MarkyMarkV
Member
I recently built a slider loosely based off the Film Riot design, but made a few changes to better suit my filmmaking needs. I really wanted to show off the cinematic quality that DIY sliders can bring to your own productions, so I decided to create a short reel and attempt to tell a story along with it.
The story is entirely based on symbolism and is thus up to your own interpretation. I was trying to deliver the idea that despite the day ending, and thus the night coming, the possibility of new adventures (and happiness) is still very real. The end of one happy thing does not mean an end to all happy things, and the car driving off at the end symbolizes the start of a new adventure.
Hope you enjoy it!
P.S. I will be posting much more content in the coming weeks as college apps are nearly finished!
Music:
Earth – The Pale Blue Dot (Piano Instrumental) by Michael Marantz.
He does great work, so check him out!
Hardware:
Canon T2i w/ Magic Lantern and Cinestyle
SMC Pentax-A 50mm f/1.4
SMC Pentax-A 35-70mm f/4
Software:
Sony Vegas
Magic Bullet Looks
Neat Video
So, as far as the changes to the Film Riot slider go, I went with a 2x2 electrical box instead of a 2x1, because I wanted extra rod support since my slider is 5 feet long. The extra set of holes that the rods were threaded through also allowed the rails to be kept off the ground using a spacer so the platform wouldn't drag. Additionally, I added a 2x6 wooden board and finally, an adjustable steel sawhorse. The thing is definitely ruggedized, so I'm not worried about anything breaking.
I know there are a few problems with it in terms of stabilization and rolling shutter, but from what it looked like before treatment, the footage looks much better. Some of the rolling shutter was actually created as a result of Sony Vegas 10's built-in image stabilization feature, unfortunately. I'm working on an older computer, so I didn't have much of a choice in dealing with it.
Neat Video did a great job getting rid of a lot of noise (not as good as Magic Bullet Denoiser) but it's acceptable. Neat Video definitely made color grading in Looks much better, and helped me get the colors I wanted.
Anyway, just wanted to share this with you guys! Critiques appreciated!
Thanks!