final course reflection

I learned that there are tons and tons of cameras out there. They range from small little flip cameras, to Go pro cameras, to DSLR cameras, to HD professional video cameras, to expensive digital movie and film cameras. There are different types of sensors, and different sized sensors. Different cameras render color differently.

Lighting is very important in a film. Lighting sets the mood of the film. It directs the views eye. It creates emotion. It gives life to a film. Different lights have different effects and different shadows. Lighting wide shots are much harder than lighting close ups.

Video production is extremely time consuming. If you do not have a passion for film making, then you shouldn’t be in it. You have to love it. Not just want to do it. It has to be your life. It takes forever to write a script, do a shot list, floor plan, story board, figure out lighting, location scouting, finding actors, finding a crew, finding the right times to shoot, shooting, and editing. It’s not something that you can just do overnight. It takes effort and hard work. Most people just think that you come up with a video idea, then film some actors doing what they need to do. They are wrong. Pre visualizing and pre production are what sets a professional film apart from billy bob trying to make a short youtube video. It shows in the outcome. You can tell the different between someone who has planned their film, vs someone who just showed up and screwed around.

I learned about myself that I have potential. A month ahead of time for a film isn’t long enough for me. I have big dreams. Before I took this class, I did not want to direct. I wanted to edit. Now my brain has totally been rewired. I think differently and see the world differently. I am inspired. I cannot even watch a movie in the theaters anymore without breaking down the shots. Movie going has almost been ruined for entertainment. Now though, a lot of shots I see inspire me and make me want to make more films.

DP REEL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sjyPU02BlM&hd=1

Artist's statement

     To call one an artist is to claim that they create art. To call me an artist is what many people do. I do not call myself an artist though. I call myself a conveyer. A communicator. An entertainer. A nobody. A somebody. I do and I don't. For me, I make films and the films make me. So if the films make me, can you call the films artists? In the long run, the films I make have more of an impact on me, than I do on them. I mold them and make them in the beginning. Then, they are done. But each film that I make, helps mold me. They open my eyes, give me experience, and make me who I am. They have an everlasting effect on me. They are alive.

      I have visions, stories, and ideas that suddenly come to me. I could force myself to make a film, but those are the ones that have no passion. The visions that burst into my brain out of nowhere, unravel themselves without me putting effort into them. Those are the ones that I have a fiery and uncontrollable drive to convey. My OCD kicks in, and BAM, I go all out and create my film.

     My visions are not art. They are not films. They are an alternate reality in which my soul lives in. They are where anything is possible. My playground. I just like to make them visible for others to see and enjoy my own world. I am not an Artist. I am not a creator. I am a liver.

progress

I have been learning that there are so many things that go on behind the scenes of movies. The preparation is intense. I've learned about myself that I have the potential to be a great director. I did not want to be a director when I started this class, but now visions pop into my mind and I see the shots played out in my head and have motivation to go out and make it real. The only down side is that my visions would require a much bigger budget. My strengths are my creativity, my understanding of lighting, and my form of camera movement. To better my production skills, I would like to get better at special effects software, get better at pr-production, and work on getting a crew.

I hope to become a director or actor someday. I learned that the whole crew needs to be in tune to each other, and not just random people showing up to do the job. Relationships are what make a difference and can help the story line and shots be perfect.

cameras

Cameras make a big difference in making movies. Go pros can get POV shots, be mounted on cars, or be put in small areas that other cameras cannot get to. DSLR cameras can shoot in really low light and crush the depth of field.
Most cameras now use SD cards and not tape.

The best camera in my opinion is the 5D mark ii. Yes, there are other cameras out there with more power and capabilities, but for a super low price, you get a full frame sensor, full HD video recording, 22 megapixels for photography, great color rendering, a huge choice of lens, easy work flow- just use an SD card, film, then pop it into your computer and import straight to Vegas or Premiere, and you're ready to edit. It's small. The down sides are that it can over heat, there is no XLR jack for audio, it can't shoot 60fps, it uses a CMOS sensor, and shoots for about 12 minutes then cuts off.

The best camera out there right now I would say is the RED Epic, but it is too expensive.

DSLR

Advantages of DSLR Cinematography are that they are cheap cameras, they shoot full HD, can have a ton of different lenses and crush the DOF, use SD cards, are small, have large sensors and shoot well at night, and can do really good time lapses.

Some of their limitations are that they overheat, they only shoot 12 minutes nonstop, have CMOS sensors which cause Jelly Roll effects, can have shaky footage, and have no XLR input for sound.

The Sony ex3 with the redrock adaptor is great for video, but it's very expensive, and cuts a lot of light. Because it's big and heavy,  handheld shots are more steady.

a good video that shows how great you can make the 5D look with a simple glidecam. The details are super sharp and it's cheaper to get the set up, than a normal HD video camera.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Qv_oR_PFeE&hd=1

Scene Assignment reflections

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXN2MovmUsU

This assignment was actually pretty fun, except for being out on the quad in 31 degree weather for 4 hours in the middle of the night. I loved being able to use legit professional lights and going out on location. I was able to get a more professional look. It was more fun to film than class exercises. I learned that it takes a lot longer than you would think to come up with your vision and then translate it onto film. It also takes a lot longer to film. A few minutes can take several hours of filming. Having a good DP/Director relationship is the key.

Camera Movement

The most important thing in creating an artistic look in my opinion, isn't lighting, isn't framing, and isn't acting alone, but rather camera movement. If you have a great looking piece and great actors, but the camera movement doesn't match what story you're telling, it falls flat. For example, imagine a super fast paced shoot out scene or fight scene, but the camera is sitting on a tripod and not moving while the actors move around. It wouldn't be exciting. It would look like an old cheesy silent film. Or for example, Imagine a really slow casual conference meeting, but the camera moves around super fast, is super shaky, and has extreme close ups and fast cuts. It would look weird and people would probably get dizzy. The last example is the show " The Office." A lot of the camera movements are handheld, and have a lot of zoom shots. it makes you feel like you are part of the office. if you left it on a tripod while everyone talked, the show wouldn't be a success.

pop

http://www.vimeo.com/29295620

This assignment taught me that you need to previsualize a piece early on. You have to meet with your DP to convey your message the right way, and everyone should know their terms. It was very difficult to get my DP to do certain shots because she didn't understand some of the terms.

shot by shot scene analysis

I chose The Silver Trucks commercial featuring Paul Rodriguez. It stands out compared to most product commercials and the lighting is very different.

First it starts out by showing an extree close up of the actual trucks for a skateboard. The trucks are in the rule of thirds both horizontally and vertically.  Light reflecting of the silver makes them look good.

The next shot is a skateboarder rolling by and staying in the third edges of the frame. The close up shows that the focus is in the trucks, and not the skater.

The next shot shows Paul Rodriguez, who is easily recognized in the skateboarding community. He is on the right third of the frame and lit while the background is dark so the attention is on him. I personally like the colored lens flare that adds more character to the shot.

The next shot goes back to the skateboard where he performs a trick. The close up and main focus is the trucks. What really brings more flavor to this shot is the silhouette of the skateboard. The only light that is visible is along the lines of the trucks. The background and foreground are black, while the trucks have a beam of light going through them. This is pretty direct and a DP's dream.

The next shot is a pan shot of him doing a trick that involves balancing on the trucks. The framing makes sure not to show his face, so you don't focus on him, but the board and trucks. This shot has is very low key and puts only the action in focus. No distractions in the foreground or background.

The next shot is very interesting because it's a tracking shot and the skateboard is the main thing lit. There are two light sources coming from the ground that has the perfect effect on the board. The lights just look plain cool, and helps keep his location a mystery. The lights are on the right third while the bench is on the left third.

This shot is another panned shot, but a little closer on him. The camera is put on this side of the bench to show the underside of the board and the trucks. It is dead center in the frame so all the attention is focused on the board. The back and side lights create lots of contrast.

This is a silhouette shot of Paul. He is on the right third of the frame and the edge where the light fades off into the darkness is on the bottom third.

The next shot just shows him siting on the bench smiling and being happy because it sends a positive image for the trucks. Lots of contrast. Very low key with a strong light source to the left. He is on the right third and the bench is on the bottom third.

Then a shot that gives him credibility and establishment shows up. He is on the right third of the frame and is the only thing lit. Because there is so much darkness in front of him, a white title fits perfectly. The empty space opens up your mind to the abyss and shows that the possibilities are endless with these trucks.

The last shot is just a black background and the white logo for silver trucks. It is in the middle to show importance. The black background and lit subject in the middle keeps continuity with the rest of the commercial. If it was bright and a rainbow, it would ruin the whole feel.


Video link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLBGFscWskU

reflections

So far I have learned about sensors. I didn't know what a CCD or CMOS sensor was before this class. I've learned more about what kind of shots you need to convey a certain idea. For example, using long wide shots to show emptiness and boredom, while using fast. shaky, and extreme close up shots for actions and more feel. My strengths are framing and getting a beautiful shot, editing, and coming up with ideas. the things that are challenging to me are getting a good steady shot, and having a video flow. Videography is rewarding because it helps you convey and idea or story to entertain people or help get a message across better. It's fun and a great form of art. It gives you something to show people and say that you did that.

Inspiring Lights.

 

I love this photograph because the background is beautiful. The ocean sparkles, and the sky has a great color to it. The ocean and the sky are divided at the bottom third line. The sun creates a silhouette for the two people, and the sun is also at their hearts ( cheesy but good.)

 

This picture is awesome because of the extreme depth of field. Only the animal is in focus, and the background is blurred so much.

 

This photo is gorgeous because the light shows you exactly where to look, which is at the person. Everything else is much darker. Light helps guide where we should look. The man is also on the sweet spot of the right and lower third corner.

This photo is my favorite. The background is out of focus while the girl is in focus. Only part of her face is shown so it creates a mysterious feel. The colors are beautiful, and you can see the suns rays going straight to the flower. You can see the girls face, but the sun creates a golden outline of her figure almost like a silhouette. Even her hair strands are bright.

I love this one because of the lines. The road disappears in the left lower third sweet spot. Tll the trees help create lines to guide your eyes in that direction. My favorite part of this picture, though, is the fog.Iit creates an abyss that makes you curious, not to mention the black and white enhances the whole feel to the picture by making it more dark and lonely.

This picture has amazing colors. The water is a vibrant blue while the sky is the opposite and a strong red, yellow, and orange. The source of light is coming from the left third of the frame, but what adds more character to the picture, is the mountain also on the left third. It creates a dark mystery of what could be behind it, which is also where the light is coming from.

filmingmaking goals

My goals in filmmaking are to create the most creative piece I can, to get into the habit of doing things the right and professional way so then making films with be a breeze. I will be in the flow. I want to be able to make better short films for Youtube and maybe a few music videos. Hopefully I can become a director in Hollywood. It’d be nice to make a lot of money, obviously. I just love to entertain people. That would be my ultimate goal. I love making short films that make people laugh or make people just think ,“wow that was cool!’’

My learning goals for this course involve me being a better director of photography, a better director, and just a better overall film maker. I want to make my shots look beautiful. I want to let my film have a great flow to it and look professional. I want to learn better camera work. Framing things in a special way would definitely help, too. The main thing would be lighting. I really want to better understand lighting and angles and so on. I am trying to get into photography too, so learning lighting for video will definitely help with that. The lighting can change the feel dramatically in a film. Hopefully when I have finished this course, my films will look like something straight from Hollywood, besides the explosions and special effects obviously. I am definitely looking forward to working with the DSLR cameras!

My visual style

Certain styles that inspire me are beauty shots, high contrast shadowy shots, crazy artstic shots, wacky photographs, and colorful unnatural paintings.

this beauty shot inspires me to just make a film that shows beautiful people and beautiful light. you dont have to find meaning in the lighting, but rather just think '' this is pretty.'' it shows someone's angelic beauty.

I love low key shots because of the contrast. it adds depth to the shot. it creates a mystery. you become intrigued by their character and it catches your attention. There is something about the unknown that sparks interest.

These are powerful artistic shots that inspire me. the colors, action, and depth of the pictures show me that there are no limits in art. It helps me open and free my mind to be creative.

I really enjoy colorful and abstract paintings. They open and free my mind so my thoughts become out of this world. the only thing that limits my film making is technology and money. i dont like having boundaries. i want the possibilities to be endless. I have to snap out of reality and go into the infinite to be creative

10 things that influence me

1. great blockbuster movies

2. small independent cheesy films ( to look at what not to do)

3. photography

4. nature

5. culture

6. traveling to new places

7. technology

8. my peers and their critique

9. books

10. money