Browser Wars!

I would say it's about time I returned to putting my thoughts here rather than letting them accumulate in my head. You may have noticed the comment on my homepage regarding web video compatibility. Upon purchasing my new Android, I had discovered the formats of the movies on my site were incompatible - including Flash which I thought was the standard across the board! Once again, the consumer is a victim of corporate competition gone wild! If I want my movies viewable on the Droid, I will need to create HTML5 players. But there are still browsers out there that don't yet support HTML5. Therefore I have to create "options" for every possible viewer - aaarrrghh! So, while I concentrate on higher priority projects, please visit my Vimeo and YouTube channels if you cannot view my videos in your present browser.

"Stargazer" completed!

To give myself a feeling of accomplishment, I have jumped ahead and finished editing "Stargazer", the epilogue to "Adversity Conquered!" While a few effects could use a little tweaking and cleanup, Steve and I were anxious to post this following the sneak preview at the January MCA-I meeting. So here it is:

"Stargazer" - Epilogue to "Adversity Conquered!" from Bruce Bertrand on Vimeo.

When the complete "Adversity Conquered!" is finished (who knows when?) it is our intention to submit it on the festival circuit prior to any other public screenings. Originally, we were going to share "Stargazer" only with friends and associates until the entire epic was finished; but we have decided to share it with the world with the hope of creating some salivation for the main course! In the meantime, enjoy the epilogue - or what you might call "the calm after the storm!"

Bruce B

Warping ahead to "Stargazer"

Those of you who have been anxiously awaiting the completion of "Adversity Conquered!" will be pleased to learn that I have decided to jump ahead and complete the epilogue "Stargazer"!

When I take on a project I don't fool around. "Adversity Conquered!" is the most technically complex film I have yet undertaken. In the real world, a film of this type would include a sizable post-production staff. But when one of the goals is to create the ultimate showcase for yourself, you want it to be clear who's work is on the screen.

If you haven't yet seen the "Behind the Scenes" update from March 2010, please take a look before reading on (or not):


"Adversity Conquered" - March 2010 Update, Behind the Scenes from Bruce Bertrand on Vimeo.


For those of you able to enter my mind and see the backlog of film ideas, you will note one prevalent signature of mine as a writer-director; a nighttime siege followed by a colorful sunrise wiping away the last remnants of evil. Hmmm - the Early Films logo is a sunrise. Are you all in my head now?

Shortly after Steve came to me with the concept of "Adversity Conquered!", he composed "Stargazer" and everything fell into place.

Technically speaking, "Stargazer" is infinitely simpler than "Adversity Conquered!" The entire setting is a computer generated landscape with a lake and waterfall, one shot tracking live footage to the CG "camera", and one shot tracking the CG background to the real camera . The remaining CG effects consist of starfields, galaxies, intergalactic tunnels and a whopper of a meteor explosion! Easy stuff.

"Adversity Conquered!" includes the aforementioned CG landscape with the addition of bat demons, little dragons, tree monsters, hell-hounds, a fire-breathing water monster (one is enough), various furry things, other miscellaneous underworld critters, Mr. Grim coming to reap, an enormous demon (one is enough), and what may be the Prince of Darkness himself (not necessarily the one you're thinking of)!

On top of all that are effects that include tracking several hand-held daytime shots to insert a CG night sky, tracking guitar movements to add the "weapon" elements, along with blowing up and burning a lot of stuff! Oh yes, then there is the complex soundtrack and editing rhythm.

Wait.....let me catch my breath.

So there you have it.

When "Stargazer" is completed, it will be posted for a limited time ONLY to Facebook and YouTube friends, Vimeo contacts, and LinkedIn connections.

I will post some snippets publicly, including 3D anaglyphs of a few starfield effects.

At one point, I began rendering all of the CG effects stereoscopically. When 2D to 3D conversion becomes affordable, I would like to stereo-fy the entire video. It would have been great to shoot in 3D from the start, as I've been years ahead of the curve with regard to the 3D thing. This time it simply wasn't an option due to the lack of access to a second pro camera identical to mine and the difficult shooting conditions.

However, using two small consumer camcorders and the makeshift 3D tripod head I had whipped up for Super 8 years ago, I have shot one of Steve's recent rehearsal sessions in 3D just for the fun of it:


Steve Yank - "Monsterworld" Demo in 3D from Bruce Bertrand on Vimeo.


BTW, despite being a big fan of 3D, I do think Hollywood has gone overboard - especially with the overabundance of 2D to 3D conversions. But that is a blog post yet to come.

I am looking to complete "Stargazer" by sometime in January. So pitch your tents and set up your lawn chairs on the virtual sidewalk!

Editors are NOT button-pushers!

One of the most valuable experiences a film or video editor can have is to work in a broadcast news environment. But the stripes one earns as a result are often torn off and trampled by the shortsighted attitudes of others.

There is too often a tendency by some to make assumptions about a person's abilities and aptitude based on jobs they have held in the past. Such is the case with both videographers and editors who have worked in broadcast. As with any form of prejudice, people are judged according to the lowest common denominator of their peers.

The perception is that people whose job involves operating equipment are nothing more than "equipment operators". Yet, cinematographers and editors in other venues, particularly feature films, are hailed as creative geniuses and given awards for their work.

This discrimination is the result of how rules in union environments are interpreted. In a broadcast union house, editors and videographers are actually forbidden from making decisions regarding content! The last time I checked, deciding content is the definition of an editor! Likewise, reporters and producers are not allowed to operate equipment, yet outside the broadcast environment they are highly respected, while exceptional photography and editing of their news pieces is attributed entirely to their "guidance". Sadly, a lot of this attitude comes from outside the broadcast environment from people who haven't actually been in those trenches and are basing their opinions on assumptions.

In the newsroom itself, reporters and producers are highly appreciative of the truly creative editors and videographers, and easily distinguish them from any "button-pushers" that may actually be on staff.  There will often be a race by newsroom personnel to the side of the real artists. Reporters in particular often have extremely long days chasing stories and producing scripts. Why should they want the added burden of holding the hand of a videographer or editor? Very often when a reporter is blessed with landing one of the creative editors, they will record their track, choose the sound bites, then leave the editor to work their own magic. This saves the already overworked reporter valuable time to work on their next feature story or perform other tasks. For this reason, the union rules forbidding any crossover are really unnecessary. Everyone is just too busy to do more than one job!

Yet in less stressful and non-union environments, such as some corporate video situations, I have seen the union structure implemented. They assume editors need someone sitting behind them making all the edit decisions. In these situations that system is totally wasteful and would be far more effective overall if they hired field producers who are also editors - or vice versa like myself. A field producer who understands editing can more clearly envision the final project and plan their shots more effectively. But as I've discovered, some field producers refuse to edit because it is apparently "below them". Some of these producers actually came out of broadcast environments. I can only assume they were either saddled too often with the not-so-creative editors, or they went in with preconceived notions and saw what they wanted to see.

I have spoken to a number of other editors and videographers over the years who like myself have seen or been victimized by this concept. There was one case I had witnessed, in a non-union production house, where one of the producers was utilized as a videographer when they discovered he was also a photographer. But once he picked up that video camera, he was suddenly treated as if his IQ had dropped 50 points and was talked down to in a manner totally different from when he functioned as a producer. It was mind-boggling! Movies and TV shows that depict broadcast news environments are definitely no help. Look at how technical staff is depicted in them. Need I say more?

Yes, I do need to say more. Let's go back to the first paragraph where I mention how valuable the experience of broadcast news can be to an editor. You learn how to meet tight deadlines by paying close attention to all the footage you scan, so that in a crunch you can fill that large hole with those decent thirty-second shots you remembered. After cutting a good number of news pieces, you come to learn just how much time you need to be especially creative and how far you can actually go while easily making air.

My personal record is cutting a 90 second piece in 15 minutes - just in time for air! The reporter knew I could handle it and specifically requested me while on the road to the station. He dashed in thoroughly organized 10 minutes before the start of the 10:00 news. After belting it out, we took a breath while watching someone else sprint down the hall with the tape. It was ultimately a lot of fun! In fact, despite being nervous about working in this high-pressure environment when I was first hired, I came to enjoy it thoroughly and constantly looked forward to the next day's adventure.

All venues have some kind of deadline, but the TV newsroom is by far the best boot camp for editors!

Wha? There was something before the dome?

Every now and then you find students with a true interest in what existed before their time. Such is the case with SU Students Gordon Brookes and Erick Ferris who looked back to a time before the Carrier Dome and chose as their senior thesis film project a documentary on Archbold Stadium.

I was a freshman at SU during the final semester of the stadium and happened to have a dorm room overlooking the stadium. I had shot Super 8 film of the final game and posted it on YouTube. Actually the YouTube posting happened a couple years ago - had you thinking for a moment, didn't I?



In their search for footage of the stadium, they came upon my posting. I provided them with my raw footage and photographs then submitted to an interview. The result was this fantastic documentary embedded below!

N-joy!

Archbold Stadium, The Story of '78 from Gordon Brookes on Vimeo.

An observation about networking

While waiting for the first panel at the IFP conference this Saturday, I witnessed a verbal "east-coast", "west-coast" altercation. The west-coaster made a disparaging remark about the New York chapter of IFP adding that they don't know how to do a networking event. The east-coaster argued the folly of fledgling filmmakers swarming on notable film industry figures with their business cards. While the battle quickly segued to a mutual apology and agreement not to speak to each other, I saw valid points in both their arguments.

The IFP conference was informative, but outside the auditorium I wish they could have had access to a larger gathering area at Fashion Institute of Technology with tables, chairs - and food! It was possible to meet and talk with people (see example in the first paragraph), but with only 30 minutes between panel discussions and a small waiting area outside, it was really just about the panels.

But as for meeting people with clout who theoretically could further your career, put yourself in their place. If you were as busy as they are, do you think you would have time to view the online portfolios and demo reels of everyone who tries to get a business card or resume into your pocket?

The proper etiquette as I see it is to ask a valid question or make an observation and maneuver the conversation to where it makes sense to mention what you do. If they are interested, they will ask for your information.

Otherwise, with the incredible affordability of quality production technology today, simply make a good film and take advantage of every potential venue where people you specifically want to see it will likely stumble upon it.

One panelist specifically said that in his search for film music he does not accept general submissions. Instead he searches for material that fits the project he is presently involved with. So I say learn about their upcoming projects and drop your Easter Egg where they are hunting.

Personal Memories of the Apollo Program

My first childhood memory of the space program is rather fuzzy. I recall an early grade school publication introducing the Saturn 5. My earliest television memory is of Apollo 7, the first manned test flight of the Apollo spacecraft and crew operations. As the flight took place only in earth orbit, the Saturn 1B booster was utilized.

NASA Apollo 7 Page

At the time I did not understand why this apparent first Apollo flight was designated as 7. I was not yet aware of the tragic Apollo 1 fire or the unmanned Saturn 5 tests that followed.

Remembering Apollo 1

Apollo 1 Crew

My interest was set in stone with the launch of Apollo 8, which was originally intended as a manned orbital test flight of the entire Saturn 5 package. With the Lunar Module not ready for launch and uncertainty about the status of the Russian moon program, the mission plan was changed and Apollo 8 became the first manned spacecraft to orbit the moon!

Apollo 8 Mission

I remember the inspirational Christmas Eve message from the astronauts in lunar orbit. It has been said that this event saved the otherwise tumultuous year of 1968.

As an eight-year-old, I was now watching TV news regularly, anxious for information on the Apollo program as it built to its climax, Apollo 11!

I recall being at the neighbors across the street when the Apollo 11 “Eagle” set down on the moon. I remember a flashing graphic reading “Touchdown”. I am not sure what channel we were tuned to even after looking over the TV guide from that afternoon.

TV Guide scans: July 20, 1969

I wish I could say I was watching the iconic Walter Cronkite broadcast, but I don’t believe so.

Later that night, long after my usual bedtime, I witnessed an event more exciting to a kid my age than Christmas morning – Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon!

According to the latest TV news reports, it would seem that the telemetry tapes containing the unconverted video of the moonwalk broadcast were erased 20 years ago. However (at “press time”) this has not been verified on the NASA website:

NASA Releases Restored Apollo 11 Moonwalk Video

Using the latest digital technology, the video home viewers have been watching for years has been “up-rezed” for greater clarity.

Apollo 11 HD Videos

I am still hoping tapes in the original format turn up in someone’s barn the way some silent era films thought to be lost have been found. However, there is the 16mm footage taken from the window of the LEM.

Apollo 11 Video Library

The resolution of 16mm film has always been equal to or greater than the present HD digital technology. The Apollo film footage is now being converted to HD.

Apollo 11 Lunar Landing from Mark Gray on Vimeo.

Neil Armstrong on the Moon from Mark Gray on Vimeo.

I became so enthralled with the space program, that it earned me the nickname of “Astro-Nut” in my fourth grade class. That presented me with a dilemma when I learned the launch of Apollo 12 was scheduled during school hours. Pretending to be sick that day was not an option as the truth would be all too obvious. I had a brainstorm and made a suggestion to my teacher, Miss Jones, for an “educational outing” (though with less sophisticated wording). So on the day of the launch, I brought the entire class to my house to watch it! Convenient, as I lived just behind the school. A few classmates were actually upset! I suppose they preferred to be in school.

I do recall seeing lightning hit the Apollo 12 as it rose from the pad.



The Apollo 12 mission was rather infamous for astronaut Alan Bean’s “camerawork” as he fried the video camera tube by pointing it at the sun. After a long stretch of time watching a blotch with audio, we were then treated to marionettes emulating the astronauts’ actions. A glimpse of this puppet show can be seen at the 1:21 point in this promo for the DVD release “Live From the Moon”.

Live From The Moon Preview #1 from Mark Gray on Vimeo.

As a kid watching the Apollo program unfold on television, I felt the timeline seemed realistic. But of course a child’s perception of time is very different. Little did I know just how much cramming and finger-crossing was actually going on. Even during the Apollo 13 incident, I figured they would make it back – no problem. As I learned the realities over the years, my respect for the ingenuity of the engineers and bravery of the astronauts has increased a million-fold! It is unfortunate it was largely driven by the Cold War, but it proved how much we can accomplish in a relatively short time when we are goal-oriented rather than profit-oriented as we have become since (Look where that has gotten us).

It was easy to believe the movies and TV shows in the 60’s depicting colonies on the Moon, Mars and beyond by the turn of the century. I am still convinced much more of that fiction could have turned to fact had we kept up the momentum.

My aforementioned fourth grade class at the Alexander Hamilton Elementary School in Morristown, New Jersey was a tremendous turning point in my life. While I was well on my way toward filmmaking as a career choice, the space program sparked an enormous interest in science. My high school and college curriculums were heavy on physics, astronomy, chemistry and biology, with a Minor in Computer Science alongside my Film Major. I received my private pilot’s license when I was nineteen. I still hope to someday spend a vacation in the Adult Space Camp Program. Anyone want to join me? Yes, I still do rollercoasters!

I had an aunt and uncle living on Merritt Island, Florida in the late 70’s. A neighbor who worked for NASA gave us passes to the very first rollout of the Space Shuttle Columbia. Here is my film of the event:



The Space Shuttle will soon be retired, meaning the United States will not launch a manned spacecraft until the resurrection of the moon program circa 2020. Despite the long wait, I am very excited about the new hardware.

NASA Constellation Main Page

NASA Constellation Interactive Page

The new spacecraft will carry crews of four, only this time all of them will go to the surface. There will be special landers designed for cargo which will carry segments for permanent lunar outposts. Large pressurized rovers will allow more extensive travel across the surface. Much of this new program will be aimed at developing and testing new technologies for much more demanding manned missions to Mars. We keep hearing how too few American students are pursuing careers in science and engineering. Hopefully this program will inspire more of the next generation to consider this route.

It has always bugged me when some would say “Why are we spending all this money on the space program when there are bigger problems in the world and people living in poverty?” What they didn’t consider were the countless thousands of people employed directly and indirectly to make it all happen, including private contractors, engineers, scientists, assemblers, support and administrative staff. Did they think the funds were simply thrown onto a NASA administrator’s desk and – POOF – Space Program?!! They were basically suggesting we put thousands of people out of work so we can give money to people who are out of work. They seemed to favor more unemployment compensation and welfare over job creation. What is more worthy; technological development or manipulating money for personal gain as has become the American obsession?

Michael Collins had a more philosophical answer for those questioning scientific endeavors in a troubled world. I have not been able to locate the exact quote, but he basically wondered where the human race would be if throughout history we waited for a “perfect world” before engaging in exploration.

One thing is for certain, as solutions are found for the world’s troubles, especially those involving limited resources for a growing population, science will play a major role.

Additional Links:

From my editing portfolio:
Apollo 11 20th Anniversary, for WPIX News


NASA Apollo Page

We Choose the Moon