ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

9 years, 9 months ago - Rick Antonsson

Very much appreciate the time you've taken to watch and think about it, Gustavo.

It definitely could've done with a bit more development and everything else you say. Unfortunately, due to the nature of the location, and the limited time we had with Monica, the actress, it was a difficult one.

In regards to the editors - two of them were technical 'operators' (ie pressing the buttons) and the other was the creative voice behind it.

Thanks again and you too!

9 years, 9 months ago - Paddy Robinson-Griffin

Hi Rick,

Congratulations on getting it shot and it's great to hear you asking for straight-up critique - many people just want to be stroked when they say they want feedback!

2 things strike me from the first couple of minutes - black and white is often used to try to mask poor lighting/horrible colour - the grade here is so extreme it's hard to see the camerawork itself... and
you seem to have quite a lot of burnt-out shots - that is 'whiter than white', where the sensor cannot cope. If your camera has zebras, this is what they are for. Digital cameras don't like things too light or too dark, but also consumer cameras have a lot of compression meaning you don't have a lot of grading leeway if you shoot everything flat, so it becomes hard to restore contrast! This will come with practice and really working with your cameras to find their limitations

The zooms - they look ok in this heavily graded and stylised context, but be very wary of them for drama, that's when they totally suck. It's not the same as a camera push as the apparent geometry of the scene changes, which is why even with a zoom lens, we generally set a shot up, then any necessary movement is in the camera position. Zooms look like amateur TV news footage, quite often, or crash-reframings on interviews.

Hope you enjoyed the shoot and that some of this is helpful! :-)

9 years, 9 months ago - Rick Antonsson

Definitely missed a trick not overlaying them...

9 years, 9 months ago - gustavo arteaga

Hi.

I liked it. My only "but" is that it lacks development. The sense of journey in the music is not carried through in the image.

At present the camera is for the most part a witness rather than a partner to the dancer. Spending a bit of time together to try out what could work using a choreographed camera/dancer approach could've helped to expand the vocabulary.

In post; Choose just one guy to help you edit or cut the thing yourself. Three editors is just too many voices. Whatever initial overarching concept you had seems to've been watered down in the cutting room.

With this said it is a long track and by no means an easy one. All in all I think you did really well.

All the best on the next venture.

9 years, 9 months ago - Yen Rickeard

For once I don't entirely agree with you Paddy. It seemed to me that bleached out was something that was intrinsic to these shots, though I'd have overlaid more of them, for added confusion and ethereal effect. Went with the music, I felt.

9 years, 9 months ago - Rick Antonsson

Hi Paddy,

Thanks so much for taking the time to watch and reply, I'm very grateful for the advice.

I did actually get two versions of each shot - one very 'bleached' or burnt out as you put it, and one 'normal'. As the song, the place and some of the subtle symbolism is very much steeped in some sort of spiritual or occultist atmosphere (occultist and atmosphere are very rubbish words to use in this context but I cant describe it otherwise) I was experimenting with this shocking white look and i personally think it works great, I'm extremely happy with the outcome in that sense.

I'm glad you pointed out how the zooms don't work in a more straightforward setting, as this is something I've thought about in the past and will avoid - totally agree it looks amateurish in a drama sense and best to avoid. Though when going for something more voyeuristic, it's something that'd work if you were good enough to pull it off...

Thanks again :)

Rick

PS. The only way we can learn is from brutal honesty. Not interested in having my ego stroked, as it makes us become content with ourselves and tricks us into thinking we have no need to improve!