The JTL is a great value for the money, providing a lot of softlight for indoor situations.
As said before the stands are very very good considering this price range.

The first time you setup the kit is source to a lot of questions : do I have to bend that piece of metal ? Do I have to insert that piece into this small hole ?
The mechanical design is pretty weird.
If you want to keep your kit for a while you don't want anybody else to setup and especially disassemble it !

Even when taking care of it I'm still not convinced it will last for very long due to some design flaws like using the velcro to receive the bended metal bars that create the overall structure (cage).

I really like the softlight and believe that kind can also be used for still pictures. I'm now concerned about the backlight and think a fresnel would be a better idea in some cases (there is no universal light or microphone!) so I may extend the kit by adding a fresnel 350W.

So overall impression is you can't beat that price (don't forget it includes the case too and make the whole kit pretty compact).

Dany

You are a very talented Airbrush artist. I'm impressed!
If I ever need a Airbrush artist I know where to turn!

Unfortunately I didn't stumble across the Lady-X info soon enough... I don't think.

As of this summer I finally have most of the equipment I've needed to make professional video and I'm eager to put it to this sort of test. I have a few friends who also have good gear and we do "shorts" together, but I'm ready to lead a project of this nature.

I've got a fantastic crew and some really great actors, as well as a perfect "lady-x"... I guess this one's over for entries, but I hope this post gets me ready early rather then late.

Ken, John, anybody?

BTW Ken, I can't wait to see YOUR Lady-X... I was in Chicago a couple weeks ago and it is the PERFECT city for a short like this. Chicago river... overpasses... Navy Pier... the museum complex... all the foot-bridges and pedestrian tunnels... Man that place is a freakin' film-maker's dream! So what's the fine for getting caught jumping off one of those draw-bridges into the river?

Looking to get some feedback on a re-edit for a short film series trailer entitled The Uninvited. The previous thread for the older trailer located here:

http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9374

I'm about out of space on the server and could not keep the older trailer online with the newer versions for comparison. Thanks to Shawn for originally starting the thread a while back. I apologize for not responding to the older thread, didn't know it was posted until recently.

You can find the trailer here, with formats in quicktime and windows media.

http://www.theuninvited.net/Uninvited%20Site/video.html

Some Background: Before beginning work on the series, I decided to shoot a trial version and see what would happen before digging in and finalizing the look and feel. This was a volunteer project on the part of cast and crew. Splitting my time between web design on the site and production of the series, it's slow going...but the feedback that everyone has been providing has been invaluable, so please...keep it coming!

Thanks for the feedback on the previous thread and have a look at the updated trailer...let me know what you think.

Matt,

All episode slots are taken for this series...and we have quite a list of alternates who have first dibs on any slots that come available. But...we'll be deciding before long whether to have a 2004 series. If we do, keep looking here for information about when to sign up...then jump in there and sign up quickly.

As for jumping off Chicago bridges... I'll leave that answer to Ken "the jumper" Tanaka.

I could only watch the first "box" rather then the one titled "series trailer" so I assume that's the one your wanting feedback on.

I thought it was pretty good. I don't want to take anything away from the video by saying this, but whoever did the motion graphics is first rate. That aspect is so well finished that it puts pressure on the rest of the production.

Thanks for checking it out. Apologies for not specifying which trailer to view, it's the Relentless Trailer, others aren't uploaded yet.

Thank You for the compliment on the motion graphics. So far I've been handling the post and graphics myself, mostly to save on production costs.

I hear you on the production end and keeping it all balanced. I've taken a breather between projects to think over production values and where it all should be. I took on too many roles, lighting and cinematography too...ya live and learn!

Thanks to a patient and understanding crew!

Well the trailer would get me waiting to see the full thing! I'm a sucker for horror/evil/undead etc movies ;)

Nice work.

Cheers
Aaron

It's about 10 minutes, maybe a little dry if you don't like waterfalls and beautiful scenery....
http://www.crimsonbutterfly.com/video/gorges.wmv

From the Press Release (http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/f_headline.cgi?bw.092903/232725454&ticker=MC):

"Quarterly grand prize winners will receive a three-week rental of the AJ-SDX900 camera and Fujinon Broadcast zoom lens, 10 hours of DVCPRO50 videotape, a 10-week rental of an editing package consisting of a Power Mac G5 and Final Cut Pro 4 editing software, and a Panasonic DVCPRO50 VTR with an IEEE1394 Firewire card. Rental value of this equipment package is more than $17,000."

Only open to US Residents...

Link to the application (http://www.panasonic.com/pbds/subcat/promo/sdx900_grant_promo.html)

This is just my very "subjective" opinion...

THe images are gorgeous.. I would correct the colors to enhance the green and the blue... but that´s me... I´m not a scenery fan, but there are really beatiull shots... and I think that could be "tricked" to look "brighter in colors"...

I would also definetely try and make a shorter.. more compressed or whatever... version for download... For those with slow speed connections... (like me)

I only got to watch up to minute 3'25 or so... I´m in a "supposed" 256kb dsl line.. and still was very slow so I killed the download.... maybe it´s just my connection tonite?? (most likely)... Still, imagine those with dial up...

I would also change the color of the initial credit, from red to something softer.. more in the mood of the music and the shots... Green?...

Can´t comment any further because didn´t got to see the whole thing... sorry.

Thanks Federico....I'll have to make a lot lower resolution file. Of course, the " beaytiful scenery" won't be as beautiful....

I posted a lot smaller file on my site....sorry about the last one...

http://www.crimsonbutterfly.com/video/gorges2.wmv

Do you live is such a nice place? A lot of potential for great footage in a place like that.

I have only been doing this sort of thing for a short while, so my experience is limited.
Some of the old and crustiest may be able to give you better advice.

But here is my go at it:
The colors are a little dull. I use an enhancing filter from Tiffen. It really seems to make the colors pop out on footage like that.

I see you have some of the same problems I do, making smoooooth pan and tilts. This is a difficult skill that takes some time to acquire. On scenic footage it is usually better to get still footage, at least 30 seconds at a time. Then if you want to practice the pan and tilt, go ahead, you already have the still footage. Get at least as much still footage from a tripod as moving footage and may be even more. You can always add some movement in postproduction.

Nice Scenic shots.

Hey Mark, that's funny, I just posted about this too in the Open DV forum under the new Panasonic cam. Are you thinking of entering?

Me!? No, I won't be entering. I'm still too new at this. But I was hoping that maybe some people from the boards here might enter, and even score one of the grants. There's a lot of talent represented here, and I'd love to see some of it rewarded in this way.

But who knows, maybe if they keep the grant around long enough I'll have something worth entering in a year or two...

I know now that you're exactly right. I'll always try to carry some kind of tripod with me when I do landscape-type footage. Of course, it was over 90 that day, and we walked at least 10 miles to get all the shots...first week in July....

I was wondering if anybody can give me some criticism on my new demo reel. I shot everything in it with my GL2, edited in FCP3 and did graphics and color correction in After Effects. Thanks!

http://www.terraform.tv/

very flashy, nice artwork, clear images, speed and hardrock, yezzzz......

well done
I love it
jacko

Do you have a direct download link please?

here's a direct link to the movie:

http://www.terraform.tv/videogallery/video/demo.mov

That's looky pretty nice! Those skateboarding scenes might
look a bit nicer with some good slowmotion (not too much)??

Other then that it looked nice!

Hello friends.
I'd like to have some opinions about a teaser I made for
a upcoming DVD.

Comments, thoughts or "what ever" are most welcome.
I know this might not be your personal interest, but I'd like
to know how you recive it. Did you get interested in the DVD
and so on?

Mac version:http://www.fernbrant.com/saltomortalez%20-%20teaser.mov
PC version: http://www.fernbrant.com/saltomortalez%20-%20teaser.wmv
Bigger Mac/PC: http://www.fernbrant.com/saltomortalez%20-%20teaser.mpg

/Andreas

Hi Andreas, here's my initial impressions of the teaser before going to your website:

Overall very nice and smooth and it drew me in. It made me want to find out more about what those guys are doing. My impression is that this is a sport video for gymnasts, but I wasn't positive - it made me wonder if this might also be a documentary.

Notes:
Your branding was way too subtle for me:

- I kept wondering what the name of the DVD was if I wanted to look it up? It's not clear from the teaser.

- The website did not stick in my head during the 1st and 2nd viewings because I was busy watching the action.

- I missed the branding/info at the end because your jazzy music, which drew me in, stopped, and I thought the video was over. I only saw the ending credits the third time around because I was busy doing something else and let it play through.

- Personally I'd move the Atashami logo. Maybe to the very, very beginning or end of the teaser, or overlay it onto the opening tage line sequence so it's associated with your tag line. The reason is that the beginning sequences: WARNING, tag line, and guy on the beach all drew me toward the subject of the video but the Atashami logo is just eye candy it doesn't have anything to do with the subject of the video and feels out of place.

Once again though, very nicely done.

No... I'm not being naughty or trying to get anyone's hackles up. "Get Goosed!" despite what it may sound like, is the title of my family, feature film that premiered two weeks ago here in Colorado. It's about an elderly Native American man and his best friend, a Canada goose. The old man lives in a rest home and has pretty much given up on life until he meets the goose. The spark of life returns... he checks out of the rest home and buys a ranch, which he intends to share with his new friend. But a federal bureaucrat has different ideas and tries to confiscate the goose. In the end, the people of the old man's mountain community rally to his support... the bureaucrat gets goosed, and the old man rekindles his relationship with his son and granddaughter.

We had two scheduled performances. Both sold out, and we did a carry-over the following day (the house seats 350). We sold 180 VHS tapes and 80 DVDs at the premiere.

Two cable networks and two distributors are now talking with our Executive Producer. Things might happen.

Which is good, because I worked on it for three years... during which our human star suffered a stroke that nearly killed him (21 days into a 28 day schedule), and a malfeasant teenager killed our goose star. I also spent a lot of money learning some lessons the hard way about some editors' integrity. Everyone on the film, except me, has been paid (I wrote it, directed it and wound up finishing the editing). I'm ready for a paycheck. Top Ramen is really starting to suck.

I mention all this because the film is a hybrid. Most of it was shot on 16mm film; but about 1/3 (scenic and wildlife shots) of it was done with a Canon XL-1s in the frame movie mode with a 1/2 black promist filter. Except for one interior that wasn't lit well, I defy anyone to tell the difference. I'm really impressed with that little camera and what it can do... so was my son-in-law, whose father just happens to own Foto-Kem in Burbank. Michael (my son-in-law) said Foto-Kem is building a new facility just to do digital fimmaking postproduction.

I'm not saying film is dead. But as far as I'm concerned, it sure has been kicked in the...

Rally Round The House had its world premiere last Monday. It airs daily on Discovery at 12 & 3 p.m. eastern. Occassionally, you will see the PDX10 at work with the families in their houses as they are held captive for 48 hours. You will see its POV and it being used from another POV.

In the earlier post a PD-150 was used for alternate footage for production purposes. After producing 2 shows this way, it was replaced with another D-35 Betacam so production footage would match better with the Digi-Beta camera. The PDX10 is still used for the family footage.

That was a nice story, thanks for sharing. Sounds like you are
a lot of experiences richer <g> now! So I assume the audience's
reaction was good as well? That must be a real good feeling when
so much interest is going on in something you worked so hard
and long for.

Any chance we can ever see some footage or a trailer online?

Good luck with the rest!

Well done Charles, it's good to hear that your 3 years of suffering dodgy ramen is starting to produce some goods.

I'd like to post a trailer or clip somehwere, but I don't know how to do that and I have really slow dialup service, anyway. There are some production photos at http://www.centralcolorado.com/newcomb, however.

There are a few VHS and DVD copies of the film left at Pak Mail (719) 539-7085. I'm not getting anymore made once they're gone, because from what I'm told the distributor will bite that bullet from now on.

The thing I'm most proud of about this film is that I finished it. There were so many times I could have easily justified throwing my hands up and quitting, but I didn't. It isn't going to win any Oscars, but it's a nice little film and has some absolutely beautiful scenic footage in it.

charles...

i'd like to have a copy on DVD. Can I buy one by calling that number(pak-mail)?

Bill:

Yes, you can call Pak Mail and they'll ship right from there. I spoke with them this morning and there were still some left.

Thanks!

Charles

Charles,
Glad to hear that your story(s) turned out for the best.

I'm also hoping you make some money so you can reduce your sodium level via eating some real food <;~)

Hi all

If anyone's interested, some of my DV work can be seen on the Politics Show on BBC1 this Sunday, but only in the North.

The piece was shot in and around Blackpool at the Tory conference, using a PD150 and edited on a laptop in a grotty hotel room using Avid Xpress DV. Comments and criticism would be appreciated.

PS If anyone watched the news last night and saw someone sticking a PD150 in Iain Duncan Smith's face after his speech, that was me!

Cheers

Damian

Newcastle...home of "Brown Ale"...

Welcome to the boards, Damian. I had the pleasure of spending some time in your city. The old church ruins on the cliff make a wonderful setting for filmmaking. That was also the very first place I ever had "fish 'n chips" in a newspaper cone. Lots of good memories there.

Keep us posted on your future shoots with BBC1 (BBC2, BBC3, BBC4, BBC5, BBC6, BBC7, BBC ei-ya-ght).

Overall I enjoyed it. It definitley draws you in and makes you want to find out more. From watching that trailer, I would definitley be interested to see the movie, so...mission accomplished. Well shot and edited.

I agree with Michael's points. I had the same feelings, especially
about the music ending and the branding was too subtle. One
small thing, usually "1 st" is written as "1st" I think. Looked odd
with a space in there.

Hey every body I would like to pose a question, has anybody that YOU know every had their films shown on Atom films or I films or etc.

When i finish my short i was thinking about sending it to Atom films.



do you think this is a good idea?

AtomFilms.com, iFilm.com and TriggerStreet.com are all great places to get new audiences for your film that you otherwise wouldn't be able to reach. They're all very popular sites, and in addition to the attention you may get for your work, it can be a great networking opportunity with other filmmakers.

I would defintely start with Trigger Street. It took a few months, but we've received a ton of feedback on our recent short. And most of the reviews are coming from filmmakers, so they comment on all aspects of your film. It's also free.

I'm not sure if this is still the case with Atom or Ifilm, but I believe they have to choose your video, otherwise you pay a fee to have your movie online. Also, I find a lot of the comments on films at those sites are from trolls who will just say "this movie sucked" and other one-liners. At Triggerstreet you will get paragraphs of feedback and constructive criticism.

Hi Stacy,

One of my shorts has been on Atom films.

Check it out:

http://atomfilms.shockwave.com/af/content/starwars_prologue

I agree with Brad, if you are looking for constuctive critisism Triggerstreet is the way to go.

-Nori

http://members.cox.net/numericatrophy/sunset_palm_tree.jpg

Just a frame grab I took here in las vegas during sunset. Thought It looked really good, so I wanted to share it. Wanted to know what others thought.

Thanks.

I imagine actually being there would have been beautiful. The colours look like they would have been amazing.

Composition wise, with video as with stills, avoid composing a subject, especially in this situation, directly in the middle of the frame. When you have an obvious subject in a shot you should use the rule of thirds, divide your shot into equal thirds along the vertical or horizontal axis and place your subject in either the left or right third. Take a look at any professional shots and you'll rarely see the subject in the center of the shot.

That is very much appreciated advice. I am really new at this, so any advice at all is very good to get. Thank you.

Since this was video, and I was panning around, I was able to get a shot with the tree in the left third of the picture. However, you could also see a lightpole in the picture. The original shot above, had no cg work, but in the new one, i removed the light pole.

Thanks for the advice.

After (http://members.cox.net/numericatrophy/tree_left_third_after.jpg)

Before (http://members.cox.net/numericatrophy/tree_left_third_before.jpg)

(now if only I had remembered to turn off interlacing :-p )

Thanks Again

Good job Bryan.

Can you see that with the tree off to the side it's more pleasing to the eye, you see more of the sunset than just seeing this big black tree.

Unfortunately, video camera still functions are still lacking, they're getting better but your still better off with a still camera for stills and a video camera for video. If only we had the cash for what we need ay?

Good Afternoon All!

I've been very busy, but I thought I would post a few RAW shots from a short that and an upcoming feature that I'm working on.

The boards have been a fabulous resource of technical knowledge and contacts.

I will let you know when the endeavors are completed in their final forms...

I hope you enjoy them. They are untouched, with exception of the shot of New York, which was desaturated, the contrast up slightly, gamma increased nominally.

All shot on the XL1S. AOAS - - Frame Mode(16:9) Breathing Shadow - - 60i/4:3

Let me know:

2002-2003 (AOAS - Copyright by Derrick Begin, LOC)

http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/AOASIntro.jpg
http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/AOAS-Signs.jpg

2003 (Breathing Shadow - Copyright by Derrick Begin, LOC/R. Crafford)

http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/StatueBS.jpg
http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/ShadowBoxBS2.jpg
http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/ShadowBS.jpg

Please comment... (The stairs, jaggies, in the photos will be taken care of at a later date.)

Cheers!

Derrick

2002-2003 (AOAS - Copyright by Derrick Begin, LOC)

http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/AOASIntro.jpg
http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/AOAS-Signs.jpg


2003 (Breathing Shadow - Copyright by Derrick Begin, LOC/R. Crafford)

http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/StatueBS.jpg
http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/ShadowBoxBS2.jpg
http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/ShadowBS.jpg


You have to add [url ] before and [/url ] afterwords (minus the space inside the brackets) for it to be linked, even though in the FAQ I believe it says it will do it automatically.

Cheers,
Huey

Thanks, Huey!

Cheers!

Nothing, huh?

Composition?

Use of lens flare as an effect?

Anything?

Action?

Well...

Hi Derrick,

The shots look very interesting and moody, but what kind of feedback do you want based on a couple of screenshots? To me they are as mysterious/unclear as the rest of your website.

Anyone else?

Peter

Peter,

Your input is appreciated. Both of the pieces are very moody and I will intentionally deepen shadows to strengthen their look.

Your right. Posting photographic images does not represent the story in it's world and omits the motion picture aspect from the photo. I will post some rolling images in a short period of time which these images are a part of. (I lack the speed at the moment to upload *.mov)

However, I am looking for a person(s) who have a strong still photography background and/or cinematography background to possibly point out things that I can learn from. Or some suggestions... If you have seen or/ one of the photo reminds you of something or someone, artist, photographer, style, or other, please point me at the artist...

FYI - -

"Autobiography of a Suicide" was first introduced to this board a year ago based on improvisation and a poem. Experimental.

"Breathing Shadow" is a feature which I am working on, as cinematographer/dp, right now. E. Munch, the color palate he uses, and his paintings are being worked into the production.

My website is currently in conversion. The site is geared toward my professional acting career, as of the moment. Its being changed.

Cheers!

Thanks!

Here are some more:

http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/AOAS-Sid.jpg
http://www.dpbegin.com/Gallery/AOAS-Jen.jpg