Easter Project in SD on HVX200

[LighthouseMedia]

Okay All,
This was shot with the HVX200, first project I ever did on the camera and first clip I ever posted on DVXuser. It is a Church project for a concert on Easter, the video will be shown behind the vocalist so althought its the same song only the SFX will be used in the final cut, the song is a real low rez copy I used as a reference. This was shot in almost all existing lighting, in about 6hrs and cut with some footage from the Passion. Let's please not turn this thread into a giant religion discussion. QT7 encoded.
Overall I was very pleased with the way the HVX handled the light situation although an External HD monitor for focus is a must and my next purchase LOL.

http://www.sionpictures.com/Video/Easter.mov

PS.
There is no website, its just a dumping grounds for my clips.

[lpcvideo1]

File's gone. (The tomb is empty!) Sorry I missed it.

[LighthouseMedia]

No its till there try and download it rather than stream it will work better. It wasn't encoded for streaming.

[Danilo Del Tufo]

It would be nice if also the Passion footage was shot with Hvx200 too :)
Who knows if the Hvx200 could imitate that kind of footage, with a help of a go(o)d DP :)
What d'you think 'bout it?

[oldenarm]

With the light coming through the amber glass, the opening shot is lovely. And you're right about how nicely the HVX is handling the available light. It seems like you could do more work with the CC, though - a lot of the highlights are unnaturally clamped.

Why tell us you shot it in 6 hours? If it's bad, it's like you're making an excuse, if it's good, it's like you're bragging. All that matters is what's on screen.

As for that - the narrative content is, respectfully, cliche. Not that Easter Sunday in a church is the best time to get all avant garde, but this would have more impact if the images were personally derived and intimate, instead of Hallmark movie-of-the-week.

Your best image is the chains wrapping around the character's arms. Again, not very original, but at least you're translating an emotional idea into a poetic image, rather than just laying out a sequence of events. 'Hopeless' should be made into a noun to grammatically balance with the other words. And I thought 'Rebellion' was a strange choice - you're essentially saying that seeking freedom from bondage is itself a form of bondage. Is that a deliberate attempt at irony? (Besides, was there ever a bigger rebel than the carpenter from Nazareth?)

And I'm sorry, but another bit of irony is one of the 10 big rules of Christianity is 'Thou shalt not steal,' and here you're ripping off another film repeatedly! The idea of using Hollywood Jesus as a totemic placecard for the biblical Jesus is sort've interesting from a post-modern view, but I don't think that was your intent.

Anyway, good luck with your project. I lurk here generally, but for some reason today I felt in the mood to do a crit, like we used to do in art school. I hope you don't mind, and take it in the constructive spirit it was intended.

[LighthouseMedia]

Great feedback very much appreciated.

"Why tell us you shot it in 6 hours?"
Well I guess because I felt like ultimately it was a hinderenace to the project, so yeah maybe it was an excuse LOL, I just kinda felt like given a little more time constraints I could have done better, but your right it is what it is.

"As for that - the narrative content is, respectfully, cliche. Not that Easter Sunday in a church is the best time to get all avant garde, but this would have more impact if the images were personally derived and intimate, instead of Hallmark movie-of-the-week. "

I agree however there were certain guidelines I was given to work within and criteria I had to meet so I did the best I could within those guidelines. Anywasy thanks again for taking the time for some honest feedback I really appreciate it.

[lpcvideo1]

I am still having trouble downloading it for some reason. I'm told "the file cannot be found on the server".

Hm.

[Nik Manning]

Now don't take this the wrong way but It looks like it was the same quality of other religous movies I see on tv. I liked it over all. I think everyone should watch it without the audio then again with the audio. I also really liked the camera moves between the father and daughter arguing. It seemed so natural but still seemed like you anticipated the action,impressive. I am glad that you did put the time you had to work with as this does make a big difference in what you can accomplish. I don't know what you do for a living, but you should seriously consider making movies. If you took the time to make a religous/after school movie in HD I am sure someone would buy it from you. Just take more time with it. Honestly respectable work.

[lpcvideo1]

Finally got it to download.

I loved it!

The negative: The actress was a bit weak in places (e.g., her wondering at the chains fallen off, argument with Dad), and I didn't like the sound of the chains snaking up her leg (sounded too reversed).

The positive: I like the music--fit well, not too self-aware, yet effective in supporting the message. I thought the nails hammered cutting to chains falling off was very effective. It grabbed me in a creative and startling way. Put some application to Gibson's Passion scene. I think the video fits the genre and target audience (Good Friday service) well.

Good job--keep up the good work!

[lpcvideo1]

And I'm sorry, but another bit of irony is one of the 10 big rules of Christianity is 'Thou shalt not steal,' and here you're ripping off another film repeatedly! The idea of using Hollywood Jesus as a totemic placecard for the biblical Jesus is sort've interesting from a post-modern view, but I don't think that was your intent.

He probably has rights to it--most churches do for in-house performance.

[LighthouseMedia]

Thanks for the feedback,
This is great stuff, most of it I was already well aware of cause I see every little thing wrong with it and little thats good, but hey I can't recall 1 single piece I've ever done that I was 100% happy with I guess I tend to much to be a perfectionist. But there has alsoe been some other good points raised I dind't consider good stuff keep it coming. Yeah our Church has the rights to video clips for in house use. Music and alot of other things where outside my control I was given this piece with alot of requirements as to what the finished piece had to include or exclude. I personally would have gone another route I think but hey you do what your told sometimes LOL.

[digitalnirvana9]

Dear Lighthouse:
I just wanted to let you know that your movie touched me deeply and that you did a great job in shooting this, especially in a 6 hour time frame. The editing was superb, as for the camera it was equal to the task and thats what counts in my book..I'm Not saying this because I'm a religious person (at least in the church-going sense) but I did have tears in my eyes when it was over....I think you will have a very positive reaction to your movie when its done in church...Just make sure that the singer is capable of backing such a powerful piece...

[Ernest_Acosta]

Lighthouse great beam of light in shooting this; especially utilizing natural light in the limited time you had. I also thought that the footage from Passion cut beautifully with the HVX. Good job. Reversing the chains was excellent. I watched it without sound and the images spoke for themselves. Keep up the good work.

[Digital Angel]

umm, im not religios and so am not touched by this. It was nice in places, but because it is so religios its funny. The evils of drink, the taunting by men. The content wasnt very good but the shooting was pretty nice. I think you shuld get away from easter flicks, realy doesnt do you justice.

BTW hope u have permision to use passion of the christ footage. Oh its in house, nvm.

Just watched it again, oh man. I may be the only one who realy didnt like this, or the look. In the clichey drugs scene the bright areas are so blown out i couldnt realy watch it. The acting and especialy at the end where she reaches to the cross realy wasnt neccesary. I think if you had toned it down and shown more suble things, but the fact that guys chased her, her friend died like all in the same day. I think changing the girls clothes between events would have givien it more realism. Im not sure, but i thinik she was even wearing he same thing when she visited her dead friends grave. I dont want to sound like im dissing you, just giving my review of your work, from a pretty inexperianced non biast persons point of view. Oh and the music about the lamb, i had to mute it, :(.

It would be interesting for me to shoot a religios vid. I would probably get beaten up by the church goers for not going down the clichey road. This is bad, thats not good, oh that gives you pain, raises hand to jesus and cut.

Might try it over the weekend haha.

cya

[lpcvideo1]

Just watched it again, oh man. I may be the only one who realy didnt like this, or the look. In the clichey drugs scene the bright areas are so blown out i couldnt realy watch it. The acting and especialy at the end where she reaches to the cross realy wasnt neccesary. I think if you had toned it down and shown more suble things, but the fact that guys chased her, her friend died like all in the same day. I think changing the girls clothes between events would have givien it more realism. Im not sure, but i thinik she was even wearing he same thing when she visited her dead friends grave.

I thought that about the clothes, and the ending too. The blow outs didn't bother me though.

[LighthouseMedia]

Thank You kindly for your opinion Digital Angel. I respect what you had to say.

[Brandon Rice]

beautiful.... just beautiful

[Spartacus]

"Easter Project in SD on HVX200"

was it shot on DV or DV50?
P2 or cassette?
It looked great!
No comment on the content though.

[Mud-Town Productions]

LightHouse....

Great stuff you shot here, as a believer I was deeply touched by this. Favorite was the analogy of the chains(or sins restraining us) being removed as Jesus died for them. Only part I wasn't too giddy about was in the inverse effect hip hop montage of the dead girl. That my personal opinion.
Respectively...believer or not, recognize it for the art and not the message.

Great job, keep up the good work!

[KingsReign]

I thought it was excellent, very well done...I am getting either the HVX or HD100 very soon and this clip added another + to the HVX. The footage looked great.

Same question as above reguarding what format it was shot in?

[PerceptionFilms]

I loved it also. Looked really good.

[LighthouseMedia]

hey all this was 720/24PN...on P2

[danny d]

the scene with the father arguing with the daughter is definetly the best scene. although it was ambient light or mayb ejust practicals it worked very well. the camera moves remind me of the dialog scenes in any given sunday. keep it up great use of the HVX. yes you should seriously consider making a film.

[danny d]

was that a cine setting

[Spartacus]

hey all this was 720/24PN...on P2

so "Easter Project in SD on HVX200" refers to the final output?
You recorded in HD and downrezed for the DVD...?

Still looking for more DV50 footage...