Film Film Making and Digital Creativity

Gambit

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So this a thread for all you creatives out there, especially filmmakers. A place to show your work, ask questions and share knowledge.

So I'll start. I've been involved in digital creative media for over 20 years. I've worked in graphic design, website design and development, Virtual and Augmented reality and I now specialise in film and video, producing, directing, cinematography and editing. I'm not what I consider a major success but I've made a self employed living at this ( badly) for the last 15 years and my work has taken me to various places around the world. I also run a team of freelancers ( most who do my 3D cgi stuff for me. Camera gear, lenses and lights etc I have a great interest in and I use various software ( Adobe, Blackmagic Design)
So here's some of my recent work.

I co-wrote, produced, edited ( and co directed) 2 courses for MZED.
One of them is just finished. Film Making for Photographers


Here's an excerpt to give you the idea. I wrote, directed and edited this section.This lesson was taught to me by my mentor in cinematography Adam Biddle, who DOP'd on Crank and has worked in the camera department on countless films (starting with Ridley Scotts 1984 Apple Ad). I've worked with Adam on a film and a few car ads.


Some stuff we did for Goodyear working with Adam again, my team did the opening 3D, all camera work and the editing.



So what are you lot up to. Any good projects you're doing or done? Any Artwork you want to share? Any stuff you want to learn? Any great tutorials you've seen?

Get sharing.
 

Dirty Schwein

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This is great. Already got this thread on my watch list.

Will post properly tomorrow once in on a laptop or computer!
 

Gambit

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Come on people, any photoshop, drawings, animations, get sharing.
 

George Owen

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Whats the best hand held stabilizer for smartphones?

I bought one on offer for like for USD $100 (Zhiyun something I think) but its not very good imo. I would like something more "intelligent".

What would be the best bet under USD $150?
 

Dirty Schwein

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Whats the best hand held stabilizer for smartphones?

I bought one on offer for like for USD $100 (Zhiyun something I think) but its not very good imo. I would like something more "intelligent".

What would be the best bet under USD $150?
I had the Zhiyun Smooth 4. It was ok but many software issues calibrating to the Filmic Pro app I was using.

DJ Osmo is supposed to be decent.
 

Gambit

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I've used the DJI osmo. Not that different from the Zhiyun and a pretty simple to use gimbal. Anyway here's a vid guide.
 

Gambit

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Thing is I find all gimbals a much of a muchness. More important is how you use them. Motivate the movement.
 

Gambit

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I'm a Illustrator/cartoonist.
Great, get showing some of your craft. I always wanted to be an illustrator. Wyeth and Rockwell are 2 of my favourites of all time. I also love comic book artists, Travis Charest, Capullo, Bisley are some of my faves.
 
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Dirty Schwein

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Make promos for a living.

Here's my favourite one. It launched my into some great career opportunities:


Here's another I had a great time making:


But of course, my real passion is in horror films. Here's a short I made last year. Not the best, mainly because the D.O.P didnt calibrate his monitor, hence the footage becoming very difficult to work with. Regardless, I had fun with it!

 

Gambit

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Make promos for a living.

Here's my favourite one. It launched my into some great career opportunities:


Here's another I had a great time making:


But of course, my real passion is in horror films. Here's a short I made last year. Not the best, mainly because the D.O.P didnt calibrate his monitor, hence the footage becoming very difficult to work with. Regardless, I had fun with it!

What we're you shooting on? What lighting style did you decide to follow?
 

Gambit

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Always regretted not going into production. I studied film but barely did anything creative that wasn't writing or acting.

These are nice, you guys have some talent :)
So what have you written?
 

Dirty Schwein

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What we're you shooting on? What lighting style did you decide to follow?
Sony AS7 ii. Wanted to use minimal, motivated lighting and on the DPs monitor, it looked ace. Then I booted the footage up at home and it was so dark that all I could see was my reflection through the laptop screen :lol:
 

Raoul

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I went to film school about 15 years ago when HD was first coming to the forefront. We had two HD film cameras that cost $150k each at the school, which in today's market would probably give you quality on part with an average DSLR.

What are people using to shoot with these days ? Any recommendations ?
 

olesmyhero

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I went to film school about 15 years ago when HD was first coming to the forefront. We had two HD film cameras that cost $150k each at the school, which in today's market would probably give you quality on part with an average DSLR.

What are people using to shoot with these days ? Any recommendations ?
Depends what you’re shooting.

Majority of stuff I’ve worked on the last couple years have been on one of the RED cameras though lately we’ve been using the Alexa Mini more and more. Much prefer the Mini over RED.

One DP I work with a lot shoots on the Canon c300mk2 and I love that camera.
 

Raoul

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Depends what you’re shooting.

Majority of stuff I’ve worked on the last couple years have been on one of the RED cameras though lately we’ve been using the Alexa Mini more and more. Much prefer the Mini over RED.

One DP I work with a lot shoots on the Canon c300mk2 and I love that camera.
These are pretty high end aren't they ? For pro film making purposes ? (as opposed to casuals who use the likes of SLRs etc).
 

FrankDrebin

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Great, get showing some of your craft. I always wanted to be an illustrator. Wyeth and Rockwell are 2 of my favourites of all time. I also love comic book artists, Travis Charest, Capullo, Bisley are some of my faves.
Cool.
I should have a Instagram account up sometime soon. So,if anyone is interested, I'll post it up.

Make promos for a living.

Here's my favourite one. It launched my into some great career opportunities:


Here's another I had a great time making:


But of course, my real passion is in horror films. Here's a short I made last year. Not the best, mainly because the D.O.P didnt calibrate his monitor, hence the footage becoming very difficult to work with. Regardless, I had fun with it!

Nice.
Enjoyed your short.
Never stops surprising me with first time directors who instantly hone their skills in the horror genre.
 

Gambit

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These are pretty high end aren't they ? For pro film making purposes ? (as opposed to casuals who use the likes of SLRs etc).
Blackmagic's pocket 4k is a fantastic go between. What it can do for the cost is incredibly impressive.
 

Gambit

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Depends what you’re shooting.

Majority of stuff I’ve worked on the last couple years have been on one of the RED cameras though lately we’ve been using the Alexa Mini more and more. Much prefer the Mini over RED.

One DP I work with a lot shoots on the Canon c300mk2 and I love that camera.
So what do you do and get sharing your work.
 

Gambit

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Sony AS7 ii. Wanted to use minimal, motivated lighting and on the DPs monitor, it looked ace. Then I booted the footage up at home and it was so dark that all I could see was my reflection through the laptop screen :lol:
When you do the promos do you get a brief with a script? Ouch on the footage. Did a shoot recently using the atomos sumo as a monitor. Everything looked ace. Wave forms all looked right. Got it back to the edit and everything was under exposed by 2 stops. Not the end of the world normally except they 'd shot in a an 8bit Codec.
 
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The Boy

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I went to film school about 15 years ago when HD was first coming to the forefront. We had two HD film cameras that cost $150k each at the school, which in today's market would probably give you quality on part with an average DSLR.

What are people using to shoot with these days ? Any recommendations ?
Depends what you're shooting and your budget, but for me you can't beat the Sony FS7, a cheaper option for a versatile dslr is the Canon 5D Mk4 or for cinematic quality but not so good for "run and gun" Pocket Blackmagic
 

Gambit

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Depends what you're shooting and your budget, but for me you can't beat the Sony FS7, a cheaper option for a versatile dslr is the Canon 5D Mk4 or for cinematic quality but not so good for "run and gun" Pocket Blackmagic
Get showing your work. Not a fan of the Sony's. I find their codecs paper thin and I hate how much of a struggle it is to properly colour match between models even when using the same profile (especially in the yellows to greens). Worst ir pollution I've had to deal with came from sony's as well.
 

Gambit

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Producer/AD/editor. These days 99% commercial work but I do produce shorts every now and then. Been a number of years since I’ve done anything narrative of my own. Really want to get back into it but between kids and paid work don’t have the time.
I never get the chance to do my own stuff anymore. Family and freelancing means any time im not working is spent looking for work or family time. Pain as I've got some some good scripts and ideas I'd love to make. Show us some of your stuff.
 

Woodzy

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Work as a TD at a CGI studio here in South Wales, so lots of cool work to show there which i'll gather eventually.

At the moment though, i'm working towards going solo, doing some small scale Freelance work and lots of cool R&D. Here is some R&D on macro fluid simulations I did recently.


 

Gambit

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Work as a TD at a CGI studio here in South Wales, so lots of cool work to show there which i'll gather eventually.

At the moment though, i'm working towards going solo, doing some small scale Freelance work and lots of cool R&D. Here is some R&D on macro fluid simulations I did recently.


Looks ace, what software. Are you doing anything with virtual production using u real or the like? I'm useless at 3d. I have a guy who sorts it for me.
 

Woodzy

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Looks ace, what software. Are you doing anything with virtual production using u real or the like? I'm useless at 3d. I have a guy who sorts it for me.
Simulation work was all done using Houdini, then brought everything over into C4D for rendering. The entire scene was CGI, no live action or anything.
 

SmashedHombre

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Very cool thread. Post more video, gimpos. Always ace seeing the creative side of the caf.
 

Gambit

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Simulation work was all done using Houdini, then brought everything over into C4D for rendering. The entire scene was CGI, no live action or anything.
Seeing a lot of calls for houdini recently. Rebellion have opened a huge film studio in Didcot to make stuff with their ip (dredd, 2000ad and various games) looking for houdini users. What company do you work for.
 
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Gambit

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Here's one we did for Herefordshire Council. Not exciting I know but visualisations are a good earner. Did this by doing a photo scan of the street one foot in front of the other and doing a circuit. Then matched it with Lidar info
 
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Dirty Schwein

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When you do the promos do you get a brief with a script? Ouch on the footage. Did a shoot recently using the atomos sumo as a monitor. Everything looked ace. Wave forms all looked right. Got it back to the edit and everything was under exposed by 2 stops. Not the end of the world normally except they 'd shot in a an 8bit Codec.
We get a brief but have to come up with script and concepts ourselves.

Had the same issue with the 8-bit codec.

Here's one we did for Herefordshire Council. Not exciting I know but visualisations are a good earner. Did this by doing a photo scan of the street one foot in front of the other and doing a circuit. Then matched it with Lidar info
Are you based around Hertfordshire?
 

Gambit

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We get a brief but have to come up with script and concepts ourselves.

Had the same issue with the 8-bit codec.


Are you based around Hertfordshire?
Herefordshire. I live in the county but I most of my clients are international. I just do the councils infrastructure visualisations and VR.
 

Dirty Schwein

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Herefordshire. I live in the county but I most of my clients are international. I just do the councils infrastructure visualisations and VR.
What a coincidence. I live in Hertfordshire too! We should maybe work together on something sometime :)