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.