"Coffee"

Hunter Hampton · March 29, 2010

Finally making some progress on a short film I am dp-ing/directing. Honestly, it doesn't feel quite like a "real" film as there are only two characters, Zero dollars and (most likely) no dialog but what the heck. I plan on fitting a few hours here and there over the next few months to get it done- I guess this is really just an excuse to try something new and have fun.

I completed the first screen test over the weekend and I think I found the look/tone I want:

Screen test link: http://vimeo.com/10532805

Some stills attached.

Thanks for checking it out, I will keep posted on the (slow) progress and upload stills along the way.

Bobby Shore · March 29, 2010

Finally making some progress on a short film I am dp-ing/directing. Honestly, it doesn't feel quite like a "real" film as there are only two characters, Zero dollars and (most likely) no dialog but what the heck. I plan on fitting a few hours here and there over the next few months to get it done- I guess this is really just an excuse to try something new and have fun.

I completed the first screen test over the weekend and I think I found the look/tone I want:

Screen test link: http://vimeo.com/10532805

Some stills attached.

Thanks for checking it out, I will keep posted on the (slow) progress and upload stills along the way.

hey man,

great looking footage, love the feel! what'd you shoot it with? I really like the low contrast look/lighting. I'd be interested to know how you got those washed out, veiling flares, almost looks like you were shooting a pane of glass the whole time. Really nice.

Bobby Shore

DP

Mtl/LA

bobbyshore.com

Hunter Hampton · March 31, 2010

Thanks Bobby. I admit its pretty extreme and could be toned down a bit. I am basically just shooting with lens blocks I have extracted from vinatge lenses and allowing light to bleed, its quite hard to control at times. Im shooting on a "digital eyemo" ; )

Saul Rodgar · March 31, 2010

Good Job. What exactly is a Digital Eymo, pray tell?

Hunter Hampton · March 31, 2010

Hey Saul, Im using a 5d mark 2- I saw that Jon Fauer called them something like digital eyemo's.

Ricky Norris · April 3, 2010

Hunter, that looks so great man.

Satsuki Murashige · April 3, 2010

Love the images Hunter, very beautiful!

Interesting way of simplifying the image to it's most basic components. I often feel that the simpler we make our images, the more expressive and communicative they have the potential to be. Looking forward to your finished film, good luck!

Rob Vogt · April 7, 2010

Nice stuff Rich. I thought I've seen that image of the hand with the tea a while ago on your thread about the Neat Image degraining plugin here... What vintage lenses are you using?

Hunter Hampton · April 8, 2010

Thanks guys. Rob- I got a thing for tea & coffee... and well, beer for that matter. Im using a butchered Pentax 58mm f2.0 preset lens for most of the shooting. I do have some old single coat vivitar lenses from the t-mount days that might see some use. Hope to get some filming done next weekend.

Kieran Fowler · April 9, 2010

Looks great, that technique to get those really soft/flared images is really interesting.

Would you be able to talk more about how your camera's set up to get the effect. Trying to understand how you 'Bleed the light in', I might have done something similar, is it where your separating the lens and body of the camera and controlling the amount of light directly hitting the sensor? I take it your method has more to do with the vintage lenses your using though?

Cool stuff.

Hunter Hampton · April 9, 2010

Thats exactly right. Im just letting light bleed in between the space between the mount and the lens. The lenses I am using though are allready low in contrast and prone to flare.

Matt Garrett · April 10, 2010

Thats exactly right. Im just letting light bleed in between the space between the mount and the lens. The lenses I am using though are allready low in contrast and prone to flare.

Did the same thing on a spec commercial a little while ago.

It can be a great look.

ryan knight · April 12, 2010

fascinating innovation. but how do you mount the lenses to allow for light to sneak in between the mounts?

Hunter Hampton · April 13, 2010

fascinating innovation. but how do you mount the lenses to allow for light to sneak in between the mounts?

Thats just it, you dont mount the lens.

ryan knight · April 14, 2010

Thats just it, you dont mount the lens.

so you hold (with hands, or some kind of static rig) the body and lens aligned as such to render an image, but allow a space for light to seep between the rear element and the sensor?

that rudimentary?

wow. wicked.

ryan knight · April 14, 2010

but how does that work?

doesn't the camera need to detect the digital signal from the lens, electronically, to get an image.

Hunter Hampton · April 14, 2010

All lenses do is project an image, you dont need to have the lens mounted physically for it to do its job. Only thing I could say Im doing different, is that the lenses I am doing this with have been modified so that I have full range of focus while letting light bleed behind the lens.

ryan knight · April 14, 2010

All lenses do is project an image, you dont need to have the lens mounted physically for it to do its job. Only thing I could say Im doing different, is that the lenses I am doing this with have been modified so that I have full range of focus while letting light bleed behind the lens.

i'm thinking digital.

the footage in the posted 'coffee' montage originated on film, i'm assuming?

Mike Donis · April 14, 2010

I'm likin' this dreamy imagery... very cool. I'm certainly interested to see the short when it's complete.

Hunter Hampton · April 14, 2010

the footage in the posted 'coffee' montage originated on film, i'm assuming?

No film on this one- im using the 5d mark 2.

ryan knight · April 15, 2010

No film on this one- im using the 5d mark 2.

i recently tried 'not mounting the lens' on my older nikon d40, and the camera refused to capture a photo... ?

Hampus Bystrom · May 19, 2010

Looks pretty cool, I think I might try it for a dreamy sex-scene I'm directing, if you haven't patented the look already. I know you didn't ask, but it looks a liiiiiittle bit prone to visual masturbation, but it's hard to say without knowing the story. But no dialogue and enigmatic women staring out the window, drinking tea, ruminating over lost love... I really like the feel of your other videos tough so it should be nice anyway.

Hunter Hampton · May 22, 2010

The patent is pending lol. I realize the look is a bit extreme, this project is really more of a personal experiment more than anything so Im trying to push it so I can learn more. Im finishing up negotiations for the final location and hope to have the film in the (digital) "can" sometime month.

JA Tadena · May 29, 2010

I really like it. Its very nice. I shot a commercial (visit link below) last year and I used a lot of glass and clear plastic foregrounds with the help of some lens flares. I hope I was able to make some shots look like yours. Nice work. =)

http://ja24fps.multiply.com/video/item/90/Nescafe_Maestro_30s

ryan knight · May 29, 2010

I really like it. Its very nice. I shot a commercial (visit link below) last year and I used a lot of glass and clear plastic foregrounds with the help of some lens flares. I hope I was able to make some shots look like yours. Nice work. =)

http://ja24fps.multiply.com/video/item/90/Nescafe_Maestro_30s

did you simply drop the materials in front of the lens and then hit it with some light? looks great.

i did something similar years ago with acetate, like cellophane - all crumpled up and folded, hitting it with it's own source. but it softened the overall picture too much. i suppose your technique didn't involve covering the entire lens with the materials, only an isolated area where you wanted to see foreground elements?