A lens is a lens is a lens

Over the past few months I have been learning a lot about lens' and quality.  In the past as far as video is concerned people buying cameras where mainly concerned with the feturs and quality a video camera, but totally neglect the lens as a part of the equation.  And I totally and completely understand this mentality.  Why?  because for decades camera companies made us choose between crap image quality in comparison to a more crapy image quality.  So consumers like my self are forced to buy in to CCD image sensor size that was smaller then an 8mm film image. Even george lucas' star wars episode 1 $100,000 camera that was a 1/2 inch did not even come close to the normal focal length 8mm film had.

Part 2 of 2 understanding CGI integration

The point of this blog is to get you to start thinking 3D integration rather then educating you on any particular technique.  Compositing and 3d Computer graphics design takes years to master so I wright this with no intention of saying this is the end all be all of how to view and tackle CGI.  However, I will say that understanding some simple concepts can help you tackle even the most challenging of visual effects.  

Part 1 of 2 understanding CGI integration

Computer-generated imagery (CGI) intergeneration in any visual medium can add visual flair no mater how stubble or complex.  In fact studies show that a commercial using CGI visual effects will ingage more audience members and increase branding potential over all.   I would show you the findings, but I can't seem to remember what article it was when posted in creativity magazine.  In any case, CGI integration or compositing in general can be easy and complex at the same time.  For the average consumer, adding CGI can be exciting and fun to watch, but for the filmmaker it can be a scary thought.

HDDSLR, and the fueled Technological movement

One thing that hit me the other day is how simular motion picture Film is to that of Digital, That is if Digital has the right components to mesure up to its big brother "Film."  I believe film will never truly go away.  The reality is we are coming to an age where the indi filmmaker and the consumer is demanding outstanding image quality.  Even I, a videographer can no longer use my DVCAM because my clients are no longer accepting any thing less then.  Is it an age of digital snobbery and mesturbation?  Or are we the consumer rising up as a collective and demanding image superiority because we consume so much digital content.  It might be a little of both.

A topic on documentary filmmaking

I was originally going to write about 3D integration, but I decided to right about documentary filmmaking.  The thing about documentary filmmaking of any kind is that its all about the inquisitive.  Its often a miss conception that documentary filmmaking is all about following the journey, but it is really about the curiosity following the journey.  I think all great documentaries have this.  News is simular, but news is a systematic investigation using experts and visual references.  The person creating the news piece can be inquisitive about the subject mater, but the end product is all about informing the public about a curent event they should be aware about.  Both documentaries and news can take on an unbiassed approach or a propaganda approach, but the the soul propose of news is to generate a balanced story as documentaries are to involve the viewer in a factual journey of a sort.  In documentary filmmaking, you as the filmmaker must allow the subject mater to guide the story.  Your job is not to investigate, but rather document the experience surrounding people and places.  Remember let your subject do the talking and make opinions later.  Finding many opinions will help expose trends.  So in essence news goes to the source of information where as documentary filmmaking leads the viewer to the source of information.  Thats the journey.

Myths and problems concerning HD DSLRs

In this new age of filmmaking every thing is going digital one way or another.  The so called film school has become nothing more then a bunch of students running around town shooting there friends on an HDV camera they think will make them big some day.

There is nothing wrong with dreaming the dream, but we have come to an age of digital snobbery.  Many students who graduate film school never even touch a film camera let alone learn about film technique and theory behind cinematography.  I have even been shocked by my own school because they bought consumer grade cameras that cost around $200-$1000 and I have seen them buy those flip HD cameras for news broadcasting.  Keep in mind this was a university.  I was fortunate that my department had 16mm film cameras and wonderful cinema teachers who work hard to keep film alive and well, but university politics may cause those cameras to become extinct.

Bridging the Communication Gap between Producers and Crew

From a producers prospective, communicating with your crew requiers a little more then ordering tasks and providing there resource needs.  There are two different types of crew, the unpaid/lowpay crew and the profesional crew.  Both crews have benefits and draw backs as far as personality and cost.  The unpaid/lowpay crew works with the intention that there work will bring them experience and creditability.  Most of the time I find that inexperienced crews need more direction and there is a tendency for egos to start showing in the mix.  Egos are a sign of fear and weakness.  A fear that says "I don't want any one to see me as weak and incompetent."  A Professional crew is the opposite of that.  A profesional crew tends to be in sync with one another because threw their experience they figured out the lingo and procedure, almost like factory workers on an assembly line.  Typically its not good to mix professionals with green crew members.  If you do mix them then they should ether be all green and one profesional or all profesional and one green.  With a mix of all professionals and one green, you will find that it is easer and better for for the green person because he or she can look up to and learn from the professionals.  With the mix of all green and one profesional then you have the entire crew looking up to the profesional and the profesional can share there wisdom and knowledge as the production moves on.

A depth of focus look at HD DSLR video and the image size

I feel a little confident to post this blog.  I am a filmmaker who loves the science behind filmmaking and I wanted to get to the bottom of the DSLR revolution in translation to video and film with regards to image resolution, size, depth of field and normal lens focal length.  For instance it is common knowledge that a 35 mm film requires a 50 mm lens to be considered normal focal length and for you film buffs a 16 mm film requires a 25 mm lens to be considered a normal focal length lens.  A normal lens on a 70 mm film requiers an 80 mm lens.  Don't ask me what the conversion factor is but the fact is the larger the image size the longer the focal length of the lens has to be to be considered normal.  Generally the larger the image size a stronger depth of field is present on the image.  It is widely agreed that film and digital are different animals and rightly so.  However, the basic physics of image size and and normal focal length of a lens can not be ignored.

A perspective on Music video theory

In my early teens I was fascinated by the music video.  Music videos I believe is on of the most artistically stylized mediums to really be excepted by the corporation and the public.  People who make music videos are free to be as avantgarde as they wish and still gain audience appreciation and engagement.  Despite the negative press MTV gets about influencing bad behavior on a generation of people the truth of the matter is the MTV music video seen has captivated and inspired many a youth in this wonderful world of art and music.  Both mediums of motion photography and music are synonymous with one another.  Almost like a dance of the senses.     

Working with Scriptwriters.

Communicating to writers is the most important thing you can do when developing a successful screenplay.  It has been said that writers are sensitive creatures.  I think the best example of how an writer acts and thinks is the movie Stranger Than Fiction (2006).  Emma Thompson plays the writer in the film and I think she does a good job of that.

Good writers tend to be secluded animals by nature.  They are constantly thinking of new story ideas and tend to focus a long time writing on one story.  If you have ever met a true creative writer you know what I am talking about.  

Writers are sensitive because they spend there lives developing structure, plots and characters.  Its like a flower and often times these writers get trampled upon by other artest producers and so on. 

Learning to mange your person and experience as a producer or director when working with writers is key.  Remember all artest have different voices those voices interpret into creative tone.  

Technical tips for Producing high end Indi film for theatrical distribution

With all the talk about movie distribution and hd vs film, I thought I should clear up some myths and uncover the truth behind the branded stigma indi films get when shooting on an alternative medium with a low budget.

The secret behind High grossing, blockbuster Movies

I know a lot of filmmakers out there want to know the secret of making movies that make a lot of money and gain masses in recognition.  The answer is somewhat simple, but complex at the same time because the fundamental human needs and wants must be adressed while focusing on the universal human expression.

"Good Artists Borrow, Great Artists Steal"

One of the things I find frustrating when communicating to some artest is when they have this notion that they want to create something that has never been done before.  From every thing I have learned about filmmaking, I have found that when creating, artest must use existing resources and ideas and combine them to create something that expresses a voice or concern.  Entertainment is nothing more then a manipulation of ideas, thoughts and resources translated in to a universal voice that the audience can ingage in, understand and relate to.

Its understandable that artest want to be new and original and rightly so; however, the old saying goes
"Good Artists Borrow, Great Artists Steal." Originality and style comes from the self.  Its the person who make the art unique because there is only one of that person.  style is made up of experiences and personality.  Many of the great artest in history had to be true to themselves and in large, use or take elements from the outside world to create something that effects the masses for generations.