ENT 1190 Introduction to Video and Film Production
A City Tech OpenLab Course Site
The OpenLab is an open-source, digital platform designed to support teaching and learning at City Tech (New York City College of Technology), and to promote student and faculty engagement in the intellectual and social life of the college community.
In this group, the members are Maci, Angela, Brnado, JoeJoe, and Joe.
Project I, Group “Cherry” on Youtube (in-progress):
http://youtu.be/2gtEtOQdJ2U
You all must discuss in this thread how you prepare and how you will do things differently in the very next session. These are some of my comments as follows:
1. LS Park panning right, tilting up
It is brilliant that you had the idea to tilt up the camera from the ground (the pavement) to find the park as well as the character. Now, the camera is moving smoothly in the most part. But I suggest that you plan when to start and stop moving the camera. Especially, at the end of the shots, I get the impression that the camera operator is still wondering when to stop the camera movement. Be more bold, and then viewers would feel comfortable watching the smooth camerawork. And, before and after each camerawork, the camera should stay statically, which always gives choices to editors. In general, it is tough to edit when we don’t have any extra seconds at the beginning and at the end of shots.
2. LS Bernardo walking in the park
It is a pretty shot and framing. There are nice shadows of the trees on the ground as well. Now, my impression is that the end of the shot was not planned completely. It would have been good to stop moving the camera earlier, and have him exiting the frame. Then you would have had a beautiful frame of the park and the shadows on the pavement in the end.
3. LS Maci walking towards the camera, tilting up
Probably she was too close to the camera at the starting point. It would have been better not to show her feet at all at the beginning. She could have walked into the shot instead. She is in the middle of the frame, which doesn’t necessarily make the composition persuasive in this case. She doesn’t seem to know where to go, and the camera doesn’t know how much to follow her, either. When you have a doubt, have the actor exit the frame at least. This could be a nice shot if you redo it. In general, plan and rehearse each camerawork, framing, and the action.
4. LS Angela at bench
This is a beautifully framed shot, and no camera movement is required. This is a good example of the rule of thirds! Make sure that the tripod is stable and doesn’t move at all. It is also good that the lamp pole is not in the center. Everything counts in a frame!
5. MS JoeJoe getting up, and stretches
Well done! Good pacing, too. I do like the composition after he exists the frame as well. Very nice.
6. MS Maci getting up
OK. Maybe there is a little extra headroom above her. The camera is a little delayed to follow her getting up, and thus a part of her head is lost from the frame. You should have done another take of this shot. Filming these shots should be beneficial to you all in a long run. You need to keep practicing some basic movements as well. Then, you should be able to compose more advanced shots as needed in the future.
7. LS Joe walking (side view)
Nicely done. I like the way how Angela walks by from the opposite direction, too. Joe could have exited the frame few seconds earlier. I think the camera operator was still thinking when to stop panning. You see, to make a good judgement, it is all a matter of planning and practicing.
8. MS JoeJoe walking by
Good. At the end of the shot, after he exits the frame, keep recording. There is no reason to stop filming so quickly. As a viewer, I would like to enjoy the scenery, and digest all the visual info. with more time.
9. MS Angela walking more towards camera
The first take was rather too fast. The second take is nicer with the timing and framing. The zooming wasn’t necessary, however. It was also not smooth.
10. MS Joe walking towards camera
Joe is a tall man, and so think of the headroom accordingly. Sometimes you lose the top of his head. Unless it is a close up, make sure to include the entire head of your featured characters. However, the later takes are definitely getting better. The camerawork is smooth.
11. LS Bernardo & JoeJoe (side view), Manhattan Bridge .
OK. A good shot
12. OTS of Bernardo, looking at JoeJoe
There is too much headroom for both of the gentlemen. They are both almost in the middle of the frame. You need more angle for the camera, and lose the unnecessary visual info. You already established the location in the last shot. We know that they are by the entrance of the Manhattan Bridge. Now, you focus on the characters more than the location. You zoomed in some, but there is still too much of a headroom.
13. OTS JoeJoe looking at Bernardo
Wow! When you flip the camera position, it looks like a different place. You see, that is why “coverage” is necessary to give more sense of geographic info. to viewers, especially in this case. Well, wait a minute. I guess they are not standing in the same location as their LS (side view)
14. Two shot, Maci & Joe (side view)
I do like both angles. You chose a good spot. Both backgrounds are intriguing. Now, in the second shot, where we see a part of the park and a part of Voorhees, the camera is against the sun. Therefore, the side of their faces, which is closer to the camera is in the shadow. You can use this “effect” sometimes depending on the mood that you wish to create in your film. It is something to think about. When you have a reflector, you can control the shadow to some extent. However, when you film against the sun, you need to be careful, so that there will be no lens in general.
I don’t see any flair in this particular shot. In that respect, this is a successful shot against the sun.
15. MS & CU Angela & Joe (side view)
Think of not chopping off the back parts of their heads. You can either have them standing close to each other, or frame them a little widely. Then, watch for the shadow issue on their faces when the camera is against the sun. But it is an intriguing background! I understand whey you wanted to film there.
16. LS walkway of the Manhattan Bridge
A man w/sunglasses (a stranger) is walking towards the camera, and the camera is zooming. I’m not sure what this shot is for? Practicing to do a contra zoom?
17. LS Angela standing, and zooming??
Are these rehearsals for a contra zoom? If so, you were zooming too fast. The camera also moves left and right without any meaning as far as I can tell. The very last take is the best one, but you still need to practice this shot. Zoom slower, walk smoothly, and hold the camera also smoothly. It is not an easy shot. That is why it is required for this project!
Best,
Ryoya
I Like the shot at 137. The close up camera did a good job at following Maci’s movements in a natural way.
Everything was great except the OTS shots
I agree that in the first to long shots with panning there should have been more video at the beginning and end, but i think the first panning shot was okay. I think at the end of the long shot with Bernardo the camera started moving when it should have just stayed on him, more planning before recording show solve that.
The LS of Bernardo walking was framed good but the end was really weird. He should have actually exited the shot, i think the camera stayed on him too long.
I think i was in what was supposed to be a long shot. The whole body wasn’t in the frame and i wasn’t really sure what to do next. I think we should have planned more in actor positioning.
The MS where im standing up kinda cut off my head, so maybe next time i can move slower.
the LS of joe walking was cool when angela walking pass like faster than the speed joe was going. i think it was a little close how the camera ended its shot and when joe exits. maybe stop the pan before joe gets to the end.
The MS of joe walking by was a little close i think above his torso. But i liked this one. And we should keep the camera rolling after he exits.
The MS of angela walking shot had a good frame but the zoom did make it a little weird. Maybe she could also go a bit slower so that the camera person can make it a smoother shot.
Joe’s MS walking towards the camera was better as it went on. The last one had good framing but at the end the camera should have stopped following him sooner.
Bernardo and JoeJoe shot- too much other stuff in the shot. It could have been tighter so it’s absolutely understood that the shot is about them.
OTS of B and JJ- zoomed in more on JoeJoe for the first one. the second one was better withe zoom but they both have too much headspace
OTS Maci and Joe- i liked these two shots
Angela and Joe- yeah hard a really hard time with that one. Your notes are helpful professor.
Contra zoom- yikes. Harder than it looks. i dont think any of those were completed shots we were just trying to figure out how to do it.
i really like how you guys to advantage of the lighting that day really works for you guys.
I like the jogger/fiend at 3:35 who happened to get tired as soon as he got on camera.
The shots were good. You did multiple takes of each and saw improvement on all of them.