Prep Clip.... First one posted... at DVinfo.net

Chris Thomas · October 17th, 2005, 09:52 PM

Well, I looked, learned, employed techniques, and thought I would share a clip.

I am still reasonably new, but thought I have been viewing and not sharing long enough.

The clip is from a wedding earlier this summer, everything in this piece was shot with a VX2100.

www.lnimedia.com/video/SSPrep.wmv

Comment away... I think I can take it...

A.J. Briones · October 18th, 2005, 10:40 AM

hi chris! i was writing a review last night but accidentally quit my browser (hahaha!). i really liked the piece. your camera work was good (some shots could be steadier, but we all have that problem). the first shot has what i believe to be your lens hood on the left of the frame, reflected on the mirror. you can probably scale that clip to hide it. great work with using the mirror and great little detailed shots on the bride getting dressed. i couldn't help but feel like i would like to see more of the parents, groomsmen and bridesmaids. i like the edit, and i'm sure the b&g will love it. great work!

questions: are you the lone shooter? were any of your shots staged, or were they all candid?

Chris Thomas · October 18th, 2005, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A.J. Briones

hi chris! i was writing a review last night but accidentally quit my browser (hahaha!). i really liked the piece. your camera work was good (some shots could be steadier, but we all have that problem). the first shot has what i believe to be your lens hood on the left of the frame, reflected on the mirror. you can probably scale that clip to hide it. great work with using the mirror and great little detailed shots on the bride getting dressed. i couldn't help but feel like i would like to see more of the parents, groomsmen and bridesmaids. i like the edit, and i'm sure the b&g will love it. great work!

questions: are you the lone shooter? were any of your shots staged, or were they all candid?

Thanks. I would certainly like to steady up... I am actually ordering Mark's training video this week, so I hope it helps! That is definitely the lens hood, I noticed it too, but thought it would be covered in the overscan, since I didn't recall seeing on the viewfinder either, and I though if it would be in the overscan, why reduce the resolution with a crop. Which brings a question from me...

Do 16:9 LCD projection TV's have an overscan, and if so, anyone know an appropriate safe area? This is the first time I am producing the whole wedding video in 16:9.

I did capture a fair amount of footage of the bridal party and parents, but decided to use it in a short form recap of the day for this one.

I was the lone shooter for this portion, and worked with an assistant and 2nd camera for the ceremony & part of the reception. There was 1 staged shot (the grooms exit from the house) since I had to leave early and get to the bride's location, and 1 'influenced' shot - the opening one through the mirror, he was not originally standing in front of a mirror, so I asked him to move, everything else was just candid.

Mike F Smith · October 20th, 2005, 01:50 PM

Good Work

My only gripes are the pure perfume bottle. That distracted me form the story. I thought about being in a perfume add. Also when the music built for the bride and then flash transition, oh no the bride was is shadow comming down the stairwell. That didn't work particularly well.

Don't get me wrong, those are small things, this is good work.

Mike

David Mathew Bonner · October 20th, 2005, 06:31 PM

well done...
only thing that caught me was one of the first shots when we see the brides face, something in the expression didn't do it for me but the light going thru the fan is cool and made up for it. Even so, it would of been nice to have a money shot of her, bright, vibrant expression, something...but
overall, it's a solid well thought out, nicely shot and executed piece.
For someone new to the game, it's very impressive.
Best of luck
Dave

Chris Thomas · October 20th, 2005, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike F Smith

Good Work

My only gripes are the pure perfume bottle. That distracted me form the story. I thought about being in a perfume add. Also when the music built for the bride and then flash transition, oh no the bride was is shadow comming down the stairwell. That didn't work particularly well.

Don't get me wrong, those are small things, this is good work.

Mike

I actually set it up without the bottle first, and I thought it looked like a funny pair of shoes sitting on a pillow. I tried a few other shots, with the shoes on the floor, the bed (which is beneath the pillow) and on the pillow, and I just didn't like how it looked. Not that I thought the perfume bottle made it picture perfect, but I guess I did feel it added something..

I am working on the stair shot... I hear ya on that one.

Thanks for the comments.

Chris Thomas · October 20th, 2005, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Mathew Bonner

well done...
only thing that caught me was one of the first shots when we see the brides face, something in the expression didn't do it for me but the light going thru the fan is cool and made up for it. Even so, it would of been nice to have a money shot of her, bright, vibrant expression, something...but
overall, it's a solid well thought out, nicely shot and executed piece.
For someone new to the game, it's very impressive.
Best of luck
Dave

Thanks. I think I can use an earlier section of that clip, when she is looking down I think it might have a nicer effect. I like how the fan turned out too, and no I was not creative enough to turn it on and stage a shot, it was just there and on as it happened.

Glen Elliott · October 21st, 2005, 09:11 AM

Nice job Chris. Good pacing, and use of camera movment. Marks video will open up a whole new world for you, your going to love it.

I like how you kept the faces obscured until the crescendo however when you finally DO reveal their faces I didn't come away feeling like I saw enough of them. Judicious use of close-ups in addition to medium & wide shots is very helpfull. Not only will it bring more balance visually to your piece, but feels more intimate. I felt somewhat distant from the subjects. Use of natural audio and vo's will only add to the dimension of the piece as well.

Overall I thought it was well done- especially for a new videographer. How many weddings under your belt? Btw, I loved the shot at 1:40. Good job.

Chris Thomas · October 21st, 2005, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glen Elliott

Nice job Chris. Good pacing, and use of camera movment. Marks video will open up a whole new world for you, your going to love it.

I like how you kept the faces obscured until the crescendo however when you finally DO reveal their faces I didn't come away feeling like I saw enough of them. Judicious use of close-ups in addition to medium & wide shots is very helpfull. Not only will it bring more balance visually to your piece, but feels more intimate. I felt somewhat distant from the subjects. Use of natural audio and vo's will only add to the dimension of the piece as well.

Overall I thought it was well done- especially for a new videographer. How many weddings under your belt? Btw, I loved the shot at 1:40. Good job.

I was hoping you would chime in. I hope I did not borrow to much from you, (or maybe what I did borrow is masked with my inability to execute) but I must say your work is inspiring. I used the elliptical color gradient treatment you discussed a long time back from transparent to black, and I think it was one of yours where I first heard the song too but not sure on that.

I was a little disappointed with how much of them I saw in the final too, but after I laid out the track & planned for the crescendo's I fiddled around cut the audio & moved sections of the song, and I just couldn't get it to sound good when trying to add more time between the crescendo's. The only option (at my skill set) to add length would have included additional crescendo's and after I came up with the idea to hide their faces until, I didn't think it would work with more. The audio currently consists of 4 samples from the original score to get it to where it is.

I figured I would make up for the limited visibility with the highlights recap piece, where I will add vo's and much more of the B&G.

This was the 9th wedding I have filmed.

I appreciate all the comments so far. I am learning more already... Thanks again everyone!

Glen Elliott · October 21st, 2005, 12:33 PM

Hey I'm not too far ahead of you, I believe I'm on my 15th. I can definitly see your influences, and do feel you executed it well. Keep in mind the vignette is going to look considerably more prominent on the computer screen than it will on the television. Not only because of the differences in colorspace between the two but the darkest outer edges will be cropped in overscan. I alway set the opacity of the generated media over a block of solid white generated media. It allows me to see the overall shape and diffusion of it better.

I like your williness to try and get up and actually MOVE the camera during your shots. Often times I see videographers with clear, well-composed shots but very static. The movement adds a kinetic element to a shot. Keeping in mind too much of anything is bad. You do have to mix some static shots in there to help balance out all the trucks, and reveals, etc.

You got some great detail close ups (ie Father's flower on jacket) try to do those kind of close ups on faces capturing expressions, emotions, and laughter. This is something I've been working on doing. Often times during a bridal prep shoot I focus too heavily on capturing creative shots and neglect the nice close up shots of the people smiling and laughing, etc. It's those shots that really breath emotion and feeling in to clips and make it more personal. That ....and the inclusion of natural audio really do a great deal for making a piece not only visually appealing but emotionally engaging.

Your off to more than a good start. I look forward to seeing more work from you in the future. Your couple is going to love it. Thanks again for sharing!

Michael Stewart · October 23rd, 2005, 01:46 PM

Excellent job Chris!, you know, when new(er) videographers start out by puuting quality stuff together such as yours, it helps to get rid of the stigma that some people have put on videography (cheesy), Had a bride comment the other day that she told her sister (who is getting married this weekend) that she should get a videographer, well the sister said she did not need one (surprise), mind you, she was at her wedding and saw what I was doing (high tech gear, yada, yada), anyway when the sister watched the video I put together, she had no idea how cinematic it would look, her whole family did not have a clue (the bride saw my work and knew), now the sister wishes she would have hired a videographer, so the point I am trying to make is, the more great videographery that is out there, and the norm is to expect high quality, the more work for all of us, that is why I love to see work like this being produced, you my friend have made it into my "famous" "great movies" folder on my computer! Keep up the great work and sharing. I also liked the shot at 1:40 pointed out by Glen.

PS. what song was that?

Thanks
AEMIKEA

Chris Thomas · October 23rd, 2005, 06:16 PM

Thanks for the kind words Michael. The song was from the Meet Joe Black Soundtrack by Thomas Newman, it is called 'That next place'.

I will post more from this wedding as I find the time...

Dante Waters · October 23rd, 2005, 10:34 PM

Glen & Chris,

I'm truly inspired by both your words, and passion. I feel if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. There's a lot I have yet to learn
however each time I do capture content I see myself improve it's... sureal.

Defined: overscan, vignette

I would agree that Chris has a good eye for details and did closeups on them well, Glen what you said was quite insightful. That by adding smiles, and expressions the footage becomes personal. Natural audio is extremely important I can personally speak on that, case and point with the wedding Glenn did for Rufus and his bride the cohesiveness of the officiant's audio along with the music was very touching, and people just enjoy those things it's like watching something at the movies.

"People don't just watch a movie they listen watch, the 2 senses are intertwined." Audio is key next to lighting and camera movement.

Chris overall those movement with the camera at (2:38) as Glen said does add a chemistry on the shot it has so much more appeal. Keep it up you are on your way, as you said you look to Glen (I think quite a few in here do), well I've learned quite a great deal from your work already.

Thanks

October 17th, 2005, 09:52 PM	#1
Chris Thomas Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Burlington ON, Canada Posts: 118	Prep Clip.... First one posted... Well, I looked, learned, employed techniques, and thought I would share a clip. I am still reasonably new, but thought I have been viewing and not sharing long enough. The clip is from a wedding earlier this summer, everything in this piece was shot with a VX2100. www.lnimedia.com/video/SSPrep.wmv Comment away... I think I can take it... Last edited by Chris Thomas; October 17th, 2005 at 10:27 PM.

October 20th, 2005, 01:50 PM	#4
Mike F Smith Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 156	Good Work My only gripes are the pure perfume bottle. That distracted me form the story. I thought about being in a perfume add. Also when the music built for the bride and then flash transition, oh no the bride was is shadow comming down the stairwell. That didn't work particularly well. Don't get me wrong, those are small things, this is good work. Mike Last edited by Mike F Smith; October 20th, 2005 at 01:51 PM. Reason: Miss spelling

October 20th, 2005, 06:31 PM	#5
David Mathew Bonner Regular Crew Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada Posts: 163	well done... only thing that caught me was one of the first shots when we see the brides face, something in the expression didn't do it for me but the light going thru the fan is cool and made up for it. Even so, it would of been nice to have a money shot of her, bright, vibrant expression, something...but overall, it's a solid well thought out, nicely shot and executed piece. For someone new to the game, it's very impressive. Best of luck Dave __________________ www.dmbvideo.com

October 21st, 2005, 09:11 AM	#8
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	Nice job Chris. Good pacing, and use of camera movment. Marks video will open up a whole new world for you, your going to love it. I like how you kept the faces obscured until the crescendo however when you finally DO reveal their faces I didn't come away feeling like I saw enough of them. Judicious use of close-ups in addition to medium & wide shots is very helpfull. Not only will it bring more balance visually to your piece, but feels more intimate. I felt somewhat distant from the subjects. Use of natural audio and vo's will only add to the dimension of the piece as well. Overall I thought it was well done- especially for a new videographer. How many weddings under your belt? Btw, I loved the shot at 1:40. Good job. __________________ Glen Elliott Cord 3 Films

October 21st, 2005, 12:33 PM	#10
Glen Elliott Wrangler Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Philadelphia, PA Posts: 2,898	Hey I'm not too far ahead of you, I believe I'm on my 15th. I can definitly see your influences, and do feel you executed it well. Keep in mind the vignette is going to look considerably more prominent on the computer screen than it will on the television. Not only because of the differences in colorspace between the two but the darkest outer edges will be cropped in overscan. I alway set the opacity of the generated media over a block of solid white generated media. It allows me to see the overall shape and diffusion of it better. I like your williness to try and get up and actually MOVE the camera during your shots. Often times I see videographers with clear, well-composed shots but very static. The movement adds a kinetic element to a shot. Keeping in mind too much of anything is bad. You do have to mix some static shots in there to help balance out all the trucks, and reveals, etc. You got some great detail close ups (ie Father's flower on jacket) try to do those kind of close ups on faces capturing expressions, emotions, and laughter. This is something I've been working on doing. Often times during a bridal prep shoot I focus too heavily on capturing creative shots and neglect the nice close up shots of the people smiling and laughing, etc. It's those shots that really breath emotion and feeling in to clips and make it more personal. That ....and the inclusion of natural audio really do a great deal for making a piece not only visually appealing but emotionally engaging. Your off to more than a good start. I look forward to seeing more work from you in the future. Your couple is going to love it. Thanks again for sharing! __________________ Glen Elliott Cord 3 Films

October 18th, 2005, 10:40 AM	#2
A.J. Briones Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 275	hi chris! i was writing a review last night but accidentally quit my browser (hahaha!). i really liked the piece. your camera work was good (some shots could be steadier, but we all have that problem). the first shot has what i believe to be your lens hood on the left of the frame, reflected on the mirror. you can probably scale that clip to hide it. great work with using the mirror and great little detailed shots on the bride getting dressed. i couldn't help but feel like i would like to see more of the parents, groomsmen and bridesmaids. i like the edit, and i'm sure the b&g will love it. great work! questions: are you the lone shooter? were any of your shots staged, or were they all candid?

October 23rd, 2005, 01:46 PM	#11
Michael Stewart Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Spokane, Wa. Posts: 445	Excellent job Chris!, you know, when new(er) videographers start out by puuting quality stuff together such as yours, it helps to get rid of the stigma that some people have put on videography (cheesy), Had a bride comment the other day that she told her sister (who is getting married this weekend) that she should get a videographer, well the sister said she did not need one (surprise), mind you, she was at her wedding and saw what I was doing (high tech gear, yada, yada), anyway when the sister watched the video I put together, she had no idea how cinematic it would look, her whole family did not have a clue (the bride saw my work and knew), now the sister wishes she would have hired a videographer, so the point I am trying to make is, the more great videographery that is out there, and the norm is to expect high quality, the more work for all of us, that is why I love to see work like this being produced, you my friend have made it into my "famous" "great movies" folder on my computer! Keep up the great work and sharing. I also liked the shot at 1:40 pointed out by Glen. PS. what song was that? Thanks AEMIKEA

October 23rd, 2005, 06:16 PM	#12
Chris Thomas Regular Crew Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Burlington ON, Canada Posts: 118	Thanks for the kind words Michael. The song was from the Meet Joe Black Soundtrack by Thomas Newman, it is called 'That next place'. I will post more from this wedding as I find the time...

October 23rd, 2005, 10:34 PM	#13
Dante Waters Major Player Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: NY, NY Posts: 217	Glen & Chris, I'm truly inspired by both your words, and passion. I feel if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life. There's a lot I have yet to learn however each time I do capture content I see myself improve it's... sureal. Defined: overscan, vignette I would agree that Chris has a good eye for details and did closeups on them well, Glen what you said was quite insightful. That by adding smiles, and expressions the footage becomes personal. Natural audio is extremely important I can personally speak on that, case and point with the wedding Glenn did for Rufus and his bride the cohesiveness of the officiant's audio along with the music was very touching, and people just enjoy those things it's like watching something at the movies. "People don't just watch a movie they listen watch, the 2 senses are intertwined." Audio is key next to lighting and camera movement. Chris overall those movement with the camera at (2:38) as Glen said does add a chemistry on the shot it has so much more appeal. Keep it up you are on your way, as you said you look to Glen (I think quite a few in here do), well I've learned quite a great deal from your work already. Thanks