Jonathan Fowler
Video Producer
Posts tagged Documentary
Uncaged: Cultural Canvas Thailand, Art Relief International, and Baan Piranan
Jan 23rd
During my stay in Thailand I produced this short piece, Uncaged, which tells the story of two young children, Nong Mai and Nong Wichai. The boys have cerebral palsy, which can be devastating if left untreated. Three organizations (Cultural Canvas Thailand, Art Relief International, and Baan Piranan) have teamed up to give these children a new life and a new voice through the powerful medium of art.
If you would like to contribute to the outstanding work of these NGOs, you can learn more here.
View above or in HD on Vimeo.
Tutorial: “The Kid Stays in the Picture” Effect Using Photoshop and Motion
Apr 8th
In this tutorial I show you how to create the so-called “The Kid Stays in the Picture” effect (sometimes referred to as the 2.5D effect). The idea is to separate a still image into distinct layers, move those layers in respect to the Z-axis, then animate movement on those layers to give the impression of 3 dimensions. The effect is a refreshing (though admittedly similar) alternative to the omnipresent Ken Burns effect. Like the Ken Burns effect, it lends itself nicely to documentary films which tend to rely heavily on using stills or photos as illustrative B-Roll.
The effect is named after the documentary, The Kid Stays in the Picture, which uses the technique extensively and in many creative ways. If you have not seen this film, I highly recommend checking it out.
Viewing options: View the full tutorial in HD, above. View in HD on Vimeo. View in HD on YouTube (Part 1 and Part 2).
Oscar Nominated Documentaries Cut On Final Cut Pro
Mar 6th
A recent Macworld article points out that 9 out of the 10 documentaries nominated for the 2010 Academy Awards were edited using Final Cut Pro… pretty impressive, considering that the first version of FCP was released only twelve years ago. (The exception, Burma VJ, was cut on an Avid). From the article:
Apple’s PR rep put it this way: “This year’s Academy Award nominations demonstrate that the best documentary filmmakers in the world are using Apple.” According to the “2010 SCRI Report for Non-Linear Video Editors”—a scintillating sounding report if ever there were one—Final Cut Pro captures half of the professional video editing software market.
This is good news for me, as I’ve been using Final Cut from day one. It seems like the natural progression would be for a single professional editing application to ultimately dominate the industry. Anyone that’s collaborated on a project using more than one NLE (e.g. FCP and Premiere) truly knows what it means to have a headache. My guess is that, surprise releases aside, Final Cut Pro will be used on 90% or more professional productions within a few years.
‘The Virtual Revolution’: BBC’s Collaborative Web Documentary
Feb 15th
From the BBC, regarding The Virtual Revolution, their collaborative documentary about the web:
It was a radical change for BBC documentary making – an open and collaborative production, which asked the web audience to debate programme themes, suggest and send questions for interviewees, watch and comment on interview and graphics clips, and download clips for personal use and re-editing, all months before broadcast.
The subsequent distribution is just as innovative. At the project’s web site, you can explore the documentary in 3D. As you visually browse through clips, you are presented with the option to follow links associated with the current topic. The project is a great example of innovative use of digital media and maximum interactivity. Click the pic above to launch the 3D Documentary Explorer.
“Cascading Effects” – A documentary on climate change in the Pacific Northwest (Part 2 of 2)
Jan 31st
Following up on my previous post… here is Part 2 (of 2) of Cascading Effects.
“Cascading Effects” – A documentary on climate change in the Pacific Northwest (Part 1 of 2)
Jan 18th
I co-shot this piece – a project produced by fellow friend, filmmaker, shooter, and producer, Jim Tharp. A synopsis from Jim:
[Cascading Effects examines] the sublime landscapes of North Cascades, Mount Rainier, and Olympic National Parks, researchers shed light on emerging indications that climate change is real and predict how warming temperatures will affect the natural resources and timeless beauty of the region.
We began shooting in the North Cascades in June of ’08 – and, ironically, it was snowing relentlessly… not necessarily ideal for outdoor summer interviews intended to illuminate global warming. However, that ultimately addressed the notion that the climate is indeed changing despite the occasional cold snap (or cold year or decade)… and that things aren’t as simple as “it’s going to be a few degrees hotter in the future.”
The project was funded in part by the US National Parks Service and edited by fellow producer, filmmaker and editor, Scott Wiessinger.
Watch Part 1 of the documentary above. Part 2 will be my next entry, but if you would like to see it immediately you can watch it on Jim’s YouTube channel. There are also a range of viewing options on TERRA, a video podcast project from Montana State University’s Master of Fine Arts program in Science and Natural History Filmmaking (where Jim, Scott, and I learned to be responsible film-makers). Enjoy!
Capturing Reality: The Art of Documentary (Werner Herzog Clip)
Nov 8th
Werner Herzog discusses climbing an active volcano in order to get the shot. Although, as he puts it, he was merely playing “the blind lottery” and didn’t do it to “show bravado.” Filmmakers and cinemaphiles tend to have strong opinions about Herzog; from positive to negative to genuinely amused to gravely concerned… and just about everything else in-between. Often the topic of controversy is just as much about Herzog himself as it is his films and subjects.
For some deeper insight into the psyche of Herzog, Les Blank‘s Burden of Dreams can’t be recommended enough. One of the earlier feature length, making of-, behind-the-scenes documentaries, it chronicles Herzog’s production of Fitcarraldo, shot on-location in the Amazon. No matter what you think of Herzog, you’ll almost certainly be entertained with Blank’s treatment (though you may finish it with more questions than answers regarding what makes Herzog tick).
This clip is part of a much bigger project by the National Film Board of Canada, directed by Pepita Ferrari. Capturing Reality: The Art of the Documentary is a series of interviews of some of the greatest documentary filmmakers alive. From the NFB: “[filmmakers] offer insight into their craft while reflecting on the nature of representation and the perennially contested status of the truth.”
The NFB is really pushing the envelope of innovative new media on the project’s website. There, the entire experience is interactive… clips are parsed into topic and filmmaker, all available on-demand. Furthermore, Robert Lepage‘s original score plays quasi-randomly in the background – somehow making everything more cinematic than typical internet video browsing. [For a similarly engaging project, check out the website for Standard Operating Procedure, the latest documentary by Errol Morris]. The entire uninterrupted film (including footage of the landmark films being discussed) can be viewed here, at sling.com.
