Tag: camera

Rejuvenation :: Controlled Chaos

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It’s been ten days since I got back to work, and I’m finally getting back into the swing of things.  And… I’m ready for vacation again.  It’s not that I don’t like what I’m doing right now, but it’s that the routine hasn’t changed much and I’m ready for a new one.

These last ten days have felt a bit chaotic, even if it was only a mental chaos, but now I feel like I’m back in control again.  In other words, controlled chaos – like in this video:

MP Cunningham

I feel like this video is the perfect metaphor for what most of us go through while working in a creative industry.  I often feel like I’m drowning or that I’m never going to make it, but every once in a while something happens, like when the photographer makes $25 for one photo and feels like he has finally made it.  I have that feeling every once in a while.  Now I’m waiting for that next fleeting moment when I can tell myself that I’m actually doing ok and that this decision to work in this industry is not a huge mistake.  Those little moments make it all worth it and I’m sure another one will come when I least expect it.  Those moments are rejuvenating enough to make me work for the next one.

So even if I’m not feeling completely sure of what I’m doing, it’s reassuring to know that everyone seems to go through this in life. I seem to be right on schedule.

Rejuvenation :: Ballet & Robots

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I’ve been working more on the editing side of things that last few months and so I tend to notice the camera work more than ever lately.  Some can seem kind of… well, still.  I like the kind of camera work that includes motion and unfortunately, includes using a dolly and or a jib arm or if the director is really lucky, some sort of drone with a camera attached.  Let’s be honest, all of this equipment does’t come cheap and therefore, it’s not unusual for smaller productions to forego the extras.  At least I know I’ve had to several times.

So as I was perusing new videos on my feed a while ago, I came across this one:

Da Rimini Film

One I like going to the ballet, even if that happens only once every few years and two, this had an interesting aspect of the camera moving with the dancers to add a whole new element for those in the audience.  What would it be like if we did this more often on our shoots?  Of course, this is all possible with the help of CGI and other special effects, but I mean for those of us without the millions of dollars poured into our productions.  I’m not expecting this to be used in any of my upcoming projects, but it’s an interesting thought.  It’s a completely new take on how we use the camera as a part of the story telling process.

And so that you can see what happens when the camera moves with the dancers… et voila!

Escapade :: Advantage

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Getting the “birds eye view” can be very advantageous in certain situations.  When photographing a panoramic view for instance, or mapping out an area. Being chased, or trying to ensure that you stay ahead in some sort of distance race, this rule certainly applies.  Or in this film, all these circumstances collide and prove the point perfectly:

Advantage the movie

What I love most about this film comes in three parts:

  1. I love the color contrast.  Everything is a shade of orange, grey and dark grey and it all seems to meld together, yet contrast so beautifully that you have to wonder how much of it is planned and how much of it is natural surroundings.
  2. I love the movement of the camera.  Something like this could be very stagnant even though the car is moving but the movement of both the camera and the car gives the audience the feel of being part of the chase.
  3. I love the graphics.  They move as vividly as the rest of the film and tie in with the story well, taking it further than the final shot of the driver looking down over the cliff. Very “James Bond”.

Makes me want to go out and see a action film.  A classy action film.

Escapade :: Frame by Frame

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It’s been a while since I’ve seen a film about the Middle East.  That’s mostly because I’ve been shying away from them as I get tired of hearing about the wars that have been fought there and the depravity that the people live in etc. etc, but this film trailer caught my eye and I was immediately drawn in by the story.

I wouldn’t say that the U.S. has a completely free press – at least not like they do in Europe where everything is fair game until it breaches privacy laws, but it’s a far freer press than other parts of the world where the government controls everything. Completely everything. You don’t appreciate what you have until you see what it could be like or worse, you experience it first hand.

Red Reel

This film is beautifully shot and it has a powerful message: if you don’t have a visual presence on the web or in the news, then you are left behind.  As someone who has always lived in countries with a “free voice,” it’s hard to imagine living somewhere where you could be killed for documenting something on a camera.  We have become so accustomed to taking photos with our phones and other various devices to share our experience with everyone that we know.  What would it be like to not be able to document what is going on in your life? And, what would it be like to live in a place where once a group of people have left, you have the potential to be forgotten by others?

Something by me… & ChefSteps

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Finally, I get to share something that I had a hand in this year.

One of my film adventures this year included working with a company called ChefSteps, a high-tech cooking company committed to changing the way people cook.  This was probably the most fun that I’ve ever had on a film shoot and probably the most delicious too.  BBQ with all the fixin’s yum! Oh, and I happen to love all the people that I got to work with.

So without further ado, I present Wall of Fire : A ChefSteps Story

Intrigued? Go here for the full blog post on the ChefSteps website and while you’re there, check out some of their other amazing recipes.  Believe me.  You’ll be glad you did!

Escapade :: What is Adventure?

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When I was little, I would ask my dad to take me on adventures.  He would always return my request with “what kind of adventure?” and I never quite knew how to verbalize it.  I knew that scaling a mountain or hand to hand combat with pirates was probably not an option for a quiet Saturday afternoon.  But I always had this image of what adventure was.  It was probably due to me watching too many Pippi Longstocking movies as a kid.

That image of “adventure” has never really been realized, even when I’ve been in exotic countries, climbing mountains, sailing the oceans or zip lining through rain forests.  These have been fantastic adventures and I would never trade them for anything but I’ve never gotten that thrill that I was looking for.  I guess I did when I was in a rafting accident in Ecuador but I really don’t want to repeat that again.  So I suppose I just need to appreciate the experiences more as I go through them and not expect something out of the ordinary to happen because I’m probably already doing something extraordinary.  At least for myself.

So while I’m thinking about adventure this month and I STILL can’t really define what that means to me, I came across this video that lends perfectly to my quest:

Kalum Ko

The lighting is beautiful and the images crisp, all while showing off how beautiful the Pacific Northwest is.  Lovely.  Plus, it features my new obsession with stand up paddle boarding, which I have yet to try, skiing and a few other outdoor sports that I love.  So content wise, there really isn’t anything to dislike.  But even more appealing is it’s challenge to the viewer to embrace life and adventure- whatever that definition might be.

So now that I’m all enthused, I’m off for the weekend to try to find some sort of new experience that I can define as an adventure.  Preferably without pirates commandeering my ship and probably without the need of an ice axe, but you never know…

For the Foodie :: Coffee, Coffee, Coffee

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What is a day without caffeine?  I know very few people who can make it through 24 hours without with the addictive substance and what better way to get that shot of energy than from coffee?  I don’t mean any cup of coffee, I mean a tried and true, carefully analyzed cup of coffee to give you that jolt that so many of us feel we need at various times of the day:

Echoic : Music and Sound Design

Even though I don’t drink the stuff, I find this video fascinating.  It’s the one shot method that I find so interesting as its practically a lost art – it’s just too easy to shoot everything separately and edit it together in post-production.  What I want to know is how long that table had to have been to make this all possible.  By using this method the company made what could have been a fairly dry story into something dynamic and attention grabbing.

It gives me a few ideas for future projects… Now to find some caffeine of my own.  It’s Friday and boy am I looking forward to the weekend!

The Breach at the Galway Film Fleadh

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Back in July, The Breach had it’s world premier at the Galway Film Fleadh, Ireland.  Now if you remember, I’ve been working on various aspects of this film for several years and I’m excited to finally share the official trailer:

The Breach Film

 

I’m also excited to share that the film has already won an award and we have many screenings yet to come:

BREACH-LAURELS

This project has been an on going for me and it’s hard to believe that it’s finally ready for people to see.  I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunities that the director, Mark Titus gave me throughout the process.  I’ve learned a lot and I’m so proud of the team of people that have made this project what it is.  Congratulations everyone!

More screenings coming in the future – schedules will be posted here and at www.thebreachfilm.com.

Feet Up! :: Summer Movies

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I’ve never been completely sure why there are so many big films that come out during the summer- aren’t we supposed to be outside while the weather is nice?  Ok, so I live in a temperate climate and we take all we can get when it comes in the form of sunshine.  I guess its the idea that school is out and that we supposedly have “more time” so we fit in more movies- is that it?

Anyway, whether it’s us escaping the heat for a few hours or having more time, there is the usual Michael Bay film out this summer.  I believe it’s another Transformers movie and  I probably won’t see it until the it comes out on DVD unless I end up going with a group of friends who are still enamored by Michael Bay movies.  It’s not that I don’t like his films, I actually do enjoy them from time to time, but it’s that each film gets more explosive and dizzying and the stories don’t seem to matter much anymore.  It’s all about the special effects and dare I say, they are all starting to look the same?

I’ve been having these thoughts for a while, and then I saw this:

Tony Zhou

 

I guess if I had examined several Michael Bay films, I would have see why I’ve been having these thoughts and this little critique explains it all.  It gives me a whole new appreciation for Bay’s work and although I may not be seeing his newest film this summer, I do enjoy his work.  I probably won’t be able to watch one of his films in the same way in the future but at least I know where to go when I want an action packed adventure.

Happy movie going this summer and if you do see the new Transformers, think of this little film as a little film school tutorial.  You never know what you might notice!

Tracks

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Film festivals have become the center of my life in the last few months.  Between working on getting  current projects into  festivals and attending films at festivals, I’ve become dependent on festival catalogues and spend far too much time looking at what films are playing at what time.  It’s almost like I’m back working for a festival again but for once I’m on the other end of the phone asking the questions instead of having to know all of the answers.

Now normally I would try to see documentaries to see what other people are working on but I’ve been mixing in narrative film as well.  One film in particular, Tracks, is an interesting mix of the two as it is technically a narrative piece while being based on a true story.  Now perhaps some scenes aren’t exactly the way that it happened, but for the most part the story is in tact.

Dir. John Curran

I know that the idea of watching a girl walk across q desert with four camels and a dog, interrupted periodically by a photojournalist, may not sound like the most invigorating story, but somehow it captures your attention for the full two hours.  I love the cinematography in this film.  It’s beautiful and it moves the viewer through the film so seamlessly (with many thanks to the editor and the composer too) that it’s pure eye candy.

The film also has another draw for me in that photojournalist Rick Smolan is featured in this film which adds an interesting connection for me.  I happen to work with Rick’s brother and at times with Rick.  It’s a surreal experience watching a film where you see the same name that’s sitting in your inbox pop on the movie screen.  I know better than to think of this person on the screen to be the true Rick, but it’s amazing to see someone who looks and sounds so much like him.

If you have the chance to see this film, I would highly recommend it. And, for those who are completely entranced by the story and want to know more, there is a book and the original National Geographic article.