Can anyone help me out with some footage?

maz

maz

Hello all. Newbie here :)

I'm trying to put together a short book trailer, and I need some footage that I am not currently able to film (as I don't have the location or the equipment). It's not much - I just need about 10-20 seconds of POV running on grass/through trees in the twilight (getting dark after sunset), with the way ahead lit by a bobbing flashlight beam.

If anybody happens to live/be doing any filming in a suitably isolated setting (away from street lights etc) and can film a short clip like that for me, I'd be eternally grateful :)

I can't pay, but of course you'd get full credit for the footage (and, if you have an ebook reader, a free copy of the book!)

I know this is optimistic as a forum newbie, but if you don't ask... :)

Thanks for reading!
 
I might be able to help, but my equipment is rather low end. What video quality are you looking for and does it need decent audio? What type of terrain/setting are you looking for precisely?
 
KnightsFan said:
I might be able to help, but my equipment is rather low end. What video quality are you looking for and does it need decent audio? What type of terrain/setting are you looking for precisely?
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Thanks for the reply, KnightsFan! To address your questions:

The video quality does not have to be particularly high - the trailer will only go on YouTube at best, and it will be cut into short sections so deficiencies in video quality won't be too noticeable. It's also set in 1978, so ropey video quality is almost to be expected :)

Sound is not essential at all, as I have an audio track edited (rapid footfalls, heavy breathing etc.)

The 'scene' is set in the remote English countryside, and the POV is of a woman being pursued at speed across grassy fields/among autumnal trees shortly after sunset by a man she believes wants to kill her. So if the flashlight can flash over grass or among trees/a forest floor, that would be great. She's terrified, so running quite fast.

As it's intended to be remote countryside, I want to avoid getting streetlights in, although lights from a distant town etc would be fine.

For sheer perfection, it would be great if the POV could maybe stumble at one point, and swing the torch around behind and see the silhouette of another figure (a large man) in pursuit, but that's not really necessary (and makes the whole thing that bit more complicated).

If you want to know more about the book, please go here and download the sample at the bottom of the page (avoid the HTML version, the software is very poor). The trailer is meant to portray a short sequence of the events that follow the end of the prologue.

Thanks again!
 
I won't be able to do it until next Wednesday, and I don't think I can get the silhouette. Should I email it to you when it's done?
 
KnightsFan said:
I won't be able to do it until next Wednesday, and I don't think I can get the silhouette. Should I email it to you when it's done?
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Thanks a lot, KnightsFan! No problem about the silhouette, I'm sure it will be fine without. And Wednesday will be ideal. Shall I PM you my email address? And make sure you tell me how you would like to be credited.

Thanks also for your excellent website. I watched one of the shorts, and it was through the site that I discovered a source of great free music, which I am now trying to work into my trailer!

I notice that you made a point of mentioning that your editing is carried out using free software. May I ask what tool you're using? I feel I'm outgrowing Windows Movie Maker somewhat :)

Also, do you (or anyone) know any simple (free) tools for very basic greenscreening?
 
maz said:
Thanks a lot, KnightsFan! No problem about the silhouette, I'm sure it will be fine without. And Wednesday will be ideal. Shall I PM you my email address? And make sure you tell me how you would like to be credited.

Thanks also for your excellent website. I watched one of the shorts, and it was through the site that I discovered a source of great free music, which I am now trying to work into my trailer!

I notice that you made a point of mentioning that your editing is carried out using free software. May I ask what tool you're using? I feel I'm outgrowing Windows Movie Maker somewhat :)

Also, do you (or anyone) know any simple (free) tools for very basic greenscreening?
Click to expand...

Apparently it is possilbe in Movie Maker, though I haven't tried it
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Greenscreen-on-Windows-Movie-Maker

Also
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100224140328AARatTl


But if you're serious I recommend downloading the free trial of Adobe After Effects
 
Thanks for actually looking at my site! (As far as I know, you're the first)

Yeah, PM me your email.

I use Blender for all visual post production. It's primary use is creating 3D models, but it has all the tools for other video editing as well, and it's open source. It has a timeline for putting in videos, audio and images. Blender can also do green screens in its compositor, as well as mattes from hand-made splines, color grading, and lots of other cool stuff.

A lot of people find Blender very hard to use, just to warn you. But out of the dozen or so free editors I've used, Blender is by far the best.
 
MileCreations said:
Apparently it is possilbe in Movie Maker, though I haven't tried it
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Greenscreen-on-Windows-Movie-Maker

Also
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100224140328AARatTl


But if you're serious I recommend downloading the free trial of Adobe After Effects
Click to expand...

Thanks, I stumbled across that Yahoo answers page myself after I asked my question. I've tried the WMM method too, but it seems to be quite inconsistent as to whether or not it actually works.


KnightsFan said:
Thanks for actually looking at my site! (As far as I know, you're the first)

Yeah, PM me your email.

I use Blender for all visual post production. It's primary use is creating 3D models, but it has all the tools for other video editing as well, and it's open source. It has a timeline for putting in videos, audio and images. Blender can also do green screens in its compositor, as well as mattes from hand-made splines, color grading, and lots of other cool stuff.

A lot of people find Blender very hard to use, just to warn you. But out of the dozen or so free editors I've used, Blender is by far the best.
Click to expand...

Ah, I just looked it up, and the system requirements. I think it may be be a little beyond my means for the moment (I did say in the OP that I lacked equipment! :D) But it's something to bear in mind for when I finally get around to upgrading my hardware. I've avoided upgrading for years because I've never done much beyond browsing/word processing, but I guess I'll have to now.

For the moment, I've found VSDC editor, which seems quite intuitive and easy to use. Anyone used it?

PM on its way. Thanks again :)
 
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For anyone who might be interested in the results of my request, the final trailer is below. I admit it's far from great, despite KnightsFan's kind efforts at running around in the twilight. That said, I don't think it's bad for a first ever go at video editing, especially as it was put together (ropey effects and all) on hardware ranging between 6 and 9 years old...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUqX3s1-3sQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUqX3s1-3sQ
 
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