Inazuma Posted May 18, 2014 Share Posted May 18, 2014 Some of you may have noticed I've made quite a few opinionated posts on this forum. But the truth is that I am very new to videography. I have a background in art and animation but the whole filming and editing thing has been a gradually increasing hobby of mine for the past year or so. My plan is to write and shoot a short story by the end of the summer. So far most of my attention has been focused on gear acquisition. But I now have a fairly substantial rig (will edit post with a picture later on). Anyway, over the weekend I went out with some friends to grab footage of an abandoned theme park and mental asylum. It was a very sunny day. I shot flatly and exposed for the highlights (meaning most of the shots were at f11 or even more closed). Grading was done with Film Convert in Premiere. I think you will be impressed with the dynamic range because I managed to expose for shadowed areas whilst not blowing out outside (eg.1 minute in). So.. yeh. That's it really. I was hoping to hear some feedback off you guys if anyone has time :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcs Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Some interesting locations for sure. I've been reading this book: http://www.amazon.com/Shoot-Video-That-Doesnt-Suck/dp/0761163239/ and one of the key points is to always tell a story, no matter what (even a test video), otherwise folks won't watch your work. Thus, write a beginning, middle and end, decide on the 'hero' of each scene, then shoot it. Just a little bit of planning goes a long way. For example, you could start off talking with friends about scouting locations (intro characters and set the stage for what is to follow: the beginning of the journey). Then film the locations and talk about what is interesting and useful in each location. Then wrap up back at home base with a quick recap of what areas will work for what purpose. To get more creative, you can have something happen while scouting locations: something scary usually works: an unknown race of mutant carnival workers crossed with escaped mental patients have taken one in your group. Now you have to rescue him/her. Only one or two make it out alive to tell the story. The hero(s) learn not to mess with mutant mental carnies unless packing sufficient heat and having backup available. Inazuma 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Nice. I'm surprised by how much I like the image you're getting out of the GX7. It's a huge shame the camera has no mic input - if it did I'd be considering swapping out my G6 for one. Where is the theme park btw? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Ma Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Color work is great. The shadows look great considering it was a sunny day and the equipment used. For any type of shots that require walking, you will probably need a stabilization rig. Warp stabilizer can't be relied on for walking shots. Maybe instead plan for shots without needing to walk with the camera. I noticed a lot of your shots were out of focus...maybe Panasonic lens would be worth the investment in the long run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inazuma Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 Thanks guys! jcs. Good points. I have bought the book now upon your recommendation :) Matt, I used to have a D5200 like you. Image was great but found it hard to control highlights ( jcs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Ah cool! My girlfriends family live in North Wales (Colwyn Bay) so we drive past Camelot on the M6 every time we go to visit. I've always wondered what it was like. The rollercoaster looks cool from the M6. Didn't you buy an a6000? Have you swapped to the GX7 or have you now got both? RE: stabilizers - I bought the "MonoCam CF Pro" from Orpheus_C (in China) on ebay and it is superb. Cheaper, more compact and better than a Glidecam. Orpheus_C is the official seller and he is very trustworthy - he recently sent me a replacement for a part I lost for free. This was my first test shoot with it: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inazuma Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 I went a couple times as a child but haven't been back since. It was quite a strange experience really! No, after my d5200, I got an Olympus E-P5 but quickly exchanged it for a GX7. In April I bought an a6000 briefly just to try out but I didn't like the picture or handling compared to my GX7. The Monocam CF is the one Im planning to buy :) Did you have to pay customs/tax when it got to the UK? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 Nope, no customs charge. I think he marked it as a gift or something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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