First Full Scale Production on 550D

Aaron Courtney · July 30th, 2010, 11:37 AM

Thanks Yaniv! Regardless of the content, I strive to produce the best possible product for my clients, both in terms of the visual AND audio aspects of the end product.

Scott Brickert · July 30th, 2010, 08:45 PM

I'm all in regarding the quality of the piece.

A couple questions-
Would you describe your focus pulling workflow?

How did you do those micro moves during the interviews?

Did you hold the shutter speed at 1/50 or 1/60 or? I sometimes have trouble with too much light shooting wide open at 2.8/24p/50th...did you run into that issue at all?

thanks

Aaron Courtney · July 30th, 2010, 10:42 PM

"How did you do those micro moves during the interviews?"

really good question...YouTube - Fault Lines - Dying Inside: Elderly in prison!

this is the video that gave me the idea of using my slider during the interviews; so I give this guy the credit. (this is an incredibly well done piece)

Shooting at 1.4, I had to continually pull focus as I moved the camera closer to the interviewees. And this was all filmed @ 1080/24P, shutter was 1/50 sec.

"Would you describe your focus pulling workflow"

I'm not sure I know how to respond to this question. I didn't use a FF, nor would I ever with a DSLR on sticks. I like to keep my hand on the lens barrel because it provides just a bit of resistance that forces me to pan slowly and enables me to make continual focus changes throughout the pan without jarring the camera. I prefer to use the onboard 3" LCD screen over the cheap 7" Lilliput screen I have because the onboard screen seems to be so much higher rez, which helps me pull focus quickly. Other than that, I eye it up and let it rip like everyone else. I do look for highly detailed patterns in objects and clothing, and I find that is as close as it gets to the split screens in the old manual SLRs of many years ago. It helps having a lot of experience using these old lenses too - I started shooting film on those old manual cameras when I was ~ 10, I'll be 39 in a couple of weeks.

I think the 1.6x crop factor vs. FF is absolutely perfect for employing selective focus without going so far that focus simply becomes unmanageable. I plan on buying several 550Ds after seeing the results.

Brad Higerd · August 5th, 2010, 08:28 AM

Nice work Aaron!

Visually, you made some not-so-outwardly-pretty-people look quite nice. And unlike much of what's produced today from various religious perspectives (and main-stream media, for that matter), you conveyed a positive message. From the perspective of a one-time athiest with a BA in "religions of the world," I like seeing people who are passionate about whatever they believe, assuming that passion doesn't justify deliberate harm to another.

Again, very nice work!

July 30th, 2010, 08:45 PM	#17
Scott Brickert Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Crested Butte, CO Posts: 576	I'm all in regarding the quality of the piece. A couple questions- Would you describe your focus pulling workflow? How did you do those micro moves during the interviews? Did you hold the shutter speed at 1/50 or 1/60 or? I sometimes have trouble with too much light shooting wide open at 2.8/24p/50th...did you run into that issue at all? thanks __________________ Scott Shot-By-Scott Last edited by Scott Brickert; July 30th, 2010 at 11:11 PM. Reason: I completely goofed up the terms, but the OP read between the lines. Too many 60 hour weeks.

July 30th, 2010, 11:37 AM	#16
Aaron Courtney Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 229	Thanks Yaniv! Regardless of the content, I strive to produce the best possible product for my clients, both in terms of the visual AND audio aspects of the end product.

July 30th, 2010, 10:42 PM	#18
Aaron Courtney Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 229	"How did you do those micro moves during the interviews?" really good question...YouTube - Fault Lines - Dying Inside: Elderly in prison! this is the video that gave me the idea of using my slider during the interviews; so I give this guy the credit. (this is an incredibly well done piece) Shooting at 1.4, I had to continually pull focus as I moved the camera closer to the interviewees. And this was all filmed @ 1080/24P, shutter was 1/50 sec. "Would you describe your focus pulling workflow" I'm not sure I know how to respond to this question. I didn't use a FF, nor would I ever with a DSLR on sticks. I like to keep my hand on the lens barrel because it provides just a bit of resistance that forces me to pan slowly and enables me to make continual focus changes throughout the pan without jarring the camera. I prefer to use the onboard 3" LCD screen over the cheap 7" Lilliput screen I have because the onboard screen seems to be so much higher rez, which helps me pull focus quickly. Other than that, I eye it up and let it rip like everyone else. I do look for highly detailed patterns in objects and clothing, and I find that is as close as it gets to the split screens in the old manual SLRs of many years ago. It helps having a lot of experience using these old lenses too - I started shooting film on those old manual cameras when I was ~ 10, I'll be 39 in a couple of weeks. I think the 1.6x crop factor vs. FF is absolutely perfect for employing selective focus without going so far that focus simply becomes unmanageable. I plan on buying several 550Ds after seeing the results.

August 5th, 2010, 08:28 AM	#19
Brad Higerd Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 186	Nice work Aaron! Visually, you made some not-so-outwardly-pretty-people look quite nice. And unlike much of what's produced today from various religious perspectives (and main-stream media, for that matter), you conveyed a positive message. From the perspective of a one-time athiest with a BA in "religions of the world," I like seeing people who are passionate about whatever they believe, assuming that passion doesn't justify deliberate harm to another. Again, very nice work!