Welcome to Michael’s blog. Michael Andrew, (aka Michael The Maven) is a freelance producer, photography instructor, tech innovator, and when needed, disaster aid specialist. Disclaimer: Michael is a participant in Bhphoto & Amazon affiliate programs that provides an advertising commission if you purchase through links on this website.
I had high hopes for Ghost in the shell. Beautifully shot. Seriously I thought the set design and lighting was excellent, but some of the framing was just way off. Another problem was the editing and some of the writing. It was far too long, and Major became far more vulnerable as the story went on. It felt like a combination of Blade Runner, Kill Bill and Black Rain, only not as half as good as any of them.
I’d say skip it in theaters, and only a DVD rental if you are really bored on a weekend.
This is a humorous video released by Photo Gear News. They were at the Photography Show and did a little poll. How you pronounce “Bokeh”?
It’s funny because I have heard it pronounced so many different ways; bow-kay, bow-kah, boo-kah, bok-ah, etc. Since it is, in fact, a Japanese word, they offer some clarification at the end of the video via a Japanese speaking person.
Aspiring filmmaker and photographer Vugar Efendi created this video by comparing film clips to the historical events that inspired them. It’s a wonderful idea and the result is an interesting perspective on how movie’s can bring snippets of history and bring them to life. The snippets bring understanding about history but movie’s bring out the humanity of these moments and people.
Be sure to check out Vugar’s website to check out his photography HERE
Hayley Morris is the creative force behind the full service stop-motion and hand-drawn animation studio Shape & Shadow. They’ve done commercial work for such well-known brands as McDonald’s and fashion designer Kate Spade (among others).
Now she’s teamed up with the post-rock band ‘Explosions In The Sky‘ to create their very first music video. The band has been around for 18 years and gave Hayley nearly 100% creative control. Her only direction was the phrase “wilderness of the mind”.
Above is a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the video. Below is the actual video. Enjoy!
You’d expect exactly this kind of simple but ingenious creative thinking from a small and youthful production company. Brazil-based Space Criative released this super quick and fun idea. Hand-holding a drone gives enough stabilization to offer a nice, albeit not perfect, cinematic effect.
This is a behind-the-scenes look at how this short video of a young couple was made. It’s literally just a videographer following them around with a drone in hand. The effect is surprisingly professional and might be the inspiration you need to get moving on your next project. Check it out above.
I had high hopes for Ghost in the shell. Beautifully shot. Seriously I thought the set design and lighting was excellent, but some of the framing was just way off. Another problem was the editing and some of the writing. It was far too long, and Major became far more vulnerable as the story went on. It felt like a combination of Blade Runner, Kill Bill and Black Rain, only not as half as good as any of them. 
