Need for more?

[XCess]

Currentyl, camera tutorials cover only the basics (as far as i know). My question is this: Would there be any interest in a new camera tutorial, one with some cinematography tips, advice on how to best use each command etc.
I'm thinking of creating a new camerascripting (and cinematography) tutorial, but before I commit myself to it I would like to know how well recieved it will be.

[macguba]

XCess I'm delighted you are thinking of writing a tutorial and I hope you do it.  However, before you do, allow me to put on my Editors Depot Admin hat and make a couple of requests.

Firstly, don't reinvent the wheel.  If you're writing a tute don't just cover the same ground as other tutorials already cover.  Make it new - there are acres of OFP editing where there are no tutorials at all.

Secondly, if you do want to reinvent the wheel, do it properly.    Study all the existing relevant tutorials, identify what is good, what is bad, where the overlaps are and where the gaps are.    Then write a comprehensive guide that covers everything.  Your new tute should be miles better than not only all of the existing ones, but all of the existing ones put together.  Yours should make all the others totally obsolete.  

Always include demos and examples as appropriate.  A demo mission is frequently of as much benefit as the tute itself.    Check the grammar and spelling and post it on the Resources Beta testing board before submitting it to the Ed Depot.

Thank you.


Edit:  I posted this elsewhere first then saw this thread.    IIRC correctly we have nothing on cinematography so that would be brilliant.     snYpir and messiah covered the basics pretty well and I don't think there is much need to cover that ground again.

If you want to write a tute, just write it.    The people who will most appreciate it have not yet even discovered this board, or even OFPEC.

[XCess]

Thanks for the tips mac, all noted. I'm thinking of going above and beyond what has already been done. Tips on good camera angles and such, rather than how to do it, I'm going to do a how to do it and how to do it good.

I will download all the tutorials avaialable, study them, maybe even go through them myself and see whether there it would be approprate to create a new (and hopefully better) tutorial.

Thanks again.
If anyone else has any comment, I'd be pleased to hear them, what would you like to see in the tutorial etc.

[General Barron]

A great idea! Makes me think back to the film genres class I took back in highschool. I'd include advice on the subtle emotional effects of various camera angles. E.g: A close up, low shot looking up at a person gives the impression that they are powerful. I believe this is called cinematography? Or maybe directing? Anyway, a google search on filmmaking should turn up some good tips.

Most OFP cutscenes tend to be bland, with the camera usually positioned high in the air and far away from the scene. It makes sense to have lots of these if you are flying a camera around in the air (via camera.sqs), but compared to 'real' movies, where most of the time the camera is close to the ground (at human level), it looks a bit odd.

I'd also discuss incorporating sound and music into a cutscene for dramatic effect.

Looking forward to the tut.

[XCess]

That's exactly the sort of thing I was goin for General Barron, and yup it is cinematography. I'm going to focus on that kind of thing but i will include a refresher course on the mechanics.