Coffee Shop - Promo Video

[Andrei Goaga]

This is my first post on things I've shoot on a RED camera.

One of my latest work is shot on Red Epic Dragon - 6K - 50fps most of the time. Canon CN-E galss + EF 100 2.8 Macro for food.

I was the DP and co-directed the piece together with my wife. I know is a bit long, but they commissioned the video mainly for the LCDs in the location so it had to be comprehensive and include everything they offer. (coffee origin animations and 3-4 shots with the coffee machine are from another video they had, not shot on RED)

First take at shooting food, curios how do you think it turned out.

Feedback is greatly appreciated.

Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/doncafefresh/videos/1039173036130427/

 

[Chris Henze]

In my opinion, the DP work is excellent and to be proud of. As a piece to show in the shop, your client got more than their money's worth. I'd also say to represent your work to a community, especially if you are representing yourself as a director the piece as is doesn't serve your apparent talent. Directors will routinely create different edits for different venues. You don't have to show the final client product. Cut something else, shorter that shows your story telling capabilities.

My notes for a shorter cut would be that in the current cut, everything holds the ultimate importance place. The ultimate shot of a coffee bean, the ultimate shot of a raspberry, the ultimate shot of a table etc. When they're all like that, ultimate becomes normal and no longer special. A good plain wide usually gives a breather from "ultimate" shots and more information about the environment. Lastly I'm always weary of falling into the "music video" vibe for a story. Add in nat sound which could help that.

Nice work, I look forward to seeing more.

 

[Andy Roberts]

Really nice piece Andrei. It made me want to visit and eat something which I suppose is always the goal with food / restaurant work.

 

[Andrei Goaga]

In my opinion, the DP work is excellent and to be proud of. As a piece to show in the shop, your client got more than their money's worth. I'd also say to represent your work to a community, especially if you are representing yourself as a director the piece as is doesn't serve your apparent talent. Directors will routinely create different edits for different venues. You don't have to show the final client product. Cut something else, shorter that shows your story telling capabilities.

My notes for a shorter cut would be that in the current cut, everything holds the ultimate importance place. The ultimate shot of a coffee bean, the ultimate shot of a raspberry, the ultimate shot of a table etc. When they're all like that, ultimate becomes normal and no longer special. A good plain wide usually gives a breather from "ultimate" shots and more information about the environment. Lastly I'm always weary of falling into the "music video" vibe for a story. Add in nat sound which could help that.

Nice work, I look forward to seeing more.

Thank you Chris for your feedback, very constructive. It means a lot that the DP work is appreciated as that is my main profession. I am first and foremost a DP playing around with directing when I can get a chance at it.

So as editing for different venues goes I will sure use shots from this promo video in my DP reel. Otherwise I don't quite see the need to reedit the piece just to showcase to different communities. Maybe I just see it as a commercial project, not a personal art project that needs a "directors cut". Also, I might end up doing the short version eventually commissioned by the client

Your notes on directing are very welcome and you have some strong points. Some I intended myself, like using natural sounds, but that would have been way out of the budget of this So the music video vibe comes out of time/budget restrictions as it is the fastest/affordable way to finish the post-production.

 

[Andrei Goaga]

Really nice piece Andrei. It made me want to visit and eat something which I suppose is always the goal with food / restaurant work.

Thank you Andy, if you ever come to Bucharest, Romania, coffee is on me!

 

[Sean Connery Smith]

Man now I need to go look for a snack.. Yes made me hungry and thirsty.. off I go...

 

[Bill Stengel]

Andrei,
Great piece. The gimbal/dolly work is really well executed, color is good, talent works well. I do agree with Chris' take on weaving some static/wide shots into the edit to give the viewer a break. Also, from a web content standpoint, 5 minutes is an eternity especially when there's no voiceover to guide the story or give the viewer something to grab on to. 60-90sec is a good place to be for something that will live on Facebook and 15-30 for teasers on Instagram etc. You certainly have tons of awesome footage to work with; your biggest challenge is probably going to be what to trim!
Thanks!

 

[Chris McKechnie]

Looked good! I echo what the other Chris has already stated too. Also, keep an eye on those horizons - brick background, coffee pour's, etc. Some seemed a slightly off which becomes a distraction. Watch those camera op shadows on talent too - opt for a longer lens so you can get farther back if you're doing a 360 or light from above.

Overall, looked really good. Nice grade too!

 

[Andrei Goaga]

Andrei,
your biggest challenge is probably going to be what to trim!
Thanks!

Exactly I know 5 mins for the internet is almost like a 9hr trilogy in internet time ) But, as I said, we made this with location LCDs in mind, so people can watch bits and pieces of it while they are there. For a 60 - 90s "grab your attention" kind of a thing our approach would have been way way different. That's why I am not sure a good enough 60s piece can be made out of this just by cutting stuff out, because I really can't cut much Maybe make it 3 mins with some effort for the shortest running time given the information we need to cover.

Looked good! I echo what the other Chris has already stated too. Also, keep an eye on those horizons - brick background, coffee pour's, etc. Some seemed a slightly off which becomes a distraction. Watch those camera op shadows on talent too - opt for a longer lens so you can get farther back if you're doing a 360 or light from above.

Overall, looked really good. Nice grade too!

Thanks Chris. I know what you are saying regarding the OP shadows. I just concluded they are to subtle for anyone rather than a trained eye to notice The place was to small to get an easy fix on that so we went on with it.

 

[Cris Marian]

Very good piece Andrei. I really enjoyed.

I know very well this coffeeshop. It right next to me. It`s my favorite place where I meet with my clients.

Some advice: the coffee shop it`s looking really good and of the best in the city: there are just to little interior wide shots...and the place it` amazing. Some sound fx will help you more in the future to get you more in the atmosphere.

After my Scarlet-W arrives maybe we can drink a coffee and discuss what we can do for The Kingdom

 

[Andrei Goaga]

Very good piece Andrei. I really enjoyed.

I know very well this coffeeshop. It right next to me. It`s my favorite place where I meet with my clients.

Some advice: the coffee shop it`s looking really good and of the best in the city: there are just to little interior wide shots...and the place it` amazing. Some sound fx will help you more in the future to get you more in the atmosphere.

After my Scarlet-W arrives maybe we can drink a coffee and discuss what we can do for The Kingdom

Thank you Cris! We did not want to include any wide shots because the main use for the film was inside the location on the plasma displays. So people cand have the wide views in real time But, yeah, some SFX would have been nice if we could have fit that in the budget

It's nice that you live right next to them ) It takes me 1 hr to get there from the other side of town. But I will come for that great coffee they make