Critique Invited... Bentley shot on RED

[N SPEN]

Just starting to use the Red for all our corporate gigs, huge overkill I know, but wanted to get all the work flow issues ironed out for when the EPIC arrives...

shot on non-MX R1 with nikon 17-35mm ED f2.8, iso 640, no lighting except down lights from showroom and wally dolley

Criticism or suggestions welcomed:

http://content.bitsontherun.com/pre...75541955&sig=06c461eb449d03628685fea9cf9b839d

 

[Brian Ferguson]

The link did not work.

 

[Ian Laurie]

for a video that size, it looks fairly blocky. Did you do a full res debayer?

 

[N SPEN]

Hi Ian,

No only half... I am still trying to get the h.264 link to work, it doesnt look quite as blocky... the .swf is the only one that is letting people access...

 

[DCC Erickson]

Not a RED user yet, but my micro indie 2 cents- it's a Bentley, there's an awful lot of effects stuck on for a car that pretty much speaks for itself. The camera movement's nice and smooth (though a little fast), but all that clatter transitioning between shots really distracts, not to mention the soft vignette seems extraneous. I'm watching with the sound off (kid's asleep) so maybe it works with the audio. In any case, it's an editing thing and perhaps you're looking more for shot quality comments. Not qualified there, at all. Thanks for inviting the look-see.

 

[N SPEN]

The camera movement's nice and smooth (though a little fast), but all that clatter transitioning between shots really distracts, not to mention the soft vignette seems extraneous.

I'm passing this onto post... and tend to agree with what your saying. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Randall Nott]

Nice footage. The visual effects aren't in sync with the music. There is a strong double bass drum down beat that should push the visuals - they all happen whenever instead. Save the vignetting for the opening and closing title graphics - everywhere else it unnecessary because the action of the shot already directs your eyes where to look. Just my opinion.

 

[Radim Schreiber]

Nice try but I don't find it professional looking. I will be glad to go into detail why I think that way if you are interested.

 

[Gunleik Groven]

Nice try but I don't find it professional looking. I will be glad to go into detail why I think that way if you are interested.

Lighting, set-dressing, post-zooms, grade, effects?

 

[Joel Kaye]

I'm passing this onto post... and tend to agree with what your saying. Thanks for the feedback.

I thought all the VFX were pretty weak. The opening title is simply bad. Looks dated, the font is unrelated and doesn't embody "Bentley" at all.

The vignette should isn't helping. It makes the white paint look dingy yellow which is totally unappealing.

Off the top of my head I'd say roto out the showroom and drop in a sound stage or alternative environment. Match the edit to the music if you've only got canned music. Maybe pick new music or get a musician to make music to match your edit. A couple of the edits were pretty rough 15-:17). If you're going to use the camera speed/strobe trick (dubious) then use it on the beat to move into a feature, show the feature, use it on the beat to seamlessly morph into the next feature in rhythm. So you get 2-3 seconds of each feature. Don't repeat the same feature. And move around the car point to point... don't jump from a steering wheel to a tire - make it look like one continuous camera move for the entire duration. That would be pretty cool.

I think :23-:26 were almost right for the feel you're going for.

It does currently feel like a local commercial done by the cable company as opposed to a national spot.

But that's just off the top of my head.

 

[N SPEN]

Great feedback, I think I will start to post more jobs here as it seems like the best way to get free advice and learn...

 

[N SPEN]

Nice try but I don't find it professional looking. I will be glad to go into detail why I think that way if you are interested.

Certainly interested, wouldn't have put it up if I wasn't...

 

[Nir Shelter]

Hate to repeat what's already been said but this is my opinion:

Vignette over used throughout the whole spot.

Grade is off the car has a green/yellowish sickly look. Its worth while reading up about the psychology of colours different colours express different things, won't go into detail of individual colours here. But basically light green is subconsciously associated with poor health and weakness.
Also the charcoal blacks in the surrounding room and the earth tones inside the car don't work together well together in the same frame. Once again there are specific combinations of hues in lights and darks of an image that work better than others, worth while reading up about those. May want to put more blue in the darks and warm up the lights.

The titles have a home made look and cheapen the clip.

The edit is jumpy and not consistent try and start at a given point on the car's body and work your way around it as you focus on individual features you pass.
In future seeing as you are using a large chip with a half decent lens consider focus pulling as a device to call the viewers attention to specific detail as appose to post zoom or choppy cuts into a detail on the car.

Hope this helps,
Nir.

 

[Michael Olsen]

Looks dated, the font is unrelated and doesn't embody "Bentley" at all.

I'm not one for Bentleys - I prefer a Ferrari, an Audi, a Lancia Stratos, or especially a specific 67 mustang...then again, I drive a Mazda, so who am I to complain? :beer:

But consider the nature of Bentleys. To me, Bentley virtually exudes two things which go hand in hand - grace and refinement. They are handmade vehicles with exacting tolerances, built to provide responsive yet sublime rides. They are made to be the car of gentlemen with a fancy for automobiles. The styling is classic and subdued - conservative and full of slow curves. Bentleys aren't extreme - they are daring. They aren't fast - they are sporting. And they aren't (like Zondas, Ferraris, and other supercars) boisterous and gregarious - they simply do what they do and keep a stiff upper lip. They aren't showoffs in terms of styling or color - simply name and the status thereby inferred.

The edits to the video, as others have said, don't seem to fit to me. The vignette seems a little too "extreme" for the brand. The various speeds impart a "raciness" which simply isn't Bentley. These cars are meant to make 200mph luxurious, not simply mind-shockingly exhilarating. The tempo of the piece, as well, doesn't speak of grace or grandeur as much as it does the hectic nature of a raceway or pit lane - fine for a R8 or a Koeniggsegg, but somehow it doesn't fit the poised nature of Bentley.

I can understand if the dealership wants to market this as sporty and racy - it is, after, capable of ~200mpg and 0-60s in well under 5 seconds. But I'm just thinking of how a Bentley owner would look at the video. His car isn't racy or sporty - it's powerful, dynamic, and agile.