American Idle

very funny, sadly very true, but then again we are the ones who create the media to go on the damn things! A tangled web we weave. How did ya do the graphics for the gun shot?
 
Thanks Avatuar. It's definitely a hypocritical statement, since I made a TV spot, against TV. But I had to do it. Maybe one of the anti-television organizations will pick it up, that'd be pretty funny.
The major graphics were done in Photoshop, then tracked & distorted in After Effects. The others were done in FCP.

Thanks again.
-CJ
 
I LOVE IT! lol...

Can you detail how you're getting such a wide aspect ratio on your framing? That looked wider than a 2:35:1 to me. Did you use the anamorphic lense? If so what else did you do?
 
I'm just starting out, so I'm no expert... but to me... your PSA, and the few things I had to chance to check out at your site, are amazing. Big fan here...Looking forward to watching some more of your clips.

Derek
 
Hey Storyteller,

Glad you liked it! Actually it was shot on the regular DVX, with no adapter. I just used a 2:35 matte in post. Like and editor I used to work with once said, I have the John Carpenter syndrome. Apparently Carpenter was giving a Q&A at a film school and a student asked why he shot everything in scope? Carpenter looked at him like he was the biggest moron ever and said, "Well, it's a movie. Isn't it?"

Thanks.
-CJ
 
panther0271 said:
I'm just starting out, so I'm no expert... but to me... your PSA, and the few things I had to chance to check out at your site, are amazing. Big fan here...Looking forward to watching some more of your clips.

Derek
Click to expand...

Thanks Derek! We're currently shooting a series of these mock spec spots, basically for demo reel purposes, and should have a lot more in the near future.

thanks again.

-CJ
 
ArkhamFilms said:
Hey Storyteller,

Glad you liked it! Actually it was shot on the regular DVX, with no adapter. I just used a 2:35 matte in post. Like and editor I used to work with once said, I have the John Carpenter syndrome. Apparently Carpenter was giving a Q&A at a film school and a student asked why he shot everything in scope? Carpenter looked at him like he was the biggest moron ever and said, "Well, it's a movie. Isn't it?"

Thanks.
-CJ
Click to expand...

I'm in complete agreement there about framing for scope. What did you do to frame for scope on the dvx itself though (I'm assuming you marked off the LCD with tape)? Can you tell us the workflo and measurements? Because I thought by using the crop bars in camera you only get a 1:85 frame on the dvx. (or is different with the DVX100a?) Need da info! Don't want to have to buy the anamorphic lens for my next short!
 
STORYTELLER32 said:
I'm in complete agreement there about framing for scope. What did you do to frame for scope on the dvx itself though (I'm assuming you marked off the LCD with tape)? Can you tell us the workflo and measurements? Because I thought by using the crop bars in camera you only get a 1:85 frame on the dvx. (or is different with the DVX100a?) Need da info! Don't want to have to buy the anamorphic lens for my next short!
Click to expand...

Personally, I've never been a big fan of the 16:9 adapters or using the cropping letterbox bars in the camera. Everything is done in post.
I wish I had a better answer for this, or a cooler way of doing it, but I just shoot the image 4:3 by eyeballing it, from what I remember should be close to 2:35. I'm usually not too worried about it, since you can slide the image up or down in post, where I put the 2:35 matte on. It's how I work on all of our films/music videos/etc.
Sometimes I'll put tape on the LCD, to show others what it'll look like, but most times, I'm doing all the operating and the tape bothers me because I can't see the DVX readings. Also, in FCP, I can animate the frame offset with the matte. Meaning, I can add in digital tilts to follow an actor or subject. You can do a lot of cool stuff, with great & unexpected results.

Hope that helps.

-CJ
 
Awesome awesome awesome...

Incredible lighting, love that blur around him in the master shot.

Great job.
 
Ok, last post, I promise, lol...

I understand what you're saying. But it seems like it could be problematic depending on the constraints of your location. I mean to do this, you have to basically pull your camera far from your subject to make sure they're in frame for your cropping. If you have a smaller room you're shooting in, you have to be concerned with how far away from the subject you can be, right? What do you do then?
 
that's a damn good question if you're not relying on 16:9 adapter or the likes. But the dvx does have a pretty WIDE angle. it usually compensates. but not the solution, i know.
 
Very nice look... Care to comment on your lighting set-up? Visually fantastic.

I wasn't a huge fan of the splatter on the window. Might have been better to do it on set. Love the headshot though!
 
STORYTELLER32 said:
Ok, last post, I promise, lol...
Click to expand...

No problem!

STORYTELLER32 said:
I understand what you're saying. But it seems like it could be problematic depending on the constraints of your location. I mean to do this, you have to basically pull your camera far from your subject to make sure they're in frame for your cropping. If you have a smaller room you're shooting in, you have to be concerned with how far away from the subject you can be, right? What do you do then?
Click to expand...

Well, you do have to position camera a little further away than you might normally, but not by much. Some of the shots from this spot for the CU's & ECU's were no more than 2-3 feet away. Of course it's a different story for the wide's & mediums.

Hope that helps.

-CJ
 
Griffinstudios said:
Very nice look... Care to comment on your lighting set-up? Visually fantastic.
Click to expand...

Thanks man. The lighting setup was fairly simple. I'll describe it as if looking at the wide/opening shot.
1k par coming from window area of the house, giving the main motivation for the lighting.
1 650 Fresnel from above & just behind the actor, coming in on his right side.
1k Fresnel for fill, bounced off the ceiling.
1 4 bank Kino Flo for additional fill & TV flicker that shows up better on the SD version of the spot.

Griffinstudios said:
I wasn't a huge fan of the splatter on the window. Might have been better to do it on set. Love the headshot though!
Click to expand...

I have an alternate version of the window shot with more brains & bits of skull, but I preferred the lighter version. As for doing anything with practical blood, I couldn't really convince the owner of the house that we'd be able to get the stains out. As my visual effects skills improve, I'm sure I'll be able to do better blood splatters in the future.

Thanks!

-CJ
 
John_Hudson said:
Great work Arkham; as always.

And I'm sold; we will be shooting Scope on our next short (Thanks to you).
Click to expand...

Thanks John. Can't wait to see more of Undead Nation in scope!

Of course our next spot, which should be up early next week, is at the 1:85 ratio. I guess I'll have to explain why, then.

Thanks again.

-CJ
 
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