Taxi Driver/Longpigs look (70s)

[monte]

I am looking to sort of emulate that look that would be seen from using 70s stock film, like that seen in Taxi Driver, or in the long pigs music video at the site below

You guys might be able to give me some advice or tips on how to achieve this within Vegas, using layers upon layers of color correction and other adjustments, so give it a go!


The video i was talking about - click link, go to music videos, scroll right until you see the "Coldplay - Clocks" music video, then go to the upper right and hit archive, and then click on "Longpigs - Frank Sonata"

www.anonymouscontent.net

[J.R. Hudson]

I'm not seeing the sameness with Taxi Driver and this Video.

Can you describe what elements you are seeing in this video you would like to emulate? It looks to me as more of a lighting issue than a post issue.

As far as Taxi Driver goes; I'd honestly shoot it straight up with the DVX100. I think the best way to achieve this kind of feel is to use (or at least pretend!) exisiting light sources whether it be floros or halogen street lights. Taxi Driver kind of has a 'green tint' in the skin of the actors throughout. It's really wonderful in terms of lighting.

It's shot mostly as night using alot of natural night lighting; store signs, street lights, store fronts, neon...

The key thing I would do with something like this is reduce the REDS that the DVX gravitates towards but I'm not sure of any special needs for Color Correction other than a sleight Desat and a touch of greeness...

My .02

[monte]

Wait, you aren't looking at the Coldplay video are you? It's the Longpigs one that I think looks freakishly similar...

What I like is how some colors just seem to pop, it kind of reminds me of those russian cameras that people were talking about in another thread... Y'know what im sayin?

[J.R. Hudson]

I'll go back and check the correct video :P

I love the look of Taxi Driver. *Something I read said it had "...which integrated strong contrast, shallow depth of field and deep shadows into the visual subtext." *which says it well.

I think the most important aspect of your piece is going to be the overall 'production design' in terms of how you are going to execute the style of the cinematography. * *Shooting something in the vien of Taxi Driver isnt going to look cool in a surburban apartment complex but can totally be done in the urban/metro areas.

I'd concentrate on using an almost minimalist lighting approach (again going back to using exisiting light sources or at least pretending too). *

I'm not saying it won't require some post; but that being a kind of high contrast/desat/tint thing. *

The score is great in that film too and definatley helps with the mood!

Here are a couple links that might help with your pre-prod ideas!

http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/newsletters/inCamera/oct2001/astbury.shtml

http://www.kodak.com/country/US/en/motion/students/filmtech/newgeneration.shtml

[David Jimerson]

I looked at the Longpigs video. I think John's advice is pretty much spot-on: use the DVX straight up and concentrate on the lighting. Use practicals, or use studio lighting which will simulate it.

That video looks like something the DVX could attack with some vigor, and without much, if any, tweaking.

[J.R. Hudson]

Shai's work reminds me of this style as does Jasons

http://www.dvxuser.com/cgi-bin/DVX2/YaBB.pl?board=Clips;action=display;num=1099712239

(minus the vignetting and edge blurs :P )

[monte]

I might have to shoot this on a Canon zr60... cough :'(

[J.R. Hudson]

???

[monte]

Yes, so I'm saying it might be hard to shoot with no lighting equipment, I mean, I can still clean it up in post, it's just that, the camera is shitty. (No offense to canon) but seriously, it is. The reason I would have to shoot with it is because it's the only camera I own... and well, that's that.

[J.R. Hudson]

Well damn; when are you getting the DVX?

What about placing an ad for the MN area for DP's with DVX's?

What is this film for?

[HorseFilms]

What part of Minnesota?

[monte]

Horse - South Minneapolis, you know where there was that double homicide a week ago? Thats my block :(

Yes, John, I have posted stuff in the clips section of the forum, just to see if i could pass off canon ZR60 footage as bad looking DVX100A footage. So I don't know when I will be able to get it.

This film is simply to make something, no real deadline or anything, just an idea I had in my noggin', I'm thinking this might be the one to go into an upcoming film festival (with schools like perpridge thrown in the mix) *:D

If not I might just finish up a previous WIP

[J.R. Hudson]

In all honesty; if you dont have the 24p yet; shooting and creating is all that matters. Super 8, Hi 8, camera obscura.....

[AndyJ]

Also, what PART of Taxi Driver are you looking to emulate? Don't forget that the last 10 mins or so were deliberately desaturated so that the MPAA would give the movie an R rating...

[monte]

Well, I'd like to emulate the dark parts, and also the parts during the day time, which also have the 70's film look

[David Jimerson]

Check out the "World War II" look in Celluloid:

http://www.vasst.com/celluloid/celluloid-demolooks.htm

http://www.vasst.com/celluloid/World%20War%20II.jpg

Is that something like what you're after?

Celluloid will also convert your ZR60 footage to 24p at a mouse click.

(shameless plug)

[monte]

Hehe, well if anything, it would be closest to "warm-film" look... except a lot more pronounced... almost like a LOMO

http://shop.lomography.com/microsites//lca/

[J.R. Hudson]

DO I have to go out this weekend and shoot Taxi Driver style on you?

[monte]

ehehe I can't seem to get the celluloid to work correctly, dled demo and installed to default sony path...

[David Jimerson]

What doesn't work?

[monte]

Well, it wasn't popping up in the menus, so I simply uninstalled, reinstalled and then checked and it was there...

Tried it out, it took a bit long to render (2 hours for a 50 second clip) but then again it was applying a "look" and converting to 24p so i have to give it props...

[David Jimerson]

That conversion is always going to take some time; Celluloid just makes it easy to set up, instead of having to go through several sets of menus.

The real time save is the difference between the film looks renders and Magic Bullet's. Huge. VASST. (Ouch. Couldn't resist. ;D)

[monte]

Rofl-saurus-rex