Hey everyone.. I'm a newb here on this forum. Just want to introduce myself first.. I've been a photographer for about 3-4 years now (semi serious) and that has lead me to get a job as a video producer assistant (6 months). I just received the canon 5d mk2 and this is my first video that I've shot with this camera.

By Your Side (short film) on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/2671396)

Comments and critiques are welcomed..

Hey, great job Simpson. Of course any video / photo of a beautiful girl, is always a winner in my book!!

I kinda get the feeling you were rushed for time on this video; meaning you could have added some more filler shots. Location looked like Santana Row?! If so, I'm surprised they let you film there!!

Otherwise, would you enlighten us on the specifics of your equipment used; (lenses, lighting, sound, memory cards)?

Thanks for sharing Simpson!!

AC

Agreed. Good Stuff.
Took me a second to get the story. Well framed, good ambient light, nice bokeh.
I know the slow motion was a stylistic choice but it took me out the element because of the "frame blending". I'd recommend AE CS3 for making the motion smoother.
I'm jealous of your wide lens - Are you able to control these apertures manually?

On a side note : The more footage I see with 5DII - the more it necessitates a tripod (IMHO). It seems on shoulder mount cameras the type of movement or camera play is different and more acceptable. A double edge sword though - who wants to bring a tripod when it looks like you're shooting stills (especially if you don't have a permit).

Good work Simpson and welcome.
-C

Simpson

Very nice work

Did you use FCP to edit ?

Also, checked out you website - great still stuff as well

Best
Jay

Looks great Simpson - just curious did you make any attempt to manually control the aperture or just let the camera sort it out? To my eye it looks like too much dof to have hit 1.2 anywhere, and I'm wondering if the camera has a lower limit on f-stop regardless of the lens' capabilities. Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, I'm finding even f2 on my nikon 85mm can put a person's nose out of focus even when their eyes are in focus...

Here's my second video made with my 5dmk2. It stars Model Jayne Chen.

Lost Without You (A 5dmkII film) on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/2856527)

For more of her work, please visit her website.
The Official Website of Jayne Chen (http://www.jaynechen.com)

Hi Simpson, could you please take a moment to address the questions our members are asking in this thread? Thanks in advance,

Hey, great job Simpson. Of course any video / photo of a beautiful girl, is always a winner in my book!!

I kinda get the feeling you were rushed for time on this video; meaning you could have added some more filler shots. Location looked like Santana Row?! If so, I'm surprised they let you film there!!

Otherwise, would you enlighten us on the specifics of your equipment used; (lenses, lighting, sound, memory cards)?

Thanks for sharing Simpson!!

AC
Yes the outdoors video was rushed since it was filmed at Santana Row. They do not like cameras there (anything big and with a tripod). I had only a few scenes out in the open and at the end they wanted me to stop. I had a rolling suitcase bag with me but it was just a camera and a 10 dollar tripod most of the time and a hotshoe camcorder light.

I mainly used the 85mm f1.2L II lens and the wide shots I used the 28mm f1.8 lens. Sound I still don't have a mic so I'm just doing music videos for now. Lights I have a canon camcorder light with a tiny softbox on top. Memory cards I have a 16gb cf card but I only used about 4gb for this shoot.

I mainly used the 85mm f1.2L II lens and the wide shots I used the 28mm f1.8 lens. Sound I still don't have a mic so I'm just doing music videos for now. Lights I have a canon camcorder light with a tiny softbox on top. Memory cards I have a 16gb cf card but I only used about 4gb for this shoot.

Nice second video Simpson; excellent photograhy!! I noticed at the end of the video you had like the "outakes" with sound. Regarding that, did you utilize an external mic, sound recorder or was that just from the camera's mic?

By the way, what are you using to edit with?

Nice second video Simpson; excellent photograhy!! I noticed at the end of the video you had like the "outakes" with sound. Regarding that, did you utilize an external mic, sound recorder or was that just from the camera's mic?

By the way, what are you using to edit with?
That was with the internal mic. There's a lot of background noise that I would normally clean up but I put a background song on there so it's not too noticeable. I'm planning on getting a rode stereo mic ($250) that fits on the hotshoe.

Yes I used FCP to edit both videos.. It's what I use for most video work.. I'm learning after effects at work so I can do some motion graphics with that pretty decent now too.

Simpson

Very nice work

Did you use FCP to edit ?

Also, checked out you website - great still stuff as well

Best
Jay

Thanks Simpson

FCP is what I am trying to learn

A little off topic but I saw the wedding video on your web site (the Redstripe one) and loved it

Can you tell me how you achieved some of the effects (esp the one @ 20 seconds of the couple in that gazebo)

Best
Jay

Hi Jay,

That video was all done with After Effect.. That's all different layers of photos and animated in a 3d environment using AE. It's a lot of prep work but AE makes it to animate.

-Simpson

Thanks Simpson

FCP is what I am trying to learn

A little off topic but I saw the wedding video on your web site (the Redstripe one) and loved it

Can you tell me how you achieved some of the effects (esp the one @ 20 seconds of the couple in that gazebo)

Best
Jay

Simpson

Really nice work. Thanks for sharing. Gets me inspired . .

Neil

Nice job, Simpson. I think yr photography is good!