Product Vid. of $30,000 watch

Mike Manning

Mike Manning

Well-known member
I shot this video on my DVX100B for the company's website. I didn't design the logo, but I did my best to make it look cool. Edited in Final Cut. The music I did in Garage Band. All Crits are welcomed...this is the first cut.

Click HERE to watch (no pun intended)

UPDATE: Here's a new cut... I haven't reshot it yet... but i think i might
 
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ehh

ehh

Well, from what I can tell the lighting was flat, and the color changing, didn't feel like it went with it well. And I wasn't feeling the garageband premade music that I hear everywhere.
 
What was flat about the lighting?
As far as the editing/color/"not smooth" editing style... I was trying to go the way of Tony Scott - with a heavy presence of editing and camera. D'Atlantis was looking for something pretty stylized. As far as the music goes...Garage Band's Garage Band. Nothing's gonna be original coming outta that program. But I do agree it might behoove me to spend a little more than the 20 mins I did to compile that.
What do other people think?
I was actually really suprised by the DVX's macro capbaililty. I had the watch nearly an inch away from the lense. I didn't realize I could do that.
 
Except for one of the shots it appeared as if the watch itself was shaking as if someone was holding it up. The last shot where the band turns over to show the name was just not smooth, again it had the appearance of an un steady hand turning it. The quality of the footage itself was good, very clear and detailed. For some reason whenever I think of expensive jewelry I picture it being shot on a black background.
 
$30,000?? It would be interesting to see a budget breakdown on that one, not that I would expect you to post it. I have to say your sales techniques must be pretty to get a $30,000 budget for a table top shoot and 1/ day edit....nice work. As far as the look I agree the shots could be smoother, but if the clients happy who cares what we say(:
 
dlang said:
$30,000?? It would be interesting to see a budget breakdown on that one, not that I would expect you to post it. I have to say your sales techniques must be pretty to get a $30,000 budget for a table top shoot and 1/ day edit....nice work. As far as the look I agree the shots could be smoother, but if the clients happy who cares what we say(:
Click to expand...

I think I can safely say that he meant the watch was $30K not the budget.
 
There's a couple cool shots in the mix, but I have to agree, looks like someone is holding the watch (shaking)
I don't have a problem with the white background or the lighting.
 
I think if you made the shots a little smoother and stayed on the face for a little longer time in order to focus on the movements of the watch and edited to the timing of the music would look a little better. If I was looking to unload $30K on a watch I would definetly want to see what it looks like.

Best,

Rob
 
The white background didn't work for me at all, I'd say find something else. I agree with all comments about it looking like someone was just holding the watch...and not steady. And if you want to sell a 30K watch, find some music somewhere other than this Garage Band thing. You even intimated that it's not that good. There's music everywhere better than that...

Sorry to sound negative on everything, I just think this looks like a rough draft to see if they like the concept before spending money on the real shoot. Is that the case?
 
I like the music. Get a lazy Susan and reshoot if you can. I totally agree about the handheld stuff looking bad. Get a macro and get some extreme closeups of the movement. Too much rack focusing I think. Everything needs to be slowed down IMO. I like the blurry intro and ending, but the watch jumps around too much. The watch out of focus builds a little anticipation I think. I like the fact that you edited to the beat.

-Kevin
 
I got paid 250 dollars for this...they aren't giving me the money to shoot it with a macro and pay for beter music. If they like this and decide they want to actually put out a budget and get something done, i'm down. But this is just for a fllash intro on their website....which isn't even up yet.
 
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For what you're trying to do I think it actually needs more movement, faster editing and some rack focusing with a couple of moments of super slow and smooth shots to contrast. I know it's probably a dead issue but just in case you get to do something else with this feel. I like the color splashes you used to get the Tony Scott feel. The lighting needs more dynamics (more highlights and shadows in the same shot)
 
I actually think its fine in its present form.... for $250 you gave them a hell of a lot more. Id like a little more music sync but as i said good job for the $$.

There was a shake and personally I thought it gave it a fast motion organic feel........
 
blindbuzta said:
Garage Band's Garage Band. Nothing's gonna be original coming outta that program.
Click to expand...

Eh... maybe if you are using loops. Garageband is incredibly powerful if you know how to use it. I have Logic Pro and Reason, but I choose Garageband almost every time I start a new song.

The video was fine, though. Especially for $250.00. And I think the music will work well because 99.9% of the people who see it have never even heard of Garageband.
 
I have to agree. Regardless of what image the company is trying to project, the watch needs to be shot on a controlled tabletop. This doesn't need to be extravagant, but you need some smooth coverage of the watch on a regulated spinner against the other stuff.

If you feel the need to do handheld on a $30k timepiece, I'd do it from a nice comfortable chair on a longer lens. Roll the camera and just wander - smoothly - around the subject with sweeps, miniscule snap-zooms and so on.

White background seems fine to me.

e
 
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