Waiting 2B Scene

Tag: Resources

  • Blog: Employing Symmetry (Part 1)

    If you have ever done research on how to get the right visual shot – whether painted, photographed, or captured in motion – then you probably know the ‘rules.’ This stuff isn’t new. But today I think it’s worth repeating.

    The elephant in the room is that, to misquote the rogue pirate Barbossa, “… the code is more what you’d call “guidelines” than actual rules.” While there is aesthetic appeal with a host of the visual rules that have developed over centuries – the fact is that we can quite easily go ahead and break them. But. Before we do… we really ought to know why the guidelines exist, and why they work first. Then we can decide when and how to best ignore them for our work.

    To demonstrate, take a look at this montage of the cinematographic symmetry (try saying that three times fast!) used in the internationally acclaimed TV series, Sherlock.

    There is something kind of soothing about it, isn’t there? To put it as simply as I can, where the goal of composition is to create a path that is pleasing for the eyes to follow (this is why the guideline exists) – symmetry gives the viewer a vague sense of the harmonious, of beautiful proportions, and of balance (this is why this particular guideline works).

    There are many techniques that will strengthen (or weaken) the symmetric properties of an object or scene. How much of a scene we choose to show is paramount. So too is the position of the camera in relation to the subject, its height, tilt etc. We also need to take particular care to ensure the centre of the composition is equidistant (my word of the day!) to both sides. When done right, it looks simply beautiful. But can you imagine – for example – a shot of the Taj Mahal (an entirely symmetrical structure… right down to its symmetrical reflection in the pools of water around it) that has been misaligned? Well… it would look sort of like this…

    The fact that this image is only slightly out is enough to make it a jarring visual. So while it is possible to break the guidelines of symmetry, if and when we chose to do so, we will really need to go all out. No half measures.

    Coming up in part 2, we will finish looking at how to employ symmetry with another example or two, and some concluding considerations.

  • Video Essay: How to Suck at Soundtracks… Otherwise Known as The Marvel Symphonic Universe

    Okay this one just has to be shared and re-shared amongst movie goers, videography aficionados, and anyone who has a passing interest in good soundtrack scores in any form of moving picture.

    For better or for worse, music shapes what we see on screen… cinema, TV, or otherwise. It is an integral element with which a viewer can be seduced into rapturous emotion of various sorts. I do not remember watching the film The Exorcist as a child (thank goodness my Dad had some sense in that regard). Nevertheless, to this day I cannot hear the opening 8 notes of Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells without having The Exorcist spring immediately to mind.

    Likewise, you will find it is true of many of our favourite films and TV series (Star Wars, Superman, Indiana Jones, The X-Files, and Saiyūki – otherwise known as Monkey in English – are some great examples).

    Now here’s a question to be asked: can you confidently hum a tune from any of the ubiquitous Marvel Cinematic Universe releases that have been released over the better part of the past 15 years? Nah, I didn’t think so. Well, it has not gone unnoticed by the team at Every Frame a Painting either – and their video essay on the topic is must see viewing. I hope you enjoy it.

  • WW: How to Use Adobe Audition CC to Clean Up Your Audio

    WW: How to Use Adobe Audition CC to Clean Up Your Audio

    Welcome to Whatsit Wednesday – a series that will resource you to do video better, offering hints and tips on how to improve your videocraft.

    One of the things I have found in video production is that if something has gone horribly wrong with the visuals – there will usually be some way of creatively getting around that problem. In the event of poor audio however – the task is significantly harder to achieve. It is definitely better to get clean audio out of the blocks. In the event that you haven’t, there are a couple of things you can try! So today, we’re sharing a short video tutorial that will introduce you to the idea of using software such as Adobe Audition to reduce some unwanted noise from your VO track.

    https://vimeo.com/173096243

  • HIMM: How to Get Smooth Footage

    How It’s Made Monday is meant to inspire you with some of the secrets of videocraft: and today, we’re sharing a great little tip on how to get smooth footage. In short – by yourself a gimbal!

    The 3-axis gimbal market has been exploding all over the place for the last little while: and there have been some pretty cool advances since the first generation of commercially available gimbals hit the market. Little things like going from a 10-bit system to a 32-bit system. And then there is fun bits of kit like this to contend with: the CAME-TV Single!

    https://vimeo.com/146584738

    For under US$1K, you can now get a pretty sweet hand-held motorised 3-axis gimbal… with encoders! In geek speak, encoders are often used in robotics for highly accurate monitoring of motor position. Some of the benefits of using encoders include: preventing motors from losing synchronization and skipping steps, providing important information about frame and camera angles, decreasing power consumption (this is my biggest plus – longer battery life!!), increasing torque, increasing precision of stabilization, and more.

    So check out the review by Tom Antos (which includes some visuals he shot using the Came Single), and be inspired… super smooth professional looking footage is well within reach of the average videographer!

  • WW: Why You Need to Understand Colour Temperature

    WW: Why You Need to Understand Colour Temperature

    Welcome to Whatsit Wednesday – a series that will resource you to do video better, offering hints and tips on how to improve your videocraft. Today, we’re sharing a short article on why we need to understand colour temperature.

    Is understanding colour temperature and balance in an increasingly web-based ‘phoneography‘ (think cinematography for phones) marketplace really that important? The answer is simple: yes.

    Understanding colour temperature will improve the quality of your work and give you an advantage over your competitors – those average Joe’s who either don’t know any better, or frankly don’t care. In short, this is the kind of stuff that separates the amateurs from the professionals – and even if you ARE an amateur, the equation is simple: when you know more about what you’re doing, you will begin to produce visuals that look more professional.

    Covering a range of issues such as camera white balance and RAW, as well as examining some of the physics of colour, Richard Lackey has once again delivered an excellent article that will help you understand colour temperature, so that “you will always be ready to balance your camera even in situations where you have no control over lighting at all.”

    Article.

  • WW: How To 3-Point Light An Interview On A Low Budget

    WW: How To 3-Point Light An Interview On A Low Budget

    Welcome to Whatsit Wednesday – a series that will resource you to do video better, offering hints and tips on how to improve your videocraft. Today, we’re sharing a short video tutorial on how you can successfully light an interview when on a low budget.

    When it comes to storytelling from the heart, Stillmotion believe you can learn more from a well-informed friend than you can from the finest academic institutions. To that end, that is how they approach everything they teach–as colleagues. This is also why we are sharing this great tutorial: though originally posted three years ago (and originally titled How to Light An Interview for $26), the presentation is great and the lighting-hack they suggest is still super usable!

  • WW: 3 Ways to Approach Day to Night Timelapse

    WW: 3 Ways to Approach Day to Night Timelapse

    Welcome to the very first Whatsit Wednesday post for 2016 – a series that will resource you to do video better, offering hints and tips on how to improve your videocraft. Today, we’re sharing a 50-minute tutorial on 3 ways that you can go about approaching a day to night timelapse through manipulating aperture priority, blending in post, and ramping up your exposure/ISO.

    Made by Saskatchewan (Canada) local, Preston Kanak – this filmmaker, educator, and time-lapse photographer, unpacks the time-lapse ‘holy grail.’ Demonstrating that while there is an assumption that the day-to-night lapse is complex, the reality is that they may not be as difficult for you to achieve as they appear.

  • HIMM: 4 Things to Help Get A Cinematic Look on a Budget

    HIMM: 4 Things to Help Get A Cinematic Look on a Budget

    One of the most common questions young filmmakers ask is, “How do I make my film look cinematic?” Usually the answer is “good lighting” – but what if you don’t have access to any?

    Though still in school, it is exciting to hear ideas from host and creator of DSLRguide – Simon Cade. Why? Well, when creating content on a tiny budget, you are forced to consider how to make cinematic visuals a little differently: so when a young guy who spends most of his time filming, editing, or learning about filmmaking takes the time to share some of his experiences on how he has gone about achieving that – it’s something worthwhile considering.

    Cade identifies the following four things as items that will help you make up for bad, or at least less than special lighting: locations and sets, colour, emotion, and senses. It’s by no means a comprehensive list – but it will certainly inspire you to move in the right direction.

    “I’m all about learning the meaning behind the choices we make in films, and using film as a method of communication.” – Simon Cade.

  • Blog: 3 Things to Expect from Us This Year

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    It’s great to back from our January hiatus. The proverbial batteries have been recharged, we’re ready to tackle the 2016 blogosphere – and we’re trying out a new format for our W2BS posts that clearly spells out what you can expect from us throughout the year to come.

    1. Monday’s we will share a How It’s Made Monday post to inspire you with some of the secrets of videocraft.
    2. Wednesday’s will be all about the Whatsit Wednesday posts: a series that will resource you to do video better – offering hints and tips on how to improve your videocraft. And,
    3. Friday’s will further delve into cinematography and videography with Flick Friday posts aimed at motivating you and supercharging your creativity.

    There will also be an array of ad hoc posts that cover all the other fun bits and pieces that the internet tends to offer – as well as the general blog post or two – so the future looks bright for Waiting 2B Scene in 2016.

    It’s wonderful to have you on board!

  • Top 25: Most Horrifying Non-Horror Movies

    I have followed Taste of Cinema for a while now, and one of the fun things they do is bring out lists of films of varying genres and such. Most of the time, I’m happy just to enjoy the list and move on. Today’s list has a certain je ne sais quoi about it though: horrifying films that are not horror? What an idea!

    I won’t spoil it for you – but let me at least tease it out by saying that the list includes the likes of Kubrick! 🙂 So here is today’s share: The 25 Most Horrifying Non-Horror Movies in Cinema History.