GH4 Is there any well lit GH4 footage?

muroshi said:
But after looking at the actual footage on youtube, everything shot with this camera looks like video
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You can make almost any camera look like "video", but alternatively you can make almost any camera look more "filmic" ( I really hate this term ) with controlled lighting and the right post processing.

...I haven't checked these videos for "filmic-ness", but you will likely find something close to what you are after among the 805 GH4 videos in the Vimeo GH4 Group
 
TheDingo said:
You can make almost any camera look like "video", but alternatively you can make almost any camera look more "filmic" ( I really hate this term ) with controlled lighting and the right post processing.

...I haven't checked these videos for "filmic-ness", but you will likely find something close to what you are after among the 805 GH4 videos in the Vimeo GH4 Group
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I totally agree with what you are saying. However, the OP is correct when saying there's a lack of narrative films shot on the GH4. Filmic (whatever that means)? Yes. Narrative. No.
Of the 805 movies in that group, I haven't found any that involved capable actors with dialog, or controlled lighting, or a traditional narrative plot. That's what's weird. Maybe all the good stuff is still being edited and it's about ready to explode onto the interwebs.
But that GH4 Vimeo group is full of slo-mo tests, weddings, vacations, tourist videos, tests, cats, gimbals, aerials, comparisons, cats, and more slo-mo tests. I'm waiting for the narrative stuff.
 
mcbob said:
Film doesn't have moire and aliasing. Video does. Film is an organic chemical reaction, digital is digital.
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Film film does have these artifacts. Take a Film film image of a screen door and one will often get 'moire' effects, due to aliasing. Take a Film film moving picture sequence at 24 fps, of a moving vehicle with 'spoked' wheels and you will get a 'time warp' artifact that is well known. Take an object moving faster than, as the rule of thumb has it, 5 seconds to cross the entire frame, and one has strobing effects.

Take Film film at lower than it's 'required' exposure, boost it by push processing and one has 'grain' artifact to beat the band.

Etc.

While the Digital Camera has moire due to its raster of sensors, that does not mean Film film was without either equivalent or even in some cases 'worse' artifacts when pushed to its limits (such as golfball sized grain when under exposed and over developed...).
 
dvbrother said:
I totally agree with what you are saying. However, the OP is correct when saying there's a lack of narrative films shot on the GH4. Filmic (whatever that means)? Yes. Narrative. No.
Of the 805 movies in that group, I haven't found any that involved capable actors with dialog, or controlled lighting, or a traditional narrative plot. That's what's weird. Maybe all the good stuff is still being edited and it's about ready to explode onto the interwebs.
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It took about 2 years after the GH2 camera was first introduced before people like Shane Carruth ( "UpStream Color" ) or Gami Orbegoso ( "Musgo" ) came along and showed us what a hacked GH2 was truly capable of.

I think it's too early to expect to see the same sort of thing from the GH4. ( I fully expect to see some significant films shot with the GH4 and AS7, but probably nothing until next year )
 
dvbrother said:
Of the 805 movies in that group, I haven't found any that involved capable actors with dialog, or controlled lighting, or a traditional narrative plot. That's what's weird. Maybe all the good stuff is still being edited and it's about ready to explode onto the interwebs.
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I have been noticing a decline in certain activities over the last couple of years. The several 'scriptwriting' fora that I am a member of, have pretty much petered out. I've also noticed a decline here of such things as the DVXUSER fest, which when I first tuned in here in 2005 was almost an ever couple of months (or so it seemed...) thing... Now it's like pulling teeth just to get one going for the end of the year... look here for a thread that's been around since February...

In my own case, I have found it exceedingly difficult to find and maintain a group in my area, since Real(tm) Filmmaking is a group activity. I thought I had found one, and participated in several 'other people's' projects... but just when it looks like I have the time on the horizon, the group seems to be drifting away...

So, I may be looking again for another group soon...
 
muroshi said:
Here's something more illustrative for narrative:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5niWpEJQxJk

My T2i doesn't look like video from what I can tell.
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What makes something video and what makes it film? I'm curious as to what asthetics of image you are looking for? Is it DR? Is it softness? is it low contrast flat look? I want to get to the heart of what you are looking for in an image other than subjective words like 'filmic' and 'video'

Are you saying the video posted above is video or filmic? I don't like the example you posted as I don't like the lighting on all of the outdoor shots. I don't think its a good example of what the camera can do at all.
 
muroshi said:
My T2i doesn't look like video from what I can tell.
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The T2i was a hell of a camera when it came out and made me a lot of money, but I would´t say it looked like film;)

Ok, I remembered this: http://vimeo.com/74573072
So the t2i can look very very nice in the right hands.
But I´m sure we`ll see similar stuff from the GH4 soon...
 
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TheDingo said:
Kendy has a fairly elaborate post process to get his T2i footage to look this way, so this really has nothing to do with the T2i itself but rather it's all about how Kendy shoots and cooks his footage in post.
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And there's a lesson to be learned about how to get the best out of these cameras. It seems no coincidence that all the footage is shot on overcast days or in soft light, so that everything fits into what the dynamic range of the camera can handle. Shooting with vintage lenses or placing glass filters over the lens as this filmmaker did creates an organic, old-school feel to the footage. Again, this might contribute to the idea of something being "filmic" and it has absolutley nothing to do with the camera itself.
 
dvbrother said:
And there's a lesson to be learned about how to get the best out of these cameras. It seems no coincidence that all the footage is shot on overcast days or in soft light, so that everything fits into what the dynamic range of the camera can handle. Shooting with vintage lenses or placing glass filters over the lens as this filmmaker did creates an organic, old-school feel to the footage. Again, this might contribute to the idea of something being "filmic" and it has absolutley nothing to do with the camera itself.
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Agreed 100%

That is the case in the ballet footage. The outdoor shots were under the harsh light conditions.
 
RatLabProductions said:
Agreed 100%

That is the case in the ballet footage. The outdoor shots were under the harsh light conditions.
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I hate to disagree since we're on the same page about this topic, but all the exterior footage in that video is on a cloudy day. She even has an umbrella and it's raining in a few shots. So it's very low contrast and easy for a DSLR to render, relatively speaking. In any case, it's a good looking film.
 
RatLabProductions said:
This one?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5niWpEJQxJk

The skies look pretty clear and sunny to me.
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Ha! No, I was talking about the one about the dancer that was shot on the t2i! Sorry!

Regarding the GH4 video you are referencing, I can't say I'm a big fan of it. The style is not my cup of tea. From the lens choice, to the sappy contempo score, it makes me cringe. I say that in a nice way because I know the filmmakers put a lot of effort into it but...not very well directed.
 
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mcbob said:
HOWEVER, it's not always the case. The popular example is 'Saving Private Ryan,' much of which was shot at 45 or 90 degree shutter to eliminate motion blur, and still looks very much like film
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Because it is film?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120815/technical?ref_=tt_dt_spec

It's also not depth of field or sharpness. Welles was famous for using very deep focus.
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I've found that it makes a big difference if it is shot in b/w or color.

If you like your T2i better, use that.
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I've come to the same conclusion. There seems to less benefit for getting a GH4. Both cams have quirks. I can work around the quirks of the T2i better. Without the need of a expensive speedbooster.
 
dvbrother said:
Your in PAL land, right? Just shoot at 1/50th. Whether in 24p or 25p, a 1/50th shutter speed will give you filmic motion blur and will be safely flicker free under fluorescent, LED and HMI light sources.
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Thanks a lot dvbrother.
 
RatLabProductions said:
What makes something video and what makes it film? I'm curious as to what asthetics of image you are looking for? Is it DR? Is it softness? is it low contrast flat look? I want to get to the heart of what you are looking for in an image other than subjective words like 'filmic' and 'video'

Are you saying the video posted above is video or filmic? I don't like the example you posted as I don't like the lighting on all of the outdoor shots. I don't think its a good example of what the camera can do at all.
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With filmic I didn't want to say it should replicate film, as some people seem to have understood me. I apologize, if my wording was sloppy.

Frankly I can't tell you, but it has something to do with the fluid motion of people in these projects (and in this dancer example), maybe in combination with the sharpness (some panasonic lenses seem to postsharpen the image in camera, maybe it's something that can't be avoided with any lens).

I have to think deeply about movies I liked not only from the storytelling but also from a cinemathic perspective.
Badlands and no country for old mind come to mind. I also like the documentary feel of some films from Kieslowski. Elephant from Gus van Sant was great (Harris Savides I believe) and Bubble from Soderbergh.

For color photography: I like William Egglestone, Stephen Shore.
 
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dvbrother said:
Ha! No, I was talking about the one about the dancer that was shot on the t2i! Sorry!

Regarding the GH4 video you are referencing, I can't say I'm a big fan of it. The style is not my cup of tea. From the lens choice, to the sappy contempo score, it makes me cringe. I say that in a nice way because I know the filmmakers put a lot of effort into it but...not very well directed.
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lol I should have been more specific. I was wondering when you said overcast. I went back and to make sure I didn't miss something there. I agree with everything you said above. Not a great sales film for the camera.

muroshi said:
With filmic I didn't want to say it should replicate film, as some people seem to have understood me. I apologize, if my wording was sloppy.

Frankly I can't tell you, but it has something to do with the fluid motion of people in these projects (and in this dancer example), maybe in combination with the sharpness (some panasonic lenses seem to postsharpen the image in camera, maybe it's something that can't be avoided with any lens).

I have to think deeply about movies I liked not only from the storytelling but also from a cinemathic perspective.
Badlands and no country for old mind come to mind. I also like the documentary feel of some films from Kieslowski. Elephant from Gus van Sant was great (Harris Savides I believe) and Bubble from Soderbergh.

For color photography: I like William Egglestone, Stephen Shore.
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I think shooting BMCC is what your looking for to capture the film look.
 
TheDingo said:
Kendy has a fairly elaborate post process to get his T2i footage to look this way, so this really has nothing to do with the T2i itself but rather it's all about how Kendy shoots and cooks his footage in post.
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So we don´t need to point out ANY camera, because looks are created in post these days...?;)
 
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