Here is a clip of about 5 weddings I shot at this one particular place, great people and very beautiful venue, I got the clip idea from CMac, by the way Glen if you read this congratualations on your clip getting first place at GPVA, your the man! I'm sure if you see this clip you'll remember where the idea came from for the opening, it is Quicktime and is about 32 mb, hope you like it!

http://streamitnow.com/customer/aemikea/Belle%20final%20template%20720ms1Mbps_Stream001.mov


AEMIKEA

That was beautiful. What get up are you using for the tracking shots and moving around that was so smooth. Was it shot with a rig or glidecam. Wow.
Good work.

Thanks Jason, it was a Steadicam SK2/ProVid hybrid, it is hard to see on the small clip, but the blonde bride had a serious stream of tears before the big kiss, made my eyes water while shooting, I use FX1's, thanks for watching!


Mike

Michael, good job that steadicam makes a huge difference.
I'm definitely adding one to my arsenal. I did a similar effect with
that same song if you'd like to see it let me know.

That couple had a beautiful wedding scene, elements, and they're beautiful themselves.

My only concerns were:
- In the beginning at 32secs you can adjust the color in that room looks a bit
over exposed.
- 35secs a few particles on your lens I hate when that happens to me keep
those lens clean.

That's was really great overall, I loved it...

Oh at 2:00 are you coming off some elevated angle because you sweeping is excellent makes me feel like I'm in a movie.

Thanks for checking it out Dante, would love to see what you have done with the song (weddings@hdbride.com), I was kinda going for the overexposed look on the shot you are talking about, she was sitting in direct sunlight, it was hard to keep my lense clean that day and that was the only shot I took of the house (fisheyes are so exposed without a hood:( ) hate that it was dirty. I was comoing off the deck on the one shot you are talking about, I kinda liked it to, well when you get a chance to send me a link to your video that would be great, thanks again.

Mike

Thanks for checking it out Dante, would love to see what you have done with the song (weddings@hdbride.com), I was kinda going for the overexposed look on the shot you are talking about, she was sitting in direct sunlight, it was hard to keep my lense clean that day and that was the only shot I took of the house (fisheyes are so exposed without a hood:( ) hate that it was dirty. I was comoing off the deck on the one shot you are talking about, I kinda liked it to, well when you get a chance to send me a link to your video that would be great, thanks again.

Mike

Which editor are you using FCP?
And did you use just the regular speed adjustments for your slow motion?

I'm exporting the video as we speak bare with me...

I'm a PC guy, edit with PPro 2 + Cineform Aspect HD, I use twixtor for the slow motion, works great on HDV stuff, thanks for sharing your clip, can't wait to see it.

Mike

Here is a clip of about 5 weddings I shot at this one particular place, great people and very beautiful venue, I got the clip idea from CMac, by the way Glen if you read this congratualations on your clip getting first place at GPVA, your the man! I'm sure if you see this clip you'll remember where the idea came from for the opening, it is Quicktime and is about 32 mb, hope you like it!

http://streamitnow.com/customer/aemikea/Belle%20final%20template%20720ms1Mbps_Stream001.mov


AEMIKEA

Thanks Michael. I look forward to watching your clip (the proxy at work won't allow me to install QT).

I can see your influences in there, Michael, but I wouldn't label it a C-Mac clone.

It's a very strong vignette and merits praise on both technical and artistic fronts. Your steadicam work was awesome and I couldn't help but admire it; I also believe it added to the overall flow and to the spellbinding score. It was cinematic in every sense with some nice, creative shots but it lacked some ambient audio; sorry, but I can't help but measure it against Glen's winning GPVA effort where he utilised the priest's sermon to great effect so, maybe I'm being unfair.

The split screens actually worked except that they felt kinda stuck on at the beginning, maybe you should have carried this effect through the sequence at various points? Colour matching jarred at some points and may need closer inspection.

Other than that, I'm truly delighted that you shared this clip! I've downloaded it and will benchmark my own floating shots against yours as a way to improve my camerawork. Your clients are very lucky people to have had such stunning surroundings for their wedding and a gifted videographer to capture it in all its glory!

Mossy

Thanks Mossy, appreciate the kind words and areas to improve, I too love the ambient audio and may put some in, the main reason I did not put in vowes is because most of these I shot without audio, this was strictly to do a demo for this facility, so I would come in when I could and just shoot and leave, I agree Glenns stuff is inspiring, and plan on doing more voiceover this year, thanks again.


Mike

that was amazing. amazing.

question about the steadicam: how is it working with a steadicam on a live event? i'm hesitant to make the investment because i can't see myself getting into the nooks and crannies and moving as easily as i can handheld. also, how is it to work with on an all day shoot?

your footage is making me seriously consider taking the leap. kudos.

the video looks AWESOME! great moves with the steadicam.

would you happen to be aemikea from VU?

Cheers!

A.J actually I keep it handy on a stand near by and keep my vest on, I have another camera for handheld stuff, I don't wear it all day (Steadicam), it would kill me! I have worn it several times for about 2 hours straight or so, Every bide knows about it before I get there and none to date have complained as long as I get some cool shots with it. Thanks Jason just checked out some more of your work the other day, loved it as usual, yep I'm AEMIKEA from good ole VU, thanks for noticing, have a great night and thanks again for checking the clip out.


Mike

Hard not to notice. Your "prayer" piece is tops in my books.

Cheers.

Thanks Jason, that one probably has some of my best shots to date, always looking to improve, so many great and different styles out there to learn from, yourself and the rest of the many skilled videographers, I remember I came across your work around 2 years ago, Your work helped me to move into some faster edits instead of always doing the "sappy" :) stuff all the time, stumbled back upon it again recently, great to see you are still going strong! Your in the PI right? I was stationed in Guam with the Air Force for a couple of years met several people from there..... Salagumba? Cueto? Matanani? (I think he was Chamarro) anyway, I remembered you had and still have a great site, love your frequently asked questions too :)

Take Care
Mike

Stewart which font face did you use to display the names on the opening titles?

I believe it is brickham script, adobe font folio collection, same one I use for my Logo.

Cheers
Mike

Normally, I wouldn't ask, but what was the name of the song you used. That was beautiful, and totally fit with your graceful camera work.

Also, I sometimes end up with a shot where I have some dust or debris on my lens, so does anyone have any tips on how to prevent and/or catch this? I clean all my lens the day of the wedding, but during the course of an entire day of running around, I find it hard to check my lenses again. Any tips here would be appreciated.

Oh, and I saw the tears on that blonde bride. Gotta love it when you catch stuff like that. Great work!

Very nice work. I'm getting ready to start my own videography business and I hope to produce stuff to that quality. Great job.

Hey Travis, I am in Spokane washington not toooo far from you, the song is from "road to perdition" not sure the name, thanks for the comments gentlemen (Nicholas) I have so much more to learn, I have been able to see improvements in my stuff the past couple of years.

Cheers
Mike

Spokane? How about that? My wife is a photographer and she has a wedding job in Spokane this spring. I've only been there once myself, but it seemed pretty nice.

Again, nice job with the video. I use monopods for my "handheld" shooting, but every time I see video like yours it makes me want to get a steadicam rig.

Michael, sorry it took so long for me to watch. I'm in the process of switching all my files to a new computer and I didn't have quicktime installed.

Beautiful, beautiful imagery. Awesome steadi-cam work. I didn't read all the responses but what camera was that shot with...it looked phenomenal!
I do agree that the piece could definitly be fleshed out a bit with some vo's especially towards the end when the song kind of fades out to a considerably lower volume. Though that's something I've been spending a great deal of time trying to improve in my work.

I don't think it was a C-mac clone at all...it was an original Aemikea clip if I've ever seen one. I've been a fan of your other pieces in the past...you do good work. The clarity, smoothness, and colors are breathtaking. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks Glen, always means alot coming from you, have been a great admirer of your work since the beginning. Thanks for checking it out, they were shot with FX1's, Have a great night!

Mike

Really nice Mike. The visuals 'breathe' with the music. Some type of VO or ambient would add another layer, but its strong right now. What type of stand are you using to hold the rig when you go handheld?

Hi Joel, Thanks for checking it out, I am going to try to add some voiceover to it, I too think it would add alot to it, I am going to rework it a little and repost in the future, by the way I am having the packaging made up (one to send to you) within the next 3 weeks. Talk with you soon! I use a mathews C-stand to hold the Steadicam while I go handheld.

Thanks
Mike

Thanks for the packaging examples - they have some real potential to wake us up from the plastic-case era.

I'm going to have to give the Smooth Shooter another whirl. (Or maybe I won't: Not using the vest and arm keeps me going down to the basement to work with the weights...)

I bought one of the first units out last Spring and felt sooooo out of place at a wedding - like Jason mentioned I felt like robo-cop. I just didn't feel comfortable.


Hi Joel, Thanks for checking it out, I am going to try to add some voiceover to it, I too think it would add alot to it, I am going to rework it a little and repost in the future, by the way I am having the packaging made up (one to send to you) within the next 3 weeks. Talk with you soon! I use a mathews C-stand to hold the Steadicam while I go handheld.

Thanks
Mike