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HelsinkiZim

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  1. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from kaylee in Can anyone help me dissect this colour grade?   
    I see a few techniques but imo I would call the general look low-key lighting https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-key_lighting
    I often find commercials fall into either high key beauty or this. it’s a look camera peoples tend to shoot on Reds, but I guess every cinema camera with good dynamic range can do it. however, Kendy Ty does it with a T2i?
    I would look for those keywords + resolve tutorial etc on the inter webs. At least that’s where I would start, but I am certain the is more to it than a grade. silhouette, noir lighting etc
  2. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from Trek of Joy in Can anyone help me dissect this colour grade?   
    I see a few techniques but imo I would call the general look low-key lighting https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-key_lighting
    I often find commercials fall into either high key beauty or this. it’s a look camera peoples tend to shoot on Reds, but I guess every cinema camera with good dynamic range can do it. however, Kendy Ty does it with a T2i?
    I would look for those keywords + resolve tutorial etc on the inter webs. At least that’s where I would start, but I am certain the is more to it than a grade. silhouette, noir lighting etc
  3. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from maxotics in Ursa vs. C500 vs. C300 for best cinematic image?   
    I have been using the Ursa Mini 4.6K for the last 2 months for client work.
    It is a great camera and I love the images it produces. But I have 2 qualms:
    It does not do low light - as in, it is not even an option. Period.
    It doesn't 'wow' naturally.
    Let me explain the last point:
    The canon C500 would supply all the 4k benefits, but you would be a bit weak on the codec side. But, and its a big butt, Canon will look like 'wow'. 
    I am still figuring out why, but my feelings are irrelevant. My clients like Canon. 
    Do them a favor and go Canon. The spec differences only smooth our experience, but not the image. The Blackmagic image is a specific look or stock that we as a community love, but is subjective. 
    General folk see Canon footage and photos and appreciate that stock.
    They dont care about 444 or DR. They want to look good.
    Canon does that with their voodoo. Get the best Canon 4k image you can get get... and get a Ursa for yourself.
    Just my 2c.
    Oh, and low light does not mean night. Actually, with one light, the ursa is fantastic for night shoots.
    I mean, for example, you want to fo for a beauty or group studio look. LEDS cannot supply enough power, let alone if you want to expose in tandem with the window view etc. 
    Your options become a bit limited once you want to get creative with light. Unless you buck up for more powerful lights etc. 
    Which is where I would advise to hire.
    But bigger crew...
    Slippery slope...
  4. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from EthanAlexander in Ursa vs. C500 vs. C300 for best cinematic image?   
    I have been using the Ursa Mini 4.6K for the last 2 months for client work.
    It is a great camera and I love the images it produces. But I have 2 qualms:
    It does not do low light - as in, it is not even an option. Period.
    It doesn't 'wow' naturally.
    Let me explain the last point:
    The canon C500 would supply all the 4k benefits, but you would be a bit weak on the codec side. But, and its a big butt, Canon will look like 'wow'. 
    I am still figuring out why, but my feelings are irrelevant. My clients like Canon. 
    Do them a favor and go Canon. The spec differences only smooth our experience, but not the image. The Blackmagic image is a specific look or stock that we as a community love, but is subjective. 
    General folk see Canon footage and photos and appreciate that stock.
    They dont care about 444 or DR. They want to look good.
    Canon does that with their voodoo. Get the best Canon 4k image you can get get... and get a Ursa for yourself.
    Just my 2c.
    Oh, and low light does not mean night. Actually, with one light, the ursa is fantastic for night shoots.
    I mean, for example, you want to fo for a beauty or group studio look. LEDS cannot supply enough power, let alone if you want to expose in tandem with the window view etc. 
    Your options become a bit limited once you want to get creative with light. Unless you buck up for more powerful lights etc. 
    Which is where I would advise to hire.
    But bigger crew...
    Slippery slope...
  5. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to Deadcode in Magic Lantern Raw Video   
    5D2:
    1856x1044 24p for about 17mp before buffer fills up (70MB/s write speed)
    2144x1076 (2,61x crop) 24p 10bit continous
    moire/aliasing in fullframe mode
    5D3:
    1920x1200 30p continous with 10 bit
    3K continous with compressed raw
    no moire or aliasing
    lower noise
    double price.
     
  6. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from markr041 in EOSHD Pro Color for Sony Cameras   
    Loved this. Critique:
    Explore this idea more. My most enjoyable (among many) moment was the men walking like apes across the pedestrian crossing - when movements and music synced.
    That slow mo marching thing can be effective if planned. All in all, the music choice (nice!) lends to a shorter piece - but your music choice to image instinct is spot on.
    Play around in your city and deliver a knockout next time!
    I might beat you to it....
  7. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from IronFilm in How do you afford your gear?   
    In Finland it is quite difficult to start a business regulation-wise. They require a lot of upfront payments tax-wise, and you get cut off from any social benefits whatsoever. I find this worrisome when I am looking for staff as they usually prefer to not work, rather than work for random gigs. Another discussion for another forum...
    However, I used to just borrow or rent cams in the UK and US on weekends and save up for gear from the net profits from weddings and events.
    Here in Finland, I went through a government funded process the lasted 2 years, where you take daily classes in Finnish and attend business advisory meetings. If you are successful in applying for business support (i.e. have a good business plan, education and experience in the industry) they give you a grant of around 10 000 which they pay you every month in installments over a 6 month period. Its called 'starttiraha' for Finnish folk interested. Literally translates to 'start-up money'.
    I took out a loan based on this fixed future income, and will break even sometime this summer based on equipment and living expenses. However, I would have preferred to have had a more fluid entry as it would have allowed me to test camera systems. But I needed a quick start, and have sold off most of my purchases that were surplus (silly) and have reinvested in one system.
    Regardless of the grant, I still would have taken an unsecured loan - but only because I have done this business for over 10 years and am comfortable with sales, IM and SEO. I also do not know how to do anything else. If your quote is too high, I am the asshole around the corner with a better deal. Not fancy, but I don't have time for pleasantries - and I deliver (for corporate and events) because I have nothing to lose.
    Fingers crossed things keep rolling along...
    Edit: and the last time I spent more than 30 euros on myself for anything other than camera gear and support was sometime last year. I buy second hand clothes and rock a Huwei P9. I bought that phone only because it has a classy camera for instagram BTS - otherwise I would still be flip-phone. 30 euros was for small bottle of Paco Rabanne cologne. Even that I felt guilty about. Go figure. All net profit nowadays goes to wifey and the bambinos!
  8. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to mercer in Viners on Youtube   
    If you liked him in 2002, then you should definitely go back and listen to him during the OJ trial. His show was never as good as it was then. 
  9. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to Hans Punk in Best drone shot ever?   
    I'm sure this is up there with some of the most impressive single take drone shots I've seen for a while, carried out by a very talented pilot using a micro FPV drone and great use of Reelsteady software. Use of reverse playback and sound design makes it even more impressive...
     
    making of...
     
  10. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from Samin in How do you afford your gear?   
    In Finland it is quite difficult to start a business regulation-wise. They require a lot of upfront payments tax-wise, and you get cut off from any social benefits whatsoever. I find this worrisome when I am looking for staff as they usually prefer to not work, rather than work for random gigs. Another discussion for another forum...
    However, I used to just borrow or rent cams in the UK and US on weekends and save up for gear from the net profits from weddings and events.
    Here in Finland, I went through a government funded process the lasted 2 years, where you take daily classes in Finnish and attend business advisory meetings. If you are successful in applying for business support (i.e. have a good business plan, education and experience in the industry) they give you a grant of around 10 000 which they pay you every month in installments over a 6 month period. Its called 'starttiraha' for Finnish folk interested. Literally translates to 'start-up money'.
    I took out a loan based on this fixed future income, and will break even sometime this summer based on equipment and living expenses. However, I would have preferred to have had a more fluid entry as it would have allowed me to test camera systems. But I needed a quick start, and have sold off most of my purchases that were surplus (silly) and have reinvested in one system.
    Regardless of the grant, I still would have taken an unsecured loan - but only because I have done this business for over 10 years and am comfortable with sales, IM and SEO. I also do not know how to do anything else. If your quote is too high, I am the asshole around the corner with a better deal. Not fancy, but I don't have time for pleasantries - and I deliver (for corporate and events) because I have nothing to lose.
    Fingers crossed things keep rolling along...
    Edit: and the last time I spent more than 30 euros on myself for anything other than camera gear and support was sometime last year. I buy second hand clothes and rock a Huwei P9. I bought that phone only because it has a classy camera for instagram BTS - otherwise I would still be flip-phone. 30 euros was for small bottle of Paco Rabanne cologne. Even that I felt guilty about. Go figure. All net profit nowadays goes to wifey and the bambinos!
  11. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to noone in Living frugally...   
    LOL that is funny because it is soooo true.
    I am sitting in a mall to post this as I have run out of credit with my (prepaid) internet and using free Wifi, wearing a shirt and jumper I purchased from a charity shop (they were absolute bargains and it is the same place I got a couple of pretty good tripods for $5 Australian each).      And am (in part) looking for lenses on Ebay while here!
     
  12. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from Juxx989 in Blade Runner 2049 trailer and a first look at Roger Deakins' cinematography   
    Lets look at theme - Blade Runner got us feeling because the droids were relatable and not totally alien. 
    Ex Machina tackled this theme beautifully. Prometheus did too. So did 2001, which probably inspired them all. 
    Scott has to transcend the drone as relatable (but ultimately ruthless) genre before he gets my attenion. The AI as thriller genre lost its bubble since the abstract 'ghost in the machine' film Her. Which I see as peak.
    Someone needs to reinvent it.
    Speaking of douches (damn auto type!) in machines, I loved Johansson in, yea, Ghost in a Shell. Remineded me of The Departed (remake). Dunno why....
  13. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to Linus N in Let's talk about GH5 + Premiere Pro 11.1.2   
    Ooh! I'll give it a try after this House of Cards episode 
  14. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from Liam in I'm almost done with two films... Advice?   
    I would love to give you some advice on this, as you have given me plenty in the past. But im a churn and burn corporate guy, so wish I you luck!
  15. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to HockeyFan12 in specialize in one area or...   
    If you only suck at half of it you're way ahead of most of us.
    I think the advice that you should specialize is mostly given as career advice. It makes sense. If you spend half the time doing something, you won't get as good as if you spent all your time doing that one thing. And it's difficult to market yourself as someone who does two things okay instead of one thing well. (This isn't as true in smaller markets. Outside LA, London, NYC, Vancouver, etc. generalists or people who run their own one-man companies can thrive. It's harder in a big market.) If you're not that worried about supporting yourself in a big market, just do whatever you want! If you're excellent at one technical, often tedious thing and good at networking (say, you learn Avid or Nuke relatively well, which can be done in six months, or you learn to pull focus and join the union) you can make six figures right off the bat, or close to it. And then from there you can support yourself in a big city (well, barely), learn from others, and see and observe how it's done. Then you can either learn more about what you're doing or observe what other people in entirely different departments are doing. David Fincher took this route, not because he wanted to do it all himself, but because he wanted to be able to so he knew no one was slacking on set. Or you can take that same route but find other people to bring onto your projects instead of learning from them! Once you get signed to a major agency like CAA or get a creative director job at a big company (which can take five years or more, admittedly) or get signed to a production company as an advertising director, then your agent or company will put together packages of talent for you when you direct. I worked on a project with a first-time director who had no technical skill, but he did a really good job writing and directing because of the team they put together and that he collaborated with. Another friend of mine was signed to one of CAA's top agents right out of school and he didn't know what an f stop was. Maybe he did, he just didn't care. He was a storyteller with a great crew. Another friend had a similar experience, signed to a major company right out of high school. Again, not technical, but visionary.
    A LOT of festival winners and Vimeo sensations secretly have major agencies and production companies (think CAA, WME, the Mill, etc.) doing the dirty work. They say if you wear every hat you get judged by the one that first you worst. But if you wear them all well (or even half of them), more power to you. Maybe you will have to pick up the slack for someone some day, maybe it will help you run the set faster. That knowledge will help out every step of the way. But you DEFINITELY don't need it. At all. And the fear that you do can hold you back. 
    If money is not your main consideration, and if you're not struggling to pay the bills in a big city (which can kill your success; it's not always a good idea) just follow your bliss. I think Robert Rodriguez and Steven Soderbergh would do every job on set if they could because they come from a technical and formal background. But a lot of people are simply very passionate about one thing, and that one thing is why they get hired. Most directors aren't super technical, they just have great taste and people skills and management skills and are good storytellers.
    This is even true of film schools. Some of the best (Columbia, for instance) provide less technical education than a day on this forum would. Some of the best (AFI cinematography) provide more technical experience than you can find on the entire internet. By far. It depends what the student wants!
    If you can do what you want, do what you want. I wish I had the luxury but I gotta pay rent lol.
  16. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from webrunner5 in Canon C200 and Panasonic rival camera to fight it out at CineGear Expo   
    This is my Twin Peaks moment.
    Basically we are waiting for a AF101 with a 4K 35mm sensor.
    Oh my god are we fools...
  17. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from Justin Bacle in Canon C200 and Panasonic rival camera to fight it out at CineGear Expo   
    This is my Twin Peaks moment.
    Basically we are waiting for a AF101 with a 4K 35mm sensor.
    Oh my god are we fools...
  18. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from OliKMIA in Can someone do a Twixtor + GH5 180fps shot please!!!!!   
    Very cool, no visible artifacts on 1080p mobile. Nice! Thx!
  19. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to OliKMIA in Can someone do a Twixtor + GH5 180fps shot please!!!!!   
    I did a quick test shooting 180 VFR and apply twixtor (10%). This slow mo is equivalent of shooting at 600fps. Each sequence that last 10 sec in the video was 0.5 sec in real life.
    Obviously this is far from behind perfect, the subject it boring, twixtor soften the image and generates artifacts. Just a test to see how far I could push the slomo mode with somehow decent results.
     
  20. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to PannySVHS in Dear Andrew...   
    Loved many of Andrews articles, like that one about Top Gear and his Digital Bolex material, also his older articles are treasures.
    If you google eoshd and cmount or Pentax 28mm or even GH2 you´ll find tons of awesome stuff to read from him or forum members.
    Often this site and forum give great topics for further online research. So, it´s a great thing to express your appreciation, @HelsinkiZim!
  21. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from Cinegain in Dear Andrew...   
    You missed last call....
  22. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from PannySVHS in Dear Andrew...   
    Just wanted to say thanks.
    Im verbose. Nothing more, nothing less.
  23. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from Cinegain in Dear Andrew...   
    Just wanted to say thanks.
    Im verbose. Nothing more, nothing less.
  24. Like
    HelsinkiZim reacted to Emanuel in The one where we talk about auto-focus...   
    Certain people only know how to live in pack societies.
    Actually when not both sides are right... not so rare to happen.
    "There are trivial truths and the great truths. The opposite of a trivial truth is plainly false. The opposite of a great truth is also true." ~ Niels Bohr
  25. Like
    HelsinkiZim got a reaction from kaylee in Is anyone using Twixtor anymore?   
    Why and why not?
    Just wondering...
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