[vimeo video_id=”15709495″ width=”700″ height=”525″ title=”Yes” byline=”Yes” portrait=”Yes” autoplay=”No” loop=”No” color=”00adef”]

The above video is just a quick clip of the spectacular projection mapping on the side of the IAC building that was exhibited for the Vimeo Festival + Awards in New York City this past weekend.

I think it’s safe to say that Vimeo truly came of age during these past few days.  Vimeo has long been a vibrant community of many of the most talented filmmaker and creatives from around the world that come to share their work with one another online.   One of the most important things that has distinguished this community from other video communities – is not only the high caliber of the average member, but also the overwhelmingly constructive/positive feedback they share with one another.

I have to say that what I witnessed this past week was very special – VERY special.   It was in a way witnessing the birth of an online/electronic community – into a new form of sorts: basically from online to real life.  People were invited from around the world to meet one another, and to hear some of the top Vimeo members share their films/shorts/animation and their ideas.  We were also invited to the Vimeo headquarters and met the people behind Vimeo.   They are a truly special bunch.

If there’s one word I would use to describe the Vimeo Festival + Awards – it would be CLASS.   The space was fantastic.  The stage and rear project in the main lobby was gorgeous.  The technology behind many of the displays and the lobby reminded me of going to visit Google – and at times exceeded it with gorgeous design.  The virtual iPhone app was impressive.  The party was a blast – I’ve been to almost 100 of these parties over the years and it takes a lot to impress me… this one stood far above the rest.  The awards ceremony was complete with red carpet and paparazzi.  It was one of the coolest I’ve ever seen (with more projection mapping) and the bling was one that I’d be proud to earn someday – gorgeous trophies!  And as you can see from the video above – what a way to finish the festival: the video projection mapping on the side of the IAC building was spectacular.   Basically – the attention to detail was phenomenal.  And nothing I’ve ever seen from the FIRST one of these for any group/company.   I an everyone who attended are already hoping there will be one next year and for many thereafter.  If it happens – I highly recommend you attend.  It’s well worth the cross country trip – let alone a flight from abroad.

Here’s a more recent video from Blake Whitman:

[vimeo video_id=”15789530″ width=”700″ height=”525″ title=”Yes” byline=”Yes” portrait=”Yes” autoplay=”No” loop=”No” color=”00adef”]

I’ve been a bit effusive here – but I have to give it to Vimeo – they hit this one way way way out of the ballpark.  Grand Slam for sure.   Congrats everyone on the Vimeo team!

Read on to see embedded videos of Saturday night’s winners!  (These are the winners picked out of 6,500 entries from around the world!) Read the rest of this entry »

In case you were unable to attend the PhotoCine Expo last weekend -or- if you simply couldn’t attend since you were located on the opposite coast – I wanted to bring to your attention two other Expos happening in NYC.  The first is Photo Plus (Oct 28th-30th), an international photography conference, at which I am giving two lectures – one on HDDSLR cinematography (Oct. 28th) and another on Online video sharing (Oct. 30th). The other is Shoot NYC (pictured left), an educational photography forum that is hosted by Broncolor and Hasselblad in New York City on October 28th and 29th.  I will be giving a workshop at this expo that is more in depth than either of my Photo Plus lectures.

However, unlike PhotoCine, which was geared toward a smaller group of people with a film/video background, this workshop will be for a group of 50 students who come from a traditional photography background and are interested in making the leap to cinematography and directing.

Here is a short breakdown of what the workshop will offer (from www.shoot-nyc.com):

The first third of each 4 hour course will focus on Vincent’s personal transition from shooting stills as an editorial photographer for The New York Times and eventually as a commercial photographer to ultimately transitioning into Directing and DPing Commercials, TV Pilots and short films for clients around the globe.

Vincent will share some of his more successful images and videos from the past decade and the stories behind them – in many cases discussing the films shot by shot to help photographers gain a better understanding of the technology, techniques and styles prevalent in the film industry today.

Read the rest of this entry »

[vimeo video_id=”13762496″ width=”400″ height=”300″ title=”Yes” byline=”Yes” portrait=”Yes” autoplay=”No” loop=”No” color=”00adef”]

I received the above video in my inbox the other day and on the whole I was very impressed with it.  Obviously, the filmmaker, Dan Blank, is extremely talented and well versed in both production and post-production.  His video is well conceived and executed – and the effects work is really nice to boot!  You can see how everything came together for Dan in his extremely well put together making of video below.  For those of you who have never seen how plates are shot or how green screen is composited, Dan’s video is extremely enlightening.

[vimeo video_id=”13774835″ width=”400″ height=”300″ title=”Yes” byline=”Yes” portrait=”Yes” autoplay=”No” loop=”No” color=”00adef”]

However, one thing that really caught my attention was how Dan told me that he produced this entire video for around $2,000.00.  And I don’t doubt that he did – Dan pointed out that he spent countless of his own hours and was fortunate enough to have much of his crew volunteer their time.  Not to mention – as evidenced in the above video – he was smart about the way he executed things and gave everything some definite forethought.

So while it’s not my intention to make an example out of Dan – he did a killer job – I must use this opportunity to raise my concerns over something that I have noticed in this industry (and to be very fair –  something that I myself have been guilty of myself in the past!  See below… also pls note I asked Dan if it was OK to use him as an example in this discussion and he was gracious enough to oblige.)

Read the rest of this entry »