Pinball NATpack

RyanD

Member
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5t1St-sZkI

Hello b-rollers, just turned a quick NATpack this weekend. It was over the Indiana state pinball championships.

Not as many people came out to compete for a "state" competition, but it was still fun.

I already have a few issues with it. One being the actual competitors would not allow me near their peripheral areas when they were playing. Other than that tear me a new one. Thanks guys.
 

Latin Lens

Well-known member
Not too bad. But there's so much potential on these kinds of stories its hard not to be too biased on what it could be and this kinda fell short for me on lots of fronts. But lemme explain and you'll see why I say that.
Pinball is a noisy game...so you did okay gathering the nats there...but I think you coulda used more...even better sound...use your wireless lav and mic up the machine to get different games and use to salt and pepper the entire thing. So one small restriction??? Thats cool. I was left wanting to see more which means you didn't show me enough. I wanted wides...tights and ultra tights...so me as much as you can and I think you fell short of that.
I think your "story" flow was lacking...very weak...too informative. You need to take a second to find characters that can get you from a "begining" to the "end". You needed more off the cuff sound and why is pinball fun and how do you think you'll do, how hard is it...various types of questions to get the interesting reactions that you can use to add the character flavor to your natpiece. You need that character to help drive everything. Be more more playful instead of so serious.
You need to draw me in better...go outside in so I can see where I'm at...use the coin falling as your opening nat sure as well as pinball nats...but I want to see the inside of where these guys are having this comepetition...show me reactions to the game either happy or sad or frustrated. Had you actually paced this a little faster in might have masked a lot of "mistakes". See how when you see what you coulda had and see what you did there's a huge void and it shows how lacking it is. Nat Pkgs are hard...but you need to try in order to get better at them because so much depends on the choices you make when it comes down to characters you're using for sound. I've seen much worse...not the best but its a good situation to learn from.
 

RyanD

Member
Thanks man. I did need to find a "character". I definitely see that now. I wrestled with the out to in shot. I don't know why I didn't do it. After I sent it I was immediately unhappy that omitted it. I didn't have too many wide or mediums because I was trying to hide the lack of attendance. Maybe I should have showed the lack of attendance, but then I fought with something I was told in college. Which is the whole "make it look crowded" idea. So like shoot tighter to make it look like more people are there. I know I have a ways to go still, but I appreciate your reviews. They're helping me in my day to day shooting. Thanks again.
 

Latin Lens

Well-known member
I am glad you saw the "mistakes" in it that I did. That means you're growing and recognizing on your own what is working and what is not. And that's a good thing. Its difficult because you never really know what you're walking into. I applaud the effort because most even try...but you did and you can learn from it. Outside in just gives the viewer perspective...a visual tease along with an audio one is and can be crucial. I get the "make it look crowded"...but sometimes that doesn't necessarily mean with people but show me the amount of machines and the crowd somewhere in the background just for a sec or two...its enough to add perspective and variety to the shooting. It was missing that...good, thoughtful variety. Use the windows to your advantage....silohuettes of individuals, group...anything to add that special video flavor that really can help if you're lacking in the character dept. Maybe one guy could have given serious sound and one guy could have given the playful sound??? Use that to weave a better story and things can fall around that. But again...good effort.
 
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