Ducati Monster Forum

https://youtu.be/ucVod5S42XQ


60-second Micro Short Film Experiment

No Script
Shot spontaneously, with just Sony A6400 with vintage Nikon 50mm f1.4, and Peak Design Travel Tripod.

The example of "How" you can tell a story in 1 minute ....

https://youtu.be/wLoOCSD9X0w


... versus how much you can expand the story telling(dual layer plot, for example) by adding just 2 more minutes.
(Both films are by the same creator.  They are not mine.)

https://youtu.be/mhGsrx5ZGTU

The latest video (WAY longer than a minute, and not really a good example (especially audio), but, anyway ...)

https://youtu.be/dDXB3csvMkY

Last Wednesday, our kitchen hood fan suddenly stopped working.
So I had to climb up on the roof, to see what was going on.
 I don't keep my sockets and ratchet handle around here.
All I had was a Leatherman Charge TTi. So I used it, to remove the motor / pulley cover bolts.

The V-belt was pretty badly damaged, and was off from the pulleys.
Luckily, there was an extra belt in there, right next to the motor.
(BUT, it wasn't the correct item. The "V" profile was incorrect for these pulleys.
However, the length was right. So I used it, temporarily, to keep the fan running.)

The correct V-belt was ordered, and it came on Friday.

So I installed it today.

Shot entirely on Fuji X-T4 with TT Artisan 23mm f1.4

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52351908914_7489968cd0_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nLadBd)DSCF003512 (https://flic.kr/p/2nLadBd)

Some lighting test
(Shot on Fuji X-T4, 16-55mm f2.8 lens, Eterna Bleach Bypass film simulation)

#1
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52483009311_9b9751332c_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nXK9bT)Batman lighting test #1 (https://flic.kr/p/2nXK9bT) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

#2
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52483281914_a3cf0face6_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nXLxdW)Batman lighting test#2 (https://flic.kr/p/2nXLxdW) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

#3
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52482512452_c9fbaceab9_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nXGAum)Batman lighting test#3 (https://flic.kr/p/2nXGAum) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

#4
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52483471930_6cc3eff4d5_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2nXMvH5)Batman lighting test#4 (https://flic.kr/p/2nXMvH5) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

Rather than start shooting video randomly, I wanted to do some lighting test.

This is what Greig Fraser said about BATMAN's cinematography.

“Bruce Wayne lives in the shadows—he isn’t a guy who walks around shopping centers during the day. This is a noir film, and most of it is set at night. My concern was that it might be hard to see anything, so I scoured the internet for images that were dark but easy to see, and I collected them in a document for Matt—and for myself—that I called ‘Dark but Light.’ Those references informed certain decisions, like making sure there were almost always pools of light or bright areas in the frame.”

“There is color, but it’s not as saturated as most movies. I wanted the colors to be dusty and a little dirty.” 

BTW, the cowl is 3D printed in PLA, and I'm wearing black hoodie and 55 gallon garbage bag as the cape ...

 [thumbsup] [beer]

THANKS!

2022 The Batman inspired film
The story is... partially real ... yeah, I know, that sucks.
Some parts are completely fictional.

https://youtu.be/G5IvAVR8F90

Shot on Fuji X-T4, with Fuji 16-55mm f/2.8 (outdoor shot) and (vintage) Canon FD 35-105mm f/3.5(most of the BATMAN shot) (This lens is cool, it's got macro function. Close up shot of the "note" was done with this lens.)


Graig Fraser said, “Bruce Wayne lives in the shadows …”
…So do I.

Bruce is a billionaire, I am not.
He’s also a fictional character, but I live in the real world.

Which means, I have to work, just like everyone else.

I work long hours many days.
I got the note about a month ago …

Then, someone stole my front license plate, about two weeks ago…

And then, some people shot paint ball gun at the sushi bar’s window, during the business hours …while driving by…

Things will get worse before it gets better. – Bruce Wayne

About three minutes long.

https://youtu.be/stBKquijUJw

No script, no storyboard.
It was entirely shot at the garage, right after I came back from the ride.

Even at the editing stage (when recording voice over), I didn’t script what to say.

Usually, it is faster to script and / or storyboard everything, before start shooting, even though it may seem like opposite.
(One often thinks just start shooting a bunch footage and think how to piece them together at editing stage would be faster, but it is not.
A really good example would be Steven Spielberg’s “Duel” (1971).

It was a modest budget project ($45,000 total), with incredibly tight production schedule of 11 days shooting time.
Yes, 11 days of shooting time window for 74 minutes’ film.
What made it possible to shoot 10 pages of shot list in one day was his careful and thoroughly planned pre-production.
In other words, he had all his shots organized before he starts shooting.

So, this is another example of “Do as I say, not as I do”, maybe.
And this is why it ends (kind of) abruptly

I started editing right after I came back home Sunday night.
Voice over recording took three takes.
Sunday night, Monday morning (before going to work), then Monday night(after coming back from work).

Note on the technical side.
Pretty much every single shot was taken with 16mm, wide open at f/2.8 (zoom lens was used. But stayed at 16mm all the time.)
I normally don’t shoot with wide angles, so this is something new.

Kill your enemy [Experimental short film] shot on Fuji X-T4 (Blade Runner fan movie, sort of)

https://youtu.be/xqceKLYcl1k

As the title says.
I'm a big fan of original (1982) Blade Runner movie.
So, I made a (kind of) fan film.
It is also an experiment of how painted water gun would look like in 4K video.

If you are into Blade Runner, you will know which part of the movie I tried to recreate. Okay, I don't have money, and / or time, to do frame to frame, quote to quote recreation film.
The shot camera tilting down as I move the blaster down, was done with just a tripod and fluid head.
So low tech ...

I deleted the first one, and remade.

https://youtu.be/5WAeXWxoN-A

Some great examples (NOT mine)

"When You Say You're a Swimmer"
https://youtu.be/w_OBGNDbi34

LATE
https://youtu.be/Gfy34-v74DM

UNMASK
https://youtu.be/g9NzdFwXr1A

WILDEBEEST
https://youtu.be/gdL17lg-GUw

I have a thing for impractically long pistols !



https://youtu.be/LsgvlmnNjKk

Title
Rainbow Pistol [Nerf Experimental short film]


Description

Rainbow Pistol (full length version)

It’s longer than M4 carbine, but still called a “Pistol”

(because it doesn’t have a stock!)



Built by Derrikk at Frontline Foam

It’s got K25 spring (which is default setting).

You can go either lighter, or heavier spring.

[Experimental short film] PLAY BACK

https://youtu.be/PEEj2vbl_b0

 I just got a vintage Canon FD lens.
So I took it with me on a motorcycle ride on this past Sunday.

(Originally, this was supposed to be much longer (like, 10 min.) film, with a lot more twist in the plot. Also, with “voice over narration”, like “Blade Runner (1982 original theatrical release version.)

The 95% of this video was shot on GoPro (Hero 10), at around 8PM.
(And I kept ND filter on. The Grainy effect was because of this.)
When I got back home, I checked the footage, and did the quick edit just for a test.
I ditched the idea of voice over.
I decided not to put subtitle to explain the back story, too. Instead, I tried just letting the visual to do all the story telling.
(The film flows better without bunch of explaining, I guess.)

HOWEVER, because of that, this film has a fatal flaw.
You (the viewer audience) would have to be a motorcycle enthusiast, and old enough to remember late 90s, early 2000.
Otherwise, you wouldn’t recognize the photo was taken in the same location but over 20 years ago.
(Hint: it’s a 1st gen. SV650, was in production between 1999 – 2000.
Another bike is a 1985 Kawasaki 750turbo, with 1995 ZX-9R’s front / rear end on it. Heavily modified.)

First, usual DISCLAIMER
“There are NO FIREARMS in this video.”


So, I’m not an air gun collector, or an expert.
In fact, I’m pretty new to this hobby.
This P1 just came into my possession, recently.
(I’ve had it only for a couple of weeks. I’ve used it only twice.)
And I discovered that shooting this one, with open sight, offhand,
Is a REALLY GOOD meditation.
Hence, making this video. (Sort of, my own short documentary film. Or, call it highly stylized Volg sort of film, if you will…)

https://youtu.be/5wIaCrgLuS4

10m (33ft), offhand, open sight air pistol shooting thing, I’m heavily
inspired by the video made by Wingman115.
https://www.youtube.com/@Wingman115/videos

And, right after I shot this video, I found the channel called “The Weaponized Hippie”
https://www.youtube.com/@TheWeaponizedHippie
Really, REALLY COOL. (I also like his photo/video making channel.)
https://www.youtube.com/@loneshooterofficial

[Hardboiled Sushi Chef Short Doc Film]
Broken Yanagiba tip / PROCRASTINATION

https://youtu.be/GZHD1dDjCW8

Fixing a broken tip of Yanagiba.
The biggest enemy is NOT a technical difficulty. IT IS a PROCRASTINATION.

I was originally going to make a usual “How to” video out of it.
But, it would be very boring.
There are already enough such videos on Youtube.
There are already enough people who want to act like experts of the knives on Youtube.

Screw it.

I’m going to make a short (sort of a documentary) film about myself (and this situation).

I broke the tip of this “Mizuno Tanrenjo” Blue #2 Yanagiba, more than a month ago.
Also, I was going to quit Youtube after making "My S4R got chewed by Rat" video.

But, after watching this video, I decided to keep filming.
https://youtu.be/khXS8kvI61Y

I don't care about subscribers #s, view counts,  AND, Youtube algorithm.
That's how I started, that's how things have been, and that's how I should live.

https://youtu.be/jeJjxCkjE7A


So, it's all about showing / expressing the “rider’s feel”, after coming back from the ride, in his “rather rare” day off, at the end of summer.

Shot on Labor day(Sep.4th), after coming back from 5HR ride.
 Totally unscripted.
Done with what I had at that moment, all by myself (as usual).
Some of you might recognize where the idea of opening shot came from. It’s “Rumble Fish” 1983, Francis Ford Coppola.

The bike in the last scene of that film was 1982 Kawasaki GPz550, in “Fire Cracker Red”.
(You can easily tell it’s ‘82model, because of “Uni-Track” rear suspension.)
I’ve always wanted to do this last scene, but, in reality, it is very difficult to recreate this shot.
(For someone like myself, who almost always shoots without permission from the authorities, just finding the location itself is almost impossible.)

Well, I’m no Coppola, no Matt Dillon, but tried my best to make it as cinematic as possible.

Entirely shot on Fuji X-T4, HAND HELD.

https://youtu.be/3HEx5ovvn3Y

Cheap vintage lenses are A LOT OF FUN.

Fixing coarse sharpening stone face, traditional Japanese style, cost $0 [short film]

https://youtu.be/9wNLnlf9ufI

How a professional sushi chef fixes sharpening stone’s face. (Guerrilla style)

Inspiration
Taxi Driver 1976 Martin Scorsese
JOKER 2019 Todd Phillips

Shot entirely on Fuji X-T4, with vintage Canon FD50mm f1.4 + Metabone Speed Booster

[Vintage Canon FD35mmf2 s.s.c concave + Metabone Speed Booster filming exercise]
Peter McKinnon’s PPK vs Blue Fin Tuna

https://youtu.be/WVfS927zqG0

Shot entirely on Fuji XT4, with Canon FD35mmf2 (s.s.c concave) + Metabone Speed Booster

Film simulation: Eterna (standard setting)
White Balance: Auto (Locked)
Color Graded with Film Emulation Fuji Vivid 8543

Everything in this video was shot on Fuji X-T4, with Canon FD50mm f1.4 lens + Metabone Speed Booster.

I shot this with film simulation by Youtuber Vuhlandes.

https://youtu.be/BFadeUO91H0

(And color graded with film emulation “Kodak Ektachrome 64”.)

I also had DIY diffusion filter (clear UV filter + hair spray), and NISI VND filter on.

If you look at the original, you can tell the camera actually moves, perhaps on dolly, then stops.
I’m a solo shooter, on a really tight budget.
The camera is on the tripod.
There’s no way I can move the camera while I’m acting front of the camera.
So, I moved, turned around, instead.

I picked up this speed booster (off eBay) just recently, and have been playing with it a lot.
This is “FD to Fuji-X mount” version, so it’s not as expensive as “EF to Fuji-X” version, but still quite a bit of money.

Is it worth the price?
Yes, I think so.
Look at the image at 1:20.


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53227002037_184ee626a4_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p6uiiF)Screen Shot 2023-10-01 at 8.47.46 PM (https://flic.kr/p/2p6uiiF) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53228252784_80509057a2_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p6AH7h)Screen Shot 2023-10-01 at 8.47.22 PM (https://flic.kr/p/2p6AH7h) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53228252814_f361f8f839_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p6AH7N)Screen Shot 2023-10-01 at 8.47.12 PM (https://flic.kr/p/2p6AH7N) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53227875516_85856c974c_k.jpg) (https://www.flickr.com/gp/186129755@N02/b6z36djd24)Screen Shot 2023-10-01 at 8.46.55 PM (https://www.flickr.com/gp/186129755@N02/b6z36djd24) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

at 1:20
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53227875556_274ecf64bd_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2p6yLYm)Screen Shot 2023-10-01 at 8.46.29 PM (https://flic.kr/p/2p6yLYm) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr

Just wanted to share the idea of how to fit a camera with top handle & microphone mounted on top.

https://youtu.be/YU2ccKzpJPs
(Shot entirely on Sony ZV1)

I would have missed turkeys coming out from the bush, if I had a bag set up like I used to.

https://youtu.be/rQGjEUJqiNY

 This one showed up while I was watching another video on YT, in my lunch break, so I stopped that video and watched this.
I REALLY enjoyed it.

Time to meet God [Sicario inspired short film] Shot entirely on vintage Canon FD50mm f1.4

https://youtu.be/cZMMZyCjmtA

[Disclaimer] There’s no firearm in this video.
Shot entirely on vintage Canon FD50mm f1.4 +  Metabones Speed booster + Fuji X-T4
One lens, one location.

Trails of Dust (Short documentary by Mark Bone) (NOT my film)

https://youtu.be/PDz5quqeJsc

[Pro Sushi Chef mini documentary] Answering viewer’s question / EDC stuff

This is a video response to a viewer’s question.
A question asked by Daniel C.
“What kind of folders and utility knife do I use at work?”

https://youtu.be/cV2KdECUNFM

Sorry about the intro, if you’re not into that kind of stuff.
(That was a mixture of 1967 French neo-noir crime thriller film by Jean-Pierre Melville “Le Samouai” (one of the Alain Delon’s best) and 1995 Michael Mann film “HEAT”.)

[Disclaimer] There are NO firearms in this video!

I’m thinking to do some documentary style interview video in the next month.
This is a sort of lighting , composition, and audio gear practice.

[Pro Sushi Chef mini video essay#2]
Restaurant closing… (and what pandemic has left us)

https://youtu.be/V4Ro7MtT6bw

Everything has a beginning and an end. Life is just a cycle of starts and stops.
There are ends we don’t desire but are inevitable.

Do you know where did this line come from?
I’ll tell you at the end of this video.

So, the restaurant that I’ve been working for all these years will close, at the end of March.

Restaurant closed, life goes on, keep fighting [Pro Sushi Chef out of work short movie]

https://youtu.be/lzYCYGdWEEc


1995 movie “Se7evn” ends with Earnest Hemingway’s quote, told by Morgan Freeman as detective Lt. Willman Somerset.
-Earnest Hemingway once wrote, “The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.” I agree with the second part.-

For some reason, I felt like this quote is utterly proper, for this video.

Restaurant is permanently closed.
Not only I no longer have a job, but also I have lost a space to store all my sharpening equipment, filming equipment, a place to shoot video … and, perhaps most importantly, a place to meet people.

Still, I keep going, keep fighting. Those who didn’t know our closure will probably be surprised a little bit, when they come to the place next time.
But, they will find me, eventurally. (That’s been the case, in the last 30 years or so.)

[Disclaimer]
There are NO firearms in this video!

How NOT to kick tail cowl while mounting on Ducati Monster S4R [Short Ducati Monster film for short riders]

https://youtu.be/Wvr_urN20GY


NOT a riding technique tutorial video! More of a “stylized, experimental short film with romanticized “Born too late outlaw gunslinger back in the saddle” type of vibe.

Vespa’s dirty little secret

https://youtu.be/JIMWiYOus5M


While I was eating today’s late lunch at the garage, there was a Vespa with the seat open (for charging battery). Then, I came up with the idea.
Very quickly shot with Fuji X100V (that’s all I had).

Yanagiba [experimental short film]

https://youtu.be/OUxqBD_k7I0

Okay, so DON’T take this story seriously.
It’s 90% fiction.
I just wanted to do nonlinear narrative storytelling.

The entire scene was shot this morning, all by myself, while making my breakfast.
I was originally thinking to make my regular style video, but showing cooking footage on
Youtube is done so many times, and quite frankly, pretty boring.

So, I went to totally different direction.
Turned it into experimental short film.

How to do “Tilt-UP” shot while filming yourself, alone (NO gimbal, NO Helper)

https://youtu.be/anKDx6rVHMc


[Disclaimer] There are NO firearms in this video!
This is how I shoot “tilt-up” shot, while filming myself, all by myself.
No gimbal required. Just need some imagination and creativity.

For the record, the scene was shot on Fuji XT-4 with Canon FD50mm f1.4 lens + Metabones speed booster.
BTS camera is GoPro Hero 10 + Polar Pro ND filter, ND 32 (which is a 5-stop filter)

Microphone is RODE video NTG, connected to TASCAM DR-10L Pro.
(On camera mic for scratch audio is Sennhizer MKE400.

This was shot for the opening of my main channel video.
https://youtu.be/8x-ss7kjA_k?si=8eyksBK5cSXlZDFy


[inspiration of the opening]
Dirty Harry 1971 Don Siegel
Magnum Force 1973 Ted Post

Legendary Canon FD80mm F1.2 “L” lens image samples (including rack focus) and improvised short films


https://youtu.be/h3davNPYKNc



I opted to go showing what kind of image you can create with this lens,

rather than showing the lens itself and talking about the specs and history.


First short film (just about 60 second) is “one-cut, one location, one lens” style. This lens is PERFECT for this type of filmmaking, in my very biased and personal opinion.

2nd short film was shot at my motorcycle garage, on the way back home right after purchasing this lens.

It is multi-cut film, but shot on one lens, in one location.


Both of them were totally improvised, shot with minimal amount of gear, just by myself, and, most importantly, IMAGINATION.


As you can most probably tell, I’m a big, BIG fan of film noir, 1950s and 60s PI stories. (Okay, Raymond Chandler’s stories were technically late 1940s, so let’s include 40s, too.)


I’m really happy with this purchase.


[Note]

The camera is Fuji X-T4, all my FD lenses are used with Metabones Speed Booster. (So 80mm is an 80mm, not 80 x 1.5.)

In both films, no lights were used, other than candle light.

It’s all done by carefully placing myself (subject) and camera, thinking which way the light is coming from.



[Back story]


(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53770589860_85787e8f77_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2pVwk2w)DSCF2536 (https://flic.kr/p/2pVwk2w) by T K (https://www.flickr.com/photos/186129755@N02/), on Flickr


So, I’ve been trying NOT to buy things I don’t really need for my day to day life.

And, to be honest, I’ve been doing pretty good.

(After March 31st, I’ve spent a whole lot less than befor…)


“Create, rather than consume”, someone on Youtube said that.

I don’t remember who it was… (could be Peter McKinnon, but not sure…)


But this one, I couldn’t resist.

The last day of my “2-month time off”, I was drinking my first cup of coffee in the morning, while casually browsing through Craigslist ads.

And, I saw the title,

“Canon FD 80mm F1.2 L $695”


That particular ad was from Seawood photo in San Rafael, which is “kind of” my go to camera store. (Have been their customer for roughly 20 years or so…)

Five out of six FD lenses I own, I purchased from them, over the period of long time. (I’m not a vintage lens collector, I’m a vintage lens shooter, so normally don’t actively look for some particular lenses on eBay, etc.)

I did some still photo test, too.  I'll post it on photography thread.

How to switch between Arca-Swiss and Manfrotto, quickly and seamlessly(without swapping the plate)

https://youtu.be/ApquBi0Ddx8

How I use one camera for both still photos and videos, on multiple tripods, without swapping mounting plates every time I change tripod.

Basically, I just mounted Small Rig 2280 Arca-Swiss quick release clamp on Manfrotto place (Genuine Manfrotto plate), with universal cheese plate in between.

Somethings are so obvious when I look back, but didn't (couldn't) really see when I started this small project were ...

Some quick release clamps, such as SIURI QC-38, the "drop-in, lever lock" type clamps, are only compatible with provided Arca-Swiss plate.
(https://focusnordic.blob.core.windows.net/productimages/125170/800q-02_125170.png)

This clamp looks nice in the photos, feels and works nice in your hand, but ...

It'll work ONLY with this plate. (That comes with the clamp.)
(https://focusnordic.blob.core.windows.net/productimages/125170/800q-07_125170.png)

It is adjustable, but the range of adjustment is so narrow.
I tired Peak Design, Small Rig, Neewer, K&F, and some unknown plates.
Non of them would fit.

So I returned it.

Bought Small Rig 2280. Not the most elegant looking clamp, but it does what it needs to do.

(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61ZKgIAmZIL.jpg)

Mounted on Manfrotto plate that came with 501HDV head.
Only to realize, when tighten down the mounting screw, the clamp jaw will not move freely.
Found cheese plate in the parts box, sandwiched it in between.

Talking about "Manfrotto" plates, I found that...

Anything that comes from Manfrotto will fit onto their head AND other brands' "compatible heads".

The plates that come with "other brands' Manfrotto compatible head" WILL NOT always work on Manfrotto head.

Fuji X-H2 & Vintage Canon FD85mmf1.2L test short film] "The Outsider"

https://youtu.be/7yszmQbmQHI

Totally unscripted.
 It just happened while testing the camera and the lens.

Shot on Fuji X-H2 (Yes, H2. NOT H2S.) with vintage Canon FD85mm f1.2 L lens.
(And the camera is on also vintage Manfrotto 055XB PRO legs + 501HDV head.)

 Shot in F-Log2

And because of that (shooting in F-Log2), I had to have VND PLUS 6-stop fixed # ND most of the time while shooting the video.

 The camera is new to me. I purchased this as my "Photography camera".
But when I saw this bunch of goats on the hill, I had to shoot some videos.
Overall, I'm very happy with the camera.
If you are particularly interested in X-H2 (over X-H2S), look at the part the camera is panning. Can you tell the rolling shutter effect?
To me personally, this is perfectly fine.
(I really don't move the camera most of the time, actually. Let alone doing whip pan like "Whiplash", "La La Land".)

So, I regularly watch Luc Forsyth channel.
This film was mentioned in many of his previous videos, and it finally came out.


HIGHLINE (Short documentary film by Luc Forsyth)

https://youtu.be/Kkgk4ygmRI4

    Shot on very tight schedule, with very minimal gears and crew.
    The reason I love his channel.
    It's not about gear talk for its own sake.
    It's all about the story.