View Full Version : 4 short films for UK TV using Brevis and XDCAM HD


Phil Bloom
May 25th, 2007, 06:10 PM
Can they work together? How well can adaptor footage cut in with sharp HD video?

Well, with the correct grading it can really complement the HD stuff.

I have just shot 4 short films called "Life of Crime" for Sky TV in the UK. They go out from the 4th of June on Sky News and hopefully Channel 5.

Attached are two graded stills from the shoot with Great train Robbery mastermind Bruce Reynolds. One is Bruce the other is Crime Correspondent, Martin Brunt. Both shot on the JVCHD201 and the Brevis 35mm with CF3L and a nikon 35mm f1.4 lens.

Dennis Wood
May 26th, 2007, 08:06 PM
Phil, any hope of a clip or two?

Phil Bloom
May 27th, 2007, 10:40 AM
http://web.mac.com/philip.bloom/iWeb/Some%20like%20it%20shot/life%20of%20crime.html

this is a very short snippet of stuff just on the brevis cf3. It's only a rough edit as am still working on them.

Mark OConnell
May 27th, 2007, 04:20 PM
Great look. How were you focusing?

Phil Bloom
May 27th, 2007, 04:24 PM
one man band, old fashioned hand on lens using the jvc's viewfinder

Mark OConnell
May 27th, 2007, 05:00 PM
That's good to hear. A 35mm adaptor is something that I've been interested in experimenting with, but I've noticed a few posts claiming that in order to focus you need an HD monitor.

Phil Bloom
May 27th, 2007, 05:04 PM
ideally yes...the jvc viewfinder is pretty sharp but there is some guesswork there without the monitor. Using it with the HVX is impossible without a monitor

Mark OConnell
May 27th, 2007, 05:38 PM
Have you tried it with a V1?

Phil Bloom
May 27th, 2007, 05:39 PM
no, z1, a1, hvx and jvc only...i would always recommend a good hd monitor though

Phil Bloom
May 28th, 2007, 07:17 AM
just realised my title is misleading. The Brevis was used with the JVC201 and the xdcam hd was shot clean without any adaptors. This thread is more about how well you can cut 35mm adaptor stuff in with hd video

Mark OConnell
May 28th, 2007, 01:14 PM
Got it, thanks-

Djee Smit
May 29th, 2007, 08:08 AM
Looks good, i like the colors. Did you do this in post? What did you use?

Phil Bloom
May 29th, 2007, 08:13 AM
yes done in post. I used a combination of built in colour effects, nattress film effects (without the deinterlacer) and magic bullet colorista


i have pulled clip until next week, when film goes out

Phil Bloom
June 2nd, 2007, 10:27 AM
Don't forget to watch Sky News from Tuesday for these three films. They will be running all day...as often as every hour hopefully but realistically every couple...

They are also be promo'd from today on Sky.

I hope you like them!!

Phil Bloom
June 5th, 2007, 01:41 PM
1930 sky news...weds and thurs...one went out tonight. looks good!

Phil Bloom
June 7th, 2007, 08:46 AM
Now online on my website...

Dennis Wood
June 7th, 2007, 11:56 PM
Phil, these clips just blew me away. The segments were stylistically way beyond typical interview work. Is this par for the course at Sky, or were you guys pushing the envelope a bit on these? Either way, this stuff is classy.

Phil Bloom
June 8th, 2007, 01:05 AM
Thanks Dennis. My brief was so vague. Do three pieces with Martin for Sky's "crime uncovered" strand this week.

I wanted to play on the whole crime reporter persona so suggested doing them based around his blog.

We chose locations used in classic British crime films, Martin called in his contacts and I shot it in a style that Sky were very unused to...but it worked for the films...shooting the questions twice to get different angles and making the most of the Brevis for the really stylish shots. It performed beautfilly, again the first time a 35mm adaptor had been used on Sky. Lots of people asked how did I make it look like that.

All shot in two days with me acting as director, cameraman, sound man, editor etc. My partner Julie was the producer and then of course there was Martin. He was initally nervous about being featured so heavily but was ecstatic with the end result!

For me there is no other adaptor that you can whip out to knock off a stylish shot when you need it...the set up time is so fast and the results lovely!

Odd Nydren
June 8th, 2007, 04:45 AM
Hi Phil,

I just watched the crime shoot you made and I have to say I really like your imagery. Not just colours/grading but composition wise as well.

One can tell you have done this for awhile ;)

cheers

//O.

Phil Bloom
June 9th, 2007, 10:04 AM
Thanks very much Odd!

Glenn Thomas
June 10th, 2007, 01:55 AM
Excellent work. Really enjoyed watching these!

Just curious though, what lens did you use for the zooms? Or was that done in post?

Phil Bloom
June 10th, 2007, 11:03 AM
Hi Glenn

All the zooms are done on the xdcam Hd with a proper zoom lens, done on manual not servo

Cheers Phil