Three recent test clips…
In the first I was interested in an ultra high key exposure. There was some interesting morning sun entering my apartment. I had the model lie on the floor, intersecting with the light in different ways. I spent an hour making different shots off a tripod. It’s appealing for me to shoot simply because with this sort of high-key, the scene becomes very graphic, and composition seems a lot easier.
I initially wanted to lose all detail in the shadows, and achieved it. Now, in retrospect, I’m realizing that it’s important to have some sense of detail in the shadow areas, no matter how subtle, or the sense of space can be become flattened in a bit of a boring way. No shadow detail can give the impression of lost chroma a bit also, I feel.
http://www.stickypod.com/gallery/albums/pics/10043/Irene_Sun_h264.mov
Next: This was part of a test where I shot the Z1U against the DVX and DVX+Andro with and without an m2 adapter. This was the m2+andro part, and I shot with the handheld yoga rig outside. I had some nice, old but exceedingly clean Nikons on the M2, and I feel it went a long way to achieving the outdoor edge sharpness I got. This stuff looks amazing on an HDTV set, was very satisfied with the results here.
The stuff against blown windows, you can see the blue CA edging thats typical of the DVX+andro as well as in the dvx stock lens. The Z1U did not show any such CA issues, surprisingly. The Z1U is very clean on the CA front. (There’s no Z1U in this clip, just andro+m2.)
http://www.stickypod.com/gallery/albums/pics/10043/DVX_Andromeda-M2_h264.mov
The next clip was from last weekend. I put all my gear into a cart, disguised all the componentry a bit so as not to attract robbers, and shot locked off street stuff. I was out for about a half and hour. Actually as much as tried to disguise my gear as a pitiful collection of tape, cardboard and old tshirts, people were saying ‘cool camera’. Its just too damn easy to recognize a camera i guess. I’m interested in what Mexican film crews do regularly, which is put 35mm camera ops in wheelchairs, disguise them as cripples, and then roll them through public spaces, usually tracking actors as they go. Somehow they are able to make a good enough disguise as to not attract attention, I’ve seen two minute track shots where no-one looks into the camera lens at all! I’d love to see their rigs/disguises.
I edited that stuff into a faux end credit sequence…
http://www.stickypod.com/gallery/albums/pics/10043/Huddle_Streets.mov
As always I’m realizing the more you do a preliminary test of shot ideas, the better they will turn out in the end. Having good references help too…