Get Moving -- Dmitry Kichenko

[Barry_S]

This is a beautiful little spot and it has a nice fluid sensibility. The music is perfect, although I puzzled over why it abruptly cuts at the end. A few of the shots seem a tinge too long, but overall this is a solid spot. I felt like you had a message and understood the product and the demographic. Viva la film!

[Solomon Chase]

nice spot.
A kragnorkoskorksker-3 eh?

I'm curious, is the this the first "shot on film" DVXfest entry? :)

[Jason Ramsey]

This is the most unique entry for me (other than the fact that it was shot on film, which is awesome). It had it's own unique vibe to it, that I enjoyed a lot.

Nostalgic feel. Simple, subtle, and quite effective.

Loved the vinyl popping in the audio.

Seemed the thread holding it all together was just a tinge (to steal Barry's word) to thin... Lacked just a bit of organization, I felt.

In my list of 5 that stood out. Haven't picked any winners though.

Thanks,
Jason

[Matty_g]

I really liked the vibe from this one but a lot of the shots just didn't do anything for me.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

I agree with the fact that it's a bit chaotic and doesn't have as much flow to it.

The guy's music is great though. Oh wait, that's me :).

[krestofre]

I really like the overall look. How much of the color was created in camera vs. in post?

[Dmitry Kichenko]

This was the first time I shot movie film. Everything fit on one roll of 100' Vision2 50D.

We also shot another spot prior to this on black and white reversal 8mm film using a Bolex H8 (below) but I didn't feel as strongly about the footage and composition. The music would probably fit in even better though.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1189/784252442_8195735fdc.jpg

[Dmitry Kichenko]

I was thinking of doing extensive colour correction as I've had the transfer house (Film Discreet) do an uncompressed transfer directly onto a hard drive, but in light of my obsession with all things 60s I realized that the music fit the low-contrast look better. Hence very little colour adjustment has been done to the original negative. I mostly just made sure the white balance was consistent.

The only real post-work done was the colour changes and the Shake script for the titles that made the text shake a bit and change brightness randomly to emulate the look of opticals.

[Brandon Rice]

Good work here! I loved the vibe, and tones of the image... I also thought the product was unique and clever!

[Norm Sanders]

I just realized, after watching the first entry, that I need to watch these as purely a commercial, and not pick the heck out of it like I would usually as a filmmaker.

As a commercial, it works. Cuts a little abrubptly, but otherwise SCREAMS for a specific, hip demographic, and really is fun. Nice job.

Okay, from the filmmaker aspect, I also dug the style. :)

[Zoidoid]

This spot is a really nice example of something that grabs attention with a chic aesthetic coupled with a catchy beat. I like that you didn't make the music compete with any other sounds. It's out in the front and just as important to this short as the video itself, in my opinion. Definitely one of my favorites in the fest.

I am slightly confused as to what the product is, but I don't suppose that really matters since you have my interest anyway! Do the shoes just come in a variety of colors? Or do they change with the seasons?

[martin-sfx]

I really like the "grindhouse" look of this piece coupled with tight editing and the strong beat. After the first couple of seconds you really want to know more about the product. However, what I think could be improved, was the color changes and the portrayal of the shoes. The color changes are too subtle for me and the effect gets kinda lost with the fast editing. It should be more visible and pronounced. Same goes for the shoes at the end. They should stand out a little more from the picture so that the viewer instantly knows what the product is.

Despite these little flaws your entry is one of my favourites out of all. Good work!

[Karl151k]

I can't believe you shot on 16mm film you bastard! To my knowledge, this is the first film DVXFest entry so congratulations! The music was terrificly catchy and the film had a wonderful muted tone. I liked the cutting and that shot towards the end with your actress making a face. That's the total "tension release" of the commercial, which the audience needs to connect with her. The shots of the plants and shoes changing were well done and subtle. The shoes seems totally doable in real life too, via some kind of temperature sensitive coating that reverts to orange when they're taken off. I especially like that you made the Kinetica logo bloom like a cheap optical effect done in camera. Good job all around! You know of course, that your next DVX fest needs to be on 65MM!

[Michael Anthony Horrigan]

Great job! The music and the feel of this film really fit the ad that you were pitching. I loved the colour change and thought that you did a great job of advertising the product.

Nice work.

Mike

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Thanks a lot everyone. I'm a sucker for advertising and funky music (and ancient technology) so this was quite easy and fun to shoot and edit. There is definitely room for improvement, but I'm fairly satisfied with this as a camera test :).

[Luzer]

Dmitry, is your camera a sync sound camera?

[Dmitry Kichenko]

No. It's a Russian MOS which syncs to the sound of the marching Soviet armies.

[Karl151k]

The K3 sounds like two 1950's style robots having rough sex. It could be worse though, it could be an ARRI-S.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Hmm. Mine sounds more like the machine the dentist from my childhood used. God I hope that guy is dead. And I'm not trying to be funny. I hope he got driven over by a bus full of people laughing at him.

[cinealma]

This could very well be in my top 3. I really dug the vibe and look of this one. You really can't beat the look of film (my own opinion). I liked the music, the style. I like the way things became saturated with color. The young lady was flirty and cute. Worked well.

Was this an ad for the sandals?

Awesome job. Damn, I might have to go lube up the Konvas for the next fest, serious!

Thanks for sharing.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Thanks Cinealma. I enjoyed shooting this for sure. I approached this from more of a photographer with a motion picture camera point of view, letting the lead do what feels right and shooting what I liked. Paying a premium for every foot definitely forces you to be picky. I think I'll stick with film just because of that. It was definitely a fun experience after 2 years of a break from shooting video.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

I liked the look and feel, but I'm not sure I get it.
Are you selling shoes that change color like those heat sensitive shirts I had back in the 80's?

[Dmitry Kichenko]

More like a new summer collection. Show it to your girl friend or wife, she'll explain :).

[CarlSpackler]

This one grew on me. Since most all of the ads seem to be introducing a product, it didn't initially occur to me that it might be for an existing product line.

[Forsooth]

There are some of these that the more times I watch them, the better they become. This is one of those. Very nice use of color to convey your message.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

More like a new summer collection. Show it to your girl friend or wife, she'll explain :).
No we watched it together.

She didn't get it either.

So they are the same shoes from last summer but a different color for this summer?

[Dmitry Kichenko]

So they are the same shoes from last summer but a different color for this summer?

Yeah. Just like in any other shoe store.

[Zoidoid]

Yeah. Just like in any other shoe store.

Ah! See, I also thought that they were some kinda futuristic color-changing shoes.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

Usually I thought it was a new show.
Not just a pink version of last years.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

Ah! See, I also thought that they were some kinda futuristic color-changing shoes.
Ask your girl friend and she will tell you that it is just last years shoe pink for this years, because that's how shoes work.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

You clearly don't shop that much. :)

It's the same shit all the time.

[Jack Daniel Stanley]

I really don't actually think that is how it works - I don't think people release last years line and slap a new color on it and call it a new line ...
Since this and all filmmaking is a communicative process you might at least consider that other people's perceptions are valid since films, shorts, commercials, etc. are all ultimately about how some particular audience somewhere perceives them at some time, and it seems I'm not the only one for which, what the product is exactly, was not totally crystalline.

[Zoidoid]

You clearly don't shop that much. :)

It's the same shi* all the time.

Heh! Well, it's just that AdFest is a license to invent whatever insanity you can think up. So I guess I'm always assuming that people will take advantage of that to do something out of the ordinary. It actually surprised me how many sports drinks, athletic equipment, and shoes commercials we got.

[dougspice]

"Less enthusiastic thanks"?? Heh.

Overall well done. I'll agree with a few of the others that I didn't quite get it at first... and as a commercial, you don't have the luxury of making a think-piece. The titlecard suggested something other than what I saw. But I love the look and feel of the piece. Pretty solid.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Jokes aside, the idea is that weather changes, people change, and so does fashion.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Yes. While it was evenly developed, the lab first wanted me to pay for reverse processing. When I pointed out that I shot negative, they corrected the mistake but still charged me more than I was quoted.

[Karl151k]

and as a commercial, you don't have the luxury of making a think-piece.

Try telling that to these people... http://youtube.com/watch?v=R706isyDrqI

=)

[MojoTrancer]

Very cool that you shot film. I had a smile on my face as soon as the ad started. The retro feel of the logo shot was my favorite part I think. There was a little bit of a disconnect in the message though. I watched it a few times now and while it was neat i didn't really feel the impulse to buy the shoes.

Good stuff though. One of my favorites.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Thanks Mojo and everyone! I definitely enjoyed working with film, even on a scale this small. While I'm going to sell the Bolex H8, I'm definitely keeping the Krasnogorsk. Can't just sell a comrad like that.

[dougspice]

Try telling that to these people... http://youtube.com/watch?v=R706isyDrqI

=)

Not quite the same thing. For one thing, you're starting from a baseline foundation of two things the audience is quite possibly already familiar with: 1984 and Apple. Even if they weren't (at the time) familiar with Apple, they go out of their way to say "Apple Computer". It's pretty obvious what the product is. Another critical difference is the 1984 piece is far more a teaser than a traditional product. They give you a date and basically say "stay tuned". In other words, this is one part of a larger campaign. Making these commercials, we didn't have that luxury, for better or worse.

[Aaron Marshall]

This goes to show how digital vs film isn't really about the medium, but the artist. I liked your commercial, but it just as easily could have been shot on a DVX and looked just as good.

My favorite part of your commercial was the ending credits. There was a certain style that reminded me of old film optics. I also liked the color changing work. I admire that you decided to shoot on film, and your music selection was fitting.

I think I get the ad. It's for a collection of shoes that are already established. They don't change much over the years, much like Chuck Taylors. They do however come up with different colors every year to match differing trends. Like some years pastels are in, other years earth tones etc. etc.

Good job.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

I think I could probably pull this off with a DVX but: a) I'm an anti-digital freak stuck in the 60s; b) there is no way DVX, or even Red, would compete with 50D stock lattitude-wise on the more contrasty shots here.

:)

Thanks for the comment.

P.S. Let's see how fast this thread turns into Red vs. Film. I'm betting my money on film as most people around here have never even held a Red in their hands.
P.S.S. For me it's all about working with gear that's older than me or, as in most cases, older than my parents. I fancy vintage technology and making new things with old forgotten gear. Chances are 30 years from now I will pick up a DVX at a garage sale for $5 and shoot a feature on it. If I will still be able to find tape for it of course. :) Film scores again.

[Matty_g]

I'm betting my money on film as most people around here have never even held a Red in their hands.

Since they haven't started shipping yet i don't think many people have held a red in their hands.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

A bunch of people have played around with prototypes. Call up Peter Jackson or better his DP or cameraman, I'm sure he'll have some impressions to share.

[Karl151k]

<Calls Peter Jackson>
...ring...
...ring...
<PJ> Allo?
<ME> Hey, Peter how'd you like your RED camera?
<PJ> It's alright. Prefer film though.
<ME> Got it. Thanks.
-Click-

Pshew. That's resolved now, forever! =)

[sean90291]

Oh oh. Maybe film's still way better. Loved it.

[Aaron Marshall]

I think I could probably pull this off with a DVX but: a) I'm an anti-digital freak stuck in the 60s; b) there is no way DVX, or even Red, would compete with 50D stock lattitude-wise on the more contrasty shots here.

:)

Thanks for the comment.



Dmitry,

I hear you on the stock latitude being better than digital. I too love the aesthetic of film, especially 16. It's just that this spot was shot so quickly, and some of it seemed over exposed. I get a feeling you're not that experienced exposing the stock (no biggie, gotta get he practice in somewhere, right?) I think if you had a DVX, or HVX you could have used the LCD and zebra settings to get a brilliant looking image.

I should not have said "This goes to show how digital vs film isn't really about the medium, but the artist.", because the more I thought about it, the faults had nothing to do with the art. It had to do with the technical aspects. I apologize for saying something so rude.

I liked your commercial a great deal. I'm a big fan of drastic color manipulation like you did.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Well, this was negative stock, so I overexposed by about half a stop just like I always do with still negative film since the response curve for this stock has a more gentle slope at the white end. The transfer seemed to add a bit of brightness too as before sending the film out I scanned a few frames out of most shots from the reel on my negative scanner and everything was properly exposed.

Either way I kept the shots slightly overexposed and washed out as I wanted to approach the look of an old 16mm reel from the 60s. And as I've mentioned, instead of importing shots into Shake for colour correction like I initially intended, I ended up making minor adjustments mostly to the blacks right within FCP. The resulting image is very much like the original negative.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Oh, and once again, my choice to shoot on film was not dictated by latitude or any technical aspects for that matter. In fact, I was meaning to shoot Ektachrome positive stock but found out that processing for it is a lot more expensive than for negative stock. It was more about the fact that I don't like digital as a medium. I just don't. Digital bullied me at school and then stole my girlfriend. And then my boyfriend. So I picked film.

[Karl151k]

Ala Pokemon:
I choose you Film!

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Yeah, I'm weird like that. I always choose the most expensive and complicated way to get things done. It's never boring.

[Noel Evans]

Dmitry, enjoyed the funky feel, the fx. Nice job.

[Dmitry Kichenko]

Thanks! Was funky to make :).