Category Archives: Video

March 13, 2012 · 8:11 pm

Canon 5D Mark III

MARCH 22nd – This is the day the new Canon 5D mrk III will be available. You can pre-order the camera on Amazon and B&H Photo. So what are the big new features?  The new  DIGIC 5+ Image Processor changes the way images are recorded and processed. The result is increased speed, power and a higher ISO sensitivity.  14-bit signal processing offers an extended ISO range, and the rear LCD screen is bigger and better. You now get Compact Flash and SD dual memory card slots, and a newly designed autofocus system gives you an extra 52 points for focus.

But what about video? Typically, videographers have chosen the video-friendly 7D for its multiple FPS HD video choices, but it seems the new Mark III has that covered and more.  It now offers the same FPS choices in multiple formats, including 1080/30p and 720/60p (still wish the 60fps option was 1080 though). A huge improvement over the 7D is the extended shooting time – up to 29 minutes and 59 seconds on the mark III (only 12 minutes with the 7D), and it comes with timecode. You can now monitor audio levels and plug in a 3.5mm stereo mic. There’s also the long-awaited addition of a  headphone jack.

Canon released a beautiful test video for the 5D Mrk III called “Beauty in the eye of the beholder“. You can watch it below.

http://blog.planet5d.com/2012/03/beauty-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder-canon-eos-5d-mark-iii-short-eye-of-the-mind/

The Canon 5D is priced at around $3500 for body-only. Some think that’s too high, given the huge selection and choices out there for DSLR video these days. I own a 7D, and have seen enough videos on Vimeo shot with the 5D to know that its resolution and low light sensitivity cannot be beat in that price range. Of course reviews are one thing though, I can’t wait to get my hands on one to shoot with it  - that’s the real test!

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February 13, 2012 · 7:04 am

DSLR Rigs

I’m so excited! I just purchased a new DSLR rig. I find rigs pretty indispensable these days for shooting video – I usually only have a couple of hours per shoot for my web videos and have to grab a lot of great shots in a very short time. DSLR rigs allow me to cram into tight spaces, get different angles, and  they are smooth! Holding the DSLR alone is not even an option seeing as they are so light – it’s like The Blair Witch Project in terms of shakiness.  One problem. DSLR rigs are pricey. Zacuto rigs are superb, and I’ve thoroughly annoyed the Glazers Camera store crew with the number of times I’ve “demo-ed” it (check out their new “Scorpion” Rig HERE. Ditto for Red Rock brand rigs  – gorgeous, dependable, but damn expensive! My friend down the street who happens to be a fellow video producer turned me on to Ebay’s infamous Gini-2011. This guy is from Korea and sells DSLR rigs for half the price of the competition here. You bid on a rig, and if you’re lucky and no one else bids on it, you get a rig ridiculously cheap. I was lucky. I got a  very basic rig for $199 plus $55 shipping!! I’ve tried them out and they are the real deal: solid, dependable, and you can add on multiple accessories (follow focus, clamps, body arms, etc) Downside: it won’t be here for approx. a month. One more challenge: I did NOT order the counter weight. I know this is an indispensable part of the DSLR rig, but I’m too cheap to shell out $117 plus a large shipping charge for a weight – there’s gotta be another way to add weight to the back of a rig.  I found a few DYI options – one of the best involves a scuba belt weight, which is made of  lead and very easy to drill a hole through to attach to the back of a rig. The description and video tutorial is found on cheesycam.com .

Here’s a picture of me using the Gini-2011 rig to shoot a web workout video – if you’re in the market to buy a new rig and hunting around it’s worth it to check out his ebay store .

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February 9, 2012 · 2:13 am

Video Editing Plug-ins

I’ve always been a fan of plug-ins to sweeten up my video editing. Plug-ins are affordable,  easy to download, install instantly in your editing-based platform (Final Cut, After Effects, Motion), and take a LOT of work off your hands. I recently purchased two plug-ins from FX Factory. They have a ton of transitions, effects, and wipes to boost your video production quality. A number of their effects are free, but you need to shell out a few bucks for their really good ones. I purchased Supawipe, a cool transition effect that takes any object you want and wipes it over the screen to transition to the next shot. I also purchased Luca Light Leaks, a video generator that produces high quality light leaks you can overlay onto existing video, or use as a transition between shots. My all time favorite plug-in though, is still Magic Bullet’s Mojo. For $50, you can take your ho hum everyday video footage and turn it into that great vimeo-esque look where subjects become warm, and backgrounds become cool – check out the link above or download the trial to see for yourself – I use it all the time. Just don’t let Mojo substitute as a color corrector – it’s still simply a cool video effect filter. Color correct first, then let your mojo take over – yes, I admit, the name hooked me. Here’s a video I just produced where I used the light leaks and Mojo.

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January 31, 2012 · 2:02 am

Traveling with DSLR Video equipment

I just read (and tweeted) a great little article on essential gear for the travel photographer (read it HERE). I thought about how transferrable that information is to DSLR video shooters. I’ve travelled a few times to shoot in faraway places and there’s always equipment that travels with me and equipment I aquire on location (remote developing countries and rural areas are exceptions).

Equipment I Bring 

  • DSLR camera and core lenses
  • Basic Rig
  • HD Monitor
  • wireless mic kit
  • batteries
  • external hard drives
  • CF cards , SD cards and card reader
  • digital audio recorder
  • Headphones
  • Backpack I pack above in, and fanny pack to wear during shoot (sexy I know).

Equipment I Rent / Aquire on location

  • Tripod
  • Lights and light stands
  • Extra Lenses
  • I buy extra batteries at rental shop
  • Boom mic and pole if needed
  • Mini jib or dolly pocket if needed

I only bring my laptop if I know no one else will have a mac laptop on location. As long as I have my card reader and an external hard drive I can simply plug into someone’s laptop and drop and drag footage onto my hard drive every night. I bring my Lacie rugged external hard drive with me on location – it’s drop resistant up to two meters.  In the article, the photographers also back up their footage onto DVD’s that they mail back home  - I thought this was a great idea.

Renting the big stuff on location saves you extra baggage fees, hassling from security officials, and potential damage happening to your gear.

Here’s  one of the videos I shot up in Canada for Raven Bay. I rented my gear at The Camera Store in Calgary. It was recommended and had everything I needed to shoot a great corporate video.

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January 27, 2012 · 5:38 am

Entrepreneurship at North Seattle Community College

Just finished up a three-minute video I produced for North Seattle Community College featuring their Entrepreneurship Program. The video was really a treat to produce. I got the opportunity to sit down and talk with three former students that are now working hard to grow their own business. Being a budding entrepreneur myself, I know just how hard this  is. There’s no safety net, no cheerleaders handing out gold stars, no steady paycheck, and NO regular hours. But the satisfaction of creating your own little entity from scratch cannot be compared. I love the thrill of hustling and getting gigs, creating media from my vision, and connecting with clients and subjects directly. Noel Austin is a designer – his company, DNA, caters to the fashion-savvy punk crowd. Amy Voros is a life-coach – she helps people discover who they want to be, as opposed to who they feel they should be. Roy Comer is a fire prevention specialist who was laid off on the cusp of retirement, entered the Entrepreneurship program as part of the state’s re-training program, and is now successfully working for himself.

You can watch the video below, or if you’re on a mobile device, you can watch it on vimeo at http://vimeo.com/35724674

 

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December 7, 2011 · 7:41 pm

Bonsai Media Group

Just saw the edited web video from a shoot I did a few weeks ago at Bonsai Media Group. These guys are young, hip and have got Search Engine Optimization services down to a science. They’re that perfect combination of Seattle hipster and tech geek. They took their client’s business (April, whose the client interview) and put it close to the top of google search for “Seattle home cleaning”. I was impressed.

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December 2, 2011 · 1:38 am

Green Lake Elementary Fundraiser

My kids go to Green Lake Elementary in Seattle. It’s an adorable little school tucked away close to the lake – we actually passed it twice when we moved here before realizing it was the school. They have wonderful teachers who manage to squeeze in teaching community-building, respect, and compassion in between the swarms of endless testing and standards they must meet. Josh’s teacher Kate Sipe had a great fundraising idea for last month’s Sister Schools fundraiser. Watch and smile.

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June 22, 2011 · 12:57 am

Images of Youth

I just finished cutting together some clips from this years’ Images of Youth Film Festival, an annual festival showcasing films made by young people from around the world. This year I had the opportunity to be the festival Coordinator, and it was such a tremendous inspiration to see almost 100 films submitted on topics that ranged from teen suicide to keeping arts funding in schools. Some were compelling, some were funny, some were unique and creative, but almost all of the films were a testament to the enormous energy and time the kids put into making them. The festival is sponsored by a Washington group called Action 4 Media Education, which promotes media literacy to kids and their parents/educators. I’ve been on the committee since joining the festival, and let me tell you, it’s more relevant now than ever that kids learn how to manipulate media as a tool for expression, rather than let the media manipulate them. The festival screened 25 films this past April at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in Seattle. It was such a cool event – I hope I get to participate again next year.

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June 14, 2011 · 7:15 am

7D Cinema-Style

On Saturday night I attended the Glazers Camera’s PhotoFest event “An Evening with Alex Buono“. Alex is a veteran SNL shooter from their film unit, and produces their digital shorts and mock-commercials. Remember how “Lazy Sunday” was yanked off YouTube until the bigwigs at SNL discovered that it boosted their ratings by like, a million-fold, then it was put back on and it consequently launched the digital short revolution? yeah, Alex is mostly responsible for that.(you can watch Lazy Sunday here if you haven’t seen it a bakers’ dozen times).

I got the opportunity to chat with Alex before his talk and learned that he grew up in Portland, moved to LA to go to USC film school, and would like to put a cleaver in Fred Armisen’s head (OK, that last one’s not true). Alex was super down-to-earth, funny, and full of practical advice and information for shooting with Canon DSLRs. He shot the opening SNL sequence entirely with 5D’s, in multiple NYC locations, and no lights (at night people). One particular amazing shot of the top of a cab zipping through the streets was simply a 5D suction-cupped to the roof, nothing more. He shoots the digital shorts and commercials with 7D’s instead of 5D’s simply due to the HD monitor output that the 5D sorely lacks. He gave some great tips for cinematic style shooting with the 7D that I thought I’d pass along.

- Shoot in 24 FPS – obviously, that’s the film standard and even though you might think “why bother? it’s all spit back out in 30 Fps anyway”, it does give a more cinematic look to the video.

- Double your shutter speed to match your frame rate. So, for 24 fps, shoot at 1/50th shutter speed, and the subject’s movement will be a represent more true action -  of course you would adjust this for slow or fast shutter effects.

- You can go into the “User Define” setting in Picture Style to choose Neutral Style, and Sharpness: 1, Contrast:-4, Saturation: -2, Color Tone: 0.

- These settings are to ensure greater control when your color correcting in post-  even a little color correcting adds polish and consistency that’s worth the effort. (you can also download the new technicolor cinestyle for greater color correcting flexibility).

-  ISO settings: work in multiples of 160 (320, 640, etc). Alex recommended not shooting over 800 ISO, but then proceeded to admit he breaks this rule all the time b/c the camera is so damn forgiving in low light.

- Use a video splitter like the Black Magic HDMI-SDI to hook up a monitor (an HDMI splitter will totally work too but Alex likes SDI better).

There’s other stuff I learned about making amazing timelapse videos with everyday equipment and scouting locations using cheap apps, but I’m not giving away the farm here people! I can’t wait to run outside tomorrow and play with these new settings and compare before/after new settings videos!

 

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May 31, 2011 · 3:59 am

The Skatebarn Vert Team

I spent a couple of nights shooting my son’s vert team and about a week putting it together. I was able to tap into Cinema Tools’ conversion tool that lets you seamlessly convert 60 fps video into 30fps for a seamless slow motion look. I also copied all the regular speed files so I could edit the regular speed and slow motion speed clips together  – very common technique but one I don’t get to use alot in news stories (go figure). I also followed a Creative Cow tutorial that uses both Cinema Tools and Motion to do a super slow motion effect at the end of the video where I thank Skatebarn – you can find the tutorial here. It was a fun video to put together and having the coach as my husband helped me figure out what tricks to feature and what to leave out (Eugene’s featured and he skates amazing for an old dude).

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