WeeklyDV: Green

There seems to be a chronic lack of time around here lately, but still, another flicker for this week's WeeklyDV theme of Green: Tossed Greens. So very simple. Hopefully you like it. I also did a version with Pantone labels on each color, but chose not to submit that one. On top of that, I also did a stereographic version after reading about stereographic photos on kottke.org. You have cross your eyes to see the 3D effect. I have a feeling this would be much better if there were more distance in the shot - it's just too close to the lens. Plus, it is very difficult to take two shots of something with only one camera and keep the exact same rotation speed on the plate (by hand)!

WeeklyDV: Micro

I had literally no time to produce a flicker this week, but I couldn't let this week go without producing something, so just minutes before the deadline last night I put this piece together. A micro production of a micro idea for a micro movie. Took about 1.5 hours from start to finish. Sure wish a few more people would join in the weeklydv site! hint hint.

WeeklyDV: Statements

Instead of me just making a statement (or more likely a whole rapid-fire string of them) for this week's weeklydv, I'll let some people I know express their opinions -- everybody's got one. I guess in a way that is my statement: listen to other people and have enough courage to respect and allow their expression. It takes all kinds of people in this big crazy world..... peace.

WeeklyDV: Winter 02

Work schedule almost prevented me from doing a flicker this week, but I pulled one off just the same. Extremely limited time went into this and I felt like a creep driving around at midnight videotaping holiday lights on houses. WeeklyDV's theme this week is "winter" and my piece, "Winter 02" is viewable, as usual, either here or there. Also, I've been listening to Tom Waits lately.

WeeklyDV: Attack of the 90 Foot Toys

Another short flicker out of my brain for weeklydv.com called "Attack of the Ninety Foot Toys." The theme this week was (as you may have discerned) 90 Feet Tall. Going with the "B" movie approach and shooting wind-up toys in front of a blue-screen was perhaps a bit too ambitious for this week. Especially as I have a tendency to start these things on Tuesdays. Doh. But I did learn a lot of blue-screen technique. I wanted to make it look like an imported movie with some fake subtitles, but didn't get those in before the deadline. This is the reason the dialogue is so messed up with dubbing. It is intentional, do not adjust your set. Feel free to watch the movie here or at weeklydv.com and comment on either site as well. Thanks.
One thing that would have helped me (this particular project maybe not) would have been an actual script. I just had images in my head and went and shot them very rapidly. Then I was challenged with how to tie them all together and come up with fitting dialogue. The crew was difficult to work with and the cast was so dang demanding. Ugh, actors. Anyway, it wasn't until two days later that I noticed my unconscious brain is far smarter than my conscious brain -- the song in the intro and outro is from a band (one of my favorites) called Lamb. How appropriate, what with the giant toy sheep! I was shocked when I realized this and burst out laughing (at work). Go figure.

WeeklyDV: Things I Can Do In Two Minutes

The theme this time around was "120 seconds" and I had a few ideas, but decided to go with this one. I'll be interested in your comments. It was all shot and edited during the day on Wednesday. I had the concept and willingness to appear in the movie and enlisted my friend Jack to run the camera. Whew! This was the closest one yet -- almost didn't make it in time for the midnight deadline. The challenges were as follows:
I had a normal work schedule and Jack and I went and picked up the Panasonic DVX100 video camera for a demo early this morning! Wowzer. This camera rocks hard and appears to beat the competition soundly. This is a 24p prosumer camera for under $4,000! It does 24p, 30p, 30i, 60i, NTSC, PAL, has 2 XLR inputs with phantom power, great design/balance, nice lens, full manual control, stellar features... we couldn't stop playing with it! It is super cool. Anyway, not that you can necessarily tell from the video clip online, but some of the shots were from this camera. We just turned it on and shot. Reading the manual would have been a good idea! Do some research on this cam -- you'll be amazed.

WeeklyDV: Haunted

I finished up my entry entitled "Girl Haunted" for this week's WeeklyDV.com assignment. Everyone's movie should be online by tomorrow (halloween) and I'm very interested to see what people came up with. I think my approach is not at all expected, but I hope that doesn't disappoint anyone. UPDATE: only two other entries this week (bummer) and they all took the same sort of approach that I did! Funny.
All production was by me, Jeremy, and I wrote the dialogue as well. I shot the video at work in a brightly lit spot with a white-ish background. Coby was walking and talking with me while I shot. Once in Final Cut Pro, I edited the pieces together, slowed it down to 20% of speed, desaturated the colors, blurred it slightly and then used the 3-way Color Corrector to blow out the highlights, adjust midtone color and tint/lighten the shadow areas. Music is from a royalty-free library.

WeeklyDV: Germs

I finally got around to creating an entry for WeeklyDV.com! I am very excited so see what everyone else did and what the reaction to my piece might be. Mine is entitled "Dirty Steve" and it was tons of fun to make.