Seven Secrets of Shooting Video to Look Like Film
 

Thought y'all would want to know I finally finished another issue of our valuable but rare "DV Revolution Report".

It's called "Seven Secrets of Shooting Video to Look Like Film" and you can get this issue now by signing up on our home page:

http://www.dvcreators.net



Hi Chris, Don and gang!

I signed up but I hope you don't go spamming me now :)

Rob, we have never and will never spam anyone. We send out our monthly e-newsletter about every three months ; ) and if we're in your town occasionally we'll let you know.

We will never turn over any info to any third party.

We do have subscribers complain- but it's that we don't send enough email!!


cheers

Josh

DVCreators is certifiably the best such organization in its class. Josh runs a good kitchen!

Ken, thanks for your kind words. You, Chris and the rest of the the fine folks on this site are pillars of the small but growing DV community, and your efforts are muchly appreciated.

Josh, I just checked out the site and must add that it very imformative. I really enjoyed the little quiz you have at the end of each article. I am starting to understand more of the functions of these manual functions we sometimes take for granted. I think the pics are the best part of all the articles because you get an idea of what you are actually talking about without sounding too technical. At least for me, it's a great thing. Well done on a supeberb site. I've bookmarked it as an important learning archieve for all my video need-to-know camera requirements.

If Ken Tanaka says you run a good kitchen, I'll believe him... Watchya got to eat? Seriously though, I'll stop by and take your newsletter, and check out your site.

I've been on that site several times before, and one of the things I love about it is the design of the site itself. So pleasant to look at. Very tight job.

A+ site packed with tips and ideas to achieve that elusive "film look"....I could easily say the same about this board.

I did sign up. But I haven't received the current issue yet??

I never got the 7 secrets either and signe dup a few days ago? :(

me neither.

Zac

Have not received it either

I/We are not alone then.... Josh??

Heh, I haven't received anything either. I was wondering if I was the only one.

no, me neither, though I'm looking forward to it.

Perhaps , someone can post the 7 secrets here when they received it ?

No 7 secrets here either. But, what a minute...secrets aren't supposed to be revealed, right?

<<<-- Originally posted by Stylianos Moschapidakis : No 7 secrets here either. But, what a minute...secrets aren't supposed to be revealed, right? -->>>

Damn, we've been suckered! :D

Seven Secrets no more.....I just got my copy this evening.

Val, could you please e-mail the article to me. I would very much appreciate that. Please copy-and-paste it, don't email it as an attachment.

Thank you.

Odd, I signed up and immediately recieved a copy by e-mail and then a second copy by e-mail. If anyone still wants a copy drop me an e-amil and I will be happy to pass it along.

A comment - the "Seven Secrets" is all good advice but the most important "secrets"aren't secrets.

Please send it to me. I haven't received anything yet!

Yeah, I just got my copy also.

Rick, I agree, they aren't really secrets...lol

Ah, what the heck, i'll spill the beans, heres whats in the E-Mail:

#7 Secret of Shooting Video to Look like Film: Fog

#6 Secret of Shooting Video to Look like Film: Shoot with Frame Mode (30 fps non-interlaced)

#5 Secret of Shooting Video to Look like Film: Add depth with smooth moving camera shots

#4 Secret of Shooting Video to Look like Film: Use Shallow Depth of Field

#3 Secret of Shooting Video to Look like Film: Shoot with a diffusion filter

#2 Secret of Shooting Video to Look like Film: Use a professional light kit (when feasible)

#1 Secret of Shooting Video to Look like Film: Sharpen your Cinematography Skills

Thanks for the e-mail Stylianos!

We just switched to a snazzy new mailing list system- so snazzy we've been having many major snafus with it. Apologies to anyone who has not received the issue- or received it twice.

I think everything's up and running now- please email me personally if you do not receive your issue.

(You must confirm your subscription before you are officially added to the list (to prevent anyone else from signing you up))

Thanks Chris et al for tolerating this digression.

<<<-- Originally posted by Alex Knappenberger :
#3 Secret of Shooting Video to Look like Film: Shoot with a diffusion filter
-->>>

One of the filters they strongly recommended was the Tiffen Black Diffusion FX 3. I tried it on my camera, and, far from making the image more filmlike, it just made it more muddy. Plus, on my TRV900 you have to shoot at f5.6 or wider, or you can actually see the diffusion pattern as translucent gray circles on the image!

I got the biggest secret ever the other day in a way to get the film look.
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shoot with film! gawd dang it just might work!!!

zac

ps. *grinz*

In the latest issue of DV mag, they had a little article on using filters and such to get a better look with DV. One thing the article suggests is that most of the smaller CCD DV cameras will have a tough time with some lens filters, because their depth of field is so large it'll just focus in on the filter itself.

I guess, James, from your experience with the trv900, this is true.

I put a note at the bottom of this page for depth-of-field and filters:

http://www.dvcreators.net/products/tiffen_filters.html

I never got the seven secrets either. Would appreciate someone emailing. I did sign up for the newletter.

tuffcom@adelphia.net

thanks in advance.

Just sent you the e-mail!

DV Mag Article -
 

For those that are interested, my article Make Video Look Like Film (which provides a little more detail on the various issues) is at:

http://www.dv.com/features/features_...02/jackman1202

John Jackman

So nice to see you here, John... I can't resist posting a shot of us together with Guy Genin of ZGC, taken at ShowBiz Expo 2001 so many moons ago... we all seem quite captivated with the Mini35!

Hey, Chris -- who is that ugly guy with you in the picture? Never seen him before.

I just ran across a link to this old thread and thought I should post the new link to the series of articles:

http://www.dvcreators.net/seven-secr...ke-film-intro/

Thanks again, Josh. I actually agree with your suggestions and I'm a very disagreeable person. :) I think the softfx filter suggestion may be too much for HDV and simply turning down the camera's sharpening should suffice. Do you have a suggested filter for HDV? I may not get accepted to Hogwarts, but I am not opposed to a bit of magic. I'm now using a 35mm adapter and would like to know if anyone has figured out a filter that will give me the slightly soft look of an adapter for the times when I must use the stock lens. I don't want to mix the "look" too much between shots with and without the adapter.

The closest thing to a "filter that would simulate a 35mm adapter" might be a Center Spot...

I regard the Soft/FX 3 as more of a "client effect"... whether it's marketing, commercial or wedding, the dreamy look makes an impact. Or when shooting "Minority Report 2" or "JFK 2" :)

In terms of using a diffusion filter, this would be for situations where you want to minimize post time, like a daily podcast or say, Barbara Walters interview ;)