Would using a star filter for cinematography be too weird?

[Pete Cofrancesco]

The audio is fine although he probably could have worn a lav and just adjust the mix in post to the room mic when needed. Those close ups are not necessary and are too quick. Pay attention to the background they should have signage for their studio behind them. They should also be wearing nice white uniforms because it doesn’t look professional.

This an example of how you should think about the overall look and feel. Research what you think are best way to present them and show them examples. That’s what a director does. You seem to be overly concerned with storyboards and the technicals.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh well the thing about the close ups is is that I wanted to cut in between the different takes from the master shot, cause some takes had some things in that were better than others. There are also points where he paused and had to think of how to explain things. So I didn't want to 'jump cut' ahead. So I put in the quick shots to avoid jump cutting. Isn't that what those other angles are for, to avoid jump cutting if I want to cut ahead?

The problem with adjusting to the room mic if needed, is that the lav and the hypercardioid condenser mic sound too different, so I have to pick one or the other for consistency, don't I? I left how they dress up to them and thought it was there show, and I'm just their to shoot it, but perhaps I can suggest it...

I also asked them about the background but they said it's fine and they'll worry about it.

[Josh Bass]

While we’re at any time he mentions feet or anything below the waist I’d want to see that, i.e a wider shot.

Agree with signage and uniforms.

Its just about them looking more professional to whoever theyre trying to attract with these videos. Think about it...if youre looking to take lessons, are you going to go with a place where the guys look like martial arts instructors or the one where it looks like two frat guys?

Image is perception or something. Thats a huge part of why we light and art direct etc. Even though the average person doesnt consciously notice this stuff, something in the back of their mind tells them “this is more professional/amateurish and I believe/dont believe in this message/product service”.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay thanks. I can recommend the uniforms then. Thanks.

But if I frame the feet in the shot in the master, then they are far away then. But for next master shots, should I frame the entire body in them, from head to toe?

[Pete Cofrancesco]

I agree with Josh about the feet. When I was watching it, I was like why is he cutting off their feet. When is he going to pull back?

You can see why eng camcorders with built in servo zoom lens are better for non scripted live events. You can zoom while you’re filming, avoiding jump cuts. There are only two angles of view needed: medium at the beginning and a wide for the action. Close ups are unnecessary.

[Ryan Elder]

I was afraid to show the whole body, cause I thought that if I backed up more, than they would be too far away, when demonstrating the moves. Should I show the whole body, even if they are far away for the whole master then? Cause they would have to be twice as far away as they are now then, with the mic even further away out of frame too then, which lowers the sound quality then.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

lav the main guy mix it in post with a room mic

use a zoom lens that has a wide. The problem with primes indoors there are physically restrictions.

instead of arguing with us look at the framing of the youtube videos

[Ryan Elder]

But the thing is, is that I cannot mix mics, in post, cause they sound too different and you can hear that it's a different mic. I have to pick one and stick to it for consistency don't I?

The lens I used was a zoom lens, but if I zoom back it looks kind of sloppy since the lenses are not made for zooming during video, unless I should zoom anyway, you are saying? But even if he moves to footwork, sometimes it's not planned so should I go wide and show feet anyway for the entire master then?

Sorry if it came off as arguing, I don't mean it sound that way, I was just mentioning some drawbacks that were concerns. Like mixing mics seems to be a problem if you can hear the different, or them being too far away if their feet or shown.

Just asking about possible drawbacks, that's all.

Also in this video before, the feet are not showing, when they are standing up:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

[Greg Smith]

Please look up "headroom" and the "rule of thirds." You're cutting off the top of the instructor's head way too much in the two-shot.

I wanted to see the lower body and feet when he talked about the opening stance.

There is no more boring way to present two people interacting than with the camera perpendicular to the line of action between them so you see both figures in profile on opposite sides of the screen. The empty space in the middle just sucks all the interest out of the shot. Your master shot should be from an over the shoulder angle focusing mostly on the instructor, but with the other guy partially visible in the foreground. In other words the camera should be about 45° to the right of where it is in this shot.

The closeups are way, way too short and fast.

Full-body compositions are an absolutely necessary part of covering dance, martial arts and many other athletic forms. Don't be afraid of them, but mind the effect of too much empty space in the frame. Cropping to a widescreen format makes it more difficult to fill the frame with human actors.

The sound is not as godawful as I expected but a wireless lav on the instructor would have been much clearer and more consistent. Since you could then turn the gain down some the HVAC noise would have been less distracting. For videos like this I don't think it's imperative to hide the microphones - we know it's an instructional piece and the participants are casually dressed and not playing a role. The dull composition, not decorating the set, or wearing uniforms of some kind, are far more distracting visual elements than a little lav clipped to the shirt collar would be.

All in all, and I don't mean to be cruel here, this would be a decent product for the second assignment I used to give my high school students in the multimedia production class I taught for many years. ("Produce a 'how to' video that teaches the viewer how to perform some skill or process.") It would have earned about a "B" grade, but that's based on the assumption that the students had NO prior knowledge or experience prior to taking my class. For somebody with a film school degree, it's honestly pretty lame.

Don't even worry about "directing" this or any other piece until you learn how to "shoot" it first.

I hope you'll take this in the constructive tone that is intended.

- Greg

[Brian Drysdale]

Why are you shooting 2.39? It just doesn't work. this is like dancing, you need to show the whole body, so the audience can see all of the move. The kit needs changing, currently they look like a couple of characters from "Animal House"

A number of sound recordists use a mix of lav mic and a cardioid, secret is in the mix. . .

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay thanks. I tried doing an over the shoulder shot, of the other person though but I was in his way since he keeps moving back. I need to give him more space so therefore, isn't a master two shot better to give them more space?

Also, as far as dead space goes, don't I need that deadspace, to give them more room to move around in the shot?

I shot in 2.39:1 so they would be closer to the screen, while giving them a lot more room at the sides to move from side to side, without being further away. I also could go with the original 16:9 framing in the video instead of 2;39:1, if this is better:

Training video draft - YouTube

But as far as doing an OTS shot of the other guy goes, I kept being in the way too much since it's not blocked out and choreographed near as much. Also, you cannot see in the instructor do the full moves and handplacements if you do an OTS shot though.

[Pete Cofrancesco]

Greg sounds harsh but he is spot on with every point of his criticism.

I left off mentioning the angle but that’s also true.

I also find that door way behind them distracting. Couldn’t you face them against a plain wall?

Try to look on the bright side, you got another opportunity to fix all that was mentioned.

[Ryan Elder]

Sure, no problem with criticism.

The thing about the over the shoulder though, is that you cannot see the full moves, cause the other guy would be blocking some of it though, from that angle.

As for the other shots, being too quick, if I shouldn't put those shots in then, then what should I do to avoid having to jump cut? It was said before to get B roll to cut to, so shouldn't I do that to avoid jump cuts as well?

I don't mean to come off as stubborn and not take suggestions, it's just some of the suggestions mentioned have some drawbacks in them, and feel those needed to be addressed before taking them, that's all.

[Brian Drysdale]

If they move, pan the camera, 2.39 is nonsense for this, since people will be viewing on 16:9 screens.

If people are moving away, tell them not to, give them an area to work in, if they move out get them to do it again. As the director, short, snappy, but friendly instructions usually work.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh okay, well I have the original 16:9, and even though they are further away in it, is it better, or no?

Training video draft - YouTube

As for people moving away, and telling them not to, I did give them those kinds of instructions, but they said they have trouble doing that, cause that is not what Krav Maga is about. So what do I do, if that is the response I get?