Secret Agent Video! For my school! at DVinfo.net

Loren Simons · May 27th, 2008, 04:43 PM

http://www.vimeo.com/1071967

Shot on my A1 with a redrock, canon fd 200mm, 50mm, and 28mm! yayay! watch it!
Comments are very welcomed and appreciated.

Doug Davis · May 28th, 2008, 03:32 AM

Ha, I loved it man.. Great work...

Good pacing, nice creative editing...

The only criticisms I could offer would be the audio levels seem to be a little different from shot to shot... The rack focus back and forth was nice but could probably be a little more moderated.... And maybe a little color correction could put it over the top...

I am really stretching to find those critiques but overall, great job...

Loren Simons · May 28th, 2008, 01:54 PM

yeah i didn't have a boom man so i had to like put it in separate places and it was just a mess! hahaha but thanks, yeah and the rack focus was my fault we were just trying to improvise, first crack at my Redrock for a full length, thanks for the comment!

Simon Clearwater · May 29th, 2008, 08:54 PM

Your filming techniques are developing brilliantly, I liked the use of shallow DOF when required, like when the crow man is going a bit mental. Too much though and it just looks a bit over the top. A cool change of perspective might have been neat from the dude at the doors POV? I dunno. Watch out for your continuity, they are noticed on a one time watch and can get distracting- i.e the actor either changes or he grows a beard. The close up of the montage man gives us a great view of his face- well shot, then at the end the man has a beard...

I never paid my library fines through University and have graduated four times! They threaten that crap on us in New Zealand too, but are too gutless to go through with it!

Good Luck, you have a real future in cinematography ahead of you.

John Patrick Murphy · May 29th, 2008, 10:44 PM

Awesome haha is that song from the fountain? Good job.

"Well naturally the montage."

Loren Simons · May 30th, 2008, 06:22 PM

hahaha yes the writer was very good, that was adlibbed though, ahhah alot if it was actually. And all the music was royalty free music found in Logic Pro =p

@simon
thank you =) yea and i know about the beard, when we got all set up it was kinda like, wait, did you really just shave your beard? hahaha so we dealt with it, and no one has noticed so far besides u =)

John Patrick Murphy · May 30th, 2008, 08:14 PM

Hey just watched it again... any tips on how to do the "pull focusing"

I've been messing around with my camera and I just can't seem to focus on different points as far as distance goes. I just lose focus on the whole image or gain it... so please any tips for n00b?

Loren Simons · May 30th, 2008, 09:15 PM

well on my A1 i use a 35mm adaptor, i dont know how much you know about 35mm adapters but basically it lets you use the SLR lenses from your still cameras, giving u that really shallow depth of field (the blur). but before i bought the adaptor, to achieve that good blur i would stand pretty far back and zoom in until i found the framing i liked, than focusing is a little better for me. thats the way, i think, it was so long ago since i used that method (a whole 2 months!) hahaha but im pretty sure thats how i used to do it=) but seriously that adapter has made all my projects look so professional, and thats a big thing for a fifteen year old like me who demands respect in the world of filmmaking =)
P.S. heres the adapter i used: http://www.redrockmicro.com/

John Patrick Murphy · May 31st, 2008, 01:12 PM

Awesome I'll check it out, thanks. Oh I showed your video to a bunch of my friends and they all love it.

Loren Simons · May 31st, 2008, 09:14 PM

good to hear good to hear =) i cant wait to see what u come up with!

Colin Zhang · June 2nd, 2008, 06:13 AM

Very nice! Loved the ending. I also liked the music and angles you used. Just one criticism: I think it would be better if you didn't change focus so much at the end part with the dialogue. Other than that, it was very good.

May 27th, 2008, 04:43 PM	#1
Loren Simons Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 288	Secret Agent Video! For my school! http://www.vimeo.com/1071967 Shot on my A1 with a redrock, canon fd 200mm, 50mm, and 28mm! yayay! watch it! Comments are very welcomed and appreciated. __________________ Loren Simons

May 28th, 2008, 03:32 AM	#2
Doug Davis Major Player Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Birmingham Alabama Posts: 259	Ha, I loved it man.. Great work... Good pacing, nice creative editing... The only criticisms I could offer would be the audio levels seem to be a little different from shot to shot... The rack focus back and forth was nice but could probably be a little more moderated.... And maybe a little color correction could put it over the top... I am really stretching to find those critiques but overall, great job... __________________ "The only thing the camera sees is light..." http://www.GoWildOlive.com

May 28th, 2008, 01:54 PM	#3
Loren Simons Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 288	yeah i didn't have a boom man so i had to like put it in separate places and it was just a mess! hahaha but thanks, yeah and the rack focus was my fault we were just trying to improvise, first crack at my Redrock for a full length, thanks for the comment! __________________ Loren Simons

May 29th, 2008, 08:54 PM	#4
Simon Clearwater Tourist Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 4	library fines Your filming techniques are developing brilliantly, I liked the use of shallow DOF when required, like when the crow man is going a bit mental. Too much though and it just looks a bit over the top. A cool change of perspective might have been neat from the dude at the doors POV? I dunno. Watch out for your continuity, they are noticed on a one time watch and can get distracting- i.e the actor either changes or he grows a beard. The close up of the montage man gives us a great view of his face- well shot, then at the end the man has a beard... I never paid my library fines through University and have graduated four times! They threaten that crap on us in New Zealand too, but are too gutless to go through with it! Good Luck, you have a real future in cinematography ahead of you.

May 30th, 2008, 06:22 PM	#6
Loren Simons Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 288	hahaha yes the writer was very good, that was adlibbed though, ahhah alot if it was actually. And all the music was royalty free music found in Logic Pro =p @simon thank you =) yea and i know about the beard, when we got all set up it was kinda like, wait, did you really just shave your beard? hahaha so we dealt with it, and no one has noticed so far besides u =) __________________ Loren Simons

May 29th, 2008, 10:44 PM	#5
John Patrick Murphy New Boot Join Date: May 2008 Location: West Springfield, MA Posts: 14	Awesome haha is that song from the fountain? Good job. "Well naturally the montage."

May 30th, 2008, 08:14 PM	#7
John Patrick Murphy New Boot Join Date: May 2008 Location: West Springfield, MA Posts: 14	Hey just watched it again... any tips on how to do the "pull focusing" I've been messing around with my camera and I just can't seem to focus on different points as far as distance goes. I just lose focus on the whole image or gain it... so please any tips for n00b?

May 30th, 2008, 09:15 PM	#8
Loren Simons Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 288	well on my A1 i use a 35mm adaptor, i dont know how much you know about 35mm adapters but basically it lets you use the SLR lenses from your still cameras, giving u that really shallow depth of field (the blur). but before i bought the adaptor, to achieve that good blur i would stand pretty far back and zoom in until i found the framing i liked, than focusing is a little better for me. thats the way, i think, it was so long ago since i used that method (a whole 2 months!) hahaha but im pretty sure thats how i used to do it=) but seriously that adapter has made all my projects look so professional, and thats a big thing for a fifteen year old like me who demands respect in the world of filmmaking =) P.S. heres the adapter i used: http://www.redrockmicro.com/ __________________ Loren Simons

May 31st, 2008, 01:12 PM	#9
John Patrick Murphy New Boot Join Date: May 2008 Location: West Springfield, MA Posts: 14	Awesome I'll check it out, thanks. Oh I showed your video to a bunch of my friends and they all love it.

May 31st, 2008, 09:14 PM	#10
Loren Simons Major Player Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 288	good to hear good to hear =) i cant wait to see what u come up with! __________________ Loren Simons

June 2nd, 2008, 06:13 AM	#11
Colin Zhang Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: beijing/mississauga Posts: 123	Very nice! Loved the ending. I also liked the music and angles you used. Just one criticism: I think it would be better if you didn't change focus so much at the end part with the dialogue. Other than that, it was very good.