This is another of my "holiday videos". As I mentioned in my last post, I just came back from a long holiday a week ago, we are now based in Barcelona and we are just about finishing moving in.
It is been a refreshing change from the UK to Barcelona, let's see how the city treats us!
I entitled this video "Spanish Village", and is a kind of tribute to a part of my family which comes from Navalmoral de Béjar, about 70 km south of Salamanca, in Spain. I entitled it like that because of Eugene Smith's photo essay “Spanish Village, It lives in ancient poverty and faith”, which was published in Life magazine the 20th of September of 1951. The essay was shot in the village of Deleitosa, which is not too far south from Navalmoral.
For quite a bit of time now I have been thinking on the Spanish villages I have known throughout my life and that I missed in the UK, and for that reason is been on my mind the possibility of shooting a project on that, although still is on that stage, just a project in the back of my mind. For the time being, I enjoyed shooting part of my family and the village which took care of my dad, auntie, uncle and grandparents for a while. Actually, it possibly was my dad who awoke my interest in photography and video. When I was a kid, he used to shoot short films with his Super 8mm camera and do the editing at home, I remember watching them on a white screen from an old projector...
This one was shot with the Canon 5D MarkII, Canon 24-105mm L f4, Canon 70-200mm L f4, Canon 50mm f1.4, Manfrotto HDV 501 Head & 351MVB2 Lightweight Video Pro Tripod and a Glidetrack Shooter. Also used a Canon 550D for a time-lapse. As you can see, a very portable kit.
Music is by Mozart, Symphony n.33 in B Flat Major K319 Andante Moderato.
Friday, 3 September 2010
Wednesday, 18 August 2010
Canon 550D slow motion test.
A short video I shot last week (whilst I was on holidays) with the Canon 550D. I have barely used the camera since I got it a couple of months ago, mainly because it is my second camera and because I have moved back to Spain, I have been on holidays and meeting some personal commitments, although that's a different story.
The aim of the video is to test the slow motion capabilities of the Canon 550D, which can be very useful in some projects. It was shot with a Canon 70-200 L f4 lens, 720p, 60 fps. This was conformed to 24 fps using Cinema Tools, which is 60% slower than 'reality'.
There is no grading, footage is straight from the camera. Natural light was beautiful at that time of the day.
Music is by Beck, "The Golden Age". The only thing I did, in terms of the audio, was to add the sound of the water to add some mood to it.
It is a shame you cannot record 60 fps @ 1080p, if you are shooting 1080p and want to include some slow motion clips you have two options. You can shoot at 24, 25 or 30 fps (depending your frame rate) and then slow it down in post, or you can shoot 60 fps @ 720p and then upscale it. Both methods are going to downgrade quality, and is going to be visible.
For me, possibly the best thing to do is to record the slow motion clips at 60 fps and 720p, and then downscale your 1080p footage to 720p and output a 720p video.
The aim of the video is to test the slow motion capabilities of the Canon 550D, which can be very useful in some projects. It was shot with a Canon 70-200 L f4 lens, 720p, 60 fps. This was conformed to 24 fps using Cinema Tools, which is 60% slower than 'reality'.
There is no grading, footage is straight from the camera. Natural light was beautiful at that time of the day.
Music is by Beck, "The Golden Age". The only thing I did, in terms of the audio, was to add the sound of the water to add some mood to it.
It is a shame you cannot record 60 fps @ 1080p, if you are shooting 1080p and want to include some slow motion clips you have two options. You can shoot at 24, 25 or 30 fps (depending your frame rate) and then slow it down in post, or you can shoot 60 fps @ 720p and then upscale it. Both methods are going to downgrade quality, and is going to be visible.
For me, possibly the best thing to do is to record the slow motion clips at 60 fps and 720p, and then downscale your 1080p footage to 720p and output a 720p video.
Monday, 14 June 2010
one day on earth.
What will you be doing on the Sunday 10.10.10?. This project seems very inspiring to me. From the 'one day on earth' website:
"Join us on 10.10.10 for an unprecedented event. Every Nation, 24 hours and You.
Across the planet, documentary filmmakers, students, and inspired citizens will record the human experience over a 24-hour period. By participating in this historic event, you will help capture the diversity of life and culture on this planet. Together we will create a document that is a gift to the world.
One Day on Earth is a documentary and new media project about the amazing diversity, conflict, tragedy, and triumph that occurs in one 24-hour period on Earth. More than a film, One Day on Earth is a multi-platform participatory media project. The flagship of this project is a 120-minute documentary to be released theatrically. Through the One Day on Earth platform we will establish a community that not only watches, but participates."
I am looking forward to see the final movie.
"Join us on 10.10.10 for an unprecedented event. Every Nation, 24 hours and You.
Across the planet, documentary filmmakers, students, and inspired citizens will record the human experience over a 24-hour period. By participating in this historic event, you will help capture the diversity of life and culture on this planet. Together we will create a document that is a gift to the world.
One Day on Earth is a documentary and new media project about the amazing diversity, conflict, tragedy, and triumph that occurs in one 24-hour period on Earth. More than a film, One Day on Earth is a multi-platform participatory media project. The flagship of this project is a 120-minute documentary to be released theatrically. Through the One Day on Earth platform we will establish a community that not only watches, but participates."
One Day on Earth - Original Trailer from One Day On Earth on Vimeo.
I am looking forward to see the final movie.
Sunday, 13 June 2010
Zeitgeist - The Movie.
Zeitgeist is a 2007 documentary film produced by Peter Joseph and released free online via Google Video in June of 2007.
The word "Zeitgeist" in German means "spirit of the time." It refers to the moral and intellectual trends of a given era.
Well worth watching it.
The word "Zeitgeist" in German means "spirit of the time." It refers to the moral and intellectual trends of a given era.
Well worth watching it.
Sunday, 6 June 2010
Nuit Blanche by Arev Manoukian.
I just came across this short film by Arev Manoukian. Its title is "Nuit Blanche" and "explores a fleeting moment between two strangers, revealing their brief connection in a hyper real fantasy". It is just a fantastic short, great concept and beautifully filmed. The VFX are by Marc-Andre Gray and they are impressive.
The slow motion shoots were filmed with a Photron, and the real time in DVCPRO HD. Have a look to the making of, is as good as the actual film.
Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo.
The slow motion shoots were filmed with a Photron, and the real time in DVCPRO HD. Have a look to the making of, is as good as the actual film.
Making Of Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo.
Friday, 4 June 2010
Camera test. Canon 550D & Canon 5D MKII.
I just received my new Canon 550D. I got it as a second camera to work with my Canon 5D MKII, especially when shooting video. I felt a bit limited when shooting "Nuclear UK?", mainly in the interviews when I could have done with another camera to get some extra shoots, normally close-ups. So I decided to get a Canon 550D to get those extra shoots and use as a second camera.
The camera is very small and light (which has good things and bad things) and the built quality is very far from the Canon 5D MKII's. That doesn't mean is a weak built, is just that is not as solid as the 5D. In terms of image quality, which is the most important thing for me, I am very happy, taking into account is a £650 camera!
A comparison video below. This is not a review or anything like that, I just went out yesterday and shot some clips to see how the images from both cameras work together, how do they shoot side by side and how easy would be to shoot a piece using both of them, in terms of combining imagery from one and another.
I am not going to tell which one is which. I'd just say that all of them are ordered sequentially. I mean, shoots 1,3,5,7... are from one camera, 2,4,6,8... are from the other one. I leave the rest to you. In some shoots the exposure of one camera is 2/3 more than the other one, that's my fault, forgot to change some settings. I used the same lenses for each shoot (and that's a Canon 24-105mm L f4, Canon 50mm f1.4 and Canon 70-200mm L f4). Settings are the same in both cameras, frame rate is 24p and normally shooting at 1\50. Picture style is standart (people advises to use neutral although I prefer standart) with contrast and sharpness all the way down and saturation two knobs down. Last four shoots (two pairs) were shot at ISO 1600.
I think is quite difficult to judge from a 720p compressed version from Vimeo, you can't really see obvious differences, but looking at the 1080p version straight from camera, I'd say that the picture from the 5D is better, nicer, noise at ISO1600 in the 5D is similar to noise at ISO800 in the 550D. Also, I'd say the dynamic range from the 5D is a bit wider than the 550D, and all this just comes down to the sensor size.
Anyway, the goal of my test was to determine whether they would work well together, and I think they definitely do. I'd use 5D as a main camera and 550D to get those extra shoots. I'd need to do another test though, this time in a kind of interview situation, to see how do they deal with skin tones and how do they combine.
If you want a full in depth review have a look here.
The camera is very small and light (which has good things and bad things) and the built quality is very far from the Canon 5D MKII's. That doesn't mean is a weak built, is just that is not as solid as the 5D. In terms of image quality, which is the most important thing for me, I am very happy, taking into account is a £650 camera!
A comparison video below. This is not a review or anything like that, I just went out yesterday and shot some clips to see how the images from both cameras work together, how do they shoot side by side and how easy would be to shoot a piece using both of them, in terms of combining imagery from one and another.
Test 550D and 5D from Pablo Nieto on Vimeo.
I am not going to tell which one is which. I'd just say that all of them are ordered sequentially. I mean, shoots 1,3,5,7... are from one camera, 2,4,6,8... are from the other one. I leave the rest to you. In some shoots the exposure of one camera is 2/3 more than the other one, that's my fault, forgot to change some settings. I used the same lenses for each shoot (and that's a Canon 24-105mm L f4, Canon 50mm f1.4 and Canon 70-200mm L f4). Settings are the same in both cameras, frame rate is 24p and normally shooting at 1\50. Picture style is standart (people advises to use neutral although I prefer standart) with contrast and sharpness all the way down and saturation two knobs down. Last four shoots (two pairs) were shot at ISO 1600.
I think is quite difficult to judge from a 720p compressed version from Vimeo, you can't really see obvious differences, but looking at the 1080p version straight from camera, I'd say that the picture from the 5D is better, nicer, noise at ISO1600 in the 5D is similar to noise at ISO800 in the 550D. Also, I'd say the dynamic range from the 5D is a bit wider than the 550D, and all this just comes down to the sensor size.
Anyway, the goal of my test was to determine whether they would work well together, and I think they definitely do. I'd use 5D as a main camera and 550D to get those extra shoots. I'd need to do another test though, this time in a kind of interview situation, to see how do they deal with skin tones and how do they combine.
If you want a full in depth review have a look here.
Thursday, 3 June 2010
Salvation. The video.
This is the final version of the "Salvation" video for The Kits. Shot at the CentreStage Studios last February. We used a Canon 5D MKII with a Canon 50mm L f1.2 and a Canon 24-105mm L f4 lenses, and some B&W close up lenses. Shot in a day.
Director: Manu Sainz
DP: Pablo Nieto
Studio Manager: Pol Cornudella
Stills: Marta Moreiras
Production, Make-up: Ana G Prada, Darrell Hannan
You can see the making of here.
Check Marta Moreira's photosteam on the shoot here. Really cool shots.
Director: Manu Sainz
DP: Pablo Nieto
Studio Manager: Pol Cornudella
Stills: Marta Moreiras
Production, Make-up: Ana G Prada, Darrell Hannan
You can see the making of here.
Check Marta Moreira's photosteam on the shoot here. Really cool shots.
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