What takes 4 people, a Z1 and a lot of ingenuity

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StevenBagley
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Joined: Aug 14 2000

Filming an invasion of the Omaha for a BBC documentary... See the video posted on here: http://prolost.blogspot.com/2008/01/bbc-are-dv-rebels.html

Hats off to the production team.

Steven

stuart621
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Joined: Oct 24 2001

Now that is impressive.

For the shots of the (same three) soldiers running up the beach, how do they get the hand-held camera shake? Presumably the shots would have had to be rock-steady initially in order to do the split screen compositing.

StevenBagley
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stuart621 wrote:
For the shots of the (same three) soldiers running up the beach, how do they get the hand-held camera shake? Presumably the shots would have had to be rock-steady initially in order to do the split screen compositing.

I imagine it's added in post later -- zoom in slightly and just shift the position of the image adding motion blur. If they shot in HDV mode (they are using a Z1 and lets face it so much of the images are static they aren't going to stress the encoder,) then they wouldn't lose any reoslution in the SD version.

Steven

stuart621
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Joined: Oct 24 2001

I see. Very convincingly done. Wish I'd seen the programme, now! :)

StevenBagley
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stuart621 wrote:
I see. Very convincingly done. Wish I'd seen the programme, now! :)

It's still on the iPlayer till the end of today -- well worth watching. A superb documentary, and not a CGI fest at all.

Steven

tom hardwick
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Joined: Apr 8 1999

Good, huh? But they show a V1, not a Z1.

StevenBagley
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Joined: Aug 14 2000

It's a V1/PD150 in the graphic at the start but it is definitely a Z1 doing the filming:

Steven

Chrome
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Joined: May 26 1999

I would be very interested to see how the post process was undertaken, is that information available anywhere? They may be shooting the production 'on-the-cheap' (and I say that with tongue firmly in cheek). If the post took six weeks on top of the range equipment with state of the art compositing tools and a top editor, that could potentially add up to many tens of thousands.

StevenBagley
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Joined: Aug 14 2000
Chrome wrote:
I would be very interested to see how the post process was undertaken, is that information available anywhere? They may be shooting the production 'on-the-cheap' (and I say that with tongue firmly in cheek). If the post took six weeks on top of the range equipment with state of the art compositing tools and a top editor, that could potentially add up to many tens of thousands.

All AfterEffects from what I gather.

Steven

Chrome
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Joined: May 26 1999

Fair enough for the software Steven... it's what I would have used, perhaps with a little bit of Shake, which I like for a couple of tools. It really comes down to the price of the 'talent'; design, production and post then. A six week post project could still add up to an awful lot. It would be interesting to see what the claimed 'cost' was?

BTW - not pouring cold water on it intentionally... I think it's excellent.
It just amuses me how these things are sometimes touted as 'gorilla filmamaking' or 'done-on-the-cheap' when the final bill for talent/wages/props/wardrobe/accommodation/offices/utilities/equipment/software/pyrotechnics/researchers/assistants/travel/permits/insurance/management etc. comes to £60k or something :)
It seems to me as if they're saying 'three guys with a Z1 can do this, like we did, which gives real 'budget' filmakers a bit of a false picture.

Maxwell
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Joined: Jan 13 2007

After seeing that there must be a lot of want to be film makers who would love to do thinks of that nature. But to find people who have the dedication are hard to find.
Video clubs are a starting point but some are only interested on holidays and short 5 minute video.
Would be nice to see a club or organization who would give there time on a cash return bases if the project makes money.

StevenBagley
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Joined: Aug 14 2000
Chrome wrote:
Fair enough for the software Steven... it's what I would have used, perhaps with a little bit of Shake, which I like for a couple of tools. It really comes down to the price of the 'talent'; design, production and post then. A six week post project could still add up to an awful lot. It would be interesting to see what the claimed 'cost' was?

As I understand it from Timewatch's blog (well worth reading all the comments actually, shows how a documentary develops overtime), the three guys are employed by Timewatch full-time to do that sort of thing. Also, the video was originally generated for internal use (presumably to show other people in the BBC what could be done) not just for external uses according to a post on creativecow.

The guerilla aspect is overplayed I agree, mainly because the thing that is most important is the talent of the people working on it.

Steven