Sandy Puc and Mike Long BTS Before Upcoming Tour
Trying to shoot video and stills at the same time is enough to make anyone’s head explode. I have a few recommendations for how you can keep it together while doing both. [click to continue…]
I recently had the pleasure of working with still photographer Sandy Puc. She is one of the coolest people I have ever met in my life. The job was a promo poster for our upcoming Sandy Puc Tours with Pin Up photographer Mike Long, which will be hitting twelve cities over twenty-two days this May. The tour will focus mostly on incorporating video into still shoots for added value. A little bonus b-roll for the client never hurts. We’ll also get down and dirty with all of the tricks I have learned shooting video with HDSLR’s over the past two years. This is going to be one awesome tour. I am so excited to connect with all of the cool people out there who are passionate about crafting images both motion and still. We are going to break it all down and make it seem so simple. Viva La Revolution!
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Here is a Quick Take Video we shot while waiting for make up on a commercial production. We had both the Switronix Torch LED TL-50 and Litepanels MicroPro Hybrid on set so we thought we would show you the difference between the two LED lights. The Switronix Torch LED is a little smaller than the MicroPro and seems to pack a bit more punch. At about the size of a small prime lens, it’s quite compact with its all-metal housing. Complete with two ¼-20 thread mounts on the top and bottom of the light, it also features a battery indicator light and is fully dimmable. [click to continue…]
Here is a Quick Take on the brand new Monitor X HDSLR Viewfinder from JAG35. The Monitor X is a great alternative to the standard loupe type viewfinder. It will work with glasses and can also be used as a two-eye viewfinder. The Monitor X can be seen from a few feet away without distortion. This makes it a great tool for both the camera operator and a director or client to view the image while shooting. The frame for the Monitor X attaches to the LCD screen on the back of the camera. The loupe mounts to the frame easily and can be removed quickly. If you wear glasses or prefer to use both eyes while shooting video, this is a great solution. The JAG35 Monitor X HDSLR Viewfinder retails for $159.00 US.
The Great Camera Shootout 2010 Video.
Director Steve Weiss of Zacuto Films just received an Emmy for the web series “The Great Camera Shootout 2010.” This is indeed a groundbreaking new way to create and distribute video content. Zacuto set out to test a new breed of video camera now known as HDSLR’s. They intended to produce content that was on par with major television shows, a huge undertaking which took into consideration all of the then current HDSLR cameras on the market and put them up against 35mm motion picture film. In this series of episodes they test all aspects of the digital cameras. Here’s a quote from their Vimeo site on the tests performed.
“Each episode of the series features various controlled camera assessment tests which include: resolution, latitude, sensitivity, speed & ultra high speed, noise, color & green screen. The battery of tests were administered under strict controls and conducted by Robert Primes ASC, Gary Adcock, Philip Bloom, Jens Bogehegn and colorist Ryan Emerson. See the reactions to this test following 2K screenings, where “HD DSLR is compared to 35mm Film”. The test results were projected in a 2K theatrical environment at three screening locations: Stag Theater at Skywalker Ranch, LucasFilms Ltd., AFI (American Film Institute) Theater in Hollywood and the FilmWorkers Astro Color Timing Theater in Chicago. Hear commentary from the screenings by top ASC, Hollywood, Indie Film and Event & Convergence Photographers.”
The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences does not yet have a web series specific category, though they do allow web content to be entered into any category competition. Even with “The Great Camera Shootout” being up against major cable and network shows, they still managed to beat them all. This new way of filmmaking has now become part of the mainstream, thanks in part to the dedicated people at Zacuto.
Anton Bauer has been around for quite some time, making some of the most trusted camera batteries on the market. They have stepped up their game with this new Gold Plate QR-DSLR for HDSLR cameras. I got the chance to hit up Kyle Dann from Anton Bauer at The Createasphere Expo 2010. The new Gold Plate battery adapter will work with the existing Canon DC power coupler. The 7.2V adapter will also let you add accessories, which will eliminate the need to charge multiple batteries for multiple accessories. I can power everything off of one single Anton Bauer Battery. We really dig the new Dionic 90 Batteries with electronic power meter display. This will enable you to use any existing Anton Batteries you may have in your kit. The Gold Plate will only cost around $250 US and can be configured to work with either a Hand Held Rig or a tripod mount camera.
Chase Jarvis is one of the most successful photographers in the world. He has been able to bridge the gap between still and motion photography with ease. His ability to connect with his viewers and share information has become the model for many people in the industry. I got the chance to hit him up with a few questions at the launch party for his new book Seattle 100 at The Ace Hotel in New York in the days leading up to the PhotoPlus Expo.
Chase only had a few minutes to give me for this interview so we had to take what we could get. The audio is not the greatest, however the information is there and I hope you get a little bit of his magic from this video. He is very passionate about photography and art expression. His “Best Camera” App and Best Camera Website is based on the premise that whichever camera you happen to have with you at the time is the best camera for you at that moment. Simply put, get off your ass and shoot something. He has also done a killer job of branding and marketing his entire crew – a selfless act that many people in the industry ignore. Filmmaking is a collaborative effort.
Chase is one of the few people out there willing to share his process. His willingness to take the time to break down a shoot presents a great way to learn about the process of both still and motion photography. There are no longer any secrets to this movie magic. This new way to share information is the future of content creation. We no longer live in a world that does not move.
The Createasphere Canon EOS Moving Image Workshops will be held in New York, October 25th through the 27th. I have been lucky enough to be a part of the workshops along side Nancy Schreiber, ASC. Canon has provided us with all of the latest equipment from their lineup to use in the workshops. We literally have dozens of cameras and every L series lens on the planet. The partnership between Canon and Createasphere provides the students with the most possible resources of any HDSLR workshop out there. Canon engineers are on hand to answer any question on any topic in the Canon lineup. Redrock Micro, Adobe, Marshall Electronics, Bron Kobold, Sunbounce USA, Litepanels, Lexar, Schneider Optics and Glidecam are all there with tons of new gear and yet to be seen products. It really is a gear head’s dream. [click to continue…]
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