Course End Reflections

     When I began this class I honestly did not know what to expect, the only thing I knew was that I was hungry to learn more.  I came in so green my nickname may as well have been Big Money.  I mean I didnt even know the difference between a grip and a gaffer.  I definitely had not grasped fully the rule of thirds or the 180 rule.  I had 2 goals in mind at the beginning and that was to find out who iI am as a filmmaker and get a better understanding of the use of the camera, because I have enough respect for this craft that I don't just want to put anything out there.

     Now that the semester is over, I realize that I'm still green with the camera but its more of a dark green now.  I know that I wont be anybody's DP at any point because my talents are better suited in the director's chair or in the editing room.  The good thing is I now have a better understanding of the rule of thirds as well as the 180 rule.  This is not to say that I wont keep striving to get better with the camera because I want that so bad I can taste it.  So I will at some point invest in myself and purchase a camera.  I still believe I have an eye for this every time I look at some of my stills and what I capture convinces me of this so I will find a way to translate that to motion pictures and develop that the best I can.  Thank you so much for your wealth of knowledge and experience, you'll hear my name one way or another at some point in the future.

Documentary Storytelling

My Reel & Artist Statement

     This collection of clips are from various projects both personal and educational.  I have used various devices to capture these  clips including the Canon XA25, JVC, as well as my very own iPhone in DSLR mode.

     The idea behind this reel is to take you on a journey as the dancer dances.  She's thinking about the places she's been the things she has done.  I have pieced to gether unrelated clips in order to tell this story.  Enjoy!!!

3 Featutes Wth Compelling Lighting

 

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGGON

 

MEN IN BLACK

 

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

Shot by Shot Analysis of A Scene

   

Captain America:  Winter Soldier as evidences through this fight scene in an elevator for Pete"s sake is a well thought out masterful thrill ride with action that comes straight out of the comic books.  I'll start with the action at the 1:49 mark

 

Here you see an OTS shot or actually over a few shoulders with the critical focus being on Captain America.  I believe the director does this to give  the sense that our hero is boxed in, or trapped with no where to go if you will.  In an elevator with Cap I think I almost feel sorry for those guys.

  

In this action Two Shot you can clearly see the antagonist is the focus here  and the look on his face lets you know he means business.  You cant see Caps face because his back is literally against the wall.

   

                       

This shot is the OTS version of the previous shot here you can clearly see Cap's face.  He don't look to happy does he.  Shock treatment will do that too you.  I believe the director wanted to catch this moment as a precursor to the antagonist's but about to get handed to him.

   

As this WS shows Captain America has escaped the elevator ride from hell and is now walking away.  This shot is used to let you know that the scene has ended and Cap got away virtually unscathed.           

                                                                                                                                                                              

                     

Motivated Camera Movement

 In this scene from the Avengers we see the heroes getting ready to fight.  They seem to be using the spider dolly to get the effect that says "We're the Avengers, we've assembled and now we are going to disassemble some alien butt."  See the way the camera rotates around them?

In this scene from the original Ghostbusters we see Peter Venkman getting slimed for the first time.  To get the effect that the ghost called Slimer is rushing  Venkman from a POV perspective i figure that either a dolly or a steadicam is utilized to get the effect that we see in the scene.

In this scene from Bad Boys 2 we see one of the coolest gun battle scenes and it was all caught on film by a carousel camera.  How cool id that and Mike Lowery really shouldn't be going in people's houses saying he is the devil...for real I'm serious though!

Gear Head Blogs & Sites

Film or Digital?......You Decide!

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 https://youtu.be/ffxd_FEQHCQ

What I have learned from watching this video and read this article  is that in a nutshell both film and digital have their strengths and weaknesses but what it all boils down to is preference or practicality.  When you are filming you can do things that you would never do in digital and likewise there are things you can do during a shoot that you dont have the ability to do while shooting...for instance you can do although very limited on the spot editing.(my words not theirs)  Both have major advantages and disadvantages, one quote here touches upon one of those such advantages and disadvantages,"Film forces you to be present, to be principled and respectful of the moments being captured. Because digital affords you the freedom to just let the camera roll without having to be to scrupulous about what you shoot, film can make you a much more disciplined observer."
     Sure thw look of film is the stuff of nostalgia with its grainy look and organic feel, something digital has been tryitng to emulate since it burst on the scene but the real reason most if not all filmmakers are going digital and its all because of one little economic word........COST!!!!   It's way less expensive to shoot movies digitally in this day and age than film, plus it saves time and money in post production as well.  In addition the digital is improving its resolution and overall look almost on a daily basis and seems to have no limit with how much it can improve.  for more info check out the link:   http://nofilmschool.com/2016/09/debate-still-top-dps-discuss-differences-between-film-and-digital


VINCENT LAFORET

  
So I read Vincent's review of The Canon 5D MkV which can be found here-->http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2016/08/25/the-new-canon-5d-mkiv-the-perfect-balance/
      According to Vincent this camera might just be one of if not the best camera ever made.  It's a combination still + video camera and seems to far surpass those that have been made thus far.  With such features as HDR video and stills, excellent low light performance, dual pixel (think Lytro and focusing in post or adjusting bokeh slightly), 4K video (with effectively super 35mm crop so you can use cine lenses…), amazing AF with 61 sensors and works with face detection and touch screen both in stills and video, anti flicker for video, very smooth ramping of focus and exposure in video in auto mode......who can argue.  Heck it also has GPS, WiFi, and can link multiple cameras to an identical atomic clock, it also has NFC,  and with touchscreen pretty much all the features are at your fingertips with the touch of a button.  I'm already salivating and I'm not even a camera guy.  This camera can even connect easily to smart phones and has its very own built in intervalmeter (I dont even know what that is but it sounds both important and incredible).

    
In Vincent's own words this camera is "pretty much everything you’d want in a body that size and for this market and the perfect BALANCE."



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