Video Letter (Chroma Key)

[Douglas Villalba]

No big deal just something I was called to do. Kind of an interview. It ended up being that they needed it in the net today so some people in another country could see him.

A simple 2 lights for green screen and 1 as key light. I was all by my self during production with a small crane, rails, lights, stands and tripods.

I used FCP's Chroma Kyer. I didn't even bother with any-other program. I had no time, I had to translate everything by today.

I'll probably work on it later to sell them another version ;-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3AkBNgNO1g

[Douglas Villalba]

Feel free to comment, I can take it. ;-)

[Cale Rogers]

Hello,

First off, the positive. Much of the video is steady and well exposed and using a green screen behind the speaker is a great idea.

On the suggestion side there are a few things. First off, I would recommend producing a second spanish version instead of using a ticker. The ticker is heinously distracting and spanish speakers will be reading instead of watching your video. Creating a second spanish version will also create creditability with a spanish speaking audience. Relate, don't just translate. I know it will cost more, but the value and subsequent impact of each video will be higher and thus worth it. Next, there was a lot of cropping of the video, green screen composites and still photos. The subject was cut off at the bottom of the screen and there were several instances of stills being cut off or not covering transitions adequately. The cropping issue is the biggest complaint I have about this video. Speaking of stills, I would kill all of the stills and focus on video for visuals. Stills can have a great impact on a video, but this project is better told with video. Try to sequence your video together instead of using pans and zooms. Sequencing medium and tight shots (maybe one wide every now and then) will up the pace and increase audience retention. Remember to shoot and move to avoid sequence cutting problems. Sequencing also allows the use of natural sound to carry transitions and create the expected ambience. As for the green screen, try using graphics or a backdrop behind the speaker instead of b-roll of the factory. The factory footage behind the speaker gets to be too distracting. I would also recommend that you frame your subject tigher. More face and shoulders, less head room. Finally, I would suggest to cut this video down to under 4 minutes unless you can find better visuals. The audience seems to know enough about the company that you should be able to focus on the most important points.

I hope my comments aren't too discouraging because most of these suggestions are picky. I also understand real financial and situational limitations always exist. These are just my observations and opinions based on professionals that produce videos I've enjoyed watching. There are also a few fundamental "by the book" principles thrown in.

Good luck,
Cale

[Douglas Villalba]

Originally Posted by Cale Rogers

Hello,

First off, the positive. Much of the video is steady and well exposed and using a green screen behind the speaker is a great idea.

On the suggestion side there are a few things. First off, I would recommend producing a second spanish version instead of using a ticker. The ticker is heinously distracting and spanish speakers will be reading instead of watching your video. Creating a second spanish version will also create creditability with a spanish speaking audience. Relate, don't just translate. I know it will cost more, but the value and subsequent impact of each video will be higher and thus worth it. Next, there was a lot of cropping of the video, green screen composites and still photos. The subject was cut off at the bottom of the screen and there were several instances of stills being cut off or not covering transitions adequately. The cropping issue is the biggest complaint I have about this video. Speaking of stills, I would kill all of the stills and focus on video for visuals. Stills can have a great impact on a video, but this project is better told with video. Try to sequence your video together instead of using pans and zooms. Sequencing medium and tight shots (maybe one wide every now and then) will up the pace and increase audience retention. Remember to shoot and move to avoid sequence cutting problems. Sequencing also allows the use of natural sound to carry transitions and create the expected ambience. As for the green screen, try using graphics or a backdrop behind the speaker instead of b-roll of the factory. The factory footage behind the speaker gets to be too distracting. I would also recommend that you frame your subject tigher. More face and shoulders, less head room. Finally, I would suggest to cut this video down to under 4 minutes unless you can find better visuals. The audience seems to know enough about the company that you should be able to focus on the most important points.

I hope my comments aren't too discouraging because most of these suggestions are picky. I also understand real financial and situational limitations always exist. These are just my observations and opinions based on professionals that produce videos I've enjoyed watching. There are also a few fundamental "by the book" principles thrown in.

Good luck,
Cale

Thanks Cale for taking the time. You are right in all counts, but I went for an interview that had to be in another country the n e x t d a y. When I got there there was not even a place to use as background and you can imaging the noise level in a factory environment.

I came up with the idea to use the green screen so I could get away from the noise. I was expecting a rehearsed speech an a simultaneous translator. If you heard the speech you notice that there was nothing written or rehearsed. As a matter of fact I sat with the person who actually translates all the messages coming from the customer and he couldn't make any sense of what was being said. So we decided to try to make the translated speech an upgraded version of what needed to be said. That said, most of the time we spend doing that. The image was not really important to the actual client. All he really wanted was the owner of that company talking in camera to the other company's sales force explaining the delays in production basically.

What you saw in YOUTUBE was the original needed to calm people down. After I finish putting that up I change the titles to stills like in the movies. Since it was filmed in HD and it was delivered on a DVD, I cropped around to fill.

"I would also recommend that you frame your subject tigher"

Notice first the subject and then think how he would look in a tighter shot. As a matter of fact I distorted a little to make him look thinner.

I hope that the beginners that saw my video and read your comments take notice of the points that you made. The only way to improve your craft is by putting it up for others to critic and show you better ways.

Another point to take is to work with what you have and make the best of it.

I didn't have the right conditions to do anything better. I didn't have the time, conditions nor an actor to do the speech, but this are the client's comments.

"Thanks Douglas for doing me the favor of making the video with such short notice. It looks a lot better than what we had in mind."

Sometimes you have to know the limitations and just do the best with what you have.

[Cale Rogers]

I agree with your tactics and analysis given the situation. That was a difficult assignment and at the end of the day it's all about the client. If they're happy then that's what we're here to do (make them happy, that is).

I had a couple of P2 questions that I forgot to ask in the first post if you don't mind. How did the P2 workflow help you on this project? Was it simple to manage the storage challenges on a shoot like this? What does the client expect in terms of project archive? Do they ask to have all of the footage stored, or do they just want to keep the finished project and delete all of the raw assets?

Thanks,
Cale

[Douglas Villalba]

Cale[/QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Cale Rogers

I had a couple of P2 questions that I forgot to ask in the first post if you don't mind. How did the P2 workflow help you on this project? Was it simple to manage the storage challenges on a shoot like this? What does the client expect in terms of project archive? Do they ask to have all of the footage stored, or do they just want to keep the finished project and delete all of the raw assets?

Thanks,
Cale

I only have 1 4GB card and most of what I filmed fitted in that one card.
The speech was recorded only once and for that I used the FS-100. With the upgrade the FS-100 gives me about 240 min. at 720p24 QT PN.
As far as storage, I tell my clients that I'll hold their footage for a week and then it is out. I offer them storage solutions (DVDs, HDD or Tape) at an extra fee, but they keep it. I don't want to be in storage business anymore. ;-)

For longer projects I buy 250GB HDDs to backup what I am editing on the RAID.

I hope that answered your question.

Here is something I shot yesterday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7CGRCq7O7s

[Barry Kay]

Originally Posted by Douglas Villalba

Feel free to comment, I can take it. ;-)

I agree that the Spanish ticker wasn't great, especially when colors were bouncing around the edges. Even as an English-only speaker I think I would have liked ti better to hear a few paragraphs in English...sit through the Spanish version. Get back to the next English paragraph, etc. and since it appeared to be a company with extensive Central and south America business it might have made a strong point about that.

The One Thing that looked bad was when the Boss/narrator was suddenly detached from the bottom of the screen and there was a slight space between where the straight line that cut off his chest and the bottom of the screen.

You gotta fix that.

Then it was A-OK. A job. It did it. Keep up the good work.

[Douglas Villalba]

Originally Posted by Barry Kay

I agree that the Spanish ticker wasn't great, especially when colors were bouncing around the edges. Even as an English-only speaker I think I would have liked ti better to hear a few paragraphs in English...sit through the Spanish version. Get back to the next English paragraph, etc. and since it appeared to be a company with extensive Central and south America business it might have made a strong point about that.

The One Thing that looked bad was when the Boss/narrator was suddenly detached from the bottom of the screen and there was a slight space between where the straight line that cut off his chest and the bottom of the screen.

You gotta fix that.

Then it was A-OK. A job. It did it. Keep up the good work.

All fixed and delivered.

[Bill Mecca]

good job on short notice and under less than ideal conditions.
One thing I found disconcerting was about 1:10 the video panned behind him and then he slid from screen left to right.

As for the ticker, it would be better (IMHO) to set that up more like pop on closed captions, where there are a couple lines on the screen at a time, reading a ticker is tough.

[Cale Rogers]

Originally Posted by Douglas Villalba

"I would also recommend that you frame your subject tigher"

Notice first the subject and then think how he would look in a tighter shot. As a matter of fact I distorted a little to make him look thinner.

I watched your second video link and I agree with this point with great enthusiasm. Thanks for answering the P2 questions. P2 is the only format with so many storage possibilities. It's a very flexible technology and I love to hear what clients are asking for and how professionals are accommodating those requests.

Thanks,
Cale

[Douglas Villalba]

Originally Posted by Bill Mecca

good job on short notice and under less than ideal conditions.
One thing I found disconcerting was about 1:10 the video panned behind him and then he slid from screen left to right.

As for the ticker, it would be better (IMHO) to set that up more like pop on closed captions, where there are a couple lines on the screen at a time, reading a ticker is tough.

I am glad you notice that. Again the client wanted to cover the employees in the background. If you notice it is moving with the same people in the BG.

The titles were done as an easy solution to have it done on time for the web. For the DVD I did subtitles like it is done for movies. Just think about it, 80 pop up titles. Easier said than done.

Remember that this was in no way a promo. It was just a video letter to a large sales force in another country. They needed to explain certain things and this is how they chose to do it.

I am going to start promoting this idea. ;-)