Hey everybody!
Just a quick aside from the usual Changelings updates.
I had the opportunity to help a friend out with his music video yesterday. We got to shoot on Hawk anamorphic lenses! They resolve a beautiful image but don’t flare as much as some of their other models.
Since it was a personal project, the crew was very small, but it was nice. Just friends making movies together. It’s what I like, and if I ever get to make a bigger film, I’d like it to feel somewhat like this did. Though I know the crew would have to increase, I much prefer working with people I know.
I’ve worked on quite a few sets, big and small, and none of them are as enjoyable as a small crew with friends. The bigger they grow, the impersonal they become.
Anyway, the house we were shooting at was a marvelous mishmash of contemporary art and domestic life. Everything was white tile or stone, hard angles and glass. It was quite beautiful, if a little cluttered.
We were shooting some simple visual effect shots, all practical. We used rubber hoses as electrical wires that were coming to life. We would shoot them being pulled off our actor’s limbs. When played back in reverse they will whip and wrap themselves around them.
Another, fun practical effect we shot was the light emanating from out lead’s hands. We used a tiny, remotely controlled strip of LED lights that were taped to the palm of his right hand. The effect is simple, but good looking.
Finally, we also used a Keslow, motion control unit on a long track to do a time lapse dolly move. As the camera shot one frame ever few seconds the camera would inch along, creating a “real time” dolly move with a time lapse. It’s a fun, engaging effect, perfect for music videos.
That’s it for now. I have some significant updates about Changelings coming soon.
Phil