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Richard Kelly

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About Richard Kelly

  • Birthday 03/11/1953

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  • Occupation
    Best Boy

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  • Website URL
    http://www.indiegrip.com
  1. Richard Kelly

    Flash XDR

    A friend of mine got me to shoot a promotional video about the Flash XDR, a solid-state high definition video recorder his company makes. We shot with a PMW-EX1 but recorded into the device through the HD-SDI port at 100mbps LGOP 4:2:2. I like the EX1, but what a difference. I posted the promo (with permission) on youtube.com. Convergent-Design is going to put it on their site in a much higher quality. If you shoot HD you may want to check this out. www.convergent-design.com
  2. I agree completely, if there are any keys to making a good movie I would start with story, screenplay then acting, sound and finally camera format and photography. A 35mm adapter is just a tool I use to achieve a shallow depth of field, when I desire one. I think digital video and NLE is giving everyone the opportunity to experiment with filmmaking just like paint and brushes, chisels and hammers, throw away cameras and guitars and drum sets have allowed others to try their art. Most find out very quickly that it isn't as easy as it looks. Until recently, only a select few have been allowed to try their hand at filmmaking. The hordes of young Spielbergs and Rodriguez's will mostly fall by the wayside with the thousands of Elvis's, Britneys and other idols. Heck, I made lots of bad 16mm short films before digital video allowed me to make bad feature length films. Now I can even make a bad movie with a nice shallow depth of field. :)
  3. I think that is a great answer. Nothing-quite looks as good as film so if you really want the look of film then you need to shoot film. But, if you have to shoot video and still want it to look as "film like" as possible try this, and that, and the other thing. I also agree that lighting is more important than format. Some of my early film projects look a lot worse than some of my more recent video work, and the difference is lighting (now I own a 3ton light & grip package)
  4. 1) If you want your movie to look like film, shoot on film. It's not in the budget. 2) Film looks like film. I agree. 3) Digital videotape, no matter how much you try, looks like digital videotape. Are you are saying that an ASC member using a Panavision Genesis cannot shoot a project that looks more like it was originated on film than someone?s single chip recording of their child's birthday party? I disagree. 4) Need I say more? I think the original poster requested advice from the group on how to make his project look better and more " film like". Almost every book written on filmmaking addresses exactly that topic so I feel like "film looks like film" maybe isn't the very best answer this group has to offer someone with a legitimate question. So my answer to #4 is maybe we should listen more.
  5. Hi Tyler, I see the film - digital battle is still raging and you are probably finished with your project but I did want to throw in a few thoughts. There is a concensus that flat lighting video gives you more options in post and I'm sure it does but I like to light video with the best HD monitor I can find hooked up to the camera and then light the picture until you see what you want. Make sure not to actually clip bright areas that you may want to seem blown out in the finished picture or crush blacks to the point that there is no detail left. I also like to use a 35mm adapter and 35mm SLR primes to get the shallow depth of field that helps acheive the "film look". This frame is out of the camera before color correction. I am currently testing the new Convergent Design Flash HD Recorder. It accepts an incoming HD-SDI video signal with optional audio and timecode, compresses the video/audio to MPEG-2 (using a Sony codec) at up to 160Mbps 4:2:2, and stores to Compact Flash (or outputs over FireWire or ASI). I'm hoping the extra bit rate (less compression) will allow for more color space and a little more "film look". (Not used on this frame.) If I had the money I'd use film but I don't so I try to make my picture look as much like film as I can so I can still make the movies that I wouldn't be able to make if I had to use film. :blink:
  6. If you are you shooting a feature or trying to imulate 35mm I would consider adding an adapter like Redrock, P+S Technik, Letus 35, Brevis, or MovieTube and using 35mm lenses. By the time you are renting the camera package the Convergent Design Flash XDR Compact Flash based portable HD Recorder should be available. By connecting directly to the HD-SDI output from the camera it can record both Long-GOP and I-Frame only MPEG2 and supports 4:2:2 video up to 160 Mbps. We shot the feature Deadland with a Panasonic AG-HVX200, Redrock 2, Nikon 35mm SLR primes and a firestore recorder and while we haven't gone out to film the movie looks good on a 40' screen. Our next project will be shot with the xlh1, Redrock2 and we are currently testing the Flash XDR for recording.
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