BIG NEWS!!!!

Stay posted, watch this space. Big news is about to drop!

//S

Matt and Kim Video Nominated for MTV VMA

This just in: Matt & Kim’s Lessons Learned is nominated for Best Breakthrough Music Video for the MTV Video Music Awards.

As some you know I worked on the video with the super awesome directors Otto Arsenault and Taylor Cohen.  What a honor to be a part of it ! Now lets hope we take it all the way.

2009 MTV Video Music Awards Otto Arsenault Taylor Cohen best breakthrough video matt & kim music video sweden vfx

Daniel Shapiro joins SMI

Daniel Shapiro is a twenty-four year old film student from Cleveland, Ohio.  He began his industry explorations in 2005 as a production assistant on NBC’s “Kidnapped” in New York. Since that time, Daniel has made commercials for local restaurants in his home town, created and worked on countless short films, worked as a production assistant for the Speed Channel and VH-1, music videos for The Black Keys, Ringworm and Steve Flaughers (whose video ‘Wish Upon You’ reached a top 20 spot on CMT), and continues to grow in the areas of screenwriting and directing. Currently, Daniel is in Los Angeles, focusing his efforts on assistant directing a feature film test shoot with director and visual effects wunderkind, Steven Ilous. When not engaged in the filmmaking process, Daniel works as a freelance photographer, with a focus on portrait work, film shoots, local fashion shows and concerts, primarily for J Dub Records.

- written by: Chris Luckey

Daniel Shapiro SMI Entertainment Inc.

The Colorist: Part Duex

Yesterday, I completed color correction on the music video I am directing “TOXIC IS DEAD” The amazing Paul Bronkar was our colorist, who is currently working on Disney’s return to 2D movies ”The Princess and the Frog”. He also recently wrapped on the movie adaptation of the hilarious book “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell”. It was an honor and privilege to work with Paul. Please check out his work HERE.

We approached the color session by creating an overall palette to the piece. Selecting tones that evoke the right emotion, letting footage really “develop” its self. It was slightly experimental, but to expensive to just play all day. Once that was done, we quickly moved into some details pulling out certain elements that enhance the story, or better yet repairing shots that are noisy or remove unwanted color elements. Its amazing how much can be done with colorists.

While I was working, I realized how important it is to screen anything you do on a large format screens. It really gives you a sense of depth and how to populate the scene to draw in the audience. From now on it doesn’t matter what it is,  I will make all my creative decisions based off a theatre screenings a.k.a DAILYS.

Color timing in a theatre is an amazing experience. The facility was top of the line with a PABLO 4K realtime color corrector, a Sony 4K Projector, 20ft Screen, 7.1 B&W speakers. All in all their just tools, really nice tools, all to produce the best product with no delay, what you see and hear is what the audience sees and hears.

I will follow this blog up with the Post Production house, specifically the most exciting one in LA right now, LIGHTIRON.

Toxic Avenger Toxic is Dead Post Production 4K Colorist Paul Bronkar The making of Directing

The Colorist.

Color Correction, Color Artist, Grader, basically its that guy that makes your film, commercial, music video go from looking like DV camera footage to the Lord of the Rings.

In all seriousness, A Colorist will ensure visual continuity with in your piece. For example some shots have different exposures or color tones, these need to be balanced so shot to shot feels connected as the same time or place.

However technical color correction sounds, its actually quite an art form. The best color artists in the industry understand the psychology behind color and use it to invoke a mood or guide your eye toward the important information.

Enough with the talking, its visual a medium so heres a little eye candy from our buddy Jason Stratham ( Thank you for a killer 4th of July Party ).

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

I hope that was a nice introductory to the art of the colorist. More to come on this subject as I will be working with the super talented and accomplished colorist Paul Bronkar on the “Toxic is Dead” music video.

S.

post production, colorist

Toxic Avenger Music Video: Teaser Pt.2

On set Photo taken by: Caesar Sebastain. Directed by Steven Ilous

"Creative Grab Bag"

In the Spring of 2008, I made a really cool piece that will be appearing in a forthcoming book called “Creative Grab Bag”.  You have to check it out. First time my artwork will be published.

Originally titled, “The Grab Bag Book”, curator Ethan Bodnar made a list of many different things that he then hand-picked for invited makers. People from all over the world contributed to make this book a reality.

The book is due out in August of this year by HOW Books, one of Simon Schusters diggs. It can now be pre-ordered on Amazon.com! More to come on this! (special thanks to Ethan!) - SMI

Toxic Avenger Music Video: Teaser Image

I just finished shooting a music video for the french electro artist, TOXIC AVENGER. The photo was taken by the on set photographer Caesar Sebastain . More to come soon. Watch this space. S.