Spring 2017 Student Videos Added

I finally got around to adding a few additional videos to the “Videos” section of this blog site.  Search around and you will notice seven new videos from the Spring 2017 semester, including group projects, class projects, and a few individual ones as well.  The students hope you enjoy their hard work.

“Down” Music Video Official Release Day

Unfortunately, we had to wait to show this video because the song was not officially released until today but here is the music video for the song “Down” by Ohio’s own Cameron Pierson.  She is signed to local record label Potomac Records and I think our students would agree that it was a delight to work with her and Lyrion Neely on the making of this video.

We wish nothing but success for both of them.

Office Space Spoof

Just some every day fun when you are part of the film classes on the Woodbridge campus of NOVA (consider this when enrolling for classes for the spring).

Just to let off some steam, we decided we would spoof the printer destruction scene from the cult classic movie, Office Space.

Check it out:

(Professor Chris Stallings with Assistant Tutoring Coordinator, Emily Stinson, and SGA President Josh Siegmund)

 

Another Great Student Film

All:

I encourage you to check out this latest video from the creative minds that brought you “Smellovision,” Paige Fischer and Meghan Oney (with some special acting from some talented family members).

I will be adding it soon to the Video section of this blog (along with some other newer additions from this semester – so check back soon) but I wanted to give you a look at the great art that is coming from our campus.

The video was completed for CST 250 (Art of the Film).

Behind the Scenes Stills

As we work on the post production of our latest promotional video for NOVA Woodbridge, I wish to share some stills from student Megan Robertson.

You get a chance to see our two wonderful actors, Shea Davies and Rick Kain, as they prepare for their roles and, then, make the parts come alive.  They were both sensational in their talent but, also, both very professional.

You will also see our wonderful makeup artist, Tiffany Roop, of TDR Artistry as she preps our actors.

I would also like to thank Sabrina Chandler of Center Stage LLC in Occoquan, Virginia, for working with us on the wardrobe.  She is an excellent resource for those in the area in need of wardrobe.

Most of all, in these photos you will see a collaboration of students and faculty members working together to make art.  You can also see the set construction of the detective’s office, including the light reflecting his name through the glass of the door.  And the fake windows were used as our main lighting source, with the exception of a mood setting practical lamp on the table of his desk.

Some of the photos show the set while the house lights are on and others give more of an idea of the richness (though simplicity) of the lighting design.

Enjoy a look behind the scenes while you wait for the final product to come alive in post production.

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Rick Kain as the PI

Rick Kain as the PI

Rick1

Rick2

Shea preps her hat

Shea preps her hat

Tiffany makes the femme fetale come alive

Tiffany makes the femme fetale come alive

Studying lines

Studying lines

Rick on set

Rick on set

Detective3

Shea takes her mark

Shea takes her mark

Actors rehearse

Actors rehearse

One view of the set

One view of the set

second view of the set

second view of the set

Students work behind the set

Students work behind the set

FishEye2

wardrobe adjustment

wardrobe adjustment

Our detective discusses his character

Our detective discusses his character

The detective enters his office

The detective enters his office

Getting the floor image to work

Getting the floor image to work

Paige hard at work

Paige hard at work

Still at it

Still at it

Reviewing the shot

Reviewing the shot

Kelly and Jonathan share a laugh on set

Kelly and Jonathan share a laugh on set

Jonathan planning the shot

Jonathan planning the shot

Getting the lighting correct

Getting the lighting correct

Fish eye view of Demetrius hard at work

Fish eye view of Demetrius hard at work

Still at it

Still at it

Chris explains the shot

Chris explains the shot

Jonathan and Demetrius  plan the next set up

Jonathan and Demetrius plan the next set up

Coaching the actors

Coaching the actors

ChrisCoach1

ChrisCoach

Shea enters the scene

Shea enters the scene

Chris watches on (the bald head is the give away)

Chris watches on (the bald head is the give away)

ChrisCoach6

Actors1

Getting it right

Getting it right

Discussing the best way

Discussing the best way

Aaron doing audio

Aaron doing audio

AaronAudio2

Prepping audio for the next shot

Prepping audio for the next shot

Actors3

Actors4

Actors2

NOVA Woodbridge Film

NOVA Woodbridge Film

 

 

Promo Teaser

NOVAPromoStill

We finished the interior shoot of our 2014 promotional video for the NOVA Woodbridge Film Program.

We will be showing more stills in the future and, of course, we will premiere the finished promotional video upon its completion from post-production but, in the meanwhile, please enjoy this still taken by film student Aaron Kimmel.

You can get a good idea of the set (a 1940s film noir private investigator’s office) from this overhead shot.  Please notice the set construction, including false walls, false windows, and even the fake image of the name plate from the detective’s door, shining on the floor of his office.

I would also like to thank these people for their assistance on Monday’s shoot, as well as, the exterior shoot as well:

Kelly Cochran

Bryan Brown

Erin Devine

Demetrius Oatis

Jonathan Balsamo

Meghan Olney

Paige Fischer

Aaron Kimmel

*I will thank our actors and non-NOVA support staff in the next post.

NOVA Woodbridge Promotional Video

Here you go…

Here is the promotional video that was created for AMC theaters that debuts today (make sure you chose to watch in HD to take advantage of the intended quality).

Since we also had the actors and equipment and time, we did a quickly shot series of three “behind the scenes” videos of our actors pretending to be characters that were actors.  Do you follow?

It all helps set up the promotional video.

Check back for future versions of the promotional video as we will put at least one extended version of the promo and one special edition version too.  We will be posting them in the video section of this blog too.

We would like to create more of these in the future, so check back to this site often and remember you could be a part of the excitement by taking film classes at community college prices.  Yes, we love an underdog!

Promo Video to be Premiered this Friday

The promotional video we completed for the NOVA Woodbridge film program finally has a release date for the theaters.  It will start to play at the local Woodbridge, VA theaters this Friday, December 6th.

We are excited for the opportunity for our actors to be appear on the big screen and give our great program some new publicity.

We will also be launching both a Facebook and Twitter account as well and posting the promotional video, as well as, the behind the scenes videos on these social network sites.

I will, also, be releasing an extended version of the video as well, so check back when you can.

And don’t forget we are in open enrollment now for spring 2014 classes so come to NOVA Woodbridge and experience the magic of our new film program.

Importance of Color Correction/Grading

Since I am teaching color correction/grading in my Digital Editing class (PHT 274), I thought I would show a few stills from the forthcoming behind-the-scenes video series to accompany the NOVA Woodbridge film program promotional video (due in Woodbridge theaters after Thanksgiving).

These are the baseline expectation for any film student because these stills only received primary adjustments (no secondary adjustments, effects, or filters performed/applied).

NOVA Color Correct1UnNOVA color correct1Done

 

NOVA color correct2UnNOVA color correct2Done

 

NOVA color correct3UnNOVA color correct3Done

 

These stills are examples of the most basic form of correction in balancing colors and adding contrast to taste.  Granted, these might be more over saturated than most would like but I enjoy my colors to pop.

From here, the next step is to perform secondary corrections to get the look you want. For example, do we want to further smooth out the skin of our actors to remove any blemishes, or add a sun-kissed look to their skin tone, or give a little punch to their hair color, or even blur the edges of the frame to place emphasis on the center of frame?  There are many secondary decisions to be made while color grading and each is specific to the style the filmmaker envisions.

However, we spent more time on the actual promotional video rather than these behind-the-scenes shots, so we are leaving it at the primary adjustment level and just ensuring the colors are balanced and we added an appropriate level of contrast.

Keep checking back for the videos to be on this site.  We will also be promoting them on our new Facebook and Twitter pages: NOVAFilmExposed.