical shallow depth of field could cause the filmmaker to miss a spur of the moment event. If the DP that makes this mistake happens to be working underneath someone else, he is likely to be fired. Saying this, shooting with a deep depth of field CAN be done if you f-stop down far enough. The main issue with that, however, is finding enough external light to successfully stop down to f-8 (or so). Bloom doesn't let this issue deter him from shooting with the Canon 5D Mark II:
"We make them work of course because the end result is so bloody gorgeous we WANT to make them work. Also the small form factor is so revolutionary, even though we do need to pimp up like I do with my Zacuto gear, to make them easier to use they are still small! I can carry around my 5D Mark II my 50mm F1.2 and my Z-Finder in my man bag (not murse please) everywhere I go. It’s incredible." -Bloom
"We make them (Canon 5D Mark II's) work of course because the end result is so bloody gorgeous we WANT to make them work. Also the small form factor is so revolutionary, even though we do need to pimp up like I do with my Zacuto gear, to make them easier to use they are still small! I can carry around my 5DmkII, my 50mm F1.2 and my Z-Finder in my man bag (not murse please) everywhere I go. It’s incredible." -Phillip Bloom
Here are Some Prime Examples of Videos that you should probably watch right now that were shot exclusively with DSLRs:
It premiered at South by Southwest, where it won best narrative feature,[2] screened at such festivals as Maryland Film Festival, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 12, 2010.
The creation of award winning short, Reverie, is actually a funny story. Apparently, while attending a Canon Convention, Laforet asked about the (then just a prototype) Canon 5D Mark II. Canon was planning on giving a couple of the prototypes to several well-established photographers to test that weekend. However, after incestantly hounding the Canon employees to let him try out the camera over the weekend they agreed. And that was how Reverie came to be. Because he only had one weekend to shoot, Reverie was shot exclusively on the Canon 5D Mark II with no post movie processing. All of the footage that was used in the Reverie movie - was raw - untouched in terms of color correction, exposure correction, and even noise correction. When Laforet showed the final product to Canon, the company began to realize the pro-sumer potential of the 5D Mark II.
A finale episode of House, Help Me, was shot entirely on the Canon 5D Mark II and the quality was just as good as the episodes that were shot on 35mm film. It looks just the same because they used the same crew, and they lit it like they were shooting on film. They used a 5D because they were shooting in a very enclosed space. After shooting with the Canon 5D Mark II in the season finale, they decided to continue shooting the rest of the episodes with the 5D instead of 35mm.
Act of Valor was shot with Canon 5D Mark II cameras equipped with Zeiss ZE and Panavision Primo lenses. This is one of the best feature length films shot entirely with the Canon 5D Mark II. 5Ds are small and light, making them great camera's for action movies that are shot in a guerrilla style. Let's be honest, Fancy film cameras are just too big to run around with on your shoulder all the time.
Some More Notable works shot with the Canon 5D Mark II in particular (in order of release): (Wikipedia)
The opening title sequence for the 35th season of NBC's Saturday Night Live, first broadcast on 26 September 2009. The camera, alongside the Canon 7D, was used due to its size, which allowed covert shooting on the streets of New York City, and depth of field capabilities, making it a suitable substitute for the series' usual 35mm film.[18]
The House episode "Help Me", (season finale) broadcast by Fox on 17 May 2010, was shot entirely on the Canon 5D Mark II, replacing the drama's usual 35mm film format.[19][20][21] Portions of the seventh season were also recorded with a 5D Mark II.[22]
The BBC Two comedy series Shelfstackers, first broadcast on 4 September 2010, is the first BBC programme to use the camera. The corporation had initially refused its use due to "lack of quality" but were persuaded otherwise by the series' director, Dom Bridges. All six episodes of the series were shot on the camera for a total budget of £160,000.[23]
"There’s nothing more frustrating than knowing you can’t get a [piece of equipment] down to this location, that you can’t get the shot you’re dreaming of. So you look for technology that breaks those barriers, to execute the vision that you have in your mind. That’s the key goal, to focus on that vision and that craft. That gets lost a lot today in technology as we’re so focused on gear and what pieces of gear we’re supposed to use, as opposed to asking ourselves, 'Why? How can that best serve the story?'"
The DSLR seems to currently be the technology that breaks down these barriers. Think about it, 40% of the time, the top 5 production houses shoot with the Canon 5D Mark II despite the fact that they have access to basically any technology ever created.
Here's a quick recap explaining WHY this is:
DSLRs give you the best product for the least amount of cash.
DSLRs will continue to be great consistently at least for B and C cameras if not the primary camera.
DSLRS are super convenient, especially for guerrilla shooting.
DSLRs will outshine any other kind of camera in lowlight situations.
All of that being said, one must never get too overly consumed with HOW the film is shot. The story is still ultimately the most important aspect of a film. You shoot with the technology that will work best to tell your story. Because truth is; even if the footage looks great, and the lighting looks great, and the focus is crystal clear: if the story isn't compelling, you have nothing.
In the world of filming prime lenses are where its at. A lot of cinematographers say use a prime lens and use your feet to zoom. I am trying to expand my arsenal as I have said before however I am just a college student and usually am scraping the barrel every week. An awesome prime lens for someone on a budget is the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II standard AutoFocus Lens or otherwise known as the nifty fifty. This little guy goes for about 100 dollars on amazon including shipping. The last time I checked a good tripod isn't even that cheap.
Canon makes two more of these 50 primes as well, the f/1.4 and the f/1.2. The f/1.4 is about 300-400 dollars and the f/1.2 is a whopping 1000 dollars. The price changes with these three lenses are based on two main factors, the f-stop and the durability. The awesome thing about these f-stops is that with such a low f-stop low light shooting will be easier as well as getting that desirable BOKEH effect that makes your photos and video look awesome. The f/1.8 has been said to be almost like a toy in the way it feels, the whole lens is made out of plastic for the most part, while the other two have metal mounts and the f/1.2 is even weather proof. While these minor differences in stop and build are somewhat noticeable whats the picture quality difference.
This video is an awesome example of what each lens is really capable and surprisingly the f/1.8 really holds its ground. The host of this video is pretty damn annoying and tries to be funny so don't pay attention to him you may have to skim through the video to get the quality material.
An article on F Stoppers is what sparked my recent interest in these prime lenses and they have an awesome article that talks about the three lenses and again the best bang for your buck if your pinching pennies is the f/1.8. These two sources talk about the photography portion of these lenses a lot so I plan to do more research and learn a little more about the video aspect of these lenses before I go spending my hard earned cash. Its looking like relatively soon I will invest in a prime because these deals are something I just can't resist.
Here is the link to the article definitely check this out quickly if you don't have the time for the video. But if you do I definitely recommend you look at both.
Lately I have been trying to expand my DSLR accessories while trying to get the best deal because as many of you know video equipment is not cheap. Hell a replacement canon lens cover is 10 dollars. While we do have PPECS which is an awesome resource for now, we won't always have this access to equipment for free. I have been trying to decide what I should invest in next and I've come to the conclusion of some sort of stabilization system. While I could just buy a relatively nice video tripod for under a hundred dollars, a tripod really limits me to only be able to shoot so much, as well as not a lot of creative shots. What I believe the best investment is going to be is a steadicam, more specifically a glide cam.
A glide cam is a newer steadicam system which can allow you to get amazingly smooth shots, and the system, for what its worth, is relatively cheap to most other steadicams.
The picture above is of the Glidecam HD-2000. This is the medium priced model. There is a HD-1000, 2000, and 4000 and the difference between each of them is the amount of weight they can hold and the length of each unit. The 1000 can hold about 1-3 pounds which seems very impractical because while lenses and attachments most DSLRs will tip that scale. The 2000 holds about 2-6 pounds more weight and a little cheaper for those who are just beginning with steadicam use. Finally the 4000 can hold up to 10 pounds and extend to 28 inches. Now the HD models are the older brothers to the XR models. If you are looking to save a little bit more money the XR's may be right for you, however getting them to balance is a much more tedious process.
For a more in-depth look at the process visit the link above, it covers a lot of good information especially if you are looking to invest in one of these systems. This on Phillip Blooms website, an independent cinematographer, a lot of useful film tips can be found on this website, I suggest you take a look around.
The person to really get the name of this system out there is Devin Graham. Devin is a Youtube partner who creates some pretty insane videos using DSLRs combined with the glidecam. He films a lot of free running videos ,especially for the video game series Assassins Creed. Using the glidecam in this style of video is really cool because it makes it feel like you are running right with the character the whole time. The video is posted below.
Devin usually posts a Behind the Scenes video which really helps you see how they do all of the unique shots. The link is posted below.
This is another video by Devin which is shot on the Canon 5D Mark II and the Glidecam 4000. The whole video gives you the feeling that you are almost flying.
Now the most expensive model of Glidecam is about 600 dollars with a little bit of hunting around the internet and in reality for a steadicam this is an extremely good deal. Just typing in steadicam to a google search the results show models ranging from 1000 dollars to about 9000, and they can go even high then that. There are also cheaper models but typically in video equipment you get what you pay for and thats quality. Another thing besides price to take into consideration is that steadicams do make your shots look good but you can't just pick it up and expect a beautiful shot, these skills take practice just like anything else. But if you want to start getting some hands on experience with this equipment for a relatively cheap price the glidecam cam could be the piece of equipment for you.
Before college I never had the equipment, knowledge, or courage to create films. I was always scared to put myself out there and accept criticism. However now that I am at college I have friends that drive me and the resources to create beautiful pictures. Over the past two summers I decided to start building my arsenal of camera equipment. The summer before freshmen year I bought a GoPro Hero 2 and this past summer I bought a Canon Rebel T3i which came with a 18-55mm lens kit. I now find myself wanting to expand my accessories but wanting to make sure I get my money's worth. I feel as though this lack of equipment is somewhat holding me back when it shouldn't be because in the end I will find myself getting quality shots as long as I just keep filming. I have started to follow a few photography and DSLR film blogs to try and learn how to get better shots and perhaps stumble upon some equipment deals. When scrolling through the blogs I found one post called "Working with Less (or, Get Out There and Shoot." This post is all about making the most of what you have. David Kong, the author of the post and creator of Portrait of Macerata, an impeccable video portrait, talks about how when he was traveling he only had his backup camera yet he still created a professional video with less then 1000 dollars worth of equipment. Before going any further watch the video David Kong made below.
As you can see this is a beautiful video. What interested me so much was that it was very simple and done with inexpensive equipment but it looks like it was shot with a 5D Mk3. In actuality it was shot with a Canon T2i. This fact really excited me because I have a T3i. I figure if I put enough effort into it I can make a video very similar to it. The next part of the blog post is a video of David Kong going through each piece of equipment in detail and how he used it. It helped me learn about some accessories I will find useful in many situations and I should make the investment in. This is a series that David Kong does and I plan on following very closely.
The biggest point I'm trying to make from this point is that money doesn't make quality, and also the only way I am going to get better is if I learn more about my camera and I can do simply by using it more and more. I plan to try and make an effort to film anything at least once a week hopefully more. I hope you enjoyed this post and just remember the more you shoot the better you'll get.
So recently I have stumbled upon yet another very interesting Youtube series. The series is Man at Arms. Man at Arms is a new web series which consist of mini documentary type episodes on the subject of blacksmithing. Each episode a different weapon is forged from scratch. All the weapons that are made are from either popular movies or video games. For example wolverine's claws from X-men were made, as well as weapons from Gamer of Thrones and Lord of the Rings. Now I know this sounds very nerdy, and it is, but I strongly encourage you to at least watch one of these videos for these two reasons. The first being that the art of blacksmithing is quite an amazing thing and watching the whole process happen in front of your eyes is pretty cool. The end product is a piece of art. Its hard to believe how far those ugly pieces of metal shown in the beginning of each episode the episode have a beautiful sheen to them at the end. The second reason is that the cinematography for this series is impeccable. Between the lighting and the amazing editing the videos are very aesthetically pleasing. I assume this is shot with a DSLR due to the fact that the quality is very high but filming in a small and crowded place like a workshop would be difficult to do with anything other then a small versatile DSLR. I could be wrong about this. One really cool techniques used is attaching a camera to the end of each piece of metal being forge. At the end of each episode there is a time-lapse consisting of shots from a camera attached to the product and it gives a really cool perspective to look at the blacksmithing process from.
The video I chose to share with you a weapon from the movie Kick Ass is made. Its really cool to see how much work is put into each weapon and thats just one aspect of making a movie. Tony Swatton is the blacksmith who makes the weapons in each video. He has been able to make a living off of his trade by make prop weapons and armor for over 200 feature films. To think about how many props a movie like Lord of the Rings needs is mind boggling, to think about making all of those props is crazy. This series really allows you to see a different side of the film industry. It is similar to the conversations we have been having in class about extras being in the right place at the right time, when all of the extras have weapons and armor things get a little more chaotic.
Please take a look at least one of these videos, I'm almost positive you will enjoy.
I'm back again with even more YouTube videos. I've always loved all the cool stuff that there is on YouTube, and now that I have some experience with film making and editing, I love seeing what other people make and try to figure out just how they went about doing so. Recently I have been stumbling upon these awesome videos by the username Devinsupertramp. I know all of you have most likely have seen some of his work on YouTube due to the fact that almost every two weeks he makes YouTube's front page.
Devin makes these beautiful videos of all the adventures he goes on. There some are videos of cliff jumping in Hawaii and walking on a tightrope across canyons, while others are just a lot of footage of nature with a very nice music score. The equipment he uses consists of go pros, DSLRs, glidecams, and even remote control helicopters with video cameras. One piece of equipment I really am a fan of is the glidecam that he uses. Glidecams are a type of steadycam which makes a shot where the camera person is moving look as smooth as can be. The effect from the glidecam has a really cool end result. All of the variety and versatility of his equipment really pays of in the end.
World's Most Insane Rope Swing
Behind The Scenes
This video is just flawless and very enjoyable to watch. One of the things I enjoy the most about Devin's videos is that he edits very nicely to the music. When the bass drops in the song he usually makes a cut and it really gives the video some emotion. Also he makes use of the go pro action cam very well whether it is mounted on a pole to see the person's face while they are jumping off the cliff or facing outward to get the point of view shot. Another cool perspective in the videos are the use of aerial shots. The aerial shots that he gets using the remote control helicopter is used very tastefully and shows how intense the activity really is. In the behind the scenes video he really shows you every bit of the magic which is really cool to take pointers from. One point he made was that by shooting during "Golden Hour" his shots really come out looking beautiful. It is very cool to hear back on a creative level from a you-tuber. I hope you enjoyed these videos and I recommend subscribing to his videos because awesomeness is definitely ensured.
For as long as I can remember I have been listening to National Public Radio, whether it is news stories Prairie Home Companion, or the occasional Car Talk. Now four or five years ago NPR started up a Youtube series called Tiny Desk Concerts. The title of the series really sums it up but I will go into a little more detail. NPR invites in various bands, ranging from folk singers all the way to rappers, to perform an acoustic session of sorts behind a "Tiny Desk". Sometimes there is only one person performing other times there are twenty people, and these performers play their music in front of the office members. These performances are then recorded and put on to Youtube for everyone to watch and enjoy.
I have just recently started watching these videos and they are so well done and enjoyable to watch, especially from a film students perspective. Now from what I can tell, is there are either two or three videographers recording the show, one getting a wide shot on a tripod of the artists playing, and the two others focus on getting close ups of the performers faces, guitar fret boards etc. The videos are always edited together in a very clean yet creative way. The really impressive part is the audio piece. Keep in mind they are recording in a standard office. The last time I went into an office I don't remember there being acoustics like the ones in Ford Hall. Recording one person performances is one thing but to get crisp beautiful sound when there are horns, a string quartet, vocals and guitars going is a completely different task. The specific band I am referring to is Mother Falcon.
Mother Falcon is a 20 person chamber pop band, yes this sounds weird but in fact they are one of my favorite bands. The members play many different instruments and tend to be a loud band. Yet when they were invited into NPR the only recording device I could see was a single shot gun mic placed a few feet in front of them. The sound for this performance was impeccable. Granted they are a very professional radio station but still an impressive feat nonetheless. The link below is to Mother Falcons performance and though it may not seem very interesting I strongly suggest you watch it purely for the example of pristine audio recording. I will also post a link to the Macklemore Tiny Desk Concert if that seems more appealing.
I hope you enjoyed my little rant along with the awesome web series that NPR produces.
Looking back at the old blog posts I saw a lot of movies being reviewed, I'm going to change things up a bit. In the era we are in online videos and media are becoming more and more popular. In most peoples life they watch some sort of media throughout their day, whether it is a viral video on youtube or a professional short film on Vimeo. I will be posting a few videos for you all to look at some pertaining to class others that are just really cool to analyze from a cinematographers standpoint.
The first video is a review of the Sony NEX FS100 which we will be using in class. I figured I would learn a little bit more about this camera and it's set up so I searched youtube and found this review by ProMotion. The video is done in a professional manner and is a nice beginner overview of some of the features this camera has.
The next video is B-Roll filmed on the Sony NEX FS100. This video really got me excited. The quality of the camera is beautiful, and compared to the camera I used last year ,which is the JVC HM100, it is a huge step up. I plan to take out a camera this weekend and make a similar video and hopefully edit it with Adobe Premiere.
The last video is something I found this past summer when I was extremely bored and was on StumbleUpon. I personally think this video is amazing. I ski and I love extreme sports, I really enjoy watching skiing videos and things of that genre. This film shows four mountain bikers riding some hardcore trails, but more importantly the shots the camera man got really make you wonder how they did that. I really enjoyed the editing and content and I hope you take something away from it.
Time lapse are very cool to watch but no one knows that there is preparation that has to go into them, especially when you want to incorporate movement. I follow this one website on my Twitter called fstoppers and there was a tutorial on how to shoot time lapse's, especially with movement.
I found this very interesting and want to do some cool time lapse of LA or Ithaca when I have my own camera and gear. For those of you who have DSLRs and looking to make a lot of money, start looking to to time lapse because any network or sporting event is always looking for time lapses to air during a "Coming Up" or "Thank Our Sponsors."
So a company that deals with photography, photoshop, and videos follows me on Twitter. Now that we are in the digital age where D-SLRs are the big hype but RED is a big leading brand in Digital HD Cinema. Yesterday, Cannon made it's announcement for the C300. It will be released in January and fstoppers says it should compete well with RED's Scarlet. The camera will sell at $20,000 and shoot in 4K . . . those files are going to be huge!
Cannon has truly taken a lot of strides with their cameras since working for a small production company that shot their pieces on a 5D Mark ii. Technology keeps evolving in this industry and you need to stay on top of it to keep a job.
I was looking around Kickstarter.com and came across a very interesting invention made by a student at MIT. He starts off with a statement that I really liked. "Video quality is no longer limited by resolution but instead by stabilization." Unlike 5 years ago, it is now hard to find a single camera at any store that doesn't shoot in high definition. Even the camera on my phone shoots in crisp 780p. And for under 1000 dollars anyone can buy a very nice DSLR that will shoot in 1080p with the ability to buy new lenses. At ICTV rush night I discovered that almost every field show was choosing to shoot on a DSLR rather than a traditional camera. CineSkates is perfect for DSLRs as they simply attach to a small flexible tripod and allow the tripod itself to act as a dolly. The whole video on kickstarter is shot using CineSkates and it has some impressive shots.
This is also a good example of how powerful kickstarter is when you have a good idea. This project was asking for 20,000 dollars and has already been given 240,000. It makes sense though because if you pledge 275 dollars you get the whole system. I thought about doing it myself.
