Double Trouble

Just a quick and basic test of using a matte to get myself on screen twice at once. We'll be using this effect soon in a short comedy about time travel called Bob Time. I feathered the edge of the matte to keep it from being too harsh. I think I can see some blurring along the line of the matte, but it's not too obvious.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

On set photos from filming 60

60-8042, originally uploaded by awardsounds.

Alan took a few photos when we were filming last week. Check them out here.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Magic Lantern extends the Canon 5D's video capabilities

Magic Lantern firmware introduction from Trammell Hudson on Vimeo.

The Canon 5D mk2 already has some very tempting features for film making. Trammel Hudson has written a firmware hack that unlocks some of the audio capabilities and adds useful onscreen guides for framing and metering. More here.

To be honest, if I was film making with a high end SLR I'd probably invest in a good portable sound recording rig unless I was planning to record in some very contained spaces.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Buyacredit.com- fund a film by selling space in the credits

The idea of selling shares in a movie to raise financing for it is not new. Buyacredit.com is the latest variation on the theme. Three teenagers are selling mentions in the end credits for £1/$2 a share with the aim of raising a million to make their movie. The video on the front page looks like a spoof, so I don't know what to make of the rest of the proposal. Let's assume it's genuine and wish them luck.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Recording the voice over for 60

Recording the voice over for 60, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Scarlett and Gabe are Voice 1 and Voice 2 for 60. We have recorded 4 takes and I'll pick and mix the best versions to dub over the live action.

See more Venn production photos at the Venn Flickr set

Getting the film look with digital video

This tutorial is for Adobe After Effects, something I don't have access to at the moment, but I'm sure a lot of it can be reproduced in other programs. Plus, the information on camera settings was really useful.

via 1000 Dollar Film

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Be your own ILM

1000 Dollar film has found a video showing some of the tricks software can pull to improve footage with information from still photos. Wow.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Boom

Boom, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

I bought a monopod for a camera, mounted the microphone on it and used it as my boom mike. After some teething troubles (I unwrapped the cable from arround the metal tube because I'm sure it was causing interference) it worked quite well.

Despite the suspension the mic still picks up the scrapes and squeaks as I shift the boom, and clinks as the cable waves into things, so I'm learning the art of holding it perfectly still for a whole take.

Become a fan of Venn

If you're on Facebook there is now a new way for you to track Venn. Sign up as a fan of the series at this page. Updates and news will be posted there as well as at venn.tv and here.

Technorati tag: Venn, Spinneyhead

Venn.tv

Venn now has a home- www.venn.tv.

Now that that is sorted out I can do some more work on finding funding and rewriting the first two episodes. The first draft of the new versions is a bit naughtier than the previous versions.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Venn - more designs

I'm about to put together a promo booklet for Venn, to send to possible investors, and today I've done a couple of rough designs for the cover.





It also seemes appropriate to redo the relationships diagram as a Venn diagram.



Technorati tag: Venn, Spinneyhead

Bloody Omaha

Three graphic designers, a car full of props, dozens of takes and a lot of ingenuity recreate the landings on Omaha Beach.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Venn - Episode 0

This is the teaser episode for the upcoming series from Spinneyhead Presents. I'm working on a business plan to film at least one episode a month and back them up with workshop and "how to" pieces.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Venn title logo ideas

Venn, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

A few ideas for the Venn title logo that I sketched over Christmas. Episode 0 is going to have a simpler logo.

Filming Venn episode 0

Filming Venn episode 0, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

I've just uploaded a few pictures taken when we were shooting Episode 0 on December 8th.

We're not quite going to get the video out before Christmas. Alan and I are putting the final touches to it at the moment. He's doing the sound and I'm going to clean up the titles and do some colour matching. It should be ready early in the New Year.

Francis Ford Coppola's studio in a van

Before the success of The Godfather sent him off making a string of high profile, big budget films, Coppola had wanted to be an experimental film maker, directing smaller, more personal works. For his latest movie he trimmed his equipment down until it would all fit into a Dodge (Mercedes) Sprinter.

via Jalopnik

Technorati tag: Equipment

Teas are good

We shot footage for Venn episode zero (a teaser/promo for the series proper) on Saturday and I started editing it together yesterday. It's very English, but right now I'm trying to get the "Tea and Sympathy" sequence down to a minute.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead, Venn

A bunch of film-making related links

I've been collecting links for the last week or tow and forgettimng to put them here on the blog so-

Investing in Digital Content I: The Problem with the "Hits" Model and Investing in Digital Content II: When it Actually Does Make Sense. A pair of guides for venture capitalists, via DISContent

Movie making manual on wikibooks.

PVC Fig Rig.

DIY Zeppelin wind shield.

Filmforge, a version of Drupal for video content.

The Manchester Open. Submit proposals for the 2009 and 2011 Manchester International Festivals.

Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking: Practical Techniques for the Guerilla Filmmaker

The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook

Guerilla Film Makers Movie Blueprint

Subscribe to the Spinneyhead podcast

You can now get a RSS feed of Spinneyhead's videos on Revver, so that you don't miss new ones when I add them.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Venn test titles 1

The first of a few rough versions for the title sequence to Venn. It has to be fairly simple because it's going to change every episode so the Venn diagram shows who interacts with who during the episode that follows. Obviously the actor's name will be in the circle as well as the character's.



Arguing with Flash, because I hadn't used it in so long, meant that I only got the one title idea done today. I'll try to get at least one more, and some work on the title, done tomorrow.

Technorati tag: Titles, Venn