7d zombie film experiences at DVinfo.net

Andrew Dean · July 31st, 2010, 01:56 AM

I worked as grip and camerman on this interactive zombie project: YouTube - DELIVER ME TO HELL - An interactive zombie movie adventure - REAL ZOMBIES ATTACK

All told its about 25 minutes long if you choose all the "wrong" endings.

It was the first longer form project we've done on dslr (mix of 7d and 550d) and I learned a few things.

I am in LOVE with IS lenses. The majority of the piece was handheld using the 17-55 2.8 IS and the 70-200 2.8 IS. I find the stabilization just right for handheld work. Its not going to do much when jogging and it doesn't help much when hanging off the back of a car on a gravel road, but for handheld shooting it gets rid of just the right amount of hand twitch to make it great to me. It also worked great shooting from a tripod on a truck to a moving golf cart. Ended up looking very smooth.

The 18-55 "kit lens" is so lightweight it is perfect with the 550d on a steadicam merlin. The rig balances great, but is still so light that it can be handheld for ages. We used the steadicam sparingly, but the various "pushing in to a persons face" shots were all done with the merlin. I've had the merlin for a number of years and tried lots of different cameras on it with nothing i considered working terribly well. I have a new love for the merlin now.

For the most part we didn't have any problems with the aliasing/moire stuff, but it came across in a couple of unexpected shots. Like, all the car interior shots you see a strong moire on the headrest behind the driver. Very annoying.

Mostly the 7d and 550d look identical in video, but on occasion the same footage in the same color setting would look "different". Nothing that couldn't be color corrected, but odd that sometimes it looks different, sometimes not. The tungsten setting was the most markedly "different" mode to me. Its possible it has something to do with the "random exposure changes in manual mode" firmware. I plan to upgrade to see what happens.

Probably the most marked thing i encountered on this shoot is that *everybody* is buying 7d and 550d. Its insane. Like, I have a hard time thinking of any shooter that doesn't have one, even if just for fun.

If you have any questions about any part of the shoot, holler.

The explosions and blood and stuff were practical effects. Actually blew up a car, jumped a scooter with dummies on it and squirted blood around. hehe.

cheers!

Rick Lutec · July 31st, 2010, 04:56 AM

Oooh yeah!
Made me hungry.
Though I think I died twice during this intense journey it was great to be to be part of the experience and be thoroughly entertained at the same time.
How long did the whole process take and what inspired the interactive concept?.

Andrew Dean · July 31st, 2010, 06:08 AM

Thanks, man!

Logan (also on dvinfo) was the director and mastermind behind the project. I just came in for the actual shoots. I think they said they spent a good month in preproduction and another month and a half after the shoot in post. All the music is original. The shoot itself was 5 full (VERY full) days with an extra day we just shot the car exploding then ate pizza and went home. hehe.

Bonus points... can you spot the greenscreen shots?

cheers!
-a

Jon Braeley · July 31st, 2010, 06:09 AM

Looked like fun to make.

For me the soundtrack ruined the entire clip - far too loud - it blocked out all the sound effects that you need to hear, especially in horror genre.

Don Hardy · August 1st, 2010, 12:39 PM

Great job guys. Really cool flick. Very well shot.

Brian J. Harris · August 1st, 2010, 03:35 PM

Hey Andrew,

That was a lot of fun. Although, I learned I'm a terrible decision-maker. Really great work.

Hector Landaeta · August 1st, 2010, 08:22 PM

Excellent piece! I began watching for DOF, transitions, compositional effects and the lot and ended up so engrossed by the story that I kept enjoying it more than technically criticizing it. For me that's quite an accomplishment by itself.

Andrew Dean · August 2nd, 2010, 08:13 AM

Hey guys,

Thanks for all the high praise. Its awesome to get feedback, positive or negative, but extra sweet when its positive.

cheers!
-andrew

Jonathan Jones · August 3rd, 2010, 11:09 AM

Hey Andrew,
That was a lot of fun to watch. Well done.

Even when I made the right choices, I still went back anyway to see the entertaining ways I would have died.

Great stuff.

-Jon

July 31st, 2010, 01:56 AM	#1
Andrew Dean Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Motukarara, New Zealand Posts: 475	7d zombie film experiences I worked as grip and camerman on this interactive zombie project: YouTube - DELIVER ME TO HELL - An interactive zombie movie adventure - REAL ZOMBIES ATTACK All told its about 25 minutes long if you choose all the "wrong" endings. It was the first longer form project we've done on dslr (mix of 7d and 550d) and I learned a few things. I am in LOVE with IS lenses. The majority of the piece was handheld using the 17-55 2.8 IS and the 70-200 2.8 IS. I find the stabilization just right for handheld work. Its not going to do much when jogging and it doesn't help much when hanging off the back of a car on a gravel road, but for handheld shooting it gets rid of just the right amount of hand twitch to make it great to me. It also worked great shooting from a tripod on a truck to a moving golf cart. Ended up looking very smooth. The 18-55 "kit lens" is so lightweight it is perfect with the 550d on a steadicam merlin. The rig balances great, but is still so light that it can be handheld for ages. We used the steadicam sparingly, but the various "pushing in to a persons face" shots were all done with the merlin. I've had the merlin for a number of years and tried lots of different cameras on it with nothing i considered working terribly well. I have a new love for the merlin now. For the most part we didn't have any problems with the aliasing/moire stuff, but it came across in a couple of unexpected shots. Like, all the car interior shots you see a strong moire on the headrest behind the driver. Very annoying. Mostly the 7d and 550d look identical in video, but on occasion the same footage in the same color setting would look "different". Nothing that couldn't be color corrected, but odd that sometimes it looks different, sometimes not. The tungsten setting was the most markedly "different" mode to me. Its possible it has something to do with the "random exposure changes in manual mode" firmware. I plan to upgrade to see what happens. Probably the most marked thing i encountered on this shoot is that everybody is buying 7d and 550d. Its insane. Like, I have a hard time thinking of any shooter that doesn't have one, even if just for fun. If you have any questions about any part of the shoot, holler. The explosions and blood and stuff were practical effects. Actually blew up a car, jumped a scooter with dummies on it and squirted blood around. hehe. cheers!

August 1st, 2010, 12:39 PM	#5
Don Hardy New Boot Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 18	Nice work Great job guys. Really cool flick. Very well shot. __________________ www.lovehatelovemovie.com www.witchhuntmovie.com

August 1st, 2010, 03:35 PM	#6
Brian J. Harris Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Greenbrier, TN Posts: 89	Fantastic!!! Hey Andrew, That was a lot of fun. Although, I learned I'm a terrible decision-maker. Really great work. __________________ Thanks, Brian www.naturefootage.com

August 1st, 2010, 08:22 PM	#7
Hector Landaeta New Boot Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 10	Kudos! Excellent piece! I began watching for DOF, transitions, compositional effects and the lot and ended up so engrossed by the story that I kept enjoying it more than technically criticizing it. For me that's quite an accomplishment by itself.

August 2nd, 2010, 08:13 AM	#8
Andrew Dean Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Motukarara, New Zealand Posts: 475	whoah! Hey guys, Thanks for all the high praise. Its awesome to get feedback, positive or negative, but extra sweet when its positive. cheers! -andrew

July 31st, 2010, 04:56 AM	#2
Rick Lutec Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Toronto Canada Posts: 39	Oooh yeah! Made me hungry. Though I think I died twice during this intense journey it was great to be to be part of the experience and be thoroughly entertained at the same time. How long did the whole process take and what inspired the interactive concept?.

July 31st, 2010, 06:08 AM	#3
Andrew Dean Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Motukarara, New Zealand Posts: 475	Thanks, man! Logan (also on dvinfo) was the director and mastermind behind the project. I just came in for the actual shoots. I think they said they spent a good month in preproduction and another month and a half after the shoot in post. All the music is original. The shoot itself was 5 full (VERY full) days with an extra day we just shot the car exploding then ate pizza and went home. hehe. Bonus points... can you spot the greenscreen shots? cheers! -a

July 31st, 2010, 06:09 AM	#4
Jon Braeley Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 528	Looked like fun to make. For me the soundtrack ruined the entire clip - far too loud - it blocked out all the sound effects that you need to hear, especially in horror genre.

August 3rd, 2010, 11:09 AM	#9
Jonathan Jones Trustee Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Healdsburg, California Posts: 1,138	Hey Andrew, That was a lot of fun to watch. Well done. Even when I made the right choices, I still went back anyway to see the entertaining ways I would have died. Great stuff. -Jon __________________ "Are we to go on record, sir, with our assertion that the 'pink hearts, yellow moons, orange stars, and green clovers' are, in point of fact', magically delicious?" - Walter Hollarhan before the House Subcommittee on Integrity in Advertising - May, 1974