If you are on Twitter or Facebook (and are a filmmaker, or actor, etc.) you have undoubtedly come across someone trying to "kickstart" a project via crowdfunding.
I personally can't decide if this is a good way to go or not (for my projects, for others sure - I've actually donated recently). I don't like the idea of "charity" or the perceived notion you are desperate (not saying folks are, just some perceive it this way), I would probably rather work the financing out in another fashion. But then again, if you're just trying to finish post or score or similar and your FANS are game to contribute a few thousand bucks, then why not. Note I stress "fans", to me this is key.
For more info on this topic check out these two great blog posts:
First one from Sheri Candler (someone btw, I had never heard of until I "met" her on Twitter)...
Top 5 Ways to Fail at Crowdfunding:
http://www.shericandler.com/2010/10/10/top-5-ways-to-fail-at-crowdfunding/
And secondly, from Scott Macaulay (editor of Filmmaker Magazine) a continuation of Sheri's post on his blog - he adds three more tips...
Crowdfunding Advice:
http://filmmakermagazine.com/news/2010/10/sheri-candler-on-crowdfunding-fatigue/
Btw, the main two crowdfunding sites I know of are Kickstarter.com and IndieGoGo.com. The primary difference between the two (as far as I can tell) is that with Kickstarter you only get to keep the funds pledged if you meet your goal. On IndieGoGo you get to keep whatever funds are pledged, even if you don't make your original goal. Kickstarter is more well known and has more traffic (I'm told), but man, I'd probably go with IndieGoGo to have "guaranteed" funds.
-Blake
P.S. Interestingly, both Kickstarter and IndieGoGo's sites look VERY similar in layout and design.
Tech geek alert here... This is interesting stuff if you own or have ever shot with a Canon 5D using an external monitor, or if you're a video engineer playing with a calculator right now.
Seriously though, this is quite informative and a great "fix" for the limitations of the 5D HDMI output using a SmallHD DP6 monitor (I own a Canon 7D and so don't have these issues)...
Effective Pixels 101 from SmallHD on Vimeo.
And a good full blog read here too:http://videos.smallhd.com/the-truth-about-canon-dslr-output-signals/
-Blake
Good interview from TechCrunchTV with filmmaker Adam Rifkin (new series "Look" is on Showtime) talking about social media, studio and indie filmmaking and new distribution models. This all relates to web series, music and books too. Good stuff.
Direct link:
http://techcrunch.com/2010/10/08/being-adam-rifki/
-Blake
Way back when in the mid-90s a film called "The Brother's McMullen" hit it big with audiences and critics alike at the Sundance film festival. I personally liked the film too. It also was one of the films along with "Clerks" that told me (and many others) that I could be a filmmaker. Not because of the storytellling or content mind you, because of the budget. $25k for "The Brother's McMullen" (and $28k for "Clerks").
Cut 15 years ahead to today and what is Ed Burns doing? He's releasing a new $25k movie. I guess there hasn't been any inflation since 1995.
If you don't know who Edward Burns is he's probably best known (to mainstream commercial viewers) for his roles in "Saving Private Ryan", "15 Minutes" (opposite Robert Dinero), or from his appearances on "Entourage". He's really created a nice career staying in the indie world, but also being relevant in the Hollywood system (mainly as an actor). And to those who follow indie film, you probably know he's directed a handful of really nice movies over the past decade (along with acting in them) and is continuing that trend today.
His latest film is called "Nice Guy Johnny" and to be honest, while I am interesting in seeing the film, I'm more interested in how he's financing and distributing it.
ALL filmakers (that's film, TV, web, whatever) should check out this very interesting interview with him on his latest film and on how he is trying to reshape (indie) distribution...
http://motionlifemediablog.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/interview-with-ed-burns/
Interestingly, a lot of what he's talking about is being done in one form or another (and with varying degress of success) in the web series world right now.
-Blake
Nice blurb on Jake Johnson at TIFF 2010 this year being named #6 in their "Top 10 New Faces". Jake co-stars in the film "Ceremony" with Uma Thurman, and is probably best known for his starring role in "Paper Heart" last year with Michael Cera and crew.
http://www.ioncinema.com/news/id/5565/tiff-2010-top-10-new-faces-6-jake-m-johnson
Of course he's best known to me for his great work in my new indie feature "Spilt Milk". You can watch the trailer here, and join the FB page here, if you're interested in seeing more.
Oh, and there's also a mention in the blurb of a certain filmmaker and a certain upcoming film... hmmm, I wonder who it could be? :)
-Blake
Here's a Vimeo embed of the trailer for you non-FB users out there....
SPILT MILK Trailer from Blake Calhoun on Vimeo.
UPDATE: I will post a non-Facebook version of trailer soon as it doesn't seem to allow non-FB users to view it!?!The trailer for my new indie feature "Spilt Milk" is now online... so please check it out!
Direct link:
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=lf#!/video/video.php?v=10150257909355694
Release date is TBD.
-Blake
I'm really looking forward to shooting with this new ARRI ALEXA camera...
The first feature film to have been shot with ALEXA cameras is Anonymous, an Elizabethan thriller with a controversial take on the true authorship of writings attributed to William Shakespeare. Set amidst London's shadowy theatrical and royal circles around the turn of the 17th century, the film features a strong cast of British stage actors and is directed by Roland Emmerich, best known for more explosive Hollywood action movies such as The Day After Tomorrow and 2012. Emmerich worked with cinematographer Anna Foerster on the project, with whom he has collaborated since Independence Day in 1996.
Direct link to story and full interview with the DP:
http://www.arri.com/news.html?article=529&cHash=c3f3388628
-Blake
This is directly from The Hollywood Reporter...
YouTube eyes pay-per-view films
Move would put it in more direct competition with Apple
Staff report
Aug 30, 2010, 07:34 AM ET
Google's YouTube video service is in talks with Hollywood studios to launch a streaming pay-per-view movie service by year's end.
The Financial Times reported that the service is expected to launch in the U.S. and then get rolled out globally. The move would put YouTube into more direct competition with Apple and others, such as Hulu and Netflix, as players try to become the preferred destination for distribution of content in the digital age.
Hollywood seems intrigued by the idea of YouTube's big reach, according to the FT report.
It said newer film titles would cost about $5 on the planned on-demand streaming service.
The news of the planned YouTube film service launch comes after Google top executives wooed studios and guilds during a chat with reporters on the sidelines of Herb Allen's annual Sun Valley media mogul gathering in July.
-----------
I like this idea, but still haven't seen any evidence that the "culture" of YouTube can be changed or swayed to watch professionally produced long format content (ie. Hollywood or indie FEATURE films). The Sundance experiment in January failed miserably (films were available to rent during the fest on YouTube and hardly any were actually rented - a few thousand). Right now I'm very bearish on this because YouTube is such a "one-off-user-generated -video-community".
Some web series have obviously found success on YouTube (including my show "Pink"), but these are bite-sized episodes and even these haven't penetrated the marketplace very substantially compared to the millions and millions of views the Fred's of the world get.
So while I'm glad to see YouTube trying this I feel Hulu and Netflix have a much better chance of success with online Hollywood and indie films. Just because you have the large numbers doesn't mean they'll watch.
-Blake
This is a press release about the new Netflix app for iPhone and iPod Touch. I am personally happy to see this on these devices (I don't have an iPad where the app originally appeared).
Cool things are definitely happening with the convergence of the "web" and "TV" worlds...
NETFLIX APP NOW AVAILABLE
FOR iPHONE AND iPOD TOUCH
Free App Enables Netflix Members to Instantly Watch
TV Episodes and Movies Streamed from Netflix to iPhone and iPod touch
LOS GATOS, Calif., August 26, 2010 – Netflix, Inc. [Nasdaq: NFLX] today announced the availability of its free Netflix App for iPhone and iPod touch, allowing Netflix members on plans starting at just $8.99 a month to instantly watch a vast selection of TV episodes and movies streamed to their iPhone or iPod touch at no additional cost.
The Netflix App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore/.
"Apple has changed the game for mobile devices,” said Reed Hastings, Netflix co-founder and chief executive officer. "We're excited that our members can now carry Netflix around in their pockets and instantly watch movies and TV shows streamed from Netflix right to their iPhone or iPod touch."
The Netflix App delivers a high-quality viewing experience, a broad array of movie and TV choices and a clean, intuitive interface. It is available via both Wi-Fi and 3G networks. TV episodes and movies are conveniently organized into a variety of categories based on members' personal preferences, popular genres, new arrivals and members' individual instant Queues. Members can choose a movie or TV episode from any of the lists and just tap the innovative Multi-Touch user interface to watch instantly or to save the title for viewing later.
Additionally, users have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream, and stopping at any time. When users want to start watching again, the video stream starts exactly where it was stopped, even on a different device capable of streaming from Netflix.
The Netflix App supports any iPhone or iPod touch device running iOS version 3.13 or later.
About Netflix
With more than 15 million members, Netflix, Inc. (Nasdaq: NFLX) is the world's largest subscription service streaming movies and TV episodes over the Internet and sending DVDs by mail. For $8.99 a month, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited TV episodes and movies streamed right to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. With Netflix, there are never any due dates or late fees. Among the large and expanding base of devices that can stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix are Microsoft's Xbox 360, Sony's PS3 and Nintendo's Wii consoles; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung, LG and Insignia; Internet TVs from LG, Sony and VIZIO; the Roku digital video player and TiVo digital video recorders, and Apple’s iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. For more information, visit http://www.netflix.com.
My WB Original series EXPOSED is now being distributed outside the bounds of TheWB.com by a syndiation company called AlphaBird. I had not heard of them until this deal happened. Warner Bros. has recently been asking me about M&E tracks and so now this all makes sense. I assume AlphaBird will take the show overseas as well.
So this is pretty exciting as now the series will be available to watch on 3rd party sites starting with DailyMotion.
Here's a link to the show there:
http://www.dailymotion.com/group/exposed
One thing that is a bit odd on the show page there is the current "Clip of the Day" is actually Episode 16 - EXPOSED is a serialized show - so if someone watches Episode 16 first then they know how it ends. Either the programmers at DailyMotion don't realize this or it's done automatically? Either way, not very good. But besides that, I'm very happy that the show is getting out to more of the world. :)
Here are two press stories about the release:
Broadcasting & Cable
http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/456174-WB_s_Studio_2_0_puts_four_new_series_online.php
C21Media
http://www.c21media.net/news/detail.asp?area=89&article=57003
UPDATE: Here's another piece from Video Nuze on the deal talking more details about the financial and branding side of things... pretty interesting to know.
The 3 other WB Originals released this summer as part of their "Summer Programming Block" (High Drama 2, Downer's Grove and Chadam) were also part of the deal.
And there is talk of the showd landing on Hulu too (not sure when though), so we'll wait and see what happens!
-Blake
Koldcast TV does a very nice job of marketing a lot of their web series through their blog stories, and yesterday they did one called "The 15 Most Extreme Acts of Mob Violence" - and they featured my show "88 HITs" in the article.
Here's the blog post:
http://blog.koldcast.tv/2010/koldcast-news/the-15-most-extreme-acts-of-mob-violence/
And from this "88 HITs" was their "Most Watched" series of the day yesterday 8/17/10. Pretty cool!
Thank you Koldcast TV for doing a nice job promoting indie web content. Keep up the great work!
-Blake
Just read this really cool article and interview with Felicia Day. If you don't know who she is... well, this will definitely tell you...
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/148/one-fine-day.html
And here's a video interview she did as part of the article:
And too, this is the main article that Felicia's story came from:
http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/148/the-new-fall-season.html?page=0%2C1
Lots of really good info on original web content and the folks making it.
Good stuff!
-Blake
I've been talking a lot about the new teaser for my upcoming sci-fi series CONTINUUM recently, but I wanted to remind folks that my other series EXPOSED is playing right now on TheWB.com.
Here's a pretty cool graphic I found too on TheWB's Facebook page...
Please check out the show if you haven't already:
http://www.thewb.com/shows/exposed
Thanks!
Blake
This past weekend the teaser trailer for my upcoming online thriller CONTINUUM premiered during Comic-Con as part of the "Celebrate The Web" off-site panel. Now you can check it out here...
And a direct link to it on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iYAz6oWedM
Also, here's a nice shout out from NewTeeVee about the teaser (near bottom of page):
http://newteevee.com/2010/07/26/web-content-still-finding-its-place-at-comic-con/
The series is currently in post-production and a release date is TBD.
-Blake
Today the new DVD is being released for my friends Matthew Tompkins and Julio Cedillo's film "The Fragility of Seconds", or in Spanish - and the way it's being marketed - "La Fraglidad De Los Segundos".
Here's a descripton from Netflix:
In a matter of moments, the lives of three strangers collide, forcing each to decide how badly they want to live: a con man (Chuck Huber) just released from prison, an FBI agent (Matthew Stephen Tompkins) suffering from professional burnout and a brother (Julio César Cedillo) bent on rescuing his sister. Matthew Tompkins and Julio Cedillo direct this gripping drama based on real-life crimes in Juárez, Mexico.
And here's a link to Netflix to rent the film:
http://www.netflix.com/Movie/La_Fragilidad_de_los_Segundos/70139070?strackid=17278943ef9ef4f0_0_srl&strkid=1740138424_0_0&lnkctr=srchrd-sr&trkid=222336
And a link to Amazon to buy it:
http://www.amazon.com/Fragilidad-Los-Segundos-Matthew-Tomkin/dp/B003G7168Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1279635774&sr=8-1
I'm very happy for these guys and the release. This was a true passion project funded through blood, sweat and tears (no joke).
It's a great indie film that you should definitely check out!
-Blake
Filmmakers and actors alike have a good opportunity to check this out on Thursday, July 15, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. PST on www.openfilm.com.
WHAT: Academy Award-nominated director, renowned acting instructor and Openfilm Advisory Board member Mark Rydell is conducting a live online webcam chat to answer questions from independent filmmakers, film fans and actors, Thursday, July 15, from 4:30 to 5:30 PM (PST). Mr. Rydell will offer expert advice on everything from acting tips to directing techniques to insider insight on the latest industry trends.
WHO: Mark Rydell has credits on both sides of the camera. An acclaimed director (The Rose, On Golden Pond, Even Money), he also has acted in numerous TV episodes and motion pictures and is an instructor at the famed Actors Studio for aspiring actors and directors.
Other members of the Advisory Board–renowned actors and filmmakers Robert Duvall, Scott Caan and Openfilm Chariman James Caan–will be hosting future Openfilm Live webcam chats, as well as providing feedback and distribution advice for short or feature films submitted to Openfilm’s Get It Made competitions.
WHEN: Thursday, July 15, 2010 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. PT
WHERE: Online at www.openfilm.com, or www.livestream.com and www.ustream.TV
-Blake
I really liked Spike Jonze's latest (short) film "I'm Here", and this video below talks about it, some of Spike's history and then what's going on with The Creators Project. Check it out...
http://www.twentyfourbit.com/post/754659484/watch-nick-zinner-spike-jonze-creators-project#ooid=xwOTRpMTrii3yzNzBraww6WI_X74ovo5
-Blake
I find it very interesting and actually kinda cool that an A-List guy like Tom Hanks has a YouTube Channel...
http://www.youtube.com/tomhankschannel
He also has a Twitter account...
http://www.twitter.com/tomhanks
Btw, both of these are Verified to be real. We live in very interesting times!
-Blake
Check out Kristyn Burtt and The Web.Files interview me (EXPOSED) and Jace Hall (CHADAM) about our new WB web shows...
Thanks,
Blake
Tubefilter covered the premiere today of EXPOSED, along with the other three new shows from The WB... CHADAM, HIGH DRAMA 2, and DOWNERS GROVE.
Here's a link to the article:
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2010/06/15/chadam-exposed-headline-thewb-coms-return-to-web-series/
And please watch EXPOSED! :)
-Blake
My new series EXPOSED premieres tomorrow, Tuesday June 15th on TheWB.com. Here's the official press release from Warner Bros. Television (and btw, the show page links on TheWB.com won't be active until tomorrow 6/15)...
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
THE SUMMER SIZZLES WITH “HIGH DRAMA 2: AGAINST ALL OZ” “CHADAM,” “EXPOSED” AND “DOWNERS GROVE” ON THEWB.COM
There’s Something For Everyone as Four New Original Series Premiere June 15
BURBANK, Calif. (June 15, 2010) – Things heat up on TheWB.com this summer with the June 15 premiere of four new original series: “High Drama 2: Against All Oz,” “Chadam,” “Exposed” and “Downers Grove.” From real-life drama and cutting-edge animation to a modern thriller and off-beat comedy, TheWB.com has fans covered with a hot programming selection. Offerings include new series from producer/director McG (“Terminator Salvation,” “Supernatural”) and Jace Hall (“V”), among others.
· High Drama 2: Against All Oz: Viewers can get their docudrama TV fix by going behind the scenes with the students of Freedom High School in Bethlehem, Penn., as they prepare for the opening night musical production of The Wizard of Oz. The series features real characters, real drama and no scripts. Episodes 1–5 launch Tuesday, June 15, with the remaining episodes 6–10 on Tuesday, June 22.
· Chadam: Animation and machinima fans will enjoy “Chadam,” an action-horror-adventure story from cutting-edge artist Alex Pardee and producer Jace Hall, created using the Unreal Engine 3, the gaming technology behind hit the videogame titles “Gears of War” and “BioShock.” A resident of Cardboard City, Chadam must learn to use his hidden powers to free the city’s residents from the violent zombie-like pallid. Episodes 1–5 premiere Tuesday, June 15, with the remaining episodes 6–10 launching Tuesday, June 22.
· Exposed: This cerebral thriller takes viewers into the world of Henry Dye, a college student with a dark past. Menacing text messages and paranoia threaten to destroy Henry as he searches for the extortive source, all while attempting to maintain a normal existence to his fiancée and family. Episodes 1–8 launch Tuesday, June 15, with the remaining episodes 9–16 debuting Tuesday, June 22.
· Downers Grove: Fans of off-beat buddy comedies should definitely visit “Downers Grove,” which is not only a suburb of Chicago, but also a state of mind. Follow four friends and their misadventures as they hang out, drink and stave off the boredom of life in the ’burbs. Episodes 1–5 will go live Tuesday, June 15, with the remaining episodes 6–9 launching Tuesday, June 22.
Social Media Links:
· High Drama 2: Against All Oz
o TheWB.com: http://www.thewb.com/shows/high-drama
o Freedom High School Drama Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4959203479
· Chadam
o TheWB.com: http://www.thewb.com/shows/chadam
o Alex Pardee Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Alex-Pardee/28942283385
o Alex Pardee Twitter: @alexpardee
o Jace Hall Twitter: @jacehall
o The Used Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/TheUsed
· Exposed
o TheWB.com: http://www.thewb.com/shows/exposed
o Blake Calhoun Twitter: @blake_calhoun
o Kim Matula Twitter: @KimMatula
· Downers Grove
o TheWB.com: http://www.thewb.com/shows/downers-grove
o Michael Blaiklock Twitter: @ LILmookieB
o Elisha Yaffe Twitter: @elishayaffe
o Heidi Heaslet Twitter: @redheadheidi
· TheWB.com
o Destination: http://www.thewb.com/
o Twitter: @thewbdotcom
o Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/theWB
“High Drama 2: Against All Oz” gives viewers an exclusive backstage pass to The Freedom High School Theater Company’s production of The Wizard of Oz. Viewers will get a look behind the curtain as casting pits friend against friend, students with Broadway stars in their eyes try to move beyond the confines of the high school stage, and the pressures of a sold-out show threaten to bring the cast and crew crashing back to Earth. “High Drama 2: Against All Oz” features real characters, real drama and no scripts. From Bombo Sports & Entertainment in association with Studio 2.0, “High Drama 2: Against All Oz” is executive produced by Bombo’s Steven Bram, Paul Doyle, Jr. and Bob Potter, and Studio 2.0’s Rich Rosenthal.
“Chadam” is an action-horror-adventure story which follows its self-titled hero as he develops his power of imagination to physically change his environment and, ultimately, his world. Chadam must learn to harnesses his power of imagination after he’s called upon to save the residents of Cardboard City from the maniacal serial killer, Viceroy, and the zombie-like pallid who have taken over the city. The character Chadam was originally created by cutting-edge artist Alex Pardee for the band The Used. In this installment, “Chadam” is realized in full 3D animation via the power of the Unreal Engine 3, the same gaming engine used in popular videogame titles such as “Gears of War” and “BioShock,” for the Xbox, Playstation 3 and PC platforms. From HD Films in association with Studio 2.0, “Chadam” is executive produced by Jace Hall.
In “Exposed,” handsome, brooding Henry Dye seems like any other Ivy League pre-med student to his friends and acquaintances. But when Henry starts receiving a series of cryptic, untraceable cell phone texts ordering him to carry out increasingly perilous tasks, he is forced to comply – with the threat of exposing his shocking past and true identity if he fails. “Exposed” is executive produced by McG and co-executive produced by Blake Calhoun and Mike Maden. The series is from Wonderland Sound and Vision, Alternative Fuel LLC in association with Studio 2.0.
“Downers Grove” follows Alden, Brett, Pudge and Jodi, four friends in their early 20s who never grew up. When everyone their age went away to college, they stayed in the suburbs, always on the prowl for the next party and never far from disturbing the peace. In Downers Grove, you can never go home again. So they never left. From Sorry, Dad Productions and Mr. Nice, in association with Studio 2.0, “Downers Grove” was created by Justin Becker, Michael Blaiklock, David Horwitz and Elisha Yaffe. The executive producers are Anne Kenny and Eric Wilker.
About TheWB.com
TheWB.com is a premium, ad-supported, video-on-demand, interactive and personalized network featuring original series created or acquired specifically for TheWB.com, a collection of The WB Network’s most popular series and other successful programming, a commitment to interactivity, and an extensive network of distribution partners. Follow TheWB.com on Twitter @thewbdotcom.
# # #
Contact:
Chris McLaughlin,
Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Publicity
chris.mclaughlin@warnerbros.com
Twitter: @ChrisMCtv
Okay, so yeah, this is Avid propaganda here, but I still like seeing what the "big boys" use in their filmmaking. Of course the funny thing is the film "Kick-Ass" is considered and "indie", and I guess technically it is based on my definition which is simply financed outside the studio system, but... not many "indies" I know cost $28 million!!
Anyway, check out the propaganda for yourself. :)
http://www.avid.com/US/about-avid/customer-stories/Kick-Ass?cmpid=AV-EM-SV510
-Blake
Nice video excerpt here from Steve Jobs about why AppleTV is a hobby...
http://d8.allthingsd.com/20100601/d8-video-steve-jobs-on-why-apple-tv-is-a-hobby/?mod=ATD_rss&mod=ATD_sphere
-Blake
Nice succint article (albeit pretty common sense info) on why TV shows get made - geared towards SyFy Channel (written by one of their development guys) - but relateable to any network really. Check it out...
http://www.boingboing.net/2010/05/10/a-dozen-reasons-tv-s.html
-Blake
Yeah, so this is a weird one... The DP for my feature film "Killing Down" (Alan Lefebvre) was in a Walmart the other day and snapped this picture:
That is obviously a shot of "The Marine", an action flick that came out around the same time as "Killing Down". If you've never seen the DVD artwork (U.S. version) for my movie then this wouldn't mean a whole lot, but if you have then like me you probably did a doubletake.
Here's a side-by-side comparison:
So as you can see they look A LOT ALIKE. We brought this to the attention of our US distributor and they said "we use the same graphic designers as the studios". So I guess that means they copy each other? Seems odd to me.
My guess is either the same guy did the work, or it was a blatant rip-off. Since "Killing Down" didn't hit DVD shelves in the U.S. until January 2008 (and "The Marine" was in late 2006 or early 2007), I'd say my DVD artwork is the derivative one here. Luckily the movies aren't exactly the same! :)
Oh, and just for the record, here's the artwork WE DID ORIGINALLY (and what is still being used overseas, unless someone has copied the "Die Hard" DVD cover...). :)
-Blake
A good commentary about the Streamys and the IAWTV issues from a veteran web video creator, Tim Street:
Someone from old media once asked me, “Who do these guys think they are?” “Who gave them permission to do that?” I said, “It’s web video, you don’t have to ask permission, you just go do it.”
Read his blog post here...
http://1timstreet.com/blog/the-web-video-community/
-Blake
Very nice interviews from FreshDV with Ted Schilowitz
Part One:
freshdvnab10_RED_Discussion1
Direct link:
http://www.freshdv.com/2010/04/freshdv-nab-2010-red_pt1.html
And Part Two is here:
http://www.freshdv.com/nab
(scroll down to "A REDtrospective Part 2)
-Blake
Jag35.com sells some pretty cool gadgets for you DSLR video shooters out there... check out their monitors and cage, etc.
DSLR Cage Monitor Mounting from jehu Garcia on Vimeo.
Direct video link: http://vimeo.com/11121194-Blake
If you follow the DSLR news you likely know that the recent BIG NEWS was that the season finale of the FOX network show "House" was shot on the Canon 5D. This really is incredible when you think about it.... I mean, a network show can shoot on pretty much ANYTHING they want, including 35mm film - although that is becoming a rarity.
Anyway, as usual, DP Philip Bloom has done a great job of following this and actually scored an interview with the Executive Producer/Director of the show.
Here's a link to his blog with info on the shoot, and also a link to the audio from the interview. Well worth checking out...
http://philipbloom.co.uk/2010/04/19/in-depth-interview-with-executive-producer-and-director-of-house-season-finale-shot-on-canon-5dmkii/
-Blake
Great article on the difference between TV directors and Movie directors...
http://www.slate.com/id/2250789/pagenum/all/
-Blake
A lot of great announcements at NAB including Avid's latest Media Composer version 5... This is a HUGE upgrade. If you haven't heard here's a list of the new features...
-Directly access and edit RED files through AMA, without transcoding (images are scaled to HD frame size)
-Work natively with QuickTime video formats, including Apple ProRes and H.264
-Edit video and audio by dragging and dropping elements in the timeline
-Keep high-end finishing projects in-house and gain great color precision with HD-RGB support (including dual-link I/O -support with Nitris DX systems)
-Monitor video externally with support for the Matrox MXO2 Mini
-Mix and match frame sizes and aspect ratios — in addition to formats, frame rates, and resolutions — in the same timeline
-Take a break during long renders and have your system email you when the job’s done
-Import AVCHD files directly from cameras and other devices
-Capture to and edit XDCAM HD and DVC PRO HD formats from baseband without additional hardware
-Access low-res XDCAM proxies for offline work, with full-quality audio
-Import text-based ancillary data and embed it in the video signal with the new “Data Track” and SMPTE 436M support using Nitris DX- and Mojo DX-based systems
-View stereo audio tracks as single channels in the timeline for easier handling
-Create high-quality sounds and mixes with support for RTAS audio processing plug-ins
-Natively access and edit 4:2:2 MPEG-2 media from the new Canon cameras using AMA
-Work Directly with RED Using the Newly Improved AMA
With Media Composer 5, AMA (Avid Media Access) has been completely reengineered, so you can work natively with more file-based media formats now and in the future. With the new and improved AMA, you can speed up RED workflows by directly accessing RED files (.R3D) in Media Composer without having to prepare them through MetaFuze (all footage is scaled to HD frame size). Plus, you have access to its full metadata and color management data too.
Edit QuickTime Formats Natively
Get native access to all popular QuickTime formats, with full access to clip metadata. Thanks to AMA, you can natively access and edit any movie that can be played in Apple’s QuickTime Player (including Apple ProRes and .mov files captured by Canon 5D and 7D cameras) right in Media Composer — no transcoding, rewrapping, or logging and transferring required.
Drag and Drop Video and Audio to Edit
Get comfortable — with Media Composer 5, you can truly edit the way you like. In addition to the standard way of editing, you can also now directly manipulate elements in the timeline to edit video and audio. Drag and drop clips anywhere you want on the timeline to rearrange sequences. And grab a clip’s in or out point and drag to trim a scene, dialog, or music.
Get Full-Quality HD-RGB Processing
Keep those finishing jobs in house, and deliver the highest quality color and effects work, with support for full-quality 4:4:4 HD-RGB color space processing in Media Composer. With the higher resolution detail, you can perform color correction, keying, and effects work with greater precision and ease. And if you have a Nitris DX-based system, you can digitize, process, monitor, and output (output in Symphony systems only) projects in HD-RGB, using the two HD SDI connections to handle the high-bandwidth resolutions.
Monitor Video Externally through Matrox MXO2 Mini
If you don’t have a Nitris DX- or Mojo DX-based system, Media Composer 5 opens the door to third-party workflows, enabling you to monitor video externally using the Matrox MXO2 Mini interface, which is available for Mac and Windows systems. When paired with Media Composer software, MXO2 Mini becomes a dedicated, high-quality monitor-only solution for file-based or workgroup production, so you can view your video work in real time without any major expense.
And here's a short article on that new low cost 3rd Party HD monitoring solution from Matrox...
http://www.studiodaily.com/main/news/prc/12140.html
Very cool stuff.
-Blake
One word describes last night's Streamy Awards ceremony... Sad.
If you don't know what I'm talking about read this first:
http://www.webseriestoday.com/2010/04/streamys-2010.html
These folks do a good job of describing it.
So here's my take...
I didn't mind that there were tech issues - that happens (although it was ironic that the tech issues started during the Craft Award videos). I didn't mind the poorly written jokes - again, that happens with most awards shows. What I did mind was the overall tone and sloppiness of the presentation.
The Streamys are supposed to celebrate the best in Web TV, but last night (pretty much) the entire show was dedicated to demeaning it (I'm not talking about the actual awards or the winners of course - I'm talking bout the comedy bits and a lot of the presenters). Now don't get me wrong, I love a little self-deprecation. Making fun of yourself or your place in the world is fine. I joke all the time about being the "red-headed step-child" of the TV industry. But to keep that up for almost the entire show was just too much.
I was also very surprised at the amounts of sex references, sex jokes and just plain vulgarity throughout the entire production (and I'm not even talking about the two streakers - which was, um, yeah..). And trust me, I'm not a prude.
Web video already has a stigma of being dumbed down, vulgar, pornographic, etc. and the Streamys played right into that stereotype. This was a huge mistake in my opinion, and why in the world the very smart guys at Tubefilter (and I do mean that sincerely) would approve the various comedy bits, etc. is beyond me. Not to mention that there were entirely too many acts/bits and they were all waaaaaay too long. They should know better. They work in the world of web video where most entire episodes are 3 to 10 mins total. Some of these bits were that long or more. Btw, some of them were very funny. I laughed a lot (early on more so than later admittedly). But each and every bit could have been cut in half and they could have easily lost a third of them.
The final main thing for me was the sloppiness in the presentation. If we (the Web TV industry) really want to be taken seriously I think the industry's most prestigious (or supposed to be) awards show should reflect that. I actually thought last year's show did for the most part, but this year was a big setback.
The video playback tech issues (forgivable, but still..), the sound issues, NOT HAVING A VIDEO SCREEN in the theater so us in the "cheap seats" could see what was going on (on stage and in the front rows), the general pacing of voice overs and host coming on and off stage, SECURITY (how many times did people crash the stage??), the lame 3D Streamys animated nominee intros (this is subjective of course, but I thought the animation looked comedic, like it was from 1997 - it was not contemporary at all), and the list goes on. But all these "little things" really add up to one big mess.
So this is why I'm sad.
I want the Streamys to be successful (heck, I'm an IAWTV member and I won a Streamy last year for Best Direction in a Dramatic Web Series for 'Pink'). I want the Web TV industry to be successful. I want sponsors and financiers and distributors and our audiences to take the industry seriously. And I know the Streamy Awards and the Tubefilter guys do too.
So I liken this misstep to Kevin Smith's early movie career. He made 'Clerks'. Was a big hit. Went out and made 'Mallrats' next. Was a huge flop. But then he made 'Chasing Amy'...
Let's hope next year's Streamy Awards is our 'Chasing Amy' (without all the dick jokes of course). :)
-Blake
I personally own a Canon XH-A1 HDV camera and have been very happy with it over the last 3 years. We actually shot two of my web series, PINK and EXPOSED on it with a Letus DOF adapter. So when I heard about the release of the next generation of this camera I was intrigued.
The new version is called the XF300 (and XF305). They are tapeless cameras, which was expected, but what I was surprised about was they will shoot in the 4:2:2 color space at 50Mbps and onto standard (cost-effective) CF cards. Unlike the Panasonic HVX and the Sony EX series, Canon has chosen to go with the ubiquitous recording media, which I am very happy to hear. The Sony SxS cards and Panasonic's P2 cards are great, but they're also very expensive (yeah, still) costing upwards of $1000 or more depending on size (some smaller capacity cards are cheaper).
The Canon actually uses the same kind of cards my Canon 7D DSLR camera uses, which is pretty cool (and pretty interesting...). I wonder if Canon will "blend" this line of cameras with it's DSLR cameras in the future? This new XF300 uses 1/3" CMOS chips now (three of them instead of the one used in the DSLR), so why not give it one big one like the 7D or the 5D? Talk about a great camera! But I digress...
The new Canon XF cameras will be on display at NAB next week and available to buy in June. I'm not quite ready to get a new camera this summer, but come this fall I'll likely be an owner of one of these (btw, not to use instead of the 7D - which I love - but to use on corporate and commercial jobs that require more of an ENG or "run and gun" style of shooting).
Read more about the camera here...
http://www.studiodaily.com/blog/?p=2998
-Blake
I'm trying out some new looks, so this is a test and also to let folks know that it's a work-in-progress. :) Thanks!
UPDATE: For some reason my Date Badges aren't updating, so sorry for the sloppy look, but I am working on it...
UPDATE #2: Okay, the Badge dates appear to be working now... cool!
Hadn't thought of this, but it's true. If the US Postal Service doesn't deliver mail on Saturdays as has been proposed starting in 2011, then Netflix could be the biggest loser in that deal...
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36100708/ns/business-the_big_money/
-Blake
Press release from Content Film (Fireworks) about PINK being at the international MIP-TV market, along with several of their other new "digital" acquisitions like RIESE, GIRL NUMBER 9 and SPLATTER...
http://www.contentfilm.com/index.php/news/347.html
Hopefully they'll sell some new territories!
-Blake
My online series 'PINK' has been rather successful for me over the past several years, and now we've just had the good fortune of landing a foreign distribution deal too. This is no small achievment in general, but especially for a "web series".
Generate, our domestic distributor (and primary owner of the show) did the deal with Fireworks International, the TV and digital distribution arm of Content Film (http://www.contentfilm.com/). They also distribute several high profile series like VALEMONT (from MTV), RIESE, GEMINI DIVISION, etc. and loads of feature films and TV shows. So we're in really good company.
What I personally would like to see happen with this deal is it create the opportunity for a Season 4. I'd really like to do (at least) one more season to wrap up the current story line. We REALLY left the fans hanging at the end of Season 3. :)
I'm also excited to see how it plays in more foreign territories. We of course have had lots of our fan base come from Europe, and now - unfortunately - most of the content will be U.S. geoblocked (meaning it is only viewable domestically). But, this will allow Fireworks to sell to the various Internet portals, and mobile providers throughout the world - and ideally build new audiences and create new fans (and the ones who get geoblocked here should be able to find the show in their home country soon).
I can't wait to see how it all works out!
Here are three links to stories about the Fireworks deal:
Tubefilter:
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2010/03/23/pink-goes-international-with-fireworks/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TubefilterNews+%28Tubefilter+News%29
NewTeeVee:
http://newteevee.com/2010/03/23/generates-pink-to-go-international-with-fireworks/#more-44437
PRWeb Press Release:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/03/prweb3762314.htm
-Blake
ARRI's new ALEXA camera looks really great. It's affordable (within reason, especially for rental houses - but some owner/operators), it has 13 stops of lattitude and uses 35mm lenses...
Here's a link to two videos about the camera. The first one is a demo/preview of the actual prototype (that will be unveiled at NAB soon). And the second one is an interview with the main ARRI guy responsible for the design, etc.
http://www.thefilmbook.com/top/techne/arri-alexa-prototype.php
I keep saying this, and it's very true - it's a GREAT time to be a filmmaker.
-Blake
The final episode of this season's FOX TV show 'House" is to be shot on the Canon 5D.
Let me say that again, a NETWORK TV SHOW is going to shoot a multi-million dollar episode of their series on a $2700 camera (sans lens). This is ground-breaking and I don't say that lightly.
Here's a link to the news:
http://www.cinema5d.com/news/?p=2818
I believe this to be accurate too as I got it from Rodney Charters on Twitter - the DP for FOX's series '24'.
The other tidbit is that it appears they might shoot the ENTIRE next season on the 5D. This is to me really amazing. I'm not sure I'd want to have invested a lot of money on a RED ONE or similar recently. Especially when/if Canon allows it's DSLR line to record RAW - and this is in the rumor mill now. I'm not an engineer, but it would only make sense that if it did RAW recording then you've be able to do 2K, 4K, etc. just like RED. Even if you can't, the 1080p video is crazy good already, and if it were uncompressed coming out of the HDMI that would be greatness.
Long story short, it's a very cool time to be a filmmaker. Oh, BTW, we shot my new sci-fi series 'Continuum' on the Canon 7D - the little brother to the 5D and I must say the footage really is stellar (pun intended). :)
-Blake
Really nice interview with Matt Nix, the showrunner for "Burn Notice" and the new series "The Good Guys"...
http://www.deadline.com/2010/03/action-comedy-tv-showrunner-matt-nix/
I like what he's doing Out There.
-Blake
Check out the indieWIRE article on Paramount's new venture (spawned after the success of micro-budgeted "Paranormal Activity")...
http://www.indiewire.com/article/hollywood_studio_boosts_micro-budget_movies/
So, this looks like a pretty cool thing on the surface, and I am interested to see how it pans out (might even try to pitch them myself). But with my recent ventures in the studio world I'd be surprised if 1) they can pull off a feature for $100k, and 2) if the filmmakers will live to tell about it. ;)
While we really enjoyed our WB experience on the soon-to-be-released online series "Exposed" (www.thewb.com) - the amount of notes you get from the studio is substanstial and they don't differ from say a mult-million dollar production or a $100k one. So you're like, "Wow, we should be getting paid more to have to deal with all this." (the studios seem to forget that you're not a well-paid staff writer, or perhaps they don't care?).
I also bet that the "$100k budget" is for "production only" - as they'll likely spend a good chunk more on post, score, and of course distribution. Great marketing hook though.
But hey, I like the "indie spirit" of Paramount Studios here (an oxymoron if I've ever heard one). :)
-Blake
Been very busy shooting new series "Continuum" this past week, and we have about one more week to go. This above graphic shows a raw production still and then the same still color corrected. We set the Canon 7D up to have a "flat" look for great latitude during color grading and this side by side comparison shows that (click on image to see larger view).
I'll be posting more tech info about the HDSLR production and post process soon. But right now back to work on the show. :)
-Blake
Kim's new role as Hope on "The Bold & The Beautiful" is getting a lot of great press including this new feature from her hometown paper in Fort Worth, Texas...
Read Star-Telegram Article
Definitely an inspiring story for those actors Out There trying to make it! :)
Btw, some very cool PINK news is coming soon too...
This short film has amazing VFX and a really nice emotional story. Do yourself a favor and watch it now!
Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo.
And here's a "making of" the short:Making Of Nuit Blanche from Spy Films on Vimeo.
Very cool what folks are doing out there today.-Blake
We announced the cast, start date, etc. today in a press release!
Direct link:
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/02/prweb3566164.htm
Alternative Fuel, Loud Pictures Prep New Sci-Fi Thriller 'Continuum'
Original Web Series Created and Produced by 'Pink's' Blake Calhoun and Mike Maden Starts Shooting February 22nd
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) February 4, 2010 -- Director Blake Calhoun and longtime producing partner Mike Maden, the award-winning production team behind some of the Web's most cinematic original series including Pink, 88 Hits and TheWB.com's forthcoming Exposed, today announced principal photography on their next digital project, the sci-fi thriller series Continuum, will begin February 22nd in Dallas, Texas and Los Angeles and will release the first ten episodes this summer.
Created by Calhoun and Maden and produced & directed by Calhoun, Continuum is a futuristic thriller in the noir-ish tradition of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Alien starring Melanie Merkosky (CBS/EQAL's Harper's Globe) as Raegen, a woman who mysteriously finds herself aboard a space ship with no memory of how she got there and at the mercy of the ship's computer, voiced by actress/producer Taryn O'Neill, best-known for breakout performances in Compulsions (for which she recently won the inaugural Indie Soap Award for Best Supporting Actress) and the post-apocalyptic After Judgment franchise. Brad Hawkins, veteran TV/film actor and costar of Pink, rounds out Continuum’s minimal cast as Tipton.
"I’m really excited about Continuum because I've always loved the darker side of science fiction and this series will allow us to put our own spin on the genre," said Calhoun. "We’ve decided to produce the series as an independent, like we did with the first season of Pink. We’re going to give owning our content a try again and see how it works out."
Continuum is being produced by Calhoun and Maden's Alternative Fuel and Loud Pictures production companies in association with CJP Digital Media, the production/distribution/promotion arm behind successful Web originals including Illeana Douglas's IKEA-branded comedy Easy to Assemble, Spherion-sponsored The Temp Life (which will feature O’Neill in the Feb 8 episode) and dark crime drama The Fall of Kaden. Calhoun and Maden are represented by United Talent Agency and managed by Generate.
About Alternative Fuel
Alternative Fuel was formed in 2008 by filmmakers Blake Calhoun and Mike Maden to produce content for the television, film and new media markets. Currently two feature film projects are being developed, along with a Warner Bros. TV script, and a new online series.
Calhoun and Maden first teamed up to create the Webby nominated and Streamy winning series Pink. That show has now been viewed nearly 8 million times on YouTube, Hulu, iTunes, TheWB.com, Koldcast, Facebook, MySpace, Vuze, Yahoo, MSNBC, Blip.tv and others. So far three seasons have been produced (35 episodes), and more are under consideration, as is a DVD and possible film adaptation.
From the success of Pink, Calhoun and Maden pitched and sold another original web series to Warner Bros., who then partnered them with executive producer McG and his company Wonderland Sound and Vision. That show is called Exposed and will be released in 2010 on TheWB.com.
About CJP Digital Media
CJP Digital Media, a unit of NY-based CJP Communications, specializes in creating, distributing and promoting brand-centric messages and content via digital, social, mobile and traditional media channels for clients across industries. CJP created one of the very first and now longest-running brand-sponsored Web series: The Temp Life as an alternative communications vehicle for recruiting firm client, Spherion Corp. in 2006. Most-recently, CJP Digital worked with IKEA and creator/producer Illeana Douglas to promote and distribute the current season of their branded Web comedy Easy to Assemble, which Advertising Age proclaimed "the most watched branded Web show to date."
My WB web series has a very small mention in Variety from yesterday. Look at the bottom of the article to see the blurb. Oh, and the actual article is pretty cool too. :)
'Supernatural' Spawns Web Spinoff
Wonderland, WBTV producing 'Ghostfacers'
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118014263.html?categoryid=14&cs=1&nid=2562&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+variety%2Fheadlines+%28Variety+-+Latest+News%29
Wonderland is McG's production company who also produced 'Exposed'. Btw, we don't yet have a release date for the show, but it is supposed to be "soon".
-Blake
Yep, Tiffen now has a Steadicam for, wait for it... the iPhone.
Here's a link to article:
http://www.handheldhollywood.com/latest-news/ces-tiffens-steadicam-smoothee.html
It's called the "Steadicam Smoothee" and it's actually for the iPhone and other small "Flip" style recorders.
And here's a video about it from CES:
CES: Tiffen's Steadicam Smoothee from Hand Held Hollywood on Vimeo.
I actually think it looks really cool. I have a Flip MinoHD and it bounces like crazy so something like this makes a lot of sense for that. I have an iPhone too, but an older one that doesn't shoot video.Of course who knows how much it will cost...
-Blake
If you have a 3G iPhone and use the camera a lot (or the 3Gs and use video) these affordable lenses could come in handy...
http://www.japangadgetshop.com/products/Gizmon-iPhone-3G-2%C3%971-Wide-%26-Macro-Conversion-Lenses.html
I'm not sure if these are available in the U.S. or not though.
-Blake
I downloaded the iTimelapse app for my iPhone and shot these two videos this weekend...
First one in my mom's kitchen:
And then this one driving from Arlington back to Dallas (and home) and 30 seconds:
A few bugs I've found using my version of the iPhone (the original one, not 3G or 3Gs) are it will shoot 25 images and then turn off - but once you turn it back on it will go as long as you set it. The first timelapse was 200 frames shot once every 5 seconds and the second one was 600 frames shot every 5 seconds.
Also, for whatever reason (at least so far) I can only get it to record at 640x480 or lower resolution. I tried 1200x900 to achieve a "720p HD" version, but it only rendered out these white and green flashes. I'll have to do some more experimenting, or perhaps my phone has some limitations.
Overall though this is a pretty cool app and I plan on having some fun with it.
-Blake
I've seen some of these things on TV and never would have known... of course the CGI and matte paintings are a critical part of creating the illusion too:
Direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a21_WMiTAVE
-Blake
Not used to being on this side of the camera, but here's a quick interview I did with Tim Street about "Pink", web series and Hollywood...
http://1timstreet.com/blog/you-dont-have-to-live-in-hollywood-to-get-an-agent/
Video is embedded in link above along with brief story, or you can just watch it here:
-Blake
First one covering studios getting more and more involved in Web TV production:
Hollywood Adds Money, Talent to Made-for-Web Shows
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2009/dec/17/hollywood-adds-money-talent-made--web-shows/
And the second piece an interview I did with Koldcast TV (an online Web TV network):
Filmmaker Series
http://blog.koldcast.tv/2009/filmmaker-series/kctv-filmmaker-series-blake-calhoun/
Check them out when you have a moment!
-Blake
Really liking the new Canon 7D and so I used it on a commercial shoot I had this week as more or less another "test". The footage turned out great too. Shot it on a small jib and so it added a lot of production value. See for yourself...
Canon 7D Used On Jib from Blake Calhoun on Vimeo.
The footage was color graded, but I play each raw file first to show the difference in looks. Go to my Vimeo page for more details about f-stops, lenses, etc.This camera is really amazing and especially for the price!
-Blake
Really interesting article about MySpace - where it was in 2005 and where it is now.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/fd9ffd9c-dee5-11de-adff-00144feab49a.html
I think they'll be okay if they focus on music and film. The social side of things with friends from high school, family stuff, etc. is Facebook's ground now.
I actually never have had a personal MySpace page. I do have one for "Pink" and one for "88 Hits" (that I rarely check anymore).
-Blake
I have a Flip MinoHD camera and really like it. Amazing 720p video in such a small device and for only $200. Flip now has what looks to be a pretty cool new product to easily watch your Flip videos - on your TV.
http://www.amazon.com/Flip-Video-CTV1W-FlipShare-TV/dp/B002WZ4N40/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1259795440&sr=8-2
It's $150 and connects wirelessly from your computer to TV. The base has HDMI in too, so it would seem it plays back in HD. I might have just found my first Christmas present. :)
-Blake
Just found this on Vimeo. Very cool music video shot on the Canon 7D and a Steadicam all in ONE SHOT. Nice work by all involved...
Canon 7D Music Video - Prospect Hill "Roller Coaster" from Enki Studios on Vimeo.
Direct link:http://vimeo.com/7867769
-Blake
Okay, so I finally got my new 7D. I was supposed to get it a month ago as I pre-ordered it but Best Buy and American Express somehow screwed my order up - and before I realized it there were no more pre-orders. Anyway, finally got it from B&H Photo (my fave online video store anyway).
So yesterday on Thanksgiving I took it for a test drive. Here is the footage shot around my house in between courses of turkey and pumpkin pie.
Thanksgiving 7D Test from Blake Calhoun on Vimeo.
All the footage was shot 1080p24 with a mix of AUTO and MANUAL settings (they are noted in the footage). Also, most of the footage is not color graded - only a few side-by-side comparison shots at the end are simply using the built-in Avid color correction tool (the "AUTO" footage really doesn't need color grading anyway unless you're going for a stylized look).A few initial thoughts and notes for those considering buying one of these...
1. It's not a toy and it's not particularly easy to use. I would put this in the Serious Hobbyist up to the Pro level users only. This is not a camera to shoot home movies with (although you could of course).
2. Along these same lines, I don't feel this is the best camera for a "run and gun" style shoot. First off, hand-held is not easy at all - at least not right out of the box. If you buy a Zacuto Z-Finder (a $375 magnifying viewfinder that attaches to camera's LCD) and perhaps even a support system from Zacuto or Redrock Micro, etc. - then you can shoot some nice stuff. Otherwise I'd highly recommend using a tripod. Not only are there rolling shutter issues (you can minimize these though), but image stabilization is (typically) not on the lenses - some do have it though - but in my test it doesn't work the same as a traditional video camera's stabilizer. Also, the camera is slightly clumsy to hold since you can't use the eye piece to shoot video - only the Live View LCD (I actually prefer using an attached external monitor, if possible, like an Ikan or Marshall - but again, not ideal for "run and gun").
3. And more to this point - it's not very easy to focus while you're on the move and setting exposure takes a bit more time (and expertise) than a traditional video camera. There are no zebras in the viewfinder. There is a meter that gives you a safe exposure range, but it's not something that I found was quickly or easily done. When you focus too - you can zoom into the spot on the LCD (5x and 10x magnification) which is great, but again, doing this quickly is not easy (as mentioned earlier, an external monitor is ideal).
4. Lastly on this "run and gun" point is the audio. In my test footage I just used the built in mono mic and it sounds fine truthfully. But, I wouldn't want to use it for more than just test footage, or reference sound. I plan on buying a Rode shotgun mic ($249) to attach to the top, which will give much better sound and in stereo. But the camera still doesn't allow for manual control on the audio - it's all auto (maybe this will be a firmware fix in the future?). The Rode mic will work fine for b-roll and quick soundbites, etc. but for optimum sound you'll need to roll double system using something like this Tascam recorder ($399). You can actually put this recorder on the camera's hot shoe and use it as a mic, or you can plug in professional wireless mics or a boom into the XLR inputs (and have manual control, but this would typically require a second person to run sound).
5. I mentioned an external monitor a few times above and I think this is important if you can afford one (both financially and time wise). But one thing that sucks is you don't get a "full frame" sent to the monitor while recording - only the exact image that's on the camera's LCD - which includes the "info" and grey letterbox bars. So the image is actually 4x3 that you're viewing on the monitor (with the 16x9 video within). But, when you play it back - which you can do almost instantly - it plays back in all its HD glory (via HDMI to the external monitor), so this is nice.
UPDATE: I did learn (and tried this out) that with the HDMI cable connected you can cycle through different outputs using the "Info" button and end up getting 16x9 to the monitor while recording. This is good. Bad thing is you lose the exposure reading, but if you're locked in this isn't a big deal really.
FYI, I'm no expert with these new DSLR cameras at all - just an informed consumer and filmmaker sharing my thoughts. I actually get most of my info on them from a very smart British filmmaker named Philip Bloom. For pretty much "everything DSLR" I highly suggest checking out his blog and his instructional DVDs for the Canon 7D and 5D. I actually bought and watched the 7D training DVD today ($135 via an instant download) and got some really good information from it.
Wrapping things up here are my Pros and Cons of the camera (btw, I know I've mainly seemed negative above, but to me the Pros waaaay outweigh the Cons)...
PROS: Interchangeable lenses, huge selection of lenses and creative choices, shallow DOF without having to use a 3rd party lens adapter, great image quality (especially for the price), great low light ability, small form factor to shoot in tight (or public) places easily
CONS: A lot of workarounds to make it a "pro" camera (and a lot of extra costs), double system sound (for best audio results), rolling shutter, clumsy rig for shooting hand-held
Overall I think this is a GREAT CAMERA and perfect for the (indie) filmmakers out there looking to shoot a low budget feature film, a short film or a web series. It's also a good B camera to a RED (or whatever flavor of HD rig) for higher end work on commercials and features. I also think it's a very nice camera to shoot nature footage and beauty b-roll shots (on tripod). Lastly, it's a really good choice for photo journalist who need the ability to shoot video too.
Again, for complete details and more in-depth coverage and reviews please visit Philip Bloom's blog (I read it all the time).
And one other really good resource is Stu Maschwitz's Prolost blog.
Now go out and buy a 7D! :)
-Blake
Check out this funny parody done by my friends in the comedy troupe Four Day Weekend...
Direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUQiWan5eXI
-Blake
Dude... I loved this show! Sadly, the host Ken Ober died this weekend. It's not been reported how. Check out this old episode of MTV's "Remote Control" from 1989. Ah, the glory daze...
Here's a direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkC3OpnzMMc
-Blake
All 21 (hilarious if I may say so) "88 HITS" episodes are now online at Koldcast TV...
Check them out here
And a DVD is coming soon!
Thanks,
Blake
Nice mention of "Pink" in an article about bringing "TV style" programming to the web like the new series "The Bannen Way"...
With high speed internet access becoming available to more people, prosumer video equipment getting cheaper and a trend towards unscripted scripted shows on broadcast and cable TV, the web is becoming the go to place for out of the box original programming. Scripted shows like The Guild, Pink, Legend of Neil, Angel of Death, Ctrl and Childrens' Hospital are bringing TV style programming to the web.
Read full article here
-Blake
The Lone Star International Film Festival in Fort Worth, TX starts today... get your tickets now! Looks like a pretty cool lineup.
www.lsiff.com
-Blake
Just uploaded a TV interview with Natalie Raitano recorded during the production of "Pink" seasons 1 and 2...
Direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DC-YTZG4EOk
-Blake
The Houston Film Commission hosted us last week for a screening of several episodes from "Pink" (eps 1-7) along with a Q&A with star Natalie Raitano, editor Cliff Richhart and myself. The screening was a lot of fun and the Q&A was very lively. Very good audience!
Here are some pictures from the event (on Facebook):
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=195973825406&id=118105963889#
-Blake
This show looks to have lots of potential. Only one episode out and not much is revealed yet, but it's really well shot, etc. Check it out...
Direct link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UVy7uUceXw
-Blake
It's really cool that broadcast outfits are now using the Canon 5D (and 7D). SNL did a skit using both cameras for broadcast on NBC, the BBC has used the 5D for show opens, and now the CW Network is using the 5D for its webisodes that accompany the "Vampire Diaries" (these aren't for broadcast, but could be and will live alongside show on Blu-Ray, etc. in the future).
Read article here from DV.
And you can watch the webisodes here on the CW's site.
I will say I am not a fan of the 30p frame rate the 5D uses, but a firmware update is coming in 2010 that will make camera do 24p. That's big news. BTW, the "bad" video in each webisode was shot with a Panasonic HVX200 and then effected in post.
-Blake
This was shot with AVAILABLE LIGHT. That's right. No additional lighting. Nothing. Really amazing...
-Blake
Check out this recent interview I did with the Web Entertainment Guide:
http://www.webentertainmentguide.com/interviews/pink-interview-series-creator-blake-calhoun
I talk mainly about "Pink" and the future of web series.
-Blake
We should get word today or tomorrow from Warner Bros. clearance department for "Exposed". They have been reviewing the final cut along with all the contracts, etc. for the past week. As soon as we get the go ahead we'll deliver the show. And then shortly after that - it should start it's run on TheWB.com.
Whew! It's been a long tough road to get to this point and I'm excited to finally see what viewers think of the show. I'll post info here as soon as I know an exact release date.
-Blake
Here's the second part to the interview I did with Tubefilter...
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2009/09/09/exposed-on-deck-interview-with-streamy-winning-director-blake-calhoun-part-2/
Actually announced my new sci-fi series too called "Continuum" (www.continuumtv.com). Look for more info soon on this show, along with the new WB series "Exposed" and a hopeful 4th Season of "Pink".
Thanks!
Blake
I did an interview with the industry website Tubefilter over the weekend talking web series and "Pink" two-year anniversary. Crazy it's been that long! And my have times have changed. We premiered our first show on MySpace waaaay back in 2007 and now we don't even really check our MySpace page...
Here's Part 1 of the interview:
http://news.tubefilter.tv/2009/09/08/pink-anniversary-interview-with-streamy-winning-director-blake-calhoun-part-1/
Part 2 will be posted tomorrow.
-Blake
The DSLR HD video revolution is continuing and this time with 1080 24p in the new Canon EOS 7D. This camera looks to be really amazing. The body only is $1699, then you'll just need to supply lenses (and any of the EF flavor will work). I won't get into the other tech specs as you can read that elsewhere, but they are impressive especially for the money.
I've been on a waiting list for the Panasonic Lumix GH1 for about two months, and now I'm on the waiting list for the Canon 7D. The 7D is (now) my camera of choice, so hopefully I won't have to wait too long.
Check out these great looking videos from Philip Bloom who got to test a pre-release version of the camera...
http://philipbloom.co.uk/films/dslr-films/dublins-people-canon-7d-24p-native/
http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/09/04/my-first-short-shot-with-the-canon-7d-shaving-it-back/
Remember, this is being shot with a STILL CAMERA. Amazing DOF. Very low noise. Incredibly sharp. I wonder if this is the beginning of the end for DOF adapters like the Letus or Redrock?
-Blake
