Your Crtique please

Jeff Anderson

Jeff Anderson

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Getting ready to roll out some video for a blog (shameless plug in my sig) and thought I'd get ya'lls thoughts on what I've got so far. Bear in mind its a rough setup right now and I've already got a few things I'm definitely going to fix with it. This is just the setup I got without having a stand in. Definitely want to add an eyelight and adjust the kicker a little - other thoughts?

I welcome some thoughts on the grading as well - I like it but I'm open to suggestions. And my hands look red because it was a bit cold. They actually were that color.

Thanks for taking a look!

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Oh and this is mainly going to be for gear reviews and any other random video musings I come up with but primarily gear reviews.
 
Hey Jeff,

Personally, if it was a dramatic/narrative scene, the lighting would be great, but for a variety review show, the mood is too dark and cold (not your hands, but the overall blue tint).

I would go for a more high key set up--light the background up, maybe with different color gels and also add a back light for the subject.

What kind of lights are you working with?
 
I think the side light and the fill work well I don't think a back-light is necessary here but certainly it does come across as to cool (colour temp). Try warming it up and I would emphasize the background lights more. I would also flood them more on the back shelf stand and wall but keep the corners of the frame dark for a vinyet effect.

Over all I think that a good look for this would be that of the British show 'Top gear' which means contrastier, slightly de-saturated and slightly warmer with vinyets done through lighting.
 
Interesting comments - definitely appreciated and will try some of that later today. I was actually going for a little cooler kind of CSI/Minority Report. I'll go for warmer and see what I can come up with.

Thanks for the Top Gear mention ColdPizza - I had forgotten about that show and will have to watch some this morning and get some inspiration.

Gear wise - I'm using a 1k VNSP PAR bounced into some foam core for the key. Also letting the PAR spill a little onto the fill side of my face. 250w ProLight off of camera left for the kicker and a 650W fresnel hitting the shelves in the background gelled blue.

Also have another 650 fresnel, a tota (750), and a couple of Zylight LED lights that are unused. And a variety of foam core and gels too. One of the zylights and its tiny softbox will get used for an eyelight probably.

Will try a little brighter/warmer background and err towards the warmer side of things in grading.

Was originally looking to hear problems with the mechanics of my lighting, but now I'm really interested in hearing more thoughts on the overall look.

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated!
 
Jeff,

i think Evil was right on with his comments. The look doesn't exactly work with the concept. A CSI-esque look is sweet, but it works with the idea that there are dead bodies to be looked at. Maybe if you were demo-ing how to embalm or fix up cadavers your lighting would work.

I might widen out a little, and have a soft, warmer fill, as others have said. Seems like you are leaning in/over quite a bit. I can't tell what is behind you, but make it work with your shows... perhaps some tools hanging up for DIY segments, or even extra stands/video equipment. If you can squeeze more depth away from your BG try that too.

A backlight would help with your dark jacket/dark BG. They blend in especially on a web video. If you brighten/warm it up it might not be needed.

As with most work, if the story (or content in this case) is good, the look won't matter as much. Can't wait to see how it turns out.

On a side note– you been practicing on a steadicam since Chicago? I have... still have a lot more to do...
 
Whats up Mike?

Yeah I've been living in the vest at least an hour a day since Chicago. My control has gotten a lot better, but still have a ways to go. Have also managed to put little gashes on every outside corner in the house with the arm... needed to paint anyways :) Practice, practice, practice...

Heh, you never know I may have to get into the cadaver business. I'll post up with something a bit warmer and happier - maybe more CSI: Miami ish...

Yeah the black jacket is getting the boot. Didnt even think about what I was wearing until I started color correcting. Probably move the side light to more of a backlight like you are talking about anyways as my head doesnt pop as much as I'd like against the background too. Good point on the web video as this most likely will be a youtube bit and need as much help as it can get before the compression muddies it all up. Will have to play with the background a bit too and see what kind of depth I can simulate - I think I can get a few more feet out of it too with some more cleaning of the garage...

Yeah I'm hoping the content will be good. Making my notes and such today and shooting tomorrow. Just kinda wanted to have it stand out against some of the other podcasts I see and have a consistent stylized look to it.

Appreciate the comments and will post up soon with some changes. Thanks Mike!
 
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hows about this one? A warmer version - still need to tweak the kicker for a bit more seperation but I only last about 5 minutes out there... Warming back up tomorrow... And as Mike noted earlier I'm hunched over because I have no chair - need to go buy one I guess...
 
Jeff:

Lighting on you looks much better but that BG needs some help (not the lighting, the art direction). Do you have a larger room where you can separate yourself from the BG a lot more? To me, it just looks like a cluttered storage room, sorry. Perhaps some glass, chrome, shiny, backlit sort of stuff back there, way back there (add much more depth). If you are doing tech reviews, I would love to see more edit bay or production gear looking stuff back there or a stage with lighting grip gear, etc.

The shadows of the rack on the wall behind you looks low rent. I know its tough if that is all of the room you have, have you considered changing the location to somewhere with more room/opportunities for art direction/production design? Ikea is your friend, I have art directed and shot many similar setups with nothing but $500.00 at Ikea and it has ended up looking decent. Just think, techie, backlit, shiny and chrome or mirrors. Oh yeah, mirrors can add a ton of depth if used correctly.

I know its just for a website but better BG = better shot.

Dan
 
Thanks Dan, I'm glad you like the lighting on me! Yeah its basically a fun no pay thing for my blog, but I definitely want the better shot - I'm pretty much stuck with that room (its my garage - which yes is a cluttered storage room), but I'll have to start looking at maybe how I can reconfigure it to get some more depth. I can probably get at least a few more feet.

I'll have to look around and see what spare stuff I can scrounge up and toss in the background. I can definitely do some a couple of lights on and toss my laptop and a monitor in the background. Art direction isnt something I put much thought into so I'll have to see what I can come up with. Sadly almost all of my gear is flat black... Have to look around see what chrome things I might have...

Thanks for thoughts - much appreciated - off to go look around and start art directing this!
 
Jeff:

Here are some more ideas for using the same space.

1. Always setup and shoot from corner to corner, it will maximize depth for any square or rectangular space.

2. Instead of going nuts at Ikea, try just a couple of hundred dollars. Buy two or three of the coolest, tech looking bookshelves. Assemble and build your BG by staggering three or four of them in a "w" shape so that you have differing depths of the shelves. Don't just put them behind you flat.

3. Take that other perhaps $100.00 and buy every cool looking little LED/LCD light or light strip you can get your hands on. Place some cool reflective objects (glass, chrome, mirror finish). Ikea used to have those cool colored glass globes that had bubbles in them. They would sell them with a small flat LED base so the color would glow up through the sphere. Also, Home Depot usually has some cool small length fluoros that you can wrap in party gels and back or front light objects.

4. Visit some garage sales and pickup some interesting looking cool items cheap. Doesn't matter if it works, doesn't matter if it is an old Red 8 track player, Tiki heads, chrome skulls, etc. As long is it is interesting looking. You need to give your little studio a "vibe". You want it to look cool, mysterious and tech. It's not that difficult, you just need to think outside the box and get creative.

5. You could also go more abstract with colored light strips on seamless paper. Black seamless paper with strings of fairy lights (Google it). There are tons of Christmas closeout at retailers still although its going away quickly. You can score some cool lights for almost nothing if you scrounge.

I just hate to see talking heads with boring, ugly and uninteresting BGs. Put some of your personality into the BG and make this thing your own. It just takes some time and creativity. Also, I would highly recommend either black seamless paper or black duvetine behind the bookshelves, that will mitigate most shadows and give you more depth in a way, especially with some carefull lighting. I disagree that because this is a tech show that everything should look bright and cheery. You and the gear you are talking about should look bright and well lit but since your BG looks "challenging", I would feather and fade off the light on the BG and just use small pools of light and little highlights on the objects on the bookshelves.

Dan
 
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Sorry if this makes you swear but I prefer the first version. The blue is striking and the shadows in the background hide the precise details of the background. The second version is OK, just a little more ordinary.

I'm not sure what the video is intended for but the blue version makes me think you're a 'Guy Ritchie'-style London gangster who's about to hand over the cash in the bag. :-)
 
Reptorama - thanks I'm glad you like the first one - I think I've come to terms with that even though I really like the look its just not right for this project. Its a gear review show that doesnt involve gangsters or dead bodies. The next gangster/dead body shoot I do I though I'm pulling that look out. Luckily its mostly in the grading in post.

Dangit Dan now you've got me all excited and I'm going to have to clean up the rest of the garage and really do this right. Unfortunately we are IKEAless in Tulsa, but Home Depot has lots of cool little lights and such to decorate with. I think my wife may hurt me if I go too far with this but I can definitely make it better with some interesting lights and a little more vibe - totally get what your saying there.

The bad part is that since this is just a shoot for fun there have to be some compromises and my garage still has to house all of my tools and act as a home for a variety of other things. I bet I can rearrange it all to look cool(er) though... Make it more of a man cave. Have to go to home depot and see what I can find... Definitely going to hunt down those fairy light things... those are tight... Yes my man cave needs fairy lights...

Thanks for the help guys - off to go make this kick some ass!
 
Jeff:

Congratulations! I can almost guarantee that no other human in the history of mankind has ever uttered or typed the words, "Yes my man cave needs fairy lights..." You have me on the floor with that one. ;-) It sounds straight out of the mouths of the Pythons.

No Ikea? That sucks, they are the low budget production designers best friend. My garage is full of cool little things I have scrounged for cheap at Ikea. But I agree. Oh, another one to consider is Pier One, not sure if they are in your neck of the woods either? Or Cost Plus World Market? Heck, even Target carries some pretty cool items these days, they try to copy Ikea.

D

Rock on! We want to see pics when you get it all done.
 
Now Pier1 we have! I always forget about that store because it smells funny... but they have all sorts of cool lights.

I've spun the "set" around in the garage and gotten a bit more length out of it and have a few of the built in shelves and a rolling toolbox in the background that help break it up. Still not exactly "ideal" but even without any fancy lights and accents in the background it looks better.

Now I just need to wait until my wife gets home this afternoon so I can jump the van battery and go get some fancy fairy lights and a few of those undercounter accent things. Stupid cold weather...

Will definitely post up when its done or at least when its done enough to shoot the first one - I'm sure its going to continue to evolve for a while... Glad you enjoyed my fairy comments Dan - they need to call em Man Lights or at least make them gender neutral and call them lightning bug lights or something... Guess fairy lights is what stuck though...
 
I know, the first time I heard that term, I was like, "beg pardon?" ;-)

Good luck with your garage studio. Keep posting those stills, we wan to see what you come up with.

Dan
 
Geez we are a town with a lack of cool lights! Pier1 doesnt have but two table lamps in the whole store, Target had some christmas looking lights but nothing great. Local craft store had plenty of old normal christmas lights for cheap though so I picked up a string of those - fantastic! And they have a nice warm glow to them. Going to pick a few more strings tomorrow and go to town. Will post pics up tomorrow after I shoot the first episode! Will of course keep updating the set as we shoot more and take more suggestions as to how to make it cooler. Going to have a nice lo-fi feel to it, but I'm a lo-fi kinda guy so I suppose it works. Next up I need some old neon signs or something...
 
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Ok, its getting better, but still not great. Its been a long day and will look at it more this week to see what I can do. Going to start shooting anyways and just let it progressively get better as the episodes progress. We'll call it a feature :)
 
I like both the first and second lighting setup. However the composition seems a little weird since you have to bend down to be in frame. I would tilt up a little bit more and maybe move the camera into a slightly wider shot so that you don't see that much under the table.
 
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