Archie Campbell

What do you recommend for showcasing dolly shots and camera movements since its kinda hard to cut those down on time?

I'm definitely no pro but a lot of the dolly shots I have seen in reels have been really interesting and definitely selected by the director to add to the story. If it is a dolly shot just for the sake of showing that you can use one and it hasn't been justified then it probably shouldn't sit in your reel as you really want to show case your work.

That's just my opinion and I haven't even cut together a reel since I started studying film!

Check out some of the professional reels on the site that have a lot of work that I envy!

You asked for what I thought and here it is:

I think that in it's current form 3 mins is to long for this sort of film. I found myself wanting to skip through it about 1 minute and a bit through as the music and shots were becoming quite repetitive. It's difficult to keep people engaged when there isn't an obvious story and unless you are a fan of this particular camera it's hard to sit through essentially 3 minutes of montage of the camera.

I cannot fault your technical skills though. All the shots were well done and the focus pulls, pans and tilts were fine.

I'm not sure what else you would want someone to share about the film?

Ha I think it it because it is. It's not a case of seeming like it is.

It's not like that in your editor is it?

Ah I see what you mean.

However, if it had been sunlight it would have been indirect sunlight which would have been more diffused. This also doesn't account for the two hard shadows that are visible in the scene.

If the sunlight had been direct then it would have been much more golden as it would have to have been setting or rising to be at the angle to be able to shine directly through the window.

Thanks for the info Brian!

Nice. I like some of the shots but here are some pointers if you want my opinion.

Firstly I'm not a fan of not being able to hear what someone is saying so I don't like the opening bit or the shot of the black teacher? Don't know if the dialogue is completely useless or it might fit on it's own but it distracts me when I don't know what they are saying.

Like the POV shot but I don't think it's from the same piece that the next shot is (really nice shot of the girl) and I don't think they should be next to each other as it acts as a jump cut anyway. What did you shoot the POV with by the way and did you have to make the rig?

I would say that in my opinion it could do with more shots as I realise that it's only 30secs long but it feels like all the shots are held for a bit too long and I want to move onto something else.

Have you got some more work you could add in?

Since you are shooting on a 550d which I assume is your own and you don't seem to be using anything else (rigs, lighting etc.) I would recommend simplifying your script a bit.

Scrap the van, scrap the outside shots and try and shoot it indoors where you will be better able to control all the aspects of your film.

You could have two inside locations, one being whatever you use for the first scene and the second for the bedroom.

I think you will find 7 minutes is actually a very long time to make a film and you will need quite a bit of dialogue and lots of shots to be able to keep it good.

Maybe post some of your previous work so we can see what level you are at and then make suggestions based on your current abilities.

The behind the scenes photos were showing engineering students building the cameras and flyaway, and the operational students operating the kit during the shows. There were many industry delegates at the show, so it was good for the companies PR. The pictures will also be used on the rental companies web site along with a brief testimonial from myself.

 

It's important I mention though that the equipment was kept inside the college at all times. I'm guessing your shoot is being shot outside the university, so you may need to swing it so that the insurance covers third party equipment whilst in and outside the university premises.

 

Be very careful when promising future business, this can ruin any chance of future negotiations if you don't fulfill what you said you would, and not just for you either. You end up tarnishing yourself, university and fellow students.

Cheers Daniel,

I will have to get onto some of my tutors when the spring term starts and see what they think is best!

Thanks.

So how much would a degree in film cost at a University such as Oxford or Cambridge?

An arm, a leg and your first born apparently. Those 2 are gonna be uber expensive.

Unfortunately neither of these universities offer an undergraduate film degree. I don't know how it works in the US but not every university will have every course.

Only point I disagree with is 4.

Just because you're shooting at nIght doesn't mean that the light has to be hard. With a scrim or bouncing off a reflector you could have softened it up.

Which tests are you referring to?

See paul's post

Are you referring to this test http://vimeo.com/33452552

Yes, that's the test I am referring too. It's the fact that the original uploader mentions in the comments that 20,000 ISO is equal to 6,400 ISO on the 1div.

You do get variations in sensitivity when you use different gammas and curves. The cameras here have different curve set ups, so they're not absolutely comparing like with like. How the log curve affects the C300's sensitivity needs to tested, but sensitivity does change on other cameras when you use different curves on the camera. Although, if given a ISO you do expect the camera to make internal adjustments - most video cameras don't give ISO figures you need to test the camera to find out. So maybe the C300's ISO only refers to when you're using a certain curve or picture profile in the camera.

 

Another possibly is incorrect data in the on screen titles either in the ISO or the f stop being used, since they also say in the text "Same settings, same f-stop, similar ISO setting etc".

I'm still confused as surely this puts everything I have learnt with my light meter sort of useless if there can be a 2 stop difference in ISO between cameras?

Any idea as to which camera (C300 or 1div) is likely to have the more correct ISO and therefore I can compare to the cameras I have used?

Thanks for the help guys!

I don't know anything about student discounts (I haven't been a student for so long it's all a bit past-tense for me) but I think you're likely to end up on an FS-100. C300 and F3 are likely to be similarly-priced once C300 becomes available, expect around £200/day body only, and I don't really rate the AF101. It's noisy in low light and you may as well shoot on a GH2, which is broadly the same thing.

 

 

P

Yeh the Af101 doesn't really feature on my radar. I agree that the C300 might be a bit too much of a dream but the FS100 would still be a step up from the DSLRs that I have been using. I have heard the low light is also really nice on it!

You might be able to blag a sponsorship deal. Last summer I blagged an 8 camera HD flyaway, in return for some photos, it's the way you word it that makes the difference. Don't ask to a hire a camera for free because you're a student, say you're struggling to find resources for your shoot and ask if they are able to offer any help in any way, and work out some sponsorship benefits to offer them as well.

 

Oh, and don't bother e-mailing any one. Phone, or talk in person.

 

Following from what Brian was saying, check your college's insurance policy. All of the equipment I borrowed was covered under my college.

Interesting idea. Where these behind the scenes photo's? How did they benefit the company?

I'll probably try and explain that in the future I will be making a lot more rentals and try and entice them to see it as a longer term relationship.

Assuming they're willing to a deal of some sort, the rental company will probably want to check if you've got insurance cover for the equipment.

 

What you can achieve will depend on the demand at the time you need the camera and it might be easier with older kit than the latest hot item. Traditionally January was the best time for getting kit for shooting shorts etc.

Pity that there isn't really any "older" kit when it comes to large sensor digital cinematography. I suppose there is the route of an EX3 style camera with a lens adapter but they are still expensive and the main attraction to the larger sensors apart from the shallow depth of field is the low light capabilities which would be negated with this method.

My uni, as Daniel said, will probably cover the insurance but if not I'm sure I will be able to fund this myself. Thanks for pointing it out though as I will get this checked out.

Thanks for all the input!

Hi guys,

I was wondering if anyone could explain to be the discrepancy between the ISO sensitivity I have seen on some tests involving the C300.

How come when compared to DSLR's ISO 20,000 seems to be about the same sensitivity as ISO 6400 on the DSLRs?

Is the ISO standard not a constant?

Thanks.

Do you realise that your sound sync is out at the end?

Ok, I have put up some work to be critiqued as well so feel free to say what you feel about mine.

I'm not a pro as such but in the same spot as you (I think) being a student so take everything I say with a pinch of salt:

1. The music doesn't fit because at first I thought it was part of the scene and then I realised it was just there to be there. I would have preferred no background music and instead hear the dialogue as the dialogue can influence shot selection.

2. The opening shots are very shaky and don't fit with the static shots that follow. What is the reason for the shakiness? Could it have been steadied?

3. The second shot of the daffodils pulls focus to nothing and the camera drifts across with nothing actually sharp. There is not really a need for this shot.

4. With the tripod shots it's evident from the hard shadow that the scene is lit. What is the motivation behind this lighting as it doesn't look natural as in a shop like this there wouldn't be any horizontal hard lighting at eye level.

5. The shot reverse shot works but without dialogue it's difficult to see whether the shots should have got tighter as it progressed. Also when he sniffs her hair??? it's out of focus. You could have stopped down to increase the depth of field of practiced the shot to make sure that you could pull focus.

6. After that shot the lighting is now coming from behind the guy which means that it has magically changed direction. The hard shadow of the guy is also evident on the girl which looks a bit odd in this environment.

That's what I noticed from first watching it.

Hope it's helped.

Hi guys,

I have a final project film that will be shot in the summer and I am starting to try and think of some ideas and try and get a crew together from my university.

Does anyone have any tips on where to get equipment from that I could best use my student credentials for a discount. I would really like to shoot on something with a large chip sensor that is not a DSLR and I don't mind paying for it as we can get DSLRs from the uni stores.

I have in mid shooting on something similar to a scarlet, c300, f3, fs100, possibly even an af101.

If anyone has an input or previous experiences I would be most grateful!

Thanks

Hi guys,

I have just finished one of my first serious shorts. This was a test of my cinematography skills for a university module although we did have to create the film from start to finish.

From the off I can tell you that there are several things that are definitely wrong with it. I attempted to do the project all by myself which originally seemed like a good idea. I suppose it showed me what I am good at and what I need to work on. I felt that given the short time scale I had to make the film working alone I would be able to make sure each shot was exactly how I wanted.

The sound is awful, the zoom failed to work for some shots and the wind was an annoying factor. ADR was extremely budget but I have realised that I am not a sound man but I don't try to be.

Focusing was an issue. Even though I go to a "film" university we have no follow focuses or monitors that will work with the 5d meaning that I am having to use the lcd. They don't even have LCD viewfinders to help! Even with reviewing some shots looked fine in the viewfinder but on the laptop back home I could see clearly they were out of focus and by then it was too late.

Stabilisation. Rolling shutter. Moire. As well as having no focus aiding equipment there are also no rigs therefore it was all as basic handheld as you could get. Or a tripod. If the camera moves in the shot imagine it tracking on a nice frictionless dolly and ignore the shakes and jitters as that's how I imagined it in my head too.

Acting is wooden. I got two friends to help as there was not enough time to cast. By using my friends it also allowed me to film in their locations which I wouldn't have been allowed to if they hadn't been used. However, they aren't really suited to the roles but the dialogue isn't great anyway.

I am no scriptwriter. I was never great at writing stories in school and this has only really reaffirmed it. I think that in future I will always try and get someone else who has a passion for this sort of thing as I found myself tearing my hair out trying to write it.

Those are the obvious points but I am now opening it up to you.

Can you please watch it and tell me what I can improve for my next piece? I have already learnt quite a lot but would like to know what other people thought. Be as harsh as you like as long as there is some element of a constructive point as I am attempting to learn!

Thanks.

http://vimeo.com/33027864

Hey James,

The only thing that I was going to add is that when they are talking at the door and you go in for a close up of the girl I think the camera should be closer to the guy. Perhaps even getting him in the left of the frame.

As it is her eyeline is too far off the screen to match the shot from before and instead of looking just to the side of the camera it looks likes she's looking miles off!

Hi guys,

I was wondering whether I could get some feedback on a video that I created?

Thanks,

http://youtu.be/hJwcreczL4A?hd=1