"Envelop" Feature length horror film shot on the HV20

[framecut]

Hi Folks,

Attached are some captures (shrunken from the original size) of a feature film I wrote/directed/shot, etc. I should have it done by the end of this year (as well as the website which is currently under construction)

http://envelopthemovie.com

It really was a fun experience and I got to try/push the HV20 to the max.

Will be fun to share this with you HV20'ers.

[drapeama]

Looks awesome! Color grading/framing/contrast! some cool stuff!
Can't wait to watch the final result! keep it up!

[muneshfilm]

Love to see more of what you achieved with our camera. I will be asking a lot of questions when the footage is up, regarding techinques.

[spideralex90]

The fifth frame looked the best too me. Very intriguing.

[framecut]

Originally Posted by spideralex90

The fifth frame looked the best too me. Very intriguing.

What's even more intriguing is the backstory over how I designed those creatures.

I shot "Envelop" last year and right now am doing final pickup shots, etc. It's been a great experience and learned many things. The biggest lesson I learned: Trust yourself.

Go ahead and make the film you want - and trust yourself.

[sdeming]

Wow, those stills look amazing.

[kroko]

I really like those frames! Interested in a teaser or something ! Any info from the script u can share with us?
this will be one to watch closely...

[framecut]

Originally Posted by kroko

I really like those frames! Interested in a teaser or something ! Any info from the script u can share with us?
this will be one to watch closely...

It all started with those wacky "Mann im Park" videos I shot back in '07, it gave me the crazy idea that I can shoot a feature length horror film with the HV20. So I did.

"Envelop" is a horror film I wrote back in the summer of '08 and shot in the fall. I'll post pix/video and website/film updates.

Just really busy as of late (over the past year), and this is something I should of done a year ago (post info).

Glad to be back folks. Here's a few more pix (Guess the actor in the pic having tea)

[derkoi]

That looks sweet!

Looks like you had a great location, which i find is very inspiring when you make a film, you get a good location, the ideas just start flowing.

[scotthampton]

Originally Posted by framecut

...The biggest lesson I learned: Trust yourself.

Go ahead and make the film you want - and trust yourself.

Amen!
Scott

[Hakim Erhan]

wow man how great looking!!!

did you shoot cinemode or what?

[EndPictures]

Looks awesome. Very inspiring.

Are you working with much of a budget?

[spideralex90]

Not sure of the actor having tea, but you sure do have cinematography down. Whats your rig like?

[framecut]

Originally Posted by Hakim Erhan

wow man how great looking!!!

did you shoot cinemode or what?

To answer some of the questions:

- I will be posting MP4 clips later this week. Stay tuned.

Cinemode, with manual aperture & only (periodically) a $20 wide angle lens. The film actually will have other cameras including the PXL-2000!

If you spend enough time with the HV20, you begin to 'become one' with the quirks/efficacy of the unit.

I also bought a $20 ebay wide angle adapter, and throughout the shoot (due to me being a careless SOB), scratches would happen on the lens. I found these actually led to a 'softening' of the images...and thus I began to have a look that you simply couldn't get with a high end lens.

The key thing is composition and working with light. I always found less light to be better, since it 'brings out' interesting things.

Throughout the entire shoot I kept saying "Too much light, too much light!" an ironic reverse of Goethe's "More light! more light!"

The budget? Oh, it's in the millions...

The actor is none other than Nick Mancuso!

To date: 1 HV20 has been damaged beyond repair, because I did things with these cameras that no sane filmmaker would do with an EX-3 or a RED!

That's what I love about these cameras, I don't have to respect it: I can instead focus on the scene/actors and realize: It's the story not the gear.

I'd love to have an annual day where cinematographers get together and
smash cameras. Oftentimes there's simply too much emphasis on
the camera and not what it's shooting. Which leads to cinematographers
constantly telling the director "Run up a flight of stairs? Dude, this is a $30,000 camera! I won't do that!"

With the HV20, not only can you run up and down a flight of stairs...you can also *THROW* the camera down the stairs...watch it bounce off the floor and so long as the MiniDV tape is intact...you 'got the shot!'

[spideralex90]

Originally Posted by framecut

With the HV20, not only can you run up and down a flight of stairs...you can also *THROW* the camera down the stairs...watch it bounce off the floor and so long as the MiniDV tape is intact...you 'got the shot!'

Thus was the idea behind Crank 2's cinematography, which is probably the coolest part of the film becuase they used a bunch of cameras and smashed alot of them in cars and stuff just to get awesome shots. Although i wish someone would do that with a cooler movie, Crank is just not a good premise. Or at least not well executed, i wish Jason Stathem would try to be more like he was in Snatch and not just another action movie guy.

[framecut]

Originally Posted by spideralex90

Thus was the idea behind Crank 2's cinematography, which is probably the coolest part of the film becuase they used a bunch of cameras and smashed alot of them in cars and stuff just to get awesome shots. Although i wish someone would do that with a cooler movie, Crank is just not a good premise. Or at least not well executed, i wish Jason Stathem would try to be more like he was in Snatch and not just another action movie guy.

I really enjoyed the first one. Haven't seen the second.

"danger" needs to come back to filmmaking. Not saying people should get injured/killed making a movie...but that the respect has been completely distorted. Too much unwarranted respect for the equipment, you need to 'dirty it up' a little.