Made a choice today

[Kevin Stokes]

I've been watching with some interest, but not ready to buy as I've got other commitments for a while. I check the forums once in a while, I've asked a question or two. Fell in love, got impatient, got mad. Quit caring, learned I can't shoot worth a damn. Quit waiting and said to hell with them all, I'm done. I quit. Then I bought another Nikon and thought I can do this. Then shot some footage and learned that, no I really can't. Went back to the day job. Haven't really paid much attention to what's been shot on RED and what hasn't.

Went to "Book of Eli" this afternoon with my girl.

Spent the whole time trying to figure out at what point if I could spot when a part was shot on RED and what wasn't.

Got distracted by a great film and kind of forgot to keep looking. Then it hit me, he's walking around with an Oakley bag.

Not really earth shattering, but it got me thinking. I have a laptop case that I purchased some time ago made by Oakley. People ask me about it all the time. I bought the tan version, so others have mistaken it as issued. Has a half moon "nick" in the strap, on a flight to BAF, that looks pretty close to 7.62 in diameter. Other than that it still looks brand new.

And that's when I decided. Nobody makes things that way that doesn't care about what they are doing. I'm buying a Scarlet the day they are announced. I don't care if I can shoot.

Kevin

 

[Steve Gibby]

Go for it! If you can visualize it...you can achieve it :thumbsup:

 

[Erwin Vanderhoydonks]

Quit caring, learned I can't shoot worth a damn.

What do you mean with : I can't shoot.

I also can't shoot (some examples), but I love it. People love the movies they see. I shoot what is see. Edit the footage with love and put it on the net or on a DVD. Perhaps they con't have great value at this time, but they will become a memory of the past in 10 years or later.

And if you can shoot with a great tool like the Scarlet, it will be fun. But it will also be hard (for me) to learn. But that was also the case we I first used my Canon XL1 (still using this one). With every shot you take, you learn. And perhaps at the end there will be a great movie. If not, i've had my fun. :emote_hippie:

 

[Kevin Stokes]

What do you mean with : I can't shoot.
:

Like most people, I can tell you in a heartbeat what is wrong or right about any composition I look at. But I just don't think good or bad, I think: I like that she's looking that direction or the blur really sells the speed of the car, nice use of that backlight (didn't know until recently what it was called). I just sort of see those details before I decide I like/dislike, it's good/bad. I've been doing that my whole life and it used to drive me nuts. Then I found out I could be a part of making that happen. So I started trying.

Got a Nikon for my locations database. Upwind of 4,000+ photos over the last 2 years. I'm getting better, but I can tell you I have maybe 25 shots that could be used professionally by a local mom & pop newsletter. Started doing something similar with my Vixia in the last few months. Close to 50+ hours of footage. Worse results so far.

When I look at my shots, I think, this guy can barely tie his shoes. I'm hardly modest in my personality (read: How do you know your on a date with an Apache pilot? Don't worry, he'll tell you.) so I'm not looking for any sort of validation or encouragement. I don't need it & I have no time for it. It's just an honest assesment of my work so far.

Worst part is that it doesn't stop me.

 

[Elsie N]

Kevin, probably a gift you have... or a curse. It takes longer to master perfection if you know what it looks like, but not yet how to achieve it.

Anyway, g'luck.

 

[Dylan Macleod CSC]

One of my favorite quotes;

"There is hope in honest error, but none in the icy perfection of the mere stylist"

"mistakes" and "errors" can sometimes produce spectacular results. Don't be overly critical about what you do. Shoot - learn and move on...

 

[David Rasberry]

I grew up in a family of artists and learned drawing and effective visual composition from an early age. This has served me well in film and TV media too. Still it can be a real challenge to translate an image in one's head, what one would like to see, into a photographic image as captured by the camera without post manipulation of some kind.

With Scarlet I will be returning to a much more deliberate, strictly manual controlled style of shooting that I haven't practiced in more than 20 years, since I switched from 16mm film to video. Very much looking forward to the challenge.

Seeing the high level of skill and attention to detail that the better pro DP's shooting Reds apply to their work is very humbling indeed. There is some really spectacular footage floating around here.

 

[Steve Das]

...It's just an honest assesment of my work so far. Worst part is that it doesn't stop me.

Nor should it stop you.

The good thing is the worse you are...it gives you more room for
improvement...and the quicker your learning curve will be.
You have nowere to go except up.

Mastering brand new skills is the always the most exciting part...albeit
stressfull and frustrating at times.

 

[Liam Hall]

You should make a short film of your opening post, it's a neat story! Shoot it on RED of course

 

[Elsie N]

Nor should it stop you.

The good thing is the worse you are...it gives you more room for
improvement...

Love this quote. Reminds me of my own feelings of "No! my cup is not three-quarters empty! It is one-quarter full.:ciappa:

 

[Stuart Hooper]

Funny, even though I went to try on a pair of Inmate sunglasses right after the movie, I totally spaced the Oakley/RED connection. (Not something I normally do, but they looked really cool!) Unfortunately, they looked better on Denzel than on me, hahaha.

 

[Elsie N]

Stuart, might want to check which floor your elevator is on.

edit: just read the OP. Now I know what you were talking about. My elevator temporarily stopped.