Emanuel

MAKE-BELIEVERS (written and directed by Kenjo McCurtain) ahead of its international release, arrives to Japanese theatres in Tokyo... this weekend!
 
Ikebukuro Cinema Rosa from April 13th on:
https://www.cinemarosa.net/lateshow.htm
〒171-0021 Tokyo, Toshima City, Nishiikebukuro, 1 Chome−37−12 1F
https://www.google.com/maps/place//data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x60188d5e7c59b97f:0x444ba64953c2a2b?sa=X&ved=1t:8290&ictx=111
 
Here's the main Japanese press so far (on cinema websites):
https://www.cinematoday.jp/video/VIY8cXeVLddwgI
https://natalie.mu/eiga/news/566550
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/6b24b1ab0e15e180d2f332e504f32348ec519a6b
 
Here's our official X account:
https://x.com/yumemibito2024
  
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11530452/
https://www.shirokumafilms.com/
 
 
 
 

"The microphones measure 1.81 by 0.87 by 0.59 inches (HWD) and weigh 0.29 ounces, which makes them smaller and lighter than DJI’s mics (1.81 by 1.57 by 0.89 inches, 0.99 ounces)"
source
 
Is it worthy?

source
 

PicoMic is still smaller and lighter, and the newer Pro version can use a lav mic. The receiver is bigger, but it's also the storage/charging dock for the transmitters, which is handy when you're going from mic'd to not mic'd, changing speakers often, etc.
They just need internal recording and they'd be perfect IMO.

I wonder who these mics are actually for?
I mean, influencers have gone away from hidden microphones in order to look authentic:

and even people taking the piss out of them...

The pros are going to actually mic people up properly.
So, who is left?
Is there some hidden niche of people who care about speed and also hiding the mic?
My experience of the people that are just using the little matchbox sized mics is that they aren't trying to hide them either:

Even the street-interview people aren't hiding them:


 

About five years ago I got the ingenious little Beatstep controller system (https://posttools.tachyon-consulting.com/davinci-resolve-controllers/beatstep-resolve-edition/) which seemed promising (and could be used for editing, colour, and  Fairlight) but it was complex to set up and new versions of Resolve started to break things, and then I upgraded to an Apple Silicon Mac so I stopped using it. This is the issue with third-party products in general...the developer has to put in a lot of work to ensure compatibility with new releases of Resolve and if there's not enough demand for the product it eventually isn't worth the effort.

Im loving the new touch to track objects AF mode in the latest update. its about time.

At times, people here and in other forums wonder about what this can have in common with cinema... Well, filmmaking is not only fancy outcome for sure and I give you now an example with the release of this feature film in the Japanese market and how BTS material can help making the trick happen...
MAKE-BELIEVERS' BTS/making-of
Imagine what that could happen for BTS stuff acquisition (because we need it for selling movies!) with a mere tool like this one -- as simple as this newly listed no-brainer buy:
Is the only device we need? Of course, not! BTW don't try to mimic those close-up shots going so wider angle for sure... LOL : ) But in the end of this video, the YouTuber gives a fair idea how this is a mandatory toy or tool...
Reframing, at the computational side of the things, creatives ones included, is not only the future but the current one now already.
It will surely depend on the way you get your creativity fine.
Don't count on less ; )
But it is here nowadays and there's no a unique reason to wait for something better to come no doubts, just not not yet available today as this one, at the sole range of your click ;- )

@PannySVHS A kid in the toy store! haha Loved the (whole ; ) analogy, Marty! LOL
And I will add now something very straightforward to it... People here, there and everywhere tend to love the wrong ones... Feeling ourselves strictly excited for corporations sound to me like a man to have fantasies with the neighbour's wife rather than praising and paying attention to the wife who is the housekeeper and takes care of the children at home... ; ) The example of the recent purchase of RED by Nikon is the fine example of it, like to see some family business, after all, to be gone, this may occur in something good for the whole indie world... * Sigh * : X 
I believe " a bit " : D of education about what filmmaking actually is, I guess, it wouldn't hurt at all...
It is what it is! :- )

I got two Micro Cine Cameras and one Pocket OG. And the best thing is, I have hardly shot with them. So I feel every day like a kid in the toy store! The panel looks super exiting. How about a whole lotta love for it! 🙂 
 
 

Recently shown at NAB... What about to show a little bit of love for the most interesting brand for indies maybe ever? ; )
 

DR of course is not world leading....



In less-than-ideal light is not great, but I would say better than the 1 inch that is surprising.

You can see from the motion blur that probably it was 1/60 or less (no ND of course), but still some details in me and the bike..

 




Compared to 1 inch:








In quality is definitely a big step forward, I honestly did not expect this much. I think a combination of more pixel, double bitrate and improvement in processing made it possible.

Here an iPhone 15 Pro Max 4k screen grab.... 
 

Don't get me wrong, I WANT these things to be good.
If they could make a 360 camera that was high-quality enough then it would be useful for filming in very busy situations and you could crop out the interesting moments in post.  The issue is that even if they had 27K resolution, the fact they only have 200Mbps means that any crop that isn't an extreme wide angle just isn't good enough.
I mean, 12Mbps of h265 is similar to 24Mbps of h264, but seriously...  imagine that someone released a camera in 2024 that was 24Mbps!
....and if you want a camera angle tighter than that?  You're practically pixel-peeping.
I'm not even asking for much - V90 SD cards are common these days and they can write at 720Mbps.  Having an EXTREME PRO mode in the camera that has a maxed out bitrate wouldn't be that hard - these things are premium products.

In good light the X4 is just on another planet compared to the 1 inch.

Is not apple to apple as is the same location, mount but different time of the year but still I could never get such details from the 1 inch or the R. Just look at the mountains in the background and the detail on me....


Unprocessed screen grab from 8k 30, 200 mbits, sharpening low


Processed X4




Processed 1 inch from 5.7 30



I will compare also in low light, but for a first quick look I feel they both look similarly bad 😉 

The first thing I checked?
....and the last thing I checked.
I've posted practically the same thing on every one of these releases, but the principle remains.  If you crop in to the image, like 99.99% of shots will be, then the resolution doesn't matter, the bitrate does.
8K at 200Mbps cropped to a 90 degree FOV (about a 24mm lens) is 2K at around 12Mbps.

I just sold my trusted 2 years old 1 inch 360 (I still have 2 normal 1 inch + dual lens) and ordered the X4 for the same price. 
From the paid "reviews" it seems that the X4 has more details and less artifacts, the biggest issue I have with the 1 inch but without trying myself I don't trust to much these reviews.

Lowlight I think they are all quite bad and not really usable, already skiing on north faces in shade in Alaska the 1 inch breaks apart compared to south faces in sunshine.  1 inch sun vs shade:





The X4 is 20% lighter, smaller and better weatherproof so if it turns out to really deliver a bit better detail and less artifacts, I'm happy.

I will let you know if it is really an improvement or not over the 1 inch. Ideally, they should do a X4 Pro with 8k and 2x 1 inch.... let's hope it comes in the future.

Hehe, I found it. Well done. Congratulations to you, the director, cast and team! @Emanuel
 

Thanks but the compliments must be addressed to Kenjo McCurtain to begin with. "The man" behind this piece of work. I've just tried to serve of a little help : )
There's team work, of course. So, everyone also has a role to play there for sure. This is the outgrowth of a collective effort without doubt. To each their own, anyways :- )

Let them stand in their beach. The most unique cinematic is the less competition we have... LOL : )
BTW...

MAKE-BELIEVERS will have national release in Japan...
 
Ikebukuro Cinema Rosa on April 13th.
https://www.cinemarosa.net/lateshow.htm
〒171-0021 Tokyo, Toshima City, Nishiikebukuro, 1 Chome−37−12 1F
 
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11530452/

Thanks but the compliments must be addressed to Kenjo McCurtain to begin with. "The man" behind this piece of work. I've just tried to serve of a little help : )
There's team work, of course. So, everyone also has a role to play there for sure. This is the outgrowth of a collective effort without doubt. To each their own, anyways :- )

in Tokyo: https://www.google.com/maps/place//data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x60188d5e7c59b97f:0x444ba64953c2a2b?sa=X&ved=1t:8290&ictx=111
 
https://www.shirokumafilms.com/

Let them stand in their beach. The most unique cinematic is the less competition we have... LOL : )
BTW...

MAKE-BELIEVERS will have national release in Japan...
 
Ikebukuro Cinema Rosa on April 13th.
https://www.cinemarosa.net/lateshow.htm
〒171-0021 Tokyo, Toshima City, Nishiikebukuro, 1 Chome−37−12 1F
 
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11530452/

Thanks but the compliments must be addressed to Kenjo McCurtain to begin with. "The man" behind this piece of work. I've just tried to serve of a little help : )
There's team work, of course. So, everyone also has a role to play there for sure. This is the outgrowth of a collective effort without doubt. To each their own, anyways :- )

Congratulations!! 

Lurking these boards these cold days over here since I unfortunately had the loss of my life... one's of very own* mourning path, last month* : (
 
...it's rewarding to see that our posts from more or less recent past don't go away so unnoticeable at least over here, after all:
 
Just to give my regards @kye and to the rest of the gang :- )
 
*in Portuguese