Tuesday, December 7, 2010
École de Cirque Gaspésie
Here is a short movie on the Gaspé Circus School, a non-profit that operates in Gaspe. Shots where taken in october 2010 with an XL2 camera.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Filming outdoors
Today I thought I would put together ideas on filming in the outdoors. When filming inside, focus is brought primarly on the object of the photo, be it a person, living thing or still object. When filming outdoors not only is it easier to be distracted from your main subject, but there are many more uncontrollable variables than inside such as lighting, temperature and terrain.
The first recommendation that comes to mind are the camera settings. Maybe you have heard a camera professional stress the importance of not using the automatic setting adjustments while taking film. Although this setting can acheive reasonable results, you definitly have less controll over the final output when doing so. Also, since lighting conditions are continually shifting and your camera will (brainlessly) shift settings as conditions evolve, you will end up with variable lighting on your final film.
You may want to incrase lighting by using reflective panels, snow, or even the safety blanket in your trunk. When doing so just remember that it is easyer to light small portions at a time and focus on those instead of going wide because just wont achieve the desired effect unless you have some serious lighting going on. Perfection must be avoided. Lighting conditions will not be perfect and you cant controll every aspect of it so settle for the best shot within your range.
A good idea is to bring an external microphone for capturing voice outside. While doings so, a muffle for the microphone is always a good plan since it will prevent the wind from creating a hissing noise on the recording.
Anticipation is an important element too. Your camera being a no-brainer, it cant anticipate where the action is going. So what you see with your eyes and what comes out of the camera will not be the same. Using both eyes to film will allow staying ahead on whats happening. It will take some getting used to, mainly regarding adjustments on precision put following the action is where things are at.
Hope these tips on filming outside are usefull ! Remember to have fun !
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Film Economics
Film Economics
When it comes to financing movies a lot comes to mind. From the multi-million hollywood production to the independent film made in Pakistan, every movie worth its salt needs some sort of financing. So before you go out and max out 25 credit cards for your outdoor adventure shot, here are a few venues you might want to consider.
First of all there are many web-sites that make the link between investors and film producers. For instance the web-site Indievest is a independent film studio and financier. The idea is to regroup a network of high net worth individuals to help produce independant movies and garantee theatrical distribution .
An interesting aspect of Indenpendent film financing is the risk element. High budjet motion pictures often contain format and content that is likely to please the masses and therefore ensure revenues. Independent films tend to be independent precisely because they think out of the box. Major film financiers ; bankers, hedge funds and Major production studios, would rather reap a stable profit then to roll the dice on a movie that might cost less, but eventually could fail at bringing in audience. So there seems to be a distinction between the types of financiers for different movie categories. Indpendent films will be sponsored rather by venture capitalist type investors and major productions will have more of a banker approach to risk.
This is precisely why independent movies are so important, they are bold enough to challenge established techniques and ideas of film making, turning the projection of images closer to an art than a business. With the accessability of filming equipment and the speed at which capital flows these days, I think that the Indy industry is well off, or at least the pressure is now on for major studios.
When it comes to financing movies a lot comes to mind. From the multi-million hollywood production to the independent film made in Pakistan, every movie worth its salt needs some sort of financing. So before you go out and max out 25 credit cards for your outdoor adventure shot, here are a few venues you might want to consider.
First of all there are many web-sites that make the link between investors and film producers. For instance the web-site Indievest is a independent film studio and financier. The idea is to regroup a network of high net worth individuals to help produce independant movies and garantee theatrical distribution .
An interesting aspect of Indenpendent film financing is the risk element. High budjet motion pictures often contain format and content that is likely to please the masses and therefore ensure revenues. Independent films tend to be independent precisely because they think out of the box. Major film financiers ; bankers, hedge funds and Major production studios, would rather reap a stable profit then to roll the dice on a movie that might cost less, but eventually could fail at bringing in audience. So there seems to be a distinction between the types of financiers for different movie categories. Indpendent films will be sponsored rather by venture capitalist type investors and major productions will have more of a banker approach to risk.
This is precisely why independent movies are so important, they are bold enough to challenge established techniques and ideas of film making, turning the projection of images closer to an art than a business. With the accessability of filming equipment and the speed at which capital flows these days, I think that the Indy industry is well off, or at least the pressure is now on for major studios.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Making a ski film
Few things are as exciting as seeing a good skier rip down a steep powder slope in high quality video format. Yet one can wonder what science is behind these movies ? How hard is it to film a good ski movie ? In this post I will tackle a few of the techical sapects of making a good ski movie, starting with temperature, moving on to lighting and finally communications and stability.
Temperature can be a definite drag when it comes to digital equipment. Depending on the camera, it will often tend to freeze in cold weather. The direct consequence of this is a dramatically reduced battery life. One tip that is often mentionned is to keep battery packs close to the body to optimize filming time. Also ski bars seem to be a drag for condensation. When entering prepare for a a period where you cant operate the camera. It should eventually return to normal levels but can be annoying. Finally, filming means less activity than other skiers so you might want to consider putting on an extra layer to stay warm.
Ligthing deals obviously with a lot of white snow. Increasing shutter speed will decraease light exposure on each frame but will also cause a variation in focus. You might want to consider a polarized lens in order to get a good balance focus and lighting. For communications, a walkie talkie is definetly recommended in order not to miss any of the action and to coordinate shots. For stability, a mono pod can be a good idea but unfortunatly they are not very stable for larger lenses, which are often essential for quality action shots. A good old fashionned tripod will procure quality, shake free shots but it can be difficult to follow the action with these.
Temperature can be a definite drag when it comes to digital equipment. Depending on the camera, it will often tend to freeze in cold weather. The direct consequence of this is a dramatically reduced battery life. One tip that is often mentionned is to keep battery packs close to the body to optimize filming time. Also ski bars seem to be a drag for condensation. When entering prepare for a a period where you cant operate the camera. It should eventually return to normal levels but can be annoying. Finally, filming means less activity than other skiers so you might want to consider putting on an extra layer to stay warm.
Ligthing deals obviously with a lot of white snow. Increasing shutter speed will decraease light exposure on each frame but will also cause a variation in focus. You might want to consider a polarized lens in order to get a good balance focus and lighting. For communications, a walkie talkie is definetly recommended in order not to miss any of the action and to coordinate shots. For stability, a mono pod can be a good idea but unfortunatly they are not very stable for larger lenses, which are often essential for quality action shots. A good old fashionned tripod will procure quality, shake free shots but it can be difficult to follow the action with these.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Video Shutter Speed tips
Shutter speed is defined as the speed as which the mechanical door between the light and the film opens and closes. A quicker shutter speed will indicate a shorter time at which light flows into the camera. Common shutter speeds for video cameras are for example 1/60, 1/500, 1/1000.
Lets now discuss the effects of shutter speed on video output. Blur on a video camera occurs when action takes place whil the shutter is closed. To prevent this from happening you can increase the shutter speed. The shutter speed is independant from the frame rate. In other terms, playing with the shutter speed will vary the exposition on each frame. Needless to say that a higher frame rate is often used in sports.
Now, what are the other consequences of playing with shutter speed ? Shutte speed has a direct impact on the amount of light needed to capture a good image. Logically, the faster the shutter speed, the more light you will need because the exposition will be diminished. Another interesting effect of shutter speed is the image stability. Holding a video camera by hand and capturing a good image can be a dauting task. Slow shutter speeds will indeed increase the shaking effect because there is more time between expositions, so more room for shaking.
Another concept worthwhile mentioning is the apperture. Apperture is the size at which our door opens. The apperture controlls the amount of light entering the camera as well as the depth of the field. The larger the opening, the smaller the depth of field, and vice versa. This adjustment can be decisive in getting that right picture when shooting in the outdoors, since landskapes and light intensity cross over the need for an crisp image.
Lets now discuss the effects of shutter speed on video output. Blur on a video camera occurs when action takes place whil the shutter is closed. To prevent this from happening you can increase the shutter speed. The shutter speed is independant from the frame rate. In other terms, playing with the shutter speed will vary the exposition on each frame. Needless to say that a higher frame rate is often used in sports.
Now, what are the other consequences of playing with shutter speed ? Shutte speed has a direct impact on the amount of light needed to capture a good image. Logically, the faster the shutter speed, the more light you will need because the exposition will be diminished. Another interesting effect of shutter speed is the image stability. Holding a video camera by hand and capturing a good image can be a dauting task. Slow shutter speeds will indeed increase the shaking effect because there is more time between expositions, so more room for shaking.
Another concept worthwhile mentioning is the apperture. Apperture is the size at which our door opens. The apperture controlls the amount of light entering the camera as well as the depth of the field. The larger the opening, the smaller the depth of field, and vice versa. This adjustment can be decisive in getting that right picture when shooting in the outdoors, since landskapes and light intensity cross over the need for an crisp image.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Filming Sports
Filming Sports
Filming sports can be a pretty big challenge ! Depending on the sport, it can be high action or calm, and will require different filming techniques to properly capture the event. One of the firsts questions that are asked is should I use a tripod ? I guess it depends on the sport you are filming. If filming a soccer match it might be hard to keep the camera on the ball if there are a lot of passes. The downside is that you lose on stability. I would recommend using a tripod for sports where the idea is to create the best action shot for promotional use. If on the other hand I wish to capture a larger segment of a sport with constant action, for instance a game of soccer or football that lasts an hour or more, beiing tripod free means your quicker to get the action, at the cost of stability control. Time to pull out those hand held skills !
Preparation is an important part of filming sports. Arriving 30mins to an hour in advance before the game will help in finding the best location. Also it can give you a chance to discuss the object of the film with the coach and players. Be aware not to get too close of the action to avoid getting nailed by a ball or a player. Viewers appreciate dynamic views so the ground level is a sure bet. If filming for a coaching analysis it would be best to have a higher view.
It is recommended to maintain a high F-stop while filming if you can adjust this setting on your camera in order to properly capture the depth of the event. A larger F-stop will require slower shutter speeds and produce images with larger depths of field. Finally, filming the surroundings of the area is always a good idea for viewers are often desensitized to the sport alone. The objects that can hold a story themselves, or without revealing much triggers viewers imagination and attention.
Whats best is when you have a genuine interest for the sport, which helps you capture its spirit ! Hope this post on sports filming tips is helpfull !
Tom
Filming sports can be a pretty big challenge ! Depending on the sport, it can be high action or calm, and will require different filming techniques to properly capture the event. One of the firsts questions that are asked is should I use a tripod ? I guess it depends on the sport you are filming. If filming a soccer match it might be hard to keep the camera on the ball if there are a lot of passes. The downside is that you lose on stability. I would recommend using a tripod for sports where the idea is to create the best action shot for promotional use. If on the other hand I wish to capture a larger segment of a sport with constant action, for instance a game of soccer or football that lasts an hour or more, beiing tripod free means your quicker to get the action, at the cost of stability control. Time to pull out those hand held skills !
Preparation is an important part of filming sports. Arriving 30mins to an hour in advance before the game will help in finding the best location. Also it can give you a chance to discuss the object of the film with the coach and players. Be aware not to get too close of the action to avoid getting nailed by a ball or a player. Viewers appreciate dynamic views so the ground level is a sure bet. If filming for a coaching analysis it would be best to have a higher view.
It is recommended to maintain a high F-stop while filming if you can adjust this setting on your camera in order to properly capture the depth of the event. A larger F-stop will require slower shutter speeds and produce images with larger depths of field. Finally, filming the surroundings of the area is always a good idea for viewers are often desensitized to the sport alone. The objects that can hold a story themselves, or without revealing much triggers viewers imagination and attention.
Whats best is when you have a genuine interest for the sport, which helps you capture its spirit ! Hope this post on sports filming tips is helpfull !
Tom
Monday, August 30, 2010
Ultimate frisbee tournament
La P'Tite Vite du Capitaine from Thomas Gagnon on Vimeo.
This tournament is an annual event that takes place over two days in Gaspé. Check out the Gaspe frisbee association's web site at
http://www.ultimategaspe.com/?id=18&titre=La_p_tite_vite_du_capitaine&em=3
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
Kite Force Montreal
These shots were taken on the Island of Montreal with the collaboration of Kite-Force, one of the leading kite-surf schools in Montreal. It was a beatifull day and the sun even came out around 13h00 to provide us with some good thermals and some nice action shots.
If your interested in learning Kite-surfing or are looking for some gear, feel free to contact Arthur de la Mauvinière from Kite Force.
514-691-3314
info@kite-force.com
www.kite-force.com
July Session from Thomas Gagnon on Vimeo.
If your interested in learning Kite-surfing or are looking for some gear, feel free to contact Arthur de la Mauvinière from Kite Force.
514-691-3314
info@kite-force.com
www.kite-force.com
Air adrénaline
Back in Gaspé a few weeks ago I met up with Dominic Bolduc who is opening up a kite store. He has been giving kite-surf lessons for the past few years
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