If you buy a red scarlet you are instantly a good filmmaker....

I saw this and /facepalmed

I was astonished when I saw this

you saw this and saw this? I am confused. Please re word

Never mind. Just trying to say that it was pimp, best scarlet test ever...you know what I mean

I don't even know where to begin with the amount of wrong in this video....

This is a pretty common thing on RedUser.  Alot of these people just have money and upgraded from a DSLR.  Some worked hard and saved and are talented, but there are a good number that really make you wonder whats going on. 

The thing that bugged me most about that video is the template graphic, which i've seen in 4-5 red videos, and that it sounds like he used an MP3 track rather than an .aiff.

I'd would point out that the video is from UtahCameraRentals, so I assume that it is not bought, but still...

No this particular video was shot by the guy who bought the camera.

it actually is. I watched his unboxing of it.

i would hate this video

but it has sam hurst in it, so i'm a bit inclined to love it

Are you surprised? When the cost of something comes down, it becomes more accessible, making it more available to all the goombas whose spending is disproportionate to their needs/skill level.

I remember when DSLRs were hitting the market, Ebert said something along the lines of "the good thing is that these cameras will allow just about anybody to make movies. The bad thing is that most probably will."

This is really nothing out of the ordinary. I've only seen maybe 1 clip of RED footage online that I didn't think was complete garbage, and that was when the RED ONE initially came out.

Then your looking in the wrong places. 

Where do I start? I've seen lots of gorgeous stuff shot for cinematic release. On the internet? Mostly people doing DR tests, much like all the DSLR nerds doing DOF tests.

^ Thats pretty normal.  Reason being atleast for me most of the work I shot I can't release until its already been put on screen or DVD.  Many others are in similar situations.  Alot of commercial work is the same.  The big thing about alot of RED shooters I've met is they don't edit.  Which also leads to some of the problematic edits you will see show up.

I've seen some great stuff under ShotOnRed part of REDUser.  Again its hit or miss with the Scarlet and Epic crowd, but i've seen some amazing things.  Tom Lowe's are some of the best. 

http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?74791-Tahoe-Ski-amp-Nightlife-shot-on-Scarlet-amp-Leica-R

This one isn't awful. 

Another person to look for is Clayton Haskell. 

http://vimeo.com/32388102

haaa

Some good stuff in there. I really liked the shot at 11:00 with the soft fill.

The first video pretty much echoes what I said earlier. Not bad, but not good either.

I'll say this to there credit though.  While RED is awesome its a totally different shooting experience.  Especially coming over from cameras like an HVX/EX1.

While I do think this video is horrible.  The guy runs a rental house.  No not everyone will be as talented as others that don't have RED's.  But then again, you don't see alot of the footage produced for commercial content you'd get to see. 

I've done about 7 shoots on mine.  None of my footage can be released.  It's a form of income.  Yes there are the cool and fun projects that happen occasionally, but many people with RED's don't have the time you all have to sit around and play with everything and to do all the personal projects.  Most of us don't edit much and most of us shoot based on what a director wants.  Some shots I shoot wouldn't bee my choice, but I get stuck shooting them to pay my bills.

Bills gotta get paid when you grow up.  The footage might lack on some of the videos but you have to realize alot of what you see isn't the best material, or even credited to RED cameras.

i thought this one was pretty meh. a little too much "flashiness" with the overlays kinda killin the picture i thought. and the colors on the hill were pretty bland. but like you said not terrible.

In that case it's a question of time. But seeing as they obviously putting something out they have taken the time to film it and put it online, so why not make it look good? Poor compostitions and settings isn't related to the time it took to shoot it. It's photography/cinematography in a nutshell though. For a lot of people it's so centered around the technicality of your tools rather than the technicality in your vision and skill. Especially nowadays when people don't have to struggle and put in work to actually learn how to make their footage look good, in most cases they not even bother. And I guess what he's trying to say is that most red-footage floating around is from people with more money than artistic skill.

I know there's a lot of awesome stuff out there, but as for Landis, most stuff I've seen from red have been avwul "MTV'ish" stuff with no artistic vision at all in it, but that's also the market who have the money to spend, so no surprise. Have seen some REALLY good indie music videos from it though.

threads

I'm fully aware of all of this, which is why I don't understand when people are surprised when bad RED footage hits the internet. Either its from people like you described, or it's goombas with too much money.

Good independent filmmakers are smart enough to not spend all their money on the camera body, because they realize the camera is such a small part of the image. If you have a full production (lights, crew, etc.) then a RED is suitable, but dumping all your money into a RED and nothing else will look no different than t2i footage aside from IQ. The best indy filmmakers spend their money on things that go underneath or in front of the lens, not behind it.

I agree and disagree somewhat.  I see where your coming from.  But I also get alot of the gigs I do and what not because I have a RED.  In some ways and in some industries its becoming a standard.  Owning a camera like this not only opens doors to new things but gives you experience and sometimes a foot in the door.  I'm not the best shooter out there but I get quality shots that keep some clients coming back. 

Sure its not about the camera but it is about having the ability to get work and shoots that others might not.  I went to one shoot for example where they said they got about 200 emails from DSLR shooters, some of which had good footage, for the most part though not so much.  Instead they decided to build a crew of RED shooters who get the job done well and professionally. 

I'll agree there are "goombas" out there, probably lots of them, but don't downtalk a whole community because a few pieces of work you've seen.  This doesn't go for some members but generally the vision and idea behind what most on NS think is Cinematic, may be in terms of an action sports film, may not translate to other work. 

Yes I'm sure there are better shooters out there than myself with DSLR's and other cameras but I also took a leap of faith when making an investment in something.  Not everyone is a "filmmaker" per se, some people just love capturing footage.  I for one love telling a story and finding unique ways to do it when the shoot is calling for that.  But in hindsight, most of how I make my living is by shooting concerts, corporate talking heads, and commercial work.  I found a way to open a door for myself, as many other first time RED Buyers will. 

I know the guy that posted the video, he's an extremely nice guy that runs a rental house and is transitioning over from music work, yes his editing and shooting need work.

Some people decide to invest in there future and there lives, others try to be the underground and tell everyone my 5D/7D will do everything because it was used in such and such a movie.  I bought a RED because for the price I didn't think the f3 was comparable and the fs100 just wasn't what I wanted.  It was an investment that is paying off.  It gets rented, and I go out on gigs with it. 

So the talent may not always be there but I guess I don't see the point in even owning a DSLR if you want to be taken seriously with this as a profession.  Maybe as a B-cam or Timelapse cam, but I can't think of a DP, Director, or anyone else I've gone on productions with that would use a DSLR for a entire production minus 1 or 2 b-roll shots.

It's for a rental shop, just because a rental shop bought it, doesn't mean they have to be good at it. knowing them, its a couple guys who are into filming equipment but aren't very experienced.

dude read the fucking thread

did you even read my post?

Do you even know how to read?

















I just wanted to say that to someone.

Since when was I down talking a "community?" Not sure what you're trying to say...I'm pretty much agreeing with you. I just find it interesting how there's always people gawking over DR or bokeh when really it's just crap. Not that I hold that against them, since RED shooters tend to work within that bracket where the primary domain of their work isn't on the internet, rather it's on television and cinema. So naturally, what does end up getting posted to the internet has no standard, and that's okay.

It should go without saying that the camera doesn't matter to an extent. You can't shoot a big budget production on a DSLR for obvious practical reasons, and likewise it's easier to get jobs with a notorious camera like a RED. Yet I can't ignore how superficial the prestige of owning a RED is within the industry, whether or not it's well deserved. Even if you have a talented filmmaker using an EPIC for instance, and he gets chosen simply based on the fact that he shoots a RED rather than his skill, I have a problem with that. It's of no fault of the RED owner, naturally.

sorta relevant, i found out today that act of valor was shot with 5D mk II's...just throwin that out there

landis said it well, but this is sort of the problem.


your post pretty much confirms the title of this thread. it's getting a little ridiculous how much RED=quality in the film industry. a lot of people with a RED at a mediocre skill level would be hired over talented filmers with a lesser camera in many instances purely because the former has a RED, and that doesn't seem right.




*obviously this post isn't targeted toward you in any way

Not entirely. And besides, just because the many pitfalls of DSLRs can be circumvented using a full-time crew and Hollywood budget doesn't mean they're equally practical without such aids. A 5D can get the job done but you'll never find me shooting one.