DIY: Protecting Your Camera From Mother Nature

"When it comes to protecting your camera from the elements we already know that a condom will go a great way. However, sometimes a more subtle approach is needed. Especially if all you are seeking is to protect your camera from a bit of rain..."
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Follow Friday

Sorry I was a little late on this one.

People I follow on Twitter from T R on Vimeo.

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A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie... Ever

A Trailer for Every Academy Award Winning Movie Ever -- powered by Cracked.com

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Reel World: Ryan Hunts and Woven Nuevo Leon

Woven Nuevo Leon- Shot with the 7D from Ryan Hunts on Vimeo.

A remarkable filmmaker from Austin, Texas, Ryan Hunts, decided to do a visual sketch of Northern Mexico's ancient wonders. This piece was wonderfully paced and beautifully graded. I first heard of him when Chad Nickle of Wild Orchid Studios  sung his praises. I love getting the inside scoop on amazing filmmakers before the general public. I have been privy to see some of his other work and I have to tell you all, this is definitely a rising star to watch this year. I am sure his contributions to independent filmmaking will be astounding. Stay tuned... you heard it here first.
check him out out here RYAN HUNTS

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Reel Inspiration: Take 7 with Rob Imbs

It's been awhile since the last installation of Reel Inspiration. So, I definitely wanted this one to be someone that has a REAL passion for filmmaking. Enter Rob Imbs, a filmmaker from Buffalo, New York that has produced for television, edited commercial work, and written, directed, and edited several features. My first run-in with Rob was on Twitter and I have been an avid reader of his blog Lovely Junkie since then. He is a real sharp, geniune guy and he loves what he does. That's the kind of people I like to surround myself with and when he says he likes a movie I know that I'm going to get something out of it. So with out further ado...

"I think it’s essential for creative people to surround themselves with positive and encouraging influences. I love the technology surrounding the process of filmmaking, the friends that I make along the way and the feeling of accomplishment when a project comes together.


It’s nearly impossible for me to pick my three FAVORITE films, but let’s give it a shot.

The Big Kahuna:

The DSLR craze has helped us all to become obsessed, and rightfully so, with depth of field, bit rate, color depth, and frame rates. The way that a film looks is important because it shapes the way we perceive the story. That said, probably once a year I throw the Big Kahuna into my DVD player, and it’s not because of how it looks. This film is by no means a technical achievement or in any way revolutionary, but it does showcase what is often forgotten in most films, dialogue.

The film is about 3 lubricant salesmen who are out of town on business. The director, John Swanbeck, chose to shoot the entire film in one location, which to me is ballsy! Imagine how limiting that must have been, he couldn’t hold the audiences attention by cutting away to another location. I think the Big Kahuna personifies what makes a good film, a good story, great writing, and wonderful acting. The Big Kahuna inspires me to want to become a better writer every time I watch it.


Kill Bill 1:

Tarantino is obvious known for the way he showcases violence in his films. But what I never hear him praised for is his cinematography. Violence aside, my favorite things about Kill Bill 1 were the cinematography and art direction. The whole film feels very conceived, that is to say, I feel like every shot in the movie was meticulously boarded and setup. A wonderful example of this is the tracking shot that begins the “House of Blue Leaves” scene. I’ve probably watched this shot over 50 times. It lifts and twists, catching little pieces of light and color in a inspiring and masterful way. So the shot isn't just a technical achievement, it also progresses the story by establishing the location and characters. I feel like I could teach a class using this shot as its inspiration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ke6KUtcG9jY&feature=related

It’s also worth noting that I’m a huge fan of anime, so when Quentin chose to animate entire scenes of the film, it scored points with me :)


The Insider:

Take a moment to think of your favorite film, does it include Megan Fox bent over a motorcycle, or does it speak to who you are as a person? To me, drama’s are the most rewarding films to watch because they have the most potential to change a person’s mind or affect someone in an emotional way. I saw the Insider years ago and I can say quite certainly that it helped to shape me into the person that I am today. The film is about doing what is right even when everyone abandons you. So without being too preachy, I'll just say that I liked this message and the film." Rob Imbs


Check out Rob Imbs blog Lovely Junkie
Also follow him on Twitter: @lj_director

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Reel World: Brian DeFrees + Canon 7D

The thing that I really love about this piece is that it takes something I absolutely loathe,taking a car to get serviced, and makes it fun. This was also the first thing he shot on the Canon 7D, so stay tuned. I have a feeling we are going to be seeing a lot more.

Service from Brian DeFrees on Vimeo.

Who is Brian DeFrees?

I am a cinematographer who shoots and edits commercial and corporate videos for an Advertising Agency in Upstate NY.

Did you have any problems you had to over come when shooting this?

This was the first thing I shot on the Canon 7D.It was hard to choose the correct exposure when shooting the scenes with the flying sparks. I felt I coudn't get a setting where the sparks were orange enough without darkening the rest of the image.

What was your favorite thing or things about the Canon 7D?

The Sharpness of the image straight of the camera is amazing. Coming from an HVX200 with a Cinema lens adapter to the 7D is an amazing transition as a filmmaker. Easier rig to use and focus, especially in tight situations like the ones in this video. And image quality is superb!

How about the glidetrack? Which version do you have? How do you like it?

I have the Glidetrack SD range 1 Meter version. It's a great piece of equipment. The Glidetrack is a compact, bring-anywhere piece of equipment that makes it easy to add a cinematic look to your films.

Do you have any plans for shooting with the Canon 7D in the future?

I plan on shooting all of my future films with the 7D: Music Videos, Wedding Videos, Commercials and more short films are in the works.

For more info on Brian DeFrees

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Canon 5D MK II Firmware announced for Mid-March

London, 2nd March 2010 – Canon today pre-announces the release of a firmware update for the multiple award-winning EOS 5D Mark II. Originally announced in late 2009, the update adds 24* and 25 frames per second (fps) recording to the camera’s EOS MOVIE video function, and will be available as a free download from the middle of March.



Developed following feedback from photographers and cinematographers, Firmware 2.0.3 further enhances the EOS 5D Mark II’s excellent video performance. The addition of new frame rates expands the camera’s video potential, providing filmmakers with the ability to shoot 1080p Full HD footage at 24fps (actual 23.976fps) – the optimum frame rate for cinematic video. 25fps support at both 1920×1080 and 640×480 resolutions will allow users to film at the frame rate required for the PAL broadcast standard, while the new firmware will also change the 30fps option to the NTSC video standard of 29.97fps.

A new histogram display for shooting movies in manual exposure, shutter-priority (Tv) and aperture-priority (Av) have been added, and exposure modes will also be available in movie mode. Improved audio functionality will allow users to set sound record levels manually using a sound-level meter displayed on the LCD screen. The audio sampling frequency has also been increased from 44.1KHz to 48KHz, providing the optimum audio signal typically required for professional or broadcast material.

With its full frame CMOS sensor and compatibility with Canon’s wide range of premium lenses, the EOS 5D Mark II is already recognised for its outstanding HD video performance. Launched in September 2008, the camera immediately created a wide range of new possibilities for photographers and videographers, and the addition of new frame rates and manual audio levels extends those possibilities even further – allowing movie makers to shoot stunning movies to suit practically any creative purpose.

Extreme sports photographer Richard Walch was one of the first to be given the chance to use the newly updated EOS 5D Mark II to shoot the snowboarding movie “I Love My Friends”. Commenting on the EOS 5D Mark II’s video performance, Richard said: “The addition of the new frame rates opens up a whole new range of possibilities. If you’re a cinematographer, independent film maker or just enthusiastic about making your own movies, get out there and give it a try”.

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