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Reel World: with Patrick Murphy-Racey

12.12.2009

Some of you saw my earlier blog post which included this amazing video shot with the Canon 7D.

SEC Championship Game 12.5.2009, GeorgiaDome from patrick murphy-racey on Vimeo.

There were a ton of questions about how this was done. First a little background on Patrick
Murphy-Racey because as we all know the toys are great but it's the man behind the camera
that makes the biggest impact.

"I'm a former Sports Illustrated photographer. I did a lot of work for SI from 1992-1998. I then began working on a book project on Tennessee football that took me away from the SI work, which I self published in 2003.


I've worked for a number of newspapers in my career as a full-time shooter but quit in 1992 to pursue a freelance career instead.  I've been doing that ever since.  I am really loving this new twist on how to communicate and tell stories. The Canon video capabilities are truly remarkable and simply produce eye candy every time I hit that button. Being able to shoot motion picture quality video on the full-frame chip of the 5DMKII is awesome.


My inbox is jammed with people asking me questions about how I did the SEC Championship video.  Rather than try to answer everyone, I simply made another video explaining the process and what I did to get the results...  I think it will prove helpful for many." - Patrick Murphy-Racey


I'd like to thank Patrick for taking time out of his busy schedule to help educate the filmmaking community 
on this new technology. It is an exciting time we live in for filmmakers and photographers alike. So here it is.
Enjoy!





SECHD: how it was shot... by Patrick Murphy-Racey from patrick murphy-racey on Vimeo.

Check out Patrick's photography here.

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Twitter Love: Part 2 @TRStudios Takes it to The Next Level

This is #followfriday on steroids. If @TRStudios does something he does it over the top!! There is no half stepping with this man. That's why you need to follow him. He's a great guy,very informative and funny to boot. Check this video out...

Follow Friday Video 12/4/09 from T R on Vimeo.

Announcing your first Canon Filmmakers shooting assignment :
A very great potential shooting experience check this out
http://yearinreview.yahoo.com/2009/blog/13
Take this info and get creative. If you shoot something cool make sure to let me know so I can do a post highlighting how different people captured this event. Photographers and filmmakers alike!
We are looking for cool photos or films of this event.

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Reel Inspiration: Take 4 with Kevin Shahinian

12.11.2009




Kevin Shahinian is an award-winning filmmaker. He graduated from the USC School of Cinematic Arts before starting Pacific Pictures, a film production company in Los Angeles, CA. Kevin has been featured  in EventDV Magazine and in Zacuto's webisodic series Film Fellas. I met Kevin first at WEVA Expo in Orlando and then saw him again earlier this year in Re:Frame San Francisco. He's a great guy,very down to earth and geniune. Here is a sample of the absolutely groundbreaking work he has done.

"Can a love story be told as a thriller? Megan and Narbeh's true romance seemed to inspire the myth, conventions, and iconography of the great international suspense films, set in the iconic Uppsala winter of their hometown. Knowing only that Narbeh was a member of the Swedish Air Force, and that he used to sneak off the base at times just to see Megan, we took a little dramatic license in this one-of-a-kind love story-thriller hybrid, and hope to have celebrated the places that remind these two what made their very first moments together unforgettable."-Pacific Pictures


Now in all fairness to Kevin when I talked to him via email I originally thought I needed one movie
pick as I was going to do one post with all the filmmakers and be done with it. Since we spoke the format has changed, but I liked his response so much, I decided to leave it in it's original form.

"You asked the wrong guy to pick one movie. I am a huge fan of "invisibility" when it comes to visual aesthetics. Most of the time, unless the story is about a drug trip or a dream (like The Cell), something that strikes you visually tends to pull you out of the story and remind you that you are watching a movie. I find these films balance cinematography, art direction, and score in a way that really adds to the story and characters in an immersive way." - Kevin Shahinian
by Cinematographer:

Conrad Hall ( Road to Perdition, American Beauty)

Roger Deakins (Shawshank Redemption)

Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan)

Darius Khondji (Seven)

Paul Laufer (The Cell)



For more info or to view more of Kevin's work check these out:



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Twitter Love



Been feeling a lot of love lately and just wanted to genuinely thank everyone for
all the support, help, compliments, feedback etc. When you make an endeavor out of love and passion
and not for profit things like this email make it all worthwhile:

"Hey, I've been following your blog canonfilmmakers for a couple weeks now and I'd first like to say I really love it! Great information on there and good interviews to boot. I actually saw your New York piece you did and loved it... Did some research on the 7d, got the glide track etc etc etc Basically, I completely changed tracks from being a nikon and ex1 guy to giving the canon 7d a go. I have to say, I am loving the 7D so far and I'd like to thank you, your blog and films for the confidence to pull the trigger on the 7d. Cheers, Brian "

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Canon 7D isn't a proper video camera ? Yeah OK...

12.10.2009


SEC Championship Game 12.5.2009, GeorgiaDome from patrick murphy-racey on Vimeo.

I'd like to thank Patrick  from Patrick Murphy-Racey Photography for sharing this with me.
I think this really shows the ability of a DSLR to be used to cover live events and the
amazing shots he was able to capture here are a very good look at the future of
 where filmmaking with DSLR's is heading. When I watched this after he emailed me the link,
I have to say I was absolutely floored! During a high pace game like football for him to be able to capture the shots he did with no noticeable rolling shutter, to me anyway, and keep things in focus is beyond me. I hope to be able to talk more in depth with him about this. Oh yeah and if you didn't notice I said Patrick from  Patrick Murphy-Racey Photography a photographer shot this. Convergence. Fusion.
Whatever you call it. It's here. So get used to it. You might learn a thing or two. Thank you again, Patrick for sharing this phenomenal piece !!
The lenses he used for this were the Canon EF400mm f/2.8L IS, EF200mm f/2L IS, EF15mm f/2.8

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Filmmaking Genius + InFocus 2010

I am posting this video by Joe Simon because it is pure genius.



If you haven't seen the movies that inspire Joe Simon click here for some Reel Inspiration.

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Reel Inspiration: Take 3 with Sara Collaton

12.08.2009

Buying the Canon 7D has given me a new passion and appreciation for photography and I am also a firm believer that inspiration knows no bounds. So I am thrilled that our next set of picks come from rock star photographer, literally and figuratively, Sara Collaton. She's photographed the likes of ( brace yourselves for my shameless name dropping ) Weezer, Ben Folds, the Cranberries, Moby and countless others. Now tell me that isn't a sweet job!! So, what movies does a rock star photographer watch on her day off you may ask. Without further ado here's the picks from Sara Collaton:







"My films seem to follow a theme.  As a photographer, I am continuously inspired by all of the arts, mainly music.  Whether I have lyrics to a song in mind while composing a shot, or pulling a title from a song that represents my feelings while looking at an image, music and images go hand in hand for me.  I guess it's part of the reason why I'm currently working as a concert photographer.  So here are my picks for some of my favourite films in the past 10 years that also have an amazing soundtrack."



The Fountain (2006) Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Score by Clint Mansell (Performed by Kronos Quartet & Mogwai)
"After "Pi" and "Requiem for a Dream" I knew I would be rushing to the theatres for whatever Darren had in store next.  "The Fountain" was announced.  Sadly, I had to wait six years to see it.  Sometimes having an actor walk away from a project (Brad Pitt), production coming to a halt, only to start up again with an incredibly small fraction of the original budget can be a blessing in disguise.  Six years of waiting was worth it.  Choosing to move away from CGI (for the most part) and rely on classic chemical reactions for scenes that take place in space, Darren creates these wonderful images in white, black and golds.  Incredible performances from both Rachel Weiz and Hugh Jackman as well as Clint creating my favourite score of all time, make this a film not worth watching, but experiencing."

Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly) (2007) Directed by Julian Schnabel, Theme by Paul Cantelon
"It's pretty amazing, when a director can actually make you feel what the character is going through.  Based on the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby, who after suffering a stroke, wakes up in a hospital to realize he is trapped.  Although his mind is perfectly fit and healthy, he awakens to a condition known as locked-in syndrome.
You can't help but feel trapped yourself when watching this opening scene. Blurred images and muffled voices, the viewer is witnessing the scene from Jean-Domnique's point of view.  Perhaps it's because I have spent the last 3 years watching my uncle suffer from a similar condition (ALS, or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) but I find Julian's filming technique incredibly powerful.  Paul Cantelon's theme for the film is a beautiful and delicate piano piece in the mix of a soundtrack with artists such as Tom Waits, U2 and the Velvet Underground."

Mulholland Drive (2001) Directed by David Lynch, Score by Angelo Badalamenti
"A Director that often leaves you with more questions than answers, David Lynch is my tied for my favourite director, Stanley Kubrick being the other.  I find David absolutely fascinating as a true artist that is not afraid to take (many) risks and often starts his films without a finished script, but instead, works on feelings and cueing actors with single words instead of actual direction.  As much as David Lynch is the visual element to his films, they would not be complete without Angelo's contributions to some hauntingly beautiful pieces.
Probably proving to others and myself by this point - I am not a writer. I wouldn’t even know how to begin to review or describe a Lynch film in full sentences.  Instead, like he does with actors, I'll leave you with words that come to mind when thinking about his films: dark, mysterious, surreal, beautiful, film-noir, woman-in-trouble, warm, voyeuristic, desire, nightmare."   

Now put down "I Love You, Beth Cooper" (why did that even come out on DVD) you have some serious film watching to do.
To see some of Sara’s amazing work vist www.saracollaton.com 

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The "F" Word : Fusion


Coney Island Dream from Joshua Brown on Vimeo.

The "F" word. You've heard it a million times. Fusion. Or worse the "C" word...Convergence. A world where Photographers become Filmmakers and Filmmakers become Photographers. Well get over it. It's here. Primarily a still photographer Joshua Brown has delved into filmmaking armed with his Canon 5D MkII.
"Coney Island Dream" was shot B.F. (before firmware) and therefore he didn't really have maual exposure control. Check out more of his work here  joshuabrownphotography.com

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The Heirloom-Northernlight Filmworks

12.06.2009





by John Moon (Northernlight Filmworks)

Many of us can look around our studios and think of our favorite tools or cameras to use to tell a story.  As I look around our studio, we have different cameras that we use to achieve our vision.  We shoot with all Canon cameras.  At Northernlight Filmworks, we shoot with Canon XH-A1’s for HD video and we shoot Super 8 Film with Canon 814 and 16mm film on a Canon Scoopic M Camera.  All of these cameras have specific roles to play and are our go to cameras in certain situations.  Earlier this year we added the Canon 5D Mark II.   We have also incorporated the Canon 7D in many of our shoots.


I have some background in photography and ever since I was young, I enjoyed taking photos.  I remember our family vacations and taking photos with Dad’s Polaroid and with his 35mm camera.  My first 35mm camera was a Canon AE-1.  When I look back at all the photos we have they bring back many memories.  I’m a sentimental person, so anything that takes me back to a period or preserves a memory, hits close to my heart. 

The Canon 5D Mark II has been an incredible camera for us to use and has opened up our creativity.   I like this camera because it is full frame and a huge sensor.  This camera has caused me to think about the shot and to be somewhat selective when composing the shot.  I have always thought about how I want to shoot something before this camera but now you have to be cognizant of the best lens for the situation, the f-stop, shutter speed and ISO.  If you are going to use a prime lens, what are its limitations? What is the lighting and how will you use it?  Will your subject be moving are fairly static?  There are number of things that you process to achieve an optimal composition.   

We recently used the 5D on a family shoot with Carpenter Photography and Design, to explore using this camera as a documentary tool with those types of sessions.  All of us can look back at old photographs but you can only rely upon your memory to recollect how people moved, what they said, mannerisms, etc.  We approached this shoot as a documentary and “in the moment” type of shoot.  With children, this often works best.  The Heirloom is meant to be a reflection of family and can expand to simple interviews with the parents, children, grandparents, etc.    The concept was to create something that 20 yrs from now, would remain relatively timeless and be an accurate depiction of what the family may have remembered about that day.  The Canon 5D and 7D from a filmmaking standpoint, allows you even greater access to the subject.   I’m not sure why that is but my theory is that the still camera has been romantisized for so long and people understand it better and therefore have a greater comfort level with it.   We shot this Heirloom session using the 5D and the lenses were 70-200 2.8 IS and an 85 1.2.  I love both of these lenses.   The prime was a little more challenging because the children were being children and they were all over and wanting to explore.  I love how they just went and did their thing because this was them and this is what they do.  The 70-200 gave me more flexibility.   I shot this particular film without the Zacuto Z-Finder but have since purchased the Z-Finder.  The Z-Finder, in my opinion, is an absolute must.   Shooting in video mode, you loose auto focus but before the 5D I primarily shot manual focus anyway.  But shooting in HD and with this camera, anything that is just a little out of focus, you are going to see it.  For me, the Z-Finder does 2 things: (1) More accurate critical focus and (2) Stability.  You pull focus much quicker and more accurately because the Z-Finder allows you to really see the edges and blocks out sunlight that might interfere.  Greater stability is achieved because when you press the eyecup against your eye, your body then becomes the stabilizer.   I tend to do a lot of breath holding.  I think that comes from my experience in shooting rifles.

I think the key to any type of documentary style shooting is to be able to anticipate movements and how those movements might connect to another.  I’m always trying to think what the subject is going to do next and then anticipate their interaction with someone or something.

What I enjoy about the Heirloom piece is how authentic it is.  It portrays a sense of warmth and in this brief moment you get a glimpse of this family’s personality. 


We transcoded the footage from 30p to 24p and edited with Final Cut Pro.   Although the footage that comes straight out of the camera is very good, I color grade every clip using Magic Bullet.  I don’t do heavy grading but primarily work the curves to get the blacks the way I want them.

Become a fan of Northernlight Filmworks on facebook here
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Noblesville-IN/Northernlight-Filmworks/42551964984 

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About This Blog

This is a community effort to help further the ongoing education of professionals and hobbyists interested in shooting HD video with Canon's line of professional DSLR's. Namely the Canon 5D MarkII and the recently released Canon 7D. We will also feature work by users of these cameras to give them exposure and to create a place to be inspired by others. This is a friendly effort so if all you bring to the table is negativity kindly go somewhere else. For all suggestions for article topics or if you have an article or film you would like to have published here please send all info to jonjconnor@gmail.com or send me a tweet at @jonconnorfilms

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