Under the Bridge

Last night Chris & I became characters from 'The Railway Children', much like in Edith Nesbit's tale only we were in Stoke-On-Trent at night behind a disused factory while contaminated water flowed  bye us with only ourselves and the bats as company. 

That said when the test shot's for 'Alive at Night' came onto the camera screen I could see why Chris had chosen to use this location to capture some atmospheric shots. 

Rather than I write a paragraph of description below is an image to set the scene up. 

Under the Arches (before dark) 

 I have to mention the Wellies. When I got the call off Chris I was advised to bring some Wellies with me as it "might get a bit damp underfoot'. So good to my word I turned up with some Hunters expecting some soggy ground. Even when I turned up at the door, declaring "I was kitted up in my rubbers" I still didn't get the full story, until 20minutes later I was stood at the base of the stream that runs through the railway arches and was told "it doesn't look that deep, see how you go getting across". "You can do a trial 'crossing' before I pass the camera & laptop to you". Lest to say the stream (not drinking water stream) got deeper and deeper and that put pay to Operation 'wellington boot'! 

BACK TO THE SCENE 

After we got set up either side of the arches, Chris set-up the kit which tonight included the camping table and laptop running "Dragon-frame' software. I got my instructional on the settings for the software that will replace what we did previously on the phone. Initially we  tried a remote control that would have meant we could have light painted with both characters, but the range on the remote did't trigger the camera hence we gave up before it fell too dark.

Once we were happy with the settings and approved the 'test shots' we started with me operating the camera via the laptop.

WEATHER STOPS PLAY

Yet again the british weather stopped us as the night brought drizzly rain that didn't abate hence we called it a day around 11pm and returned home so the editing could begin. I made the commute home and was home for midnight.  

http://www.dragonframe.com

*** BELOW I HOPE TO EMBED THE SCENE CLIPS WE SHOT ****

*remote capture device

Timelapse/Night Walk/First Look Edit

Waiting for nightfall before you can start work is a curious feeling and somewhat frustrating. Given time is precious we agreed to make use of the last of the light and capture a 'time-lapse' from our latest scene 'under the arches'. This was a 'first' though as although I was well aware of the principle and loved the look of time-lapse I hadn't before created one. So we set the camera up pricariously sat on the archway above the railway tunnel and set the camera to manual and triggered 44 minutes of 1minute interval pictures.
To say time stood still for the next hour would be an understatement.
The day (which had been fine&sunny) refused to let darkness in hence after our alloted time we needed to extend the timing. Twenty minutes later and the lense shutter letting in near blackness but for a half moon that framed itself in the top 3rd of the shot.

Finally the onset of night allowed us to cue up the 2nd shot and 1st lightpaint of the evening. Leaving the camera and tripod where it started Chris (feeling a bit ropey) stayed behind the scenes while I began from the furthert point on the stream and worked towards the camera position. We shot on 8's until I'd painted out of shot and captured 11seconds of material.

Originally we had proposed a third shot whereby Chris would don the wellingtons and paint in the steam under the tunnel, however given he was suffering (CarslbergSunStroke) we aborted the shot to protect his migraine as the watery tunnel is not the place to fall (ill).

Plan B (Upload&Edit)
After heading back to Chris's pad we agreed to use the time left to upload tonights shots and composit them using Adobe software. First stop Adobe light room, Here we croped the alignment as the camera had been a degree or two off centre. Next we deleted the odd shot I'd not painted in and 'viola' were done. Next, import them into Premier Pro editing suite. A first look into this software and what a revelation. It's a world away from iMovie (amateur) to this suite that seemed an editors dream campared to the limiations of iMovie.

Lessons Learned...
When doing time-lapse make sure you set the timer (the alternative does't bear thinking about).
When light painting remember to look for the light on the camera so you know when to start
When animating it helps to remember the last painting you made so you know wha to do next.
Never use inferior editing software when you have access to professional producs.
Lesson Chris learned
Don't mix the April sun with too much Carsberg (other brands are available)!!

Peace

Up. Up & The Balloon Scene

The Moon is full tonight, the last of the daylight slowly fades to moonlight and inside we talk through the planned scene. As it's the scene with both the male and female characters we have a guest animator, Chris's girlfriend Jenny. Jenny was indented to play her role behind the camera while I get the female part and Chris gets to play the 'male' role. We also get the critical eye of our guest director Smithy who rocks up his directors 'sun' chair and makes some keen observations as we attempt an interaction where by the balloon gets passed from male character to female character.
Early efforts don't go well as Chris needs to 'light paint' an arm for his character so to convey the passing over of said balloon. But this proves difficult for him to repeat and under the glare of our Director and 'artistic' differences arise.
Cue forward to twenty minutes later where we find myself, Jenny and Chris with the remote capture and try take three. This time I suggest Jenny paints in the string to the ballon, in the hope this will 'suggest' the balloon is passed over rather than having any extra limbs.
RESULT! - This seems to work on screen and so after we run through a series of test shots we get to 10:30 and crux time. We vote to push on and salvage something and get underway.

This proves to be a good call. Twenty or so minutes later  and we have our scene done.

Balloon Scene 1

Ballon Scene 2