FRANCESCO PACIOCCO

A brief teaser on my upcoming film which will be completed sometime in 2012.

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The full version of 'Eva', a documentary I completed in early 2011. Official Selection of the 2011 Tallahassee Film Festival's Remembrance Film Forum. 

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I spent a few months living in Milan and wanted to make a short film on the city that told a story of its people, places, and essence.

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I'm pleased and excited that my debut film "Eva" will be screening today through the Tallahassee Film Festival's Remembrance Film Forum series. You can watch a short clip from the film here and read more about it over on the IMDB page.

The Remembrance Film Forum has some great films lined up and "...will feature diverse perspectives and insights about the Holocaust intended to continually uplift, enlighten and challenge its audience through the powerful medium of film."

Check out their Facebook page, Twitter channel and homepage for more updates on the series:

http://www.facebook.com/TallahasseeFilmFestival

http://www.twitter.com/tallyfilmfest

http://www.tallahasseefilmfestival.com/

Hats off to the filmmakers and to Programming Director Chris Faupel for setting up a great series!

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Shot and edited my first music video! DJ set in Milan with Alien Army on the turntables. 

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I think one of the greatest things to happen to filmmakers is the DSLR revolution. Ever since Vincent LaForet's Reverie, it seems like the vast majority of web video (and some independent film) is shot on something that traditionally isn't built for moving images. How ironic!

Perhaps the immediate thing that sets DSLR video apart from what you get from a proper video camera is the filmic look that can be achieved for thousands less than loading up film or breaking the bank with a Red. In short, with the right technique, you end up with something that is much more cinematic for less money and post production tinkering.

Of course there's a catch...until only very recently, most DSLR cameras aren't made for dedicated video work. The video mode on DSLR cameras (and really the whole DSLR revolution) was started initally as a niche feature for photo-journalists looking to get into the lucrative web video game.

As a result, it's no surprise that DSLR cameras have serious deficiencies when it comes to video:

• Lack of brackets to hold accessories  
• Ergonomics designed for a shutter click but not sustained recording

...and perhaps the most important:

• Inadequate sound support (e.g. no XLR or headphone connections)

-My Entry Into The DSLR Game-

Like a lot of videomakers, I was using a prosumer HD video camera for my work--the nicely-priced but totally capable Canon HF S10. It still, to this day, is one of the best HD video, small form-factor video cameras. I ended up doing a ton of web video stuff for work with it as well as two short films (using a Zoom H4 mounted on the top for sound).

I avidly kept following the DSLR camera movement and decided that I would invest in putting together a rig to suit what I do--run and gun, documentary-style shoots.

When I first started looking into what some of the DSLR rigs people were building looked like, I was a little surprised:

Google "DSLR rig" through an image search and you'll find insane setups that look like the DSLR is wearing a Panavision camera Halloween costume. I mean, I guess a full cinema rig with French doors and rails may be appropriate for some situations, but I just felt that it detracted from the beauty of the DSLR setup--a small form factor that's highly mobile and discreet. Why ruin a beautiful thing?

So in consulting/trolling such sites as Creative Cow, DVXUser, Philip Bloom's blog, Cheesy Cam, Sam-Mallery.com, DSLR Film Noob, Documentary Tech and others for many many months, I got to work. I wanted something that let me be a one-man band and was small, mobile and under $5,000.

-Camera Body-

I settled on a Canon 60D. What's great about the 60D is that it sits nicley between the 5D (more expensive) and 7D (less expensive), except the 7D still hasn't had a firmware update that resolves the camera's Auto Gain when recording sound (Magic Lantern still doesn't support the 7D). You want to avoid this like seafood near an oil spill if you plan on recording video and sound simultaneously through the camera. Auto Gain makes soft noises suddenly louder so you can imagine what it would be like to record a street conversation with cars buzzing around or similar situations. Plus, the on-camera mic on DSLRs isn't that great anyway for most situations so keep it movin'.

-Lenses-

Ah, glass. Here's where you'll spend the majority of your money. Spend wisely. Invest in items that can be used for multiple purposes and flirt with buying niche things later on.

I settled on two lenses to start:

• Canon 24-105mm f/4 L (all purpose lens)
• Sigma 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM (low light, portrait-like shots)

Both of these in my bag give me the confidence that I can handle most shooting situations--except for maybe a really really small room (I try to avoid those).

-Sound-

Sound is probably the most challenging, important consideration you'll need to make. Audiences will forgive bad video in the name of art, but as soon as they hear hissing and crackling, it's curtains, babe. You also might agonize over things like what mic(s) to buy or whether or not you should have a setup where you record the sound separately and sync in post with something like Plural Eyes.

My choice was to think of something that would let me get quality sound straight into the camera in a variety of situations. Recording sound separately for an interview wouldn't be a big deal but I didn't like the thought of syncing hundreds of clips later on.

Here's what I solved the sound conundrum with:

• Rode Videomic
• Zoom H4N
• Sescom LN2MIC-ZMGH-MON Cable
• Rode VXLR Mono Mini Jack to XLR Converter
• Rode Deadcat Microphone Wind Muff
• K-Tek Topper Windscreen for H4N
• Cool-lux Light & Sound Bracket
• Roscoe LitePad Axiom Cold Shoe Mount

I love this sound setup...it works together like a set of fairytale dwarves to give me just what I need. The Zoom H4N is the central hub of the whole operation--gathering ambient sound through its great onboard stereo mics and collecting directional sound from the Rode Videomic. The combination of both directional and ambient sound really makes the difference in post to create broader soundscapes. 

Having also used its predecessor, the Zoom H4, I can't say enough about the much improved H4N. What a wonderful piece of equipment to own--cheap for what it does, versatile and well-built. Using the Zoom in 4-channel mode with the Videomic plugged into the XLR port (using the 3.5mm to XLR adapter) gives you rich sound that both highlights the subject with its surroundings AND gives you the ability to regulate how much gain of each device to take in. I tip my cap to Andrew Wonder for pioneering the idea of using a Zoom to record ambient sound coupled with a directional device (e.g. wireless lav, shotgun).

I mount the Zoom to the Cool-lux via the left cold shoe and put the Rode Videomic on the right cold shoe which is then mounted on the proprietary shoe on the top of the camera. I then feed the Rode Videomic into the Zoom via the 3.5mm to XLR adaptor. To then bring the sound into the camera, I use the Sescom cable from the Line Out port on the Zoom and go straight into the mic port on the camera. The Sescom cable is clutch because a) it provides a headphone jack to monitor and b) it attenuates the signal by 25db from the Zoom's Line Out (very loud) to the camera's mic input (very soft). Just make sure to set the audio recording level on the camera and not on the Zoom--the Zoom's levels are independent of how the camera records sound. 

Done as written above, you'll have two copies of your sound--one version straight into the camera and the other saved on the SD card in the Zoom (don't forget to press record on the Zoom too!). Sound purists might squawk at this setup and say you don't want to record sound in-camera, that the Zoom records 24-bit broadcast quality sound while the camera circuitry can only handle 16-bit. Bananas, I say. With 16-bit being CD quality audio, I don't think most people can tell the difference. 

-Shoulder Mount-

The mobility part. I was thinking about (and still am) getting a video monopod to hold the whole thing together but then I came across this curious little thing--the CowboyStudio Shoulder Support Pad. Considering most of the shoulder rig solutions cost hundreds of dollars (Zacuto and others), I wanted something to try out the shoulder shooting style on the cheap. For $30, I was very surprised with the Support Pad's build quality--sturdy, simple and easy to use. It can also take a good amount of weight. 

-Rig Pics-

Connecting the Sescom cable from the Zoom to the Mic-in on the 60D...empty 3.5mm port is for headphones to monitor audio 

4-channel recording on the Zoom...the top two channels are the Zoom's onboard stereo mics while the bottom is the directional, mono feed from the Rode Videomic

The whole kit and kaboodle mounted on the CowbodyStudio Shoulder Support Pad...suprisingly lightweight and nimble

-Closing Thoughts-

There you have it...my current DSLR rig explained. While I'm always considering new additions (e.g. follow focus, monopod, viewfinder), I think what I have to start with is ideal--it's not a pain to set up and it lets me move around easily. Being a minimalist, whatever I go with/add-on needs to be purpose-built, small and not have any frills. Filmmaking is a tough job and the last thing you want is flimsy stuff that falls apart. Take the time to research options before you pull the trigger and invest in quality when you can. Your wallet and workflow will thank you later.

Defintely let me know what you think of the post/rig or if you have any questions...I'm more than happy to share my thoughts!

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A short film I’ve just finished about coming to New York City for the first time: “The Waiter.”

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A short clip from 'Eva', my short documentary currently in consideration at several film festivals.

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I'm probably a little late to the game in digging through this but if the Museum of Me wasn't enough, Intel has also put together a series of mini documentaries on what it means to live a visual life.

All of the content is very well done and the subjects include a pair of Chinese photographers, a designer and an animator. I especially like this piece on Zoë Keating, one of my favorite neo-classical musicians:

Accompanying the series is a fully customized YouTube channel takeover that asks for user submissions on visual living as well as a Facebook page, 24/7 Creative, that aims to be "a community for artists, designers, musicians and anyone who supports a more creative world." 

All of these social extensions are part of the "Visual Life" platform Intel has been using as of late and I would consider it successfull for several reasons: 

• Maintains the consistent "visual living" message throughout all of the social extensions (Facebook page, video series, YouTube contest)
• Emphasizes what Intel enables emotionally rather than the technological capbilities of its chips; this is the best iteration of its ingredient brand messaging thus far. Here's a video playlist of how Intel's message has evolved over the last 2 decades to see what I mean. Also, check the copy on the i5 chip homepage and notice how it repeatedly focuses on the experiences it powers
• Barely integrates the Intel chip into the content and avoids the "hard sell." The chip is indirectly alluded to in Zoë's piece above when she's talking about how she mixes and samples herself using the computer--she doesn't once say "thanks to the second-generation Intel Core processor, I can..."

Overall, "Visual Life" is an intelligent, seamless execution of multple social tactics going on under a larger brand platform...and it has superb video work. Great stuff.

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I came across an interesting inforgraphic from TV Tropes on the elements of a successfull story.

What I like most about it is the interchangeability of the elements to form different kinds of stories. Think of it like a bucket of Legos from which you can start constructing storylines. 

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Excellent short film I came across on Vimeo from Gary Nadeau. My favorite parts? The typeface (I'm a geek for clean fonts), the composition (imaginative play on shadows and movement) and the pacing (no frills editing that breathes nicely).

Hell, the whole thing is taut and well done...have a look ;)

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Nice primer on web design from the good folks at WDL. At the heart of it all? A solid layout.

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I grew up on Windows--like way back in the day when us kids would spend hours playing Oregon Trail on my neighbor's Windows 3.1 IBM machine. While Apple's OS X is definitely sexier and smoother, I've always had a soft spot for the tried-and-true, blunt functionality the versions of Windows continued to maintain as they matured throughout the years.

Looking back, I really wasn't that all impressed with Vista and Windows 7. While the look and feel of the platform was certainly freshened up and made simpler for easier computing, the final product was still Windows.

Looking to the future, here's a just-released video of what the designers at Microsoft are noodling with for the next iteration of the flagship Microsoft OS:

The concept of "tiles" is nothing new...these debuted not too long ago on the Windows mobile OS. That said, I think this demo of Windows 8 is significant in that it demonstrates our migration beyond the idea of software in the OS (clicking on an icon or app) towards something that is more organic: completing simultaneous tasks (tiles that represent things we're working on or reading/viewing).

While it's inevitable some type of software or app will power these tiles, its presence is diminshed in the experience with the focus placed on the user's tasks at hand. It's like a master dashboard that functions as a cohesive whole vs. isolated apps with their own experiences. Marc Benioff's manifesto against software comes to mind (3 years old but still very relevant):

Could the future OS/UX standard become more about the simultaneous tasks we're doing vs. the shiny little icons we click on to do them?

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Edouard Salier is one of my favorite music video directors--his style, substance and, above all, versatility put him head and shoulders above most of the music video drivel out there masquerading as art.

His specialty is motion graphics (last summer's Coke World Cup spot) but he can also do period pieces that shine (Raphael Saddiq's 'Let's Take A Walk') and even commercials (Nike 'Mercurial'). Definitely check out his work on his Vimeo page for a dose of true videomaking talent.

His latest work for French electronic duo Justice (  I <3 them ) is imaginative, lush and tells the story of the cosmic fall of civilization (yowzers).

Beautifully done...I tip my hat to you, good sir.

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I just came across this neat infographic (it seems like there's an infographic for everything these days) on designing for the user experience courtesy of Mike Finch:

I'm always surprised at how the experience of a digital build, beyond just the aesthetics of it, is sometimes ignored. I think all design, experience or otherwise, should be purpose-driven and simple. Dieter Rams comes to mind with his work for Braun:

Keep it simple.

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It isn't often that I come across a corporate positioning video that strikes me or, for that matter, is really effective.

Many of them are doused with industry-speak and really don't get the point across in an interesting way:

Cisco, however, has managed to harness the video medium in a way that really speaks to what they are positioning themselves to be: at the heart of the digital revolution. Have a look:

I love this video, let me tell you why.

Not only is it beautifully shot, but it lets the numbers do the talking--numbers that are really compelling and put the digital information revolution into perspective so that even someone who isn't familiar with online communications can grasp the message. Whether or not you're already familiar with how the social web is changing human communication, this video beautifully weaves Cisco as the bridge between the digital revolution and companies wishing to succeed in it (note the last shot of a bridge with the Cisco logo).

Here are a couple of takeaways for how brands can look at doing something similar that's equally effective:

• Favor visuals over text and voice-over to tell the story
• Use simple messaging that's amplified through the visuals
• Weave the imagery into the overarching message (e.g. Cisco using a bridge to establish that they bridge the gap between IT managers and the digital revolution)
• Keep it short, no more than 2 minutes

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AdAge just released a new study on the latest demographics of social media channels in the U.S.

I think the most interesting data point is that close to 10% of the total U.S. population is now using Twitter--much less than other social channels but still a proof point that reinforces the importance of those charming little 140-character birds.

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I really don't know much about Statoil other than they're an oil company based in Norway, but I will say their latest web portal "The Gas Machine" does an excellent of explaining just how a platform really works.

MediaFront in Norway was behind the work which is really standout in my opinion. There's such a slick execution on the various parts of a platform and the science behind it all.

My favorite part is the seamless integration of various types of media (print, animation, video) to tell a really compelling visual story. My only criticisms (minor) would be the lack of a prominent site map to let the user know where they are in the navigation and the loading times but these become secondary as you really get lost in all the eye candy.

Some screens to ogle over:

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The folks over at VML and Version really know their stuff and their latest homepage work for French eyewear company, Bollé, is quite the showpiece. Check it out here.

I just really love the design and UX experience on this build--smooth, sharp and fresher than laundry detergent. It takes very few clicks to get where you need to go and everything seems to flow so nicely. 

The first page (after a short stop motion intro) is simple and lets you choose between products and sponsored athletes while allowing social media sharing on the bottom: 

Clicking through to the athletes brings up a nice mosaic of all of them which leads to a dedicated page for each when clicked on. I really dig the video and photo integration on the top left that is uniform for both media (and optimized for YouTube's 16x9 aspect ratio):

Products are handled in quite an intuitive way with letting you get a feel for how Bollé lens technology works through an interactive tool:

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Great animation short film I found through my daily browsing on Vimeo...I love the art direction. It looks like a Francis Bacon painting brought to life.

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