Port 4: Opralea (Test 2 and other stuff)

Right, so the first test didn't go to plan, but the next stage of action went to my brains almost instantaneously.

The far far easier way to do this (quite possibly) is to take high quality stills which show the whole pipe and then zoom in and track across it in post.

On a 'we've not got much else to do at this very moment in time' situation, Andy Parker, Nathan Hill and I milled around for 30 minutes or so taking pipe photo's of the highest quality. The highest quality being RAW in this case, which led to a problem I kind of knew I was letting myself in for:

Trying to open the bloody thing! It won't. Even my Photoshop CS4 doesn't even get on with it, so I need some kind of plug in for it. Still I managed to get a screen grab of it on the preview window for you to admire:

Th' yar! Pipes in the fast lane baby!

(at least it will be when I'm done with it)

The problem then spreads on to how I'm going work with it within Final Cut Pro and After Effects.

I contacted Colin Mottram (Lenzflare & Teaches Craft Sessions) to get his advice on it and seeing as Andy Parker's film 'Nocturne' was completely comprised from photo's, he should be able to advise me too.

With regards to After Effects, John Rosie (Maclagen Men and Lecturer) said it would be good to speak to Ross from his office. I've seen some of the work he's done on After Effects and he knows his stuff alright.

In addition to all these malarkies, my sister (who has sound design very much in her ball park) has checked out these very pages and had this to mention:

'Bang on about how you applied EQ'

I'm sure I'll be 'banging' on about plenty of stuff EQ related. I finished a 14 page Pro Tools research document I've been working on for

a fair while now and Richard Allan at the media centre is happy to have it as a training document on the macs in the edit suites. Here's a peek at half of a random page:

Whilst on the subject of sound, what I'm looking to do is something along the lines of what Tal Rosner did in his film 'Without you'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74DXPV4R6wo&feature=related

Bertie (Roberta Spain) has done a great job of getting me some great research material and I'll be going more into that shortly.

Finally, thanks to Laura Fletcher for this piece of knowledge/advice:

Ciao for now peeps. Thanks and keep the suggestions and support

coming :)

Tim Oh

Port 3: Miltigit (Test Shoot 1)

Literally a couple of days after coming up with the idea I was ready to do a test.

I booked out some sound recording equipment, a camera, a monitor and a jib.

I only had an hour and a half to play with so I filmed what I found close to the media centre.

Half of that time went on setting up the jib. My cameraman James and my sound man Paddy werent trained on it and seeing as I was pretty inexperienced on it, the instruction manual came into play.

Here's what I came out with in the end:

Yep, only three shots and they didn't come out great.

Besides from being a bitch to lug around shot after shot, the jib was also not steady enough for what I wanted. It also meant when I was editing them together, each pipe would start as a slow movement, get faster, then slow at the end. I want a consistent speed.

I also made the mistake of shooting in 720p with 25 shutter speed, so the movement was blurry as hell.

An alternative method is required.

Port 2: Clueson (Where I'm up to)

First and foremost, look how wank the picture came out with the title and description. I'm peering through the writing like a cheeky ninja though, which is ace, it stays. I also went for the dot design in the background, which is... fine (in a stern manner).

Secondly, I guess I have to apologise to myself for setting this up after quite a few things have developed. Here's the run down:

In shower, washing hair... "I know, my film will be based on pipes"

I had been thinking about the theme of lines for a while, but wanted something consistent within the theme which gives it the 'unseen aspects of the commonly seen'. In kind of the same way a guy filmed people whilst waiting at traffic lights. I want a film that is something that is simple, everywhere, but artistically presented in a way that's mesmerising and shows something in a beautiful new light.

I wrote down a mission statement for this film as to how I'm going create a film that is simple to shoot, cheap, doesn't require cast or massive crews, yet challenges me in ways I haven't been challenged before in previous films and target weaknesses. One weakness I still have in my film making ability, is technical post production sound and vision skills. I want this film to sound great and for people to say "how did he do that?"

The idea in very simple low development stages is to follow a journey along a pipe.

Sound design wise, I had the idea of running a pound coin down the pipes. No brain ache really, I just thought it would sound good.

The background sound and foreground being as prevalent to the sound design as it is to the image.

Music may also accompany, not sure about that yet.

(Currently listening to Quasimoto - The Unseen. I've not touched Mega Man 2 today)

Port 1: Pontakins (Intro)

This is my first ever entry for my first ever blog. It feels like I'm presenting a meeting that nobody's turned up to yet, but I'm still running my mouth about gangster run industrial plants, peculiarly shaped pepper pots and quiche.

The sole purpose of the is to show the development process of an experimental film I'm currently making. It's all about creative and technical evolution of the film and myself as a film maker.

It won't be taken too seriously, so I may go off tangents and spelling my go astray and I make up words from time to time.

None of this matters in the slightest, I can assure you of that now (with gusto).

I hope you enjoy dipping in and out of the experience and wish you all the merriest!