Li Wu (The Gift) at DVinfo.net

Ken Diewert · January 12th, 2010, 06:05 PM

I guess I might as well post a link also. I had great ambitions to produce a complex epic, but ended up with a simple, personal piece. Shot on the 5d2 with 50mm f1.4 and 70-200 f2.8L

Dale Guthormsen · January 14th, 2010, 08:12 AM

Good Afternoon,

What an industrious young lady!!! I liked your video, truly a nice personal piece The bulb shot was really a nice touch. Your selection for the music was good, almost etheral.
I was waiting for the hand crafted piece to be gifted to someone. Truly those types of gifts are the best.

Thank you for taking the time and sharing.

Trond Saetre · January 14th, 2010, 09:50 AM

Hi Ken,

That must be one of the greatest gifts you can get.
And a bright young lady she is.
As Dale, I also like the opening shot, very cool. Nice choice of music.

Thank you for sharing!

Cole Seidl · January 14th, 2010, 10:18 AM

Those are some truly beautiful images you managed to capture there. The 5d is proving to me to be quite impressive, and you are obviously quite impressive behind it.
Reminds quite a bit of the opening title sequence in "Amelie."
Well done.
-Cole

Chris Barcellos · January 14th, 2010, 11:46 AM

Ken:

Very sweet story, and what a wonderful little lady.

I love your use of available light, and the camera angles and framing you employed.

And what a way to show off our favorite camera !

Great job.

Dick Mays · January 14th, 2010, 12:34 PM

Very beautiful girl. What else could you possible make a film about after receiving this gift?
You are really showing off that 5D in this peice. Beautiful colors in available lighting. Super shallow depth of field, were you using the 50mm on most of those shots? Need to save up and get me some f1.4 lens. Gorgeous subject.

Might have interrupted the mood of the piece, but I wanted to hear her voice. Maybe after the closing credits?

Lorinda Norton · January 14th, 2010, 12:43 PM

What a wonderful gift to give to your daughter later! She’s a cutie who will enjoy seeing herself in the “movies" -- not like the typical home movie stuff most of us have. Really pretty shots throughout; you use that camera well.

The gift of a child…kind of hard to top. :)

Andris Krastins · January 14th, 2010, 01:15 PM

Very sweet, personal and emotional.
A bit unnecessary shake at the beginning, but everything else was fine.

Ken Diewert · January 14th, 2010, 02:05 PM

Thanks for the comments,

Andris as I mentioned in your comment. Normally I wouldn't shoot handheld (especially with the 50mm - as it's not wide enough to hide the jitters). I had my 17-40 f4 on - but It just wasn't fast enough - but you generally can use it handheld on the wider end. I should have stabilized it in post (in fact I think I'll do that).

She already really likes the piece. It's funny because she asked me - 'why is there are picture of me sleeping at the end?' And I told her that the show wasn't about her making gifts, it was about her being 'the Gift'. Then she understood.

I'll get around to commenting on everybody else's. I just need to take the time to watch them all.

Bill Thesken · January 14th, 2010, 02:52 PM

Very nice. Those looked like ginger bread cookies, and what a smile to go along with them.
Great color. And thanks for sharing the story.

Chris Swanberg · January 15th, 2010, 12:09 AM

It was truly a heartwarming view of your new little gift and what a beautiful child she is. Your camera work was very nice and you handled the DOF well. While some scenes may have seemed a little long to some, I understood the camerman's attachment to his subject and it was sweet. Gorgeous colors. A piece you will pull out from time to time as she grows and share with her I am sure.

Thanks for a wonderful glimpse into your special gift !

Chris

January 12th, 2010, 06:05 PM	#1
Ken Diewert Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 1,200	Li Wu (The Gift) I guess I might as well post a link also. I had great ambitions to produce a complex epic, but ended up with a simple, personal piece. Shot on the 5d2 with 50mm f1.4 and 70-200 f2.8L Li Wu (The Gift) on Vimeo __________________ C100, 5DMk2, FCPX

January 14th, 2010, 08:12 AM	#2
Dale Guthormsen Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Saskatchewan Posts: 3,048	Good Afternoon, What an industrious young lady!!! I liked your video, truly a nice personal piece The bulb shot was really a nice touch. Your selection for the music was good, almost etheral. I was waiting for the hand crafted piece to be gifted to someone. Truly those types of gifts are the best. Thank you for taking the time and sharing. __________________ DATS ALL FOLKS Dale W. Guthormsen

January 14th, 2010, 11:46 AM	#5
Chris Barcellos Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Elk Grove CA Posts: 6,838	Ken: Very sweet story, and what a wonderful little lady. I love your use of available light, and the camera angles and framing you employed. And what a way to show off our favorite camera ! Great job. __________________ Chris J. Barcellos

January 14th, 2010, 12:43 PM	#7
Lorinda Norton Wrangler Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Southwest Idaho, USA Posts: 3,066	What a wonderful gift to give to your daughter later! She’s a cutie who will enjoy seeing herself in the “movies" -- not like the typical home movie stuff most of us have. Really pretty shots throughout; you use that camera well. The gift of a child…kind of hard to top. :) __________________ Lorinda

January 14th, 2010, 01:15 PM	#8
Andris Krastins Major Player Join Date: May 2007 Location: Lielvārde, Latvia Posts: 326	Very sweet, personal and emotional. A bit unnecessary shake at the beginning, but everything else was fine. __________________ Our Fire Films - a free film project.

January 14th, 2010, 09:50 AM	#3
Trond Saetre Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Bergen, Norway Posts: 3,375	Hi Ken, That must be one of the greatest gifts you can get. And a bright young lady she is. As Dale, I also like the opening shot, very cool. Nice choice of music. Thank you for sharing!

January 14th, 2010, 10:18 AM	#4
Cole Seidl Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 126	Those are some truly beautiful images you managed to capture there. The 5d is proving to me to be quite impressive, and you are obviously quite impressive behind it. Reminds quite a bit of the opening title sequence in "Amelie." Well done. -Cole

January 14th, 2010, 12:34 PM	#6
Dick Mays Major Player Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 690	Very beautiful girl. What else could you possible make a film about after receiving this gift? You are really showing off that 5D in this peice. Beautiful colors in available lighting. Super shallow depth of field, were you using the 50mm on most of those shots? Need to save up and get me some f1.4 lens. Gorgeous subject. Might have interrupted the mood of the piece, but I wanted to hear her voice. Maybe after the closing credits?

January 14th, 2010, 02:05 PM	#9
Ken Diewert Trustee Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vancouver Island, Canada Posts: 1,200	Thanks for the comments, Andris as I mentioned in your comment. Normally I wouldn't shoot handheld (especially with the 50mm - as it's not wide enough to hide the jitters). I had my 17-40 f4 on - but It just wasn't fast enough - but you generally can use it handheld on the wider end. I should have stabilized it in post (in fact I think I'll do that). She already really likes the piece. It's funny because she asked me - 'why is there are picture of me sleeping at the end?' And I told her that the show wasn't about her making gifts, it was about her being 'the Gift'. Then she understood. I'll get around to commenting on everybody else's. I just need to take the time to watch them all. __________________ C100, 5DMk2, FCPX

January 14th, 2010, 02:52 PM	#10
Bill Thesken Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: HI, USA Posts: 622	Very nice. Those looked like ginger bread cookies, and what a smile to go along with them. Great color. And thanks for sharing the story.

January 15th, 2010, 12:09 AM	#11
Chris Swanberg Major Player Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 904	It was truly a heartwarming view of your new little gift and what a beautiful child she is. Your camera work was very nice and you handled the DOF well. While some scenes may have seemed a little long to some, I understood the camerman's attachment to his subject and it was sweet. Gorgeous colors. A piece you will pull out from time to time as she grows and share with her I am sure. Thanks for a wonderful glimpse into your special gift ! Chris