Can a Picture be TOO Clear?

In the midst of the HD revolution where everything is measured in higher pixels, quicker refresh rates, and sharper TV screens, we assume that clearer is better. But can a picture be too clear? When I first saw a Blu-Ray on an HDTV, the picture blew me away. It was so clear that I felt that I was truly on the set in the studio watching the actors play their roles… but then it felt a little too different. After I gave it some thought I realized that I don’t want to be watching the actors on set; I want to be immersed with the actors in the magical island fighting off the mysterious smoke monster (Lost fans know my plight).

In some ways technology has surpassed the natural ability of the human eye and it can create a jarring or distracting effect on the viewer. Lets take for instance shutter speed on a camera. The video below shows a foot

tapping with a shutter speed of 1/30th of a second. This is the duration that the “film” (or in this case digital sensor) is exposed to light and records each frame. When film is exposed to light that is moving we get blur, which we all know is the exact thing we want to remove. The second clip is a foot tapping with the shutter only being open for 1/2500 of a second, meaning less movement is captured and therefore less blur. As they play side by side you will see a freeze frame showing the blur in the slower shutter speed and the relative clarity in the faster speed. You may also notice that in normal speed the slower shutter speed is easier on the eye to watch for some reason. How can that be right? As it turns out the eyes and brain aren’t used to seeing movement so clearly and they expect objects moving quickly to be blurred, so even though the faster shutter speed creates a clearer image, its distracting to the viewer. Take a look:

Sometimes this jarring effect is intentional. For instance, when a zombie is charging on the screen, the subconscious visual uneasiness adds to the intended feel of the scene. All this to say that a great videographer knows when a picture is too clear. And it all comes down to creating a ”natural” experience for the viewers.

The Times They Are A-Changin’

In 1964, Bob Dylan wrote a song about the ever-changing landscape that is the video medium. Ok maybe the song wasn’t about your new HD flatscreen or the modern media market but his ballad rings true nonetheless. Would you believe that as far back as 1982 a national committee was formed to establish broadcast standards that included full HD images? HD technology was possible in the days of brick sized cell phones and the Dewey Decimal System (remember searching for library books by hand instead of Amazon delivering them to your doorstep?).

It certainly begs the question why on earth didn’t HD video crush the Betamax-VHS war at the time? Well the market is a funny thing and due to costs of technology, the already established broadcasting system, and many more political and social factors it wouldn’t be for another few decades that HD emerges as the new standard. Don’t sell off that 60” plasma screen out of fear of what’s yet to come though, HD is the definitely the market standard for the next few years. What your children and grandchildren will be watching is a whole other story…

Cleaning an Image

Achieving a “clean” image is a constant pursuit of a professional videographer. This entails trying to remove distracting or seemingly “logic bending” elements in a frame. An example discussed in Bruce Mamer’s Film Production Technique is that of a chair with part of one leg out of the edge of the frame and the resulting image leading viewers (whether consciously on not) to question the stability or possible imminent collapse of the chair. Thus the chair should be either entirely in the frame or not used at all.

While recently planning a shoot in the Cameron Park Zoo here in Waco we hit a similar problem with trying to capture the all around beauty of the area (exotic vegetation, decor elements, etc) all apparent in long wide shots. Although as a whole the area was gorgeous, any tight shots seemed negatively dominated by cages, wires, and all things necessary to keep an 8 ft orangutan from eating our equipment for breakfast. Our solution was found in removing the cages by a combination of tight shots thru gaps in the meshed nets (which effectively appears as if we’re in the cage with our lives on the line) and shots in which we relocated to parts of the zoo with no cages at all. Thus we landed the shoots we wanted and survived to blog the experience!

Famous People

Do you ever catch yourself feeling special because you know someone who knows someone famous? And then you realize that it’s kind of pathetic? And naturally, the further removed you are, the more pathetic it is. In other words, if your brother is friends with Troy Aikman and you catch yourself feeling special, it’s forgivable. Pathetic… But forgivable. If your uncle knew a guy in college who bought a car from a guy who used to mow Troy Aikman’s lawn, feeling special is inexcusable.

A couple of days ago, I was watching a show about Marilyn Monroe. Come to find out, she used to date someone in a band called The Lone Star Playboys. I thought back to a commercial I filmed for INNOVATiON. And then I realized… I felt special.

Sneak Peak of Things to Come

KP is back on the blogging trail with a few more helpings hands. We have been plenty busy creating custom video for clients all over Central Texas and look forward to sharing our experiences. We’ve captured Waco’s unique architecture, had another great year with the House2House folks, continued to serve local businesses, and even had a run in with an Orangutang at the Cameron Park Zoo! More details and samples are soon to follow (we promise) so keep checking back. In the mean time, here is a quick screen shot from a project featuring one of Waco’s most historic and recognizable buildings: