[Mark Suszko]

I just bought Morph Cut (with my own money, not office funds) exactly because we do a lot of that kind of guy-in-chair-talking stuff with non-actor talent, and this is going to solve a LOT of problems for me. I know Premiere already had it, just glad I have it now.

Big fan of MotionVFX anyhow: their templated Apple Motion projects are really exceptional, and even if I’m not needing to buy, I often browse what their artists are coming up with for inspiration.

[Mark Suszko]

Need more detail on the wedding, if it’s traditional or whatever, the venue, and the expectations.

A generic wedding package IMO is a 3- camera deal, with two cameras in the pews getting audience POV wide and close-ups, a third camera behind the altar to get reversals, cut-aways and b-roll. This is usually a go pro or unmanned robot PTZ, hidden from sight. Optional 4th camera view (another GoPro) from the organ loft. Optional GoPro in the limo. The way I shoot, in traditional services, there is no place in the services to allow a jib, dolly, or slider. I wear a dark suit with slacks, not shorts and a black t-shirt. I blend in.

Audio includes tapping into the venue’s sound system as well as planting a hidden, wireless lav and a digital audio recorder on the groom.

I would do a single-camera documentary style coverage of the rehearsal for an hour, also use that time to go over the Rules with the Officiant, and plan (and get approval for) the tripod locations. Shooting the rehearsal dinner is optional at additional cost. Day of the ceremony start coverage from one hour prior, thru the first two hours of the reception. Overtime after the 2 hours at reception. Reception coverage is single-camera with a go pro backup wide shot.

[Mark Suszko]

Vitamin Water is a celebrity brand, and I guess it’s doing Okay… Though, if you study the nutrition data, Vitamin Water carries as many calories in a bottle as eating a hot dog. Maybe I can sell “Hot Dog Water”, in a low-calorie version.

Foodies are an odd lot. You hear about great success with a few like Bourdain, Alton Brown, Emeril, that guy in the clown costumes with the frizzed hair and hot sauce… but I think it’s a very hard area to get into at that level. Alton took years to do it, and he’s my fave – started out as a TV producer, then went to cooking schools to learn cooking before he designed his own unique style.

[Mark Suszko]

Do they sound like this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtIpdvPDXQU

[Mark Suszko]

I’m not convinced that using celebrities, particularly sports celebrities, really works for anything outside the celeb’s narrow area of expertise. For example, I don’t think an ex-football star’s opinion will sway a purchase of a car, a new roof for the house, or a financial investment scheme. If she’s a tennis star and is telling me the racquet to buy, then yes. Safer areas for celebs would be fashion products or maybe high end restaurants.

The product or service needs to make sense in the tie-in. Mickey Rooney for Frozen Yogurt – why? Because they wanted to market to an elderly audience?

I see some celebs touting various medications. I would say, if the celebs themselves use the medication or have the condition, it makes sense. Otherwise, just because “they played a doctor on TV”, is not a good enough reason.

Car makers spend a lot of money to hire celebrity voice-overs, and I really couldn’t tell you why that would matter; half the time, you don’t recognize the voice anyhow. is that voice Jeremy Piven… or Moe Rocca? And why would I care? And in the Mercedes spots that use John Hamm, they’re using as their spokesperson the actor most people remember as the creative but morally bankrupt advertising huckster from “Mad Men”, who will sell you anything by playing to your psyche. To me, that’s actually quite a joke on the audience.

[Mark Suszko]

What size are the images?

[Mark Suszko]

I’d call it Not Bad for a demo, particularly as a first effort, but IMO it’s not a finished product yet. Some of this may be personal preference, so take it as you will. Being brutally honest here, and when you read this, understand that your work is good enough as a beginner that I’m “grading” it as if it were a seasoned pro’s work.

Your lighting needs more work: not a lot of contrast , or way too much: too many shots seemed to be using only available light and had dark areas that detracted from the look. The actual dresses looked like they could use more artful lighting as well. Some of this, you might fix or moderate in a grading session in post. The next time you shoot, though, work on targeted lighting more.

I was not a fan of all the hand-held camerawork: little of it seemed “motivated” to be hand-held, and I think particularly when showing the app being used, those shots should be locked-down, presenting as little distraction as possible. DGMW: a lot of the shot *composition* was pretty pro looking, but the shakes didn’t add energy, just an air of indecision.

The close-ups of the app are still WAY too teeny for me to see and “get” what’s happening: Also, your explanatory copy running parallel with the demo means I’m dividing attention between the two and thus not really looking enough at either. If I could change ONE thing in your videos, it would be those close-ups: locked-off shots, REALLY tight, showing app, THEN app’s effect, sequentially. Replace the printed explication with a voice-over, so your eye stays on the APP.

Finally, in terms of the editing, the pace is a bit slow at the beginning. You are showing too much “dead time” with the actors. You could compress this action all throughout the pieces, much tighter, using jump cuts.

I think you have a fine foundation here but it’s those little details that take you over the top. Looking forward to the revisions, which I’m sure will be more effective.

[Mark Suszko]

Um, Crop using keyframing?

[Mark Suszko]

[Mark Suszko]

Thanks. Makes sense. But this is one of those times when the client dictates the workflow and the tools used. Never said I liked it that way, it’s just the reality constraints I have to work with. A LOT of our clients use Windows media by default and by in-house rules, so my solutions have to adapt to their situation. I’ll have to try a test with Compressor and MPEG4 some time, when the heat’s off.