jim sitton
PRO user
http://www.wptv.com/mostpopular/story.aspx?content_id=17559ca1-b65d-4744-9ddd-a660b75715bf
I had to go to hell and back for B-roll...
I had to go to hell and back for B-roll...
Interview with an Exorcist
- Thread starter jim sitton
- Start date
Hiding Under Here
Well-known member
Jim, once again, you have the chops to do national level work. I'm going to criticize you on one point and I hope you will take it to heart. You could use improvement on your interviews if you'd like to take your work up a notch. The priest is looking too far off camera. What he's saying is extremely important. His voice carries this piece. But he is looking way way too far off to create the solid connection needed for the audience. Furthermore, the interview shot is too wide. You should be tighter.
Think about it. Test it out. Experiment with it. If you want people to really focus on your interview subject, they need to (in most cases -- there ARE exceptions to every rule) feel as though they are as close to them as the medium will allow. I'm not saying you should shoot it too tight. But if you move your interviewer closer to the camera and tighten up the shot somewhat, the connection will be stronger. And you NEED that connection in a story like this.
Something else. The red cross in the background. Trust me. There's something I really really like about it. But again, it's a little over the top. If you tightened up your line of sight and tightened your shot, you could move the cross over and it would fall out of focus more. Fuzzy focus really really helps things in the background because it de-emphasizes them while still maintaining their visual/aesthetic/metaphorical integrity. And why is the cross red? And why is it pulsating? Those two things feel somewhat manipulative -- and maybe even disrespectful. I'd be careful about managing your symbolism so much. I understand you are in studio.
The priest's face. You could have made it more modeled. Play with those lights if you're going to set them up. Learn to get the best "wrap" around the face that you can by lowering and raising and moving the key light. Use a dimmer or a Chimera on the backlight to spread it and change its intensity. Think about NOT filling the priest's face, keeping it dark on the shadow side. Then tighten up your line of sight. Move the interviewer closer to you. Tighten the shot. Obscure the manipulated background a bit. And I think you'd have a more dramatic shot.
Trust me. I'm only saying this because your stuff is very very good. I would never comment otherwise.
Think about it. Test it out. Experiment with it. If you want people to really focus on your interview subject, they need to (in most cases -- there ARE exceptions to every rule) feel as though they are as close to them as the medium will allow. I'm not saying you should shoot it too tight. But if you move your interviewer closer to the camera and tighten up the shot somewhat, the connection will be stronger. And you NEED that connection in a story like this.
Something else. The red cross in the background. Trust me. There's something I really really like about it. But again, it's a little over the top. If you tightened up your line of sight and tightened your shot, you could move the cross over and it would fall out of focus more. Fuzzy focus really really helps things in the background because it de-emphasizes them while still maintaining their visual/aesthetic/metaphorical integrity. And why is the cross red? And why is it pulsating? Those two things feel somewhat manipulative -- and maybe even disrespectful. I'd be careful about managing your symbolism so much. I understand you are in studio.
The priest's face. You could have made it more modeled. Play with those lights if you're going to set them up. Learn to get the best "wrap" around the face that you can by lowering and raising and moving the key light. Use a dimmer or a Chimera on the backlight to spread it and change its intensity. Think about NOT filling the priest's face, keeping it dark on the shadow side. Then tighten up your line of sight. Move the interviewer closer to you. Tighten the shot. Obscure the manipulated background a bit. And I think you'd have a more dramatic shot.
Trust me. I'm only saying this because your stuff is very very good. I would never comment otherwise.
Pretty much agree with everything Tom said.
Try making a bigger key - it will wrap more (letting you move the key further to the side). If you're using a Chimera - add a (bigger) piece of strong diffusion at least 12" in front of the chimera (hanging off a c-stand).
You may run into problems with certain eyeglasses - but you can usually find a sweet spot to hide the reflection.
Certainly more shadow on the fill side - combined with your edge - it will give the face more depth.
Try making a bigger key - it will wrap more (letting you move the key further to the side). If you're using a Chimera - add a (bigger) piece of strong diffusion at least 12" in front of the chimera (hanging off a c-stand).
You may run into problems with certain eyeglasses - but you can usually find a sweet spot to hide the reflection.
Certainly more shadow on the fill side - combined with your edge - it will give the face more depth.
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jim sitton
PRO user
[b-rollTV]1122[/b-rollTV]
It's now uploaded to b-roll.net and has better quality.
Thank you for your response to this piece. I really value your
opinions and appreciate the detailed explanations on how to improve my work. I agree with everything you've suggested and will apply these techniques next time out.
Also to explain the circumstances surrounding this interview. I had been told that we were shooting a daily PKG for the 6 oclock show.
So, we were rushing thru all the b-roll and stand ups, so we could meet the priest at 2pm. I wanted to shoot him at a church but he was in a hurry and insisted we do it in our studio.
I had envisioned a stained glass window back ground so what to do?
I had 1 hour to set up.
I grabbed a box cutter and a piece of cardboard. Cut out a cross. Taped a red gel to the backside. (later I keyed a candle flickering behind the cross.)
Hung it from a C-stand and draped a black cloth over the stand. Put another light with red gel on the right to hit the cloth folds.
I used 2 Florescent lights on stands for the key and backlight. I had to make cardboard barn doors to keep the spill off the background as you can see in the wide shot in the beginning of the piece.
He arrives late and only has a few minutes for us. I put the mic on him and start rolling...
He leaves and I get on the computer to start looking for Pope file and You tube videos of exorcisims. Yes, the reporter said he wanted to use youtube video as b-roll.
Seems to be a reoccuring nightmare in local newsrooms.
Fast, Easy, Free. Perfect. Kinda like VJs. They're great unless you care about quality.
Anyway, back to daily news. It's now almost 5 oclock and everything is loaded in my computer. I'm ready and anxious to edit. I go looking for my reporter and script. It's at that time that i'm told,"Oh yeah, we've decided not to air it today. Let's hold it for the book."
What?? After rushin around all day for b-roll and throwing a quick interview together and quickly sloshin thru the bowels of youtube for cover,
NOW you tell me it's NOT airing today!
I was pissed and relieved simultaneously. The following day I began the process of trying to hide all of our sloppy down n dirty daily news video.
I thought it turned out pretty good. All things considered...
Just another day in paradise, I guess,
Jim
Tom, thanks again for your time.
Reading your post renews my confidence and energy.
It's now uploaded to b-roll.net and has better quality.
Thank you for your response to this piece. I really value your
opinions and appreciate the detailed explanations on how to improve my work. I agree with everything you've suggested and will apply these techniques next time out.
Also to explain the circumstances surrounding this interview. I had been told that we were shooting a daily PKG for the 6 oclock show.
So, we were rushing thru all the b-roll and stand ups, so we could meet the priest at 2pm. I wanted to shoot him at a church but he was in a hurry and insisted we do it in our studio.
I had envisioned a stained glass window back ground so what to do?
I had 1 hour to set up.
I grabbed a box cutter and a piece of cardboard. Cut out a cross. Taped a red gel to the backside. (later I keyed a candle flickering behind the cross.)
Hung it from a C-stand and draped a black cloth over the stand. Put another light with red gel on the right to hit the cloth folds.
I used 2 Florescent lights on stands for the key and backlight. I had to make cardboard barn doors to keep the spill off the background as you can see in the wide shot in the beginning of the piece.
He arrives late and only has a few minutes for us. I put the mic on him and start rolling...
He leaves and I get on the computer to start looking for Pope file and You tube videos of exorcisims. Yes, the reporter said he wanted to use youtube video as b-roll.
Seems to be a reoccuring nightmare in local newsrooms.
Fast, Easy, Free. Perfect. Kinda like VJs. They're great unless you care about quality.
Anyway, back to daily news. It's now almost 5 oclock and everything is loaded in my computer. I'm ready and anxious to edit. I go looking for my reporter and script. It's at that time that i'm told,"Oh yeah, we've decided not to air it today. Let's hold it for the book."
What?? After rushin around all day for b-roll and throwing a quick interview together and quickly sloshin thru the bowels of youtube for cover,
NOW you tell me it's NOT airing today!
I was pissed and relieved simultaneously. The following day I began the process of trying to hide all of our sloppy down n dirty daily news video.
I thought it turned out pretty good. All things considered...
Just another day in paradise, I guess,
Jim
Tom, thanks again for your time.
Reading your post renews my confidence and energy.
NEWSSHOOTER3
Well-known member
Red?
Bear in mind that I NEVER read anyone else's critique before I write mine...
As a Christian, first, I thought it quite disturbing to see a red cross behind your priest subject. What was the thought behind that? It almost, in my mind, cancels out ANYTHING he says...? Though I understand that I may, or may not, represent your audience...?
Beyond that, I enjoyed everything else, and the editing was quite "slick".
Bear in mind that I NEVER read anyone else's critique before I write mine...
As a Christian, first, I thought it quite disturbing to see a red cross behind your priest subject. What was the thought behind that? It almost, in my mind, cancels out ANYTHING he says...? Though I understand that I may, or may not, represent your audience...?
Beyond that, I enjoyed everything else, and the editing was quite "slick".
jim sitton
PRO user
Red Cross=Evil?
I too am a Christian (though not catholic) and I don't see any problem with a red cross. In my mind it represents the blood of the sacrifice that was made.
T Why would a red cross cancel anything said?
Now that I think about it, it should have been a Crucifix instead of a cross since he represents catholicism...
I too am a Christian (though not catholic) and I don't see any problem with a red cross. In my mind it represents the blood of the sacrifice that was made.
T Why would a red cross cancel anything said?
Now that I think about it, it should have been a Crucifix instead of a cross since he represents catholicism...
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NEWSSHOOTER3
Well-known member
Dun Know
I dun know... it just distracted me too much and all I could think, and see, was the RED CROSS. Just a personal issue. It was a cool, and interesting, story none the less...
I dun know... it just distracted me too much and all I could think, and see, was the RED CROSS. Just a personal issue. It was a cool, and interesting, story none the less...
A Step Above Productions
Well-known member
Jim - Nice job. Typical Sitton style. If I had seen it air I would have know it was you. But I liked it.
jim sitton
PRO user
I saw a red cross in a stained glass church window the other day and all I could think of was you.
Please, stop Haunting me!!
NEWSSHOOTER3
Well-known member
See
See, that sh!t's freaky...!?!
I saw a red cross in a stained glass church window the other day and all I could think of was you.
Please, stop Haunting me!!
See, that sh!t's freaky...!?!
Deft Depth
Active member
Jim, I love watching stories that remind me simultaneously how infinitely creative our craft can be, and how infinitely much more I have to learn! 
That being said, I wondered if you could explain your motivation for the effect you used about 3/4 of the way through the story that involved the trapezoid shape (am I getting the shape right?)? I liked where you went with it at the very end of the sequence, but when it first showed up I thought it was kind of distracting because I didn't really know why it was there or why I should be focusing on it.
And as far as the cross goes, I would have NEVER in a million years guessed that you freakin' MADE that out of cardboard! I wish I had the artistic know-how or confidence to start rocking a pair of box-cutters and card-board to make something as spooky and cool as that. And when you say you keyed a candle flickering on it, what do you mean by that? You're saying that it was a layered effect? Watching it I just thought that you simply had one of those red candles from your reporter's standup flickering just below it.
Overall I thought it was siiiick. Job well done.
That being said, I wondered if you could explain your motivation for the effect you used about 3/4 of the way through the story that involved the trapezoid shape (am I getting the shape right?)? I liked where you went with it at the very end of the sequence, but when it first showed up I thought it was kind of distracting because I didn't really know why it was there or why I should be focusing on it.
And as far as the cross goes, I would have NEVER in a million years guessed that you freakin' MADE that out of cardboard! I wish I had the artistic know-how or confidence to start rocking a pair of box-cutters and card-board to make something as spooky and cool as that. And when you say you keyed a candle flickering on it, what do you mean by that? You're saying that it was a layered effect? Watching it I just thought that you simply had one of those red candles from your reporter's standup flickering just below it.
Overall I thought it was siiiick. Job well done.
jim sitton
PRO user
Jim, I love watching stories that remind me simultaneously how infinitely creative our craft can be, and how infinitely much more I have to learn!
That being said, I wondered if you could explain your motivation for the effect you used about 3/4 of the way through the story that involved the trapezoid shape (am I getting the shape right?)? I liked where you went with it at the very end of the sequence, but when it first showed up I thought it was kind of distracting because I didn't really know why it was there or why I should be focusing on it.
And as far as the cross goes, I would have NEVER in a million years guessed that you freakin' MADE that out of cardboard! I wish I had the artistic know-how or confidence to start rocking a pair of box-cutters and card-board to make something as spooky and cool as that. And when you say you keyed a candle flickering on it, what do you mean by that? You're saying that it was a layered effect? Watching it I just thought that you simply had one of those red candles from your reporter's standup flickering just below it.
Overall I thought it was siiiick. Job well done.
First of all let me say that we are all still learning. I've been shooting local news in medium markets for many years. Sometimes I still feel wholly inadequate. A few days at NPPA bootcamp in Norman OK. is the only training I've had and that was 15 years into my career. I've tried to learn from the best photogs around me thru the years but there's not many opportunities to rub elbows with Network level shooters so mostly it's been trial and error. Case in point-
My first idea was to cut out a cross and shoot a light through it to cast a shadow on the wall behind the priest. After a few minutes of fiddling with the placement of the light and cutout cross I just could not get a big,clean crisp shadow. I didn't have much time so I quickly stumbled upon what you saw in the Pkg.
Trial and error. I think most of the cool things I come up with are actually due to not being able to accomplish what I'm trying to do in the first place. Case in point-
The trapezoid thing was a failed attempt to put multiple images up simultaneously. I cropped the image that way to make it fit but it looked horrible, but then I noticed how cool it looked when I pushed it into the cross. So, it became what it was?
I've been playing around with different composite modes and eventually came up with something that didn't suck. (I thought?)
That's also how the cross began to flicker but according to some of the critiques, that went just a lil too far.
You and I are big fish in very small ponds, but this website allows us to get feedback from some of the big dogs.
Take away all you can from the advice given and keep trying new techniques, a few of them will look pretty good.
Caring is half the battle.
NEWSSHOOTER3
Well-known member
886
886 looks, and ONLY 12 people have the bal!s to say something... really?!? Grow a pair boys and give some input on a few stories here...
886 looks, and ONLY 12 people have the bal!s to say something... really?!? Grow a pair boys and give some input on a few stories here...