WORK

Adams video week roundup!

Blimey lots has been going on over the last week, I hope it has been as hectic for you as it has been for me! Monday started with continuing the design of the graphics for a recycling animation, a daunting task which put my drawing skills to the test. Bearing in mind I've spent the majority of the last year behind a camera, I took my time to learn the techniques I would need to use Illustrator properly. I would usually use Photoshop over Illustrator, but until I recently found out PS is not truly vector, and as I would be using a combination of the Pen tool and others to design the images this was very important, as I would need to transform the graphics later in After Effects.

My best mate Glen came down from Wycombe for a  surprise week to, so I spent plenty of time catching up with him and chatting about work. He gave me so very important advice; "Everything is too complicated these days, you should keep it simple and your audience won't know the difference, especially if it is moving and animated anyway." True words, and I took Glens advice which not only sped up the process, but made me more confident with the work I was producing.

Here's a screenshot to show all of them! (I think I am working on a 10K canvas).

The graphics design has been on-going, I practiced when I was first commissioned, but it just shows how familiarizing yourself with the tools and applications can ease your work! A very very important part of this process was to intensively storyboard and plan each scene, so I know what graphics can be generated beforehand, so I spent a good couple of days story boarding and sketching the graphics I would need, followed by a long list of assets I would go on to to create.

Pre-vis sketches:

For the rest of the week I started importing the graphics into After Effects, and setting up the 15 scenes. I am finally starting to see progress! I am still working on this section, and it will take another week or so to complete all the animations. Again, I storyboarded this in the planning, so I know exactly what to produce for which scene which saves so much time. Also, the best thing about this planning part is that it does not have to be a work of art to depict your ideas, just a simple sketch to represent what you will need to create.

On Thursday I joined a crew of fashion designers, hair stylists and models to film a magazine photoshoot for Sherman Hawthorne (the hair stylist and creative director of the shoot) at The Lemonade Factory studios on Queenstown road. With eccentric styles and art direction, I set about to capture high contrast, dramatic footage which will compliment the photos. It was an early start, here I am waiting for my train at Clapham Junction;

I was a single shooter, I had the pleasure of transporting the equipment to the shoot which included a steadicam vest that I ended up not using. I've learned my lesson here not to take extra kit!

My kit list was as follows:

Canon 5DmkIII (A camera), Canon 60D (B camera)

Tamron 24-70 F/2.8 VC, Samyang 14mm T/3.1 cine, Samyang 35mm T/1.5 cine, Nikkor 50mm F/1.4 manual, Samyang 85mm T/1.5 cine, Sigma 70-200 F/2.8 OS

Manfrotto 755CX3, Manfrotto MVH700AH, Manfrotto Hydra arm and super clamp,

CamSmart camera rig + Lilliput field monitor, CamSmart Stabilizer vest, Flycam Nano

Zoom H6, Rotolight Roto-mic.

As with all of these shoots, time runs short so I was restricted to short burst of filming time with the models to capture the specific ethereal and industrial motif, but I also shot around the photographer to maximize my usable footage. I made use of the 50fps slow motion for the moving shots, so that the models movements are exaggerated, as well as stabilizing the shot.

As the props included wire fencing and chicken wire, aliasing was a problem when shooting shallow depth of field, or at an angle to the object. To remedy this I used a lower aperture (F/4-5.6) for some shots, but also I can add a Gaussian blur in Premiere Pro when editing to soften the lines, gently smoothing out unwanted aliasing.

A couple of frame grabs from the shoot!

Here I'm using a moving shot to create a distorted perspective from outside of the set.

Here I use a low angle shot, removing the identity of the model to create a 'trapped' and 'mysterious' feel to the model, and why she is in the box.

Weekends are always working weekend for creatives and freelancers. I spent yesterday working on the animation of the recycling project again, continuing to compose the scenes using simple 2D shapes and animation styles that have become very popular recently.

I also came across this post from Chase Jarvis about how to manage your time properly, its a great post with a detailed outline of 90-minute working slots that should improve your productivity, I urge you to read it if you're someone like me who can't stop working, then apply the plan to your working life. I know I will be!

Do Less = Do More by Chase Jarvis

I haven't had many #videoquestions come in recently, so please keep them coming so I can help with tips for the community of videographers and creatives! Send them over to me @Plowman91 on Twitter.

Finally, ending with a must watch video, check out Philip Bloom's video shot with the Blackmagic Production Camera, the 4K one at Miami Beach, what do you think of it? Is it worth investing now the Panasonic GH4 is on pre-order and it looks like Sony will have a 4K DSLR announcement coming at NAB2014 too..!!

Philip Blooms Four Corners Miami Beach (Blackmagic 4K camera)

That's all for now folks! Keep the creative juices flowing!

New supercomputer is built!

I've been waiting months to finally have a computer that can handle the work that I do!! Previously working on laptops (which coincidentally die each year) I needed to step up the game to a high performance desktop which will expand my capabilities in not only video editing, but also motion graphics and compositing. I got myself an i7, NVIDIA 650TI 2Gb graphics card and all the rest to allow working speedily in Adobe applications (taking advantage of the mercury playback engines) and also allowing me to use Speedgrade and DaVinci Resolve for professional colour grading as the new graphics card is CUDA enabled!! My workflow speed will go through the roof!

Throughout all of January, the components dribbled in one by one, until it was only the PSU to come. Amaz0n buggered up my order, which I was expecting in 2-4 weeks. The order then got pushed back another 2-4 weeks, which I was furious about, so got on to Amazon support who clarified the 'warehouse' issue.. Everything is computerized these days so I don't understand how a major marketplace cannot get there warehouse stock levels and back order numbers right!!

I cancelled my order with Amazon, and put it through Scan instead, who delivered the Corsair 1000w PSU in only 2 days. Top service!

Being impatient (eager), I wanted to get the new computer going as quickly as possible so I begun assembling the components in the case. I had never done this before so the nerves were running riot, washing my hands every couple of minutes to make sure I wasn't getting grease or dirt on the motherboard. It was stressful, but I managed to get most of the bits it, bar the CPU and hard drives.

Yesterday Sam helped me put together the rest of the components and the cabling, and the building of my new workstation - could not have done it without him!

The blank canvas of my computer.

Now all I have to do is fill it up with my work and data, install Adobe and then I can get working!

A videographers diary of a working trip to Amsterdam

I left for Amsterdam at 4am on Friday 23rd, heading for Gatwick with Sam who really kindly drove me there! Having taken some equipment with me when I went to Amsterdam for the first time for IBC, however this time I would be covering a music event with multiple cameras so the kit list looked something like the following..

3 x DSLR bodies (2 Canon 60D, 1 Nikon D5000)

6 x lenses ranging from 17mm to 85mm

2 x Manfrotto ML360 LED lights

2 x Superclamp + magic arms

1 x Zoom H2

A load of extra things to cover my back just in case!

Copyright Adam Plowden 2013.

I got to Amsterdam at around 9am and headed for breakfast. Knowing how busy the Damrak is, I headed West and found a little cafe to chow down on breakfast. Like England, Amsterdam suffers from grim weather, so rain it was.

Copyright Adam Plowden 2013.

Now re-charghed, I headed to 420 Cafe, where Steven 'fly' works; the guy I met while I was over here in Sept, and offered me the job to come over and film the gig he is playing drums at; John Sinclair & His Vipers, on the opening night of the 2013 Cannabis Cup. For those unfamiliar with John Sinclair, he inspired John Lennon, writes amazing poetry and produces podcasts for Radio Free Amsterdam. With a huge following and message, capturing his performance was key to promoting John and moving his message forward into the age of video!

After dropping off my bags at Stevens, we had a look at the venue 'Arkhnaton' just round the corner from 420. It is a small venue with a corner stage, dark and faded which added to the aesthetic of jazzy, smoke filled Amsterdam gigs.

Copyright Adam Plowden 2013.

I then got to meet Mark from Iron Man records, and Claire, a producer back in 420 and got chatting about ourselves, the anticipation for that nights performance and how we can get the best material to push John Sinclair into the limelight. Through the cloudy room appeared John and Nick fresh off the train from England! We had a great time talking and relaxing in the great ambiance of 420.

After 26 hours of traveling, walking and getting settled back into Dam life, it was time for me to crash.

Up at 4pm the next day, recovered from the day before I was ready for a meal and to get on with the production that night. Steven and myself headed to John's favorite Indian restaurant on Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal and tucked into the best chicken madras I've ever eaten. Followed by a short walk across the road, we arrived at The Arkhnaton and began setting up for the gig later.

Copyright Adam Plowden 2013.

Naively, I forgot to pack the power cable for the field monitor, so I had to suffice with the on camera screen and viewfinder. I had a 60D on a tripod central to the stage with the 85mm F/1.8, with another 60D to my left a couple of feet higher than myself for a wide shot (with a superclamp and magic arm). Over to the right I had a D5000 with a 35mm F/1.8 for an extra cutaway shot.

Ready for the gig, I chilled while the band set up and rehearsed. I got some snaps and shots of John and his Vipers performing to build up a collective of promo material.

Copyright Adam Plowden 2013.

The blues and poetry were in full swing, Steve Fly on drums, Vince on guitar, accompanied by a last minute sax and horn player to add a touch of brassy class. Having Magic Lantern on the cameras eliminated the restart issue, so syncing up in post would be easier. It was a fantastic gig, and great to hear Johns poems in person.

Knackered from another late one, I turned around the memory cards and equipment the next day, racking up 70Gb of footage over 3 hours or so! It was enough of work, and time to enjoy Amsterdam.

I had a fab time with the 420 guys Janne, Eli and Tias when we went on a trip around town for a Cannabis Refugee's project, I accompanied with my camera, capturing the nights events in a number of hotspots around the city; Grey Area, Greenhouse, ending back at 420 for some more giggles and fun.

It was my 22nd birthday on the 27th Nov, so in true celebratory style, cake for breakfast! Followed quickly by Wok To Walk, which is like a Chinese version of McDonands which they have brought to Soho!! Thanks to Steven and the guys I had myself an exhibitor pass to the Cannabis Cup 2013, so the rest of the Cannabis Refugee filming went on the road! As a tourist, it was create to experience this new open culture and lifestyle!

There's Annika! Stevens flatmate and my new found seed genius!

After that, I got to see The Wailers (minus Bob of course) at The Melkweg, a local gig venue to the Leidsplein, which was awesome!! They played all the best tunes, a great end to the day.

Copyright Adam Plowden 2013

Being a techie, its a bad habit of mine to check up on what the guys working are up to..

It was soon my last day in Amsterdam, it always comes around too quickly as I never get around to do all the things I wanted; museums, canal boat tour etc.. But it is winter and I was there for work so that is my excuse!

Now back home, I'm in the edit suite working on the multi-camera edit of the video!

I'm working on my laptop, so progress is a little slower than if I was working on a full powered machine, however I have got through most of it over the last couple of days, spending most of my time re-syncing the clips together.. Working with 3 cameras in post on a 1 man live crew is certainly interesting!

If you haven't already, check out some of my other stills I took, including a performance from Steven and Vince in a Squat house!

Thanks to Steven Fly for the job and for letting me stay at your place for my stay, thanks to Mark and Claire for your help with the video, as well as the guys from 420; Janne, Eli, Tias, Laura, Claire, Francesca, Annika, John and Caleb and anyone else who I've missed out!

Do you want video for your business, event or organization? Video is a powerful and vast marketing tool, get in touch at info@adamplowden.co.uk for more on what I can do for you!