Farewell.

It's that time of year again my friends. Final projects, teacher evaluations, and reflections on things learned. My project is finished and my evaluation completed, so I guess it is time to reflect.

I'll start off with that I learned a lot in this class, and none of it felt like learning, which is the best part about it. We discussed things we wanted to know and practiced things we needed to know. We had some good times, and some rough times, but all in all it was a good time. I can now light a multi-camera interview, DP someone's work, edit some awesomeness, and light a green screen. I even know how to do all those cool "money shots" we see in movies.

I won't say it wasn't a lot of work, cause some of it was. It was sometimes hard to come up with a concept of what I wanted to shoot, who/what/where i wanted to film, and then how to accomplish what i'd come up with. Then after all that I had to fight with the tape deck to capture my tape. I ended up spent a few long, frustrating nights in the editing lab (with some other classmates) trying to figure out how to make something look good.

The class itself wasn't always the easiest thing either - especially when it came to working in groups. I really enjoyed practical working, it is definitely the best way to learn i think, but it got frustrating at times. When there was a clear plan, it worked smoothly, but when there wasn't - like green screen day - it took forever to do a very simple task. While I sometimes wished for more structure, i think it was beneficial that we didn't - we were forced to learn how to work in big groups and forced us to create a plan and have someone to take charge.

On a more serious note, this class has helped me figure out more of my "style", what I find compelling, and what I want to do. While I still don't know what I want to do with my life - I've figured out that for now, I'm going to work on filming weddings - I really like it, and it's classic and beautiful. i've found that the most compelling shots for me are close-ups. it's more compelling when you have to really look at what you are seeing, not just glaze over and think its 'nice'. my favorite shots of mine are tightly framed, or are little moments that you wouldn't be able just to catch in a still picture (i mean if a picture is worth a thousand words, a moving picture must be worth a million!)

but overall, i learned a lot in this class. It was a great experience and great jumping point - I feel like I know more about myself, my style, and what I want to learn even more about.

Farewell my friends!

Fo Reeeelz.

Kate Longfield Reel 2009 from Telecommunication and Film at th on Vimeo.

My First Reel, Enjoy!!

La Déclaration de l'artiste

Where do I begin? I am 20 years old, and I have not figured it all out yet. How could I? I still have so much left to do, explore, and discover. I want to give our pessimistic little world a peek at how beautiful and wonderful it really is. We as humans are constantly getting caught up in our own daily lives and the 'big picture' and forget to slow down and see the little things, my favorite things. I am passionate about raindrops, wrinkles, and flower petals. I believe everything and everyone is beautiful, you just have to know how to look at it. That is where I come in. I, as an artist, have a duty to point you in the right direction and give the neglected a second glance. If you cannot understand how everything can be so enticing to me, I understand. Our world is fickle, fluid, and ever changing, just like me. I am an optimist who plans for tomorrow, hates surprises, and is easily disappointed. I understand our weird world, because let's face it, I am a little weird too. So please, hear me out, and I will try and explain my ways.

I was raised to love learning and exploring. I was taught to keep moving forward and to figure it out along the way. I believe life is a journey, a treasure map with no clear 'x' marking the spot you are headed towards. Some days this can be very daunting, other days, exciting. In this craft, I can never stop moving, be it forwards, backwards, or sideways. I believe in experimentation. Why not try different angles, colors, speeds, filters? If it works, great, if not, well I had to try eventually!

I am constantly developing as an artist and as a person. The way I see the world today may be very different from how I see it tomorrow. My art is an extension of myself and my thoughts, without me, my art would be meaningless. If I do not know me, my subjects, or my surrounding environment, how I can expect anyone else to understand?

While I am not sure if or when I will have it all figured out, the process has been interesting so far!

"Luck is created through preparations" - Matthew Libatique

The cinematographer I chose was Matthew Libatique. He was the DP for a great movie: Requiem for a Dream (Here's the trailer). I saw this movie earlier this semester, and it was beautiful and terrifying. It was the filming that made all the addictions and hallucinations and the saddness seem so real. When you finish this movie you want to watch it again but you are so emotionally exhausted that you have to give yourself a break.

He's also DPed Iron Man (I&II), the fountain, the number 23, Gothika, pi, Phone Booth, Josie and the Pussycats, and a bunch more.

Here are links to two interviews:
The Fountain
Star Bulletin

He says that the director's word is final and that their working style dictates his. He can either light the frame and shoot it, or light the world and frame the light. He says in terms of directors he has to "shepherd them in terms of coverage and what makes sense, but they're directing because they have a reason to direct". He likes to shoot in urban settings, because it is what he knows best. He dislikes having to fake practical light - light in a night scene outside. he also had a hard time with Josie and the Pussycats because for the first time he had to light for no emotion, besides the fast he doesn't really get comedy. He believes luck comes only with lots of preparations - if he knows what he is trying to accomplish he is more readily able to accept what just happens. If you try something and it just doesn't work, you know if for your next movie and don't carry it over. But, you also have to remember some mistakes because they could be used in other movies.

He lights with emotion - surreal, dark, dramas/thrillers,

He believes music videos is "driven by the tempo of the music and certain instruments"

His advice: if you want to become a cinematographer, you have to shoot anything, work for free, and put yourself in the position to make decisions with the camera.

Little bit a green

Green Screen Time!

Okay, since we haven't done it yet, I think the best way I can blog about it is through pictures.

First: Music Videos
yes, more weird al! He's just too funny.



















Now we have Beyonce. The second one is really cool - she's dancing and all the girls are cut in half (?) and still images which gives her a cool pop-out effect.




Second: The Matrix
Had to include this. Had no choice, this movie wouldn't have been possible without a green screen.

First is the bullet camera I think it was called. It's so the camera can move with the actor really fast. See the video below, but then there was another green screen covering them so that it was easier for the editors. Pretty complicated, but mostly just pretty badass



This is the bullet camera with the green screen cover - still so awesome.





I don't know why this is so small - but you still get the jist. Fly!




So long for now my avid readers :)

Sunshine Cleaning

I watched Sunshine Cleaning recently and thought i'd share it with you :) This movie was DPed by John Toon and it has some really cool shots in it. This is the link to his reels if you want to check them out. He also made that prius commercial with all the people that we watched in class.

Particularly about Sunshine Cleaning that I wanted to share was this one scene. Emily Blunt's character, Norah, is having a breakdown and goes under the train tracks to clear here head. I am a little obsessed with the scene - I watched it about 5 times, and took some screen shots.

Ok, so here Norah is heading under the train tracks, just to set up the scene





I love this shot. LOOve it. It looks kinda like a zombie but it looks really cool moving. It's ominous and freeing.





So here we move a little closer and see her getting thrown around in the train wind. There are sparks flying down on her (it's a little hard to see here) and it's really beautiful.



We get into a close up and you can see more of the sparks here. She is having flashbacks to what her life used to be like and trying to rid herself of painful memories.





And the kicker, again, LOVE THIS SHOT. The lighting is perfect - she is pale, wearing lots of makeup, and when she lifts her head up you can see that she looks like a mess, but it works so well. Her eyes are so dark - with the limited lighting and the heavy makeup that it makes everything around her feel heavier - the fact that she is under a train, her flashbacks, her life now.

Reels

What makes a good director/DP/demo/work sample reel you ask? Cut and dry: if it's good you will get a job so it needs to have strong statement shots that show who you are and what your vision is. In less boring terms: it needs to inspiring. it needs to show how the world looks through your eyes. It can show your preferences - if you like to shoot people, or light, or landscapes, or details, or if you like artificial light v natural, everything you do without thinking about. It also can show how you edit/piece things together to make a story.

Good Reel:

2009 CINEMATOGRAPHY REEL from Clint Litton on Vimeo.

I really liked this video. I'd like it more if I could take out some of the people stuff, but there are some AMAZING shots. I really like natural light/elements and this plays with that. It also sort of has a story line and the shots make sense together.

I also liked this video (click it! It's off of YouTube). This is an example of a DP who obviously likes to shoot people. It shows off his diversity and all sorts of shots he can create. While I like people, I don't like them nearly this much, but I thought this reel was pretty awesome.

I like to movement movement...

Okay, so this is a little late. However, I have done some looking around, and after playing with different toys (vest, dolly, wheel, wheelbarrow, etc) I feel like I understand more. You can accomplish many different looks with a camera if you just know how to do it.

I found some vertigo shots on youtube:

But I haven't decided if I really like this technique. Granted it looks really cool, and can be appropriate, and is pretty difficult to do, buttttt it kind of makes me sick. So, I guess if it calls for it, I'd try it, but as for right now, I have a stomachache just watching these. Good if its good, bad if its bad. Which I guess is how a lot of movement techniques are.

Jib shots: i've seen a lot of these used in opening scenes. They see something happen then lift up (i'm just assuming it's a jib) to the horizon or sky or something and show the title. I think it is a good transition affect.

Track through solid: which is a cool visual trick - like when you get a glimpse into the next door apartment when the camera goes "through the wall". it's pretty cool usually, but I don't like it when it is done really fast - like in Fight Club (see my shot-by-shot) when the camera races down the wall through floors to the basement. I can't knock it too much, since it was a good and fast transition but it, again, gave me a stomachache.

I figured music videos would probably have lots of movement. So I youtubed.
I found a lot of dolly shots - first are the walk with the camera and sing, something that is pretty common in a music video:
Rihanna - "take a bow"





Coldplay - "yellow"
This is basically all he does the whole movie - walk along the beach with the camera, but its still a pretty good song.




Weird Al - "White and Nerdy"
Such a funny guy - I just had to include him




Next we have another dolly shot:

Follow the segue!





And finally a reveal shot:
Aw cute right....





Not for much longer!!

Pink "So What"



Well thats all for now!
Tootle-loo.

Single V. Multi

This week we're talking about single v. multi camera shooting. There are pros and cons to both, and while there may be more appropriate times to use one over the other, either can be used (like many things in this industry) at the directors discretion.

Single camera production can be more expensive and time consuming, but the director has more control over the shots. It is time consuming because you have to shoot everything one actor at a time, and repeat the scene many times until you can move on. You also have readjust the lighting between shots, and then have to cut everything back into order later. The director/DP can also get more crucial and different shots as opposed to just having the cameras set up to blanket cover the scene, such as in multi-camera production.

Multi-camera production is quicker and more cost effective, and sometimes just more practical. It is quicker because the DP can film a master shot and cross 2s/close-ups from both angles at the same time. This also can be practical when performing a stunt that is not easily recreated and needs to be fully captured. This production also may work when filming live, as it is very borning to watch a master shot the whole time!

Update 10/29!

So I had the above part written, but I didn't want to post it until we actually did it in class. I think actually doing it was much better and production, at least for me, in terms of really understanding it. We all mostly know about single camera production, since it is what we usually do. Set up the lights and camera, and shoot it -- lather, rinse, repeat. But multi-camera is pretty intricate. Every time we moved a chair or a c-stand, or changed people, all three cameras would have to be readjusted, checked, and probably readjusted again. If something looked good in my camera it may not work in the other two. Everything had to be perfectly coordinated and it took a while! We also had a single-cam production happening with zac and he was basically able to wait around until we were done setting up and ready to start. However, the fact that we did do it multi-camera we know (or at least hope!) we got full coverage of the interview and will be able to cut together and more honest than if we had tried to shoot it 3 times from different angles. That would've worked if we had a scripted show - not an off the cuff interview. But I also think having Zac as our single-cam man, we can get cooler shots than if we just had our 3 stationary cameras. I liked the multi-cam production and also really liked working together as a production class.

DP, DP, I love DP

This week I learned a lot working on my project. I know the topic is to write about what we learning working with a DP this week...but I didn't have one. My group got sick and I really don't like working last minute. So, I took on a project on my own - a project that I have originally planned to use as extra credit. But rolling with the punches, here we are! So what did I learn? What did I do? How well did I pull it off?

Well-lets start at the beginning. It's not a secret that I'm not great at pre-visualization. But, I did try. I went to the rehearsal ceremony, walked the grounds, talked to the bride, photographer, and owners of the venue. I arrived early on the wedding day and walked the grounds again. I got ideas of shots I needed and knew what I wanted my video to look like. But still - I went through the day getting shots I thought were cool and hoped I could edit them together. I kind of like working like that, but I know I need more structure. Especially since I take way too much footage, and then have to spend hours editing the piece down and together.

I found out that I like cool, kind of artsy close up shots of things you wouldn't really notice. Like the "mother" flower shot, or I got a great shot of the lace tie on her dress but it, sadly, didn't make the video. I also like shots that are from a different angle than you'd think, like through window when they were taking pictures. I also like telling two stories at once (neely/bridesmaids getting ready and alan/groomsmen) then they meet (gazebo) and proceed through the story together.

While I kind of liked working alone, in the sense that I know the shot I want when I see it and I want to figure out how to produce it, it was hard. I'm not sure if I could tell someone exactly what I wanted or saw in my head, but it would've been great to have someone bounce my ideas off of. It also would've been nice to have someone to think about the outside factors. Outside being outside of the small viewer that I seem to get so consumed in. I get lost in what I'm doing so easily that I didn't realize I was standing in the mud and rain for a while! At that point I was forced into holding an umbrella, sinking into the mud, and hoping my shot didn't turn out too terribly. It was a sight to see I'm sure. I think I ended up getting some good shots but if I had someone thinking about cardboard or holding my umbrella, it could've turned out much more study and professional looking.

I think to have/be a good DP you have to share the vision and know what the director wants, their style, and how they operate. They should have freedom but should be an extension of the director. They need to have a fluid relationship and be able to keep up with one and other, because I know once I figure out what I want I do it and then am off and running again. Sometimes I cannot keep up with myself and I need someone who really knows what is going on! I haven't decided what I would rather do - directing or DPing. I like having the power of finding the shots, creating the look, and putting the story together. But I may be good at DPing because someone has created the plan and I know what I need to get. I have an outline of what I need and know what I need to achieve it.

I've still got a lot of time to figure it all out, so until then I'll just keep experimenting!

Short Films

So, after watching lots of short films I found a few I liked.

First one was off of The Smalls called "Seriatum". (Click the name for the link!) It's kind of cool, but I don't really know what happened? But I think it's this guy's shadow following him and he freaks out and tries to run from it and when it catches up he turns into a dog? See, it's confusing. But the reason I include it is because of the editing, the way they got the 'shadow' or whatever is really cool and is worth taking a look at.

Next one is off of The Smalls again and is called "The Trampolinist" Another cool, very short, film. This one I like because of the shots. All it is is a guy bouncing straight up and down on a trampoline, but it has so many different angles and shots in it you don't think about that. There are shots looking at his feet, from his perspective, under the trampoline, in the dark, in the rain, through the grass, and more and more. It's pretty creative for such a simple act of bouncing.

Next is from Independent Lens and is called "Pin Point" I chose to add this one, not only cause I love animated movies but also because we've been talking about pre-planning. Animation involves a lot because you have to plan your whole story out and then draw every single frame out. Lot-o-work if you ask me. But this story is planned and produced very well - it is a though-provoking, smart, and sad story about an abusive orphan caretaker and the way this little girl decides she is going to get revenge.

The next one is also from Indpendent Lens as is called "Bulletproof vest" It's a black and white film, narrated by a mom and a little girl and a little boy in Richmond, CA. I think it works that it is filmed in black and white because there is no life in these kids childhood. If it had been filmed in color I think it would've made the story a bit too colorful for the story (if that makes sense). This 9 yr old girl wants a bulletproof vest because its not safe to go to the park, she even says that you have to take your parents to block the bullets! The mom won't let her children play outside cause people get shot all the time. It is another sad story, but with some good shots of things around this town and the tent city they set up for peace.

I found a few other films I wanted to talk about, but I have to run for now. I'll try and come back to this post later and let you read more of my thoughts!

Until next time!

What I know

So as I went back and did the reading, (and took 7 pages typed notes...yup i'm a nerd, and i love it) I basically learned that I have a lot to learn. I can do terms and such, thats not the hard part for me. I know framing, composition, and crew members. I am learning about lighting setup, editing, and preproduction, the practical hands-on stuff. I can read the textbook all I want, but until I become totally comfortable with what I am reading about, I won't consider myself done learning. In fact, I don't think we are ever done learning. Something that I think is the hardest part about being a videographer. More than just knowing the fundamentals, you have to know what you like, what you don't like, what you want, how you see the world, and who you are as a person. You have to find your personal style, which involves a lot of trial and error. You will fail and you have to be strong enough to deal with it. You also have to know what has been done, what's being done, and be able to see what can be done. However, you also have to always be aware of these, you have to recognize that this may not be the same from one day to the next. We are so dynamic and the everything around us is always changing. Especially in today's world where everything is always moving, shifting, twisting, turning, and running so fast it's hard enough just to keep up. Every time we create something, we have to put our whole selves into it, or else it just will not be as good as it could be. But then once we are finally done and our whole heart, soul, and social life has been poured into it, we have to stick our necks out into the world and hope they love it as much too.
All of the above rant is in preproduction, its just not the step by step process we learn in school. I guess you could call it pre-preproduction to everything you will ever create. While I am working on the pre-pre, I also need to work on my single pre-production. I learn by doing, and sometimes that works to my disadvantage. I don't want to write everything I am about to do out before I do it, I just want to pick the camera up and see what happens. Not usually a good plan, but sometimes you capture stuff you never expected to, which is awesome. But sometimes you also end up sitting in the TCF lab late at night saying "crap i need this shot, this shot, and this one, and i didn't even think about it while i was there". However, if someone else creates the plan, then I am good to go! If I have a plan, I can go and get things done quickly. I am a do-er, not a sit around and watch-er. I want to be involved and I want to be a part of creating things, I just need a little (okay, a lot) more practice at forcing myself to plan.
However, something that I have figured out I am good at is seeing continuity or breaks from it. This probably a result of my lack of planning, where I end up with lots of stuff that just doesn't flow together with things jumping all over the place. But I am always that person who notices if her purse is on the wrong hand, if a prop disappears, or if a person has jumped in the slightest. I'm not sure if i could make a career out of this (yes, i know there is a continuity director, thats not what i mean) but hey, it could be a place to start.
Overall, I have learned that I don't ever plan on stopping. Never stop learning, creating, chasing rainbows, or evolving. Like Paul Arden's book (that one day I am going to read) says, or rather is titled "It's not how good you are, it's how good you want to be"

Two awesome movies

I wrote this last week...but instead of publishing it, I just saved it, Sorry!!

So I watched two AWESOME movies this past week and who better to share it with than my TCF class? Yeah, I couldn't think of anyone else better either.

First one was The Wackness, directed by Jonathan Levine. This movie was about a pot dealing teen in NYC in 1994. It has some great lighting in it. The lighting definitely reflects what is going on the scene at the time. In the second picture, it looks promising and happy because it is. The place where he gets the drugs to deal is in a very dark sketchy place, perfect location and lighting for the place. It's got one streak of light from above, lighting pretty much the whole place and especially the place where he plays music and keeps the pot.


Second was Requiem for a Dream, directed by Darren Aronofsky. This movie was sad, and kinda gross, and terrifying, and you just can't walk away from it. Especially as Sara gets more and more crazy, her scenes get SO AWESOME. Like the second picture, shot with a fish-eye lens i'm guessing, was just sooo awful that I loved it. and I mean awful in the best way, like the way that you look at a heroin addicts arm about to be cut off and you just want to cry and feel all cringy and yet you just can't look away. Basically, watch this movie.

LIGHTS!

Sooooo I didn't have any pictures of light that I loved on my computer, so I took the idea of DeviantArt from Bryan's (Thanks, Bryan!) blog. Glad all those links on e-learning became super useful, and hey, isn't that what our classmates are for, giving us ideas? I think so.

So here is what I came up with. Enjoy! :)
I think this is a cool shot, and I think it would be so hard to caputure. The orange is perfect mixed with the blue and the reflection of it all is just to die for. This is a really pretty, very naturally lit look. It looks like a surfers dream!
Okay, so I love this picture, it makes me laugh and I think it's so cute. So what if its snails potentially doing the dirty, I think its sweet :) But to the lighting aspect, I think the bright bright greens mixed with the top lighting make it look almost like an innocent first kiss in spring. The overexposure at the top works well, cause it looks like we are down at their POV, with the sun shining on top and the shadows increasing down the frame. I think that orange thing is the background is a little distracting because it sort of matches with one of the snails.
I think this is a pretty cool picture. Again with the natural light causing reflections, but really this is about the sillouettes. They are basically only lit from behind by the setting sun, and you can see the darkness creeping in on the left, leaving a really beautiful shadowed/siloutted effect on the subjects.
I think this is a pretty cool shot. It's not my usual taste, but I wanted to throw it in here for good measure. I think the overexposure of the woman and whatever that is in the foreground is a really cool contrast to her eyes, mouth, fingernails, and clothes. It's like her hair blends into her head and all her natural features aren't really defined, she seems to only be represented by the details she has added to herself (clothes, makeup, fingernail polish, etc). I think its a pretty cool picture.
Now I absolutely love this picture. So much that I made it my desktop background. I think it is simple and hidden and gorgeous. Maybe its the hint of autum colors (the orange leaves, the brown wood, and the dark green tones), or the peak of light through the tops of the trees, but I just love this. The whole picture has a slight green tint to it, not too much, but just enough that we really feel as though we stumbled across this bridge in the middle of the woods.

Until next time!

Shot by Shot Analysis

I did the opening scene of Fight Club. David Fincher is the Director and Jordan Cronenweth is the DP. This movie is pretty awesome, I saw it all the way through for the first time not very long ago, and thought I'd share it with all of you. I chose to do the opening scene because, as we talked about in class, it is used to set the mood for the entire movie. This scene is a reflection of the ending of the movie. Where the narrator is talking to Tyler and figuring out that he knows things because Tyler knows them.

okay, so we start with a very XCU of the narrator's (assumed) forehead (again, assumed)
we then move quickly up the gun until we reach...even further up the gun! you can sort of see the narrator, but he is very blurred out in the background

we then pull back and the gun goes out of focus, and we see the narrator for the first time
it then switches POV to the side, where we actually can see what is going on
then we switch back to where we started just further back. we then pull back even more to a bust shot of the narrator, and a little peak of Tyler's backside
the two are talking, and Tyler walks away into the background but still remains pretty much in focus
We then go back to a XCU of our narrator, we are hearing his thoughts about how he knows what he knows because Tyler knows, which really makes no sense to the audience now, but will eventually as the movie progresses
I really like this shot for some reason, although it really bugged me when watching for the first time. It doesn't seem to go with what has happened so far, but makes sense with what is about to happen (if that makes ANY sort of sense at all?)
Now the scene, which has been pretty slow and steady speeds up rapidly. It takes you down the side of the building and down down down through the ground, I thought I was watching one of those Imax movies where they fly you all over the place and give the whole audience communinal motion sickness. I think it was necessary to convey what the narrator was thinking, but it just hurt my stomach to watch.
so we are now in the garage. hello van.

we go through the van to see a bullet hole that isn't created until this scene actually happens at the end of the movie.
again, more bombs!
back into the room. back to the earlier composition. XCU of Brad Pitts backside, something I am okay with if I do say so. But, I also thought it was interesting that we never see Tyler's face in this scene, if we see his front he is looking down, and other than that it's mostly his hip, or hand, or his back turned to the audience. I think it works because Tyler technically isn't there, but we don't know that yet! (unless of course you've seen the movie)
we go back to that composition, but we see a lot more. this shows that they really are alone in a big room in the city. something that has already sort of been established, but sometimes it is nice to get your barrings again.
and now for a slow zoom.....
to an XCU...and we start the movie!

Awesome right? I really like this movie, and the director must've liked this scene so much, because it's in the movie twice!