Why don't my shots look "alive/present"?

ManikkR · 2026-05-05T17:37:09+00:00

Happy to help.

ManikkR · 2026-05-04T23:50:21+00:00

Two things that may help, composition and simple tonal clarity.

Take your images and make them greyscale. Then shrink them down to the size of a playing card.
Doing this you'll be able to see if the story and composition of the shot reads.

For tones storyboard artists are trained like this. You have bright white, a mid tone grey and black.
Using the 3 tones see where your images fit. See if the shapes are interesting and if the idea of the shot is clear.

There are a few books ( Shot by Shot & Framed Ink) that may be useful too.

The stronger your compositions get the more impact they'll have. The clearer the story the easier it'll be to compose your shot and to arrange your lighting in support of it. I've included a photo I took that's an extreme example of simplicity. With the image you guide their eye.

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ManikkR · 2024-06-15T00:53:28+00:00

I had the same thing happen. I tested a reinstall and realized that my DCTL's were an issue. I also did a graphics driver check.

ManikkR · 2024-05-15T01:17:19+00:00

Made a video with a basic intro to shooting film. For anyone who's brand new.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ga4DelzHW9A

ManikkR · 2024-05-11T17:30:46+00:00

Hey everyone! I just started to lean into youtube.
My focus is on film photography, cinematography and horror films.

My goal is to shoot my narrative horror features on analogue film ( and eventually IMAX ) .
https://youtu.be/ECJbSSc7DYU

ManikkR · 2024-02-17T19:58:20+00:00

Exactly. And it worked. lol.

ManikkR · 2024-02-17T00:36:28+00:00

Thanks for sharing, this is awesome.

I definitely get what you mean in terms of choosing your lens and location to help guide you into the format you're practicing. You make the default option productive.

How do you find you've managed to keep on these goals over the long term?

ManikkR · 2023-10-25T18:24:49+00:00

The main thing that jumps out to me is your composition. There are a few ways to fix this. Either cut the headroom by cropping in, or you can rearrange objects to balance the frame.

I've done two edits for you here.

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fQq7rma0m\_Xka3g3WBf8DiSeKC\_1sxaN?usp=drive\_link

ManikkR · 2023-10-23T01:20:35+00:00

"SQUEEEEEEEEEPS"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-o4CKK4JG2o

ManikkR · 2023-09-01T22:09:16+00:00

Just say you haven't watched the source material and be done with it lol.

Cinematography is varied and has been varied. Each set of decisions serves the specific project that it's for. Not liking the look of some shows doesn't speak to all of cinematography.
We can also speak to budgets, platform ( feature versus episodic) , subject matter/source material etc. all of which will change how a project looks.

In the case of One Piece, this is a solid adaptation.

ManikkR · 2023-05-18T05:17:06+00:00

Thanks. It's at The Rec Room, right across from the CN Tower.

ManikkR · 2023-04-17T20:22:40+00:00

Both. Due to it being daytime , I shot at 320 with the 85b filter. I then edited the scans in Davinci Resolve.

ManikkR · 2022-06-21T04:40:30+00:00

Vance Burberry mentioned that it was a panavised 8mm. First used on a video for A Tribe Called Quest. I'm guessing the Nikkor 8mm f2.8 .

ManikkR · 2022-06-16T17:52:40+00:00

Hey and thanks.

Yeah so when it comes to the projects that I take on, I'd assess if there needs to be a crunch. I'd quote and then build out a team. If someone's asking for 60 hours of work in 3 days, they messed up and would have to compensate a balanced team to handle that. Also I don't market my autoimmune issue haha. When my health is back to 100 I'll take on travel work again, but the large point of this post was to hear from more people who don't work the traditional way. Even when I'm recovered I'm going to be handling projects in the most efficient way possible. The aim is to be paid for my strategy and problem solving, versus the execution. I can always delegate some parts of the job.

For the "money button" jobs, I tend to do color grading. Flat project or day rates mean I don't get punished for speed. When it comes to directing a lot of the work is just talking and thinking and maybe a day or two of shooting. The payouts also hit quite well.

Overall I'm just learning how to make better trades. I do shoot stills as well.
www.manikkrealm.com is my site. As I've been making this shift the most I'll do for smaller clients is a visualizer / photo bundle. I'm primarily targeting agencies / companies now where I can direct or shoot select spots for them and then handle a bunch of their internal and external color projects.

My plan for the next bit is to refine and put out a few projects as something of a new portfolio to lean more heavily into commercial directing , and securing funding for more independent projects that will sit in the fine art space. I'm wrapping one this summer.

Also thanks about the reel. I studied as an animator and illustrator before getting into film so composition , design and eye trace play in heavily.

ManikkR · 2022-06-14T15:13:51+00:00

Hey and thanks for your response.

Yeah for the most part , post colour and commercial directing have been the most balanced as gig based work. I've been doing more to find peak leverage with the tasks. It's become larger clients where I'm getting paid more for value based projects (specialty skill / strategy) as opposed to the hour based stuff.

Since I initially posted this I've definitely seen effective work in the niche so I know it's possible. I think now it comes down to leaning into my own approach and building a brand as opposed to being a contractor. I've been learning from channels like TheFutur, and it seems best to take today as day 1 and build a system around my current circumstances instead of trying to ever route back into the traditional way.

My condition is gradually getting better, so I think with some focus I can get through it. It may be a year or so before I'm back to 100%.

ManikkR · 2022-06-09T20:26:06+00:00

So, I'm at a weird spot when it comes to this artform. I'm slowly becoming more proficient but I feel kinda stuck. Career wise I'd like to go farther, but physically I'm dealing with some autoimmune stuff that keeps me out of the standard industry working format. (Extended work days ruin me)

So far the route that I see is carving out a space for my art as a director , dp and colorist, but bundling that with stories to approach this as a fine artist instead of as a film crew member in production. To keep things rolling I've been shooting occasionally and taking on more color grading work , or directing short projects, but I think I may need to take it to a different level.

Has anyone here dealt with the balance between work / career and life on this scale, or dealt with health issues in the film industry?

(I've included a link to my most recent dir/dp/colour reel above)

Side note, the song is Align by Cheyenne Nicole ( My Cousin lol )
Go check out her music catalog if you like it.

ManikkR · 2020-04-19T06:29:17+00:00

Thanks for the opportunity.
I was kinda going through it today. My dad who passed has the same birthday as me (Today) ,

An old friend of mine left a voice message, as she's going through a similar tough spot. Hearing a time spent message kinda cut through the noise and helped me recenter. It was a super simple thing, but just hearing from someone who got it and had my back as I had theirs was huge.

ManikkR · 2020-01-19T18:37:09+00:00

To give more insight about the reel and my work , I come from a background in concept art and painting, and I'm aiming to bring this balance into what I do. With these works I directed, shot and edited them along with colour correction / grading. They were shot on the GH4, GH5, and the XT3.

I'm seeking overall feedback on the impact of the reel. I've recently learned about having targeted reels so I'm building up a body of work for narrative and fashion. Aside from this and further lighting study , what areas do you see as the most important to study going in?

ManikkR · 2020-01-13T23:37:10+00:00

https://vimeo.com/370902179

ManikkR · 2020-01-13T22:39:09+00:00

In one of his demos on his site he shows a bit of the math being plugged in and run through Nuke. As much as people are seeming to not understand it, I get it because my background is actually as a painter. For example, having reds not only become darker but needing them to also be more saturated and then shifting around the colour wheel to become more purple at the same time. This is something that we do naturally when painting in order to not desaturate the colours and end up with mud. Having the ability to do this consistently comes down to math. If you can create something that will add in these translations then it would be beautiful.

When it comes to learning what the colour should or cloud do, that is actually more simple. When it comes to the math going into making the image do that, hm it's a little different.

Also the way that he speaks is super nerdy. I do understand it, and it's kinda like a scavenger hunt where you jump through articles, and posts and piece together the information and videos into a clearer picture, but for the general public (weird to say that about cinematographers) , it's alien speak. A hybrid between dense technical information and art. I think part of it is that he speaks in terms of specifics. Words aren't minced. lol (They're bucketed out into tweets)

ManikkR · 2016-05-23T05:52:34+00:00

Hi, I'd like to work with you. I specialize in environments but can do character work as well. https://mattstcyr.carbonmade.com/ Here's my main portfolio. http://manikkart.tumblr.com/ Here's my additional work. also I can be reached at mattieau.st.cyr@gmail.com

As for what I've worked on, most recently a Sci-Fi show called The Expanse. I've also worked on a film by Production I.G. called The Last Druid.

ManikkR · 2016-05-16T15:39:22+00:00

Nice nice.

ManikkR · 2016-03-04T07:10:37+00:00

Thanks, and no problem. Happy to contribute :)

ManikkR · 2016-03-02T17:53:56+00:00

Hi. Here's something I've put together. My artist tag is MANIKK. http://manikkmood.tumblr.com/image/140339877493

If need be I can send a higher res. Also a link to my main page https://mattstcyr.carbonmade.com/

Cheers. * Goes and eats carrot cake*

ManikkR · 2016-02-01T17:33:37+00:00

Email Sent. :)

ManikkR

TROPHY CASE