tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47593289901398652802024-02-19T02:09:39.640-08:00Filmmaker Cortezof Mitchell Street Pictures -
Writer, Director and EditorVincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-62325588670212860802011-08-19T03:27:00.000-07:002011-08-19T03:27:49.791-07:00Some Insights<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAZErgOAs-tu09j2Jm0g33DYgS4I1MQTSuTtq-JzyKjwO7Js89QS5bGAP0WYKmH8S6imc3qe2s-G_rudgR8lBKMyMMMQeNNuwJeQsYe-pDKZKuy4eVWMpx4sayEHR0JYPtjtZ3VRmgbdx/s1600/VCstandin1_romaerSMALL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDAZErgOAs-tu09j2Jm0g33DYgS4I1MQTSuTtq-JzyKjwO7Js89QS5bGAP0WYKmH8S6imc3qe2s-G_rudgR8lBKMyMMMQeNNuwJeQsYe-pDKZKuy4eVWMpx4sayEHR0JYPtjtZ3VRmgbdx/s320/VCstandin1_romaerSMALL.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Phil Velasquez (awesome makeup FX artist) applies some blood to my hand on the set of "Roamer." I was standing in for Chuck Phelps as "Oz" during some sequences. That's right: I do stunt work too, and I love doing it. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>About midway through our "The Hush" fundraising campaign I came across this article: <a href="http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2011/08/10/brad-bird-hollywood-isnt-brave-enough-to-copy-pixar-process/">HERE</a><br />
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It's an interview with Director Brad Bird (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and more) who will be releasing his first live-action flick the new Mission Impossible film. If you don't want to read the entire article, here is my favorite part - a summary of what Pixar does that everyone is chasing:<br />
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<i>"</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: georgia, times, -webkit-fantasy; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>Everyone in Hollywood says they wish they could do it like Pixar, but they really don’t. There’s no secret at Pixar, but there is a belief in letting people pursue something with passion and take chances, and most of Hollywood, really, doesn’t like that. It’s too scary. Some studio executives will say they love obsessive creators who take risks, but really most of them would rather play it safe. Projects cost a lot of money and people would rather follow patterns they know and make things safe and accessible. Hollywood wants there to be a math formula for making hit films. To make something really great and different and interesting means taking risks and following these ideas in your head."</i> - BRAD BIRD</span><br />
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To sum it up: what is unique about Pixar films (which I love by the way) is that they are made with passion and risk taking embraced - while Hollywood, no matter what they claim, loves to play it safe. It's one of those things where you can either do something that is different and unlike what people are used to (in order to "sell" tickets) or you can focus in on creating a new experience and allowing the strengths of you film to bring in your audience.<br />
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Unfortunately, I feel that even independent film has become cliche'. There are now formulas for films that epitomize "indie" - ingredients that are often just as repetitive as the worst stuff pumped out of the big budget movie making machine. These films now have big money and names involved. What are we to do?<br />
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Just listen to Brad Bird: take a chance and have conviction in doing it in new way. Do not let generalized expectations of genre, movie conventions, and so forth, dictate your work.<br />
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This reinforces my belief in what I've been trying to do as a filmmaker - cater to the story, as it presents itself. Do not shift it just to make it fit into a box that everyone will recognize. People that get it, will really be moved by it (for many reasons - one of which is you did something unique).Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-71496899166440681352011-07-18T16:20:00.000-07:002011-07-18T16:21:43.655-07:00The Hush - DIY Distribution Fundraiser<iframe frameborder="1" height="400px" scrolling="no" src="http://www.indiegogo.com/project/widget/2397?a=8983" width="210px"></iframe><br />
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The Hush is a film. However, to me, it is more than "just a movie." It is an experience. It is a journey. It is three years of my life in 90 minutes. It is close to being another child in many ways. It is hope and lessons learned in life, shown in the context of fictional characters in fictional settings.<br />
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My producer Sofia and I have decided to self distribute our film - the times and the technology have aligned so that it is very possible to do so. With companies whose sole purpose is to create a method for us (indie artists and filmmakers) to reach professional platforms, I say why not. <br />
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With a handful of public screenings in our history, I have had some amazing reactions from people that have seen my film, both artists and moviegoers. This is all the proof I need to know that I have succeeded in creating the experience I desired, but also proof to me that there is an audience for genre bending film.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-6346107393840939172011-05-02T22:57:00.000-07:002011-05-14T04:18:17.803-07:00THE HUSH - Screening and Event<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BeFEqgEyTSwaSMtnUp7Z7K9Qg0_ZOSAihWUi1fyykKFwUG6lDAL0CWqqg6vgLmcBVWD7IqlCYX7_X5KH-4hkDRl38zqM37-X98GVkCePXQON9KsRTIXutEt-iWkSEpEnKwrXgR2Fx1hh/s1600/HUSH_BALpromoADtest1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-BeFEqgEyTSwaSMtnUp7Z7K9Qg0_ZOSAihWUi1fyykKFwUG6lDAL0CWqqg6vgLmcBVWD7IqlCYX7_X5KH-4hkDRl38zqM37-X98GVkCePXQON9KsRTIXutEt-iWkSEpEnKwrXgR2Fx1hh/s400/HUSH_BALpromoADtest1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
"The Hush", will be showing at the <i><b>Historic Bal Theatre</b></i> in <i><b>San Leandro CA</b></i> on <i><b>Saturday night, June 11th 2011</b></i>, followed by an exclusive in depth retrospective about indie filmmaking and tackling high concepts on a low budget. The cast and crew will be in attendance.<br />
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Time and Location:<br />
7PM @ The Historic Bal Theatre <br />
14808 East 14th Street <br />
San Leandro CA 94578<br />
Box Office: 510.614.1224 <br />
info@baltheatre.com<br />
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Tickets: $12<br />
NOTE: Check Facebook Deals for discounted tickets.<br />
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*The retrospective will include a 10 minute behind the scenes video exclusive, as well as a Q&A and discussion with the cast/crew.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="224" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/6005618?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&autoplay=1" width="398"></iframe><br />
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PURCHASE and RESERVE by clicking <a href="http://www.ticketweb.com/t3/sale/SaleEventDetail?dispatch=loadSelectionData&eventId=3584365">HERE.</a><br />
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<span class="style_2" style="line-height: 18px;">The screening event will be followed by a </span><span class="style_3" style="line-height: 18px;">Free After Party/Art Show @ the AMOR ETERNO GALLERY (9PM)</span><span class="style_2" style="line-height: 18px;">, 1227 18th Ave. Oakland, CA 94606</span><br />
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<a href="http://mitchellstreetpictures.com/">MitchellStreetPictures.com</a><br />
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Facebook event page - click <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/event.php?eid=192506584121032">HERE</a>.<br />
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Schedule:<br />
7PM - 8:30PM - film screens (Bal Theatre)<br />
8:30PM - 9PM - retrospective discussion and Q&A (Bal Theatre)<br />
9PM - Midnight - After Party and Art Show Mixer (Amor Eterno Tattoo and Art Space)Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-39922899480799797782011-03-31T00:24:00.000-07:002011-04-02T00:26:13.028-07:00WONDERCON 2011 - Panel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGa8JtSdRfD6JmLdcVF1Mnj1vBxDHHnFCnObDYiIR68_PqI0mtWgayEBO6LsM9ePfWHp7OBbASTBGKRVRXntjlJOYoEhGNzUdSmIx_yvi75cE835JX2WJYRJKUT0bTB6T-829igeaDWSi/s1600/WONDERcon11_CORTEZ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIGa8JtSdRfD6JmLdcVF1Mnj1vBxDHHnFCnObDYiIR68_PqI0mtWgayEBO6LsM9ePfWHp7OBbASTBGKRVRXntjlJOYoEhGNzUdSmIx_yvi75cE835JX2WJYRJKUT0bTB6T-829igeaDWSi/s400/WONDERcon11_CORTEZ.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Greetings,<br />
Just a quick note that I will be on a panel this Sunday (4/3/11) at WonderCon SF. The panel is about indie sci-fi/DIY filmmaking. I will be showing a clip from "Roamer," as well as discussing Sci-Fi filmmaking on the cheap. The panel begins at 2PM in Room 236. <br />
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Click <a href="http://www.comic-con.org/wc/wc11_prog_sun.php">HERE</a> for more info.<br />
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Come and check it out. It will be entertaining, but especially insightful. Stay tuned for more!Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-1148033612218411042011-03-16T00:53:00.000-07:002011-03-16T00:53:50.952-07:00The Hush - opening night of the Oakland Int'l Film FestI am honored and excited that The Hush has been selected to open the OIFF 2011 @ the Grand Lake Theater (the movie theater I grew up in). This is our hometown premier.<br />
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The movie screens after three awesome short films around 9PM on Thurs. April 7th.<br />
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Check here for tickets or more info on the screening lineup:<br />
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http://oiff.org/films.html<br />
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If you are Bay Area, CA local come and check out the film. Much of the cast and crew will be on hand and there will be a Q&A afterward. It will be fun. Support indie filmmakers and a festival with a great purpose.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-3886509796303838612011-02-09T00:10:00.000-08:002011-02-09T00:11:12.231-08:00Roamer - trailer and status update<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/19726555?byline=0&portrait=0" width="400"></iframe><br />
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<i>A distant future where mercenaries protect the borders of civilization from a ravaged, infected outside world: 072 is a tired but tough mercenary who only yearns to be home. When he follows a 'roamer' to his hide out he discovers something that will change his world and the very orders he follows.</i><br />
<br />
- - - - -<br />
<br />
The film is nearly complete (should be ready by Spring '11). I still have to finish the VFX work (3D modeling is a new venture) but so far I am very happy with the film. Enjoy and stay tuned...Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-45754874602826211022010-11-30T21:24:00.000-08:002010-11-30T22:17:07.530-08:00Vincent Cortez - Reel 2 - Steadicam and Music<iframe frameborder="0" height="225" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/17353482?title=0&byline=0" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />
Here is a reel that features Steadicam/Camera Operation as well as some of my work as a soundtrack/music composer. It's funny to make one reel that encompasses both of those skill-sets/jobs but I thought that the visuals and music went well together. Enjoy and contact me if you have any questions.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-24164976116987851152010-10-14T13:15:00.000-07:002010-11-30T22:18:01.087-08:00HomeMade Gear: Light Stand/Accessory Cart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtLEQoqc3QdeZRHiFT2ZDSUU1BsnuqzgbjrCZWWpVVi_-GulTnROVPdwun7ygqeong-YY9eZNt4bM8Y90WsNL3r-EhJdBMD12kW36D6urWNm_6pQB90X3Ch0eg0ackaRWuqfUsBTuQWUo/s1600/lightstandcart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdtLEQoqc3QdeZRHiFT2ZDSUU1BsnuqzgbjrCZWWpVVi_-GulTnROVPdwun7ygqeong-YY9eZNt4bM8Y90WsNL3r-EhJdBMD12kW36D6urWNm_6pQB90X3Ch0eg0ackaRWuqfUsBTuQWUo/s320/lightstandcart.jpg" width="276" /></a></div> <br />
Being organized on a set can help things run smoothly. If equipment is scattered everywhere, especially light stands, you can run into trouble: things can slow down, setups become searches for gear, people can get hurt, location's can get messed up, etc.<br />
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This Cart was built for nothing, but has been very useful in keeping things isolated and organized. My father was getting rid of an old shelf that had been sitting in a backroom for a while. The best thing is that it is made of real wood and it is sturdy. It was the ideal height for my light stands and had enough room to fit plenty; it also has a divider in the middle for other accessories.<br />
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I first modified the shelf by cutting squares at one end of the shelf (if it were sitting vertically) while keeping the support/structure intact. Then, I cut another piece of old shelving (from a pile of scrap wood) to create the middle and bottom brace. A few tough screws and a drill gun, and everything was done. For now, I have placed it on a furniture dolly (which I already own; though they are roughly $10 - $20 depending where you look) to maneuver it around easier.<br />
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The picture above shows four light stands (two bare and two with heads/arms) but it could fit about two more. Across the divider rests gel frames and a few rolls of gels.<br />
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I could still potentially add handles to the sides and even rubber "caster" styled, swivel wheels for off road and rougher terrain.But so far, so good.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-37895571987943816842010-10-13T02:14:00.000-07:002010-11-30T22:18:25.985-08:00The Hush - Soundtrack<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8llQbFWbxqjuL9Y-NKfeuDrTMnWOyB8uIRYZEzlWICAerENKCTuu7c0Gj0PnKdCetPGZS9j4p6s42vwpdZAEilPtpJeAFyjERnQkKWuidF0gt4kI3WKRJzy4TV53rd4wEyfwnAiNZQ-s/s1600/thehushsoundtrack_itunesimage1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij8llQbFWbxqjuL9Y-NKfeuDrTMnWOyB8uIRYZEzlWICAerENKCTuu7c0Gj0PnKdCetPGZS9j4p6s42vwpdZAEilPtpJeAFyjERnQkKWuidF0gt4kI3WKRJzy4TV53rd4wEyfwnAiNZQ-s/s400/thehushsoundtrack_itunesimage1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
So one of the ways I've been attempting to sustain myself as a filmmaker, has to do with some of the other things I do as an artist. Those who have followed The Hush and it's development have probably seen or heard me mention that I scored (composed and recorded) my own original soundtrack.<br />
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The Hush Soundtrack is now for sale on iTunes, Amazon and CDBaby.com! Please feel free to take a listen to the samples, buy a song or two or the album if you dig it, and pass the word along. <br />
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Click <a href="http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/vincentcortez">HERE</a> for a direct link to the CDBaby Artist Page.<br />
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Click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Hush-Soundtrack/dp/B0044LKA5Q/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1286961574&sr=8-2">THIS</a> for an Amazon link.<br />
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Check out our page on the iTunes store <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/vincent-cortez/id394160571">HERE</a>.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-59848673658322720382010-09-10T17:58:00.000-07:002010-09-10T17:58:13.821-07:00ROAMER - teaser poster + update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RwL7hE-8S4a6Dn1tMSAzqEjvZ-76vOzHCmRXnRuPt2IU3PVGWGdrKW8JngWqEzGpA9yoHUEGpsEo_CZ3L4LnpO8gXzQc0ZooPdWA504WE0haY-_Uhc6A947UMfDfYlG6QivgjYNOkoJn/s1600/roamer_posterTEST2_out.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_RwL7hE-8S4a6Dn1tMSAzqEjvZ-76vOzHCmRXnRuPt2IU3PVGWGdrKW8JngWqEzGpA9yoHUEGpsEo_CZ3L4LnpO8gXzQc0ZooPdWA504WE0haY-_Uhc6A947UMfDfYlG6QivgjYNOkoJn/s400/roamer_posterTEST2_out.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
Here is the teaser poster for the sci-fi short film "Roamer". I will be releasing another poster along with the first trailer very soon. The post process has been relatively smooth and the film is shaping up to be a very strong piece. Thanks again to everyone involved. Enjoy and stay tuned as there are more exciting things to come.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-5019358624588454532010-07-27T19:10:00.000-07:002010-07-28T12:06:51.962-07:00The Hush - surround soundFor those who have followed my progress with The Hush, you know or can see that I have pretty much tackled everything post production related with this film myself (in the comfort of my home Mitchell Street Pictures studio).<br />
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From the majority of my VFX needs to ADR and Foley in our home built soundbooth, I have been capable and driven enough to follow through with everything.<br />
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One thing I have been slowly working towards (even though the film was completed the beginning of this year) was doing a surround sound pass on the film itself, which would give some nice viewing/listening options. <br />
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<b>Background:</b><br />
<br />
With the accessibility of great image making tools (and tons of great images) the one thing that really sets indie movies apart now is the sound. Some people record with lavs and boom mics and call it a day when they are done; they gather dialog and various on set sounds in traditionally stereo or mono formats. Not this filmmaker; I treat my sound with as much thought and care as I approach my images.<br />
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Even when I boom my actors I know that certain sounds are best created or recreated in post. If you want to emphasize a certain effect or add something more engaging you will need to do lot's of recording, mixing and re-mixing in post.<br />
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<b>My experience:</b><br />
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I spent loads of time doing research and I've realized that above all other things (you can find tons of info on casting, funding, cameras, FX programs, etc.), surround sound is one of the few "best kept secrets" that major powers still guard really well. I have not seen any real "free" in depth looks, articles and videos about 5.1 surround sound mixing.<br />
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The main thing I walked away from in my quest for knowledge was noting that most "pro" audio mixers say it's 30% technical and 70% creative. Hopefully this is true. <br />
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Soon, I decided that my strategy for this 5.1 mix would be to take the individual tracks (dialog, foley, ambient and music) into Soundtrack Pro to utilize their surround sound panners. Staying organized pays off once again, as does going the extra mile with all of my audio work in terms of original recording. So far things are going well. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkoNCRRq2qNqdxlWGXvsShlxDS-wItuBbnNuVVUqO8cn-QV-F-5QMGD-G0inyXP8F_n3-nxeZqX699aCgH2tc5ud5a_GeuJTKklXc-xO5ZlVdoXQqB-ZL8YQq_tTKbxzyvdITzATHaEuE/s1600/HUSH_ssoundscreengrabA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRkoNCRRq2qNqdxlWGXvsShlxDS-wItuBbnNuVVUqO8cn-QV-F-5QMGD-G0inyXP8F_n3-nxeZqX699aCgH2tc5ud5a_GeuJTKklXc-xO5ZlVdoXQqB-ZL8YQq_tTKbxzyvdITzATHaEuE/s400/HUSH_ssoundscreengrabA.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">initial tests in Soundtrack Pro using my 5.1 setup - image © Vincent Cortez</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>And rather than paying tons of money to a studio/technician, I have decided to build my own 5.1 real-time audio monitoring setup for less than $210 and wear a new hat: 5.1 engineer.<br />
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<b>The ingredients are:</b><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdPhi_-8fpN9Crca3PdH9xBu3CSPIvDuwWZ_53AtKaMX6w_OKjTtNg00gIa1_0fOKCQmuJ02dK6GlZsO-mt1V8oFzdlUV0SlYCF6lyHr0wLnL1P3pT6iSpsK7aCj0VbPqShf8qtMC9ocr/s1600/griffinfirewave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrdPhi_-8fpN9Crca3PdH9xBu3CSPIvDuwWZ_53AtKaMX6w_OKjTtNg00gIa1_0fOKCQmuJ02dK6GlZsO-mt1V8oFzdlUV0SlYCF6lyHr0wLnL1P3pT6iSpsK7aCj0VbPqShf8qtMC9ocr/s320/griffinfirewave.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from: www.123macmini.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Griffin FireWave</b><br />
(a discontinued product that decodes and encodes Dolby Digital and Dolby Prologic)<br />
<b>price</b>: used $25 - $100 (I found mine on eBay)<br />
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<i>* The FireWave can be used on different Mac computers (including my wife's laptop). It is an older product but there is no longer anything like this on the market, or at least something that is bus powered and affordable. </i><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ6dQw9Z0OwoOYJWXPshc09sCbNkWRSXw5KBNUbwLqSJzLy1J493VyWro6E8G5fCOmHB_qa9HnCj8vHMQD7x8gAEZXR_DV7Q0-zB980cmX6K6NYqmXBorjE_qOV1vjfGBrVJpg675kQIk/s1600/LogitechX540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyQ6dQw9Z0OwoOYJWXPshc09sCbNkWRSXw5KBNUbwLqSJzLy1J493VyWro6E8G5fCOmHB_qa9HnCj8vHMQD7x8gAEZXR_DV7Q0-zB980cmX6K6NYqmXBorjE_qOV1vjfGBrVJpg675kQIk/s320/LogitechX540.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image from: www.revolutionpc.net/store</td></tr>
</tbody></table><b>Logitech X540</b><br />
(a very inexpensive but fairly 'decent' system)<br />
<b>price</b>: new $70 - $110<br />
<br />
<i>*There are more expensive Logitech options, but none of them will ever be totally 'true' in terms of sound replication. Read ahead to find out more on how I dealt with this.</i><br />
<br />
<b>Factors:</b><br />
<br />
The Logitech system is a PC and Gaming setup that has a decent response range for the price and it also does not get incredibly loud (though it's loud enough for my editing room). As for accuracy (one major note) I have already mixed sounds on a better system months before .<br />
<br />
My logic has been: if I can't yet afford to buy a Blue Sky Media Desk (5.1 or 7.1 system) I won't spend to much money on the system because it will never be 100% bullet proof and true.<br />
<br />
This Logitech X540 5.1 system will 'color' my sound slightly but I am only using it to monitor placement and general affect.<br />
<br />
I spent months mixing on a really solid and accurate 2.1 Blue Sky system (which again was the best bang for my buck). When I screened The Hush for Cast/Crew/Friends back in December of '09 I had already worked hard to get an accurate mix. And I was not disappointed when I heard it played back through the Dolby system they had in the theater: even though it was in 2.1 the volume, highs and lows on my mix where identical in the theater and at my desktop.<br />
<br />
<b>Conclusion: </b><br />
In order for my film to be taken as seriously as possible I must offer a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix along with my 2.1 mix. It's just the nature of the business side of what we do. Movies with shoot outs and creepy things are just begging for the immersive experience that 5.1 offers: and The Hush has those things to offer.<br />
<br />
For a fairly low amount (when compared to rates of expensive audio houses/mixers and really expensive monitors and breakout boxes), I have developed a very nice 5.1 monitoring station.<br />
<br />
I now have the ability to experiment with my 5.1 mix. I will be testing them on different sized systems to figure out which 'experience' I like best.<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for more!Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-81643395972276998102010-07-01T19:12:00.000-07:002010-07-01T19:21:12.313-07:00The Hush - Videography Magazine article<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wAdeEgbT4KgAVxR0ZNAWPPJo3ZSi0K_GgrGE7FDOOq51VMuL1f1l_QDHyzdkNFqIIAeQADvF1ba6XNupesHC6JUdwoVvw4Y0BQUo_Z6uJMp6fo_NQbxmqQ09vOgw5XYzMAkwi43TN72y/s1600/thehush_videography_snip1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-wAdeEgbT4KgAVxR0ZNAWPPJo3ZSi0K_GgrGE7FDOOq51VMuL1f1l_QDHyzdkNFqIIAeQADvF1ba6XNupesHC6JUdwoVvw4Y0BQUo_Z6uJMp6fo_NQbxmqQ09vOgw5XYzMAkwi43TN72y/s400/thehush_videography_snip1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<i>The Hush</i> is being featured in an article by Videography Magazine. The article (in print) is a summary with a bigger link to an online article I wrote. The article itself is based on the Blackmagic Design write up that was done for the film which studied the usage of an inexpensive capture card to get "priceless" results. However, with this article, I was able to incorporate a little more methodology and back-story while still touching on the technology.<br />
<br />
Check out the article here:<br />
<a href="http://www.videography.com/article/96250">http://www.videography.com/article/96250</a>Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-14409555988058222052010-06-08T23:11:00.000-07:002010-06-08T23:16:17.773-07:00Roamer - progress update 1I've been getting to work on the sci fi short <i>Roamer</i> since getting some time to focus on my personal projects once again. So far, I am very close to a locked cut. There are a few pickup shots needed to get here and there, and some serious VFX testing to get under way. We already started some ADR and foley work. So far so good; I am very pleased with what we have in our hands and I am grateful to all of those who made <i>Roamer</i> a reality. I will be grabbing some still frames for you to check out soon.<br />
<br />
For now, check out some pre-viz work I recently re-encountered. We used these before production began and I figured I'd share them:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBHJLWQ_yXr7k3qkJnif7qfRoA0abJbsOa3VvrJ7CJkKIjZ3Q-OYCrjJQthyphenhyphenOSwF9VuyW-39eLnSoA1_bQkoY_OGzkbo4NhzNxicdb1IcSXEky1UZVyLrJwfY-aMoI4YEcrF83TRiDIj1/s1600/072ref_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicBHJLWQ_yXr7k3qkJnif7qfRoA0abJbsOa3VvrJ7CJkKIjZ3Q-OYCrjJQthyphenhyphenOSwF9VuyW-39eLnSoA1_bQkoY_OGzkbo4NhzNxicdb1IcSXEky1UZVyLrJwfY-aMoI4YEcrF83TRiDIj1/s320/072ref_1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is 072 (Zachary Gossett). A soldier living in his element, hunting and tracking; yearning for the day when he can return home.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HckhBxRWSuYkNiB5fr1EhTkvuBEEo6HAN3WRi-vZrHV9rNnLhFEY3oPqV-owa4Yzhm9A43Cz_IQxaMgTdoxcGA8SULYvbC_QsO0XhQfh_rwRNXqoEkmYFi0LQVyVfWUw8a6JbWslnCmD/s1600/Oz_previzstill_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9HckhBxRWSuYkNiB5fr1EhTkvuBEEo6HAN3WRi-vZrHV9rNnLhFEY3oPqV-owa4Yzhm9A43Cz_IQxaMgTdoxcGA8SULYvbC_QsO0XhQfh_rwRNXqoEkmYFi0LQVyVfWUw8a6JbWslnCmD/s320/Oz_previzstill_1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is Oz (Chuck Phelps). An infected, 'roaming' person with secrets to protect and little time remaining.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3Cy-yFZErSK8Xbia-qtI649l9YRpcdtAxBgCm-WasZ4-V5yczBFPpJcx1Dzi61WERR9P7P13e7ivMqbTRBRYjnRCfRq4JK7eyI4tFs3ChQ7X9gscn2mH_LeSETSgoopkdFvMJx3k1kaU/s1600/Drone_POV_test1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB3Cy-yFZErSK8Xbia-qtI649l9YRpcdtAxBgCm-WasZ4-V5yczBFPpJcx1Dzi61WERR9P7P13e7ivMqbTRBRYjnRCfRq4JK7eyI4tFs3ChQ7X9gscn2mH_LeSETSgoopkdFvMJx3k1kaU/s320/Drone_POV_test1.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">This is a test of a perspective from our Drone (a hunting machine). There will be more composite and motion graphics work done to the perspective: a militaristic HUD. I can't show you the Drone itself yet, but it was built in 3D space by Mark Jeschke at OogaMedia and it is very menacing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmd0ER660OoPCWtAs0Fh0zZfMkAOp5CWmycLXIpIdOpkhJYCbs3YQBgFq0xxCDhekF8LeX6X5fuXr3MsoCt_-gxI5P-5oCOC3p6VbgFZPBT06bh1H6ueG7ZT7NRaOcEUVXFG-dAZ870Nl/s1600/roamer_VFXboards002_ALT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmd0ER660OoPCWtAs0Fh0zZfMkAOp5CWmycLXIpIdOpkhJYCbs3YQBgFq0xxCDhekF8LeX6X5fuXr3MsoCt_-gxI5P-5oCOC3p6VbgFZPBT06bh1H6ueG7ZT7NRaOcEUVXFG-dAZ870Nl/s400/roamer_VFXboards002_ALT.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Here are some storyboards as given life by Aaron Jasper (illustrator and writer). What's funny is that these are almost identical to the shots I used in editing (without even referencing my boards) even though we shot two cameras and got tons of coverage. All the shots were usable and great, but I guess internally I know and feel what I need to see next and it doesn't change.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
There's plenty more to come so stay tuned...</div>Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-37341733783163929232010-05-11T12:25:00.000-07:002010-05-11T12:26:34.023-07:00Foley Work - Gary HeckerI've been slowly putting together loads of things for The Hush special features. A big part of the post process for us, was the foley and sound designing stages. They were fun and challenging; and there was always a need for time and patience. Layers must be built one at a time and then combined or filtered to get the right final sound.<br />
<br />
In the meantime, while I put our The Hush version together, check out this video about Gary Hecker by Michael Coleman. Besides being insightful, it gives you a look into something that most movie goers take for granted, but this something brings the world movies take place in to life. Hecker is a seasoned professional who's worked on numerous high budget films, but it is an art form which he enjoys very much.<br />
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<br />
The funny thing is, when we did our foley passes on The Hush, we approached it in the same fashion (we had the same mindset and ideas for organizing ourselves and the executing the process). It seemed to come almost naturally. Granted our space was not as big, our equipment not as high-end and we don't nearly have as large a collection of sound making objects, we did spend the time and expelled our creativity in building our world with sound.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-16750119196728233412010-05-08T19:44:00.000-07:002010-05-15T13:37:44.889-07:00HomeMade Gear: The Cortez SoftKick I was actually tweaking with a really old small light housing and harness for a few years now; the light itself seemed to be a 100W flood light that was for news studio production. For the longest time I could not get <i>"News Light"</i> to work properly. When we finally sliced and diced its power supply and got it up and running, we realized three things: <b>(1)</b> The light itself needed to be plugged in to some type of power grid, that (A) I wasn't willing to buy and (B) why the hell would I buy it. <b>(2)</b> The lamp is this thin 100W lamp that is not even made anymore nor is there a manufactured equivalent. <b>(3)</b> The only thing of real value in the <i>"News Light"</i> was the light housing assembly itself (shape of the housing, the reflective - textured aluminum inner housing, bracket for mounting to stands).<br />
<br />
Fast forward a few years later, and here I am looking to add another light that I can have some decent control over to my collection. On a few projects recently I have been using standard <i>clamp on lighting</i> (can be found at Home Depot; uses standard screw-in bulbs of varying wattage) to add variation or 'kick' here or there on an object or person. I won't go into to much technical detail because I think Scott explains it really well <a href="http://filmflap.blogspot.com/2010/04/clamp-lighting.html" style="color: #3d85c6;">HERE</a>. <br />
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Store bought CLAMP ON LIGHT (socket, clamp and housing) reference:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3LsF0J-bInYwO87d_4qipbS6FhxxfmP8cQmxJA2YThwlzGW-_CvEX4ZTmTNGrNYPVDZMjq5oN9sPw2dPG-wuJEdUcBrYr5QlmUqAExPF1pXYsuAYGvt17EtOPttMWYlU8tebvXf9DPUa/s1600/1-14-clamp+light.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi3LsF0J-bInYwO87d_4qipbS6FhxxfmP8cQmxJA2YThwlzGW-_CvEX4ZTmTNGrNYPVDZMjq5oN9sPw2dPG-wuJEdUcBrYr5QlmUqAExPF1pXYsuAYGvt17EtOPttMWYlU8tebvXf9DPUa/s320/1-14-clamp+light.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The lights themselves are handy. But the drawbacks for me have been: the inner reflector, I feel is very harsh and the clamp mount assembly can occasionally be annoying and flimsy.<br />
<br />
I basically took apart the clamp housing and reflector, took the bare socket and cable, did some very minor drilling and cutting on the <i>New Light</i> housing, then transferred the clamp-on harness and secured it into the <i>News Light</i> housing.<br />
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NEWS LIGHT HOUSING with high rated internal socket and cable from the CLAMP LIGHT referenced above: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6J71kPfJFq6MZCP-MMyhzWGvuDXpIlAPyBqhNhbpOskuRw_0zqrUj-rVBRFjmpQGTGKQ_WFbEt79oiRcRmqTDQ4WrULQa3EbMGGThWcJdlmBDhj7L2tlqtU5GWBg8GUE1zacJnoDuESD/s1600/CortezSoftKick_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA6J71kPfJFq6MZCP-MMyhzWGvuDXpIlAPyBqhNhbpOskuRw_0zqrUj-rVBRFjmpQGTGKQ_WFbEt79oiRcRmqTDQ4WrULQa3EbMGGThWcJdlmBDhj7L2tlqtU5GWBg8GUE1zacJnoDuESD/s400/CortezSoftKick_b.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hHe7gMvbONpE9TtKxqL9l6N2RgfKMBLL7gfHddfN8mRADSyHBL7K19Yyi0ozvGpACD1hTXl_QuoVHxcaouxORJAnWJQovxl64l__j6RFEPY6VLTk2sW2T3kYqd17RbkNISZ5bpSIMkK-/s1600/CortezSoftKick_a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hHe7gMvbONpE9TtKxqL9l6N2RgfKMBLL7gfHddfN8mRADSyHBL7K19Yyi0ozvGpACD1hTXl_QuoVHxcaouxORJAnWJQovxl64l__j6RFEPY6VLTk2sW2T3kYqd17RbkNISZ5bpSIMkK-/s400/CortezSoftKick_a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I put in a Reveal 60W G&E bulb (fairly inexpensive with a 'cooler' color temperature) and I am very happy with the results. The aluminum textured inner coating creates a softened yet even light. It is perfect for a slightly off camera rim light or kicker and it can mount to my light stands and adjusts easily. It is secured and functions like I hoped; I'll use it in whatever I work on next. Stay tuned!<br />
<br />
UPDATE:<br />
I've been using the 60W CFL light bulbs with a 5.5K color temperature and it works great as rim light and even a soft fill light.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-13192100515850218102010-05-03T00:00:00.000-07:002010-08-28T00:53:34.389-07:00The Hush - Official Poster<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNhwqDFNM5WcLR0YH1Y4FdniLliBzeOf_n8y992ZseKKvGgI94h3YIieReBE00dQ3mysLr0WpmOZzoJxgUV20fndm41i4hLbY87OQvySsaxUBWeN6yCjVP8l-sMVdFihVfZyaDQFW-d0F/s1600/HushPoster2ALT_vCsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioNhwqDFNM5WcLR0YH1Y4FdniLliBzeOf_n8y992ZseKKvGgI94h3YIieReBE00dQ3mysLr0WpmOZzoJxgUV20fndm41i4hLbY87OQvySsaxUBWeN6yCjVP8l-sMVdFihVfZyaDQFW-d0F/s400/HushPoster2ALT_vCsmall.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br />
Here is the final design for "The Hush" movie poster. As much as I enjoy the <a href="http://filmmaker-cortez.blogspot.com/2009/11/hush-poster-design.html" style="color: red;">teaser poster</a>, I wanted a solid and conventional movie poster that conveyed the atmosphere of the film, yet maintained the graphic novel feel of the teaser. Enjoy.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-52117785856131566202010-03-15T14:00:00.000-07:002010-03-18T13:33:20.019-07:00Roamer - halfway through shooting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3B9AORVrnSAWGOhC7idrXOhkitD-jgdH_FEPATSuAkYtTd2xRH-O_z44NoZEx1zIIUaRKjg9QS7zxoDp6v45nyMZMNgL2LE1hMV0wVcyCGwMaZe3hkEHMPebuYAZ-kPgDbt5TW2WlGE85/s1600-h/VC_directing1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3B9AORVrnSAWGOhC7idrXOhkitD-jgdH_FEPATSuAkYtTd2xRH-O_z44NoZEx1zIIUaRKjg9QS7zxoDp6v45nyMZMNgL2LE1hMV0wVcyCGwMaZe3hkEHMPebuYAZ-kPgDbt5TW2WlGE85/s320/VC_directing1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <i>Vincent Cortez working with Chuck Phelps and Zachary Gossett</i></div><br />
I am happy to say that we finished about 60% of the filming for the project. <br />
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We ended up focusing on shooting all of the INT. scenes our first weekend of production. The shoot went well, though I was a little over zealous with the scheduling. So we will finish off the rest of the film in two coming shoot days.<br />
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I am working with a really solid team of people and I want to make sure that we give everything it's due time. From our cast to our sound team, through FX and Camera/Lighting, everyone brought so much creativity and energy to the project. I thank them for their commitment and time.<br />
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Here is some behind the scenes imagery from the film. Thanks to Jesse Dana (Director of Photography), Anthony Lucero (2nd Camera Op) and Phil Velasquez (Special FX Designer and Artist) for taking the photos.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFjDBqs8M07ZAXR8hZY0wOUru_pYwpcH-u8XTFwqaNENr9GCtaq5GXyp7ETJDjNvnSwkLCFO5Dfay1xXxKj1aexzKBVbLoxSxBy08cj9b2jIBmP60lGTDqlCTfwDCuDN5GFjTdrPlDvDf/s1600-h/072_profile1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFjDBqs8M07ZAXR8hZY0wOUru_pYwpcH-u8XTFwqaNENr9GCtaq5GXyp7ETJDjNvnSwkLCFO5Dfay1xXxKj1aexzKBVbLoxSxBy08cj9b2jIBmP60lGTDqlCTfwDCuDN5GFjTdrPlDvDf/s320/072_profile1.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Zachary Gossett is Soldier 072</i>. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qqtjYzFYxkhEnGCSv53-HYuJDpYVGSz9c0YJWkQJdBTYYBCYSAoXDfSGdL3dZbDH3-mG4D-kMHak1XY6XXkZKBWAN3etdZq-89mv_TSHweGeL1Mxh8lrxrdYtLcq74MqFWGSSE3wGzK0/s1600-h/Oz_profile1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6qqtjYzFYxkhEnGCSv53-HYuJDpYVGSz9c0YJWkQJdBTYYBCYSAoXDfSGdL3dZbDH3-mG4D-kMHak1XY6XXkZKBWAN3etdZq-89mv_TSHweGeL1Mxh8lrxrdYtLcq74MqFWGSSE3wGzK0/s320/Oz_profile1.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Chuck Phelps is Oz (with FX Makeup by Phil Velasquez).</i></div><br />
Stay tuned as there will be plenty to come.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-87272894395184756672010-02-18T01:23:00.000-08:002010-02-18T01:24:58.424-08:00Sci Fi Short: Roamer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6myNfU6zMmyydX5Tp7yHPUK9TzD596L_C0lR5TUb-GjdVqEB5xdN0Q5HApbqK4BBglA4s1qrZDb_vkr6kUa_OEsYDUCNFHRLDJUjs_n8MyM5orOO5L387qlMf8KtMAZlZwz6Xb-atKJvW/s1600-h/roamer_072_teaser1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6myNfU6zMmyydX5Tp7yHPUK9TzD596L_C0lR5TUb-GjdVqEB5xdN0Q5HApbqK4BBglA4s1qrZDb_vkr6kUa_OEsYDUCNFHRLDJUjs_n8MyM5orOO5L387qlMf8KtMAZlZwz6Xb-atKJvW/s320/roamer_072_teaser1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Zachary Gossett and Chuck Phelps star in <i>Roamer</i>, a futuristic tale about survival and humanity. </div><br />
Some time has passed since I took the full helm of a film project (the Hush was shot in the summer of '08) and while I was a co-Director on one film, a producer/DP on another and a writer/producer/2nd Unit Director on one more film, it feels good to be back in the driver's seat.<br />
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We've been hard at work putting this film together. I am working with some very talented and familiar people. We've spent loads of time crafting and designing the world and are very close to shooting. Stay tuned as there is much more to come!Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-7811966917297762862010-02-09T10:27:00.000-08:002010-03-18T13:35:05.957-07:00Featured in Black Magic Design's website<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LyC-7x5QgdwgR2uGjeP1PyE9I7FMNnSnEbkr9il-lANZT7XTZ5NBLyU9Wkc81UxrLWXQh7iN8bkKqMzfgsp2Q8QJ68K8JzGurUVlBFoTYtGJljxsChptBYU_fv61M7NhDMr2GVUF6EwH/s1600-h/hushBMD_casestudyscreengrab1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1LyC-7x5QgdwgR2uGjeP1PyE9I7FMNnSnEbkr9il-lANZT7XTZ5NBLyU9Wkc81UxrLWXQh7iN8bkKqMzfgsp2Q8QJ68K8JzGurUVlBFoTYtGJljxsChptBYU_fv61M7NhDMr2GVUF6EwH/s320/hushBMD_casestudyscreengrab1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The Hush and I have been featured in a case study online at the Black Magic Design 'User Story' section. They had a lot of great things to say and I am honored by their interest; thanks to Black Magic Design for making this possible. You can check it out here: <a href="http://blackmagic-design.com/userstories/detail.asp?story=hush">CLICK</a>.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-49088466120366074852010-01-26T20:30:00.000-08:002010-03-18T13:35:50.308-07:00Location Scouting for a new Sci Fi short<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6O_Bu9Ackf3oiVvwR8dPOilrHo08YErCBDcvxDIqDQlftpYbFzy4TM4EZElzDBv46Gtg4TKl4ZT8MSODof6t_ZUHkKSzMmAEa6H5HIQwqDyt96PzQBonvsRHsZmyujsJOXK2jB7ul4QAX/s1600-h/JAN10locationscouting1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6O_Bu9Ackf3oiVvwR8dPOilrHo08YErCBDcvxDIqDQlftpYbFzy4TM4EZElzDBv46Gtg4TKl4ZT8MSODof6t_ZUHkKSzMmAEa6H5HIQwqDyt96PzQBonvsRHsZmyujsJOXK2jB7ul4QAX/s320/JAN10locationscouting1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I spent a large portion of the day with Zachary (the 'Hush') Gossett doing some location scouting for a short we are working on. We were in my 'backyard' doing some exploration for a story about a futuristic soldier who patrols the borders of an infected shantytown.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHTlY7f7A2GRdjFnACRQO6B1j48KwoN4gTeK5udoIoScNoabr6CKMnGaeaI1f-I4O0XK1ZBWK5D3RfgIWTRLBNXlrL5UomWUJTNCH4OCzwUcnOeijKthyphenhypheng1wkuknjSHSbbqL-QuOZZElO/s1600-h/JAN10locationscouting2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNHTlY7f7A2GRdjFnACRQO6B1j48KwoN4gTeK5udoIoScNoabr6CKMnGaeaI1f-I4O0XK1ZBWK5D3RfgIWTRLBNXlrL5UomWUJTNCH4OCzwUcnOeijKthyphenhypheng1wkuknjSHSbbqL-QuOZZElO/s320/JAN10locationscouting2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">If everything goes well, we'll be in for quite the adventurous shoot, braving the elements an tackling a very interesting story. Stay tuned...</div>Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-83936648004923823392010-01-11T18:22:00.000-08:002010-03-18T13:37:57.582-07:00Declaration of SovereigntySOVEREIGN - autonomous: not controlled by outside forces; "an autonomous judiciary"; "a sovereign state" - <i>from</i> wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn<br />
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Today I officially declare myself publicly, though it's taken shape for a while, as a sovereign filmmaker. Major film powers seek certain things: big names (from actors to producers), familiar people (many of the same "in" crowd), marketability and money. I need none of those things to tell entertaining and intellectual stories for an audience of people. As the film world changes we've gone from exclusivity as one system (Hollywood) to adding Independent film, and now I feel a third division of filmmaking coming in to existence. It is not exactly free media but it is more independent than independent film.<br />
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</div>In an environment where major festivals are now only concerned with what films attract and draw in audiences to their 'products' and not the art of filmmaking. We are currently in a world where many independent film festivals claim to seek new voices and visions, only to seek out a specific voice (a friendly and trendy one) that caters to certain demographics. Their claims are false. Independent film has changed with the onset of digital technology: big names are able to step away from their day jobs and for 1/2 million dollars they are able to make an 'independent' film (assuming we use the textbook definition as a movie without major studio backing). The money is still coming from the same place, and their names are bound to draw attention.<br />
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Some people who doubt have said "it can't be..." but when you really step back, you can see it. Even if a movie with no names and no real large budget can stand toe-to-toe, pound-for-pound with some big time "independent" film in terms of story, acting, editing, sound etc. that does not mean it will be programmed or received in the same way. Even the old: "if it was really that amazing then people would see it" OR "they would have to program it" are FALSE. If it doesn't meet their criteria of 'indie' film they won't go for it.<br />
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I have been making films and storytelling since my youth and I have never needed any aide from any outside entity. As I developed as a filmmaker I both learned to create my own voice but I also learned the skills and craft to create my own piece from conceiving to mastering (and I mean almost everything: just check out the Hush's credits). The Hush itself was made with the contributions of many "no-named" talents who I feel really excelled in their craft; they were driven by creativity and a passion for their art not the draw or market to sell a product. We never once felt the need to change what we do in order to cater to anyone. The money spent came directly from my pocket to make sure that the essentials were there. The most inspiring part of it all was that our creativity was never hindered by our lack of resources, budget or star power, even when making an epic supernatural film noir. I have my own studio and resources that I have either built or collected to be a self sufficient film entity. My films and stories can be told with or without any other entities influence and resources.<br />
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The field to catch an audience (in a festival and industry sense), is not even. For as many bad films that get their shot in the limelight, there are many more that are exceptional that never get to see the light of day. Thankfully enough the internet and it's media capabilities are in their infancy, and things are shifting for better or worse.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3ly3TyFuYJz4QpRw_Ktr79HGXAniDt7m8L48_9A7LsLFW-Dww4F8mAeZs0r3YbMtmuhoXsNN-P6bp6LsYJYJVTfth9wNh-nzo29QGTdk41D4Zyv2944PERtLXyvntFi5YrS1ELSN3iC9/s1600-h/sovereignfilmmaker1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe3ly3TyFuYJz4QpRw_Ktr79HGXAniDt7m8L48_9A7LsLFW-Dww4F8mAeZs0r3YbMtmuhoXsNN-P6bp6LsYJYJVTfth9wNh-nzo29QGTdk41D4Zyv2944PERtLXyvntFi5YrS1ELSN3iC9/s320/sovereignfilmmaker1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I am a sovereign filmmaker because I can function autonomously within a system that is around and outside of my existence and not rely, be influenced or have to report to that system. Anyone who relies on certain elements of that outside force are 'independent'.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Stay tuned for updates and don't be afraid to stop being a dependently independent filmmaker.</div>Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-52339827202580720132010-01-04T15:21:00.000-08:002010-03-18T13:36:51.709-07:00The Hush - LA Reel Film Festival<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqMh1IaNs01zJ8sthwy3ptZZJP7Tvgef808qMl7VUecGE1WMB3_mmxKQjIUFz4Vtvp_tjHtuClon1kl6bxGJOuUvZ82EXzofS61fgdhF5Hz3I31fp3qHeB7raMVp98ENk5PSj67JyfuH4/s1600-h/narfeatHM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYqMh1IaNs01zJ8sthwy3ptZZJP7Tvgef808qMl7VUecGE1WMB3_mmxKQjIUFz4Vtvp_tjHtuClon1kl6bxGJOuUvZ82EXzofS61fgdhF5Hz3I31fp3qHeB7raMVp98ENk5PSj67JyfuH4/s200/narfeatHM.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The Hush was able to participate in a virtual festival. I was not entirely familiar with a virtual fest outside of the concept that the films are viewed by judges in a venue that is more geared towards awarding and recognizing achievements rather than public viewing.<br />
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Now as much as I am looking forward to an official public premier (this fest technically maintains that world premier status), it was great to get recognition for all of the cast and crews hard work.<br />
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The Hush received an "Honorable Mention" award in competition which is nice considering our budget was probably a very microscopic fraction of what our competition had. It feels good to have industry people acknowledge our hard work. Stay tuned...Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-17994885966222242162009-12-16T11:53:00.000-08:002009-12-16T11:53:56.557-08:00Introduction to "Making The Hush"This video was presented to the audience that made it out to the Hush's private screening. It was just an introduction to what will be a larger look at the making of a high concept, suspense film on a very low budget. This introduction focuses mainly on the mindset and approach to tackling pre through post.<br />
Enjoy and let me know if you have any questions/comments.<br />
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<object height="300" width="400"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8223103&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1" /><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=8223103&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=0&show_portrait=0&color=00adef&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="300"></embed></object>Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-77073541780968421042009-12-13T16:45:00.000-08:002010-03-18T13:37:26.442-07:00The Hush - First Private ScreeningThanks to those who came out to the Hush's big night. We had a great turnout of artist, family and friends coming to view the completed film. After nearly a year of post-production, I was able to share the film and all of our hard work with the people who made the movie a reality, people who gave me a piece of their lives.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16gC32eLmW9hselEbG1RlabDSU8IxeBY-2q4RS14W72_TWdi-sgRkuVHTo5IVIAr703BSxYQqji3W6a_AmU8nzaR_nB53IWs6SIpI5HARRRHZ7iNX6-2SFXp8KF3pV2MUOpRsiQ1ZSOf_/s1600-h/Hushscreening1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg16gC32eLmW9hselEbG1RlabDSU8IxeBY-2q4RS14W72_TWdi-sgRkuVHTo5IVIAr703BSxYQqji3W6a_AmU8nzaR_nB53IWs6SIpI5HARRRHZ7iNX6-2SFXp8KF3pV2MUOpRsiQ1ZSOf_/s400/Hushscreening1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Dwayne Soriano (Co Producer) awaiting the start of our private screening at the Ninth Street Independent Film Center in San Francisco, CA. </i></div><br />
I've received some great feedback and encouragement from many people and it felt like the audience was really captivated by the tone, atmosphere but especially the characters and the story. I was able to stand in the back and watch people react to the film.<br />
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I am also realizing that the old system of "make a movie" and going to a festival is not quite what it used to be. Some festivals seem to be looking only for A list talent and names as well as big budget pictures. If they aren't programming big names or money, they are programming drama comedies, coming of age stories or very marketable flavors of the month.<br />
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What I enjoy most about the Hush is that it cannot be categorized. It has many elements but it does not fall into the conventions or bins that genre films do. The film is a character piece about one man's difficult journey. It is meant to evoke emotion and engage the audience (make people think), not spoon feed people plot points or thrill them with cheap scares.<br />
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Last night was a test to see if people would feel the movie, if it would move and make them think. Now I can say that it passed; my work to this point has paid off.<br />
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Special thanks to all the fantastic people who lent a hand in putting on the event.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4759328990139865280.post-64219677841362772162009-12-04T00:53:00.000-08:002009-12-14T17:44:38.569-08:00Me and the Little-Camera-That-Could<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoZSPTVcJdgg0H33W5IdoQ4FM_KHkt58wdRGv3ynw1ndoJARaEdbzbZ-QixheldpESZIzHCc5vdIcbBepbzNQpNYa6yQ20RBgLd_nZLH6kDgQ1XDiIiA4yXBGyQAfyf5-yzEqk6VA99Ka/s1600-h/VCandHV20_5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoZSPTVcJdgg0H33W5IdoQ4FM_KHkt58wdRGv3ynw1ndoJARaEdbzbZ-QixheldpESZIzHCc5vdIcbBepbzNQpNYa6yQ20RBgLd_nZLH6kDgQ1XDiIiA4yXBGyQAfyf5-yzEqk6VA99Ka/s320/VCandHV20_5.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Say hello to my little friend... the Canon HV20. </i><br />
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To date, this camera has shot 3 short films (soon to be 4), two feature length films, one music video and at least 20+ hours of family occasions (including the first five or so minutes of my daughter's life). This camera has earned a spot in a bullet proof housing which will rest in my office like a retired fighter plane in an air museum.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VMP3YwpS83KfthyDbT1vUhgdfbNcsx-CXrQkyomMkhALOJpaP38XcjSQxzIF4TF6lEDudl5FmBL0pY66w47bi2NVAhqMZkSmBpaDnGrCXq7t9tAfy-gKx3-DMRUHeNVHiqfSqqFWk0Tu/s1600-h/Canon_HV20_vanity_450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2VMP3YwpS83KfthyDbT1vUhgdfbNcsx-CXrQkyomMkhALOJpaP38XcjSQxzIF4TF6lEDudl5FmBL0pY66w47bi2NVAhqMZkSmBpaDnGrCXq7t9tAfy-gKx3-DMRUHeNVHiqfSqqFWk0Tu/s320/Canon_HV20_vanity_450.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>A bare bones Canon HV20. Image from CamcorderInfo.com</i><br />
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The Canon HV20 was released in 2007, I purchased one not long after it launched because some investigating sparked excitement in my "gear" head. When brand new it cost around 1,000 bucks in Kit form (wide angle adapter, extra battery and bag). It shot to tape (which compresses and loses quality) when the market for HDV was emerging. But even shooting to tape, the results where promising at that time: the camera was not very "noisey" if you played with the electronic controls/settings. I would use it to shoot one short film, both as a filmmaking exercise and camera test. I was already thinking about tackling a feature and if this camera gave me something I hoped for, she would be the lucky one.<br />
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As it turns out, I was quite happy with the results this little champ mustered out. A 1/2 inch CMOS and 24P shooting (3:2 removal required) were great attributes. As time progressed I learned more tricks to gain some more control over the image (eg. the "block-to-wide-open" trick to get a 1/48ths Shutter in Cine Gamma mode).<br />
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I already liked the performance of the bare camera, but I would soon add accessories and rails while maintaining mobility and speed. It allowed me two shoot in a familiar style. The real magic happened in two ways:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJORc82TB6vP_69uTnDsctiyQOFd60CZo9l4U79bj9NrtWuex_PKcrZ0Iz1xa4MM7ztM_cBu8vp35q7GZDTfgxy6Qp7ZLLT_nm3i4-c1UgIRKx6VsL6n4hOwY8c7YJkWPvXvLLFtEwSLH/s1600-h/letus-mini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJORc82TB6vP_69uTnDsctiyQOFd60CZo9l4U79bj9NrtWuex_PKcrZ0Iz1xa4MM7ztM_cBu8vp35q7GZDTfgxy6Qp7ZLLT_nm3i4-c1UgIRKx6VsL6n4hOwY8c7YJkWPvXvLLFtEwSLH/s320/letus-mini.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> The Letus Mini 35 minus lens of your choice. Image from LetusDirect.com</i><br />
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<b>1.)</b> The Letus Mini 35mm lens adapter would give me the Depth-of-Field I had been searching for; something that I had long yearned to have in video since my earliest adventures in movie-making. When I was 8 years old my Uncle Raul gave me a really cool camera body (which I still have) that I could hook up to a VCR to record it's video signal. The coolest thing was that this camera had a really sweet lens that had macro functions and some manual focus control. So now, I would have an HD image and some filmic depth of field. The next step would be finding good deals on great lenses.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dYISwlD3DFo-VJUV14ubpjA4g_TBEAVx_nyCrEfNOOsAYPuHwMvIm0J46WBU2M6ZJwJDXCcFbZj25o0p7fHbzXqjxFN1FfuxIGYKrVua9XNe5dyDhf-eC_FAoVqqdlICTzHInVWMipGz/s1600-h/VeronicaLucrezia1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-dYISwlD3DFo-VJUV14ubpjA4g_TBEAVx_nyCrEfNOOsAYPuHwMvIm0J46WBU2M6ZJwJDXCcFbZj25o0p7fHbzXqjxFN1FfuxIGYKrVua9XNe5dyDhf-eC_FAoVqqdlICTzHInVWMipGz/s400/VeronicaLucrezia1.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Screengrab from an initial lens adaptor shooting test. Image by VC.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75aEyJQisTkTqkCl5CXCLKsbuXNFuDBxoykyZzT7dF0k9pDy3nAhBBwON1goa1TX2Y5TqaFP4pz7ohHA1eTjSL3N9-O6TpIeETALcYVTjNO4XwI-N65jO6zw39Go1i2Suy7n0alVsOmGV/s1600-h/02_blackmagic_intensity.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj75aEyJQisTkTqkCl5CXCLKsbuXNFuDBxoykyZzT7dF0k9pDy3nAhBBwON1goa1TX2Y5TqaFP4pz7ohHA1eTjSL3N9-O6TpIeETALcYVTjNO4XwI-N65jO6zw39Go1i2Suy7n0alVsOmGV/s320/02_blackmagic_intensity.jpg" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Intensity Pro minus a tower & connected HDMI cable. Image from BlackMagic-Design.com </i><br />
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<b>2.)</b> The Black Magic Intensity Pro capture card which allowed for HDMI direct capture directly onto your computers hard drive. It would send out an uncompressed HD signal that I could capture with plenty of visual slack to tweek color and decrease digital artifacts.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOkjsyUqHDJCRGrvSPY4FSTGvQG0fdfkHza2mTYzUmrtd5XBj-ek2gngvxwOcRG11SCrccaQzw8FB5jU4p7YO_hljMKSuFsbG_bZ9BhDV27eOuVkkvvZ9SS9CFsGF3n5iIYawj3xuRo8K/s1600-h/VCandHV20_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAOkjsyUqHDJCRGrvSPY4FSTGvQG0fdfkHza2mTYzUmrtd5XBj-ek2gngvxwOcRG11SCrccaQzw8FB5jU4p7YO_hljMKSuFsbG_bZ9BhDV27eOuVkkvvZ9SS9CFsGF3n5iIYawj3xuRo8K/s320/VCandHV20_1.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Shooting at night.</i><br />
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<b>WARNING</b>: There were certain requirements for shooting with this Canon HV20/Letus Rig. Already considering a single sensor camera does not handle low light very well, the lens adapter only added to lost light. To put it simply, you had to overlight in many circumstances. <b> </b><br />
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<b>ALSO:</b> The fact that Canon would not allow you to adjust the shutter, iris and gain both individually and independently sucks. I mean, even if we had to do it electronically that would have been earth-shattering; but NO, they don't want to kill their own business (understandable to a point).<br />
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<b>BUT</b> if you spent enough time toying and testing this thing, you could find a way to find the ideal (sometimes just acceptable) setting(s). It was sometimes a fight, like give and take, with this camera; however, if I could walk away satisfied with the imagery, then it would feel like a win. <br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>CAMERA BREAKDOWN</b><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5OhYdSecilV9PnPLISsHwGeqJvbv1e_-JE8NJc77xr78eN1my8af4unxW0EC5_DEyWRAeUY2X-9dTaxGxr2o7W9utBmMP4gq6jgJabGtwML9cRkMBcXxAxviseHjhCjeliN-9-eMOk2C/s1600-h/VCandHV20_4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG5OhYdSecilV9PnPLISsHwGeqJvbv1e_-JE8NJc77xr78eN1my8af4unxW0EC5_DEyWRAeUY2X-9dTaxGxr2o7W9utBmMP4gq6jgJabGtwML9cRkMBcXxAxviseHjhCjeliN-9-eMOk2C/s320/VCandHV20_4.JPG" /></a><br />
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The camera package in it's entirety can fit in to one sturdy, medium sized case.<br />
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<b>A.)</b> HV20 and it's accessories: 3 batteries, the fast charger, Bag, Cables, Wide Angle Adapter, lens cleaner, LCD hood and HDV tapes.<br />
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<b>B.)</b> The Lens adapter and a padded foam and a few pairs of AA batteries. As well as a rail system with lens supporter and base plate.<br />
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<b>C.)</b> 3 Lenses in their own protective bags/pouches (30, 50 and 85mm) as well as various sets of filters.<br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>"Look how much space I don't take up..." </i><br />
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I heavily enjoy being mobile and light, the outfitted HV20 with lens adapter and lens weighs less than 10 pounds. This camera package worked great. I've seen high end HD Cameras and 35mm/S16mm film shoots where it takes a team of people to move all various boxes and components around, not to mention having a team of people operating the cameras. With the HV20, I could easily be a one-man-army and strike like lightning when necessary. Don't get me wrong, it would be fantastic to shoot with a big camera team, with a 40 pound or 60 camera, but for now: this little camera can do it.<br />
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While it is true now that you can spend the same amount on an VDSLR (Canon 7D with the basic zoom lens) that I spent on this HV20/Letus rig, you should think about your budget and the ever changing realm of technology before you sink your teeth into a camera. I have my issues with the 5D and 7D (ergonomics, functionality and heavy compression) and it's awesome imagery, but honestly the biggest investment one could make would probably be acquiring fast prime lenses for whatever camera you'll end up with. The technology world changes so fast that today's hot new digital cinema camera will become what the HV20 is now: old news. The glass however (lenses), will most likely be the same.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdk1xXkGdYZ6G6vHqsU01GI3qsW8nwKn4ScMgAUFJn5jv0Zw-yXGaBlD1W4gdZaEnVHlrMGWut4KrhZf4MWbxTy5aQLYIIMN1KhXP9IPuJYOtIFhTspxcSyXXnnc_r168eysNt6uVUAo2/s1600-h/VCandHV20_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCdk1xXkGdYZ6G6vHqsU01GI3qsW8nwKn4ScMgAUFJn5jv0Zw-yXGaBlD1W4gdZaEnVHlrMGWut4KrhZf4MWbxTy5aQLYIIMN1KhXP9IPuJYOtIFhTspxcSyXXnnc_r168eysNt6uVUAo2/s320/VCandHV20_2.JPG" /></a><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Note: Photos of Me and the Camera thanks to Corine Aubin.</i><br />
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To conclude, create a camera package that meets your needs. If you like the image quality and the things that can be done with that footage then great: the content is where it really counts anyway.Vincent_Chttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14023327768495297931noreply@blogger.com0