we don’t finish films, we abandon them.

Hhhhm.. Where do I start? We’ll last weekend I went up to LA to meet the Editors who we’re nominated for an Oscar.  It was pretty fun.. we watched a selected scene from each movie and the editors talked about particular techniques they used to cut the scene.  It was also inspiring to hear what they had to say to some of the questions during the Q&A segment of the day.  It’s kind of crazy how some of them actually became an editor for a Hollywood Film that was nominated for an Oscar.  I can’t remember exactly which editor said this but they had mentioned that they started off editing commercials in England and by just meeting someone he was referred to editing Hollywood Movies.  This really made me think of possibilities, opportunities and chance.  I don’t think I am anywhere near ready to edit a full on Film but it almost made the feeling of doubt go away.  I realized that with time, skill and the right people around you anything can happen.  It felt good to be around an environment of editors who all feel the same about cutting movies and movies in general.  One of the editors said that he would almost do this for free but in this life you need money so he’ll take it, it was kinda funny though because I feel the same exact way.  I just dream that one day this is all I will be doing because it definitely would not be a job I’d hate and being able to get paid at the same time.. perfect.  I uploaded some of the pictures from the event on my Flickr account which you should be able to see on the right side of the screen.

Next, School.. I’ve been working on a lot of projects lately that all happened to be due around the same time.  First, I had this “George of The Jungle” news video to cut.  I wasn’t too excited when I heard that this was going to be our 1st project.  I felt that there was no creativity within this and that it was going to be completely boring.  As time went on I began to understand that this is a job that some editors go through everyday trying to cut a piece together ready to be played on the news.  It’s not the direction I want to go in as in editor but it does help you learn to pace and tell a short story in a small amount of time.  The footage was provided to us and we had to follow a short script when we edited it.  It was our job to piece together the story by choosing selected clips to match the audio voice overs.  You can check out the video below, leave any comments on what you think about it.  Is it paced good, does the audio sound right, is there enough natural sound in the background.. basically is this good enough to play on TV?

George of The Jungle

Another project I was supposed to be working on this last 3 weeks or so is the video you wil see below.  We were given video footage of horses racing, walking around and other random shots from the Del Mar Race Track.  The footage wasn’t that great because the camera was shaky and the size was only 320×240.  I wasn’t sure how I was going to edit this because I had a hard time selecting music.  So for about 3 weeks I tried to decide which audio track I was going to start with.  I was originally trying to find some kind of horse song that I could edit to but I really had no connection with the topic of horses.  So over the past weekend I came across a video on Minus The Bears myspace page and decided to go with that.  I thought the track would grab the attention of the viewers and so I decided to take the “experimental” route when editing this.  My main focus was to show as many different ways of editing that I could do and also try a few things I haven’t done before.  Once again the quality isn’t that great and it gets even worse when you post it onto the internet.. Check it out below.

Experimental Horse Project

Last, I made this video below that dealt with rotoscoping.  Its very time consuming.. you basically have to edit frame by frame.  Sort of like editing a picture in photoshop 1000 times.  Except 24 frames or 24 different pictures edited only makes up 1 second of video.  So I ended up editing about 720 frames for a simple 30 seconds, only it was not so simple!  I ran into some problems and realized what I could have done differently that could of saved me SO much time.  By this time it was due and it is what it is.  Like an editor said at the event last weekend.. “We don’t finish films, we abandon them.”  I know this could be better, the more you watch it you will start to notice the flaws within it but it takes experience to become better and in time that should happen.  Check out the video below where I rotoscope myself out of each frame.

I’m already starting on one of my projects tomorrow where I’ll be filming an event and putting together a mini-documentary.  For another project we have to green screen ourselves into a movie.. anybody have any ideas?  I’m thinking a movie I like or maybe something creative where I can place myself into the movie.  I also have to animate a logo and shoot a short movie with actual film!  My goal is to constantly be working on something and trying new methods of editing…

to say something that means nothing to anyone at all:

happy valentines day

And to think, there are still places in the world where man has not been, where he has left no footprints, where the mysteries stand secure, untouched by human eyes. I want to go to these places, the quiet, timeless, ageless places, and sit, letting silence and solitude be my teachers.  -Evan Tanner

Student Projects

Here’s a video I made for my Adobe After Effects class. I thought we had a week or so left to work on the video so I hadn’t even started on it till today. I had to stay for 3 hours during lab time to finish it on time. It didn’t turn out entirely how I wanted it to but it’s all about the grade on this one. Our assignment was to ‘creat a 1 minute video using still images from Photoshop and the transfrom tools in the timeline’. I chose these images because I saw them a couple months back and thought they were amazing. Check out the pictures here.

What’s next?  We’ll I’ve been fiddling around with a few ideas on the side.. but as for school I’m currently working on a “George of The Jungle” video.  The footage was provided to us and we’re supposed to create it as a “news release” story.  Our assignment is to follow a list of edits as if this was for a news broadcast.  I’m not so excited about this because there’s not much creativity in this.  I think it really turns me off from the idea of working for the news.  It never was an idea I ever considered.  Who wants to edit news stories everyday? (not me)!

Anyways, I’m also working on.. well, I haven’t started yet!!  But we’re supposed to create a ‘podcast’ with the provided video footage of horses to ‘represent’ the Del Mar Racetrack.  The footage isn’t so great so I’m not sure exactly how to start.  This is the same teacher I have for my After Effects class and I might want to start on this video tonight because I have the class this thursday and it might be due as well!  I better check on that.

Finally, I’ve been working in Shake once a week in this other class and I think I’ve finally caught on!  We were supposed to start on our projects today, its due next Thursday.  Our assignment requires us to use the following:

1. At least one Layer node.
2. At least one Color Color node.
3. At least one Transform node.
4. The project must have at least one Quick paint Node used for at least half the running time (use of a quick paint node or roto shape is required.)
5. Running time between 15 and 30 seconds.
6. File out format must be 640×480 SD or 720p HD

Your probably don’t understand that but you will see whatever I create very soon.

Oh yeah, last but not least I’ve been doing a lot of writing for a production class I’m in.  We just paired up in groups and we have to make a short 3 minute piece using film.  We don’t have the tools to edit or cut the film so we have to have a well written script with story boards and the whole shibang and edit live.  Also, we’re not allowed to use lights either!  This one should be interesting, our group “Simple Minded Productions”, is writing up separate ideas and we’re going to collaborate next time we meet.  I’m excited for this one because we’re shooting it in film and there’s no audio.  So basically we’re creating a silent film.. I think this is really going to focus on cinematography and telling a story, can’t wait!

That’s it, the end.

why do?

why do people have their twitters on private?
why is it depressing when the quote “it’s all downhill from here” is said? isn’t it harder to go up hill?
why do i feel most alive when its time to goto bed?
why am i posting this blog?
i don’t know why, i think i might know why.. but why do i need to know?

movie rants

I thought it was funny when I heard the audio of Christian Bale’s rant released on the internet recently.  I saw a scene from a movie I recently watched in class called Living In Oblivion.. this is from a directors stand point but it was apart of the film.  I thought it was funny when I saw the scene below because it shows how a director feels sometimes.

Below is another rant by David Russell on the set of I Heart Huckabees.  I thought this one was funny because like the scene in the movie, this time its real and has both audio/video.