Hello Thelonius
WordPress 3.0 “Thelonius” has dropped and all is right and good in the world. Thanks to Matt Mullenweg and all of the hard working WP devs. My upgrade experience on this site and on a WPMU/BuddyPress site I have in development went as smooth as silk. Looking forward to fully exploiting all of the 3.0 goodness in the near future.
Blackbird Fly
The folks over at 702FJCrew.net have been asking me to put this video together for quite some time now. Jerry Miller was kind enough to do the color correction a year ago, but my skills at video editing did not match the vision in my head. After my time with the Pixel Corps, my editing skills have gotten much stronger. So, I took this opportunity to play with Quicktime and iMovie to tell the story of the Blackbird.
Blackbird Fly is short (2:18), but I think the visuals speak for themselves. There is a lot I could have done in Final Cut Pro to tighten it up, especially fading the audio effects in & out, but this was really an exercise in seeing what I could throw together quickly in iMovie. For those interested, here is the work flow.
- The images were shot on a Canon 30D using a Canon 24-70mm “red line” lens.
- Jerry Miller color corrected all photos in Adobe Photoshop. Because of the relative angle of the sun, the color palette changed as the camera tracked the truck. Jerry did a great job of bringing all of the shots to one common palette.
- Assemble the stills into movies of varying frame rates using QuickTime 7. It is a good thing I have an older G5 Mac in my studio because the newer Intel Macs all updated to Quicktime X. While QTX is a better player, Apple removed some of the useful pro features like building movies from an image sequence.
- Bring the movies into iMovie then build titles and audio using the iMovie library. The music is from Midnight Syndicate, purveyors of excellent ambient music for gaming and theme parties.
- Post to YouTube and wait for it to finish processing.
So, there you have it. I little bit about how this little movie came to life. I hope you enjoy it.
Peace,
Doug
Starting Project 365
365:008 - Three Masts
In TWiP 143, Alex Lindsay chats with his sister, Jenn Stein about the their growth and history as photographers. During the show, they discussed Project 365, which both Jenn and their brother Joe Lindsay are doing this year. I found the idea really intriguing, but was not sure how to proceed.
Yesterday, as I wrapped up another busy week at the Pixel Corps, I ended up chatting with Joe about his experience with Project 365 and I realized … I’ve already been doing the most important part. I am taking my camera with me everywhere I go. A few weeks ago, I got a BlackRapid RS-7 strap, which allows me to keep the camera close at hand while keeping it secure. Since then, I’ve taken the camera with me to work everyday.
As a result, I discovered that I already had the first twenty-eight days of my own Project 365. So, I spent some today getting caught up and creating the set on Flickr. As busy as I am right now, I doubt I’ll be able to post every day, but I will shoot everyday and add try to post the photos in batches every week or so here, on Flickr and maybe on Facebook as well. I am looking forward to experience, especially the critiques of more seasoned photographers.
Peace,
Doug
PS: Family & Friends – Let this serve as a warning that you are likely to be come a subject in this project. Don’t be bashful!
I Heart San Francisco
Powell & Mason Cable Car
So far, during my time on-site at the Pixel Corps, I have experienced tremendous professional growth. Along the way many of my suspicions about the “city by the Bay” have been proven wonderfully true. The following list illustrates my point. Everything was experienced on my way into work today.
- Dropped off my clothes at SFGreenClean, a company that wet cleans “dry clean clothes in a very environmentally-friendly way. My clothes smell and feel great while looking sharp.
- Grabbed the Powell & Hyde cable car to work and watched Alcatraz Island and three-masted schooner disappear as it crested a hill.
- Texted friends with reliable service from AT&T throughout the ride.
- Listened to French, Chinese, and Japanese being spoken as locals and tourists chatted with one another on the ride.
- Smelled the delicious scent of burning wood from the cable car brakes.
- At Market Street Turnaround, a Spanish tourist asked me for directions. Within seconds, a local stopped to ask if we needed any help. I’ve seen this sort of local support for tourists and newcomers repeatedly in my six weeks here.
- Walking from the cable car stop to the office, I was treated to a wide variety of talented street musicians, including:
- Man with guitar belting out an acoustic version of Snoop’s Gin & Juice.
- A freestyle rap troupe including a human beat box.
- A talented drummer using five-gallon tubs and an old Zildjan cymbal.
- A guy and a girl singing the theme from Grease … a capella.
- A street-team marketer handed me a sample can of a high-end Italian iced coffee.
- A little old lady fell at the curb trying to get to her cab. Four random passers-by stopped to help her up.
- As I opened the door to the office building, I realized that the one thing I’ve been missing the entire time here was smog. Well, I haven’t actually missed it, but I expected to see, smell and taste in the air of a city this size. I don’t. I think the electric buses, cable cars, subway, electric taxis and ZipCars, not the mention the abundant greenery are all at work to keep the air clean.
I know that walk sounds like something from a Coca-Cola commercial, but it happened just like that. And, aside from the occasional foggy, chilly day, my experience in San Francisco has pretty much been like that every day.
So yeah, I heart San Francisco.
Peace,
Doug
Alcatraz Island (Chestnut & Hyde)
Scooner in the Bay (Chestnut & Hyde)
Mobile Streaming Kit (MSK)
A lot of folks have asked for more details about the Mobile Streaming Kit (MSK) that we used at NAB 2010 and on the set of Marty Rosenberg’s film. In the most recent episode of Gear Media Tech, Alex breaks it all down for you in under five minutes. And, you get to see some big bald guy lugging it around after a day on the floor of NAB. ;^D
At some point in the near future, we’ll produce a more in depth video that provides greater detail on the rig itself. We’ll also include some lessons learned from the field and some cool insight on the forthcoming HD version of the LiveU unit.
Peace,
Doug
GMT Motion Graphics
My first work as an intern for the Pixel Corps was as the streaming camera operator at NAB 2010. The segments shot at that show are being used to relaunch Gear Media Tech on PixelCorps.tv. With that in mind, it is fitting that my first real post-production work be on the same show.
The first day in the office, I transferred and reviewed all of the EX-1 footage and began digital capture of all of the HV30 footage. With all of the footage in hand, it was my job to organize the segments into related chunks and create a production plan to get the show out the door. Along the way, we realized we need to rebuild all of the motion graphics (open, close and lower thirds) and related sound design. That task also fell to me. The results can be seen in the footage above and the subsequent episodes of GMT in the pipeline.
Credit for the 3D logo design belongs to McKay Hawkes, a talented 3-D artist on the Pixel Corps staff. Working with his logo, I created all of the remaining assets myself with input from fellow intern, Vlad Korishev. Using Soundtrack Pro, I also built all of the audio tracks found in the open and the close. That was a lot of fun and far less intimidating than it appeared at first.
I’ve built such assets from templates in the past, but this was the first motion graphics project I developed completely from scratch. I learned a lot and am looking forward to working on more complex projects down the road.
Peace,
Doug
Lessons from the Set
One of the biggest advantages of being on set to stream/tape “behind the scenes” footage is that one gets to watch the film making process as it happens and soak up lots of knowledge in the process. “Working with Actors” is the first in a series of posts I have planned about lessons learned while streaming from the set of Marty Rosenberg’s indie supernatural theater. The “talking points” style I’ve been using has been well-recieved so far, so I’ll keep that format for this series as well. My publication plan is as follows.
- Working with Actors: It was amazing to watch Heather, Jake and Mackenzie at work. And, I learned a lot from the way the Marty and crew supported them to get the best possible performances, particularly on a tight shooting schedule.
- The Professional Crew: Watching seasoned filmmakers at work was a real eye-opener. It made film-making both magical and accessible at the same time.
- Recruiting Talented Beginners: When I walked on set, I thought all of the Production Assistants already had film experience. They didn’t. But, they listened, learned and worked their butts off.
- Practical Visual Effects: Not every VFX needs to be rendered CG. A can of compressed air and a spool of monofilament can go a very long way in the hands of Marty Rosenberg or Peter Bailey.
- Lighting for Effect: Marty Rosenberg is a well-respected cinematographer and his ability to plan his lighting and adjust on the fly was a wonder to watch.
- Managing the Production Schedule: The budget and schedule were tight, but the production value remained high for a “$0.59 cent movie”.
- The Dinner Table: Napoleon said “an army marches on it’s stomach” … so does a film. In addition to fueling the cast & crew, the dinner table is an opportunity to build camaraderie on set.
- Transferable Skills: This film was the first for Producer Peter Adams, but it did not show. The way Peter brought his skills from other businesses into play is a lesson for all first-time producers.
- The Fourth Character: If chosen well, the location itself becomes another character in the film. This was certainly true for Preston Castle.
- Make-Up is More than Lipstick: In addition to creating realistic bruises and open wounds, Margaret Caragan made me cry.
This list is more of a guideline than a formal plan. The order of publication may change and I may add, delete or consolidate topics as I write. So, stay tuned over the next month or so as I digest my on set experience and pass it on to you.
Peace,
Doug
My first studio setup at PXC
Below, you’ll find a few photos of my first solo setup at the Pixel Corps studio. I wish they were a little sharper, but they were taken with my iPhone and not my 7D. The final set up looks a little different than this, but I did not get a shot of it.
So, what is this for?
We are planning a series of interviews with Pixel Corps members to discuss their projects and how the Pixel Corps has helped the grow as an artist and build their career within the industry. The first subject was Josh Harris and we shot it “backsplash” style, where the interviewer is off camera and the camera focuses on the subject. I’ll add a still of the footage later.
Here is a list of the gear in use …
- Sony EX-1 Video Camera
- Lite Panels 1×1 Studio Lights x8
- Audio-Technica Lavalier Microphone
One may wonder … “Why the projector screen as a backdrop?” There are a couple of reasons. First, while it may have been nice to key the footage, that set up is a lot more involved and this was an experiment. So, we did not want to tie up any more staff than necessary to get the shot.
Second, we could not set up against one of the other walls without blocking traffic. So, we put up the projector screen and tested it out. The result was pretty surprising. We were able to “bring down” the screen by adjusting the Lite Panels. With everything said and done, I am pretty happy with the results.
I feel like I am really starting to get the hang of the Sony EX-1, at least for these sort of lock off shots. I know the steps I need to take and the things I need to check to get a solid result. There is still much to learn about the camera, but at least I am not intimidated by it any more.
I also got to use the three-point interview lighting technique that Marty Rosenberg was kind enough to teach me when we interviewed him last Monday. Finally, I learned the LitePanels 1x1s are incredibly versatile. It turned out that the back light was way to high. So, we pulled the light off of the stand and the bracket acted as a built-in floor stand gave us the perfect angle needed for back light.
The back light issue also taught me not to over think a setup. When we first realized the light was way too high, I started looking for a floor stand, beanbag or some other apparatus to lower it. I even put the light with stand on the ground and found I needed the light closer to the wall than the stand would allow. Then, in a D’oh! moment, I thought to just use the bracket as the stand … once again proving Occam’s Razor.
Thanks to Carolyn Stampeen for using me for this shot and John Riley for checking my work.
Peace,
Doug
PXC Interview Setup - Wide (Final)
PXC Interview Setup - Side
PXC Interview Setup - Carolyn Stands In
Making Movie History
Doug Daulton, Pixel Corps Camera Operator. Photo by Tom Anderson
This past weekend, everyone on the set of Martin Rosenberg’s new supernatural thriller found out that we were making movie history. While many other films have had crews on hand for “behind the scenes” footage, no other production maintained live video streams throughout the course of the shoot.
As the principal camera operator and stream “wrangler” for the Pixel Corps crew, it was my job to keep the signal alive, but I had a lot of help, starting with Carolyn Stampeen, our Producer for the shoot. Carolyn managed every detail of our shooting with great professionalism. Kevin Hansen also ran camera for two nights. Suzanne Llewellyn set up and ran interviews and coordinated press coverage, Tom Anderson was invaluable in many roles, not the least of which was sound and John Riley provided key logistical support back at the office. In addition to shooting video for the stream, we also shot many stills and some of HD footage that may be later used by the film makers and in future Pixel Corps challenges.
While none of us set out to make movie history, this experience just goes to show what can happen when you work hard at things you love. Everyone on the Pixel Corps crew owes a big thank you to Martin Rosenberg, his co-producers Peter Adams, Peter Bailey & Rod Hartzog, our boss & mentor Alex Lindsay, the cast & crew of the film and the staff of Preston Castle. This has been an amazing experience and we are glad to have been a part of it.
Peace,
Doug
Whirlwinds move slower …
My LiveU Streaming Rig
So, I made the long drive up from Vegas to San Francisco ten days ago. Aside from the spring snowstorm in the Bear Mountains outside of Bakersfield, the drive was uneventful. I got into my hotel around 1AM and started at the Pixel Corps the next morning at 9AM. From there, my schedule looked like this …
- 04/22 – Meet a lot of the PXC team. Get some marching orders from Alex and John RIley. Log all of the EX-1 footage from NAB, organize it for post. Begin capture of DV footage from events streamed over LiveU, including the interview with Ted Schilowitz of Red Camera where we got some great insight into the Red Epic and Scarlet cameras.
- 04/23 – Continue logging & capture of NAB footage. Also begin rough edits of footage for Gear*Media*Tech and MacBreak Studio. Get the lowdown on live corporate streaming event to which I am assigned for Monday. Meet some new PXC folks. After work , take in a double feature of Kick Ass! and The Losers. WIll write up thoughts on those films later.
- 04/24 – Move from hotel to apartment. After setting up my two workstations in the apartment, I begin capturing more NAB footage, including interviews by Diana Weynand for the new 3D podcast we have in development at PXC. DV capture happens around other apartment set up stuff. Spend the evening checking out the North Beach area.
- 04/25 – Spent most of the day waiting on the Comcast installer and cursing his name. Realize how much broadband Internet has become intertwined in my life. Wonder if that is a good thing. I need it more than I need cable TV. Am also surprised that, in the tech capital of the USA, I still have to wait on the cable guy. Spend much of the day continuing to capture DV footage from NAB 2010.
- 04/26 – Call time at Noon for set up and testing for live corporate streaming event. Great opportunity to watch the well-oiled PXC machine in action and learn a lot about the way shows are prepped and produced.
- 04/27 – Call time at 7AM. Got the trolley schedule mixed up and had to grab a cab to make it on time. It was also the classic foggy/rainy SF spring day. Worked the live streaming event until 3PM. Learned a lot about show flow, audio/video capture and video mixing. Nothing deep and technical yet, but a very good experience seeing it all in action. Also participated in my first show post-mortem where we broke down the show … calling out successes as well as learning opportunities. Was great to see how the PXC “way” values the voices of everyone on the team.
After post-mortem, hustled to pack up all of the gear needed for the live-streaming on the film set. Headed home to pack up my own gear, grab the truck and head back to the office to pick up the gear and head off to the Sacramento. Was on set around 10PM. Watched the shoot in progress and got a sense of the parameters in which we could shoot “behind the scenes” (BtS) work.
I’ve now been on set for four days. We’ve learned a lot about the way the LiveU & uStream process works best. We’ve also learned a lot about the best ways to effectively shoot BtS & streaming footage. And, I’ve learned a lot about how a feature film set works, particularly an indie feature. The cast & crew have been absolutely incredible. Everyone is very professional, gracious and incredibly generous with their considerable knowledge.
There is a lot to process there. And, the days on set are long. So, I may not post much more until after we wrap next week. But, I already have a lot of great ideas for posts about this particular experience. Stay tuned.
Peace,
Doug
PS: A few important things that also happened along the way …
- Spoke to Kelly (my lovely wife) and Finn (my rambunctious 2 year old son) at least once a day. Missed them a lot as the reality of the time away from them became more real. I think lots of married guys might fantasize about returning to bachelorhood, even if for a little while, but if you love your wife and kids, the reality is far less glamorous than the fantasy. It looks like my son grows bigger every day. Thank God for Skype!
- On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, I followed the near-perfect NFL draft by my beloved, home town Cincinnati Bengals. The only thing that might have made the draft better would have been if Taylor Mays (Safety, USC) slid to us like Rey Malalugua did last year. Two words … WHO DEY!
Octopus steals diver’s camera
I heard about this last week and then sublet on to it today. Enjoy!
DSLRs and F-15s
Doug Daulton, Richard Harrington & Alex Lindsay @ Nellis AFB. Photo by Neil Henderson
Yesterday, we mixed work and pleasure at Nellis AFB. It is not everyday that one gets to touch and photograph F-15s. Walking on to the flight line, I heard the theme from Top Gun playing in the back of my head. In addition to shooting the F-15 Eagles, we saw the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the A-10 Warthog , the B-1 Lancer, the V-22 Osprey, and the F-22A Raptor. On the flight line, we saw most of these taking off or landing. It was pretty amazing.
In between shoots, we visited the Nellis AFB “petting zoo”, a threat identification museum, which was recently declassified. It is a huge collection of captured assets, including a MIG-23, a MIG-29 and a bunch of tanks, missile systems and other huge, intense hardware. I kept waiting for Optimus Prime to rise from the mix.
We were shooting for a defense contractor with offices on base. We’ll probably be back to get additional footage over the summer. All of the footage and stills are to used in promotional materials for the company. Nothing we shot was classified and we are allowed to release the material. So, look for more images from everyone on the shoot soon. I am sure mine will be the worst of the bunch. I have so much to learn, but that is what an internship is all about!
Thanks to Alex, Richard Harrington and our hosts, Neil Henderson and his father, Earl “Obi-Wan” Henderson. That was an amazing shoot.
Peace,
Doug
UPDATE: We were shooting F-15s, not F-16s. Accordingly, I’ve updated everything in the post but the URL. Thanks to Neil for the correction. All of photos are included below.
