Phil Peel

At the very last minute,  I’ve found myself up at the Broadcast Video Expo. It wasn’t what I thought I would be doing today, but sometimes life can be unexpected. Also for some reason they decided that I should have a VIP pass. Don’t know why, but I get a free cup of tea. Currently listening  to Larry Jordan, the guru of editing.

Well it was quite a night at the 50 Kisses Premiere in London on Valentines  Eve, where we won two awards.  Winning Production Team   &   The Guerilla Film Award.

Just a few days before the BAFTAs, the cast of our film LOVE  were all poshed up.

Holly was in her element, glammed up for the Red Carpet.  I think she could make a career of this!

…and we were joined by Lula Suassana. Fresh from rehearsals for his new play  Poilu & Tommy at the Courtyard Theatre.  I was amused to see him arrive with the same rucksack he used in our film.  It had his costume in it.

Following the photocall, we could also pose with some very tall ladies wearing …well ..not very much. I decided that I would only come up to chest …um ..breast height on them and this was a photo opportunity I would forego.

Holly making her stylish entrance to the packed  auditorium.

Me, Ruth, Holly and Ben, her dad

Holly practicing her “winning”   smile…

..ready for the team awards..

…and the second last award of the night …The Guerilla Film Award.   Our film was described Chris Jones as “Audacious, Extraordinary and Courageous.”

This was our view from the stage.  Pretty awesome!

..and here I am trying not to miss out anyone who needed thanking … including London Underground.

Back in our seats ready to watch the film.

To be honest I wasn’t sure how well a feature composed of 25 short films  would work.

I’ve been a judge for  short films competitions and after a bit of viewing one film after another it can get quite monotonous.

But I was surprised. 50 Kisses worked better than I expected. I think having the common motif of the kiss tied them all together.  Some of the films are really moving. I loved “Smasheroo”, which won best film.

Though they had been edited together without transitions, so  when the audience applauded at the end of each film it ran over into the opening of the next film. Occasionally it was difficult to tell where one story ended and the next began.   …and I found the music, which would have worked  effectively over the arc of each individual film, became …for me .. too similar and too much.

But all in all ..it was an enjoyable experience.  Pretty amazing to get  that many people to creatively collaborate.. Likely a Guinness World Record for number of writers.

Was it a record for the length of credits?  15 minutes showing excerpts from all the films submitted.

It’s the Premiere of 50 Kisses in London Tonight   I always have tried to convince newcomers to filmmaking, that it isn’t glamorous. It’s usually too cold or  too hot, too wet, too dry, often boring, long hours, can be back breakingly physical.   Usually very.. very tiring.   but  rarely glamorous.   But tonight,  for our little team that made LOVE  it’s going to be glamorous  …and exciting,  high profile, dazzling, glittering and  glossy.  (thanks Thesaurus)    So I’ve had my hair cut (thanks Ruth), checked out the dinner jacket and bow tie (red) and ready to go up to London for the premiere of 50 Kisses. The world’s first crowdsourced narrative feature film. I’m looking forward to meeting up with the actors  again. Holly Jacobson here .       and  Lula Suassuna   Holly, fresh from her own success as a filmmaker , will be in her finest I’m told, even persuading her  dad Ben to posh up.  Melody Reynolds, her screen mum can’t be there unfortunately. Neither can Deanna and Terry.   (who could have flown back from Tenerife!  … only joking) My local paper, The Daily Echo is even excited about it http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/leisure/news/11007444.Short_film_s_chosen_for_crowd_sourced_movie/ …oh and there’ll be over 500 others in the audience.  Red carpet, awards and a party. Sounds glamorous..

For those who aren’t nerds, this is an upgrade to the camera I’ve shot just about everything on for the last couple of years.  The Pansonic GH2.  The GH4K is  sharper ..faster ..tougher ..cheaper ( well not cheaper but still not too expensive   …probably

Looks really sweet especially the add on interface with XLR XLR sockets for sound and HDSDI for video output.  Though how that will work with camera rails I don’t know.  It will have also wifi focus, aperture etc control from Iphone and Android apps. ..interesting.

Here’s some of the spec

– 16,05 Megapixel sensor. It’s a new sensor with semi-conductor protection tech to reduce noise and improved dynamic range.
– quad core processor and venus Engine
– ISO up to 25,600.
– 12fps, 7,5 fps with continuous focusing
– GH4 uses the new UHS I class III SD card format
– Depth From Defocusing (uses Panasonic lens database to fine tune AF!)
– AF as fast as 0.07 seconds. 49 AF points.
– 4K video at 4096×2160 pixels and max frame rate of 96fps.
– Bit rate of up to 200Mbp
– Magnesium body
– Price not unveiled yet   expected to be around £1500
– There is an optional Interface Unit. Has 2 XLR, 4 SDI, micro HDMi
output, color bar signal, audio reference signal, external time control

This has  4 SDI outputs for HD 4:2:2 and 4K 4:2:2 10-bit output with timecode, listen up Canon and Nikon. (It can also be configured to record 4:2:2 to an external unit via the on-board HDMI-output on the GH4 itself.) The interface unit also has dual XLR inputs with optional phantom power and level adjustments on the unit. These inputs can be monitored on the GH4′s display. Additionally, the interface unit includes a 12v DC input for external power to the unit and the GH4.     http://www.performvideo.com/panasonic-dmw-yagh-turns-gh4-into-broadcast-powerhouse/

http://www.performvideo.com/panasonic-gh4-full-announcement-details/