Please critique these..

[Yang Wen]

I've been feeling a bit burnt out from doing wedding videos lately.. the continuous head problems I've had with my DVX this season didn't make it any better for me! I'm starting up my photography services. Better money, less post work.. is it a winning combo? I think it might be...

Sorry the above rant. These two Indian (south asian) weddings were shot this summer.. Please let me know what your thoughts on them are.

http://tinyurl.com/29nwzt

http://tinyurl.com/3979d8

thanks
Yang

[Travis Cossel]

I only had time to watch the first one (well, really didn't have time to do that, but I watched it anyways). I liked it. The editing was good and fit the music. My only real critique would be that the shots seemed somewhat lacking in contrast.

[Yang Wen]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm edit with Vegas 7, and it seems like whatever contrast boost that I apply either using the 3 wheel CC or the curves tool, the saturation gets bumped up along with it.. How would one achieve contrast increase without saturation increase?

[Travis Cossel]

I don't use Vegas but in FCP when you use the 3-way CC and you bump the blacks and whites you can just move the saturation slider back a bit to compensate.

[Matthew Craggs]

Since Travis watched the first one, I watched the second one :)

I thought it flowed very nice, and while there could be a bit more contrast I don`t think it took away from this particular type of edit.

Good job.

[Michael Liebergot]

Originally Posted by Yang Wen

Thanks for your reply.

I'm edit with Vegas 7, and it seems like whatever contrast boost that I apply either using the 3 wheel CC or the curves tool, the saturation gets bumped up along with it.. How would one achieve contrast increase without saturation increase?

What you can do is don't work with curves unless you have to and instead use the levels function. Also while using your levels watch your video scopes so you have proper adjustment levels.

First set your black levels (top bar) I like to crusk my blacks a touch.
Then your whites (4th bar down to make sure that your whites are legal 100IRE). adjust your mids (2nd bar down) if needed.

Then open your 3-Way Color Corrector and set accordingly. After your colors re corrected, then bump up the saturation (in the 3-Way CC) to add more pop. I usually pop the color to 1.105-1.15, depending on the pictures exposure.

Hope this helped.

EDIT: Also in regards to the edit. I just watched the first one. And besides the comment on the picture contrast, it was nicely timed to the music. My only real suggestion would be to sllow some of your clips down a bit, especially the panning ones (the dress, jewlry etc.). Try applying a velocity envelope in Vegas and slow down to around 65-80% to seem natural. This will also steady some of your camera shakes and movements as well.

[Bill Grant]

Yang,
I watched the first one as well. I feel you are a student of Jason Magbanua. This has a very signature look, and is very pleasing. I second the comment about camera movement. I don't think is necessarily shake but too much attempt at movement. I see what you are going for here, and it looks great I think. It has a very unique style for american video.
Bill

[Yang Wen]

Thanks Bill.

You're right, I do try a lot of camera movements in my shots. I don't use a steadycam so I've trained my body to move like a dolly or jib.. whatever the shot calls for. Sometimes I nail a shot and the movement would be very smooth and sometimes my body gives away and there'll be shakes.

I didn't know who Jason Magbanua is but I'll look him up. I would say I've been inspired by Loi Banh's work. I think his stuff has a perfect balance of music video and live audio elements (if that makes any sense)..

Basically what I'm saying is that a lot of edited video segments(mine included) are mostly shots edited to a song.. while this is effective when the shots and music combo is right, it gives me a very claustrophobic feel. Adding shots with live audio here and there like Loi does gives the video an extra intimate feel.

Here's a western styled preparation clip:

http://tinyurl.com/ytdhky

[Sean Seah]

Use the levels tool. Open the videoscope and drag the histo levels to hit both the 100 and 0 line. That will solve yr contrast issue.

[Warren Kawamoto]

Were you using a fog filter on your camera or was the soft look achieved in post? If you did use a fog filter on camera, I would say increasing the contrast is a no no. A fog filter deliberately decreases contrast to get that soft feel. I think increasing the contrast would negate the "feel" you're trying to achieve and make the blacks muddy.

[Yang Wen]

Hi Warren,

I actually just uploaded a new version of a clip with a "dream look" effect applied. The conversation regarding the contrast applies to a previous version.

Regarding the contrast - I don't necessarily feel those two clips lack contrast. They are actually the look that I was after, but it is always good to get some tips on applying contrast for future clips that I want to apply it to.

[Bill Grant]

Hey Yang,
Here is Jason's site... http://jasonmagbanua.com/blog/ he posts here quite a bit. I have exactly the same issues with movement,. and I am slowly weeding them out. I may need a glidecam, but I am fighting it... Good luck.
Bill