How can I achieve a look like this?

[Mel Abdo]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMVGHN_xtjQ

Is there a way to edit a video to look like this?

[Ben Winter]

To look like what? I saw nothing special about it. Just an adapter test. What look are you referring to?

[Paul Izbicki]

If that is the look you want, then go for it. I agree with comment that it is a bit dark for my taste, with little detail in the blacks, but hey, maybe you want a really dark mood.

If you can't or don't want to use a lens adaptor for 35mm still camera lenses/film lenses, then you'll have to control the light, and keep the aperture on manual, set wide (very open) to force less depth of field.

You might also go for a Tiffen or similar 1/2 warm black mist filter-lowers contrast, softens the image. There is also a Low-con filter that does similar. Problem is, anything you do to treat the image at the camera is near impossible to alter downstream, whereas most of what I think you are asking to do is possible, even preferably, done in post.

I am down to ND, polarizer and graduated filters in my matte box. Any color gradients, tonal washes, softening, contrast control I want to do in post. With the image basically neutral, I can play until I like it, but with the image pre-processed, I'm stuck with it. I do turn the detail low or off.

If that clip was shot with a 35mm adaptor, I've seen better. I could not tell it was shot in HD. If I went that route, I'd want the benefits, without the total loss of resolution, even factoring in YouTube compression.

[Salah Baker]

I agree with ben,
Nothing is Special about it.

[Mel Abdo]

It has that bleak feeling, all alone.

[Ben Winter]

Originally Posted by Mel Abdo

It has that bleak feeling, all alone.

....uhh...

What makes this clip feel that way? You've got to give us technical details on the look for us to be able to help you. There is no "Bleak and All Alone" filter you can apply in any editing program. You certainly can't "edit" a mood into a clip.

Paul tried to give you a cover-all-the-bases response to your very ambiguous and nearly impossible to answer question, and if that answer didn't satisfy you, you're on the wrong forums.

[Andy Graham]

Originally Posted by Mel Abdo

Is there a way to edit a video to look like this?

Mel, I konw what your getting at. The reason that clip has a bleak ,alone feel about it is simply down to the time of day it was shot at. To look at it i'd say it was shot early morning.

I do agree that there is nothing special about the clip however i have to disagree with Ben when he says you can't edit a mood into a clip. In fact the way you edit something will directly change the mood of the film, one of the best examples of editing changing the mood is in Lord of the rings when frodo is hanging over the lava and the ring is floating on the surface, the ring was origionaly just ment to dissolve when it hit but Jackson chose to cut back to frodo and back to the ring several times prolonging the intensity of the scene.

You can also change the mood of a clip with colour correction, with regards to your example clip to get that look I would film early morning and simply desaturate it slightly and shift the colours into the blue range.

Alternatively (and i think gives you the best result) shoot early morning and instead of doing a white balance or using a pre-set 5600k i would use a pre-set 3200k meaning in a 5600k environment a 3200k setting will give you a very nice blueish image and then just stop down the iris accordingly thereby giving you the bleak, alone feeling.

Andy.

[Ben Winter]

Originally Posted by Andy Graham

I do agree that there is nothing special about the clip however i have to disagree with Ben when he says you can't edit a mood into a clip. In fact the way you edit something will directly change the mood of the film, one of the best examples of editing changing the mood is in Lord of the rings when frodo is hanging over the lava and the ring is floating on the surface, the ring was origionaly just ment to dissolve when it hit but Jackson chose to cut back to frodo and back to the ring several times prolonging the intensity of the scene.

Not what I meant, but I agree with you. I was referring to not being able to change the look of the shot with just cutting.

[Andy Graham]

Originally Posted by Ben Winter

Not what I meant, but I agree with you. I was referring to not being able to change the look of the shot with just cutting.

In that case you're right, just cutting won't affect the image properties.

Andy.

[Liam Hall]

1. Leave all your lights in the van.
2. Leave your tripod in the van.
3. Underexpose by 2 stops.
4. Put lots of gain in the shot.
5. Leave most of the shot out-of-focus.
6. Put a heavy vignette on every shot in post.
7. Tell all your friends it's really cool.

Who needs adapters?

Cheers,

Liam.

[Don Donatello]

the shots are monotone ... one person in shots with really nothing but dull walls ... it's a bleak scene !!! IMO it would be the same bleak scene without the 35mm lens adaptor

[Hayes Roberts]

Suggestion to get "Bleak and All Alone" "look"
Allow fast living to wipe out bank account.
Break up with girlfriend.
Watch a lot of CNN, etc. Stock reports also.
Sit in bare, blank room. Camera on tripod. Note that sitting in room alone usually works best to achieve the elusive "bleak and all alone" 'look".
Don't worry about adapters, etc. because you need to be broke to fully convey the bleak part.

[Chris Ivanovskis]

i think this thread could use a little more sarcasm.

i'm dying over here!

[Herman Van Deventer]

MEL,

Interesting thread / Apart from the term "bleak" , watch the dvd /
The Salton Sea (Val Kimler) / Bonus Material for interesting coverage of
the alone / isolated feel. The feel was built upon art / still paintings
studied by the director.


Enjoy. Herman.

[Greg Corke]

Not a regular in these part but I think a large part of the appeal of this clip is the selective DOF particularly in the second half.

IMO I think there is some merit in this approach to film/making i.e.

I think it can be interesting to see things under exposed

Framed unconventionally

hand held

These an other filming practices could definitely lend themselves to a voyeuristic, intrusive or isolating treatment of your subject matter

I've seen a lot of short clips/ movies lately that have been shot on the new generation of video cameras that try to replicate bigger budget movies but for me fail.

A lot of what makes a big budget movie is exactly that a big budget. I think anyone trying to make Gladiator with a £4000 camera has really got there work cut out and even though a film like 28 days later was shot on mini DV it still had a budget of a good few million.

IMO The important thing is to recognise and lean towards the virtues of your chosen recording device. it is important to remember that, although the suspension of disbelief does not rest solely on this factor, if you approach it with an understanding you are half way there.

This, for me, is what this short work exemplifies.

G