24 juni 2007

Down the Moldau


Video editing is the process of editing segments of motion video production footage, special effects and sound recordings in the post-production process. Motion picture film editing is a predecessor to video editing and, in several ways, video editing simulates motion picture film editing, in theory and the use of linear video editing and video editing software on non-linear editing systems (NLE). Using video, a director can communicate non-fictional and fictional events.
The goals of editing is to manipulate these events to bring the communication closer to the original goal or target. It is a visual art.



 

 




23 juni 2007

Silence of Spain, siesta



A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, mime and title cards. The idea of combining motion pictures with recorded sound is nearly as old as film itself, but because of the technical challenges involved, synchronized dialogue was only made practical in the late 1920s with the perfection of the Audion amplifier tube and the introduction of the Vitaphone system. After the release of The Jazz Singer in 1927, "talkies" became more and more commonplace. Within a decade, popular widespread production of silent films had ceased.

A September 2013 report by the United States Library of Congress announced that a total of 70% of American silent films are believed to be completely lost.

21 juni 2007

Our Lady of the Pillar


 

This video is 3.30 minutes (25mb)Zaragoza is the capital city of the autonomous region and former kingdom of Aragon in Spain, and is located on the river Ebro, in a great valley with a variety of landscapes, ranging from desert (Los Monegros) to thick forest, meadows and mountains. Zaragoza is linked by legends to the beginnings of Christianity in Spain. According to legend, the Virgin Mary appeared miraculously to Saint James the Great in the 1st century, standing on a pillar. This legend is commemorated by a famous Catholic basilica called Nuestra Señora del Pilar ("Our Lady of the


Pillar"). The event, called "Las Fiestas del Pilar", is celebrated on October 12 which is a major fiesta in Zaragoza. Since it coincided in 1492 with the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus, that day is also celebrated as El Día de la Hispanidad by Spanish-speaking people worldwide. The Latin word basilica derived from Greek ,was originally used to describe a Roman public building (as in Greece, mainly a tribunal), usually located at the centre of a Roman town (forum). After the Roman Empire became officially Christian, the term came by extension to refer to a large and important church that has been given special ceremonial rights by the Pope, it is the "highest" or "most important" place of worship in the Holy Roman Catholic Church followed by Cathedrals, Churches, and finally chapels and thus the word retains two senses today, in an architectural context and in an ecclesiastical one.


 

20 juni 2007

Redu a Belgian booktown


 

A Book Town is a small rural town or village in which second-hand and antiquarian bookshops are concentrated. Most Book Towns have developed in villages of historic interest or of scenic beauty.

 


 

15 juni 2007

Bayern : Forest

 

 

 A tracking shot is any shot where the camera follows backward, forward or moves alongside the subject being recorded. In cinematography, the term refers to a shot in which the camera is mounted on a camera dolly that is then placed on rails – like a railroad track. A handheld steadycam or gimbal may also be used for smaller scale productions. The camera is then pushed along the track while the scene is being filmed or moved manually when using a handheld rig. The technique is often used to follow a subject that would otherwise leave the frame (ergo, it is often called a following shot), such as an actor or vehicle in motion. In this spirit, any conveyance, such as a motorized vehicle like a car, may also be used to create a tracking shot. A handheld or Steadicam mounted camera following a similar trajectory is called a tracking shot as well. While the core idea is that the camera moves parallel to its subject, a tracking shot may move in a semi-circular fashion, rotating around its subject while remaining equidistant.




Fair debut



 Home movies are motion pictures made by amateurs, often for viewing by family and friends. When the hobby began, home movies were produced on photographic film, but availability of video cameras and camcorders and digital storage devices has made the making of home movies easier and more affordable to the average person. The boundaries between consumer movie-making and professional movie-making are becoming increasingly blurred as prosumer equipment often offers features previously only available on professional equipment."Saving our film heritage should not be limited only to commercially produced films. Home movies do not just capture the important private moments of our family's lives, but they are historical and cultural documents as well. In recent years, clips from home movies have been available to wider audiences through television series such as America's Funniest Home Videos and Internet online video-sharing sites such as YouTube. The popularity of the Internet, and wider availability of high-speed connections has provided new ways of sharing home movies, such as video weblogs (vlogs), and video podcasts.


 

Paris centre




;A flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point in the story. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story's primary sequence of events to fill in crucial backstory. In the opposite direction, a flashforward (or prolepsis) reveals events that will occur in the future. Both flashback and flashforward are used to cohere a story, develop a character, or add structure to the narrative. In literature, internal analepsis is a flashback to an earlier point in the narrative; external analepsis is a flashback to a time before the narrative started.


;In movies and television, several camera techniques and special effects have evolved to alert the viewer that the action shown is a flashback or flashforward; for example, the edges of the picture may be deliberately blurred, photography may be jarring or choppy, or unusual coloration or sepia tone, or monochrome when most of the story is in full color, may be used.



 

Champs-elysees



What is a video transition?Transitions are the mechanism used to change from one shot to the next in a video production. There are a vast number of transition types but basically they can be broken into three categories. First, most often used is the cut, it is the simplest and best for seamless unnoticed edits. A cut transition is created when one clip ends and the next one begins with no overlap or effect. Next we have the dissolve which is generally used to show the passage of time or cover an awkward shot change. A dissolve is when the two shots overlap for a period of time and the first shot dissolves into the second shot. At the mid-point of a dissolve both clips can be seen equally well. Dissolves are sometimes called fades. All other transitions can be grouped as effects. Effects include pushes, page peels, spirals, irises and any and all other imaginable effect transitions.

Habour district Amsterdam



Docufiction (or docu-fiction), often confused with docudrama, is the cinematographic combination of documentary and fiction, this term often meaning narrative film.

It is a film genre which attempts to capture reality such as it is (as direct cinema or cinéma vérité) and which simultaneously introduces unreal elements or fictional situations in narrative in order to strengthen the representation of reality using some kind of artistic expression.

More precisely, it is a documentary contaminated with fictional elements, in real time, filmed when the events take place, and in which the main character or characters — often portrayed by non-professional or amateur actors — are essentially playing themselves, or slightly fictionalized versions of themselves, in a fictionalized scenario. In this sense, docufiction may overlap to an extent with some aspects of the mockumentary format, but the terms are not synonymous.




Weddingcake in Rome



In 1885 construction of the monument started after a design by Giuseppe Sacconi, winner of an architectural contest. The northern slope of the Capitoline Hill was cleared to make way for the monument. Roman ruins and medieval churches were destroyed in the process.

The Victor Emmanuel Monument is not exactly known as one of Rome's most beautiful structures. It is considered too monumental and the bright white color does not fit well into the ochre color of its surroundings. The monument has been given nicknames such as 'typewriter' and 'wedding cake'.
The monument is nevertheless well worth the visit, even if only for the great views from the top.


 

14 juni 2007

Sound and Vision Netherlands



The treasure-houses of the Netherlands Institute for Sound en Vision: the collective memory of the Netherlands.The Netherlands Institute voor Sound and Vision looks after, and releases, 70 per cent of the Dutch audio-visual heritage. In total, around 700,000 hours of television, radio, music and film, making Sound and Vision one of the largest audio-visual archives in Europe. But the institute is more than just a collection. Sound and Vision is the business archive of the national broadcasting corporations, a cultural history institute and also a unique media experience for its visitors. Programme makers use the collections for new programmes and the archive is a unique source of information for research, not only for students and academics, but also for journalists.



Colours of the Provence



Quality of computer images.Once a computer has imported DV footage, it keeps the original source files on the hard disk and creates a series of preview frames to display in the video editing application. These preview frames are created by removing much of the video and color information that  televisions require, and simply displaying the frames as they will best appear on your computer monitorAlthough these images will appear blocky, fuzzy, or more muted than those seen through the viewfinder of a camcorder, don't  worry: These screen images are simply low-resolution stand-ins for the real footage. Once formatted, these preview frames will appear at full screen and full motion, and display much faster than the higher-resolution images of an uncompressed video stream.Previews make the long and arduous task of editing infinitely more bearable by speeding the response time of video playback. Without these low-res substitutes, even the fastest computers would be unable to display motion pictures in real time. Meanwhile your full-quality original footage remains locked inside the clip by the DV codec until you are ready to export your final movie in all its glory.



13 juni 2007

Civil guardians





The famous dutch painter Rembrandt painted the civil guards "in action"  in a period when this no convention. Later on the edges of the painting were cut. The main figures are now in the middle in stead of to the right which was more dynamic and intended by the artist.A key ingredient of cinematography is framing. This refers to the edges of a shot, in that framing determines both what is included and what is excluded. There is indeed a close link between framing, composition and mise en scene. Mise en scene refers to what is to be filmed and how it is arranged and therefore in effect defines what the framing will be; however, strictly speaking the framing is only realized when the shot is filmed through the camera lens.




Dutch walk



SHOTSIZEShot size is determined by the framing. (see else There are many possible choices of shot but we can think in terms of five basic shot sizes with intermediate shots in between. Shot sizes can be closely tied to narrative development, notably to the progression of scenes. Typically a film, and often a scene, will begin with an extreme long shot Just as the story tend to begin slowly in order to acquaint us with characters and locations, so films visually use an establishing shot to place things in context. It allows us to see a subject in relation to her/his surroundings.



Island of flowers

 

Film colorization (American English; or colourisation (British English), or colourization (Canadian English and Oxford English)) is any process that adds color to black-and-white, sepia, or other monochrome moving-picture images. It may be done as a special effect, to "modernize" black-and-white films, or to restore color films. The first examples date from the early 20th century, but
colorization has become common with the advent of digital image processing. 


 


Intermezzo Roma

Many roadshow presentations of films from the 1950s through to the 1970s were provided with entr'actes that took the form of overtures to the second part, including most of the adaptations of Broadway musicals released at that time, but the practice soon spread to drama films. In many cases it was the same piece as was used for the overture (as in Lawrence of Arabia in 1962 and 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968), but others such as Ben-Hur (1959) and How the West Was Won (1962)

Vacations for beginners



This is my very first vacation movie shot op super 8 in 1975 in Switzerland Home videos are priceless records of our personal histories. They help us to keep our memories alive, or to share important events with friends and family. Most of us don't have the time or equipment necessary to properly shoot, light, and edit our videos, but that doesn't mean our videos can't look great and be entertaining for all our friends and family. Silent film actors emphasised body language and facial expression so that the audience could better understand what an actor was feeling and portraying on screen. Much silent film acting is apt to strike modern-day audiences as simplistic or campy. For this reason, silent comedies tend to be more popular in the modern era than drama, partly because overacting is more natural in comedy.



Trajans column



Trajan's Column is a monument in Rome raised by order of emperor Trajan. It is located in Trajan's Forum, built near the Quirinal Hill, north of the Roman Forum. Finished in 113, the spiral bas-relief commemorates Trajan's victory in his military campaigns to conquer Dacia.The structure is about 30 meters in height, 38 including its large pedestal. The shaft is made from a series of 18 colossal Carrara marble drums, each weighing about 40 tons, with a diameter of about 4 metres. The 200 meter frieze winds around the shaft 23 times. Inside the shaft, a spiral staircase of 185 stairs provides access to a viewing platform at the top.Originally, a statue of Trajan would have stood atop the column. In 1588, it was replaced by a statue of St. Peter The relief portrays Trajan's two victorious military campaigns against the Dacians; .The scenes on the frieze are continuous. The imagery is not realistic as the sculptor pays little attention to perspective. Often a variety of different perspectives are used in the same scene, so that more can be revealed The scenes depict mostly the Roman army in military activities such as setting out to battle and engaging the Dacians, as well as constructing fortifications and listening to the emperor's address. In all, 2500 figures are shown. It was traditionally thought that the Column was a propagandistic monument, glorifying the emperor's military exploits. But because the structure would have been generally invisible, surrounded by other buildings in Trajan's Forum, and simply the difficulty involved in following the frieze from end to end, it is now considered to have had much less propagandistic value.Based on the inscription, the column may have been a measuring guide for the construction of the forum.




Avignon city of arts

 

 

The Avignon Film Festival celebrates French, European and American independent film at the Cinema Vox in Place d'Horloge. There are premières, retrospectives, round-tables on pertinent issues with industry experts and interviews, along with awards for emerging filmmakers and cinematographers.Features, short films and feature-length documentaries are screened in French, English and other European languages. All French films are subtitled in English and European-language films are subtitled in English or French. Directors, producers, screenwriters and actors from invited films come to discuss their work with festival-goers.Related InformationWebsite:Avignon Film Festival Websitehttp://www.avignonfilmfest.com\





 

10 juni 2007

Hessen



Situated in west-central Germany, Hesse state borders the German states of (starting in the north and proceeding clockwise) Lower Saxony, Thuringia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Most of the population of Hesse is in the southern part in the Rhine Main Area. The principal cities of the area include Frankfurt am Main, Wiesbaden, Darmstadt, Offenbach, Hanau, Gießen, Wetzlar, and Limburg. Other major towns in Hesse are Fulda in the east, and Kassel and Marburg an der Lahn in the north. The densely populated Rhine-Main region is much better developed than the rural areas in the middle and northern parts of Hesse.

The most important rivers in Hesse are the Fulda and Eder Rivers in the north, the Lahn in the central part of Hesse, and the Main and Rhine in the south. The countryside is hilly and the numerous mountain ranges include the Rhön, the Westerwald, the Taunus, the Vogelsberg, the Knüll and the Spessart.

The Rhine borders Hesse on the southwest without running through the state, only one old arm – the so-called Alt-Rhein – runs through Hesse. The mountain range between the Main and the Neckar Rivers is called the Odenwald. The plain between the rivers Main, Rhine, and Neckar, and the Odenwald Mountains is called the Ried.

Hesse is the greenest state in Germany, as forest covers 42% of the state.



Winterpalace Hermitage 1



The State Hermitage Museum is a museum of art and culture in Saint Petersburg, Russia. One of the largest and oldest museums in the world, it was founded in 1754 by Catherine the Great and has been open to the public since 1852. Its collections, of which only a small part is on permanent display, comprise over three million items (including the largest collection of paintings in the world. The collections occupy a large complex of six historic buildings along Palace Embankment, including the Winter Palace, a former residence of Russian emperors.


02 juni 2007

Forum Romamnum



Originally the area of the Forum was humid and covered in grass, as it was not suitable for construction. This changed in the 7th century with the construction of the Cloaca Maxima. This sewer system was based on a natural stream, which was enclosed and covered to drain the area, a sign that the settlements on the Palatine Hill was spreading into the valley.Gradually more public buildings were build around the square, thus forming a natural centre for the rapidly growing town.
In republican times the construction on the Forum continued, with a series of basilicas, notably the Basilica Sempronia and the Basilica Aemilia.
The current image of the Forum Romanum is a result of the changes made by Julius Caesar as pontifex maximus and dictator, which included the construction of the Basilica Julia where the Basilica Sempronia stood, the building of a new Curia and the renovation of the Rostra, the speakers platform. Caesar didn't see all his plans realised before his death, but most was finished by his successor Augustus, including the Temple of Divus Julius, dedicated to Caesar deified.
In imperial times the importance of the Forum as a political centre diminished, but it remained a centre of commerce and religious life. Construction and restoration continued, but now mostly in the form of honorary monuments, such as the Arch of Augustus, the Arch of Titus and the Arch of Septimius Severus.
After the fall of the empire in the west, the area was abandoned. A few buildings were converted into churches, including the Curia, the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and the Temple of Divus Romulus; the rest was left to shepherds and their animals, to the extent that the popular name of the area became Campo Vaccino, the cattle field.
The site of the Forum Romanum is still subject to excavations, and several parts of the Forum cannot be visited, but the whole area have the status of an archaeological site, open to visitors

01 juni 2007

When in Rome



Rome is called L'Urbe (The City), Caput mundi (head of the world), Città Eterna (eternal city), and Limen Apostolorum (the threshold of the apostles).
Some proverbs about the Eternal City:
* When in Rome, do as the Romans do. * All roads lead to Rome.
* Rome wasn't built in a day.
During its long history, Rome has always had a scarcity of native inhabitants, so by tradition a "true" Roman is one whose family has lived in Rome for no fewer than 7 generations: this is the original "Romano de Roma"
Piazza Navona is a square in Rome. The piazza follows the plan of an ancient Roman circus, the 1st century Stadium of Domitian, where the Romans came to watch the games : today's name stems from the corruption of the latter in in agone. Defined as a square in the last years of 15th century, when the city market was transferred here from the Campidoglio, Piazza Navona is now the pride of Baroque Rome. It has sculptural and architectural creations: by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, the famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi in the center; by Francesco Borromini
The traditional market was moved in 1869 to Campo de' Fiori, but the square has also a traditional role in housing theatrical and costume shows, horse races, buffalo jousts.
Campo de' Fiori is an informal rectangular piazza near Piazza Navona in Rome, on the edge of rione Parione . Campo de' Fiori means "field of flowers", a reminder of its nature as a grassy space in the Middle Ages. A "Flora", a woman loved by Pompey, who built his theater close to the square, is probably imaginary: the name is medieval rather than ancient.