Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Good News
I was able to digitize my footage last night, thanks to Rob. Apparently, when capturing HD footage the batch capture option is not an appropiate selection. The capture now option however works efficiently. I did a few rough edits last night, and hope to have an official edit by the end of tommorow night.
Monday, January 22, 2007
Color correction references
Over the break, i took sometime to look at the work of designer Patrick Boyer. Here is an idea of the feel and look that I am going to design for my thesis project. For more of his work check out his website. www.urbancowboy.net
Difficulties with HD footage
On friday, I had several difficulties trying to capture my HD footage. This has set me back just a little. Fortunately, after speaking with several cinematographers it is a problem in Final Cut that can be fixed by changing the settings around. I am attending CADA today so I can figure out how to fix it. As soon as the problem is solved I will have a rough edit up within 24 hours. If anyone has any advice about how to capture HD footage in Final Cut, I would love to hear the feedback.
Friday, January 19, 2007
Shoot was a success
Yesterday I shot my thesis in Rego Park(queens). The shoot was a big success. There were many obstacles that came along in shooting. So here is a quick list of the pros and cons of my shoot yesterday. In shooting this project I have learned that there are many difficulties that can arise throught out shooting. Not knowing your shots is probably the most time consuming problem you can occur. I was glad that I was prepared and knew what I wanted. I had each shot listed as well as a clear idea on the different angles I needed as well as wanted to have. The major problems that occurred on the set yesterday were uncontrollable. The day before the shoot, one of my actors called and told me that they would be unable to make it. I immediately had to find a replacement. The next issue was that it was very cold outside, and which became very hard for my actress to handle. The next problem was the weather changed from bright and sunny to somewhat cloudy. Towards the very end of the shoot, we were faced with getting the final shots in the midst of snow flurries. With the uncontrollable issues arising, I was glad that I had spent time, preparing for the shoot. I had tremendous amount of help and friends who gave there support.
Special thanks to Alison, Antonella, Chris, Elaine, Tracey, and Walter for being the best cast, crew, and supporters throughout the shoot.
I look forward to having a rough edit up next week.
Special thanks to Alison, Antonella, Chris, Elaine, Tracey, and Walter for being the best cast, crew, and supporters throughout the shoot.
I look forward to having a rough edit up next week.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Monday, January 08, 2007
Links to work
http://homepages.nyu.edu/~tpj209/script.rtf
http://homepages.nyu.edu/~tpj209/animatic.mov
http://homepages.nyu.edu/~tpj209/styledesigns.jpg
http://homepages.nyu.edu/~tpj209/animatic.mov
http://homepages.nyu.edu/~tpj209/styledesigns.jpg
Its been a long time
It has a been a long time since my last post, but I have not been neglecting the project. I have been doing test color corrections, style frames, writing scripts, and working on shotlist. Reasking those important questions of what am I trying to say, how am I going to say it, and is this saying it. I 've continued to build onto my research and develop answers to the how questions that were lingering on. So here is some of the stuff I've been working on for the past month in a half.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Storyboards are In!
Thanks to Tyquane, I now have storyboards ready for posting. So here is the revised storyline for seduction.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Style frame
Friday, November 03, 2006
Choosing to shoot in DV
Throughout the semester I have been researching the pros and cons on digital video versus film. I have decided to go with DV. After speak to Bobby Yan and Antonella Farruggia , I have found out some of the major issues that may arise with each scenario. Shooting in film will go outside my thesis budget, and may cause difficulities that I do not have time to fix nor can I afford. Though the quality maybe better in film, I have been referenced to several digital camcorders that will produce quality footage.
Thesis changes
I have decided to cut a scene and drop a character from my thesis project. After listening to several classmates, and the critique from Steve Mann, I have come to the conclusion that the scene is unnecessary and takes away from the overall piece. I am now developing another way for the character to enter and exit the fantasy world. Though this cut may cause a minor set back, it is very important that I take out any scenes that will make the scene to long, or take me over my 30 second time slot. Luckily, I have had ideas from several consultants on how to approach the entering and exiting process. I am hoping to have fully developed this idea by tonight. So i can redesign my storyboards and focus on the technical aspects of my thesis.
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Images that Influence me
Here are some images that are influencing how I want my thesis to look.
I love how this illustration unites punk rock, exoticism, and yet innocence. The image is japanese influenced
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
David Bowie video
Pacing is everything in film. The timing of a cut, the speed at which the camera zooms in and out, are all factors in what kind of mood will be captured. The David Bowie video "Im afraid of Americans" is one of my favorites. Though nothing spectacular takes place, the video just seems to capture the fear that one may have when feeling under pressure that someone is chasing or following them. The mood itself is developed by the pacing of the camera zooming out, and then cutting to a close up shot. Below is a link to the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RmHq5EwCH4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RmHq5EwCH4
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Research
This weekend I sat down, and did lots of thinking and analyzing on my thesis project. I started asking myself what is it I am trying to say, do and prove with this project. Have I clearly stated my agenda, do I know any of my history on this subject, and how will I do this?
First let me start by restating what my thesis is all about.
My thesis statement is to use compostiting, painting, and cameras, to turn the real world into a surreal world. Painting and compositing will be the primary focus as cameras will have a minor role.
To showcase these skills I will make a commercial between 30 to 45 seconds long. The story will be based on a fake clothing line called seduction. In the commercial a young man is seduced by a woman who steps out of a graffiti poster.
The Story:
The story begins when 2 young males walk down the street discussing who is the better sportsman. As they approach the corner one of them realizes that they left their cell phone in their apartment. He then turns back to go get it . The other young man waits for im at the corner. While waiting he notices grafitti poster on the wall, advertising the Seduction clothing line. He pulls out his cd player and turns the volume up. The graffiti poster begins to bulge out. He quickly turns the volume down, everything goes back to normal. He turns the volume back up again. The poster again bulges out. He turns the volume back down. The poster returns to its normal state. Suddenly the volume automatically goes back up. He drops the cd player! The poster bulges out, the model steps out of the poster, and the grafitti art comes to life. The woman begins to observe her reality looking around embracing her new surroundings. While she embraces her suroundings butterflies, stars, flowers, and other psychedellic images and designs begin to paint the atmosphere. The young man stares in amazement until his friend taps him on his shoulder. The poster goes back to normal. The young male continues to stare at the poster in amazement. His friend shakes him. He responds "Man... Did you see that?" "See what?" says the friend. "The girl just stepped out of the poster." "So easily seduced. ( in a pathetic tone) . The scene ends with the two of them walking away. The frame is then burnt up with fire, as seduction bulges out in flames. ( a girl whispers seduction)
Who's done this before?
Stepping in and out of worlds has been done numerous times before, in many different ways. One of the major films that comes to mind is Wizard of Oz. In this film, Dorothy enters a false dream to escpe her problems in the real world, only to find that "there is no place like home." This idea known as escapism, was popular in film in the 1930s in Hollywood. Other films today tackle this same idea but in a new way. For example, The Matrix had it lead character awake from a false world that seemed real, only to find that the real world was nothing like that in which he was living in. Rather than enter a new world to escape his problems, he escaped the false world, to fight his problems. The techniques for entering the escapism world is what draws viewers to buy into the idea or to sit in utter shame for purchasing the ticket to the movie in the first place. In the Wizard of Oz, viewers easily buy into the idea because the new world is introduded through a dream. In the Matrix we are taken in and out of the different worlds through tactics like taking a pill, undergoing machines that make your mind operate as if it were a PS2 and different games could be plugged in or out. Or exiting a world by answering phone call. While the Matrix looked for new innovative and somewhat complicated ideas for entering and exiting new worlds, audiences found themselves indulging in the fantasy life of the Matrix. Other movies like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, found less complicated ways. In the scene where Harry Potter is leaving for Hogwarts for the first time, he finds himself confused, on how to board the train at track 9 3/4. The track inside of a brick wall between track 9 and 10, seems a little weary and skeptical to young Harry Potter. After watching 3 other wizards go straight through, he gets enough courage to try it as well. He grabs his cart and runs throught the brick wall where he is surrounded by other young wizards boarding for their first venture to Hogwarts. The transition between worlds in this scene is seamless. The scene is not hard to follow and comes off very realistic. Introducing the idea of making a surreal world seem real. In the Chronicles of Narnia "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," a simple tactic is used again for entering in out of worlds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zBwzsaPPh8
In this novel turned movie, the characters walk into the wardrobe (pushing coats aside) and end up in the world of Narnia. The idea presented seems unreal to even the characters in the movie, until they all find themselves their at the same time. But science fiction and fantasy genres, are not the only ones to tackle this idea. In the movie Beavis and Butthead and do America, there is a scene where both characters digest mushrooms (a hallucinate drug) . After digesting the drug, Beavis and Butthead begin to hallucinate themselves being in another world. This scene is actually very inspiring to my thesis project because of the pychedelic look that it provides. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQuJmPcMYE0&mode=related&search=
A similar idea was used in the Love Rollercoaster music video by Red Hot Chili Peppers (one of the tracks from the Beavis and Butthead do America Soundtrack). Here is link to the video on you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bmLrQX5u_w
First let me start by restating what my thesis is all about.
My thesis statement is to use compostiting, painting, and cameras, to turn the real world into a surreal world. Painting and compositing will be the primary focus as cameras will have a minor role.
To showcase these skills I will make a commercial between 30 to 45 seconds long. The story will be based on a fake clothing line called seduction. In the commercial a young man is seduced by a woman who steps out of a graffiti poster.
The Story:
The story begins when 2 young males walk down the street discussing who is the better sportsman. As they approach the corner one of them realizes that they left their cell phone in their apartment. He then turns back to go get it . The other young man waits for im at the corner. While waiting he notices grafitti poster on the wall, advertising the Seduction clothing line. He pulls out his cd player and turns the volume up. The graffiti poster begins to bulge out. He quickly turns the volume down, everything goes back to normal. He turns the volume back up again. The poster again bulges out. He turns the volume back down. The poster returns to its normal state. Suddenly the volume automatically goes back up. He drops the cd player! The poster bulges out, the model steps out of the poster, and the grafitti art comes to life. The woman begins to observe her reality looking around embracing her new surroundings. While she embraces her suroundings butterflies, stars, flowers, and other psychedellic images and designs begin to paint the atmosphere. The young man stares in amazement until his friend taps him on his shoulder. The poster goes back to normal. The young male continues to stare at the poster in amazement. His friend shakes him. He responds "Man... Did you see that?" "See what?" says the friend. "The girl just stepped out of the poster." "So easily seduced. ( in a pathetic tone) . The scene ends with the two of them walking away. The frame is then burnt up with fire, as seduction bulges out in flames. ( a girl whispers seduction)
Who's done this before?
Stepping in and out of worlds has been done numerous times before, in many different ways. One of the major films that comes to mind is Wizard of Oz. In this film, Dorothy enters a false dream to escpe her problems in the real world, only to find that "there is no place like home." This idea known as escapism, was popular in film in the 1930s in Hollywood. Other films today tackle this same idea but in a new way. For example, The Matrix had it lead character awake from a false world that seemed real, only to find that the real world was nothing like that in which he was living in. Rather than enter a new world to escape his problems, he escaped the false world, to fight his problems. The techniques for entering the escapism world is what draws viewers to buy into the idea or to sit in utter shame for purchasing the ticket to the movie in the first place. In the Wizard of Oz, viewers easily buy into the idea because the new world is introduded through a dream. In the Matrix we are taken in and out of the different worlds through tactics like taking a pill, undergoing machines that make your mind operate as if it were a PS2 and different games could be plugged in or out. Or exiting a world by answering phone call. While the Matrix looked for new innovative and somewhat complicated ideas for entering and exiting new worlds, audiences found themselves indulging in the fantasy life of the Matrix. Other movies like Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, found less complicated ways. In the scene where Harry Potter is leaving for Hogwarts for the first time, he finds himself confused, on how to board the train at track 9 3/4. The track inside of a brick wall between track 9 and 10, seems a little weary and skeptical to young Harry Potter. After watching 3 other wizards go straight through, he gets enough courage to try it as well. He grabs his cart and runs throught the brick wall where he is surrounded by other young wizards boarding for their first venture to Hogwarts. The transition between worlds in this scene is seamless. The scene is not hard to follow and comes off very realistic. Introducing the idea of making a surreal world seem real. In the Chronicles of Narnia "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," a simple tactic is used again for entering in out of worlds.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zBwzsaPPh8
In this novel turned movie, the characters walk into the wardrobe (pushing coats aside) and end up in the world of Narnia. The idea presented seems unreal to even the characters in the movie, until they all find themselves their at the same time. But science fiction and fantasy genres, are not the only ones to tackle this idea. In the movie Beavis and Butthead and do America, there is a scene where both characters digest mushrooms (a hallucinate drug) . After digesting the drug, Beavis and Butthead begin to hallucinate themselves being in another world. This scene is actually very inspiring to my thesis project because of the pychedelic look that it provides. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SQuJmPcMYE0&mode=related&search=
A similar idea was used in the Love Rollercoaster music video by Red Hot Chili Peppers (one of the tracks from the Beavis and Butthead do America Soundtrack). Here is link to the video on you tube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bmLrQX5u_w
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
Creating Style Frame
This past week, I have been in the process of developing a style frame. So far I've been having alot of trial and error. I emailed my model, asking for permission to post her picture on the web. Right now, I am waiting on a response.
I want my story board to be black and white, with specs of color on the outside. My biggest struggle right now is trying to recreate a style seen in the work of Ena, a Japanese digital illustrator. I have been playing with the gray scale and the threshhold to get the look I desire, however I am having some problems getting the face to show white with black outlining. Hopefully, I will be able to fix this problem by tommorow afternoon. That way I can begin to work on the storyboard.
Another major focus last week was re-establishing my storyline. The narrative before entailed a woman walking down the street and seducing a man to step into her world. I have decided to change that concept to something a little different.
The story line will now center around a woman stepping out of a graffiti poster on the back of a building. I am now debating whether I want to add to more actors, or find away to tell my story and avoid introducing more characters.
I want my story board to be black and white, with specs of color on the outside. My biggest struggle right now is trying to recreate a style seen in the work of Ena, a Japanese digital illustrator. I have been playing with the gray scale and the threshhold to get the look I desire, however I am having some problems getting the face to show white with black outlining. Hopefully, I will be able to fix this problem by tommorow afternoon. That way I can begin to work on the storyboard.
Another major focus last week was re-establishing my storyline. The narrative before entailed a woman walking down the street and seducing a man to step into her world. I have decided to change that concept to something a little different.
The story line will now center around a woman stepping out of a graffiti poster on the back of a building. I am now debating whether I want to add to more actors, or find away to tell my story and avoid introducing more characters.
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Morphing
I've been watching lots of movies this past weekend, and I have decided that I want to transitionmy model from a still image to moving through morphing techniques.
I did some research and here are some links and tutorials on morphing that I found.
http://www.fho-emden.de/~hoffmann/morph27092003.pdf
http://www.vfx.co.nz/Tutorials1.html
http://www.creativecow.net/articles/zwar_chris/morph/index.html
I did some research and here are some links and tutorials on morphing that I found.
http://www.fho-emden.de/~hoffmann/morph27092003.pdf
http://www.vfx.co.nz/Tutorials1.html
http://www.creativecow.net/articles/zwar_chris/morph/index.html
Monday, September 18, 2006
ReThinking Thesis
I am debating my thesis story. I am thinking of changing the storyline to a girl stepping out of a wall. She then begins to enter into different worlds as she walks. Listed below are links to some of my influences as well as some pics.
http://www.adapter.jp/
http://www.digmeout.net/artist.cfm?id=2
http://www.pearcestoner.com/main.html
http://www.adapter.jp/
http://www.digmeout.net/artist.cfm?id=2
http://www.pearcestoner.com/main.html
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Exploring Chroma Key Effects
After reflecting on Tuesdays class, I have decided to rethink the focus of my thesis project. While the storyline is a very strong part, I feel that is a very strong part, I feel that I must first have a clear understanding of the technology and resources I plan to use. Therefore I have spent today researching how and what I will use to demonstrate my story.
Since compositing will be a major part of thesis objective , I feel I must first rename and research the tools green screen I have pulled out my old DPP book "Television Production."
The first thing I must focus on is my camera techniques. My idea for thesis is to mix green with live action.
Green screen also known as chroma keying, is the process of replacing an evenly lighted blue or green background with something else.
Since compositing will be a major part of thesis objective , I feel I must first rename and research the tools green screen I have pulled out my old DPP book "Television Production."
The first thing I must focus on is my camera techniques. My idea for thesis is to mix green with live action.
Green screen also known as chroma keying, is the process of replacing an evenly lighted blue or green background with something else.
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