Beautiful Disaster

This is my largest production to date for the church.  It was incredibly challenging, yet rewarding.  A very, very special thank you to the many people who helped make this vision come to life.  Enjoy!  And feel free to forward it on.

 

Blindness

We first saw the concept for this video at Granger Community Church during their “Innovate 2007″ Conference.  They had gotten the idea from a foreign political ad (unfortunately I can’t remember what it was or where to find it!).  Allison Harrell wrote the script and Markus Lloyd gave some fantastic narration to the piece.

The script is quite mind blowing when you realized it can be read both backwards and forwards.  Believe it or not, the challenge of writing such a piece doesn’t seem as daunting when you realize there is a pattern to it.  It goes something like this:

State a negative fact

Phrase with a negative implication (not a full sentence)

State a positive fact

State a negative fact

Phrase with negative implication (not a full sentence)

State a positive fact (and repeat as necessary)

Stating a fact in this piece would be something like “I am lost in Blindness” or “Simple grace triumphs over utter darkness”.  The negative phrases are things like “I refuse to believe that” or “There is no truth in the saying” and are never complete sentences.  The reason this works out is because on the way down they come before a positive fact, which make the sentence negative.  But when read backwards, the negative phrases are canceling out the negative facts, leaving the positive sentences to stand on their own.

Give it a shot!  I would love to see what you come up with!

Color Grading

Ever flip through the channels, when you get hooked into watching “The A-Team” build a tank out of coffee cans and duct tape?  I was always disappointed that Mr. T, with all that bling,  never gave up a medallion as a hood ornament for it.  But that disappointment is nothing compared to the blandness of the video from the Technicolor era.  Colors were dull with little contrast , making plot the most important aspect of the show.  Wow,  how did we watch 98 episodes of this?

Enter color grading.  Color grading is THE television tool of the 21st century.  With computers today, the manipulation of video and images is incredibly simple and readily available.  It allows you to garnish amazing film looks or that special style you need for your video masterpiece.  Want colors vibrant enough to make Willy Wonka seizure?  Click, done.  Want the intense blacks of CSI?  Click, done.  Want to black and white the scene, but leave those baby blue eyes in the shot?  Click, done.  Ok, maybe two clicks

Regardless of whatever video you are making, or image you’re manipulating, don’t be afraid to take it one step further!  The image you shot does not have to be the final product!  And you don’t have to break the bank to do it either.  I use Apple Color that comes combined with the Final Cut Pro Suite.  For some looking for a cheaper solution, or a product for windows,  I couldn’t locate a cheaper solution than Magic Bullet “Quick Looks”.  It cost $99 but your videos and images will take tremendous steps forward in their presentation.  It is simple to use and can also make videos that had poor quality to begin with look their best.  Even “The A-Team” can’t produce these results!

Below are some snapshots from my latest production.  I think I got a little black crazy, but I really wanted that dark look since it is a dramatic video piece.

 

“Use your imagination! Or you can borrow mine.”
A-Team episode “Harder Than It Looks”

 

Picture Imperfect

Written by Douglas Hoffschwelle,  “Picture Imperfect” sparked a wonderful beginning to defining our marriage series.  Hope you enjoy the piece!