Grabs from Student Film *56k Death*
- Thread starter Znichols
- Start date
Thanks. We are shooting on the HDR-HC1, and there is no 35mm adapter involved, in my dreams maybe. No filters, and most is natural light with exception of the fx grabs. Grabs 13, 16, and the last one are all sky replacement that was done in post. The lightsabers and Lightning, as well as the sky replacement, is being created with After Effects.
SilverWolf
Veteran
The red and green lightsaber scene was excellent
pastywhiteboy
Well-known member
There's a bit too much diffusion for my taste on many of the grabs (way too easy to tell that you're using Magic Bullet!). Other than that, looks good with pretty even levels throughout - although the colorization is all over the place... scrolling through your grabs is like looking at a rainbow. Mostly good framing, though you seem to be hugging the center a lot and not utilizing the entire frame that you have a available, especially in that stairway shot.
Overall, looks like you worked well with your camera and looks like you'll have a fun to watch film.
-pastywhiteboy
Overall, looks like you worked well with your camera and looks like you'll have a fun to watch film.
-pastywhiteboy
The red and green lightsaber scene was excellent.
Thank you.
There's a bit too much diffusion for my taste on many of the grabs (way too easy to tell that you're using Magic Bullet!).
Magic Bullet eh? Everything was done in After Effects and Premiere Pro.
although the colorization is all over the place... scrolling through your grabs is like looking at a rainbow.
I was thinking that exact thing when I put these up. It makes sense though when taking the movie as a whole. Some of the sceen captures that look like they come from the same part of the film don't they are at different times. Like I said it will make sense in the end.
Mostly good framing, though you seem to be hugging the center a lot and not utilizing the entire frame that you have a available, especially in that stairway shot.
You know, I didn't even notice that until you said it, weird. Funny thing is, on another forum someone just told me I need to work on my framing because I don't obey the rule of thirds. I agree with you though.
Overall, looks like you worked well with your camera and looks like you'll have a fun to watch film.
Thanks. I certainly hope it will be.
Thank you.
There's a bit too much diffusion for my taste on many of the grabs (way too easy to tell that you're using Magic Bullet!).
Magic Bullet eh? Everything was done in After Effects and Premiere Pro.
although the colorization is all over the place... scrolling through your grabs is like looking at a rainbow.
I was thinking that exact thing when I put these up. It makes sense though when taking the movie as a whole. Some of the sceen captures that look like they come from the same part of the film don't they are at different times. Like I said it will make sense in the end.
Mostly good framing, though you seem to be hugging the center a lot and not utilizing the entire frame that you have a available, especially in that stairway shot.
You know, I didn't even notice that until you said it, weird. Funny thing is, on another forum someone just told me I need to work on my framing because I don't obey the rule of thirds. I agree with you though.
Overall, looks like you worked well with your camera and looks like you'll have a fun to watch film.
Thanks. I certainly hope it will be.
Znichols said:
Very impressive. Perhaps it is too glossy for a film. It has a music video / TV series color approach. Some DP goes for this though. The only shot that tells me it comes from the HC1 is the lightninggrab_1.jpg because of the chroma noise. You could light this scene a lot more, drop exposure and bring it down in post. You can't expect cameras to work properly without light
Some people find it hard to believe that ANY of the new HD cameras outperforms a DVX100 in terms of picture quality when scaled to SD. I believe your frames might convince them.
myfriendimage
Carbonite Member
I liked the soft glow on everything, good job.
James Gerber
Well-known member
What type of CC'ing are you doing?
I really like the colours/look of this shoot... was the look achieved within Premiere or After effects?
thx,
jg
I really like the colours/look of this shoot... was the look achieved within Premiere or After effects?
thx,
jg
myfriendimage
Carbonite Member
James Gerber said:What type of CC'ing are you doing?
I really like the colours/look of this shoot... was the look achieved within Premiere or After effects?
thx,
jg
Looks like they desaturated it, added a soft diffuse glow, bluish tint. Thats my guess.
I just noticed you are in film school (or you could be a lawyer sending a film to a fest, you could clarify that!). When I was in high school I had a teacher that would X with a red pen anything that had an X composition style with a vanishing point dead center. It is way too formal and symmetric and rarely works. It is something you should save for a library scene, a datacenter documentary and others things that need to express stability and formality. The vanishing point is pictorially an important position, so keep the character there but change your viewpoint so that the eye does not end up trapped to the center of the image. Generally, composition is a way to lead the eye through the image. Try to keep it interesting. The rule of thirds is a good guideline and will save you from many mistakes. Symmetry is easy and boring. It has the least ammount of energy and movement if you remember your physics. Try to balance in other ways. Try to visualise the parts of the frame in a fulcrum-lever way. Things that push and pull. Masses. Use something to lead the eye through the frame. Whatever is available. Leaves from a tree, a pathway, the trajectory of a moving element, a sidewalk etc. The eye is more pleased when moving in a diagonal or a more interesting curvy path to discover your element than when being forced to focus dead center on a frame. I noticed that you also could do better in terms of head space, horizon height in relation to eye level and other technicalities. You are using wide angle a little more than you should. Keep your actors closer and bigger relative to the frame dimensions. The audience will not criticise the composition but they will know there is something wrong with it. Get some books on the subject and seek advice from your teachers. You will discover many things that you might sense or feel now but cannot yet understand and use. It will certainly help you be more expressive and creative in your decisions. Today, getting a shot is far to easy and inexpensive. Then it is too easy to fool arround with color correction and effects and forget what it is all about. Photography. Composition. If a single frame stripped from color is not interesting, it's not cinematography.
(or you could be a lawyer sending a film to a fest, you could clarify that!). When I was in high school I had a teacher that would X with a red pen anything that had an X composition style with a vanishing point dead center. It is way too formal and symmetric and rarely works. It is something you should save for a library scene, a datacenter documentary and others things that need to express stability and formality. The vanishing point is pictorially an important position, so keep the character there but change your viewpoint so that the eye does not end up trapped to the center of the image. Generally, composition is a way to lead the eye through the image. Try to keep it interesting. The rule of thirds is a good guideline and will save you from many mistakes. Symmetry is easy and boring. It has the least ammount of energy and movement if you remember your physics. Try to balance in other ways. Try to visualise the parts of the frame in a fulcrum-lever way. Things that push and pull. Masses. Use something to lead the eye through the frame. Whatever is available. Leaves from a tree, a pathway, the trajectory of a moving element, a sidewalk etc. The eye is more pleased when moving in a diagonal or a more interesting curvy path to discover your element than when being forced to focus dead center on a frame. I noticed that you also could do better in terms of head space, horizon height in relation to eye level and other technicalities. You are using wide angle a little more than you should. Keep your actors closer and bigger relative to the frame dimensions. The audience will not criticise the composition but they will know there is something wrong with it. Get some books on the subject and seek advice from your teachers. You will discover many things that you might sense or feel now but cannot yet understand and use. It will certainly help you be more expressive and creative in your decisions. Today, getting a shot is far to easy and inexpensive. Then it is too easy to fool arround with color correction and effects and forget what it is all about. Photography. Composition. If a single frame stripped from color is not interesting, it's not cinematography.
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The only shot that tells me it comes from the HC1 is the lightninggrab_1.jpg because of the chroma noise. You could light this scene a lot more, drop exposure and bring it down in post. You can't expect cameras to work properly without light
Good idea. If I have time before my deadline I will try to reshoot this under different conditions.
Some people find it hard to believe that ANY of the new HD cameras outperforms a DVX100 in terms of picture quality when scaled to SD. I believe your frames might convince them.
Thanks! I personally love the DVX and would have opted for it had my budget not been so limited, but I am continually amazed by what my little HC1 produces.
What type of CC'ing are you doing?
I really like the colours/look of this shoot... was the look achieved within Premiere or After effects?
This was done in After Effects. I tinkered with the black and gamma levels a bit, tweaked the curves slightly, duplicated the footage layer and applied a blur and set the transparency to around 30%-45%. I also added the standard cooling (80) blue filter to the shot.
I just noticed you are in film school (or you could be a lawyer sending a film to a fest, you could clarify that!).
Ha, I should have made that clear. I'm technically not a film student persay, I am a film studies major at the University of Minnesota. This project is for the school's student film fest. Thanks a lot for your little lesson. I found it incredibly informative and I will try to keep some of the things you said in mind while I try to wrap this thing up.
Good idea. If I have time before my deadline I will try to reshoot this under different conditions.
Some people find it hard to believe that ANY of the new HD cameras outperforms a DVX100 in terms of picture quality when scaled to SD. I believe your frames might convince them.
Thanks! I personally love the DVX and would have opted for it had my budget not been so limited, but I am continually amazed by what my little HC1 produces.
What type of CC'ing are you doing?
I really like the colours/look of this shoot... was the look achieved within Premiere or After effects?
This was done in After Effects. I tinkered with the black and gamma levels a bit, tweaked the curves slightly, duplicated the footage layer and applied a blur and set the transparency to around 30%-45%. I also added the standard cooling (80) blue filter to the shot.
I just noticed you are in film school (or you could be a lawyer sending a film to a fest, you could clarify that!).
Ha, I should have made that clear. I'm technically not a film student persay, I am a film studies major at the University of Minnesota. This project is for the school's student film fest. Thanks a lot for your little lesson. I found it incredibly informative and I will try to keep some of the things you said in mind while I try to wrap this thing up.
angrynerdrock07
Well-known member
Surprised how nice the HC1 looks. I have to agree with the X composition on your shots, except for one. I love the bridge shot and I think the framing really demands the viewers attention. Limo hit the nail on the head, but you've got to remember that breaking the rules every now and then is also important (as long as you have a good reason to do it). Look at Wes Anderson's films. Often he puts things right smack in the middle of the frame and it works perfectly. Keep up the work!
eddavid
Carbonite Member
I'd just like to take this moment to one tell Znichols how nice his film looked and secondly commend Limo--you offer some very good feedback. This is good, constructive criticism. Composition is something that I am constantly struggling with and one thing that really helps is a book called the 5 c's of cinematography. You are a better shooter than I am but I just want to throw this book out there as extremely helpful in planning out all your shots.
I love the bridge shot and I think the framing really demands the viewers attention.
Thanks!
I'd just like to take this moment to one tell Znichols how nice his film looked
And thank you.
Things have been gettting pretty hectic, as we are trying to get everything filmed and cut before the deadline. Unfortunetly we have been force to adapt to a "run and gun" schedule which usually leaves me with less time to spend on scenes, but I'm doing my best. Here are some more grabs from what we have filmed.
Thanks!
I'd just like to take this moment to one tell Znichols how nice his film looked
And thank you.
Things have been gettting pretty hectic, as we are trying to get everything filmed and cut before the deadline. Unfortunetly we have been force to adapt to a "run and gun" schedule which usually leaves me with less time to spend on scenes, but I'm doing my best. Here are some more grabs from what we have filmed.
MatthewRyan
Well-known member
I love the color saturation of there grabs! Its amazing how such a small camera can pack such an amazing image. Do you have any clips you can post? I would love to see some of the footage in action.