During our final session, on Friday, May 5th, we were outside to shoot some footage on Steadicam or DLSR with a telephoto lens or with filters. It is good that everyone attended. Though there was no time for pre-production, I think we got the most out of the session. It was the day to execute Project II. Therefore, it was indeed the project! You are required to make detailed comments on this page. 20% of your Project II grade will be based on what you comment here. As long as you write detailed comments, you should score fine.
You need to write about what you did, what experience you gained, and what you discovered in class yesterday (May 5th). If you didn’t shoot much footage but assisted your fellow students actively, then write about that. If you don’t feel you can write adequately if it is only about yesterday, in addition, you can write about any other activities or lecture materials in this course.
Note: Project II is 20% of your course grade. Thus, I recommend that you write detailed and meaningful comments. Please do it.
Deadline: Friday, May 19th. I recommend that you comment while you remember things!
All the best!
Ryoya
For our last class, we explored and tested out our skills in the park. I was very excited to use the DSLR, more so about setting up shots. In particular a shot with Kevin in the foreground and Jorge in the background. I tried to go for an interesting composition while also attempting to accomplish a rack focus. At first I didn’t think about the rack focus, but it definitely add a more dynamic feel to the shot. When I wasn’t doing that I was in front of the camera, being used as a subject. I would say each shot I got to be apart of came out very well. I appreciated the composition of Adam’s shot in particular. I was also interested in the lens we used, I didn’t get to use the lens filter but I’m sure it would have added to the experience.
During our last class session, we were final able to take field trip after being coop up all semester. Here me and Valentina operated Steadicams, and the other group worked with the DSLR camera attacking telephoto lens, ND and polarizer filter. While out Brandon acted as my ” Actor” and I followed him around and filmed different things. We also filmed using different technics, we tried the missionary position, this is where the camera points forward while the operator is face forward. This was kind of tricky, but I was able to catch on quick, I think this had a lot to do with us covering it in the past. I then filmed Brandon using a technique where I am operating the Steadicam where the camera points behind me, but I’m facing forward this was something I could use more work. This technique was tricky because it just didn’t feel natural to me. After a while I switched to partners Jorge, here we worked on going up and down the stair. This was interesting because in order to master this shot flawlessly, similar to the famous Rocky scene, you almost to slightly Bounce up and down so the camera movement is not obvious to the viewer. A second important part, walking down the stair was interesting because normally you would walk down the stairs you walk forward, but with the Steadicam you almost have to sidestep. In the end really enjoyed this project and the class a whole.
For our last class session, everyone headed over to a park not far from the school. Val and Sean carried the steadicams, while everyone else helped with two DSLRs and their tripods. One of the cameras had a telephoto lens while the other had a ND and polarizer filter. I starred in a few shots (as usual) directed by Adam. Julia and I stood in front of the camera; I stood considerably farther from the camera. I was to the right of Julia so that Adam can achieve the rack focus shot he wanted.
Next, Julia wanted to try her hand at the rack focus shot. At the park, there were a few chessboard tables with seats. They were scattered around an area of the park, and she found that two tables were parallel at an angle. She sat me at the table nearest the camera and our friendly neighborhood CLT Jorge at a table farther. We were to act as normal, and Julia focusing on me. When she cued me, I would pick my head up and look over my shoulder at Jorge, where Julia would pull the focus onto Jorge.
Finally, it was my turn to practice my rack focus. I experimented with a few angles of Julia and Wilson near a tree; the original plan was for Julia to sit at a tree while Wilson walked by them, trying to figure out who it was. Because the telephoto lens was restricted with its zoom, I couldn’t fit our two actors quite right. I changed the scene to something a bit more comical: Julia would be on her phone standing right to a tree in a clean single, off center left. She would be the sole focus, until Wilson comes from walking in screen right about to choke Julia. As he walks in frame, the focus shifts.
Activities like these really helped develop a better creative mind for shooting film. It was a fun experience, not just the day, but the whole class and semester. Thank you Ryoya and everybody that helped me become a better videographer, and creating memories.
Going outside for class was really fun. It gave me a fun perspective on what its like to film outside. I learned how to change/put on the filters for the camera. I teamed up with Wilson and Vishal. We used a DSLR camera as well as a Polarizing filter. Which helps reduce reflections. It was really nice to have that first hand experience and getting to use the filters.We also got to use an ND filter which reduces sunlight which you could see when you compared the two videos the background of the video with the filters was less bright then without the filter. Overall it was really fun to switch up our surroundings and get to play around with various filters.
During our final session of class, the entire class took a little field trip to a nearby park to go shoot some footage. I believe there was 12 of us in all including our wise professor and our crafty CLT. The equipment I got to use on that day was a DSLR camera with filters. I worked with both a polarizer filter and a neutral density filter. Using a polarizer filter will help reduce reflections on glass surfaces. A ND filter helps to reduce light in overexposed areas. We were lucky enough that day to get some good sunny weather where we can test the two filters out. We gathered our camera, filters, and a tripod and took off to shoot some footage. The polarizer filter was the first one we experimented with. With the help of Daniella, I shot some test footage of Wilson(our gracious actor) standing in front of a building with glass windows. We shot some footage without the polarizer and then shot some with it on to see the differences. The three of us were in awe to see the reflections on glass surfaces be reduced. Next, we used the ND filter. I shot some footage of Daniella attempting a cartwheel on the grassy field. Again we shot some footage with and without the filter. We made sure to shoot in a sunlit area. With the filter on, we can see the image being perfectly exposed. The sunlight is reduced to a point where the background is not too bright. With the help of Wilson and Daniella, I got the experience of working with a DSLR camera. With the use of a polarizer and neutral density filter I got to see the differences within the settings we chose. It was a fun day overall.
On our last day of class I worked with Sean as he was the operator with the Steadicam. Before heading to the park near campus, I had to help Sean equip his Steadicam vest on and adjust the Steadicam arm. After reaching the park, I had to rebalance the Steadicam on the C-stand we took from the classroom, which took a few seconds. Afterwards, Ryoya and I put the Steadicam on the arm that Sean had attached to his vest and we began with the basics on how to operate. We learned different ways to move with the camera (ex. missionary) where the camera is in front of the subject and you are walking with the camera to film. We also filmed in different angles like a walking along side the subject and practiced smooth movements when walking up and down steps and ledges. It was a fun time learning how to operate and prepare Steadicam and it was a nice way to end the semester. Thank you again Ryoya for the class!
In the last day of class I was a Steadicam operator. I was eager to wear the steadicam again and try new things. First we had to stabilize it in the classroom, then as group we headed towards the park and decided to get some footage. Joel was the person who I was capturing, we decide to try to recreate the shot on rocky where he goes up the stairs. first I started with the steadicam position ‘missionary’ and follow Joel walking up the stairs then got next to him and eventually ended recording his back as he turned around and look towards the rest of the park. This was a little bit tricky since I had to make sure that when I was going up the stairs I would not move the camera up and down as I step, keeping a stable shot with good headroom was also very hard to make. Throughout the rest of the class period we did different shots where I would just follow Joel and let him take direction of what he was doing and where he was going. The hardest shot was probably having to run, it was not required for us to try this, but since Joel suggested it to me I decided to go for it and try it. when you’re running is very hard to feel like you have any control of how stable your shot is, plus you wanna run in a slow pace so you don’t feel as if you can trip and fall. Overall, I had a lot of fun trying all the different methods to shoot with a steadicam and I hope to have more opportunities to shoot with it more.
On our last day of class I first practiced, with the telephoto lens, a split shot of Kevin and Julia. Kevin is in a LS the background and Julia in a CU in the foreground. They were both in focus, so they occupied the same visual importance. After changing the camera settings, with assistance from CLT Jorge, I was able to practice a rack focus. By that time, Kevin and Julia went to work on a separate project but luckily CLT Jorge and Professor RT stepped in for the scene. Under RT’s direction, the shot was to have Jorge in focus in in the foreground CU until RT hits his mark at the tree. Then I rack focus to a LS of RT as he gives Jorge a look. Then I focus back to Jorge. This was great experience in rack focus, a split shot, and all around blocking a shot for the camera. It was difficult at times but in the end it was worth it; the shot looked very good.
On our last day of class I worked with Valentina on the Steadicam and where she operated it and I was the actor so she was following me around. One segment we did was recreate the “Rocky” scene which Valentina followed me walking up the stairs. I had to walk slow so Valentina can capture the shot and make it look good, when I was walking up the stairs slowly and turn my back and look the other way she had to show that, we did this many times. She told me to sit down in the chess area and we would begin filming me getting up and walking up the stairs doing the Rocky scene, she had to make sure she was getting the right enough of head room when she was following me. I started walking the other way and she would follow me from behind to my side and eventually recording me from the front. Then I came up with the idea that she should chase me as I ran and it was really funny. We did this like 4 times where I ran and sat down on a bench after, it was on a slope so it must of been kinda hard for her to keep it stable as she was chasing and recording me at the same time. Overall I had a really fun time creating and practicing steadicam shots with Valentina she’s really good at it!
https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/ent3290sp2023/wp-admin/upload.php?item=1210
Yesterday in class, I had the opportunity to work with a DSLR camera and gain experience in its various features and functionalities. One of the tasks I performed was using the zoom function on the camera. Additionally, I had the chance to assist a classmate by being an actor, which helped me understand how to position myself and capture different angles using the camera. I also completed the task of carrying a sandbag outside and then back to the school, which may seem like a simple task. Overall, the experience I gained in class yesterday was valuable as I learned about the different functionalities of a DSLR camera, such as the use of a telephoto lens and filters.