archived-videos 'Spinning Top'

[Henry Spencer]

Hello all

Here is a short film I work on as a cinematographer earlier on this year.

Please don't ask me what it is about, or why they chose to use some awful captions

But you can get an idea of the work

Let me know what you think

http://vimeo.com/12528070

 

[Utopia]

Great lighting.

Looks great.

The only thing I would say is that it seems that the director wanted it a bit "surreal" and I think the faster pan-outs and zoom-ins could be more smooth and slower and "dreamlike". That's all I would mention -

Good job!

 

[Dreadylocks]

I haven't watched it with sound yet, but the photography is beautiful! What did you shoot on?

 

[Papertwinproductions]

The lighting is great.

Although I didn't think it captured the "dreamlike" exposure that i assume was intended, I can only critique to you the cinematography, so I'll go ahead with that.

Some real nice shots, the score kinda took me away from it throughout, but it's forgivable. I felt it was missing some wide shots, partner that with some well placed silence, an almost mute ambiance and it would have gained my entire attention. Yet that's just my opinion, it's what i felt from the material and that's all i can go on.

I've dropped you a PM, i checked out your website, we could possibly kick around a few ideas if you're up for it.

 

[Buddy Greenfield]

I like it, but I like what it could be a lot more. It seems the “Visual story world” that the mood and look suggests is relentlessly shattered by strange post choices. From the color of the title image and that it overlaps onto the opening shot, to the out of place animation style of the captions, to (a far lesser extent) the slight jumps in exposure, then to the color, then to color of various looks, and some of the editing as well… Overall the absence of “unity” to it and random abruptness of the non unity of it might be visually be likened to someone unsuccessfully learning to drive stick shift in that it keeps lurching us out of the mood and story world for sake of choices that (to me) don’t add enough to the whole to warrant their distractions in part. Pretty much all of the B&W on its own is gorgeous and evocative as is most of the color, but I guess I wish it were one or the other OR likely just more creatively and subtly transitioned between. The music is a great choice. I’m sorry my opinion seems harshly negative, but it’s because of how beautiful this almost is, and honestly... I think is waiting and deserves to ultimately be.

-Thanks-

 

[Buddy Greenfield]

After watching this about a dozen times (and in light of it being experimental in nature),
I’ve warmed to it in regards to the color and b & w mix.

-Thanks-

 

[Zensteve]

I loved it all, tbh, aside from that v/o right at the end. Very jarring, that was.

 

[Henry Spencer]

Thanks to everyone who has taken time to comment on the film

@dreadlocks - The film was shot using a Sony A1E. Using three 800w Ianiro redheads as well

@ Buddy Greenfiled - Thank you for the detailed feedback, and I agree totally with what you have said. I think there have been some strange decisions made in post, such as the animated captions and the voice over at the end. Also, I feel the editing is quite disjointed and the connections between some of the images don't work. But, I'm looking forward to working with the again, because it is a learning process, so where there are flaws in this one, I expect the next will improve.