Presents

On set photos from filming 60

2009-06-22T22:13:00.001Z

60-8042, originally uploaded by awardsounds.

Alan took a few photos when we were filming last week. Check them out here.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Magic Lantern extends the Canon 5D's video capabilities

2009-06-22T17:02:00.002Z

Magic Lantern firmware introduction from Trammell Hudson on Vimeo.

The Canon 5D mk2 already has some very tempting features for film making. Trammel Hudson has written a firmware hack that unlocks some of the audio capabilities and adds useful onscreen guides for framing and metering. More here.

To be honest, if I was film making with a high end SLR I'd probably invest in a good portable sound recording rig unless I was planning to record in some very contained spaces.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Buyacredit.com- fund a film by selling space in the credits

2009-06-15T23:06:00.003Z

The idea of selling shares in a movie to raise financing for it is not new. Buyacredit.com is the latest variation on the theme. Three teenagers are selling mentions in the end credits for £1/$2 a share with the aim of raising a million to make their movie. The video on the front page looks like a spoof, so I don't know what to make of the rest of the proposal. Let's assume it's genuine and wish them luck.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Recording the voice over for 60

2009-06-15T11:43:00.001Z

Recording the voice over for 60, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

Scarlett and Gabe are Voice 1 and Voice 2 for 60. We have recorded 4 takes and I'll pick and mix the best versions to dub over the live action.

See more Venn production photos at the Venn Flickr set

Getting the film look with digital video

2008-08-08T10:46:00.002Z

This tutorial is for Adobe After Effects, something I don't have access to at the moment, but I'm sure a lot of it can be reproduced in other programs. Plus, the information on camera settings was really useful.

via 1000 Dollar Film

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Be your own ILM

2008-07-25T12:34:00.002Z

1000 Dollar film has found a video showing some of the tricks software can pull to improve footage with information from still photos. Wow.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Boom

2008-05-08T09:00:00.001Z

Boom, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

I bought a monopod for a camera, mounted the microphone on it and used it as my boom mike. After some teething troubles (I unwrapped the cable from arround the metal tube because I'm sure it was causing interference) it worked quite well.

Despite the suspension the mic still picks up the scrapes and squeaks as I shift the boom, and clinks as the cable waves into things, so I'm learning the art of holding it perfectly still for a whole take.

Become a fan of Venn

2008-03-06T10:18:00.002Z

If you're on Facebook there is now a new way for you to track Venn. Sign up as a fan of the series at this page. Updates and news will be posted there as well as at venn.tv and here.

Technorati tag: Venn, Spinneyhead

Venn.tv

2008-01-28T09:23:00.000Z

Venn now has a home- www.venn.tv.

Now that that is sorted out I can do some more work on finding funding and rewriting the first two episodes. The first draft of the new versions is a bit naughtier than the previous versions.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Venn - more designs

2008-01-24T18:25:00.000Z

I'm about to put together a promo booklet for Venn, to send to possible investors, and today I've done a couple of rough designs for the cover.

It also seemes appropriate to redo the relationships diagram as a Venn diagram.

Technorati tag: Venn, Spinneyhead

Bloody Omaha

2008-01-15T10:44:00.000Z

Three graphic designers, a car full of props, dozens of takes and a lot of ingenuity recreate the landings on Omaha Beach.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Venn - Episode 0

2008-01-11T16:47:00.000Z

This is the teaser episode for the upcoming series from Spinneyhead Presents. I'm working on a business plan to film at least one episode a month and back them up with workshop and "how to" pieces.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Venn title logo ideas

2008-01-07T14:04:00.001Z

Venn, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

A few ideas for the Venn title logo that I sketched over Christmas. Episode 0 is going to have a simpler logo.

Filming Venn episode 0

2007-12-22T12:17:00.001Z

Filming Venn episode 0, originally uploaded by spinneyhead.

I've just uploaded a few pictures taken when we were shooting Episode 0 on December 8th.

We're not quite going to get the video out before Christmas. Alan and I are putting the final touches to it at the moment. He's doing the sound and I'm going to clean up the titles and do some colour matching. It should be ready early in the New Year.

Francis Ford Coppola's studio in a van

2007-12-18T18:09:00.000Z

Before the success of The Godfather sent him off making a string of high profile, big budget films, Coppola had wanted to be an experimental film maker, directing smaller, more personal works. For his latest movie he trimmed his equipment down until it would all fit into a Dodge (Mercedes) Sprinter.

via Jalopnik

Technorati tag: Equipment

Teas are good

2007-12-14T10:29:00.000Z

We shot footage for Venn episode zero (a teaser/promo for the series proper) on Saturday and I started editing it together yesterday. It's very English, but right now I'm trying to get the "Tea and Sympathy" sequence down to a minute.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead, Venn

A bunch of film-making related links

2007-12-10T10:42:00.000Z

I've been collecting links for the last week or tow and forgettimng to put them here on the blog so-

Investing in Digital Content I: The Problem with the "Hits" Model and Investing in Digital Content II: When it Actually Does Make Sense. A pair of guides for venture capitalists, via DISContent

Movie making manual on wikibooks.

PVC Fig Rig.

DIY Zeppelin wind shield.

Filmforge, a version of Drupal for video content.

The Manchester Open. Submit proposals for the 2009 and 2011 Manchester International Festivals.

Nuts and Bolts Filmmaking: Practical Techniques for the Guerilla Filmmaker

The Guerilla Film Makers Handbook

Guerilla Film Makers Movie Blueprint

Subscribe to the Spinneyhead podcast

2007-12-10T09:57:00.000Z

You can now get a RSS feed of Spinneyhead's videos on Revver, so that you don't miss new ones when I add them.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

Venn test titles 1

2007-11-28T17:33:00.000Z

The first of a few rough versions for the title sequence to Venn. It has to be fairly simple because it's going to change every episode so the Venn diagram shows who interacts with who during the episode that follows. Obviously the actor's name will be in the circle as well as the character's.

Arguing with Flash, because I hadn't used it in so long, meant that I only got the one title idea done today. I'll try to get at least one more, and some work on the title, done tomorrow.

Technorati tag: Titles, Venn

Titles

2007-11-27T16:53:00.000Z

I'm looking for ideas, rules, etc. for title sequences. I've got a strong idea of what I want to do, but no clues on the soundtrack etc. yet. Anyway, some notes and inspirations.

Inventory: 22 TV Opening-Credit Sequences That Fit Their Shows Perfectly

The worst title sequence on TV. Ever.

Fifteen seconds to set a TV show's perfect tone.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

1000 film funds

2007-11-26T10:48:00.000Z

Listed by Netribution after they failed to get funding to set up a list- 1000 film funding options in 45 countries.

Moxie Makers

2007-11-26T10:45:00.000Z

For too many years talented filmmakers with engaging stories and fresh, distinctive voices have had to fight with public and private financiers for their first feature film to be made - Moxie Makers will change this.

Existing on the cutting edge of technology, with new opportunity and talent development at its core, Moxie will make exciting and original films that will stimulate and entertain both UK and international audiences.

Relationships

2007-11-23T10:36:00.000Z

Yetsreday I drew up a spider diagram of the relationships of all the characters as they are at the beginning of the first episode. They rapidly change, of course. All future characters should somehow link in to this structure, which shouldn't be too hard. The web will grow outwards as the series goes on and actors come along with ideas for situations and people they'd like to play.

Names in blue are characters I don't have any current plans to use. Julie is most likely to be written into an episode eventually- dropping in, causing chaos and then leaving again. However, if an actor comes along with a compelling reason why they should play That Bastard or Whatsisface then I'll write something for them.

Click on the picture for a larger version.

We have a title!

2007-11-22T22:51:00.000Z

And the title is Venn!

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead

The independent future?

2007-11-21T11:24:00.000Z

Over at Kung-Fu Monkey John Rogers has some comments on the coming micro film making revolution. He's confident it'll arrive, just not as fast as others are claiming. The technology to make the films and series cheaply is here, and getting cheaper, but he's not so sure about distribution and the necessary culture shift to go over to getting your television from the Internet.

I'd like to think that countries with a greater penetration of broadband will get the jump on the US in this area. The UK passed the States in percentage of broadband users a few years ago and is likely still ahead. Perhaps there'll be a British invasion of web content in the next few years that will help push the American industry.

I want Short Tales About Love and Sex (whatever it ends up being called) to be part of that invasion.

Technorati tag: Video, Spinneyhead