Ultimate “film look” for EX-3

[Rafael Amador]

Hi Tom,
I just had a fast look to your previous thread.
Forget about codecs, data-rates, lenses, adapters etc.
Start by setting properly the camera.
Google something like “EX-1 Picture Profiles”. There is a lot of info but very spread. Search for posts of people like Paolo Ciccone, Bill Raven or Alister Chapman or Paul Joy.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Craig Seeman]

Film look is very much a personal aesthetic. As Rafael alludes to a big key is the Picture Profile.

Keep in mind there are few rules in that area as well. Compare any number of movies and you’ll note that.
Some prefer to shoot fairly “flat” using one of the CineGammas and then color grade in post. In fact nearly every film is color graded.

Another key may be to reduce the edge sharpening that people associate with that “videoy” look.

These days, flesh tone vs teal complimentary color grading is common.

[Brent Dunn]

Like Craig said, set your camera to get a good color, then do your color grading in post. You already have a good understanding of lighting, 24p etc.

You really won’t get a film look right out of the camera. You can use prime lenses for more depth of field looks for certain parts of the film.

For a serious film maker, a colorist or someone to do the color grading that understands moods, story, and how to use color to help tell your story is key.

I understand you would like the magic settings, but as was prevously said, there is so many variables depending on the script and your personal taste.

I’ve seen some amazing independent films shot with the Canon 5D. I think you will get more of what you want and the look you need more from that camera with prime lenses than with the EX-1 or EX-3…and I love my EX-1.

Just my 2 cents. Sorry I couldn’t offer you what you needed.

Brent Dunn
Owner / Director / Editor
DunnRight Films
DunnRight Video.com
Video Marketing Toolbox.net

Sony EX-1,
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
Mac Pro Tower, Quad Core,
with Final Cut Studio

HP i7 Quad laptop
Adobe CS-5 Production Suite

[Rafael Amador]

[Craig Seeman] “Some prefer to shoot fairly “flat” using one of the CineGammas and then color grade in post. In fact nearly every film is color graded.”
Right. Is very nice to get that Film Look out of the camera but its really tights you for CC. The stronger the look you get in camera, the less possibilities for correction you have.
A flat picture may be much less appealing but gives you lot of flexibility.
rafael

http://www.nagavideo.com

[Tom Laughlin]

Can you elaborate on what it means to shoot ‘flat’ and how one would know if it is flat or not, or any setting or lighting to verify? Sorry for the question.

Tom Laughlin
Producer/Editor
Salt Lake City, UT
FCP7/Sony EX-3/Mac Quad-Core Intel

[Paul Watkins]

Tom –

What he trying say is you really don’t want to do to much as color in the shooting portion, save that until post. Start off with “pretty pictures” and the sky is the limit and you have a good baseline.

Paul Watkins

[Michael Slowe]

Tom, take a look at the Vortex Media DVD workshop done by Doug Jensen on the EX1 camera. He goes into the ‘look’ very thoroughly with his Picture Profile chapter. This DVD is essential viewing for anyone with the EX cameras. By the way, you’ll know a ‘flat’ picture by looking at it on a well calibrated monitor. No great contrast, not too much saturation, no great impact. In fact Sony set up their EX with that very look in the default setting, you have to set your own look with the PP’s.

Michael Slowe

[Brent Dunn]

Like Michael said, review the Vortex Media DVD. Very informative.

Cameras are shipped with the settings usually right down the middle. Meaning they have a basic profile for the settings. This allows the user to customize their looks through the profile settings in order to get the look they want out of their camera.

The more you shoot and practice with these settings the better understanding you’ll have. Shoot one minute shots similar to what you normally would shoot. Shoot in different lighting, locations, etc to give you a good basis to start. At each location or shot, change your profile settings, make note of each one you use, and repeat this for each profile, making the same shot with each profile.

Then when you import your footage, you’ll have a good reference and understanding how it’ll look with each profile setting, thus allowing you to quickly change according to your location or shoot.

As always, take the time to practice with these cameras. Shoot for yourself as much as possible to really learn the possibilities. There is so much you can do with this camera, but we all get caught up in the business end and rarely take the time to educate ourselves.

I hope this helps.

Brent Dunn
Owner / Director / Editor
DunnRight Films
DunnRight Video.com
Video Marketing Toolbox.net

Sony EX-1,
Canon 5D Mark II
Canon 7D
Mac Pro Tower, Quad Core,
with Final Cut Studio

HP i7 Quad laptop
Adobe CS-5 Production Suite

[Tom Laughlin]

Thank you all so much for all your info, and especially thank you to Brent and Michael for your posts as well, very encouraging.

Tom Laughlin
Producer/Editor
Salt Lake City, UT
FCP7/Sony EX-3/Mac Quad-Core Intel

[Rafael Amador]

[Tom Laughlin] “Can you elaborate on what it means to shoot ‘flat’ and how one would know if it is flat or not, “
Start by not applying any CINE Gamma curve.
An important tip (although no related with that flatness): Never use STANDARD/CINE Gamma 2. This will make your signal “Broadcast Safe”, but will reduce the pictures “dynamic range”.
Rafael
PS:

http://www.nagavideo.com