As I announced last night, today's theme is getting posted early. Use the extra time to your advantage.

THE THEME FOR DV CHALLENGE #2 IS:


SECRETS


And the technical award will go to:

Best Cinematography

This award will be presented to whoever produces the best camera work in their video. Yes, you could write your script to focus on strong camera moves in order to have a better shot at this prize. Anything goes!

IMPORTANT
You must now email us at thedvchallenge@hotmail.com to complete your participation. Simply put "Challenge 2" followed by your real name as the subject. This will help in case I need to mass email everyone with updates. Feel free to direct questions towards that email, but please put "question" in the subject.


You now have until midnight PST, next Friday night, to email me the link to your video online at thedvchallenge@hotmail.com Remember, a time limit of three minutes, but no penalty for shorter. If in doubt, re-read the rules.

Oh, and yes, you can still enter! It isn't too late. Just email me as stated above.

We finished our script last night and shot all day today. I'm glad to report that principal videography is complete!

Now, tonight I start logging and capturing footage and begin the rough cut.

Also, working on a few animations and background scenics that will render while I'm sleeping.

I hope everyone else is hard at work. We had a ball today!

As we finished shooting this afternoon, I wondered how many minutes of film/video are shot on an average afternoon of shooting a feature film? How many total minutes of film/video are shot and out of that, how many are actually used on an average day?

Does any one know?

We shot slightly more than an hour of video over about a seven hour period. Out of that hour, about 2 minutes 30 seconds will be used! That's 24 minutes of video for ever one minute used.

How does that compare with big budget movies?

We shot slightly more than an hour of video over about a seven hour period. Out of that hour, about 2 minutes 30 seconds will be used! That's 24 minutes of video for ever one minute used.

How does that compare with big budget movies?

Poorly. :)
Most features would try to maintain around a 5-1 ratio. Maybe more, maybe less. 24-1 would get you fired by lunch.

So, I'm only off by a factor of roughly five.

I guess it's good that I'm starting out with a (less than) three minute movie! :)

I'm around 8 to 1, not bad not bad.

I have yet to shoot but I did practice a bit with the crane today. I researched and got rights to 3 pieces of music for the soundtrack, laid them in, recorded two VOs (may redo one) and have the timeline all set up in the NLE.

Script is mostly set, shot list is ready, talent lined up. Should be done mid week.

This is fun.

Sean McHenry

how 'bout a prize for best video shot while simultaneously taking care of an active pre-schooler?

"sweetie, you need to be quiet and color while mommy works on this voice-over with Auntie Louise, okay?"

anyone else working under these conditions?

completed principle shoot this morning at 3:00AM. Rough cut in progress.

Glad you guys are doing good and having fun!
The hardest part is getting started.

You're right Dylan.... I'm just doing that now.

how 'bout a prize for best video shot while simultaneously taking care of an active pre-schooler?

"sweetie, you need to be quiet and color while mommy works on this voice-over with Auntie Louise, okay?"

anyone else working under these conditions?

I've have been developing our piece with my four and a half year old daughter Matilda. We did all of our shooting this weekend.

She kind of changed the concept after the first scene, so I am trying to adapt the script. I'm just about to start the editing. I have no idea how this is going to work out....

The hardest part is getting started.

I disagree. Starting is easy- keeping myself from collapsing into a sobbing heap after the first four hours on the set- that was difficult.

I disagree. Starting is easy- keeping myself from collapsing into a sobbing heap after the first four hours on the set- that was difficult.


You should try a 24 hour competition sometime, where you have only one full day to write/shoot/edit a 5-7 minute piece. I've done a couple of those. Usually you are too tired to cry. :)

Dylan,

After having a great idea for #1, but too late to enter, I have not done so well this time.

The only plots I have come up with, I don't have the people and such to utilize. Hurricane Dennis didn't help, but no excuse, my A/C going out Saturday morning didn't help but still no excuse. At least I got the A/C fixed today. I did it myself, and I guess that is at least an accomplishment! Funny how this topic, broad as it is, seemed so much more restraining for me.

Damn it, I will submit for the next! Please try to have another soon! Let's not wait another month or more.

Sorry--Mike

My "3 minute idea" developed into an 11 page script. It's really wonderful, but doesn't help me at all right now. I can't wait to shoot that one, but I really want to make it good, so on to another idea.

...I just thought of one!

Poorly. :)
Most features would try to maintain around a 5-1 ratio. Maybe more, maybe less. 24-1 would get you fired by lunch.

Actually, for wildlife documentaries, it is typical for the ratio to be 20:1. Wild animals just don't take directions very well. You can yell action all you want and still have to wait for something to happen. :)

I guess my wildlife movie making mindset has not allowed me to sharpen my directorial skills! That is why I shot 24:1 for this (less than) 3-minute short. But then again, that is one of the benefits of doing challenges like this. You learn something beyond your traditional skills set.

For the next challenge, I'll try to get closer to 5:1-- let's say 10:1 or so. I can't reduce my shooting ratio that quickly. :(

I have moved beyond my rough cut and started to add transitions and make adjustments in flow.

My piece will definitely come in under 3 minutes! It will be 2:58:26. Hey, 1 second and four frames to spare. Not bad for my first ever, fictional short. It also puts me closer to 20:1 for total footage to final footage used. Now I'm only four times higher than big budget movies. :)

Tomorrow I spend time sweetening the audio tracks, creating the score, and polishing off some motion graphics (okay, that may take more than one day of my spare time).

We're having a party in the evening to show version 2 of the sequence. It will not be finished yet, but will have the look and feel of the final product.

Good luck to everyone else. I can't wait to see what others have done!

how 'bout a prize for best video shot while simultaneously taking care of an active pre-schooler?

"sweetie, you need to be quiet and color while mommy works on this voice-over with Auntie Louise, okay?"

anyone else working under these conditions?Thanks for that Meryem, it brought a smile to my face!

I've set myself a different challenge. I've decided to do everything myself with
a simple consumer DV camera from my dad (since I don't own my XL1S anymore).

From the footage shot I can see it is a tad grainy and some stuff was auto
exposed etc. I'll see what I can do to work around that.

Good luck to all!

Dylan,

After having a great idea for #1, but too late to enter, I have not done so well this time.

The only plots I have come up with, I don't have the people and such to utilize. Hurricane Dennis didn't help, but no excuse, my A/C going out Saturday morning didn't help but still no excuse. At least I got the A/C fixed today. I did it myself, and I guess that is at least an accomplishment! Funny how this topic, broad as it is, seemed so much more restraining for me.

Damn it, I will submit for the next! Please try to have another soon! Let's not wait another month or more.

Sorry--Mike

Ah, that's too bad. However, you do still have a lot of time left, 4 full days in fact. Why not scale down your goals or ideas, and just shoot for a 1 minute video? Although it would probably be wrong of me to give you ideas, I can think of something that combines a hurricane aftermath and secrets.

Man, for me getting a simple idea going that works with my "dark" nature was the hard part. Not being able to pull of that multi car stunt in the middle of downtown freeway traffic sort of put a hitch into the whole thing too, as did the unavailability of those unpredictable Martians (seems they are all too hung-over from all the parties since their new film came out) and I couldn't sign Gary Busey or Christopher Walken for the lead so...

I really did have a hard time finding something dark enough that fit as odd as that seems. I have yet to shoot. The lead actress had to babysit all week due to an unexpected death in the family so she is out and I had to move on with another of the daughters. Not that she won't be great but I have to work around her schedule too now.

I see it so clearly in my head and I can hear the soundtrack clear as a bell. I hope I can get it on tape (and make it feel like film).

See you folks Friday evening.

Sean McHenry

Ah, that's too bad. However, you do still have a lot of time left, 4 full days in fact. Why not scale down your goals or ideas, and just shoot for a 1 minute video? Although it would probably be wrong of me to give you ideas, I can think of something that combines a hurricane aftermath and secrets.


Did something yesterday that gave me a good idea! Now to see if I can get it all together and get it done by midnight Friday. Actually, since I'm on the left coast, I get three extra hours don't I!

Been fighting with Bellsouth, but still have no place to host it. Can't post it to my PWP. I hope that I can get that taken care of in time too.

Thanks for the little push Dylan. Whos knows, it could have fired-up a little braincell.

Mike

Been fighting with Bellsouth, but still have no place to host it. Can't post it to my PWP. I hope that I can get that taken care of in time too.

Mike


Mike:

I have a dedicated server with a hosting firm were I have several websites. I'm creating a special one or two page site just for my short. If you still need a place, let me know and I can try to put up a one page site for your short as well! All I would need is your actual quicktime file or files and I can create a simple one pager for you.

I can't promise to keep it there for ever, but it should suffice for the challenge. :)

Poorly. :)
Most features would try to maintain around a 5-1 ratio. Maybe more, maybe less. 24-1 would get you fired by lunch.

It all comes down to cost. Action Sports photographers (stills) who shoot for newspapers will shoot 100foot spool of 35mm for One frame in tomorrows paper.
Video tape is cheap. Shoot plenty. People look at the final product, not what you reject. A 5-1 ratio in video is working with the wrong paradigm. This is not expensive film stock with thousands of paid extras waiting for you to re-shoot.

How many extras do people have?
I was going to have two up until the day of shooting and they both have the flu pretty bad.
re-write of the script. Did I say re-write? New idea. Now it is raining outside and -3oC. (middle of winter here) Another re-write.
So I am fully solo now, indoors, but I have come up with a new script. I will get there in time! Must think about shooting now, it's Thursday 14th 9.30am here.

Mike:

I have a dedicated server with a hosting firm were I have several websites. I'm creating a special one or two page site just for my short. If you still need a place, let me know and I can try to put up a one page site for your short as well! All I would need is your actual quicktime file or files and I can create a simple one pager for you.

I can't promise to keep it there for ever, but it should suffice for the challenge. :)


Boy, I really appreciate that! I'm still trying to get it all together and maybe get another website in time, but if I don't, I will take you up on the offer. Now if I could just get my people together. Found out today that one of my people has to go to Miami tomorrow. He has to get a medical check-up, in order to stay on the heart transplant list! Perhaps I need younger actors?

Thank you very much,

Mike

It all comes down to cost. Action Sports photographers (stills) who shoot for newspapers will shoot 100foot spool of 35mm for One frame in tomorrows paper.
Video tape is cheap. Shoot plenty. People look at the final product, not what you reject. A 5-1 ratio in video is working with the wrong paradigm. This is not expensive film stock with thousands of paid extras waiting for you to re-shoot.


To be fair, the question was about feature film production. For many reasons, digital video film makers should aspire to maintain a similar shooting ratio. Cheap tape can cost you much more than you think, but this is a topic for a different thread.

OK I feel a little out of place, being this is my first ever go at shooting any type of short. I am actualy done right now except for one minor change in sound. I shot it all in one night with 3 high school students helping. We sat down for 15 min before and I explained it all to them. We had a blast! It only took 20 min of filming to get everything but man we had a lot of 2, 3 and 4 takes on stuff. It was a great time by all. I then edited the short in 1 night to get the look I needed. I do not have any fance equipment but the people I showed the short to thought it was pretty good, for having high school kids helping out. (all over 18 years old)

I can tell this will not be my last try at this! Thanks for the oportunity!

LeEarl

It all comes down to cost. Action Sports photographers (stills) who shoot for newspapers will shoot 100foot spool of 35mm for One frame in tomorrows paper. Video tape is cheap. Shoot plenty. People look at the final product, not what you reject. A 5-1 ratio in video is working with the wrong paradigm. This is not expensive film stock with thousands of paid extras waiting for you to re-shoot.


This is what I am loving about digital. My Nikon D70 or my MiniDVs, just shoot all you want and throw away all the bad stuff. It is almost FREE, especially the D70. Erase and reshoot! My 1 gig card can bold 291 fine res pics. With the old 35mm film cameras, I was the blind squirrel looking for the acorn. Now, I don't care!

Mike

Boy, I really appreciate that! I'm still trying to get it all together and maybe get another website in time, but if I don't, I will take you up on the offer. Now if I could just get my people together. Found out today that one of my people has to go to Miami tomorrow. He has to get a medical check-up, in order to stay on the heart transplant list! Perhaps I need younger actors?

Thank you very much,

Mike

Mike, if you decide to take me up on my offer, I would appreciate your file(s) by Friday afternoon no later than 2:00 EST. I have plans for that evening.

You may want to create a high-bandwidth and a low-bandwidth quicktime file. Some people do not have Quicktime 7 yet, so I would suggest saving in an earlier version.

Give me an email ahead of time if you're interested in this option and we can decide the best way to get your files. I do have a high-speed connection.

Good luck!

Mike:

I see from your posting today on the DV Challenge #2 sign up thread that you appear to have access to your website once again. Congratulations! I know how frustrating that can be.

If you start having problems with your site again, just let me know and we'll post your entry on its own one pager on my dedicated serve.

Too early this morning, I stated that I would need your files no later than 2 PM EST tomorrow if we're going to go that route. What was I thinking?

I don't need them until 10 or 11 PM Friday night. It does not take that long to post something on the server. Besides, that wouldn't give you much time to finish post production.

So, just let me know if things change.

Jeff,

Thanks again. I may send it to you anyway then, as 10mb will make the movie almost impossible to see. I tried it and at the size I would have to use for about three minutes, it is about the size of a matchbook cover. It will be no cinamatographers delite, but being able to see it will sure be an advantage. Besides, I think most will find it very funny.

Thanks again and thanks for the extra time. No peeking now!

mike

In the "rules" thread it mentions 12 midnight Pacific time so I actually gain 3 hours as midnight on the Pacific is what, 3 hours behind midnight in Ohio? Yipee!. When was the topic posted? Pacific time? Just want to make sure everyone has the same number of hours to get it done in.

Actually, I am nearly done. I did however find a fatal plot flaw. I need to reshoot maybe 3-4 shots to fix it. Even then, I need a good script editor to go over this stuff. I am always wondering if I am getting too "wordy" or if I have given the audience enough to go on without spoon feeding it to them.

Anyway, a little color correction and a few reshot scenes and I should be done in plenty of time. I just hope everyone can follow the plot.

Sean McHenry

OK, so what recommendation can anyone give me for encoding this little gem? I have all the major encoding tools, CleanerXL, Canopus Procoder 2 and Sorenson 4.

So far Sorenson is winning as it has some QT widescreen formats built in to it's recommended settings. Trouble is, my little 3 minute test is coming out to be almost 11 Mb. That's a lot of room on a web server. I am actually limited to 10 and the web sites is taking up some of that.

I shot in 16:9 and want it to be presented correctly. Anyone have pixel dimension suggextions, like 320 x 180 or so and what settings you guys are using for this? I have spent most of my time trying to get decent DVDs out of Xpress Pro. This one is new to me.

Thanks,

Sean

My compression results were similar, but the loss in quality was so high, that I'm trying to make it a bit bigger. This is all very new to me. I cut the project in imovie HD (cue laughter and pointing) and I am a bit stumped by the compression/ online process. I am also still attempting to find a host. But the movie is DONE, and I get home at around 6:00 Mountain Time so I have like seven hours to work it out tonight.
Good luck to everyone.

I used to run a Linux Server from the house that ran a streaming radio station and held my demos as well as client footage (FTP Server as well as Media Server) and an MP3 on demand server. All from one Linux box running a 900MHz Duron. Worked like a champ. After we moved I left it out in the garage. If I finish in time I will attempt to set it up. If I can sucessfully revive it (and remember how to feed and water the thing) I will make some space available. Unfortunatly I doubt I will have time to get to it with all this compression trial and error.

I suppose you could sign up with one of the "free" video hosting sites. Anyone reading this thread know a good spot to park video where you don't have to sign over rights or anything else we don't want to do.

My sequence is done. I just have to work a little on my score and then I'm off to encoding it for the web. That should take two hours.

I hope to have my short posted on my website by 9:00 PM or so. I will email Dylan the link then.

Good luck to everyone!

3:50pm
I just started shooting.
Dylan Couper.

Way to go Dylan!

I'm sitting here really bumed out, and anxious. I have everything ready edited and all, but my female lead was in a car accident this morning, after not making it last night, and has two big huge black eyes. I can't get a hold of my back-up! I starting to get desparate. Only need 20 seconds of audio and video.

Just so you know I'm not just making excuses, I'll post what ever I have. I'll fake a female voice and recut or something. I was up until 3:30 am last night, editing and waiting for her to show up. Well, I guess she was not going to show up much after 9:00 or so!

It is 2:34 minutes long right now, and I even have it encoded down to 10.3 megs at this time. I found that post from Rob Lohman, on encoding, and it really worked great! Thanks, I now have a saved preset, DV Challenge QT encoding!

Best of luck to all.

Mike

Did anyone shoot their film with this in mind? I most certainly did not. I wanted it to look nice and have thought into the composition but our script never really has that much to work with nor do I have cranes, jibs, etc. What about you guys?

Did anyone shoot their film with this in mind? I most certainly did not. I wanted it to look nice and have thought into the composition but our script never really has that much to work with nor do I have cranes, jibs, etc. What about you guys?

Certainly not me. I shot to get something together. Nor do I have any fancy gear. All my support folk came down with the flu, could only do a quick shoot outside because it rained most of the time. My achievemnet is keeping off the "Wall of Shame"

Did anyone shoot their film with this in mind? I most certainly did not. I wanted it to look nice and have thought into the composition but our script never really has that much to work with nor do I have cranes, jibs, etc. What about you guys?

I can answer that for you, yes some people have, and rightfully so, as it carries a hefty prize of a $100 gift certificate and polo shirt from www.dvestore.com courtesy of fellow forum member Guy Cochran. Have no fear though, crane shots do not make cinematography. If you put a strong effort in lighting and composition, you have a shot.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but has anyone used a crane shot yet? I don't think I've seen one in the submitted films.

3:50pm
I just started shooting.
Dylan Couper.

Oh yeah, wrapped shooting at 6pm, 2 hours to edit. I'm done and uploading it now. Took about 15 minutes to come up with the concept and I improved it as I go. Just wish I could compete for a prize. :)

My achievemnet is keeping off the "Wall of Shame"

Ha yea, that's a really good point. I couldn't come up with ANYTHING I wanted to shoot until Monday and for a while I thought I was on a fast track for the wall of shame. I wonder if I'd be more ashamed by not following through or posting something I hated and was embarrassed by.

P.S. I'm really excited to see Dylan's movie

Just finished and got one quicktime up to meet the deadline. Working on encoding some other size and windows media...

we had a blast.

Dylan I am looking forward very much to seeing your video.
I know this is a typo below but I had a good laugh, some bloopers are better than others - It's no wonder you do not want the prize!


$100 gift certificate and polo shit from www.dvestore.com

Oh yeah, wrapped shooting at 6pm, 2 hours to edit. I'm done and uploading it now. Took about 15 minutes to come up with the concept and I improved it as I go. Just wish I could compete for a prize. :)


As far as I am concerned you can compete for any prize, why not!

I finished mine and sent it to Jeff Sayre to be put on his web site. He will send me the URL and I will get it to you. He has been very kind to me, and I owe him. After this feasco, I will get a new web site next week!

Bad news, my lead female had a car accident and the back-up couldn't make it either, so I had to fake it and BullSh** around it, and of course it killed it! I thought I had a good one too! I will shoot the female lead later and really finish it, but wanted to post what I had to show I did do it and try to stay off of the wall of shame.

Soooooooooo down right now!

Everyone have a great night!

Thanks again to Jeff!

Mike

Used an 8'8" crane in my shots. Used it at least 2x. I'll let you find where.

Done here, encoding is next. 12:10 am Saturday morning in Ohio.

Sean

Correct me if I'm wrong, but has anyone used a crane shot yet? I don't think I've seen one in the submitted films.

Well....I tried to use a 6' crane, but most of that footage ended up in the scrap pile. If you look hard enough there's one segment, but it's pretty short with not much movement.

To Chris Thiele: You're sure that was a typo on Dylan's post? :)

To Mike Teutsch: Sorry about your troubles. Yeah, it's just a contest, but after all the work it really stinks when things go wrong. Next time!!

Well, it's officially posted and boy, there was a lot more I could have done. I'm not sure the thought process is clear and the idea is easy to follow in this one.

Dylan, I e-mailed you the site link. Let me know if you got it and it's viewable.

2 versions. 320x180 and 480x270. After all the fretting about encoding, it went pretty well. Used Sorenson and the Quicktime Progressive Download Medium setting and fiddled with the frame size a bit.

Looks pretty good considering.

Sean McHenry