Category Archives: Media I’ve Created

Greater things…

This particular film is for me a study in the difference between “as scripted” and “as shot”.

You will notice that the initial talent are all carrying bricks.  You will also notice at the end, that the bricks are nowhere to be found.  I totally forgot to bring the bricks for our last day of shooting.

I also learned that using a monopod for an effects shot is a HORRIBLE idea.  Even if you think it will save you some time on site, you will pay for it heavily in results or in post.

One of these days I’ll track down the original script that was pretty different.  It got a little “designed by committee” and lost most of it’s teeth by the end.  At least I think it did.

I really think the timelapses it opens with are the best shots in the film, although I do like the tone in the poolside scene with my friend Carter holding a brick.

Drummer Boy (Christmas Eve 2011)

This was one heck of a video to edit.  I ended up with 13 video tracks laid in the editor together and was struggling to get my computer to even play, let alone play well enough to edit.  I ended up doing a proxy edit, creating a lower quality file, and tricking the software to edit on the low quality footage, but render with the high quality footage.  I tracked audio externally with a portable 2 track recorder, but ended up liking how raw one of the wideshot cameras audio was.  It’s rough, but it reflects a live performance and seemed to fit better.  All in all this video is one of my top performers statistically, and Jason and the creative arts team at Dayspring did a great job pulling this one off.

 

p.s.  Don’t bail on this one until you get to the drum break at 2:30.  It may change your life.

15 Minutes of Hope

In 2011 Gateway Chapel sent their first missionary team to Haiti. We were partnered with Mission of Hope Haiti. (MOHHaiti.org)

Music by Joel Teeple and Jars of Clay
This is a rough cut that was assembled in less then 1 week. It pulls from over 5 hours of footage that will eventually be assembled into a larger documentary.

It is also Nieuport Media’s first foray into the world of ADR (only had time for a few parts) and some other new techniques.

 

Two Face

CONCEPT: The thought process for the video started on a Sunday afternoon and was shot on a Tuesday morning, so there wasn’t a lot of time spent thinking about this. I went to the high school lunch periods Monday morning with half a beard, and told everyone to check the video out later that week, but at that point had no idea what the actual video would look like, or even the feel or vibe that it would get.

PRODUCTION: This video was shot in a couple of hours on a Tuesday morning. I used 2 still cameras (the only cameras I have) and some tripods. All natural lighting, which I tried to use to my benefit and I think I was mostly successful. Audio was from camera mics, and mixed into the background, and the narration was done in 1 long take with a little punch in at the end. The whole process was completed by Friday afternoon, including voice over and music (which was my first attempt at playing keyboard).
THINGS I LEARNED: I wish had thought the process through before shaving my beard halfway, I could have shot the bearded scenes then gone back and reshot them after I had shaved, but by the time I thought of that it was too late. I feel like I lost some continuity at the end, and would fix that by making the “reveal” sooner. The whole turning to face the camera part also didn’t seem to work. A friend suggested that I look up into a mirror instead, and I think that would have been a better ending. During the editing process, I should have cut the audio during the car scenes…the music becomes distracting. I also think some of the cuts could have been placed more appropriately.