#Best Shots
14 messages in this thread
Hi all,
Talking about video and the art thereof, I would like to suggest a
thread of the "best shots" in video. What I would like you all to
do is post the shots that you think are the most "important" (or
beautiful) and the techniques there in. I will begin.
Tonight, while watching Star Trek: The Next Generation I saw a shot, a
shot that I have seen before, of Kirk, er. Jean-Luc, looking out of
the full- length portal in his captain's cabin.
The thing that makes this hot unique is that they shoot it from the
outside of the ship, and I think that that technique adds imeasurable
feeling to the scene. It really is as if you were there, and looking
in.
Great idea.
Aside from everything Ridley Scott has ever done, there's one shot in
the 1980's remake of DOA that I'll always remember vividly. Here is
how we learn that the doomed protagonist's wife has been having an
affair: she's attending a formal function naming the winner of a
prestigious writing award. The announcer says that Mr. X has won the
award but, tragically and ironically, just yesterday threw himself
from a high place (Dennis Quaid's office). The wife freezes, and the
camera moves slowly around her, gradually picking up speed, around
and around until the room too seems to whirl. Then she faints.
It's the best impression of vertigo, of those moments of shock
immediately following an accident, that I've ever seen.
DOA was good for a couple interesting uses of montage too, like using
the close-up of air bubbling through the canister of a water
dispenser to illustrate the internal agony the fatally poisoned
protagonist feels. Show, don't tell.
Hi John,
This might be a little off subject because it is not realy a single shot,
but I thought it was worth adding.
A few months ago I rented the movie Bram Strokers Dracula. I
became mezmorised by some of the transitions used in this movie
during changes in time or location. Many of thes transition were a
story in themselves. For any of you editors out there who truly want
to be amazed I would rent this movie and watch it from an editors
piont of view.
Regards,
Michael W. Towe
Falcon Video Productions
Santee Ca.
We could start another thread just for transitions… My father's
favorite, from the movie Lawrence of Arabia, is when Lawrence blows
out a match in a office building, and at the moment he blows it out,
they cut to this panoramic desert scene.
Michael, Since I started editing (using Fast VM), every time I see a movie, I
spend as much time watching the effects as the movies. If it's a rental, I
usually have to watch it twice to see the whole movie. Funny part is, now my
wife keeps mentioning certain effects that she like or dislikes. Maybe someone
should make a movie of just effects and transitions.
Lynn
Emerich Video Service
Hi Lynn,
Anouther Fastronaut apears in the DTV forum. If we keep this up we might
just take controll :-)))
>>>Michael, Since I started editing (using Fast VM), every time I see a movie,
I spend as much time watching the effects as the movies. <<<
Don't wory, you are not the only one that does that. There have been times
when I have seen an effect and called the wife down stairs out of a warm bed to
show her this neeto 2 second effect on some movie or comercial. Afetr looking
at me for a minute or so I know what she is thinking. " This gut is a taco
short of a combination plate. :-)))
One advantage of watching for effects or transitions is that it is a good
way to learn the DVE editor of the Video Machine. There are alot of times that
I see somthing on TV and imediatly go to the DVE editor and try to duplicate
it. Belive it or not most of the time it can be done. Unless it is a 3D effect
sine as you know VM DVE's are only 2D. But of course that is all about to
change with direct support of the Pinicale Aladan. :-)))
Regards,
Michael W. Towe
Falcon Video Productions
Santee Ca.
And I thought I was the only one who now can't relax and get entertained by
anything video anymore!
Joe Matyas
Hi Mike & everyone else,
Movie rental fees are surely a write off. I watch a movie a day. I have
DirecTV. Anyway…
My favorite movie for studying lighting, camera movements, composition, and
tasteful use of transition effects is " The Age of Innocence". The work is
some of the finest I have ever seen as far as supporting the plot.
I have found that watching movies on lazer disk is the best tool for
learning. Reasons: Letterbox lets you see the true composition as it was shot,
not cropped. Also, you can very easily go over and over a particular scene
with the twist of a dial. Instant access.
The ultimate learning experience is the lazer disk boxed set of the "Abyss"
by James Cameron. There is one whole disk devoted to production. Strong
recommendation.
Ridley Scott is a definite yes. " Thelma and Louise". " Blade Runner"
"Alien"
"Aliens" was directed by James Cameron.- "T2"
This is excellent subject matter that should be the forefront of our
forums. Some of the most creative people are really not extermely technically
minded. It is the creation that should be our number one focus but, knowing
how to execute your previsualizations is undoubtly important.
Let's get after it The super highway is coming.
joe Fast VM forever
Hi Joe,
>> Some of the most creative people are really not extermely technically
minded. <<
Boy did you ever hit the nail on the head with that one. I think many
people would be suprised at some of the crude hardware used in production. For
example I watched program that showed some of the devices used in TOP GUN. If
you remember some of the shots of the planes and cockpit wrer shaking
violently. This shaking added tention and excitment to the sceen. So how did
they do it???? Well it went somthing like this. Get a peice of plywood and cut
a corcle out of it. Then drill a hole along the edge amd put a heavy bolt
through it and thread on a few bolts. Next dill anouther hole offset about an
inch or so from the center, and use this hole to atach it to your truty old
Black and Decker electric hand drill. Then with a generous amount of gafers
tape atach the drill to the tripod and turn it on. Whala extra added tention to
any sceen for as little as 50 clams, even less if you already own a drill :-))).
Of course I would recomend that you rent a cammera for this shot since I don't
think I would want to shake my cannera around like this. Hmmmmm I hope none of
the remtal houses I use read this :-))))
Regards,
Michael W. Towe
Falcon Video Productions
Santee Ca.
Michael:
>I think many people would be suprised at some of the crude hardware used in
production.<
Just to chuck in my 2-cents–hey, don't knock crude hardware if it works! <g>
After all, look at how far Spielberg's gotten w/folks staring awestruck into
bright lights…
BTW, I used to live in El Cajon. What's your company do? I moved to New York
since I thought the only film/video production taking place in San Diego were
the "Killer Tomato" movies <g>.
Also BTW, do you know John Lambert–he's a cameraman/special effects expert I
used to go to Grossmont College with? I understand he still lives in San Diego
and is working there…
Tim Liebe
Hi Tim,
>> BTW, I used to live in El Cajon. What's your company do? <<
Well what do you know. Someone from the old Cajon Zone :-)))). Most of the
stuff I do is for private individuals. Lots of wedding and some sports stuff. I
am trying to get more into corperate and special interest video as well as
kicking around some leased access stuff.
>>I thought the only film/video production taking place in San Diego were the
"Killer Tomato" movies <g>.<<
Sometimes I think the samething myself :-))) But it is aheck of alot better
than the year I spent in Bellingham WA. trying to do it. You want to talk about
behinde the times……I ran into scores of churches that would not even let a
cammera in the front door. Don't take our pictures your steal our souls
:-)))))
>>Also BTW, do you know John Lambert–he's a cameraman/special effects expert
I used to go to Grossmont College with?<<
Nope sorry the name dosen't ring bell.
Anyway it is nice to meet someone across the country thats from right next
door :-)))) Hope all is going well in the Big Apple 🙂
Regards,
Michael W. Towe
Falcon Video Productions
Santee Ca.
P.S. BTW when did you attened Grossmont ???
Michael:
>Most of the stuff I do is for private individuals. Lots of wedding and some
sports stuff.<
I know what you mean–not too glamorous, but it pays the bills…or can, if you
advertise it right.
>I am trying to get more into corperate and special interest video as well as
kicking around some leased access stuff.<
Good luck w/that! Here in NYC, we used to have a thriving leased access channel
before the cablecos got the city comptroller to shut it down as part of their
relicensing agreement :(! (She's–Liz Holtzman's– *not* comptroller any
more…) Then the govt. decided that leased access *was* part of the cable law
after all, only the cablecos are trying to claim that "lack of interest" (due,
mostly, to their not bothering to *tell* anyone they've got a public access
channel they have to put on) means the law should be amended…
>I ran into scores of churches that would not even let a cammera in the front
door. Don't take our pictures your steal our souls :-)))))<
*Groan!* I came across something similar in the Midwest the time I was out
there…
>Anyway it is nice to meet someone across the country thats from right next
door :-))))<
Yeah, it was a pleasant surprise to me, too! Reminded me of where I'd gone to
high school and college–and lived when I was growing up. I moved to NYC right
after college in 1980–long, sordid tale of being offered a job to help start
up a "wedding movies" (back pre-video) business which fell through, only I
liked it here (at the time, it was a wonderful place to live–now, it's gotten
worse or I've gotten toxic), so I stayed.
Something funny if you know anyone from El Cajon High–the X-FILES episode last
Friday (which was written by two old classmates of mine, BTW) mentioned the
names of lots of old El Cajon High teachers and the Grossmont School district
(even though it was set in New Hampshire!). Offhand, I'd guess you went to El
Capitan like my kid brother did (unless you moved to Santee after high school),
but maybe the names "Howard Roberts" and "Charles Kingery" ring a bell…?
Good to talk w/you, too! Where'd you go to college?
Best,
Tim
Hi Tim,
>> I'd guess you went to El Capitan like my kid brother did (unless you moved
to Santee after high school), but maybe the names "Howard Roberts" and "Charles
Kingery" ring a bell…? <<
Hmmmmmm……those names are not familiar, but if they went to El Cap. then
I probably wouldn't know them. Unless they also went to Lakeside Junior High. I
went to LJH but due to the Grossmont HS distict lines I had to go to Granite
Hills HS while all my friends went to El Cap. I graduated from Granite Hills in
84.
>>Where'd you go to college?<<
Well I went to Cuyamaca College for about a semester and a half, and then I
droped out and went to work in the construction industry here in SD. As a
matter of fact I still work in that industry during the day and do the video
stuff on the off hours at least for now.
>>Something funny if you know anyone from El Cajon High–the X-FILES episode
last Friday (which was written by two old classmates of mine<<
It's funny that you mention that. My wife went to El Cajon HS and it seems
like everytime I turn around there is someone from El Cajon on TV. I don't
remember his name, but there was a guy that was hevely involved in the
production of the TV mini seires THE STAND ( he might have even been the
director ) that went to El Cajon. And just yesterday while watching a Super
Bowl peview shown on ESPN there was a guy by the name of Mark Malone who my
wife informed me also went there. Who would have figured that El Cajon High
would be the hot bed of the nation for TV tallent :-)))
Hope to talk again,
Michael W. Towe
Falcon Video Productions
Santee Ca.
Michael:
>P.S. BTW when did you attened Grossmont ???<
1977 – 1979–I majored in Telecommunications. Don Schuler (sp?) was one of my
teachers–the only one I remember offhand, in fact!
Tim