My first Promotional Video for a Winery
- Thread starter mosesm
- Start date
The exterior, field clips were well framed, interesting, and well cut, decent and appropriate music.
The lighting on the talking heads was very flat-dull, even underexposed for a dimly lit scene. Since much of the video was of the two talking, a little warmer lighting with some highlights would be better IMHO.
Grant
The lighting on the talking heads was very flat-dull, even underexposed for a dimly lit scene. Since much of the video was of the two talking, a little warmer lighting with some highlights would be better IMHO.
Grant
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
I agree the outside shots were well framed and well exposed. I also agree that the interior interviews were underexposed. But for me it goes deeper than this.
It felt more like a documentary to me. A promo video should be uplifting. Where were the shots of people enjoying the wine? Maybe even a tasting party? I would probably have conducted the interviews outside in that wonderful light with the vineyards in the background.
There was no movement. No pans, no tracking, nothing. It felt very static. Most of the cuts were straight cuts with the exception of the talkover during the portion where the wine was being strained out of the barrels.
I don't mean to be so critical here. It just seemed like this had the potential to be amazing in that environment, and I felt so much more could have been done with it.
It felt more like a documentary to me. A promo video should be uplifting. Where were the shots of people enjoying the wine? Maybe even a tasting party? I would probably have conducted the interviews outside in that wonderful light with the vineyards in the background.
There was no movement. No pans, no tracking, nothing. It felt very static. Most of the cuts were straight cuts with the exception of the talkover during the portion where the wine was being strained out of the barrels.
I don't mean to be so critical here. It just seemed like this had the potential to be amazing in that environment, and I felt so much more could have been done with it.
Thank you for your feedback.
Yes, the interwiews seems a little bit underexposed, perhaps i should have let the footage as it was straight from the camera (i darkened it in post).
if you felt more like a documentary, that was my intention because i don't wanted a idyllic world commercial.
The documentary style seems more credible and authentic.
If it felt very static, yes indeed also this was my intention. I watched a ton of films with sliders jibs etc and in many films it was used inflationary, every single scene had a camera movement.
I was never a still Photograph and so in an film scene for me there has not to be a movement, only because it is film. And i like the movement in Front of the Camera (like the Bottles in the capsule-machine).
An other reason is, i havo no slider but i will buy one ;-)
But thank you all for your feedback, that helps me reflecting what i have done and could have done better and it helps me getting better.
Yes, the interwiews seems a little bit underexposed, perhaps i should have let the footage as it was straight from the camera (i darkened it in post).
if you felt more like a documentary, that was my intention because i don't wanted a idyllic world commercial.
The documentary style seems more credible and authentic.
If it felt very static, yes indeed also this was my intention. I watched a ton of films with sliders jibs etc and in many films it was used inflationary, every single scene had a camera movement.
I was never a still Photograph and so in an film scene for me there has not to be a movement, only because it is film. And i like the movement in Front of the Camera (like the Bottles in the capsule-machine).
An other reason is, i havo no slider but i will buy one ;-)
But thank you all for your feedback, that helps me reflecting what i have done and could have done better and it helps me getting better.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
It seems the things we did not like (other than exposure) were things you intended. If so, well done.
One of the benefits of film versus still photography is movement. Movement can help us connect with the subject. It can give emotion. A slow move in to the speaker can help us connect with him or her. I also do not like to move the camera just to move it. But I will move it if it helps.
And yes, a slider is an EXCELLENT tool!
One of the benefits of film versus still photography is movement. Movement can help us connect with the subject. It can give emotion. A slow move in to the speaker can help us connect with him or her. I also do not like to move the camera just to move it. But I will move it if it helps.
And yes, a slider is an EXCELLENT tool!
Perrone is back! Welcome back!
I like your framing and personally, I prefer locked down shots most of the time so no complaint there and I agree 100% with your philosophy. However, I will say that your rack focusing is rather self-conscious, or so it seems to me. It seems most of the time you're doing it, as many others do, is simply because you can rather than shifting the viewer's focus for a reason.
It's not always easy to use techniques to help convey more information to the viewer but that's our job.
I like your framing and personally, I prefer locked down shots most of the time so no complaint there and I agree 100% with your philosophy. However, I will say that your rack focusing is rather self-conscious, or so it seems to me. It seems most of the time you're doing it, as many others do, is simply because you can rather than shifting the viewer's focus for a reason.
It's not always easy to use techniques to help convey more information to the viewer but that's our job.
It looks good.
While the static shot philosophy is fine, I would like to see something happening in the shots. Harvesting, pruning, walking through the vineyard; finally late in the piece we see some activity.
For the interviews, I don't mind the darker shot, but the wine in the background should be emphasized. I would like to see a warm accent light on it. Yes, we are to watch the person being interviewed, but the wine is the star also. I'd be tempted to keep the bottles in focus with the talent.
The framing of Peter bugs me a bit. He talks with his hands but we can't see them. He also hunches over and squashes himself into the lower part of the frame.
Even though Alexandra's framing is the same, it is much better because she brings her hands into the fame and she is sitting up.
While the static shot philosophy is fine, I would like to see something happening in the shots. Harvesting, pruning, walking through the vineyard; finally late in the piece we see some activity.
For the interviews, I don't mind the darker shot, but the wine in the background should be emphasized. I would like to see a warm accent light on it. Yes, we are to watch the person being interviewed, but the wine is the star also. I'd be tempted to keep the bottles in focus with the talent.
The framing of Peter bugs me a bit. He talks with his hands but we can't see them. He also hunches over and squashes himself into the lower part of the frame.
Even though Alexandra's framing is the same, it is much better because she brings her hands into the fame and she is sitting up.
silyn
Well-known member
I think it's not about styles - the "documentary style" vs. "an idyllic world commercial." It's about credibility - promotional video that consist only of opinions and narration coming from business owners is not as credible as it could be if it had some commentary coming from other people. Such commentary can be quite consistent with documentary style and IMHO would have created stronger promotional push without violating the chosen overall structure.
i had only 4 days in Italy for shooting and now there is not the time of many work in the wineyards. its too early in the season. But i plan to go there again in late september or early october for taking some harvesting shots and to take the interview in italian and english language.
Again thanks for all your comments.
PerroneFord
Deals in Lead
combatentropy
Veteran
I love it!
The interviews are not underexposed. The faces are at the right level. The lighting is, however, low key, which is fine. In fact I prefer the softness and naturalness over the garish and tired three-point lighting scheme complete with the fake-looking gobo. If anyone has watched one of Ken Burns's documentaries, like Jazz, this looks very similar --- or even to Rembrandt. What you might try next time, however, is to set it up so that the subject faces slightly toward, instead of away from, the light source. The shadows are slightly more interesting, and I think you see it more often in professional portraiture. A final thing that this has convinced me of is that I won't have the subjects sit in the same place. In my mind at least it reminds me that one sat and talked, then got up, then the other sat down in the same place and talked. I think it's easier on the brain to make it look like each subject is sitting in a different chair and it's possible, even if untrue, that they're all taking turns talking during the same interview. Just a touchy feely thing, really.
I also like that it's not some stranger narrating but that it's the people themselves telling their story, documentary style, again in a low-key way. Hyperness, hard selling, and fakeness turn me off.
And for that reason I like your shots' stillness. I'm tired of moving shots across every dramatic leaf.
The interviews are not underexposed. The faces are at the right level. The lighting is, however, low key, which is fine. In fact I prefer the softness and naturalness over the garish and tired three-point lighting scheme complete with the fake-looking gobo. If anyone has watched one of Ken Burns's documentaries, like Jazz, this looks very similar --- or even to Rembrandt. What you might try next time, however, is to set it up so that the subject faces slightly toward, instead of away from, the light source. The shadows are slightly more interesting, and I think you see it more often in professional portraiture. A final thing that this has convinced me of is that I won't have the subjects sit in the same place. In my mind at least it reminds me that one sat and talked, then got up, then the other sat down in the same place and talked. I think it's easier on the brain to make it look like each subject is sitting in a different chair and it's possible, even if untrue, that they're all taking turns talking during the same interview. Just a touchy feely thing, really.
I also like that it's not some stranger narrating but that it's the people themselves telling their story, documentary style, again in a low-key way. Hyperness, hard selling, and fakeness turn me off.
And for that reason I like your shots' stillness. I'm tired of moving shots across every dramatic leaf.
Ebrahim Saadawi
Carbonite Member
I liked everything. The exposure, the lack of motion, the framing, the music, it's all well done. Only thing I didn't like is the similar framing of the two subjects in the interview, they're on the same chair, same place, same angle and framing. It throws you off a bit. I think changing even only the camera angle to convey a different place would have made it much better. Good luck