Grungy look

T

tdolanguage

Member
Hi everyone--

I'm sure this post has already been done before and just haven't found it yet, so if you do find it, please just send me the link.

Anways, I'm shooting a film starting Sunday and I'm seeking a little image advice. I was originally planning on shooting the film on super8mm because I wanted the gritty look. Unfortunately, our super8mm camera is not going to be ready for the film, so I'm going to be stuck trying to get that picture on the DVX100B. Anyone have any ideas or tips on things I can do? I'm tring to get a softer, less crisp(/digital) image for the film, among other things.

Thanks for the help.

--Tim
 
Use a crappy 35mm adapter.


Seriously. A quick, home made Edwierdo 35mm adapter made out of PVC, glued together, with crappy GG screen would produce a nice effect. Shallow DOF, but a nice filmic look none the less.
 
Is that the only way? Is there anything in camera?

If not, do you have directions or a link to an easy way to buildthat 35mm adapter?

--Tim
 
I'd hold out for the super8... If your Chinon isn't going to be ready, buy another one. You can get a good super8 camera for a couple hundred bucks.
 
Thanks for everyone for the non-help and for giving me options I don't have instead of helping me do what I asked. Thanks for taking my post seriously.
 
tdolanguage said:
Thanks for everyone for the non-help and for giving me options I don't have instead of helping me do what I asked. Thanks for taking my post seriously.
Click to expand...

Dude, we were serious. Well maybe JH wasn't...

I'm sorry there isn't a magical "grungy setting" for the DVX. You could try boosting the gain and messing about with the detail level and master pedestal. but using a 35mm adapter or waiting for your super8 camera would probably be better options. Saying you want a grungy look is a bit vague anyway. Be more specific and maybe we can help more.

And don't whine. It isn't very manly.
 
The whole point of the DV in general is that it eliminates most of that gritty look, so there really isn't much you can do in camera to get it back. If you can't wait for the Super8 then get the effect you want in post. You can also trying lighting tricks like using indirect or diffused light to soften the image. Why don't you post an image or reference a film that has the look you want and maybe the users would be better able to tell you how to achieve it.
 
>options I don't have

you have all the options in the world... I scan this site daily for inspiration and new and exciting ideas and unique approaches.
 
I'm tring to get a softer, less crisp(/digital) image for the film, among other things
Click to expand...

I'd suggest getting a Mattebox and using some filters if not shooting clean (and then posting it)
 
Hmm,
You might want to up your saturation a bit,
but I think as others have said post is your best bet,
I think in the photoshop section they have threads on this matter,

I've picked up many a working super 8mm from my local goodwill, or wherever usually for under $20, nothing fancy but often with built in nd filters, and multiple lenses, finding the actual stock may be a bit more of a bother, call around... Just check the gate, and mechanisims before buying,



You could buy a filter or even make a clear one, and scratch it up,
open your iris more than you'd normally do, and pray you get texture..

Not trying to give you options you don't have but with the exception of some in camera saturation/gain options most of which might not look consistant,
you might want to stick with post...

.....
P.S I thought the combat boot post was priceless..
 
tdolanguage said:
Hi everyone--

I'm tring to get a softer, less crisp(/digital) image for the film, among other things.

Thanks for the help.

--Tim
Click to expand...

I guess a better question for this particular scenario would be: When shooting with a DVX which will give me the best image quality doing it in camera or doing it in post? As whilst you want a look (grungy, grain etc) you will still want to achieve it with the highest quality image as the end result you can. I suspect also to get this look has a lot to do with shot composition also (which you may full well understand anyway).

I cant answer that because to be honest I just havent done anything particularly grungy to get that experience, but I will watch this thread and hope someone answers because then Ill have a little more info for the files.
 
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I find that extremely high contrast cc plus reduced saturation gives a nice gritty look. I'm gonna be trying for my action film, in fact
 
If you are not sure how to get the look you want in camera (test...) then shoot it as claen as possible with the correct exposure and white balance. You can do almost anything in post.
 
Hmm...some tips

Hmm...some tips

I've been experimenting with this for a while. First off, i am not a fan of Magic Bullet or any other NLE emulation plug-in. They look nothing like super-8 film; perhaps some old damaged film it does an ok job, but not today's new super-8.

Super-8 isn't what it used to be. It scratches less easily, grain is much much finer, and now super 8 offered in high speed formats like Vision2 500T! Super-8 has come a long way. So basically, there are two super-8 looks that you need to determine. One, the Kodachrome look (warm color, low detail, lower contrast, somewhat grainy). Or the new super-8 of today (much crisper image, super saturated colors, low scratch ratio, super fine grain, [subjectively a more stable image]).

Regardless, here are some post tips not using plug-ins (i use avid):

Try duplicating your source dv video and place them on two separate video tracks. Superimpose both of the video tracks so we can mix the two images. What we want to do here is make the video have somewhat of a less defined detail to edges. We do this by dragging one of the two video tracks about one frame over. The superimposed effect should give the image a subtle blurred edge look. Adjust the superimpose levels to make corrections to the intensity.

Now, let's add some grain (okay here we can use a plug-in, but not magic bullet or anything expensive). Just add simple film grain effect TO ONE of your two video tracks. I find that adding it to two will over intensify the image, not looking like film grain but more like tv noise.

Next, fix the colors. Avid has a powerful color correction tool. I suggest first playing and increasing the saturation levels. Then increase contrasts so that the darkest are of your video is somewhat black. In your three color correction, you want to adjust the midtones to reflect a somewhat warm color (yellow, red, orange).

Okay, here if you really want to go all out there:

Find online some stock footage of 16mm film scratches or dust. Now, import it into avid and invert the color to this image. Next, you want to use the chroma key tool to key out the most predominant color in the image. You should be left with just specks of dust/scratches on top of a free alpha channel. You can now add this to a video track, superimpose, and adjust as needed. Now you have some authentic film grunge look.

Lastly, if you want to simulate an 8mm frame (8mm is not a square frame. The right top and bottoms of the frame are curved due to the film cartridge. You can manipulate this by playing with the IMAGE tool plug-in. Adjust the size and framing of the image through this. Just don't forget to do this on both video tracks.

Magic Bullet is a rip off. The effect it creates doesn't look like film grain. It looks like some static on top of DV. Anyone who thinks magic bullet makes video look like film, hasn't played with super-8 film too much.
 
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