CINEMA VIEW – 2:35:1 Anamorphic Exporting from Premiere for Vimeo/Youtube Upload

After hunting around on the net and various sources for a simple guide on how to get your DSLR or whatever footage into the 2:35:1 Anamorphic format I have decided to write my own. This method will allow you to export to Vimeo and Youtube without the black bars showing when the video is embedded.

1. Firstly download this PSD file from the following link – https://www.dropbox.com/s/9twrgw4zyr7r50p/CBC235Template.psd

2. The above will be your template/guide for aligning your footage in the timeline. Import the above template into Premiere (if using FCP convert this to a PNG and go from there) and place in your timeline above all video tracks so that it sits on top. Note below that the 2:35:1 marks are not yet turned on, as shown in the program monitor.

3. Once inserted into the timeline, make the template visible and lock it from being editable as shown below. You will now have black bars top and bottom of your program monitor. Now import and edit your footage as required:

4. Once editing you might find that you aren’t happy with where the shot lies e.g. the actor’s eye-line is cutoff or an important piece of scene information is missing due to the 2:35:1 crop area. This is now the time to reposition the image to highlight what you want seen. This is one of the great advantages of 2:35:1, you can force the viewer to look at a desired focal point.

Select each individual clip and then select Motion from the effects menu and change the relevant position numbers of the clip. The number you are wanting to effect should default to 540 in a 1080p clip. Simply decrease the number to move the video up and increase to move down. Bare in mind that moving it too far will increase the area of black space at the top or bottom of the screen beyond that of the 2:35:1 framing.

5. Now your ready to export your video. Follow the usual path File – Export – Media. Here you want to setup the export settings. I recommend the following, and it must be done in this order or else the Output resolution will continue to reset to 1920×1080.

Settings (as above and below):

• Select custom H.264 as video format
• Select level from the Basic Video Settings. As a standard it can remain on 4.2 but if your dealing with RED/Arri/BMCC footage you will want use the 5.1 level as it allows for a larger bitrate encoding.
• Select High from the profile list. The default is main, but high will encode the file with less compression.
• Change Pixel Aspect Ratio to Square Pixels.
• Choose your appropriate frame rate.
• Change the resolution to 1920×816, this will change the output size of the video to meet the 2:35:1 size.
• Use VBR 2 Pass for bitrate at the bottom of the Basic Video Settings panel
• For DSLR use a bitrate of 16mps (higher than recommended, but retains more detail)

6. The final step is the cropping of the video to make sure it meets the required output. While you have already set the output size (1920×816), you will now need to set the crop. Crop your source at the top (132) and bottom (131) to remove the black lines and enable your video to embed in widescreen, rather than with the annoying black bars.

Once the crop has been done and the output view looks to only show the cropped video, then you may export.

So why go through all the effort? Simple if you export a file setup to be 2:35:1 via the normal export route, you will find that it retains black bars, top and bottom even if embedded (as below). Some people don’t mind that, but I personally think it’s sloppy and really effects the embedded view of your videos.

By completing the steps above you will now have an embedded view that looks like this:

Simple, clean and ready for Vimeo and Youtube upload without those pesky black bars.

- Col B

The Schoenberg Automaton – Making Metal Fun Since 2010

The Schoenberg Automaton – Photoshoot May 2013

Location – Brisbane Powerhouse

Equipment:
- Canon 7D
- Alien Bee 800watt Flash/Vagabond Battery System & Alien Bee triggers
- Nikon Speedlite
- Tokina 11-16mm f2.8
- Zeiss T*Planar 50 f1.4
- Schneider Optics Filters

- Col B.

You Spin Me Right Round Baby – The Lords of Salem review

Witches scream and cackle as they strip themselves bare to the flesh and conspire in acts of ungodly debauchery. Yes The Lords of Salem is a film with witches, not broomstick flying ones, but none the less. Think more along the lines of The Wicker Man or even in some cases The Town that Dreaded Sundown. So if the whole cauldrons and Satanism isn’t your thing, then you may wish to avoid this one. Thankfully old school horror had something that the modern medium is often missing, atmosphere; thankfully this is not one of those films. Nostalgia literally oozes from every interior and into each frame of film. We’re taken for a ride that is also decidedly old school as we get to experience not jumps scares or shock tactics but a legitimate building of tension; as to whether that pays off is up to you and your opinion.

Sherri Moon Zombie – The Lords of Salem

We follow Heidi (Sherri Moon Zombie), a now reformed drug addict working on a late night Howard Stern style radio station. Rob’s other half Sherri is not the best actress in the world and struggles at times to make her character work. That said it’s a horror film of the late night type so I don’t expect little golden midget winning performances here. A vinyl (yes vinyl, not MP3 thank f**k) is sent to her workplace with no information other than it’s for her to check out. After some taunts and jokes from her workmates she takes the record home to give it a spin. After some drinks and late night listening we begin a dark and twisted journey. It’s a crazy ride with abstract visions, uncomfortable locations and even weirder people. That’s about as far as I’m willing to go with story though, as part of the fun is seeing how out of the norm this film really can be, particularly compared to say Rob’s Halloween remakes.

It’s amazing how simple the skewed angle of a shot or the uncomfortable droning of the soundtrack can affect you when you’re not being force fed queues like ‘Jump scare here’ or ‘must kill this person’. It’s refreshing to see a Director move from the completely violent to the abstractly barren. Honestly a lot of the discomfort comes from how long, Rob and cinematographer Brandon Trost (the dude shot Crank, The FP, MacGruber need I say more), choose to hold a shot and when to finally make that decisive cut call. John 5 also provides a score that is more than a little unsettling and gives that extra discomfort that a tale such as Lords requires. That said the sound design in this film is impeccable and really helps add that weight of dread to many scenes.

Rob Zombie has suffered from a mixed bag over the last decade while trying to break from his musical trappings into the world of cinema. Many find his films too odd, or confronting to be seen as a commercial let alone watchable film style. His new one will be no different, as he yet again makes some changes to his formula and just lets the ball roll. Now before you go into the film remember this… it’s not a ten million dollar horror film, this doesn’t have earth shattering scares or effects, but it does have atmosphere in spades and a rather old school appearance. This is a creature of nostalgia as much as it is a tribute. Every frame glows with a sense that Rob’s appreciation for all things John Carpenter (In the Mouth of Madness comes to mind) and Stephen King (specifically The Shining) is the centre piece of this film.

- Col B

The Ophidian Ascension – EP Teaser

- Col B.

In the studio with The Ophidian Ascension

Here are some stills from my up and coming teaser video for Melbourne Death Metal act The Ophidian Ascension. Check out there tunes and give them a like at https://www.facebook.com/TOAMETAL

- Col B.

You Don’t Call a Man a Tree – Fathers Day review

Your name is Ahab, your dad was raped to death before your eyes (soon to be eye) and the perpetrator was none other than a serial attacker known as the Fuchmann. So what do you do? You go into hiding, tap a maple tree and enjoy the syrups of success, only to be brought back into this timeless battle by teaming up with a priest and gay call boy. Yes you read that correctly, so if that offends, then your probably best not to read on as this is one tale that knows how to ramp it up. Father’s Day is not your normal B-Film from the video archives, it’s like a sneaky reach around at your last ever college party. Holding you oh so right, until climax at which point it becomes a rather messy affair and grotesque affair.

Ahab in Action

The boys at Astron-6 know how to have a 10k party and they do so with oh so much tacky aplomb that you can’t help but smile and snigger at each passing moment. The Canadian troupe are something fresh and fanatical, joining the ranks of other contemporaries like The Soska Sisters, Jason Eisner and The Trost Bros. Their passion for all things DIY in film making are apparent in every frame of Father’s Day from the gore effects to claymation (Harryhausen would be proud, or physically ill) to the hilarity of dialogue delivery.

The lads at Astron-6

Ahab’s one-eyed adventure is one of horror, comedy, gross outs and so much more. After finally getting pulled out of retirement by Father John, a sexually confused man of the clergy and Twink, a gay sex worker who recently witnessed the rather extreme death of his father at the hands of the Fuchmann; this becomes a hell for leather experience. As they race to discover the Fuchmann’s secrets we are confronted with innuendo spewing cops, sister lust, old flames, occult worship and a bunch of surprises I won’t go into here. In short all the elements you would expect to make a classic genre film.

But it doesn’t’ just stop with the story, there’s something more here. This film actually has sharp and witty execution in dialogue. Generally the humour from dialogue in these B movie trips is due to poor screen writing or bad acting; many cases both. But in Father’s Day we are treated to a genre film that both pays homage to it’s trashy past and elevates it above it. You only need to hear the diatribes between Ahab and John in action to understand that Astron-6 know not only who these films are marketed too, but also what we all found so funny about these films growing up. The soundtrack pumps like an 80′s high school dance hall and too me this is one of the finest examples of homage soundtrack work in recent years and probably one of the most memorable; up there with the recent Maniac remake.

Father’s Day is out now in Australia (through Monster Pictures) minus a few cuts here and there due to our useless censors. I mean seriously whats wrong with a little dick biting, it’s just the tip! It should be noted that in the U.S this is a TROMA film release. Yes that company that brought out so many tasty video nasties has got a gem on their hands. Too bad that Kaufman is a piece and started selling illegal copies of Father’s Day at his own arranged screenings, without Astron’s knowledge no less. As the film at the time was banned in Australia and I refused to give him a cent, I ordered the flick off Ebay. If you don’t like my ethic on that, fine, but I’m not lining the pockets of a film shark.

Make some time, get a beer/bong, call your mates around and get ready to throw dicks at your screen. This is the best genre film of it’s style since ‘The Taint’ popped up a few years ago. It’s self aware, gross out fun and I wouldn’t want it any other way. One last thing, CHECK OUT MANBORG!!! It’s the lads next/previous (confusing release stuff) film to be coming out and looks to pay homage to the lord that is Verhoeven. You can grab a copy of that in Australia on the 18th April (http://monsterpictures.com.au/shop/manborg/).

Buy Fathers Day:
Australia: http://monsterpictures.com.au/shop/fathers-day/
USA: http://www.amazon.ca/Fathers-Day-Blu-ray/dp/B007WW94VU or Ebay

- Col B.

Quarantasette – The Art of Murder

Tonight is a dark evening, the streets of Chinatown are cold and crowded as I make my way to a nearby Apartment building, the fourth floor though I could be wrong. Streets are filled with the sounds of commerce as I snake my way past a small crowd into a near by building. Carefully positioning myself in a window overlooking a Chinese ornamental garden. In hand an attaché case, it’s contents both as cold and calculated as the world they inhabit. From within the confines of this room I assemble my messenger of death and move toward the windowsill. Placing the rifle down I align myself with the sights and hold my breath as a shot is squeezed off into a local businessman. Within seconds I’m running through the building, down the back alleys and eventually to my escape. Real life this was not, it was the world of Agent 47.

Hitman (2000)

It’s late 2000, around December from memory and the above was my first experience with Hitman: Codename 47, the game from creators IO Interactive. I liked it, a lot, and while it may have been a little rough around the edges and the AI was average at best; it held so many ties to the staples of Genre cinema and French Film that I couldn’t let go. Sometimes suffering under it’s own attempts to be something wholly substantial and yet so stylish that the later out weighed the former. Its story, while interesting, can be a tad on the convoluted side. Your handler Diana could be both frustrating and engrossing in equal parts. There were glimmers of genius hidden within this beast, yet it struggled to escape. This was the first point in my gaming life where I felt freedom to decide my path of choice, do I take the role of the aggressor, do I stealth in and let no one know or do I only take out my target of choice and negate all other casualties. It was up to the player to initiate acts of violence; the provocation was solely yours.

It’s ideals were as sophisticated as they were crude. Yet out of this mixed bag of gaming we saw an anti-hero of a man whose origin we had yet to experience. He was the figure of the cold and calculated man he was Agent 47. With his uniform of Black, Red and White and his branded neck, he was the constant within the ever-changing worlds of Hitman. From the first game on we were given a character that would not be redefined from game to game. He would be the pillar of stability in an ever more traumatic and crazed world and he would stay true. The symbolism of this was not lost, as there are few games where the character has not received visual upgrades from game to game. The shortcoming of his first foray was to be easily overlooked when the challenge of the hit was at hand. The rewarding experience that was learning the maps, hunting your prey and finishing the job were just so satisfying.

The other stand out was the often dark and suitably subtle score of Jesper Kyd. Now if you don’t know who Mr. Kyd is then you need to really 1) do your homework and 2) get every soundtrack he has ever worked on (Assassin’s Creed, Borderlands, Hitman series, Forza etc.), as few other sound designers are able to draw comparisons to both Vangelis and a gamut of classic composers in one fell swoop. He cemented the character, made him whole and made the world that much more confronting with his dark electronic score.

Hitman: Silent Assassin

After two quiet years 47 returned in 2002’s Hitman: Silent Assassin. While the previous game had suffered from various glitches and some lack luster reviews, it was soon to be overlooked when the sophomore effort from IO Interactive was unleashed. This was a true masterstroke of gaming; the controls while still stiff had somehow been tightened up. The levels while previously diverse and creative were now artistic and intense both in design and mass. This sequel placed 47 as the now retired killer, now settled in a humble lifestyle in a monastery. Soon to be pulled back into the seedy underworld by villainous figures. This game rang true with me, from its epic scope to its pseudo Django Strikes Again inspired warrior monk story. A true homage to the work of both Puzo and Corbucci. This was a refined and beautiful ode to both it’s predecessor and to what many had desired from the original. The brilliant thing was IO’s ability to retain the no hand holding approach of the original, yet add more dynamic options to reach your outcomes. The dark electronics of the original had also now been replaced with a soaring and grandiose score again provided by Jesper Kyd. It’s classical inspirations as well as cinematic score influences were an audio delight. This still holds as the greatest adventure of Agent 47.

Hitman: Contracts (2004)

The next release would be Hitman: Blood Money in 2006, and before you get all upset and say what about Hitman: Contracts from 2004. Well I’m going to cover those two together as Contracts was essentially a remake of levels from the original and some new levels. Though I’m not going to lie, it was nice to see The Meat King. Its story took place between two levels of Blood Money. 47 is out cold and Contracts plays out as a video gamers best of in his head while tying up some loose ends from previous games and creating new open ones. Blood Money on the other hand was a true sequel progressing 47’s gameplay further with the addition of the Tension meter as well as a larger agility set for the player. It’s colours more vibrant along with it’s locations; the streets of New Orleans a standout for sure. The Tension meter was an interesting concept and added that much more challenge to the 47 gameplay formula. It’s implementation meant that guard and civilian awareness carried into your next mission thus intensifying your experience if took the run and gun approach. The question was were gamers willing to go that extra step and man up to it? Sadly I don’t think many people bought it.

Hitman: Blood Money (2006)

It wasn’t until late 2012 when we would find out how 47 had fared from his previous adventures. The character was back finally in Hitman: Absolution, the dynamic elements were intensified from previous experiences with a now more versatile and reactive game engine. This was a brilliant return that rode the knife edge in it’s difficulty levels, if you took the easier road you had a Batman Arkham Asylum style detective mode that would help you in your quest for vengeance. On the harder side you had a no holds barred, hands on experience where you could approach the game as if you would one of the originals, just you, your suit and your twin ballers. The only element that really stuck as lame with me was the lack of Jesper Kyd’s score, who sat out on this affair. This was a just and fare return for the hitman and hopefully it’s not so long before we see him again this time.

Hitman: Absolution (2012)

In an era where everyone is used to the slap dash release schedules of the latest Call of Duty or Zombie inspired shooter. It’s refreshing to know that within the gamut of sequels there is still a few series waging a war on ever simplified gaming and I’m glad to call Hitman one of them.

- Col B.