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The First two minutes of house is now available for viewing on youtube. HD Video SLRs are really making some headway in Hollywood. Learn more at Gizmodo
Don’t miss the season finale, MON 5/17 at 8/7c on Fox.
Check these blog entries on the ‘little brother’ of the 5D, the Canon 7D.
http://mcelroyfilms.com/canon-eos-7d-sample-footage
http://mcelroyfilms.com/canon-7d
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Ben McElroy of Massachusetts based McElroy Films explains the top elements to look for in cinematic style videos when hiring a video production company.
Leominster, MA (PRWEB) February 9, 2010 — The recent movie making excitement in Massachusetts has started New Englanders thinking about translating their lives in slick Hollywood fashion. Wedding, corporate, nonprofit and music videos can all be approached in cinematic style. Video production companies, such as Massachusetts based McElroy Films, are now producing videos using techniques from the movie industry.
“The demand for better looking video is on the rise and Hollywood films are synonymous with a high quality look. Movie industry techniques can be found in most high-end video productions. Cinematic style wedding videos are so popular I now refer to them as ‘wedding films’ to distinguish them from other wedding videos.” explains Ben McElroy of McElroy Films.
“Recently we were approached by NIKE who specifically requested the use of the Canon 7D. The Canon 7D is a new High Definition Digital SLR camera. They wanted the cinematic look of this camera. Clients are starting to think differently about video. They want the look and quality of a Hollywood film but not all of them are clear about what elements they are looking for. I work with them to get them the look they want.”
McElroy explains the top elements to look for in a cinematic style video:
- Storytelling
Cinematic films require pre-production, including research and scripting. Most use interviews, voice-over narration, or both. The video production company you hire should have a skilled producer to write a compelling script, create interview questions that bring out emotion and drama, and who is able to put interviewees at ease so they come across in the best way possible.
- Imagery
The videographer must be familiar with film industry standards for subject placement and composition. The filming should not only be visually beautiful, but capture true emotions. It is the feeling the audience gets from watching a film that will compel them to take action or connect them to your story.
- High Definition Equipment
Not all “high-definition” equipment is the same. To create a cinematic style video, HD cameras with 1920×1080 resolution need to be used. Most modern HD cameras shoot in “progressive mode”, which is essential for encoded video on the Internet.
- Lighting
Lighting is an important element for cinematic videos. The right lighting creates the mood and depth seen in Hollywood films.
- Movie Industry Speed
Hollywood uses a 24 frames per second (24p) frame rate. This eliminates the amateur “home-movie” look and will automatically give a professional cinematic feel.
- Glidecams and Dollies
The use of Glidecams gives a smooth cinematic look. It allows the camera to stay steady even while the videographer is walking or running. A dolly allows a camera to move smoothly to and from a subject.
- Professional Audio
Sound quality is essential to creating a cinematic video. Wireless microphones, booms and a good audio technician should be used on productions to create crisp, movie quality audio.
- Multiple Cameras
Having multiple cameras allows the production company to have a variety of camera angles and perspectives to work with when editing a cinematic video. The final product will have a more interesting and realistic look.
- Music
Good quality music from a music library is another important element in cinematic videos. Music helps to move the video along and sets the mood for different scenes.
- Cinematic Editing Techniques and Special Effects
All movies have a movie “trailer” which shows exciting highlights of the full-length feature film. Video production companies can borrow this technique from Hollywood when editing your video. Popular techniques for cinematic videos are color correction, black and white and soft focus.
About McElroy Films
McElroy Films LLC is a professional high definition video production company serving Massachusetts and New England. Specializing in corporate, educational, non-profit, wedding, independent filmmaking and music video production, McElroy Films provides a high quality product at a fraction of the cost. McElroy Films prides itself on its client-driven results and boutique-like service by affording each project the attention it deserves.
We had the opportunity to work with Davis Advertising of Worcester, MA. McElroy Films was contracted to shoot a TV Commercial called “Think First” a tv campaign for the Webster First Federal Credit Union. Using the New Canon EOS 7D exclusively.
We had multiple locations in and around Worcester. Mainly taking place in residential homes. Each scene featured a different actor or actress saying different one-liners such as, “What’s the best way to safeguard my family’s financial future?
“I finally found the house that I love. Now I need to find a mortgage.”
We used an Arri 1k softbox chimera, and 2 x 650w for all of the lighting. We also used the Canon 7D with HDMI out to a 26 inch Samsung 1080p monitor for focusing and playback. We had a Canon XL2 to capture audio and an Indie Dolly for all the shots.
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We had an exciting shoot yesterday for NIKE in Springfield, MA at the Basketball Hall of Fame. NIKE came to us specifically looking for the Canon 7D for their event. We provided coverage including setup and general overview of the day. The 7D allowed us to be mobile and fast while capturing action from course to course.
NIKE’s SPARQ Training division stands for Speed, Power, Agility, Reaction, and Quickness. They were in MA this weekend evaluating some of the North East’s best high school basketball players. Each player evaluated receives a score based on five simple tests. The score is their SPARQ Rating which shows athletes exactly where they can improve their athletic performance through training.
Shooting in the Basketball Hall of Fame was pretty exciting. Standing beneath hundreds of photos and life-sized replicas of some of the greatest basketball players that ever lived was very moving.
To learn more about SPARQ Training click here.
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This week we had an exciting shoot at the Burlington Foundry. One of the original Aluminum Foundries in Massachusetts. We’ve been asked to produce a short 1-2 minute vignette on the process that Burlington Foundry has been using every since they were found back in 1954. They specialize in producing quality aluminum castings for clients of all industries.
We used the Canon 7D and the Sony EX1 Cameras for the job. Making this the third project we’ve used the Canon 7D on. The foundry was very low lit and the 7D gave us the ability to shoot in these conditions with out a problem. The EX1 was used for back up and also did fantastic in low light. Check back for more updates. 
To learn more about the Burlington Foundry Click here.
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Click here to see the video.
Click here to watch this video on YouTube.
We shot a music video this weekend in association with Imagavision Films and Rotn Productions.
DP was Stephen Troy, Director was Craig Shannon, Producers, Matt Newcomb and Bob Cronin
This video is for the song “Wicked Hip-Hop Christmas” which is a remake of “Wicked Hardcore Christmas”
Performance by Big D and The Kids Table ft. Rapper Black Element
A song created by Bob Cronin.
We shot with the Sony EX1 and the Canon 7D.
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Bellow are two tribute videos McElroy Films produced for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America.
Production took 4 days in multiple locations in Rhode Island and Boston. Barbara and Leo Karas were the CCFA Honorees of the Year and Dr. Samir Shah was the CCFA Humanitarian of the Year.
These videos were shown and the CCFA 26th annual ball at the Four Season in Boston on November 7, 2009.
Click here to see some production notes.
Click here to watch on YouTube
Click here to watch on YouTube
