Caught clean
August 4th, 2008 by Eric Cherry
Answering the call of redattore capo Kilwag for more street coverage. I found a few segments captured in HD. I can’t speak for everyone, but when I bought my first high definition television I sought out HD content to watch. Just to see what the hell I was paying for, didn’t matter what it was, if it was in HD I’d watch it. Somehow placating myself to justify my purchase I suppose. In the end I don’t care one way or the other as I’m into substance over visuals when it comes to my TV viewing.
With the commodities like digital video cameras, HD is arriving to skate videos. Consumer based HD cameras are <$1000 now. Some of the bigger brands in skateboarding such as Girl and DC are even shooting with the RED camera costing over $20,000 for a setup. Even Lakai’s video Fully Flared is heading to Bluray discs. Videos and more after the jump. Thanks to Skate Fairy for images and info.
Shot with a RED at 120FPS. The skating isn’t that technical or impressive, but the technology is. Makes me wish to see Mullen’s next part shot with this gear. With this quality of imaging, we finally will be able to see the strings attached to Rodney’s legs as super natural beings control him like a marionette.
Be forewarned, this video has girth. It’s a huge file and the resolution isn’t friendly to older computers.
This next one is filmed with a combination of what appears to be some pro-grade and prosumer-grade gear. Skating is solid, but what I love the most about this video is just how overproduced it is. It’s comical, there’s at least a dozen run up scenes that seem so posed and spliced in to every trick shot. Every opportunity to be cinematic is exploited. It reminds me of Ban This, where good street skating is being shadowed by overzealous videography.
Armchair HDTV Critic status aside, it’s a glimpse of what’s to come. Artsy types sometimes revert back to Super-8 film for some nostalgic mirage. Wonder if a decade down the road… when everyone tires of 1080p picture perfect skate videos. That a renaissance of shoulder-cams and Hi-8 shall be unearthed from their attics and attempt to recreate the look and feel of Hokus Pokus & Rubbish Heap.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:58 am
I dig the overzealous videography, simply because that’s what they get paid to do… but it doesn’t need to be in EVERY shot. And trying to add that to your own skate vids, it’s a pain. I hardly want to dig out the cam when we’re having a good session, let alone a camera boom/crane, track, dolly, etc… And I only skate skateparks these days… Great vid! (The 2nd one. The first had WAY too much slow mo… like ALL of it)
August 5th, 2008 at 7:59 am
Cool post Eric. I went to the N.A.B. convention this year, I coulden’t even get near the Red One booth. It was crowed with people. That Camera is the “IT” thing right now.
Its good to see this type of quality coming to skate vids. After the bells, whistles and gadgets go stale the content will come back into focus.
Artsy types on a budget should look into making a D.O.F. adaptor for their handy cam! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_TetHySQx4
it’s a lot of fun!
August 5th, 2008 at 9:08 am
I was at N.A.B. too. The Red booth was insane and quite the spectacle.
The Michael Seiben inspired Addidas campaign was also shot on Red cameras.
August 5th, 2008 at 2:45 pm
Yeah, that camera is supposed to be pretty amazing, even more so at it’s price point. I’ve been following on Gizmodo for a while. How’s this for another skateboard tie in: Steve Soderberg who directed “Valley Punks VS the Surfer” (among other things) is one of the quotes on the RED web site:
“…But the best news of all is: If my lame hyperbole could adequately describe the image, it wouldn’t be RED.”
I was surprised that skate videos were being shot with that, but on second thought, maybe not, DC seems to have a little money. 20k for a cinematic quality camera is probably chump change for them… until the first time someone wilsons on a hand rail and sends a board into the camera.
August 5th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
dave, did you see that guy on the Handsfree Transporter thing with the steadicam and that sat uplink pack??? They called it a “One man TV station on two wheels” SICK! Better than Edison Carter!
The whole rig is only two wheels short of being a skateboard!
August 5th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
There’s a cheaper version of the Red camera… like 2k resolution or something supposedly coming out never.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:24 pm
Yeah, It’s called “Scarlet” and it’s supposed to be pretty amazing too.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:56 am
regarding your prediction to emulate the old vhs/hi8 look. this happens already. the new krooked “naughty” video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbV3URMmjuk) does just that. it may be cool, but for me it’s a joke when major companies with good budgets try to look all amateur and shitty to be more credible and less mainstream.
i for myself do all video work with my old canon s3 photo camera. the video mode ist good and it even can zoom while filming. besides that it takes nice pictures. take a look here for some random stuff. http://www.sub-stance.com/wp-content/themes/sub-stance/movies/randoms/movie.html