T2i Music Video - Nikon glass... my first.

Interesting feedback. Though I was shooting tungsten film for fashion shoots long before there was a DVX forum (back when there was fast tungsten film...) I wasn't trying to emulate traditional three point; I had a leko outside the window (a leko up 13' on a c-stand is not totally advisable) and a 150 and 500 fresnel inside. No bounce, no scrims, everything direct (even covered the ceiling in black seamless). Thing is, the last thing I wanted was "natural", with the mixed color temps and heavy gelling on the wall. I just played with it until I liked it, and the frames look just like my concept art. But, I have my own likes & dislikes for this sort of thing, maybe more retro than many people.

For a narrative feature? No way. But I have to light "naturally" all day, gets boring.

The frames below are fairly common throughout - I really don't think of this as three-point (they both use only 2 lights and no fill - though the dirty window softened the blue light)... I guess my overridng thought is it's fairly close to what I envisioned (I wanted some haze, but you really need a deep room for that to work, this was 12 x 15 - with springs & a mattress leaning against the back wall).

1283459203.jpg


What disappointed me the most was the murkiness of some of the closeups - I'm finding the tungsten setting on the Canon to be really picky about rendering warm colors, like you really need some big highlights or cools in the frame. Would have reshot those with more time. My commercial gigs with camera have been daylight - just caught a spot I did on comedy central and it was snappy as hell, even on an SD set - I need to experiment more with low key stuff, as those sorts of product stills look awesome from my D90, same lighting & style. Something about Canon's video compression seems to react with certain colors in an odd way.
 
Re: Music Video

Re: Music Video

No offense but I just didn't like it. To me, the quality is just not as good as I'm pretty sure that t2i can get. The wobble, eh, what are you gonna do, it's ok, even Hollywood films have it. But, it just reminded of a pure 90s video, look toos much like a video camera, and muddy as someone else said I think. I'll attach one of my own (2nd one I did ever with a Canon 7D, no budget at all. the guy paid me 40 bucks) and let you rip it or not. And, remember there are plenty on here who are going to have opinions (bad) but when you look at their posts, they have no vids to show. Period. F it.
P.S. I want your follow focus.
 
Michael Carter said:
Interesting feedback. Though I was shooting tungsten film for fashion shoots long before there was a DVX forum (back when there was fast tungsten film...) I wasn't trying to emulate traditional three point; I had a leko outside the window (a leko up 13' on a c-stand is not totally advisable) and a 150 and 500 fresnel inside. No bounce, no scrims, everything direct (even covered the ceiling in black seamless). Thing is, the last thing I wanted was "natural", with the mixed color temps and heavy gelling on the wall. I just played with it until I liked it, and the frames look just like my concept art. But, I have my own likes & dislikes for this sort of thing, maybe more retro than many people.

For a narrative feature? No way. But I have to light "naturally" all day, gets boring.

The frames below are fairly common throughout - I really don't think of this as three-point (they both use only 2 lights and no fill - though the dirty window softened the blue light)... I guess my overridng thought is it's fairly close to what I envisioned (I wanted some haze, but you really need a deep room for that to work, this was 12 x 15 - with springs & a mattress leaning against the back wall).

1283459203.jpg


What disappointed me the most was the murkiness of some of the closeups - I'm finding the tungsten setting on the Canon to be really picky about rendering warm colors, like you really need some big highlights or cools in the frame. Would have reshot those with more time. My commercial gigs with camera have been daylight - just caught a spot I did on comedy central and it was snappy as hell, even on an SD set - I need to experiment more with low key stuff, as those sorts of product stills look awesome from my D90, same lighting & style. Something about Canon's video compression seems to react with certain colors in an odd way.
Click to expand...

I guess we will have to just settle on differences of taste. If that is how you designed it, then you achieved the look you were going for. You obviously know what you want and how to get it, which is admirable.

Maybe it's the mixing of colour that's bugging me. And I know it isn't 3 point lighting, but it had that feel.Tthe "highlights on one side of the face" look that I really don't like.

I will second Screenforme's comments that it looks like 90's video. That is exactly the way I felt the instant I saw it.
 
Michael Carter said:
...the last thing I wanted was "natural", with the mixed color temps and heavy gelling on the wall. I just played with it until I liked it, and the frames look just like my concept art. But, I have my own likes & dislikes for this sort of thing, maybe more retro than many people. For a narrative feature? No way. But I have to light "naturally" all day, gets boring.
Click to expand...

The dramatic series that just won (another) Emmy for best cinematography was CSI, and I'd argue that they use this style of lighting consistently throughout the series. The video is nice because of how you did it - not in spite of it.

Great work!
 
Screenforme said:
And, remember there are plenty on here who are going to have opinions (bad) but when you look at their posts, they have no vids to show. Period. F it.
Click to expand...

Funny, I just had that discussion off-line with a member...

I wouldn't rip your vid at all - dude got his money's worth. Sense of place, sense of who he is.

Had I been in your shoes, I would have really longed for a 2k, or an HMI, and get some "hard sun" highlights or modeling on his face... but for $40 and a hazy day, you did fine.

And I'm psyched, regardless of all the critics 'round here. Totally pleased with what I pulled off with no time or cash.
 
I thought your lighting & composition was very strong. I'm surprised 'some' people didnt like it. It was an artistic choice (and a good one) and you pulled it off very well. Great job.

My one complaint is the editing was.... slow.... and the shots of the singer became redundant. Even if you kept him in the room , a few different angles instead of the same ones repeating would've been better.

Other than , this is was a great job bro.

I'm just finishing up my very 1st T2i music video. I would love your opinion , along with everyone else ( even the haters..lol) j/k.

keep doing what you do!
 
looks really good! its all up to personal taste and i think it looks very professional. some people are just jealous they cant pull off something like that!
what lenses did you use?
 
Well even though i liked it....I dont really like when people that dont like it express their view and are labeled as "Haters" ( or whatever)...or have to prove their work and stuff. Some people will like it some won't...simple as that.
 
Answering the lens question: Indoors, primarily a Nikon series E 28mm 2.8 (AIS) with some 50mm 1.8 AF; Outdoors I added a 100mm 2.8 series E.

A few shots were done with a lens from a toy plastic camera, which I mounted to a rails mount with a spring so I can tilt/shift it. (like the moving closeup of the girl's face). That lens also has a plastic wide-angle adapter on it. It's got a beautiful look that the bright sky killed to some extent, definitely going to play some more with it. No f-stop control, and you focus it by nudging it on the spring, but some cool potential there.

I shot all the lens flares and light leaks as plates and didn't use plugins for those. Most of those with a 750 fresnel shot through a black card with various sized pin holes, using the plastic lens, with magnifying glasses, baggies, or old CD covers in front of the lens.

That process got me very interested in shooting textures, smoke, particles, etc. and overlaying them (for instance, the "dissolving watch" has a plate of dust being poured in front of a greenscreen - seems more "organic" than a particle system). I've done a lot of still product stuff with multiple exposures on film, and gotten very random, "organic" blurs and glows. I'm definitely going to play with something along those lines for motion work.
 
Hey Michael,

I think you did a great job. Yes, nice soft lighting.

congrats on the 1st music video. I'm still trying to get my first one done...
 
Thanks. The problem I've found - getting started with a band is like herding cats. Even offering a free video is a logistics nightmare. I finally went looking for singer-songwriter types.
 
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