New Letus/XH-A1 Frame Grabs and Footage

[Blake Calhoun]

Attached are more frame grabs from my show "Pink" using the A1 and Letus.

A new episode was released yesterday that really showcases this combination of tools. Great looking stuff I think.

You can watch the episode here (along with previous ones too):
www.pinktheseries.com

Hope you like the images.

Thanks!
Blake

[Doug Davis]

Looks nice... Great job!

[Taj Jackson]

Blake. You did a great job. I'm very impressed. You left me wanting to see more webepisodes, so I did. I just watched all the earlier ones as well.
Quick question though, I watched the new webepisode from your site with Revver. But then I went to Youtube and saw the rest there. Can you please, pretty please let me know how you are putting your videos up on youtube. I have some Canon A1/35mm adapter footage and have to post a music video later today. I have done a million tests using every compressor I could think of, but when youtube gets it, it all goes down the drain.
Any help would be deeply appreciated.

Taj

Ps. I have checked out the various website that suggest settings, but they still don't look as good as your quality did.

[Doug Davis]

Looks pretty good... Are you guys just using one A1 and shooting multiple takes? I love those intro comic book graphics... After effects? I think it would be pretty sweet to rack focus between the characters as their dialogue is taking place...

[Blake Calhoun]

Thanks for watching the show Taj! Glad you liked it. :)

Here's what I do for my YouTube compression...

1. I export a Standard Def QT file from my Avid HD 1080p sequence using a simple NTSC DV codec (letterboxed 720x480 at 23.98fps)

2. I then use Sorenson Squeeze and compress the new QT to an MPEG 4 file keeping the same frame rate, but making the file 320x240 at a data rate of 1000kbs with a 2-Pass VBR setting. Audio is 44.1 stereo at 128kbs.

3. Then, I just upload to YouTube. I actually use this for Revver and Myspace too. Revver seems to have the best Flash compression IMHO. Although YouTube looks good as well.

Hope that helps!

[Blake Calhoun]

Hey Doug,

Yes, we're shooting single camera. We did have an HV20 on set too, but mainly used it on some B camera stuff and underwater footage.

The opening title sequence was done using After Effects and the sketch look was done in Photoshop.

In the next episode we do a cool rack focus from one character to another in a car scene. Looks good, but fairly hard to hit the marks. :)

Thanks,
Blake

[Doug Davis]

I saw that you were interviewed over at FreshDV but you may check out:

http://www.freshdv.com/2007/09/fresh...us-part-1.html (part 1)

http://www.freshdv.com/2007/09/fresh...us-part-2.html (part 2)

It's on the art of pulling focus... I found it reasonably helpful... You may have already seen it...

[Taj Jackson]

Thanks Blake.. I will give it a shot. This is very helpfull.

With Sorenson Squeeze and the MPEG-4 setting. For the codec section, do you keep it on Apple AVC, or put it on Sorenson AVC Pro, or Sorenson MPEG4 Pro.

[Toenis Liivamaegi]

Just today I found that there`s a almost perfect 35mm adapter out from Letus after all those years.

What I´m asking is that if the Pink was shot with the latest Extreme version of the Letus? Really nice bokeh in the store shot, I`m wondering if the Extreme has it that nice.

Damn, if the mount for Nikon lenses would have been derived from the original stainless steel BR3 mount the Extreme would have been the best 35mm adapter out there (if it doesn`t crop the field of view much of course).

What`s with the whole Pink project? Is it a really good and well executed portfolio-promotion project or... everything is that good but no obvious adverts or straight business goals for that kind of visual production value. Amazing.

Cheers,
T

[Steven Dempsey]

This was not shot with the Extreme, it was with the LetusFE

[Blake Calhoun]

Hi Toneis,

Steven is correct. "Pink" was shot with the Letus FE. The Extreme is brand new.

I appreciate the kind words about the project. Thanks for checking it out. It's definitely a commericial venture to eventually (and hopefully) make money with. How? Through sponsors, advertisers, etc. and through a future DVD release and possibly HD downloads for a small fee. But for now we're just trying to build an audience so we can give statistics to our future sponsors on how the show plays.

This is the first "season" and will run through November. Then, we'll do a second season and hopefully have advertisers on board (we're talking to several now actually).

One other way we're making some money now is using Revver (www.revver.com) wtih their click ads - similar to Google ads. You've got to have A LOT of views though for that to add up. :) But they are a great site.

We really couldn't have made this show look so good (on a low budget) without the XH-A1 and the Letus FE. I highly recommend both.

Thanks,
Blake

[Chan Ee Jien]

What did you use for sound?

The recording of the father's voice seemed a bit bassy from my speakers but the girls was just fine.

[Blake Calhoun]

Sennheiser 416