1st Project me and Ivan is cooperating - "Gosha"

Locations

1. At home - Buying drugs, preparing drugs for swallowing, sniffing.
2. At Jakes House (Summer garden house) - Swallowing and waiting for the flight
3. Airport - Still in progress
4. Ambulance - inside of the car (bed)

Splitting responsibilities


We have found a very good way to work together. We try to stay in our qualities. Pre-production is one of the stages where we both work together, risk assessments, permissions and contacting actors. While Ivan is writing and directing, I am responsible for light, camera, and post-production.

We have done some test shots at home to see if our idea can possibly work out. We are filming in flat a colour profile with FujiFilm X-T2 (4K camera) and Nikon D5100. This year I am learning new ways of colour grading. Flat colours will be more flexible for the final edit. I am watching videos on Lynda.com and Youtube.com how to create and work with LUTs (Look up tables).

Stepping up with LUTs I can now choose my own colour scheme and use it in any footage we will film. I am creating individual LUTs for each scene.

LUT's I made are done separately for each video clip. I tried to look up is there a simple description what the LUT colour grading means in simple terms. What I figured out - Look up tables actually explains themselves. In an extreme way, I could tell the camera to see all blues as green colour. Each colour has its colour code or address in a table. Each colour code is captured by the camera sensor. Applying LUT basically means to change colour code to a different one. There are two different LUT systems - 1D which I see as a point system and 3D which uses curves and regenerated colour palette.
I am exporting certain frames in .TIFF to manipulate more colour information. Using still image I redo colour coordination. When that is done, divide all adjustments from the still image and export in .Cube (LUT format). Import the LUT into Adobe Premiere Pro and apply on the video clip it was made for.

It took me time to learn all of it, but once you know it, it saves a lot of time in post-production.
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Next bit is about my workspace. Quicker editing and improving quality.
As I said, I want to use my last year in university to prepare myself for the industry. So I learned a new programming language (.INI). This language lets me code peripheral devices (anything that is plugged into the computer, like a keyboard).


Many editors spend a lot of time going through navigation panels to find the right tools or adjust something, it takes a lot of time. There is a solution like Tangen Ripple or DaVinci Resolve Controllers, but they cost 2000 pounds and more.
Basically what these controllers do - Each button or slider works as a shortcut for certain actions. One button can apply colour adjustment layer, edit sound levels or buttons can be assigned to certain colour channels. Editors do not have to go all panels through to find colour editing tools or transformation tools. Everything is on one controller - physical buttons.

It is also really hard to always remember long shortcuts like CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+R to start 3D rendering.

I know that there are keyboards with macro keys (MACRO KEYS - shortcut buttons that can be customized for certain actions). My main keyboard has 6 macro keys. But it is not enough to apply all necessary tools. 

Windows do not understand if there is another keyboard plugged in. It will register both keyboard keys as one. So I cannot assign keys to my own shortcuts.

I looked up online and I found a forum (Flight Simulator) where people assign 2nd keyboard for gaming. They use a separate keyboard to assign keys for radio, distance, altitude, temperature and other controls that are not easy to access while you are flying a plane. They use .INI code to program the second keyboard as a new device.

So first I coded my second keyboard. the script basically divided both keyboards and I can assign hotkeys to one.
After that, I am writing a code for Adobe Premiere Pro. I am still in the process, but it looks promising. When it will be done, I will have 141 extra hotkeys to play with. Technically I can assign new keyboards as much as I have USB ports. I can have an individual keyboard for each software and ease my workflow.

In the end I am also saving a lot of many as well.
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Don't push your weaknesses, play with your strengths (Jennifer Lopez)

At first, I wanted to find myself in other areas, like directing or script writing. I tried to push myself in directions I have not done before and therefore I struggled for weeks coming up with my first idea (hacker short-film). After class presentations, I thought once more what do I really want to achieve with my portfolio and where I want to end up.

It is the last year of university and I need a good portfolio in order to get the job I want. I would like to work in a team where I am responsible for visuals. I want to push myself to the limits, proving directors that what is written on a paper can be achieved easily. I am gaining knowledge of new gear, new editing software, and filming techniques as much as I can. I'm going to realize the visions of film directors to the last detail. For industry, I want to improve the way how the story has been told. If the story is developed and presented in a better quality using creative ways that have not been seen before it can reach a lot more people and spread the story further. So because of me, the story can be told better.

Teamed up with Ivan.
The journey starts here...
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CONCEPT
A fictional 10 minute short-film reflecting privacy of digital world and public data in 2017. Privacy is not about "to hide" - Privacy is about "to protect". I also wanted to show that you really never can get out of the loop once you have done wrong things in the past.

DESCRIPTION
Two best friends used to prank classmates in college using their social network data. Now they are university students, playing video games every Friday. One evening they meet and laugh about time in college, sharing how paranoid some classmates were. It was nothing very serious, only changing profile pictures on Facebook and sending naughty emails from other accounts, or just sending old archive photos. After one friend leaves his house, other goes upstairs and just takes a quick look online. A new chat window pops-up saying "Hi". He replies just for fun.
The conversation goes to the stage 1 where the money has been requested in one hour of time. Only GBP 50.00 but the guy just laughs and replies in a rude way. The stranger knows this guy and in a response includes some facts about his life.
Stage 2 requesting GBP 500 in exchange for peace.. He shuts the laptop, grabs the phone and calls his best friend telling how weird is this stranger.
Stage 3 - The young teenager receives a text message showing that the stranger wants to publish a private photo archive of him, the amount of money has been increased again. He agrees to pay, but only if they meet in real life. Old pub, main character sees a guy in his fifties sitting at the bar. The student asks to go outside to have a cigarette where his friend was waiting with a knife. Finally there are piece and they did not loose any money. then they both receive text:"STAGE 4 - It was just a joke, I still want my money".

CONTEXTUAL UNDERSTANDING
I think I really want to focus on technical side after graduation. I want to explore more of Adobe sweets. I will focus on camera techniques, use of colour, audio, lighting and editing. 

RESEARCH
I don't want to make this short-film like any other hacker film. there won't be any "Matrix" green binary codes. I want to make it more realistic and simple, how new users never protect themselves, they go against the rules by the saying "The best defense is the attack".

Research theories of surveillance.

Michel Foucault - Surveillance and Crime Control
Bentham - Surveillance and Critical Theory

New media does all so people think they have choices - therefore, their underlying thoughts and desires - are unique, rather than programmed and shared with others

TECHNICAL AND CREATIVE SKILLS
Adobe sweets, I want to use some new lighting techniques and learn more of audio.
At the moment I will use low key lightning and a camera that is good in low light conditions. (FujiFilm X-T2)


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How does anonymous connection works?

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As I explained in the previous post I changed my project's idea and collaborate with Ivan Uzunov. His theme was couple relationships and therefore his idea played around wedding scenes.

White Wedding


White Wedding’s inspiration comes from marriages, and all the difficulties they carry. The video is set during the breaking moment of the couple, whom lack affection and caress for each other resulting in the birth of pure evil. 
White Wedding is a music video based around a broken love story, with a ‘dark comedy’ gist. It follows December and June a recently wed couple, they quickly realize their relationship is deteriorating over small arguments. Growing distant they chase each other throughout the corridors of the decaying mansion they once called a happy home. The chase sequence is created in cinematic montages for an opportunity to capture the decaying beauty of the old manor along with December/June’s outfits. As the video extends both June and December become increasingly rough and hateful to one another; it is then June gives birth to a pile of guts (evil) rather than the beautiful baby they once wanted, in return for their aggression, violence and repulsiveness to one another.
“The greatest evil is physical pain.” – Saint Augustine

I told my thoughts and we went in different ways of an emotional show. How it should be represented, what kind of song we should use and so on.

Inspiration


I kept in mind these videos while shooting, tried to express similar look. 

 MUSIC

This was a bit problematic, but I think I did it right. 
Trust-BulbForm - we chose this song because of the mood. It contains many audio overlays I was cutting in post. All cuts blended together using the same rhythm and I think I did well.


Set Location

Back in summer of 2016; I and Ivan went to a couple of ruins and abandoned buildings- Ivan went back to the synopsis and figured it out; dying relationship, lack of love, anger, fear, and havoc. Ivan wanted a distressed looking building with torn down walls and dark corridors, something that was once beautiful in relation to June and December's love. He revisited BULL MANOR in Slough and called the number on the plantation post; We got in contact with the Site Manager Kevin and asked for permission and actually got his approval as long as we were accompanied by a member of Vividline (Daniel Holland) Ivan promised him a copy of the film. We had to shoot immediately, as we only got signed off a day before the shoot. Below are some images Ivan took of the location and permission approval.




We had the permission and then I started my part in a different role. Production... I was writing risk assessment and I was in charge of the project folders.

While Ivan was doing storyboarding, directing and script writing I had my positions as a cameraman, editor, and part as a creator of production pack.

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Filming

Gear

We used fully only our personal gear. Fujifilm X-T2, which was used for 4k and FHD slow-motion videos. For this camera, we used wide angle 12mm 2.0 lens.Another was DSLR Nikon D5200 with Sigma Art 50mm 1.4 lens. Velbon fluid-head tripod. Flycam-Nano stabilisation system and LED portable lights. We used walkie-talkies for better communication through the house. 

Techniques

Because of Fujifilm x-t2 capabilities in low-light, I was shooting video even using 8000 ISO without any noise. For moving shots I used 4K option so I could stabilize the footage in post. We tried to use fluid movement, so all shots look more cinematic and more immersive in this scary house. We also used post-production dolly zoom, It made the effect called "Parallax". 

Editing

Gear

For editing, I used my custom built PC (WIN 10). i7 3.4 GHz; RAM: 24GB; SSD 128GB; HDD 2TB; GPU 4GB Nvidia GeForce GTX 770. As my monitor, I used Dell U2412M IPS. My sound was monitored on MicroLab Studio 6c speaker set.

Software

I used Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere.

Techniques

I used post production layer masks, different sound merge tools. I used digital parallax effect technique which took me about 4 hours to learn. I was using many subsequences and pre-compositions. Premiere compositions were working all the time together with After Effects and Photoshop.


 Fujifilm X-T2 allowed us to film in flat image profile. Retouching and color edit was easier then ever before. I used colour look up table to set the colour gamma at first. It was easy to pull out the details from dark areas and highlights from overexposed shots.

Facing problems

Because of linked media, pre-compositions in After Effects and some layers that were interactive with photoshop I faced problems exporting the clip. It took ages even on a powerful computer. It did not render out the visuals on the first go. On the second something was wrong with the audio. Only on the third go, we were completely done.
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Okay...
I got the dancer two weeks ago. Replied to all questions and had a tutorial with Rosie. Because my initial idea has to be filmed using a fully able-bodied dancer we had some problems representing disability. Ethics and emotional feelings may be touched of someone who is actually a disabled dancer. Therefore I thought about messaging Stopgap community. I emailed 3 times and no response. It is the week before dissertation proposal should be submitted.

I finally got the email back. There is no reason to stop me film this idea... BUT - I have run out of time and I have to find a new way to finish this project.

I was helping Ivan with his project, I promised to be his camera operator. He offered me to collaborate and I agreed with a smile. I took over camera operator and editor role.

In the same time, I kindly said no to all dancers I had for my dance video idea...




White Wedding


White Wedding’s inspiration comes from marriages, and all the difficulties they carry. The video is set during the breaking moment of the couple, who lack affection and caress for each other resulting in the birth of pure evil.
White Wedding is a music video based on a broken love story, with a ‘dark comedy’ gist. It follows December and June a recently wed couple, they quickly realize their relationship is deteriorating over small arguments. Growing distant they chase each other throughout the corridors of the decaying mansion they once called a happy home. The chase sequence is created in cinematic montages for an opportunity to capture the decaying beauty of the old manor along with December/June’s outfits. As the video extends both June and December become increasingly rough and hateful to one another; it is then June gives birth to a pile of guts (evil) rather than the beautiful baby they once wanted, in return for their aggression, violence, and repulsiveness to one another.
“The greatest evil is physical pain.” – Saint Augustine
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The Wolf of Wall Street
Intro


"+"

I learned Adobe Illustrator Basics using Lynda.com ( 17.5 Hours )
I learned how to make 2D photographed room into 3D space
I learned how to control animation speed
I learned how to make original transition using only layers
I learned how to work effectively with compositions
I was able to refresh my knowledge working with Audition
I liked the whole workshop in total


"-"

 I did not enjoy the workflow on Illustrator at the beginning
I gained weight sitting long hours at the computer


I am happy about my animation bearing in mind the time we had. I would definitely look up more for Cinema 4D usage in After Effects, I would like to make nicer shapes and drawings in illustrator. I am very happy with the result and I think I put a lot of time and effort to bring it up in a level the video is.
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