Another Retrospective (footage) post:

http://visualmasterpiece.com/quicktime/Aug_06_wide_Retrospective.mov

i like it..

the track is perfect.. do u have the actual version name?

one thign i did notice, is the cross between super tight "golden" shots with raw 'messy" shots which blended quite well.. gave a feeling of realness to it..

one thing that did get to me though, was a slight overuse of focus effects.. such as the focus hunting style shots. For several key shots it works a treat but there were some shots which really didnt need to be there and others using this effect which didnt ad to the piece itself. As an artwork, its wonderful though, but i think afew BWs with crushed curves, as well as a polarizer on your blown out sky shots may have given the piece a more solid looking feel to it.
Its fine IMO, but it may be considerd "rushed" by the client due to the use of certain filters and colour schemes and shots which youve selected

Your style works a treat and i see many people hunting for this type of product.

Thanks.. good advice..

On the focus.. yes some were intentional.. some are where I just liked the framing so much that I used it anyway (where the camera was HUNTING.. it actually was.. it was in AF :)
I do find focusing/out of focus quite cool.. but I do overdo it sometimes myself.. and then on some shoots I forget to do it at all.. and thats not good either.

Hey Michael,

Where has your site gone?

You guys sure have some STUNNING settings for shooting and wonderful light. Loved the clip!

Peter, that song he used sounds like a remake of Wonderwall by Oasis

Hey Michael,

Where has your site gone?

You guys sure have some STUNNING settings for shooting and wonderful light. Loved the clip!

When you click the link in his sig, it'll take you to a page with an error message. However, there are some "invisible" buttons at the top of that page. Click any one of them and it will take you to his website.

But it is something you should get fixed, Michael.

The song was very nice for a recap piece and makes you feel nostalgic.

Again, nice piece. It flowed very well and you know how to mix up the variety of shots used.

I liked your song choice, I was a little unsure at first but I think it worked well. You also had some really great shots in there. It had a very run and gun style, which works for some people, but kind of clashes with your super smooth steadicam footage (you do shoot with one of those, right?).

I think the audio for the voice overs could have cleaned more and the levels of the song could have been adjusted. I also thought that there could have been more of a story to be told. Some of the story seemed to get lost with too many shots which were visually great but didn't tell us much about them or their day, in my opinion. Hope you don't mind the feedback, I think getting some constructive ideas will do more for your work in the long run over bunch of people telling you its great, not that I don't think it is well done, but those are the things that caught my eye.

When you click the link in his sig, it'll take you to a page with an error message. However, there are some "invisible" buttons at the top of that page. Click any one of them and it will take you to his website.

But it is something you should get fixed, Michael.

OH man.. I had no idea!
Thanks for posting that.. seriousy OOPS!

super smooth steadicam footage (you do shoot with one of those, right?).

YEP :)


I think the audio for the voice overs could have cleaned more and the levels of the song could have been adjusted.

Very much agreed.. I have thought that ever since I finished it.. but its done and I'm lazy.. and I've got to move on to other work.. so i'll leave it..but I totally agree with you on that! Will do a better job with the levels next time round.


I also thought that there could have been more of a story to be told. Some of the story seemed to get lost with too many shots which were visually great but didn't tell us much about them or their day, in my opinion.


Thanks.. great feedback!
As for the story.. well there really wasn't much going on here.. they only had me for a limited time frame and forwent any pre-ceremony footage (so I have none) but the footage turned out beautiful all the same.

As far as visuals.. we'll im guilty as charged on that one!
I shoot as if I am a (creative) photographer.. understanding however that there is a balance between documentary/story vs. beautiful imagery. (seriously if I were a wedding photographer I would forget all about doing formals hehe:)

My clients know this about me (like our style) and that is why they hire me.. otherwise if they want (lovey-lovey slo-mo story-time) documentary footage I tell them they should probably look elsewhere.. and I don't have a problem doing that because I want them to be happy.. after all its their video. I do have a documentary only package.. which is not creative at all.. I just wont be the one filming or editing :) Its not my thing.. I have tried to withhold being creative for the sake of the cheaper package purchased.. and it just doesn't work.. I go "oh man look at that shot I could get.. its beautiful!" and I go for it.. So I have had to hire out the smaller packages to assistant videographers just to keep myself sane and my packages fair to all of my clients!

For me its all about the visuals.. its my background.. I can't escape it!
Fortunately this is a visual medium that can be extremely artistic if we choose.. Weddings are great fun.. but my goal is not to be doing weddings forever.. I love music videos (as you can tell) and plan to operate as DP;1stCam-Op;Steadicam-Op on full feature films and Music Videos in the very near future.. I will probably do weddings for the next couple of years then stop.

We really haven't been doing this for a real long time.. Nick since your newer in the biz you would flip seeing our very first film.. its a riot to see for the (lack of.. ok, No) experience we had :) fun stuff!

Patrick, great opinions.. really enjoyed your sharing! Thank you..

When you click the link in his sig, it'll take you to a page with an error message. However, there are some "invisible" buttons at the top of that page. Click any one of them and it will take you to his website.

But it is something you should get fixed, Michael.
Thank You sooo much Peter & Alastair!

I just updated my website the other day and this must have slipped by..
wow.. you saved me.. it could have been weeks before I noticed!
Its now fixed.

Nick since your newer in the biz you would flip seeing our very first film.. its a riot to see for the (lack of.. ok, No) experience we had :) fun stuff!

Hey, you should see my first! I posted my most recent video because I felt it was my best so far, and it even needs some more work. I'd love to see an earlier video of yours if you have one available :)

For me its all about the visuals.. its my background.. I can't escape it!
Fortunately this is a visual medium that can be extremely artistic if we choose..

The challenge for me is to try and get those amazing visuals while telling a story at the same time. I also shoot with a body mounted stabilizer, a little smaller than the one you use, but I find it really helps to capure those key moments in a much more creative way.

On another note, why don't you like the 'lovely-lovely slo-mo' footage as well? I really like the tempo of your work, but the body mounted stailizers are also awesome for really creative but 'lovely-lovely slo-mo' montages as well.

Did you try and other body mounted stabilizers before going with that one. If so, I would appreciate hearing why you upgraded- unless it was simply about how much weight the unit could take.

Thanks

On another note, why don't you like the 'lovely-lovely slo-mo' footage as well? I really like the tempo of your work, but the body mounted stabilizers are also awesome for really creative but 'lovely-lovely slo-mo' montages as well.


Honestly I just really hate cheezy stuff.. I am very much into making my films look like they could be on TV; either on MTV or a indi-film type of thing. I do use So-Mo but I try to use it minimally and only on effective shots where the impact is key. My hi-lights videos only last as long as the song and don't exhaust themselves for 20 or 30 min. It isn't about boring video.. its about hi impact entertainment for my audience.

I have two mentor videographers that I take my style/inspiration from.. my style is purely my own.. but it is developed from my appreciation of others works that I personally like. We are all equally good and have our own strengths and styles.


Did you try and other body mounted stabilizers before going with that one. If so, I would appreciate hearing why you upgraded- unless it was simply about how much weight the unit could take.

Thanks

Yes we did try several stabilizers at NAB-2005; I originally went looking at the Glidecam 4000 for the XL2.. so I had decided on a camera and placed the orders.. that was first. I knew that movie style shots are what I wanted and that I needed some sort of stabilization system to help get that cine look. The Glidecam 4000 was just too heavy with the XL2, so I looked at getting the smooth shooter with it.. then because the xl2 has such a small (pop up) lcd, I wanted an external monitor with it.. had to have an extra battery.. so by the time I was done.. lets just say it was neck & neck in price (if not more) than Varizooms Pro-Lite; and it was ugly with all the wires hanging out for the monitor and the stupid weights from home depot.. and no case included.. in other words it was a "whole package" price take with out the Whole Package.. VariZoom's was a complete system. No contest there.

I knew I was taking a big leap, especially for never filming before.. so I took a look at Tiffen's Flyer as well (Steadicam); and in all honesty (perhaps at the time it was just new-user ignorance) I really didn't like it compared to the Pro-lite; it was heavier and at the time harder to use.. it was also much more expensive.. like double the price. Again.. no contest.. so I went with the Varizoom Pro-lite; the Aviator wasn't announced until NAB06 FYI (which I upgraded too). Now I am at the point where I am quite comfortable in any rig and have been suited up in very heavy film rigs with ease (see http://www.mk-v-ar.com/ ).

I have two mentor videographers that I take my style/inspiration from.. my style is purely my own.. but it is developed from my appreciation of others works that I personally like. We are all equally good and have our own strengths and styles.

What does it mean when people say that 'their style is their own', I just don't get it. We use equipment designed and manufactured by thousands of people, we edit with filters we didn't make on editing software we didn't design. Our experience also efects everything we see, whether we like it or not, and most of the time it is unconscious. I don't see how anything we create could be considered less than a team effort. Doesn't your wife also do half of your filming? It may be your motivation, your eye behind the camera, but creativity is an emergent process based heavily on experience, which undoubtably includes the work of others you both like and dislike. Not only that, but there are far too many videographers out there to assume nobody produces a product like yours.

Sorry, thats not really directed at you, you just made the comment which often comes up, and I really don't get it. Probably a little deep of a comment for ths type of discussion as well.

most of the time it is unconscious.

Exactly! which proves my point..

Yes my style is my own.. the angles, the framing, everything.. just because we use the same equipment doesn't mean I am going to film the same way.. just because we use the same editing software doesn't mean it will turn out the same.. these are powerful creative tools.. we are the creator, God has given us that ability. It is not a team vision (although team effort noted through contribution). (By the way.. the finished film that is posted here.. I did completely by myself with two cameras.. no help whatsoever, my wife wasn't there.. it was also my second wedding that day; back to back).

A great example of how things look different (follow me here): subject - a large stick of wood; Three characters: A beaver looks at that wood and thinks "food"; A caveman looks at that wood and thinks "Fire/Warmth"; Archemidies looks at that same stick of wood and thinks "a lever to change the world";

Yes that's deep but point being we all look differently at things.. If I gave my same footage to another editor we would have a completely different product. etc.. Its how we become unique. A movie by Steven Spielberg may be a team effort.. but its still his movie, his style.

As much as I love (my mentors) footage, I cannot reproduce it.. and as much as I would want to.. it never happens.. because subconsciously I am unique and I see things differently.. and it is not better or worse.
Now consciously I can make the decision and effort to try and duplicate things I have seen done.. but its never quite the same.


Sorry, thats not really directed at you, you just made the comment which often comes up, and I really don't get it. Probably a little deep of a comment for this type of discussion as well.

Quite alright, I appreciate the intellectual discussion :)

Yes that's deep but point being we all look differently at things.. If I gave my same footage to another editor we would have a completely different product. etc.. Its how we become unique. A movie by Steven Spielberg may be a team effort.. but its still his movie, his style.

As much as I love (my mentors) footage, I cannot reproduce it.. and as much as I would want to.. it never happens.. because subconsciously I am unique and I see things differently.. and it is not better or worse.
Now consciously I can make the decision and effort to try and duplicate things I have seen done.. but its never quite the same.


I get what your saying about you being unique as well as your footage, but what makes you unique, to a large extent, is your specific collection of experiences. Unless you meditate regularly, it is very very hard to perceive anything without your experience affecting everything you see. It is those experiences which, in my opinion, are a large part of your work, and as those come from so many people around us, I find it very tough to say that anything is completely our own. We are getting dangerously close to the whole nature vs nurture debate though, which is a big part of our different perspectives I think.

Hey, you should see my first! I posted my most recent video because I felt it was my best so far, and it even needs some more work. I'd love to see an earlier video of yours if you have one available :)

Ok, well I hope this inspires and not depresses..

This was our very first wedding (june 4th, 2005.. our kickoff date); very first filming (ever) for my wife and I.. (seriously.. we had never touched a video camera.. only just a couple of weeks before we got our XL2's in the mail); didn't know the cameras (they were 3 day rentals.. FX1's..), first ever editing.. honestly I had never touched an editing system before this wedding.. this is all learning on the job.. the wedding was a free-b;

Really didn't like the colors or the exposure.. goes along with knowing the camera and what your doing.. which I had no clue about.

http://visualmasterpiece.com/quicktime/rachel_chris.mov

(patrick.. vision/framing/eye/style.. doesn't change much.. its raw here but its still there)

I get what your saying about you being unique as well as your footage, but what makes you unique, to a large extent, is your specific collection of experiences. Unless you meditate regularly, it is very very hard to perceive anything without your experience affecting everything you see. It is those experiences which, in my opinion, are a large part of your work, and as those come from so many people around us, I find it very tough to say that anything is completely our own. We are getting dangerously close to the whole nature vs nurture debate though, which is a big part of our different perspectives I think.

Ok, true.. I see you're point on this and would have to agree..
Like saying.. "im a self-made millionaire.." when really it was the contribution and support in your life (wether from parents or whatever) that has helped shape who you are today.. yes I agree with that statement.. however, I do also believe in talent.. and "you have it or you just don't" mentality.. there is talent developed and then there is non-talent being trained/skilled which is never quite the same. I have seen/known many examples of this to be true.. like I tried to be a realtor about 3 years ago.. that was a bad idea.. it was forcing my nature to do something it wasn't designed to do.. thank God I didn't continue that route!

Hi Michael,

Thanks for sharing. Your work has definitely come a long way. I agree as well with what you said, I can see similar spects in this clip as in your more recent stuff.

Did you get my email about your XL2s for sale?

got it.. thank you.. I'll get back to you soon regarding it.