The year that was 2010

Well there's a lot of new things coming next year for this funny little blog of mine - a new archive website, new advanced features and blog design, some great film projects and loads of new images. Looking back on it, 2010 was the most productive year I've had to date with over x4 major video installations, x85 single channel works, Arts Victoria money money money, a short film, 8 new short screenplays, one new feature-length screenplay, the first 15 minutes of Darklands, a few journal articles, and 3D versions of all of my major works since 2007. So thanks for dropping by and looking at my stuff. We had over 4000 page views this month alone - don't you people have anything better to do? :) so keep on coming back in 2011, the fun stuff is about to begin...  To kick off 2011, I've got a few curated screenings in Berlin then its off to the USA for an exhibition, then a pretty big 3D shoot in February to be filmed at RMIT.

All the best for the New Year, love to everyone - Shaun.

Uber memoria XI Redux

These two pictures show the final output of Uber memoria XI now in 2.40 format (the single channel version) with the complimentary 3D version above. Now I have to go buy some 3D glasses to see what all this stuff looks like. Im calling this Uber memoria XI Redux because Latin seemed to work for Coppola.

Uber memoria 3D

I was playing with After Effects today and converted some Uber memoria 1-30 works to 3D. Had a thought, why not go back and have a go at converting the Uber series and installations to 3D as companion pieces? So here are some quick examples... Im presuming if you wear 3D glasses whilst looking online that the effect will work (don't have any myself). p.s the new Uber installation thats almost finished (funded by Arts Victoria) will be in 3D. I see you.

New Work

Have been busy with a lot of production the past 6 weeks. Last Man on Earth is coming along, the next Uber installation is about to wrap and the Darklands trailers are being handed over for delivery tomorrow. Here's a sneak peak at some new Darkland's footage - shot the first 15 mins of the film using two DSLRs and a greenscreen as a dry run for the real thing. Hope you like them.

VFX Breakdown for Last Man on Earth Preview

I've been making a lot of weather effects for plate shots recently for the Last Man on Earth works and the Darklands trailer redo. Here is a before and after breakdown using RED footage and a sky replacement using material I shot last month. Its a 2K timeline in After Effects; the snow was made in particular. From here I'll post more shots as they come through of the composited elements that will go into the beach both in the water and on the sand.

My Acting Debut

Oh yes, I'm the lead actor in a new short film coming out soon titled The Vampire Monologues. Here's a sneak peak at what can only be said as the greenscreen curtain being more convincing than the acting. Thanks to the Dream Team for crewing for me, only the best. We filmed it on the JVC 201 at 720p with a 35mm ZF prime lens. The next two shorts Stake and Ear are to follow soon and gaurenteed to be even worse. I'll be in my trailer if you need me.

Last Man on Earth

Last Man on Earth is the companion piece for the next Uber series staring... me! It's about a quarter finished but was shot on a RED for the epic wide shots and the rest to be filmed in two weeks will be shot on a 550D. I'm starting to get into filming works partially on a RED then back fill on a DSLR - hey, its cheaper:) This work will lead directly into pioneering a workflow that can shoot Saturn Rising when I can get a hold of a RED again, theres just nothing that can come close to 4K. P.S - Tammy is starting a VFX business on line selling stock and CG media, some great products to come...

Uber memoria XIII

Work has begun on the next Uber work, a 21 channel video installation funded by Arts Victoria. Will post more images when they are ready. I've shot most of this on a RED but will delivered at 1080p with some 550D footage combined. A bit of fun, stay tuned...

My Favorite Matte Painting

Heres another matte painting from the 3rd Darklands trailer. Its one of my favorite ones I've done so far. Am slowly getting over my flu so should be back in work mode in the next few days.

Arts Victoria grant!

I got another Arts Victoria grant this week to make the next Uber Memoria installation (21 channels). All of us have flu at home so no time to celebrate yet. It will be shot of a RED during (I think) September and filming a lot of greenscreen shots on the large soundstage I hired the Darklands trailer. Will post more when I'm back on board.

Trailer 3 of Darklands (in progress)

Here's a still from the third and final Darklands trailer in progress. For those tech heads out there I'm working on a super anamorphic 2K timeline with 4K footage in AE. Should have all three done very soon. Thanks to all the emails over the last two weeks about the films, its going to be an exciting time. And if anyone wants to give me $45,000aud (100% tax credit) then let me know so I can complete stage 2!

Greenscreen shoot today

We did some test shooting today using a 5D and a HD201 in the studio. We had never used the Canon before so it yielded some interesting results when comparing 720P and the 35mm sensor images. While the 5D is certainly no RED, it does have a lot of advantages in post workflows and comes up with a great looking image. The before and after pics are of Cat, they're a bit rough but will tweak more in AE to correct a few mistakes in the spill etc and lively the image up a bit. Thanks to everyone today who made it possible!

Darklands Trailer Nearing Completion

The Darklands trailers are still in progress as you can see above. Had a few tech issues with a 4K red timeline on my old mac that can just handle a 720 HDV workflow! (work out the spec maths here), not to mention learning advanced AE on the go (and the multitude of mistakes), still plugging away but very close to finishing soon. Its going to be worth the wait when its all done.

More from Uber Memoria 61-100

Some more un-screened takes from the 2007 Uber shoots redone in AE with VFX lighting etc. The new stuff I'm about to film soon will (in most cases) will invite the actors back from these early shoots into the same poses but framed in different locations so its more or less a continuum of the idea of remixing memory through the image. The shot above is Krystal near the wreck of the Australian WW1 warship Cerberus.

Uber Memoria 61-100 (Series 7)

First images from Uber Memoria 61-100. This new suite is comprised of 40 new works shot in 2007 and 2010. Returning to the old series format earlier this month, I found this sequence of footage I shot in a dilapidated house in Woodend, Victoria around late 2007. These were captured after a shoot I was doing for a friend and by the off chance just after we wrapped I asked the makeup artist to stand in for a few uber styled frames. The room was filled with rat poo and possum pee so it was in a pretty discussing state. And look what happened...

More from Golden Winters

One of the things I was unhappy with from the Uber Memoria X suite was the limited scope of how I could light and play around with each part, as the uniform blue scheme had to hold up throughout the works in order to get the type of effect I wanted. Bringing these types of shots back to daylight again allowed me to be more faithful to the German source paintings and talk directly to that particular reference point. Here are some more pics from the first suite, hope you like them. Had a few questions this week about workflows, I'm cutting in a 720p FCP timeline then exporting out as an XML to AE for grading with Film Magic Pro, lighting with Optical Flares 1.2 and adding airborne particles with Particular.

Gothic Memoria X: Golden Winters

These are the first pics from the new Gothic Memoria X: Golden Winters series. They are created from takes I didn't use from the Uber Memoria X shoots in October-November 2008. There will be six suites of ten works each (eg. GM X-XVI) and locate a lot of new and old footage together that references late 18th century German Romanticist paintings in context to a Gothic sublime. These are created in lead up to Saturn Memoria beach and landscape shots I'm filming on green screen next week. Its nice to be working with Dr Phil, Cat and Sarah again... (Andrew shot these images by the way when I was on the sailing ship - pictured centre left - with the A Cam).

More from Golden Summers...

Some more stills from the Golden Summers series. There are a total of x30 new works in the suite, have finished all of the sequences today and rendering out (now) in AE but will take about a week to compile at 32 bit. Filming some scenes in my new feature called 'Saturn Rising' starting next week using greenscreen and 720p (nice and simple) and syncing the sound for the Darklands trailer as well, both of the trailers are due at the end of the month. Expect a lot of new things coming over the next few weeks...

Uber Memoria XII: Golden Summers

Over the next few weeks I'm reworking some of the never before seen footage from the early 2007 Uber Memoria shoots to be compiled into the next Uber series titled 'Uber Memoria XII: Golden Summers' based on the Australian Impressionists work around the same name. I'm quite excited to be revisiting some great footage that I never had time to finish. All of the Uber, Gothic, and Nocturnus series created between 2007-2010 are also being re-mastered into 32 bit on Blu Ray release with a few new additional features added along the way. Will post more pics as they come through...

Its Done: Uber Memoria XI

Uber Memoria XI: A Far Cry From Nowhere is available on DVD today, here are some stills...

New Short Film: A Far Cry from Nowhere

Here's a sneak peak at my new short film 'A Far Cry from Nowhere'. Its the single channel variant based on the Uber Memoria XI video installation, and staring among others Tim (above), the best Australian emerging actor in the making!

New Video Works

I'm putting the finishing touches on my new 5 channel video installation and single channel works 'Uber Memoria XI'. Its the continuum of the wider Uber project. This was funded by the Australia Council late last year and should be showing in galleries in late 2010 onwards. Will post some stills once its mastered onto DVD.

Somethings Coming...

Just a taste of what's next...

New Screening in Berlin

Shaun Wilson (2008-10) Gothic memoria (redux) 1-30: #24, HD video, sound, colour, 1:00 min.

'Gothic Memoria 1-30'
6th International Berlin Director's Lounge
Meinblau Art House, Berlin
11.02.10 - 21.02.10
weblink

Im screening 'Gothic Memoria 1-30' at the Meinblau Art House in Berlin next week. Check out
the program when its released.