I watched it twice, a very well done piece. It's a good example of the quality that can be achieved with modestly priced equipment. The post work was very well done with one exception. The CG seemed fuzzy. The video was sharp, good contrast and overall very little noise. But the GC and lower 1/3s all seemed to lack sharpness. Anyone else?

Jeff

I moved this to the "DV for the Masses" forum because it's a bit more appropriate here...

Yes, I just have to chime in here that this so-called "trailer" is very, very poor in my opinion. I think it's safe to say that this film has certainly generated buzz within the film/video industry for being shot on the XL-1S; to release a trailer that doesn't even have ANY footage at all is pretty weak, even if they're trying to create even more curiosity about what the footage looks like. I mean, the dialog in the trailer is nothing special either... the typography is decidedly third-rate... heck, why is that thing even on Apple's site? Why did they bother *encoding* that in Quicktime? Flash would have made more sense for just audio and b/w text.

Of course that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.

NY Film Academy versus NYU workshop
 

Dave,

back when I was comparing such programs (abt. 3 years ago, before I ended up getting a DV camera and deciding to go my own route), I looked into both the NY Film Academy's thing (a one-month intensive I believe -- never heard of a one-year program), versus New York University's summer intensive beginning filmmaking workshop (generally 6-week program I thinnk). I ended up concluding the NYU one looked probably better.

That's about all I can say. It was mainly an impression formed from looking at their literature, and asking around a bit. I heard some good feedback from folks who'd done NYU, and some mixed feedback abt. the other. I never visited either. Depending on the luck of the draw (since you work in little groups to create short projects, in both systems), either might potentially work good. I think in the NYU version, you first do classroom stuff for a couple weeks, then go & create shorts, if I recall aright.

I think NYU also has a DV version (which is what I'd do if I were doing it these days....)

d.i.

I've heard that FF has been heavily processed and color-shifted in post; my guess is that you won't be able to tell it's XL1S video at all. It'll probably look like an analog 8mm handycam or something. Go figure. We'll find out in August anyway.

Has anyone sat through the Criterion "Traffic" extras? On the second disc there is an extended demonstration of how much film processing and colour timing they had to do to get the Mexican scenes looking so washed out and high contrast at the same time.

I almost died. How could anyone be so anal?

You can bet Soderbergh will do a lot more to his XL1s output.

Nocturne...a micro indie
 

Hello all! I've been working on my dv feature for a year now (it's official) and wanted to extend some thanks. My working knowledge of filmmaking would be woefully inadequate were it not for the posts and comments. My film's got plenty of bugs, certainly, but it could be much, much worse. Oh yes. But for an entry level guerilla filmmaker, I think I'm doing alright. Thanks again.

Marty Higareda
www.caryatidfilms.com

'Way to go Marty' :)
Jim

Well, the big question is ofcourse: where can we see it? I hope
you answer with something that begins with http://

Great you finished your project!

Thanks for the support. If you haven't already you can check out the trailer on the caryatid page. I'm turning the footage black and white, and if anyone has any experience or advice with color correction, I'd be grateful.

Back to the machine,

M

Hi Orca8888,
I live in New York City . I was like you tired of just standing by waiting for things to happen so I took things in my own hand and recently bought a XL1S PAL. I chose PAL because of two things: I come from Europe where they are using PAL and since I might go back some day. My ambitions are to blow my DV films up to 35mm.
You have already read answers and other threads about the extra work to show the footage here in the US when your have shot in PAL. I am not really so sure that is such a huge problem. I have spent the last month experimenting with my camera and just used the viewfinder to check the results. I am going to get a professionel monitor (PAL/NTSC) and an OneWorld VCR from B&H photo which enables you to record PAL footage to a NTSC VHS.
But most of the work will be done on a NLE workstation and using the monitor.
By the way I am producing my first DV short film in September. Everything is possible!!
Tom

Hi byroniceye,
I just saw your trailer. Visually it looked great, and the sound was also great. Unfortunately I didn't really get the story and what it is about which could be a catch. Though I got teased and would really like to see more. Keep up the good work!!
Tom

For me , shooting news is telling a story, the one thing I try to remember is that I am selling the footage to a very short list of customers. I expect myself to shoot a visual shot telling who what when where and why. But most of all, without fail, I must tell the truth, I tell the truth when a major network wants my video, and I tell the truth when I call an assignment editor and explain what I have just shot. The news is suppose to be the truth and by not shooting something that is of great importance, I would not be telling the whole story. I have an entire list of shots that I will not shoot or will edit out before dubbing to the studio, they include legal and yes some ethical shots such as faces of death, nudity, and others. The news has a place, It can be a tool to get people out of harms way, hurricanes, product recall, dangerous people, etc. News can also have the effect of showing when a particular event is re-occurring and deserves more attention, such as tires blowing out. It is natural to feel for people when an accident occurrs, but it may also be the truth about what happened. I shoot what I see and not what I think.

"Backstage" (2000) XL1
 

A behind the scenes look at a hiphop tour. Some done with an xl1, not sure what else.

Perhaps a "stupid" questions, but where?