They took away my crutch!

John De Rienzo · January 24th, 2008, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Pulcinella

Jay you are too much! LOL!

John, thinking along the same lines as you I found this example of Mike's work early on in our discussion.

http://www.mikewatsonproductions.com...eneric2007.mov

It was as professional a piece as I had ever seen and led me to try and glean some knowledge from Mike while I had his interest.

What do you think of it?

Yes its good work. I will still agree to disagree on some aspects, but just my opinion, right or wrong!

Cheers.
John De Rienzo

Michael Pulcinella · January 24th, 2008, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Watson

The grocery store stuff was great! I thought I wrote that in my initial review, but apparently not.

Thanks Mike. You have no idea (actually you probably DO) how hard it was to get permission to shoot in my local grocery store. Corporate headquarters kept me in red tape for over a month! I think they were hoping I would just go away. I had a far easier time getting permission to shoot video in the operating room of two different hospitals, if you can believe that!

Allen Plowman · January 24th, 2008, 02:51 PM

see? I am too technical for most stuff. I look at the moment, and lose the artistic intent. I could never be a wedding videographer huh?

Mike Watson · January 24th, 2008, 02:58 PM

Michael, I can't believe I didn't write it in my initial review, but that was my thought -- "How did you get permission to shoot in a grocery store?!". Around here they want big-time location fees. You can get into the mom-and-pop stores, but they are so old and run down it looks like the video was shot in the 1980's.

John, I still don't know what we disagree about, but I appreciate wishing to part amicably.

-MW

John De Rienzo · January 24th, 2008, 03:05 PM

Hi Mike. I like your work. Excellent compositional shots and framing. I guess I like the creative zooms and don't mind certain pans. Agree, or disagree, it does not matter!

I think I have come across too harsh and apologise.

Cheers.

John De Rienzo

Michael Pulcinella · January 24th, 2008, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Watson

Michael, "How did you get permission to shoot in a grocery store?!".

Persistence. I emailed and called every couple of days.

They said that usually they were given a storyboard to approve before allowing videotaping to take place. I didn't have that so I had to show them my nearly completed video, with gaps where the food shots were to be inserted, so that they could see what my use and intention was. I also promised that the store would remain anonymous and that I would show no brand names, workers or customers. (The bewildered looking woman was a friend of mine.) Lastly I assured them that I would not be bringing in lights or a crew and that there would be no disruption to business at all. They eventually agreed, charging me no fee whatsoever, and I was able to roam freely throughout the store for over an hour. Now I have my own archive of grocery store stock footage!!

Michael Pulcinella · January 24th, 2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allen Plowman

I have no artistic talent, I do instructional stuff, and I am good at that. My style is to accurately convey a message and/or images as the eye would perceive it.
yes, I see the intended effect now, and maybe I was the only one that didnt catch your intent... lol

I find your technical outlook useful as well. That's why we're here on this forum, to bring all of our strengths together to help each other out. Isn't the internet cool?

Allen Plowman · January 24th, 2008, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael Pulcinella

I find your technical outlook useful as well. That's why we're here on this forum, to bring all of our strengths together to help each other out. Isn't the internet cool?

without the internet, where would we be?
lets see, on a thursday, probably bowling, right?

Michael Pulcinella · January 24th, 2008, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Allen Plowman

without the internet, where would we be?
lets see, on a thursday, probably bowling, right?

For me, watching 30 Rock and The Office. The Office has some wobbly footage fer sher!!

Tonight however I'll be shooting my first stand-up comedy show at a local club. 2 camera shoot, BOTH on sticks! Wish me luck!! Any tips anyone?

Mike Watson · January 24th, 2008, 03:46 PM

Yeah, the spotlights are HARSH. Brush up on some youtube vid of that stuff before you go out, and see what the problems are. If you expose for the talent's face, you'll end up with a comic standing in a black hole, and if you expose for the audience you'll end up with a white ghostly figure on stage.

You can ask the house to bring the lights up a bit (they typically won't), or... you can just make the best of it!

(PS... Ask them to spit out their gum.) :-D

Michael Pulcinella · January 24th, 2008, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Watson

(PS... Ask them to spit out their gum.) :-D

LMAO!!!

Thanks Mike. I have been watching Youtube standup clips for the past few weeks (that's where my videos will be going as well) and have seen some really bad and really good stuff. Hopefully my clips will be closer to the latter than the former.

I have shot bodybuilding contests which have some of the same spotlight problems that you've noted so I won't be totally green going into this. Thanks for your help.

Mike Watson · January 24th, 2008, 05:19 PM

Post again when you get it shot. I'd love to see it. You seem like an up-and-coming guy. If I'm not lurking around here (sometimes I get busy) e-mail me at my website... it's where the video you linked to came from.

-MW

Michael Pulcinella · January 24th, 2008, 06:37 PM

Will do! I'm working hard at this. At this point I am getting better and better at it every day (with help of course!) and that's a good feeling.

Michael Pulcinella · January 30th, 2008, 07:01 AM

Just thought I'd mention that I saw a Hillary Clinton campaign commercial last night that had both bad framing AND several unmotivated zooms!! It was basically just thirty seconds of her talking at a rally but I was surprised that I was now sensitive enough to these things to notice the zooms (thanks to Mike!) but also that they were there at all...in a Hillary commercial no less!! She certainly has the money to afford the best so I can only assume that these weren't mistakes.

I realize of course that this still doesn't mean that zooms are a good idea but I do think that they were using them intentionally to create an informal feeling to help give the impression of Mrs. Clinton as down-to-earth person. So, now that I think of it, maybe they WERE motivated after all!

Mike Watson · January 31st, 2008, 09:19 PM

You don't have far to go before you're wringing your hands during local TV commercials and spanish-language telenovelas. :-)

January 24th, 2008, 02:51 PM	#33
Allen Plowman Major Player Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Paradise, california Posts: 353	see? I am too technical for most stuff. I look at the moment, and lose the artistic intent. I could never be a wedding videographer huh?

January 24th, 2008, 02:58 PM	#34
Mike Watson Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,082	Michael, I can't believe I didn't write it in my initial review, but that was my thought -- "How did you get permission to shoot in a grocery store?!". Around here they want big-time location fees. You can get into the mom-and-pop stores, but they are so old and run down it looks like the video was shot in the 1980's. John, I still don't know what we disagree about, but I appreciate wishing to part amicably. -MW

January 24th, 2008, 03:05 PM	#35
John De Rienzo Major Player Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: London Posts: 313	Hi Mike. I like your work. Excellent compositional shots and framing. I guess I like the creative zooms and don't mind certain pans. Agree, or disagree, it does not matter! I think I have come across too harsh and apologise. Cheers. John De Rienzo

January 24th, 2008, 03:46 PM	#40
Mike Watson Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,082	Yeah, the spotlights are HARSH. Brush up on some youtube vid of that stuff before you go out, and see what the problems are. If you expose for the talent's face, you'll end up with a comic standing in a black hole, and if you expose for the audience you'll end up with a white ghostly figure on stage. You can ask the house to bring the lights up a bit (they typically won't), or... you can just make the best of it! (PS... Ask them to spit out their gum.) :-D

January 24th, 2008, 05:19 PM	#42
Mike Watson Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,082	Post again when you get it shot. I'd love to see it. You seem like an up-and-coming guy. If I'm not lurking around here (sometimes I get busy) e-mail me at my website... it's where the video you linked to came from. -MW

January 24th, 2008, 06:37 PM	#43
Michael Pulcinella Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ridley Park, PA, USA Posts: 269	Will do! I'm working hard at this. At this point I am getting better and better at it every day (with help of course!) and that's a good feeling.

January 30th, 2008, 07:01 AM	#44
Michael Pulcinella Major Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Ridley Park, PA, USA Posts: 269	Just thought I'd mention that I saw a Hillary Clinton campaign commercial last night that had both bad framing AND several unmotivated zooms!! It was basically just thirty seconds of her talking at a rally but I was surprised that I was now sensitive enough to these things to notice the zooms (thanks to Mike!) but also that they were there at all...in a Hillary commercial no less!! She certainly has the money to afford the best so I can only assume that these weren't mistakes. I realize of course that this still doesn't mean that zooms are a good idea but I do think that they were using them intentionally to create an informal feeling to help give the impression of Mrs. Clinton as down-to-earth person. So, now that I think of it, maybe they WERE motivated after all!

January 31st, 2008, 09:19 PM	#45
Mike Watson Trustee Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,082	You don't have far to go before you're wringing your hands during local TV commercials and spanish-language telenovelas. :-)