Having performed a test shoot with multiple cameras, I have chosen the Panasonic DVX200 as the camera I will be using for VET-MAN. I therefore have decided to conduct some research into the camera to fully understand all the settings and functions.
All information has been found from the official Panasonic manual "A Guide To The Panasonic DVX200 Camera" by Barry Green.
On the Panasonic DVX200, there are 3 main ways to control the amount of light entering the camera:
- Lens aperture / Iris : The size of the aperture is measured in f-stops. The smaller the f-stop, the wider the aperture and therefore more light enters the lens. The larger the f-stop, the smaller the aperture and therefore less light enters the lens.
It is recommended with the Panasonic DVX200 that when shooting in UHD or 4K you should stay between f/2.8 and f/8.0 to avoid a soft image. If you go deeper than f/8.0 (e.g. f/11 or f/16) the image will be a lot softer due to diffraction.
- Shutter Speed : This controls the amount of time light is allowed to enter the sensor - the longer the shutter speed, the more light is allowed to enter the sensor. The shorter the shutter speed, the less light is allowed in the sensor.
It is important not to use a shutter speed slower than the frame rate as this will result in frames being dropped.
- Neutral Density Filters (ND) : They darken the incoming light without affecting the quality of the image. The DVX200 has three in built ND filters which allows different levels or light cutting.
The settings are as follows:
Off: No ND filters
1/4: Reduces the amount of light coming into the camera by two stops.
1/16: Reduces the amount of light coming into the camera by four stops.
1/64: Reduces the amount of light coming into the camera by six stop.
How to manually judge the correct exposure
As the LCD isn't always the most reliable in displaying the exposure of the footage, I decided to look into the other tools the camera has to offer.
Professional monitoring tools use the IRE scale which measures video brightness from 0 (pure black) to 109 (clipped white).
Zebras : This is an overall on the video monitor that shows up any time an element in the image is brighter than the predetermined level (that you set before shooting). Generally, you do not want to see 105+ zebras anywhere on the screen and when shooting a caucasian face you do not want to see 70+ zebras on their face.
Y Get Marker : Goes hand in hand with zebras. Marker tells you what brightness is occurring at centre of screen.
Waveform Monitor : This tells you the brightness of the image in a 3D way as opposed to a 2D way (like zebras). Shows the relative brightness across screen and how many pixels in each column are at which brightness.
The Histogram : This is a graph that appears to help judge proper exposure.
An external monitor can also be used but as I will be shooting handheld for VET-MAN, I will use the inbuilt LCD screen for ease of use and mobility.
Autoexposure can also be used, however, this would give me less control over the way the image looks, therefore, I will be deciding the settings manually.
Another way to increase the brightness of the image is to adjust the gain (or ISO) of the picture. This works as an electronic amplification of the video signal to artificially make the picture brighter. However, as this is an artificial means of increasing the picture brightness, it means the more gain you apply, the more electronic noise there is in the picture. The best images come with as low ISO as possible. Increasing the gain also does not increase the detail seen in the picture - gain only amplifies the signal the camera is currently seeing, it cannot add detail that can't be seen due to underexposure.
Further to the exposure of the picture, there are more elements to consider for a good quality shot. White balance is important for the colour temperature of the footage. White balance needs to be set for each environment due to the changing colours present - the white balance determines how the camera sees white in each environment with different lighting. To set the white balance, a white card should be held some distance from the camera (preferably near the subject's face), the camera should then be zoomed and the white balance button pressed once the white card takes up the entirety of the frame. This sets how the camera sees white for this environment - it should be set for every environment. The DVX200 is also capable of doing a black balance - to perform this function, the white balance button should be held down. This shuts the iris and the camera analyses the signal to determine the black balance.
The focusing of the image is also important to ensure the best quality image. However, the LCD screen and viewfinder do not have enough pixels to show the imager sharply - this is why the camera has additional settings to aid this. The camera has the 'Expanded Focus Assist' and 'Peaking'. The Expanded Focus Assist magnifies the centre of the frame, allowing for more detail to be displayed. However, this is only useful when setting up the shot as it cannot be used during recording. Peaking can be used during recording, this option draws an outline around objects in sharp focus meaning that it will be clear during the actual recording which aspects are in and out of focus.
Another technique to ensure the best image quality is shooting in 4K. Shooting in 4K means that the footage can be displayed on larger displays without reducing the quality of the image. It also future proofs the footage by shooting in as high quality as possible - this means that even if VET-MAN isn't intended for 4K screens, it is capable of performing on these screens in future. Shooting 4K also ensures the sharpest and clearest HD images possible when shrinks down to HD size as the source image is larger. A further benefit of shooting 4K then down sizing to HD is the reduced noise - this therefore increases the image quality. This also allows for more scope during the colour grading process.
Understanding these settings will allow me to shoot VET-MAN in the best way possible. I will use this information during the further test shoots.
Purpose of Storyboarding - The main purpose of the storyboard is to outline how the production will be achieved visually. This is usually accompanied by a shot list which details each shot, shot type, framing, camera movement and description of the shot.
Process of Storyboarding - Information from Professional Storyboarding: Rules of Thumb by Sergio Paez and Anson Jew
- The first thing to do is to read the entire script - re-read the entire script so that you know the sequence of events including the who, what where, when and why. Need to know how all the characters are feeling internally about what's happening and how they are outwardly acting upon those events.
- Break down the script. Prioritise what is important to show in a scene. Visually scan the script and list all people, places and props that will appear through the drawings.
- Make notes on the script to decide which shot type will be appropriate for the events and movement involved.
- To accompany the storyboard, an overhead sketch of the architectural view can help to figure out the staging of a scene - and therefore help how the storyboard is drawn.
e.g.
- Pick out every word from the script. One block of description may need more than one shot to go alongside it - e.g. if a block of description is establishing the scene of the action, multiple establishing shots may need to be used to establish the locations, characters and events involved.
- Dialogue pieces may call for reaction shots as well as the action shot of the character speaking. Read the dialogue aloud and determine whether multiple shots are needed for coverage of this scene.
- The storyboard must ensure it fulfils the story point of the scene. Every scene and every image has a specific reason for being incorporated into the story - this reason must be clear to the audience. Anything that distracts from the story point should be cut.
- Identify the subtext in the dialogue and who is the focus or sympathetic character. This will help the staging to reflect the acting in the dialogue and therefore help the planning and storyboarding of the scene. Finding the subtext adds layers to the scene as a character may not say how they are feeling but can show visually (which can be depicted through the storyboards).
When it comes to actually drawing the storyboard - there are a few simple guidelines to follow. You do not need to be a storyboard artist to create a simple storyboard as a DOP but certain elements must be clear so that you can work effectively off the storyboard. The storyboard must also make enough sense to the director so that they can approve it before it goes into production.
Guidelines:
- Give figures solid poses with clear silhouettes
- Add simple tones - no more than 2-3 grey tones
- Only use colour when necessary
- Limit the use of arrows - add more panels to show movement to help action flow (but obviously use arrows if necessary to the shot).
When going through the script, there is a simple list of questions that can be used to aid making decisions about the storyboard:
About the scenes:
- How many are in the scene?
- What is the situation at the beginning of the scene and how is it different at the end?
- Who is affected by this change?
- How does this person feel about it?
- How does this scene affect the scene after it?
- How does it affect the one before it?
- How has this scene been affected by the one before it?
Within a scene:
- Who or what are we most interested in at this moment? What's the main focus?
- Who is in control of the situation?
- Where are we? Have the characters moved? If so, where?
- What's the subtext? What is being said or done and what does it really mean?
- What nonverbal cues might illustrate what's really going on?
Storyboards can be created in different ways, below are some examples of different types of storyboard:
1. Storyboards can be sketched with detailed outlines of scenes in order to display how the visuals of the production pan out. Although these sketches are simple, they are detailed in the amount of the scene they show (i.e. they show the objects and environments included within the scene) they are labelled and scaled so that they accurately show how the production will be realised.
2. Storyboards can also be simplified so that the main detail seen is the subjects / characters of the scene (i.e. the environment in which the scene takes place is not shown in detail). This is then compensated for by writing where the scene takes place in the description beneath the shot. This storyboard also features a separate box for the shot type in order to clearly display what is intended.
3. This storyboard is very simplified in terms of the drawings shown, however, what the drawings consist of is detailed below the shot. Furthermore, even though the shots are drawn very simply, they are drawn to scale (i.e. sarah appears small in the wide shot and then the closeup shot of sarah fills the frame). Although the viewer of the storyboard doesn't get as much detail into the visual of the scene, they are able to understand the direction the visuals will take.
4. Whilst this storyboard is also simple in the fact it uses stick figures, it uses arrows and labels to detail how the scene will pan out. This storyboard also uses panels of different sizes to show how the action within the scene changes - this is another option when storyboarding.
5. Another option when storyboarding is drawing incredibly detailed shots in order to clearly display how the visuals of the narrative will pan out. These drawings can also be continued outside of the box to display how the shots will continue and move - arrows are also used to show the direction of movements of both the characters and the cameras. Due to the increased visual detail, less detail is included in the descriptions.
6. Another option when storyboarding is an animated storyboard. This is another option which allows more detail to be displayed to give more of an idea how the visuals of the narrative will pan out. These animated scenes are accompanied by labels beneath them to detail the action.
I will use this research to inform the creation of my storyboard for the production of VET-MAN.
In order to gain a better idea of what the role of a Director Of Photography is and what duties come with this role, I decided to conduct research into this job role.
Through my research I found that "The director of photography, also known as the DP or the cinematographer, assists the film director by establishing the visual look of the movie." [Searls, n.d.] This shows that the DOP collaborates with the production's director in order to establish the style of the production - the DOP is then in control of all aspects that make up this visual look and must check this with the director to ensure their vision is also being fulfilled.
The main purpose of a Director Of Photography is to "shape a film’s visual aesthetic" [Aldredge, 2016] - in order to do this, they must make all the decisions that contribute to this i.e. which equipment to use in order to create the desired result - they must also decide what this desired result is and why - to do this they must have a good insight into the genre of the production and also its intended effect on the audience.
The DOP must interpret the script written by the writers and identify the themes that run throughout the script. This will allow them to make the cinematic style and tone decisions as this will enable them to get a grasp on what the storyline is and, therefore, what the writer is trying to achieve through this.
Once the DOP has established the style and tone that they want to achieve through the production (through interpreting the script), they must work on the storyboard and shot list in order to create a complete visual representation of the script which will lay out how the filming of the production will take place. "The storyboard, combined with a thorough shot list, will lay out the film in its entirety so that the director and producers can schedule and plan the production."[Aldredge, 2016] This shows that whilst the storyboard and shot list must communicate the style and tone of the production, it is also used in a practical way for the scheduling of the production.
The DOP is in charge of deciding the camera and lighting equipment which is usually done through different tests to find the most appropriate kit for a production. It is important to note that "camera choice will then affect every other camera decision" [Maher, 2015], therefore it is important that the correct camera equipment is chosen for the shooting style as everything then depends on the camera being used (i.e. if the intended shooting style is handheld, the camera chosen must be able to perform this function so the DOP must test this before this camera is chosen). The DOP must know the camera's settings inside and out to ensure they know how to operate it for optimum performance. This means that on top of just being concerned with the visuals the camera gives, the DOP must also be concerned with the camera's technical capabilities. The DOP must know the dynamic range of the camera, the frame rate and the sensitivity (ISO) of the camera as this all contributes to the visual look of the production. On top of this, the DOP is in charge of deciding the framing and movement of the camera shots - this is usually detailed in the storyboard and shot list in order to communicate how the production will be visually achieved.
The DOP must have a good understanding of light and lighting temperatures in order to decide which equipment will deliver the desired result. They will then need to decide which lighting temperature would complement the tone of the production the best. As shown below, different temperature lights reflect different styles of light - therefore, the DOP must consider what style they are aiming for with the production in order to inform their decision into the lighting equipment and which settings to set this equipment to.
Further to this, the DOP is not only involved in the pre-production (planning the tone and aesthetic of the film and how this will be achieved) and production (filming the production) processes, they are also involved in the post-production process in order to ensure their visual aesthetic is continued through this process. This involves being in control of the colouring and colour grading of the production and this helps to set the tone and style.
References:
Aldredge, J (2016) 'What does a director of photography do?' At: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/what-does-a-director-of-photography-do/
Maher, M (2015) 'Cinematography Manual: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Director of Photography' At: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/cinematography-manual-the-ultimate-guide-to-becoming-a-director-of-photography/
Searls, D (n.d.) 'A Director of Photography's Duties & Responsibilities During Film Production' At: https://work.chron.com/director-photographys-duties-responsibilities-during-film-production-15918.html
I decided to do some research into female Director of Photography; Petra Korner, focusing on her film The Wackness.
Petra Korner studied film at NYU's Tisch School of Arts and graduated with a BFA. Following this she trained at the Czech National Film Academy in Prague and the Maine Photographic Workshops. She also obtained an MFA in Cinematography from the American Film Institute in LA. She has won many awards for her cinematography.
One of her films that I particularly admired the cinematography of was The Wackness which was shot on Balthar Lenses on Super 35mm film.
Korner uses vintage colour grading throughout The Wackness. This can be seen through the muted colour palette used. The shadows of the image are a dark muted brown colour whilst the mid tones are a medium muted green colour and the highlights are a pale yellow colour - the same sort of tones are seen throughout the different scenes of the film. Combined with the bright exposure, this creates quite an idyllic, nostalgic look which seems very appropriate considering this is a coming of age comedy / drama and is therefore depicting an idyllic, youthful, care-fee time. This is an opening scene of the film showing the main character cycling through the park. Positioning him in the foreground and at the right side of the frame in a wide shot allows him to be the focus of the frame (clarifying to the audience that the film follows his story) but also works to establish the location as the remaining two thirds of the frame are left free to show the setting.
As well as establishing the main locations through the opening scenes of the film, further panning establishing shots are used to show the changing locations throughout the narrative. The fact that all the establishing shots are panning shots struck me as interesting as it gives the impression that the city is rife with life and movement. This also shows that establishing shots don't need to solely establish locations, they can also be used to convey more than this (e.g. the vibe of the atmosphere etc.) Establishing shots such as these can also be used to break up the action in the film - it helps to transport the audience to different locations and different parts of the narrative which can act as a break from high intensity scenes.
Further interesting techniques are used throughout the film - this scene in particular caught my attention. The camera pans and tracks as the girl gets up off floor - this creates the same disorientating feeling for the audience as the woman is feeling herself. This shows that the camera techniques can also be used to convey the emotion of the character which allows the audience to gain insight into their state of mind and empathise with this. Camera movements which allow the audience to connect with a character prove effective in engaging the audience as they are able to put themselves in the characters shoes. This suggests to me that to ensure audience engagement with VET-MAN, I should be using the camera to do more than just capture the action within the scene, I should also be trying to get the audience to connect with the characters to that they can become more engaged with the scenes.
The colour grading of this scene is slightly different to the beginning scenes - whilst a muted colour palette is still used, this scene uses more rose gold toned colours. This continues the vintage feel of the film but there is an added warmth (as opposed to the cooler green tones of the opening scenes). This helps to show a change in environment - this is an interior scene, whereas the greener tones were present in the exterior scenes - showing that whilst colour grading can enhance a story by conveying the mood and emotions present, it can also be used to reflect the changing locations.
This film uses a lot of standard cinematic techniques to depict action and conversation (e.g. medium and close up shots are used in quick succession during action scenes to highlight the intensity of the situations and shot reverse shot is used during conversational scenes) hence why I have not spoken much about this style of shot within the film. These shots are used to move along the narrative in a way the audience can easily understand and follow.
The more notable shots in the film are the wide establishing shots used to change locations. This scene is established by a panning shot of a person walking by with a trolley. This camera movement helps to move the audience into the scene as they find themselves following the trolley and therefore feel more present within the action. The shot begins as a medium shot as the trolley enters the frame, it then becomes a close up shot as the trolley passes the camera and then becomes a wide shot as the person walks away - providing the wide frame that establishes the location. As this scene mainly occurs in an interior location, the warm rose toned colours are used - however, in the distance, the green muted colours make a reappearance as the outdoor park is in sight.
Another thing to note is the lighting within the film. A lot of the more positive scenes within the film appear well lit and brightly exposed to reflect the happiness within them. More negative scenes such as the one shown below in the therapists office appear a lot darker. The only light coming into the room is from the window - this illuminates half of the teenage character's face and keeps the therapist's face in silhouette. This plunges most of the room into darkness - reflecting some of the dark topics covered within the therapy session.
Overall, from looking into The Wackness, I have found that wide shots needn't only be static to establish locations - movement within the shot can help to connote aspects of the location. Further to this, panning and tracking shots can be used in conjunction to move the characters along in the scene - this can especially be seen in the shot where the character is getting up off the floor in a disorientated manner. I have also found that muted, brightly exposed colour grading helps to create a vintage feel which creates a sense of nostalgia for the audience. The lighting used also helps to reflect the mood and emotions of the scenes - lighter, brightly exposed scenes are typically happier in tone and the darker lit scenes are more dramatic and negative tone - this is a very simple yet effective cinematic technique as it conveys a strong sense of emotion.
To gain more insight into what its like to be a Director of Photography, I decided to get in touch with Petra to see what knowledge and advice she could give me.
1. How would you describe your personal cinematography style?
I’m not a big fan of the word “style” when it comes to cinematography. We shouldn’t impose our “style” onto a film, but rather adapt to any given story or director. Then again, every cinematographer certainly brings their own personal taste and experiences to the table. In my case, I guess you could say that I gravitate towards atmospheric images, which take the viewer on a journey, as opposed to realistic ones.
2. How did this style evolve?
See above. Personal taste and life experience.
3. Do you have a favourite piece of kit to use that helps you achieve this style? How did you discover this piece of kit?
Other than haze, I don’t think there is any piece of kit, lighting or otherwise, that stayed with me throughout my career. The toys evolve so quickly. I started with special lab processes, such as partial ENR (silver retention) printing, in order to get the look I wanted, later I was one of the early explorers of shooting with vintage lenses (before it became the hip thing to do), I went through phases of different filtration that added to the look I wanted, I swore on tungsten lights and tungsten only, later I was crazy about the Arri M-series HMI pars, I used to shun LEDs, and now that they’ve evolved so much I couldn’t imagine a studio without them. I barely use filtration anymore.
It’s important to try different things, so that your toolbox consistently expands and you can reach for exactly the piece of gear you need for a specific project. As I said, the only thing I continue to use, since the beginning of my career is haze. Unless there is a good reason not to, I use a little bit of atmosphere in pretty much every interior; just to add a bit of texture.
4. What do you get ready during the pre production of a project? In your opinion what’s the most important part of pre production?
It’s important to really know the script inside out. And to talk through it with the director, so you know which story beats are important to them and why.
I also accumulate a lot of visual references – stills I pull from movies, photographs, whatever.
Lastly, I put all the photos I take from various location scouts together with my inspirational images and notes from all the talks with the director, art department or AD. This concludes my “visual strategy”, which is my most important document when I go into a movie.
Also, shot lists and overhead diagrams are crucial. I usually shotlist together with the director and then do the diagrams by myself. These are also very useful for the 1st AD, in terms of shooting order and when we need to turn around.
Also important: lighting diagrams for the riggers.
5. How would you describe your use of colour grading? Would you say colours are used to enhance to the visual quality of the piece or to enhance mood/emotion or to establish your personal style? (or a mixture of all three?)
Personal style should have no part in cinematography!
Colors have assigned meaning within the framework of your story (this is established by the director, you, the production designer and costume designer in pre-production) and are generally a strong tool to evoke a certain emotion.
6. What do you like to play around with most: lighting, colours, framing or depth of field? (or other?) And why?
All of the above. I tend to favor good light over a perfect frame though. A lot of DPs do the opposite.
7. What would your top advice be for an aspiring director of photography?
- Lighting, lighting, lighting. Learn to understand light.
- Read American Cinematographer cover to cover, every month.
- Don’t obsess about gear. It doesn’t matter at all.
- Be selective in the projects you choose. If you can’t find inspiration in the project you take on, leave it, wait for something better and find another way to pay rent in the meantime. You are an artist, and you don’t want to do cheesy shit.
- Be kind to your crew. Know what you can ask of them and how long it takes. Have a twinkle in your eye.
- Never forget that you work for your director, and that even if you think you have more experience, you have to give him the benefit of doubt if he chooses to make a decision you can’t relate to. Don’t make life hard for him!
8. Would you say being a female has hindered you at all in your career or do you feel this hasn't had an impact?
Yes, for sure. I used to be completely ignorant and think it didn’t matter, but once I had kids I quickly realized how backward society still is.
Then I became a single mom overnight -- and that just doesn’t happen to men, unless they’re widowers, but I don’t think there’s one single working cinematographer single-dad out there. Their wives are all handling the bulk-load of the child rearing, while they go chase their careers and usually sky rocket.
In any case, yes, huge inequality if you choose to have children. If you don’t, you might get lucky and ride the wave of equal opportunity. However, you never really know what plays a part in the decision made by producers / studios to hire you or not. They used to openly frown upon too many women in key positions, and no production wanted to pair a female director with a female DP. It was considered “risky”. Things have changed only in very recent years.
What I have learned through this research:
Colours used within a piece are entirely dependent on the story and what emotions you are trying to evoke from the audience, not the personal style of the cinematographer. As a coming of age comedy / drama, The Wackness is portraying quite a prime time of life - the colours and colour grading of the production reflect this. It is given a vintage look through the use of bright exposure and muted neutral colours. Warmer, rose colours are used further through the film, again giving the production a vintage look. This vintage look helps to evoke a sense of nostalgia which may help the audience sympathise with the characters as this may remind them of their own similar coming of age story.
Establishing shots do not need to be used to only establish the location, when combined with movements or with characters in shot they can depict much more. Fast panning establishing shots can be used to reflect the high energy within the environment whilst a slower pan can symbolise a more peaceful atmosphere. I will consider this in VET-MAN when establishing locations - as the main character Tim bodges his way through life, quick panning shots may be a good idea to reflect his hectic life.
Collaboration is key for a smooth production and trust the other production members - even if you think the director is wrong, you must follow and trust their ideas. In our shoot, issues like this can be resolved by me producing clear storyboards and shot lists so that the director knows my intentions and agrees them prior to shooting - this way there should be little clash of opinions.
The Sit-Com as a genre
By definition a sit com / situation comedy is a "series that involves a continuing cast of characters in a succession of episodes. Often the characters are markedly different types thrown together by circumstance and occupying a shared environment such as an apartment building or workplace." [Encyclopaedia Britannica, n.d.]
Sit coms are usually 30 minutes long and are filmed with either a single camera or multi camera set up. Single camera productions are usually more processed as each shot needs to be thoroughly planned in order to capture the intended action and comedy, whereas, multi camera productions are usually more natural in terms of the delivery of the dialogue by the characters as the multiple cameras are usually rigged around the set meaning that the comedy / dialogue will be picked up by at least one camera and, therefore, the shots do not need to be as meticulously planned.
Sit coms come in many different forms, most commonly family sitcoms which revolve around a family (usually with two parents and two to three children) or a workplace with different comedic characters. There are many different sub-genres of sit coms including; black sitcom, brit com, dom com, kid com, odd couple, roommate com, sit comic and work com.
There are also many different comedic techniques used within a sit com - the type of techniques used within a sit com are usually dependent on the tone of the production. The aspects that make up a sit com include:
The running joke - this is an amusing situation, catch-phrase, character trait or character that keeps reappearing throughout the sit com series. Most of the time running jokes start off being unintentional, but due to their popularity among viewers, producers bring back this joke and repeat it throughout the series.
The comic trap - this is the basic premise of the sit com and then the show is built around it. This 'trap' is the comic situation that the characters find themselves in which they can't seem to escape from. The humour in this situation comes from seeing the characters attempt to escape the situation and face the obstacles preventing them from escaping this situation.
The one-liner - this is often used in modern sit coms and stand up comedies. This is a joke that is confined to one sentence and is usually an observational remark made by a character to an event that has just occurred.
The laugh track - this is used to signify to the audience when to laugh by highlighting to them which points to laugh at by employing the laugh track.
Parody / Spoof - this pokes fun at an original work through humorous or satiric imitation. This is usually done in an extreme or exaggerated way to make the parody more obvious.
Satire - this is used through ridiculing the subject with irony, normally with the intent of bringing improvement. Satire is sometimes uses as an attack by the author to shed light on a subject that they strongly disapprove of by using wit as a weapon. Satire usually brings a deeper meaning to a comedy and is therefore used in more intellectual based comedies.
Mode - this is the style in which something is presented.
Innuendo and double entendre - this is where something is inferred but is not overbearingly obvious. A double entendre is similar and is usually used in a pun format where something has two meanings (often sexual or playful).
Irony and sarcasm - irony is when there is a difference between what the character says and what they actually do for a comedic effect. Sarcasm is similar in the fact a character will use it so say one thing and mean another.
Otherness - this is the clash that occurs between characters, usually concerning a character displaying different or 'other' characteristics.
Postmodernism - this includes features such as breaking the genre, form or mode, mixing styles, self awareness, confusing reality with constructed fiction and intertextuality. Post modern comedies usually means the comedy does not follow the rules as to how things are meant to be - this is due to its literal 'after modern' movement.
Sit coms featured around families usually contain families of different types. There is the usual nuclear family where there is a mother and father and any number of children up to 5 who all live together in their family home. There is also the dysfunctional family where this is technically a nuclear family but with one abnormal function that affects their day to day life. There is also the idea of a pseudo family / post modern family where the family is more of a modern reflection on family life that opposes the 'conventional' nuclear family - this usually is made up of different genders, sexualities, ethnicities and ages.
A sit com is then constructed using a selection of these techniques based on the tone and style of the production. Sit coms can be overt and obvious in their comedy which usually means techniques such as one-liners and parodies are used, or sit coms can be more subtle in their delivery of comedy which usually means they rely on techniques such as satire, irony and innuendo, however, sit coms do deviate from their use of these techniques depending on what type of reactions they are attempting to evoke from the audience - i.e. some sit coms such as The Thick Of It rely on a more intellectual reading from the audience and therefore stick to techniques such as irony and satire, allowing the deadpan and macabre tone to show through.
Further examples of sit-coms Not Going Out
Not Going Out is a British sit-com which has run since 2006. It has a polished and structured feel to it due to the camerawork involved in the production of the show. This camerawork is appropriate to the style of sit-com Not Going Out is it is a more overtly comedic show consisting of mainly sight gags, double entendres, word play and one liners. The mise-en-scene reflects the intended production values as each scene is dressed and lit well in a way that seems artificial and produced - the show is not aiming for a realistic look at all. The characters faces never fall into shadow - they are lit well from all sides, creating a well-polished yet unrealistic look - this helps to reflect the overt comedy of the production.
The camera movements add to the lack of realism as they are all smooth, stable and fluid - making for an artificially smooth looking production. Every shot has a sense of movement to it - i.e. all shots are filmed on a track and track ever-so-slightly left or right during the shot - this gives the whole production a continuous feel.
Peep Show
Peep Show is a British sit-com which aired from 2003 to 2015. It has a natural feel to it due to the unconventional POV filming style - this gives the production a personal feel due to each shot being filmed from a character's point of view. This personal feel adds to the realism of the piece. As each shot is filmed from a character's point of view, the camera movement follows the movement of the character and therefore appears handheld and not entirely stable - again, this adds to the realistic, natural nature of the piece. To aid the natural mise-en-scene of the piece, the colour grading and natural lighting allows the depiction of the scenes to remain very natural and true to what would be seen in real life. This is shown the the natural pink tone of the skin, the cool blue / purple toned light appearing through the curtains and the orange glow of the lamp. All these colours combined help to depict natural, real life.
Big Train
Finally, I looked into Big Train a sketch show / sit-com which ran from 1998 to 2002. My main focus when looking into Big Train was seeing how the filming style complimented the comedy of the sketches. Big Train adopts a very naturalistic approach by shooting the sketches handheld - this gives the footage an observatory and real essence - making the viewer feel like they are watching natural life. The comedy within Big Train is quite surreal and macabre which usually wouldn't call for such a natural filming style - usually something more polished is used for surreal comedies, however, with Big Train, using this natural style in order to capture the surreal comedy works very well as this adds to the comedic effect of the surreal situations by making them appear as ordinary situations to the audience. This technique of using natural style camera work to capture the surreal comedy can be seen in such sketches as where Jesus and the devil are talking and this is being filmed through a gap, making it appear that the audience are spying on this natural conversation.
To compliment this natural camera work, this mise-en-scene is also very natural. The lighting in each scene reflects that of real life (despite whether it was captured using natural or artificial light) and the set design reflects real life settings - e.g. the office set shown below is dressed as a typical office with lighting that appears natural, as if this is observational of real life. The camerawork contributes to this scene by being filmed all in one shot - this gets rid of any manufactured or processed feel.
By looking into this genre and into a couple of example from this genre, I have gained a much clearer view of the style in which I want to film VET-MAN in order to compliment the comedy within the narrative. The way in which a sit-com is filmed is entirely dependent on the style of comedy and how this needs to be delivered to the audience. I will stick to a natural delivery of the visuals as this will compliment the deadpan, satirical nature of the comedy. As the research into Not Going Out shows, more overt obvious comedy calls for a more polished look in order to put this comedy at the forefront of the viewers reception - if the comedy is shown through expressions, one liners and double entendres, this needs to be clearly displayed to the audience and the best way to do this appears to be through a more artificially produced production.
If the comedy lies within the audience feeling indulged within the production and feeling as if they are viewing something which could be deciphered as real-life, a more natural approach such as that shown in Peep Show or Big Train is called for. This allows the audience to feel as if they are just observing natural behaviour and allows for them to pick up the subtle or satirical comedy within the characters dialogue - rather than this having to be signposted to them through processed or artificial means.
References:
Encyclopaedia Britannica (n.d.) 'Situation Comedy' At: https://www.britannica.com/art/situation-comedy
Following my research into the different sit-coms and DOPs, I decided to do some research into colour theory to extend my knowledge in this area. Through this research, in particular the research into Polly Morgan, I decided I want to go for a realistic yet cinematic look for VET-MAN as the comedy of the piece requires for the focus to be on the delivery of the deadpan humour, however, I still wanted the piece to have a visually good quality, hence the idea of introducing a slightly cinematic element. Polly Morgan highlighted the importance of putting the story at the centre of the decisions for the aesthetic of the production, therefore, I feel the realistic yet cinematic approach is best for VET-MAN as it puts the delivery of the story and the desired comedic effect on the audience first.
When deciding how best to achieve this look, I decided to look into common film colour schemes to find which would be most appropriate to apply to the colouring of VET-MAN.
The first colour scheme is the complimentary colour scheme. This uses opposing colours on the colour wheel to form a complimentary pair. Due to the contrasting qualities of these colours, this works to make a production stand out and pop. A common complimentary pairing in recent cinema is the combination of orange and teal. As Todd Miro highlights in an article in The Guardian when discussing the increasing popularity of the use of teal and orange - "Anyone who has ever taken Colour Theory 101 knows that if you take two complementary colours and put them next to each other, they will 'pop', and sometimes even vibrate". [Hoad, P]
Examples of the teal and orange complimentary colour scheme can be seen below:
The second colour scheme is analogous colours - these are colours that sit next to each other on the colour wheel that are used to create a sense of harmony in a film's colour palette. Usually, one colour is chosen as the main colour with the others being used to support and accent this main colour - again adding to the sense of harmony in the colour palette.
A similar colour palette to this is the monochromatic colour palette in which similar colours are used to create a palette in which one or two colours continue all the way through the production.
Examples of this colour scheme can be seen below:
The third colour scheme is triadic colours - these are three colours that are spaced evenly around the colour wheel. Like with the analogous colour scheme, usually, one of the colours is used as the main colour with the others supporting and accenting this colour and is normally used to create a striking look and contrasting look.
Examples of this colour scheme can be seen below:
The fourth colour scheme is split complimentary colours - this has a lot of similarities to the complimentary colour scheme but instead of using directly opposing colours, this scheme uses one colour on one side of the colour wheel and the two colours next to the opposing colour. This creates a similar effect to the complimentary colour scheme by creating quite high contrast, however, this contrast is not as high as the complimentary colour scheme.
Examples of this colour scheme can be seen below:
The final colour scheme is the tetradic colour scheme which uses four colours which are arranged into two complimentary pairings. One colour is usually dominant with the other used to support this colour - this creates quite a harmonious look with an abundance of colour within the production.
Examples of this can be seen below:
From this research into colour theory, I have decided to use a complimentary colour scheme of teal and orange within the production of VET-MAN as this appears to produce the most conventionally cinematic result which will aid the realistic yet cinematic look of the production. I will use this colour grading technique but at a lower intensity than is seen in most hollywood films as this will allow the realism of the piece to show through more.
Further to this research, I also conducted some research into the visual design of productions such as the aspect ratio.
I found that the usual HD aspect ratio is 16:9 which is used for the majority of television programmes nowadays. However, this doesn't produce a very cinematic look. Therefore, I decided to do some research into the cinematic aspect ratio which I found to be 21:9. According to one source "Just about anything will look more cinematic or more ‘filmic’ when shot in this aspect, considering that originally it was associated with the anamorphic/cinemascope look and we are trained to associate this aesthetic with higher end feature films." [Kroll, 2014]
Anamorphic lenses capture film is such a way which stretch the image vertically during shooting. When this is then protected back, it is pushed back down which produces this wider cinemascope look.
Using an aspect ratio of 21:9 " would allow for a completely different type of framing, and help to emulate a perspective that was in many ways closer to what the human eye perceives." [Kroll, 2014] This means that using an aspect ratio of 21:9 within VET-MAN would automatically produce a more cinematic look as this wider aspect ratio immediately shows the action in a wider perspective which both emulates the perception of the human eye and simulates the cinemascope look.
References:
Hoad, P (2010) 'Hollywood's New Colour Craze' At: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/aug/26/colour-grading-orange-teal-hollywood
Kroll, N (2014) At: https://www.premiumbeat.com/blog/aspect-ratios-explained-when-to-use-the-major-three/
To decide on the equipment I will be using as Director of Photography in VET-MAN, I booked out the Panasonic DVX200, JVC GY-HM850 and the Canon 7D with an 18-135 mm lens. The aim of this was to test which camera would give the best quality footage, with the most natural look and be easiest to use handheld whilst focusing, framing and following the characters and animals.
From my research, I have decided that the shooting style I wish to use is handheld, featuring some crash zooms at key moments. This suits the deadpan, macabre tone of the sit com as the zooms will be used to focus on the characters' actions and reactions. Therefore, the camera chosen will need to be light enough to shoot handheld for a considerable length of time and must be suitable for zooming, focusing and framing whilst handheld as well. VET-MAN will be shot in a single camera style but may be achieved using multiple cameras (for coverage and to ensure no action is missed as working with animals can be slightly unpredictable). This means that for consistency's sake, the Panasonic or DSLR may be the better option as there are multiple of these cameras available to use. However, if the JVC can produce similar looking footage to the Panasonic or DSLR then this may also be an option. Panasonic DVX200
I started out by testing the Panasonic on a human subject - this was so that I could familiarise myself with the settings and which ones would produce the most natural looking result. To define natural - I wanted the footage to appear as similar to the image as seen by the human eye.
Although this camera can shoot in 4K (which is the method I would have liked to use), I was limited to shooting in FHD 1080p as the correct memory card was not in the camera case (and this memory card could not cope with shooting in 4K or UHD). This is something I will ensure won't happen in future by checking that the correct memory card has been put with the camera.
In the first part of the test shoot, I was looking for settings which would allow the sky to remain blue yet have a high enough exposure so that the subject was not dark and dull. This would then allow the best result in colour grading as I would not be using the colour grading to compensate for any lack of colour in the original footage - the grading would merely be used to enhance and define the original piece.
As well as deciding on the settings for the correct exposure, I wanted to ensure these settings were appropriate for the crash zooms I plan to do as well (i.e. the exposure remains correct on long, medium and close up shots). On top of this, I wanted to ensure that the controls on the camera were accessible enough to use to enable me to re-frame and re-focus whilst shooting handheld.
The only setting I was unable to change on the Panasonic camera was the ISO - this setting was not clear on the camera - therefore, I will perform more research into the camera to find out how to change this setting. As I couldn't find it for this test shoot, the ISO setting remained the same at 500.
Initially I tried shooting without an ND filter to see how the camera would cope in natural daylight in an outdoor setting. The ISO was set to 500, the aperture to F5.4 and the shutter speed to 1/50. As the aperture was quite wide and the shutter speed was quite slow, the image became quite washed out. The sky behind the subject appeared white instead of the natural blue as seen by the human eye, and the subject's skin appear washed out and slightly grey/blue in tone rather than the natural peach tone.
Following this, I amended the settings so that the overall image would appear darker and therefore more natural. This involved adding an ND filter of 1/4 and changing the aperture to F7.2 whilst the shutter speed remained at 1/50 and the ISO remained set at 500. This produced an almost ideal result with the sky retaining its natural blue look and the skin having a slight peach tone. However, due to the slightly darker look, the skin tone does look slightly dull - but as the rest of the image is almost ideal, this should be rectifiable in the colour grading process.
Although the ND filter 1/4 produced a good result, I wanted to see how the darker ND filter 1/16 would work. As this decreased the exposure of the image, I widened the aperture to F6.3 whilst the shutter speed remained at 1/50 and the ISO at 500. Whilst this produced a natural looking image, it was slightly too dark and made the subject and environment look darker than it appeared in actuality. This would therefore make it more difficult to colour grade to achieve a natural looking result as I would be compensating for the slight lack of exposure as well as enhancing the colours of the image.
The settings which produced the best result were ISO 500, aperture F7.6, shutter speed 1/50 with an ND filter of 1/4. This allowed for the sky to retain its light blue tone whilst exposing the subject enough so that their skin tone did not appear too dull and grey in tone. The skin is slightly less peach / pink in tone than my desired look but the correct exposure of the overall image allows for this to be adjusted in the colour grading process without affecting the other aspects of the image too much.
To also see what the camera is capable of, I decided the test out the gain settings. Whilst this was not necessary for a well lit outdoors setting, it may prove useful in darker settings with less lighting - I will test this in future test shoots. I kept the settings the same as they were for the ones that produced the best image and then just adjusted the gain. Switching the settings to medium gain washed out the sky so that it appeared white and also washed out the skin of the subject. This would make it difficult to colour grade as I would need to first correct the exposure and then go on to adjust the colour tones.
As medium gain was too brightly exposed for this setting, I knew high gain would produce an even more brightly exposed shot which is not desirable for this environment. This completely over exposed the image so that the only qualities that remained were the shadows i.e. the subject's beard and the darker trees in the background. High gain also increased the level of noise in the image (this is also true of medium gain, however, high gain increased this level further). This proves that to get the best quality image with the lowest level of noise, gain should be avoided (especially in well-lit environments where it is not necessary). I will test gain in darker settings to see whether gain is necessary for a well exposed shot or whether this can be avoided to save the quality of the image.
Overall the best settings for this well-lit outdoor environment were ISO 500, aperture F7.6, shutter speed 1/50 and using ND filter 1/4.
Following on from testing the camera on a human subject, I decided to test it on the animals we may be using as well. On top of this, I also wanted to test focusing, framing and zooming on the animals as their movements can be slightly unpredictable and I will need to get used to using the camera to follow their movements whilst keeping them well framed and in focus.
As I tested the camera settings on the human subject first, I knew the rough settings that would work to give the desired result. However, I did still change the settings slightly to discover the optimum result.
I started off with the settings ISO 500, aperture F7.6, shutter speed 1/50 and no ND filter. This produced a fairly accurate image when compared to how the image appeared to the human eye. The only issue with the look of this footage was the over exposure of the sky in the background which appears bright white through the trees. Whilst this is not terrible, it is not ideal.
To compensate for the bright white appearance of the sky through the trees, I added an ND filter 1/4 to decrease the level of light entering the lens. The other settings remained the same; ISO 500, aperture 7.6, shutter speed 1/50. This produced a slightly better image - the sky still appeared white and slightly overexposed but it was a lot more similar to the colour of the sky in actuality. These settings produced the best quality image with the best exposure which will allow for the best colour grading. The exposure barely needs to be modified, the colour grading will mainly focus on enhancing and defining the colour tones within the image.
To test the settings of the camera further, I decided to change the shutter speed as a faster shutter speed would reduce the motion blur but would also let less light into the sensor (so the aperture needed to be widened to compensate for the decreased exposure). Motion blur allows for the movement to look natural, but I wanted to see if a reduction of this would increase the quality of the footage whilst still retaining the natural look. The settings I used for this footage were ISO 500, aperture F7.4, shutter speed 1/60 and ND filter 1/4. This produced good quality footage and the movement of the owl looked natural, however, there was not a noticeable difference between the shutter speed 1/50 and 1/60 - and as the exposure of the footage taken with a shutter speed of 1/50 was better, I will opt for a shutter speed of 1/50. The exposure of this footage could be easily fixed in colour grading, however, I want to minimise the amount of colour grading I do so that the footage retains its natural look, therefore, shooting with a shutter speed of 1/50 would be preferred.
I then filmed a different owl so that I could get used to the movement of different animals. This owl was slightly easier to film as you could position its head to the desired position without hurting the animal (the same is true of the first owl, however, the second owl stayed in the desired position for longer). The first set of settings I used with this owl were ISO 500, aperture F7.2, shutter speed 1/60 and no ND filter. This produced a good quality image, however, the white areas of the owl's feathers appeared over exposed in some movements - this was due to the lack of ND filter - this could be corrected in the colour grading process as the overall exposure of the rest of the image was almost ideal.
I then changed the settings so that the aperture was wider and an ND filter added - these settings were; ISO 500, aperture F6.3, shutter speed 1/60 and an ND filter of 1/4. This produced a slightly darker image due to the ND filter, however, the wider aperture compensated for this a little. The wider aperture increased the depth of field of the image, the subject is in crisp focus whilst the background is completely blurred - this produced quite a cinematic yet still natural look which my desired look for this project. This image may also appear slightly darker due to being in a slightly more shaded area - I will need to consider changes in environment when deciding the settings as darker environments may call for a wider aperture / slower shutter speed / no ND filter.
As well as owls, there are also meerkats available for us to use in the project. As they are quite unpredictable in their movements, I really wanted to test zooming and framing whilst keeping them in focus. I feel this was quite successful as I had already determined (through the tests on the human subject and the owls) the ideal settings to use. I used an ISO of 500, aperture F7.2, shutter speed 1/60 and ND filter 1/4. The meerkat enclosure was out in the open so there was no shade to compete with - this informed my decision to use an ND filter 1/4 on this footage as the image would have been too exposed without. The slightly higher shutter speed allowed for a little motion blur which made the movement of the meerkats look natural yet sharp in quality. The aperture of this footage is quite wide which allows the meerkats to be in clear focus whilst the environment surrounding them is slightly blurred - giving the footage the desired natural cinematic look. As the exposure of this footage was correct, colour grading will be a lot more effective as I will not need to compensate for incorrect exposure - I will just be adjusting the colour tones to enhance the natural yet cinematic look.
Overall, the best settings to use with the animal subjects appeared to be ISO 500, aperture F7.6, shutter speed 1/50 and ND filter 1/4. This allowed for correct exposure whilst giving the footage the natural cinematic look.
To test how well the footage from the camera would work with the colour grading process, I decided to grade one take from the human subject tests and one take from the animal subject tests.
The original footage was well exposed with all the colours looking natural - however, to give it a slightly more cinematic look I wanted to increase the brightness slightly and bring back some warmth to the subject's skin. As shown below, the skin of the subject was slightly purple in tone, the grass a dull green tone, the sky a pale blue tone, the trees a dirty yellow and the t shirt a faint purple/blue tone. I wanted to make these colours more vivid and correct the skin to be less blue and more orange/peach.
The colour graded result has increased saturation, making the image more vivid and warm in tone. It still looks natural but has added the cinematic element I desired. The exposure has been slightly increased but still allows for the sky to retain its natural blue colour (as opposed to becoming a washed out white colour like the overexposed footage from the test). The skin has been given a peach tone and the trees / grass are less dull.
To achieve this look I used a LUT to give the cinematic element I was after. This LUT was called 'FGCineTealOrange'. The teal / orange colour scheme is similar to that used in Hollywood movies to give an instant cinematic look as the colours are almost opposite each other on the colour wheel - adding a cinematic contrast to the footage. However, as I still wanted the footage to look natural, I decreased the intensity of this LUT to 21%. I also added colour correction of my own - I added orange highlights, blue shadows and faint red mid tones - this combined helped to balance out the blue tone of the original image whilst allowing the footage to retain its natural look.
The original footage of the owl was exposed correctly so all that needed to be done in the colour grading process was adjusting the colour tones. I wanted to retain the natural green of the environment but increase the warmth in the owl's colourings to make it contrast more from the background. As shown below, the colours within the footage are all quite muted and faded, I wanted to slightly increase the saturation and add in warm colour tones to introduce contrast to the footage.
The colour graded result has a slight higher contrast and warmer colour tones - this is exactly the look I wanted to go for. The warm tones of the owl's feathers make it contrast from the muted greens of the background. The depth of field also works to this image's advantage as it makes the contrast between the owl and the background greater.
To achieve this look I used the same Orange/Teal LUT at a low intensity. This enhanced the warmth in the owl's feathers and muted the green of the background. Like with the human subject, I also added my own colour correction by adding light blue highlight, dark purple shadows and orange/red midtones. This footage still looks natural yet a little more cinematic than the original footage.
Below are some clips from the test shoot - displaying the different settings and colour grading in action whilst also showing the experiment with both crash zooming and slow zooming and trying to retain framing and focus when performing these actions on both human and animal subjects.
JVC GY-HM850
The second camera I tested was the JVC GY-HM850. This shot in 1080p so produced the same quality footage as the Panasonic DVX200.
The criteria I was looking for remained the same as with the Panasonic; it must look natural, the sky and subject should not be washed out, the camera must be easy to used when shooting handheld whilst focusing and framing the shot for zooms / crash zooms / following animal subjects.
The first thing I noticed about the JVC GY-HM850 was the weight of the camera - it was considerably heavier than the Panasonic - making it more difficult to handle. This lead to more shaky footage which wasn't as easy to focus and reframe - meaning that the Panasonic produced smoother, better quality footage.
Also, due to the viewfinder / eyepiece of the camera, it was difficult to judge when the image was in focus - this lead to a lot of the footage being in soft focus - this again is where the Panasonic has the edge - the screen of the Panasonic is a lot clearer meaning that the footage is a lot easier and quicker to focus which is necessary for following moving subjects and the zooms I plan to do.
Also, with the JVC, I couldn't find the settings for the ISO or how to turn off the auto-iris so I could only change the aperture and shutter speed. This also caused an issue when testing the ND filters as the auto-iris increased the exposure every time I added an ND filter - making the use of the ND filter pointless.
The first settings I used were aperture F5.6, shutter speed 1/50 and no ND filter - I could not find the ISO and the auto iris interfered a little. This produced a well exposed image - the sky retained its natural blue tone and the skin tone of the subject did not appear too dull (however, it did lack the warm peach tone that could be seen with the human eye). Due to the viewfinder being difficult to use, the image appears soft which affects the overall quality of the footage. This should make a good canvas for colour grading as the exposure is almost correct meaning that little manipulation needs to be done to this in the colour grading process - the main focus can go on adjusting the colour tones within the image.
I then decided to use a slightly wider aperture of F5.4 and a shutter speed of 1/50 but this time with addition of an ND filter 1/4. Despite the auto-iris, the image does appear darker - however, it is not as dark as it would have been without the interference of the auto-iris. Also, because of the auto-iris, there is some additional noise in the image as this has increased the exposure to an unnatural level to compensate for the addition of the ND filter. Overall, the exposure of this image is okay - it has produced a natural look - however, the noise in the image has lowered the quality.
Like the Panasonic, I tested this camera on both human and animal subjects. Testing the settings on the human first allowed me to figure out which would likely work best for the animals (who were more unpredictable with their movements).
The first settings I used were similar to the ones I used on the human subject; aperture F6.3, shutter speed 1/50 and no ND filter. I decided against an ND filter at first due to being in a shaded area with little interference from sunlight. This produced a well exposed image with good depth of field as a result of the wide aperture. This gave the natural cinematic look I was aiming for as the owl stands out well from the natural environment in the background. The footage is a little dull but as the exposure is correct, the colours can be made more vibrant in the colour grading process. Like the footage featuring the human subject, the focus is a little soft due to the viewfinder being difficult to use.
I then changed the settings so that the aperture was wider - with a wider aperture I added an ND filter as more light was being allowed into the lens, increasing the exposure of the footage. The settings I used for this footage was; aperture F5.4, shutter speed 1/50 and ND filter 1/4. The wider aperture used in this footage also gave a greater depth of field - increasing the cinematic nature of the footage as the owl stands out further from the blurred background. I really like the exposure of this footage - none of the lighter parts are blown out and overexposed and it doesn't appear too dull - this will make it perfect for colour grading as the only manipulation required is with the colour tones of the owl and the background.
I then tested using the ND filter with a longer aperture to see how this would affect the overall exposure of the image. The settings I used for this were; aperture F7.2, shutter speed 1/50 and ND filter 1/4. As the aperture was slightly longer for this footage, the depth of field is less and the overall exposure is slightly duller. This makes it slightly less cinematic and a little more difficult to colour grade as the exposure will need to be increased slightly before the colours can be manipulated. This footage also suffers from the same problem as the other footage shot with the JVC; the focus is a little soft.
Finally, I tested using this camera to follow the meerkats. I decided to use aperture F7.2, shutter speed 1/50 and no ND filter. In hindsight I should have used an ND filter of 1/4 as certain areas of the sand appeared overexposed in the footage. However, the rest of image is quite well exposed which means I will only have to adjust the exposure slightly in the grading process which means I can focus on enhancing the colours within the footage.
Overall, the settings which produced the best result with this camera were having an aperture of F5.4, shutter speed 1/50 and ND filter 1/4. The ND filter reduced light interference from the daylight and the wider aperture and shutter speed compensated for the lack of exposure. The wide aperture also allowed for greater depth of field, producing the desired natural cinematic look.
Like with the Panasonic, I decided to colour grade one take from the human test shoot and one take from the animal test shoot.
The original footage was quite well exposed in this footage, however, the colours appeared quite dull which was preventing me from achieving the natural cinematic look I was after. The skin tone appeared a dull purple colour, the trees a dull orange/brown colour, the sky a light turquoise colour, the grass a dull green colour and the t shirt a muted lilac colour.
The colour graded image is a lot more vibrant and saturated with colour. This makes the subject look more defined within the shot. The skin tone has been restored to a pink / peach colour and the trees, sky, t shirt and grass have been enhanced in colour. Although the footage was soft in focus, I decided against sharpening the image as this would make it look unnaturally sharp - which would oppose the natural cinematic look I am aiming for.
To achieve this look I added the Orange/Teal LUT and reduced the intensity to 26%. I then increased the exposure of the midtones and the highlights slightly and added my own colour correction - I added light blue highlights, orange mid tones and blue shadows - this produced a more enhanced version of the footage which is the closest result to the desired look.
The original footage of the owl was well exposed with a good depth of field. This means it needs little manipulation in terms of the exposure of the footage. My aim for the colour grading of this image was to enhance the colours of the owl to further the contrast between it and the background. In the original footage, the colours within the owl's feathers are muted grey and muted brown whilst the background appears dark green in colour.
The graded image is more enhanced than the original, whilst retaining the natural look. The colours in the background remain virtually the same just a little more vivid. The colours of the owl are a lot more defined - there is a lot more contrast between the colours of the feathers (the feathers have a much more vibrant brown/orange tone) - there is also a lot more contrast between the owl and the background. The owl is vibrant in colour whilst the background remains muted in colour.
This was achieved by adding an Orange/Teal LUT at a low intensity and adding colour corrections of my own. I added orange midtones, faint blue shadows and light orange highlights. This combination of colour correction / grading brings out the vibrant browns / oranges in the owl's feathers. This produces the desired natural cinematic look.
Below are some clips from the test shoot - displaying the different settings and colour grading in action whilst also showing the experiment with both crash zooming and slow zooming and trying to retain framing and focus when performing these actions on both human and animal subjects.
Canon 7D
The third camera I used in the test shoot was a DSLR - the Canon 7D. I also booked out a fig-rig to use with the DSLR to make the footage more stable (due to the handheld shooting style). However, this turned out to be difficult to use whilst framing, focusing when doing zooms / crash zooms.
The Canon 7D shoots in 1080p HD which is not as high quality as what the Panasonic is capable of but is the same quality as the settings we used for the test shoot - putting all of the cameras on the same level to be judged.
Like with the Panasonic DVX200 and the JVC GY-HM850 the criteria I was looking for was; a natural look, not too washed out or too dark, stable and easy to use whilst framing / zooming / following subjects shooting handheld and allowed good scope for colour grading without decreasing the quality of the footage.
The first thing I noticed about the DSLR was that it was a lot less stable than the JVC and the Panasonic (the Panasonic being the most stable out of all three) as it is a lot smaller and can not be mounted on the shoulder (without additional equipment) like the Panasonic and JVC. However, it was arguably the best at crash zooming as the zooming and framing ring are very accessible and easy to adjust whilst shooting handheld.
I also noticed that even though I white balanced the camera (like I did with the Panasonic and JVC) the camera produced very warm toned footage - whereas the other cameras produced footage which leant towards the cooler tones. This may have been my fault as DoP rather than a fault with the camera - I may have white balanced the camera incorrectly, however, this mistake has shown me that I can get a better white balance result from the Panasonic or JVC - making these preferable to use.
It should also be noted that the DSLR does not have in-built ND filters like the JVC and Panasonic, making this a lot more time consuming to adjust (as physical ND filters need to be added to the lens). This means that I cannot quickly knock down the exposure of the footage which may be necessary in our project as I will be filming animals as well as people (which means I may need to capture a lot of unpredictable action - reducing the amount of time I have to apply ND filters).
The first settings I used were ISO 400, aperture F6.3 and shutter speed 1/60 - this produced quite a dark image, however, we were contending with the sun going down so this was not helping the test shoot. To increase the exposure I used an ISO of 400, however, I didn't want to set it too high as this would cause noise in the image. The wide aperture allowed for a good depth of field which distinguished the subject from the background - aiding the natural cinematic look. In hindsight I could have used a slighter higher ISO and a slightly slower shutter speed to increase the exposure of the image. The exposure can be increased in the post production process, however, this reduces the quality of the image and decreases the amount of manipulation I can do with the colour grading without decreasing the quality further. As the image is quite dark, the shadows and definition of the subject's beard get lost, an increased exposure would make these details more defined.
I then reduced the ISO to 250, kept the aperture at F6.3 and the shutter speed at 1/60. The aim of this was to see whether a lower ISO would reduce the noise in the image and therefore increase the quality of it - however, as the image was so dark, the footage looked lower in quality as definition in the shadows of the image was lost. The sun had almost set at this point which also explains the darker image so to compensate for this I should have increased the ISO and lengthened the aperture. These settings did depict what was seen by the human eye as the environment was getting darker. I could increase the exposure in post production, although, as with the last image, this would decrease the overall quality of the image as that raw data is not there to perform a lot of manipulation which would reduce the amount I could colour grade the image.
When testing the camera on the animals, the sun was not setting which means that this footage can be compared on an equal level with the Panasonic and JVC. First of all, I used the settings ISO 250, aperture F9.0 and a shutter speed of 1/80. The low ISO means that the overall image is quite dark, however, due to this there is little noise within the image. To compensate for the low ISO, I used a fairly wide aperture of F9.0 which gives a fair depth of field - this works to distinguish the owl from the background. The shutter speed could have been slightly slower to allow a little more light into the lens and increase the exposure slightly as certain dark areas of the owl's feathers appear under exposed. This could be rectified in post production as the image is only slightly underexposed and therefore shouldn't decrease the quality of the image too much - this will then allow for me to define the colours of the owl's feathers with the colour grade.
To increase the exposure of the image, I opted for a slower shutter speed but kept the other settings the same. This gave me the settings; ISO 250, aperture F9.0 and a shutter speed 1/60. This slight difference in shutter speed produced a better exposed image - the owl looks more defined against the background and the darker areas of the feathers do not appear to be under exposed. This should allow me to get a good result in the colour grade as the exposure is correct, I just need to manipulate the colours to make the owl's feathers more vivid.
As an alternative way of increasing the exposure of the image, I decided to widen the aperture and return the shutter speed to the slightly faster setting. This gave me the settings; ISO 250, aperture F6.3 and a shutter speed of 1/80. The exposure of this image is better than the first but not quite as good as the second. The low ISO has allowed for no noise in the image and the wider aperture has compensated for the darkness by allowing more light into the lens. The wider aperture has also increased the depth of field which is apparent when you compare the second test shot and the third test shot. This greater depth of field adds an extra cinematic quality to the image, but I think it is important to find the balance between a cinematic look and a well exposed image - this is where the second take has the upper hand. Despite the slightly darker look than the second take, the exposure of this image is almost correct with no areas being under of over exposed. The colouring of the owl looks natural which was the aim of the test shoot.
As a final way of testing the exposure I increased the ISO 640, left the aperture at F6.3 and opted for a faster shutter speed of 1/250. This faster shutter speed meant that less light would be entering the lens and therefore would produce an image with a lower exposure. Due to this, I chose a higher ISO - however, this added a little noise to the image. Choosing a faster shutter speed would also reduce the motion blur within the image, although, as owls are quite slow moving when resting, this factor isn't the most important to consider. Therefore, it would be better to choose a lower ISO and a slower shutter speed if the animals I film are stationary (but if the animals are flying then the faster shutter speed may be the preferred option as these settings still produced a good quality, well exposed shot with minimal noise).
Overall, the settings ISO 250, aperture F9.0 and shutter speed 1/60 produced the best exposed shot (when filming in a well lit, outdoor environment when the sun is not setting). This produced an image that was well exposed with no noise and a fairly deep depth of field - giving it a natural yet cinematic look.
As with the other cameras, I graded one take from the human subject tests and one take from the animal subject tests.
The exposure of this original footage was quite dark and dull (yet was in line with what was seen through the human eye). The result of this low exposure is a dull skin tone on the human subject, dark shadows in the trees and the beard of the subject which don't allow for the detail in these to be seen, and a mid blue sky tone. The overall image looks quite grey in tone.
The colour graded image looks a lot more defined and vibrant. I increased the exposure, allowing for the details within the shadows of the image to be seen. This increased exposure has affected the quality of the image slightly and therefore a little noise can be seen within the image. The colour of the skin tone has improved and the colour of the sky is a brighter blue colour but has not become washed out. To increased the exposure, I mainly focusing on increasing the midones and shadows of the image to avoid washing out the highlights (the sky and t shirt) of the image.
To achieve this look I used the Orange/Teal LUT at an intensity of 19% to add a slight cinematic look whilst adding a warm tone to the human skin and a blue / green tone to the background. I also performed some specific colour correction by adding orange midtones, light blue highlights and dark blue shadows. This produced a natural, better exposed image.
The original footage of the owl was quite well exposed but all the colours appeared quite muted. The colour of the owl's feathers range from muted grey to muted brown, whilst the background is a dull dark grey and green colour. I will make the colours more vibrant and increase the exposure slightly to make the owl contrast more from the background and make use of the deep depth of field.
The colour graded footage has a much more vibrant feel, drawing the owl out from getting lost in the background. The colours in the owls feathers have a much more warm orange / brown tone - enhancing its natural colours. The background has remained virtually the same which was my intention so that the owl would just stand out more. I increased the exposure as well as this aided my enhancement of the colours.
To achieve this look, like all the other colour graded images I used the Orange/Teal LUT at an intensity of 22% - this gives the image a slight cinematic look whilst remaining natural looking. The whites of the owl's feathers have gone from a dark grey to a light grey colour whilst the orange and brown colours have gone from a dark orange / brown to a light / medium orange / brown colour. I also added my own colour correction by adding dark blue / purple shadows, light blue highlights and orange midtones - this ensured the image remained balanced in colour whilst drawing out the oranges and browns in the owl's feathers.
Below are some clips from the test shoot - displaying the different settings and colour grading in action whilst also showing the experiment with both crash zooming and slow zooming and trying to retain framing and focus when performing these actions on both human and animal subjects.
The Panasonic produced the best quality footage, was easiest to handle whilst shooting handheld and focusing / framing / following subjects, and gave the most scope for colour grading. Even though I did not shoot in 4K due to an issue with memory cards, the FHD 1080p quality was still superior to the quality of the footage from the other cameras. This camera also had the most accurate white balance of all three cameras - when white balanced, the camera reflected the colours that could be seen by the human eye (but with a slightly cooler tone which was easily rectifiable in colour grading). I will therefore be using this camera in future test shoots and for the project - this means I will be conducting further research into the camera so that I know the settings inside out which will enable me to make the best use out of the camera and produce the best quality work.
The JVC produced good quality footage but was heavy to hold which made it difficult to handle. The weight of the camera meant that focusing and framing the scenes was a lot more unstable than desired meaning that the overall quality of the footage was affected negatively. Also, the viewfinder was difficult to use, meaning that a lot of the footage was soft in focus - a problem I did not experience with either the Panasonic or DSLR. Another negative point to using this camera was that the auto-iris setting was not clearly displayed meaning that this interfered with the exposure whilst testing the ND filters (i.e. every time I added an ND filter, the auto-iris would increased the exposure of the shot). Even though this would be an easy solve if I did more research into the camera, the Panasonic produced better quality, more stable footage and had controls which were more accessible.
The most obvious problem with using the DSLR was that it was too shaky and there was not enough scope for colour grading without reducing the quality of the footage. Another issue was that the white balance did not appear to be accurate to what could be seen with the human eye - resulting in warm toned footage being produced. Also, the LCD screen of the DSLR was set to quite a high setting - making the image look brighter on the screen. As a result, the footage I was producing turned out darker than it appeared on the screen. If I were to use this camera in future, I would set the brightness of the camera's LCD screen to match what I could see with my eyes. However, a plus side to this camera was its ease of use - the focus ring and zoom ring were very accessible whilst shooting handheld - if the footage had turned out more stable, then this may have been a good choice of camera - but as the Panasonic produced better quality images, was more stable and also had accessible controls, this was the clear choice.
