Back-to-School Guerrilla Fashion Statements

Here's another perfect example of using guerrilla creativity to great end effect...my friend and all around film/video tech guy, Sean Charlesworth, has just put out an exclusive line of jewelry aimed at film and photo enthusiasts.

Not only are these funky well-made boutique-quality pieces, but they are completely unique in that they are fashioned from various film cameras (many which are no longer made) and other pieces of used film and photo-related equipment such as gears and springs.

Troll the streets of Soho all-day if you want, but you I don't think you'll find this funky fashion statement anywhere except Sean's online shop, SprocketHoles. And if you do by some miracle find something like it in the trendy part of town, it definitely won't be at the same reasonable prices given the rarity of some of these parts and the amount of labor that Sean puts into each piece.

I think it's the perfect and unique gift for the fashionable film and photo enthusiasts in your life. (I'm even having a piece commissioned, but won't say what, so nobody can bite my style, before I get a chance to rock it!)

And the perfect compliment to your new Arri film camera earrings of course is one of our very popular Crackhead/Crowbar Hoodies and T-Shirts to remind your crew to be to keep their eyes on valuable film equipment when location shooting. Both now on sale for $5.00 off the regular price!

Lusting for the Nikon D90...Mmmmm HD

Here's a revolutionary and very promising development for Down and Dirty filmmakers with an HD jones and a low budget...a digital Nikon S.L.R. camera that that takes 12.3 megapixel stills that can also record 1024 x 720 24P HD video all for only $1000.00...Let me just let that part sink in for a minute.

There. Got it? Oh and did I mention that it has an interchangable lens? Well, it does. Which means for a fraction of the cost, you can use fish-eye, telephoto, macro or any other 35mm prime lens to shoot crisp clean HD video.

Before I get you all worked up into a red hot HD frenzy, I should point out that it won't replace a video camcorder. However, it sure as hell will supplement one and make for a much lower cost alternative to get some creative shots in with a small camera that you might not otherwise be able to physically (or financially) pull off. And obviously, as an S.L.R. still camera, it has audio and memory limitations.

(photo: David Pogue for NY Times)

But make no mistake about it. This is the first attack in a new front in the DV Rebellion. The technology keeps making the impossible more feasible. Sequences and shots that cost $100,000 yesterday, can be pulled off with a laptop and a prosumer camera today. It's a good time to be a Down and Dirty filmmaker. "Impossible" in the world of DV these days is an ever-moving line.

Peep out David Pogue's NY Times article on the new Nikon D90.

American Cinematographer Gives Down and Dirty Props

"As one might guess from the emphatic title of his book, The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide author Anthony Q. Artis is more than just a filmmaker, teacher and writer — he’s a sort of DV evangelist, a man on a mission to educate everyone about the benefits of digital production and postproduction."

- Jim Hemphill,
American Cinematographer Magazine

Since he described me (accurately) as a DV evangelist, let me give you a brief guerrilla sermon...

"The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide" which began as a little self-published B&W guerrilla book that I wrote during my subway commute has already received more attention and positive reviews from all over the world than I could have hoped for, but the one I just got today is particularly special because it comes from one of the most respected magazines in the industry - American Cinematographer.

Way back when I first unveiled the very first version of this book at Sundance some 3 years ago hustling it out of my backpack as I walked up and down the steep Main Street hill in Park City I was so excited to finally see people's reaction to something I had put so much of my heart into. Not unlike with filmmaking, you bust your ass, your wallet and your brain for a long period of time never really sure if people are even gonna "get" your vision- or even worse if they are gonna think it sucks.

In as much as people may think I exude confidence, the reality is that I am just as insecure and unsure as the next person...I just don't let those feelings stop me. I can't afford to and neither can you as an aspiring filmmaker. Whether you are making a movie, writing a book, or starting a new company, any serious achievement will involve a constant head game that you have to win.

As filmmakers we are all aware of the pitfalls of budget, inexperience, faulty equipment, etc. But we rarely consider the biggest pitfall of all - the negative voices in our own heads. (I like to think of them like that line from the Exorcist that goes something like, "The Demon knows your weaknesses. He will mix lies with the truth to confuse you". I take that line as a metaphor for those voices of doubt in all our heads.)

I can't count the number of times I wanted to quit, thought I was wasting my time and money, was rejected by someone I really wanted to help me with the project or was just worn the hell out from hustling and trying to maintain a life outside of the project. Understand that these doubts ARE the very first tests. It's all part of the process. It's where 90% of the people with visions are shut down before the vision even sparks. I suspect there are hundreds of would-be indie hits, #1 tv shows, or even bonafide Oscar contenders half-written, half-shot, half-edited in closets and paper piles all over the world...dreams deferred.

I submit the below review from a American Cinematographer as proof that those voices are all full of shit and that if you have a film, a business, a book...any major personal achievement that you want to get off the ground and bring to completion- you've gotta do your damnedest to protect that vision from your own self doubts, because you truly never know how people will react to your vision unless you complete it and get it out there.

And in the best case scenarios you'll discover what I discovered in this process - completing a major artistic vision ain't easy, but it ain't impossible either. People with far less brains, talent, and character than you and me have successfully completed their visions. In my experience as an educator and film consultant, the biggest thing stopping us is usually us.

Pick a specific goal, ignore the negative voices and never stop moving towards it (however slow or meandering a path you have to take) and you will ultimately achieve it. Here's the proof:

American Cinematographer's Review of
"The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide"

Inside Barack Obama's Media Team

As filmmakers whenever one of our friends makes a big move, we always joke with one another saying something like, "Now I can say I knew you before you were big and famous." Well, every so often it really does end up ringing true.

Such is the case with my one-time fellow NYU colleague, Arun Chaudhary. A little over a year ago, Arun left his position as a Grad Professor at NYU to join Barack Obama's media team as Director of Field Production. And, I know I'm pushing the cliches here, but it really couldn't have happened to a nicer, more talented guy. Even without me saying it here, Arun and his work as a film instructor and on the Obama campaign speaks just fine for itself.

A few weeks back I attended a packed-house lecture that Arun gave on the Obama campaign's media strategy at NYU. It was sponsored by FrogDesign and Fast Company Magazine (a read I highly recommended for entrepreneurial types). Arun showed a bunch of video clips from the Obama media campaign which I thought were quite cutting edge for politics- generally, very candid, humorous, revealing and even a few edgy spots and clips the campaign has put online. But most of all, they really seemed fresh and smart- not at all like the traditional political spots we're used to.


A Few Minutes w/ Arun Chaudhary,
Barack Obama's Director of Field Production




As Director of Field Production, Arun generally produces, edits, and sometimes shoots his own political spots, most of which are turned around in days and hours, not weeks. (There are several such teams of Producer/Camera producing spots independently, but all under a unified central media strategy.) So, by my calculations and for all practical purposes, Barack Obama has a straight up Down and Dirty video team.

I long ago gave up arguing and frothing at the mouth over the sickening ebb and flow of this non-sensical, divisive, blue vs. red, devolved state of American politics. (My senitiments on public political discourse online can be summed up by Jay-Z's line "Don't argue with fools...from a distance people can't tell who's who".) However, as a media maker, I still remain completely fascinated at the sheer effectiveness of the use of video media - the good, the bad, and the ugly - in modern American politics.

I'm not talking about the politics themselves or the right or wrongness of it, but I'm simply fascinated by watching how campaigns and all of our political entities craft and execute media campaigns- (even the misleading ones) to sway the opinion of a precinct, nation, or even world. I'm captivated by the game itself, rather than the players, if that makes sense.

While the politics have become a major turn off for me in recent years, the political media game remains facinating to me. It's the ultimate tv programming battle...coming up with effective attention-grabbing video projects, on a break-neck turnaround, on tight budgets, that are ultimately intended to play a major role in directly swaying the very course of history. (Witness the Paris Hilton/John McCain campaign ad battle I put up in my last post.) These aren't little commercials to sell cars or dog food...This is as real as media influence gets, because the stakes are no less than the leadership of the free world. (And that's not just hyperbole- that's some "realperbole".)

The times have changed. If anyone wants to be a viable candidate for a high public office, they really do need to build an organization that understands how to effectively use media to define their candidate, get their message out, defend against attacks, and when necesary attack back. Finding the fine line between humorous and offensive, candid and unwise, spirited defense and smear is not an easy business fo anyone. To date, I think the Obama campaign has played the media branding game as good as any candidate in recent times. (See Fast Company article on The Brand Called Obama)

And the fascinating thing about it all to me that I think alot of people miss, is that more and more in this age of instant and accesible on-demand video, the world is being swayed one way or another by nothing more than basic filmmaking storytelling techniques...the type of music, tinting footage, slowing down a shot, intentionally showing a "character" in flattering or unflattering lighting, juxtaposition editing, editing out of context, low angles, high angles, zooms in, zooms out, color correction... all very carefully crafted to sway public opinion, for better or worse (and I definitely think better in Arun's case), by everyday ordinary filmmakers - like us.

To me personally, these political seasons just serve as a reminder of the incredible power we hold- literally in the palm of our hands - when we know how to successfully execute our craft to tell stories that move people. (The electorate is just another type of audience.) If we are responsible with it and apply those very same story-telling techniques in the right directions- it stands to do just as much good as harm in our world...that's the real power in our hands as the media makers of the world.

Whether it's as big as presidential politics or a short doc on a battered woman's shelter. Through the application of our filmmaking craft, we alone are in uniquely powerful position to literally change the world - one visual story, one person at a time, in so many tangible and untangible, but very real ways.

Like I said in the book...if not us, then who? Look around you. We're it, Baby! You think the world is f#@ked up? Wanna change it?

Do what Arun did- grab a camera and Shut Up and Shoot.

John McCain vs. Paris Hilton

As I write this I'm working on a longer post that involves political media, but this story concerns unfolding events that go directly to the core of my next post on the topic of the power of social and political media.

I'll let the clips stand on their own for now and put them into context as they pertain to down and dirty filmmaking in the next post...coming soon. For now enjoy the political wackiness:



The Original John McCain Ad:



Paris Hilton's Response:

directed by Jake Szymanski and produced by Chris Henchy of Gary Sanchez Productions

FREE - Interview Bootcamp at B&H Aug.6th

Once again I will be rolling out some new premium seminar material at B&H Superstore Event Space in midtown Manhattan. This time up I will be giving a thoroughly engaging Interview Bootcamp. See event description below:

Down and Dirty DV's Interview Bootcamp - Weds. Aug. 6th - 11am -2pm

Come join us at the Event Space to hear the talented Anthony Artis give an A-Z overview of all the facets for conducting a successful interview from the technical practices of camera, audio and lighting to the practical techniques of planning and conducting interviews. This class is perfect for aspiring documentary filmmakers, small businesses, corporate videographers, and video journalists who are looking to expand and sharpen their skill set. After attending one of Anthony’s classes, you’ll walk away with a wealth of information and burst of motivation.


Joining Anthony will be Eric Drucker, from Lowel Lighting, who will be discussing different types of lights and how to control them so that we can use them to our advantage. Eric will demonstrate a range of lighting concepts using multiple techniques that will have you feeling confident about lighting interviews of different types.

Please understand that this is the first and last time that you will be able to get this full seminar live and in-person completely for FREE. Before I charge people for anything I like to test it out and tweak it to make sure that it is a superior value just like "The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide", so if you snooze, you lose. (I'll still be giving this seminar in the future, just not for free again.)

This is essentially much of the very same info that I teach to students in the Sight and Sound Documentary class at NYU's reknowned Tisch School of the Arts- only instead of over a full semester and at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars, I'm gonna stuff and jam all the most important, succinct, and practical interview tips I can think of into your skull in the space of a few hours and for free...Not only that, but as an added bonus trainer, Eric Drucker from Lowel Lighting, will be there giving an interview lighting demo.


The B&H Event Space continues to be one of the best-kept little secrets around town. Every single month they give tons of free classes and seminars in various topics in photo, video, and multimedia. It's an incredible resource, especially for those of you who are self-teaching. All you have to do to go to any event is register. (Non-registered attendees will be permitted as space allows.)

Anyway, I hope to see you there. There will be a Q&A and booksigning of "The Shut Up and Shoot Documentary Guide" to follow.

Location:
The B&H Event Space is located on the second floor of the B&H Super Store, located at 420 9th Ave, New York, NY 10001. If you are registered, please arrive at the Event Space entrance 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start.

Animation Block Party - July 25-27

Since, I'm started on an animation kick last post, I might as well follow it up with an animation festival. And not just any animation festival. This one is more like a party...actually it IS an animation party right here in our very own quaint little village of Brooklyn, NY.

To be specific, I'm talking about The 5th Annual Animation Block Party which pretty much includes everything the name implies- animation, good drink, and bands all in an outdoor setting in the inner city. Here's one of last year's films from my fellow NYU alum- Sarah Wickliffe:




Apart from the video and description from the official website below, I really know absolutely nothing about this event, but I do know a good time when I see it and this event looks like a good time for anyone, but particularly if you are a creator or fan of animation.

Unfortunately, I will be shooting another party in Brooklyn Saturday night- a multi-venue Barack Obama fundraiser, but this looks like a good time. Perhaps I'll make it through on Sunday sometime.




Here's the info and official website description:

Some call it punk rock, some call it grass roots, but labels aside - NYC based Animation Block Party is dedicated to exhibiting the world's best independent, professional and student animation.

Since the premiere of the first official Animation Block Party film festival on September 9th 2004 - we have received over 4000 animation submissions from all ends of the earth.

Animation Block Party will run from July 25-27, 2008 in Brooklyn. Over 100 films from a record 800 plus entries will be screened at the fifth annual ABP.

ABP opens on Friday July 25th at Rooftop Films, featuring live music from Plushgun, followed by a screening of ABP's most fun and fan friendly cartoons. A party at Bar Matchless will follow with free beer from Radeberger.

ABP continues on Saturday July 26th at Bam Cinematek, with experimental works and music videos in Program One and a storytelling focus in Program Two. Screenings will be followed by an after party at Cherry Tree with free Newcastle from America's News Source, The Onion.

ABP closes on Sunday July 27th at Bam Cinematek, with top professional and independent works in Program Three and the strongest narrative local and international shorts in Program Four. The closing evening party is at Habana Outpost, featuring streaming videos, delicious food specials and free draft beer courtesy of Autodesk.

Yo! Animate This!

Okay, I think this is actually so cool that I was at first tempted to just keep it to myself, but after playing around with it a little, I decided that it was so cool that it would be a public disservice not to share it with you and I think the company that developed it deserves proper mention for a job well done.





Confession time: Here's the sad truth, ladies and gentleman, traditional filmmaking is my thang, but I've always secretly longed to also be an animator, but three formidable obstacles have long stood in my way-

1. Despite early promise in grade school, I suck at drawing
   
2. I simply don't have the patience to work 6 hours to create 6 seconds of finished footage
3. Merely thinking about high end animation software makes my brain hurt

Up until now, I've been haunted by this unfulfilled longing, but now the good people at Fuzzwich have created a virtual Fantasy Island for wanna-be animators like me. The relatively new filmmaking art of Mechinima has recently filled the longing for some computer-saavy wanna-bes. (See my previous Machinima post.)

However, I think Machinima is still not yet evolved to my "idiot-proof just-give-it-to-me-now and make-it-easy-and-intuitive like-my-ipod" kinda level. The new app I want to tell you about will have you cranking out clever humorous animations in 10 minutes flat from scratch. All of the animated clips on this post were created using it.

In a matter of minutes you can create and share a very cool, professional-looking, and creative animation with music using their funky-fresh brand-new still-in-Beta-testing, only-tell-people-you-like-about-it online app called Minivid.

Who Can I Turn To


I've seen other interfaces for various animation applications, but they were always fairly static and limiting. I think the people at Fuzzwich have actually nailed it here. They've actually made it super-easy for anyone to create a simple animation, have it look and play good, share it, and offer enough options in music, backgrounds, characters, and actions that everyone's cartoon creations can feel unique.

The interface is pure Down and Dirty- simple, effective, and not overcomplicated. After watching just a 2 minute video tutorial (see below) I was able to quickly get a cartoon up and running. The more I played with it the more I could see this app sucking up vast chunks of time without even realizing it as I try to top Pixar's latest effort from my laptop. (Reest assured the animators jobs at Pixar are still safe...for the moment.)

How to Create Your Own Minivid

How to Minivid! from fuzzwich on Vimeo.


Nevertheless, there's plenty of room to really grow this app with even more character choices, the ability to add your own music and pix, animate mouths seperately, etc., but it's a great start for us pencil-challenged wanna-be animators. Give it a few more versions and even us- the non-graphically artistically-challenged can become serious animators too!

It stands alone as just plain silly creative time-wasting fun- (especially with the likes of characters of George Bush, Barack Obama, and a Chewbacca knock-off thrown in!). However, a Down and Dirty DV filmmaker with the proper application of imagination and perhaps some creative post-hacking of a finished Minivid could easily incorporate such video animations (not the music) into a larger online filmmaking effort...assuming there are no legal issues with using finished video, of course.- If there are just remember you didn't hear it from me.


Le Ballet De Pug



Please leave your comments or point us to your Minivid creations below.

UPDATE:
So, had I have stopped playing with Minivid long enough, I would've noticed their upcoming offering, Animator which apparently can do all the things I said that I'd like to see in future versions of this program. It's in a very private Beta at the moment, but perhaps you will be one of the lucky ones selected to participate.

I am intrigued and excited to check out the results from the beefier application. I think this really is revolutionary and a great leap forward for Down and Dirty filmmakers everywhere. If anyone has any Animator projects online, please feel free to link to them in a comment on this post.

Animator BETA Preview Video:




The Fuzzwich Screencast from fuzzwich on Vimeo.

Ant's Consumer Camcorder Guide

I recently gave a quick crash course in choosing a consumer camera for the Fox Business News Channel at the B&H Photo Video Superstore in Midtown Manhattan. I also gave a quick overview of some of my personal picks for the best consumer-level camcorder bargains out there.
These cameras are primariliy for non-professional filmmakers- regular ol' people - who want to shoot personal home movies, vacation videos, or who may have some very simple business video needs.

If you are an aspiring filmmaker on a really tight budget, the models below with mic and headphone connectors will get you rolling until you can upgrade to something a little more professional in the $2500+ price range. (If you are a filmmaker in the market for a more advanced prosumer camera, make sure you sign up to our mailing list at the top right of our blog and check out my 2 part podcast on How to Choose a Camera - part 1 & part 2.)

The first thing you want to consider in a consumer camcorder is image-quality. How good will the picture look?

HD vs. SD
HD video cameras will give you a much clearer, sharper picture and a more cinematic widescreen format. However, if you don’t own an HDTV or if you want to get more professional camera features at a bargain, you may want to go with a standard def camera, which costs less and will look just like the images you are already used to on any non-HD television.

IMAGE SENSORS
The other image-quality factor to look for is the size of the camera’s image sensor. Now image sensors, or image chips, are essentially the video equivalent of a photo negative- the bigger the sensor - the better the image quality. So a 1/3” sensor would give you a better image than a 1/4” sensor chip, and so on.

CCD vs CMOS
There are two different kinds of image sensor technologies out there - CCD chips and the newer and cheaper CMOS chips. When it comes to CCD chips, 3 chips is better than one. However, most cameras at the consumer price point are gonna be single chip cameras- and that’s perfectly fine for the home moviemaker.

ABILITY TO SHOOT IN LOW LIGHT
Another factor to consider is the camera’s ability to shoot in low light. Look at the specs for something called the lux rating of the camera. The lower the lux rating the better the camera will perform in low lighting conditions. (7 lux or lower is fine, but a camera rated at 3 lux or lower will perform great in low light.)

RECORDING FORMAT
Mini-DV tape is still the most established consumer format, but there are now many choices of recording media out there including hard-drive, DVD, and flash memory-card based cameras.

Some of these newer formats you will find still have a few quirky performance and compatibility issues when it comes to reliability and editing, but they generally offer greater convenience, flexibility and savings in tape costs over mini-DV tape. My advice to you would be to spend a little extra time researching possible issues when purchasing any non-tape based camera.

CONNECTIONS
Also check the specs for the type of connections or ports the camera has to hook it up to other devices such as your computer or tv. A Firewire and an A/V connection - which goes into the little yellow, red and white plugs on your tv - should be standard for any model.

For the best quality playback, also look for S-Video connectors or HDMI or Component connectors on HD model cameras. In addition to getting a picture out of the camera, a few consumer models may offer audio connections to plug in a pair of headphones or a microphone, both of which you’ll need if your filmmaking ever becomes more serious.

ADVANCED FEATURES
As home filmmaking becomes more accessible, more and more pro features have been creeping into consumer cameras in the last few years. Now almost anyone can get more professional results using the same tricks as the pros.

The most valuable advanced feature is manual controls- specifically manual focus, exposure, shutter speed and white balance will all give you much greater control over image quality when you are ready to switch out of full-auto mode.

An optical image stabilizer to help improve shaky camerawork is always a great feature to have. And if buying HD, look for a focus-assist function to help you focus those ultra-sharp HD images on that tiny LCD screen. A touch screen LCD, photo-capture, time-lapse recording, and 16:9 wide screen mode are also great advanced features to find in a consumer-level camcorder.

So now that we talked about the basic things to look out for, I wanna point out 3 different consumer models that pack in some great features at recession-friendly prices. So check out the all-new first time ever...


Price-Buster Consumer Camcorder Picks!!!!!
Ant's personal camcorder picks for the home movie crowd - all under $1000. Help out the economy by spending your recession tax relief check on one of these video camcorder bargains...










Panasonic - PV-GS320 - $320.00

• Standard Def mini-DV camcorder
• 3x 1/6” CCD sensors
• 1 lux min. light
• manual focus
• S-Video Out (w/ special cable)
• No mic or headphone jacks
  
  
  

Canon Vixia HV-30 - $750.00

• HD mini-DV camcorder
• 2.7” CMOS sensor
• .2 lux min.light
• manual focus and exposure
• optical image stabilizer
• mic/headphone/HDMI connectors
• very simple controls
• HV-20 is a great substitute model

Sony - HDR-HC9 - $900.00

• HD mini-DV camcorder
• 2 lux min. light
• 2.9” CMOS sensor
• touch-screen interface
• exposure histogram

(*All prices are as found at B&H Photo Video Superstore in Manhattan, NY at the time of posting. Prices vary from market to market.)

Another Video Black Box

Patrick Ng touched on some of the new generation of "Video Black Boxes" out there in a recent post, but I wanted to quickly revisit the subject to tell you about a new black box product that sounds quite intriguing to me.

The Zee Vee ZV-100 is a new electronic device that will allow you to stream ANYTHING on your computer screen to your tv via a standard cable connection. So this means you could look at YouTube videos, trailers, a Final Cut Pro file, or even just check your email or surf the web all on your big screen HD television. (Yes, it broadcasts in HD!)

At $500, it's still a little pricey for my budget, but this is the first generation of this technology, so that's always most expensive. If I ever get my hands on one, I'll give you a direct report, but for now you'll have to check out the video below and read the NY Times article here for more insight.

I've said it before and I'm saying it again- the digital landscape and the balance of power is shifting- one camera, one device, one technology at a time, but they just keep coming and they keep getting better and cheaper.

I suggest that everyone reading this blog begin to seriously comtemplate exactly how we can take advantage of these new technologies to improve the quality of our filmmaking and do an end run around the gatekeepers of film and tv. (Just last week CVS drugstores in the L.A. area reported a 33% increase in sales of Depends Adult Diapers because every Hollywood gatekeeper who makes their living by picking and choosing what films and shows can be distributed and how is pissing in their pants.)

That's just my two cents...

Short Zee Vee Promo Video:



Read more here:
NY Times Technlogy Article