DVC8- Chris Barcellos "The Ratings Game"
 

This film was shot with new HV20 and Letus35a. Though I recognize "content is king", thought it might be of interest to many out there who might be contemplating this combo, or the Cinevate with the HV20 I will post a high definition image if any one wants it on megaupload after release of films.....

Yeeah….we can see why Grandpa got cancelled. LOL! Just goes to show my age, though—I’m sitting here thinking, “Did they really bonk those alligators like that?” ;)

Interesting combination you tried there. I’d like to see a picture of the setup!

Let me know if anyone wants me to post at least of portion of this on Megaupload, to see what the HV20 and Letus combo look like in high definition.

Lorinda:

In the first post in this thread,

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?t=91465


I show a picture of the set up. It has been refined a bit since then, but this is general idea. As it is small, camera flipd easily and this set up give great access to controls...even though everything is upside down. Actually works pretty slick... and avoids a time and perhaps resolution robbing flip of the footage in post...

Funny! I like the faceless grandchildren too. :) The shallow DOF looks good, especially on the closer shots of Grampa sleeping. The lighting w/ the vignetting gives it a surreal quality which is cool. Is the vignetting a side effect of the 35mm adapter, an effect you chose, a little of both?

Nice job!
Bill

Not bad. I have to say that I disliked the music during Grandpa's storytelling. It really didn't seem to fit. I loved the music at the very end of the movie though.

The lighting on Grandpa was also pretty nice.

Good message.

Mike

Bill:

The wide shot was with a 24mm F2.8 Canon. It does fall off at the edges, and did contribute to that vignette look. One of the issues with the Letus/HDV20 combo, as well as with my FX1 is zooming in past the vignette point on some lenses. I have tried adding a second achromat I have on hand from Cinevate, and that gave me better capability, but I haven't tested it for loss of sharpness or resolution yet.

The Nikon 50mm F1.4 I have seems to do fine even into the F 8.0 and more Fstops. My experience is that the bigger the rear element on a lens, the better the issue of vignetting is resolved.

Mike:

Thanks for the input. Like you, had interference of real life things...:). Lucky to get something up.

You got the HV20, didn't you ? How are you liking it ?

You did a great job! BTW, where did you get the music for the credits?
I love it!


I'm really enjoying the camera and I'm in the middle of filming a short, that's why I wasn't able to fit this one in.

Looks like we got some great entries though!

Mike

Mike:

I think all music was from SmartSound library. (I will have to get back to you for sure, because also could be from Sony's Cinescore, but I don't think so.) I do like that "Enya" type feel of the last piece. I only have 3.0 version, but there library increases monthly, and 4.0 has mood mapper too, which allows more variation. Cinescore has similar feel...

Those disrespectful little brats. Poor Grandpa. Anyway the whole production value was so good. Camera angles, lighting and the overall look of it. Very niiiice.

Hi Chris!
 

Always a pleasure to see your work!

"Damn TV." lol... You had some fun dialog: "Alligator boots for Army boots...you ever heard of that?" lol (again)
Poor Grandpa!

I think you achieved some wonderful looks with your camera/lighting set up. I liked the vignetting and crushed black feel. Very nice indeed.

Mike H posted earlier about the music playing during the story...I agree. It didn't seem to flow with that section of the story. Maybe it fought with it. Anyway, that is just personal preferences and no big deal.

Interesting choice of keeping the girls faceless. I liked it. Care to share more with regards to that choice? Am curious.

Mike: Followup: End music was a Smart Sound track from "Blockbusters", "Beyond Words", is the track....


Bradley: Shot this in a bit of a hurry, and the girls (my grandkids) were a bit balky, and I felt that an anonymous feel would fit anyway, so it just developed that way... They were watching a movie on the tele, and didn't really want to be pulled a way, so it all kind of fit right in anyway.. Edit: Just to make it a tad clearer, the scripted plan was to have them get up and walk out, but during the shooting camera operator and I considered lighting them, but I decided on them being silohuetted to keep them anonymous....


Both: Re Music: In retrospect, did want something "perky" to move it along, but better selection could have been made...

Nice idea, and it's all true, I think...

The graphic at the end reminds me for some reason of the old 1970 William Holden film "Network". I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore" with the VO running on about ratings and how Howard was canceled and all that.

Overall: Good show man.

Good short! It had a nice look to it too...

My kids don't listen to me over the TV and I don't even have to tell stories... Dad was cancelled years ago... I blame barney; that purple $&#$!!! :)