lo-fi video thread

Guido · Post by **Guido** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 7:48 pm

pianoforte and me have been private messaging about lo-fi video camcorders and recordings for a while. I thought it would be better to communicate about this overtly in a public thread so other people can join the fun so here it is. pianoforte has created a number of threads related to this subject but here is a new, general thread.

I bought a lo-fi camcorder about a month ago (it's a Samsung device from around 2001/2002) and I've been having loads of fun with it.

Here are two video's I already recorded:

And here is something I compiled based on footage from a VHS tape of an old and obscure science fiction movie:

The video's I recorded myself comprise slowed-down footage of highways as you can see. In combination with the ambient music I think this yields a fantastic effect. I'm still experimenting with creating footage of various things in combination with various sound tracks, and I will use this topic to post any new stuff from me. Feel welcome to do the same.

pianoforte · Post by **pianoforte** » Sun Jan 20, 2013 11:17 pm

It begins...

I haven't transferred much of my work yet, but I intend to do so soon - I have the proper equipment; now all I need is time.

Here is some of what has been transferred already:

Cat - VHS (an experiment with my new VHS camcorder)
Alone/City Lights/Evening (filmed in November, I think, on MiniDV, then transferred to VHS for that extra bit of lo-fi beauty)

Any thoughts?

polar sky · Post by **polar sky** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 2:58 pm

Been recording some things (Music and Visuals) on VHS as well. Mainly with this beast:

Mid 80s Zenith

It has a manual knob for tracking, which can be manipulated real time during a recording. You can get some really cool visuals and sounds.

Bought a Composite to USB adapter so I can hook up to VCR to my computer. I plan on putting some stuff up soon. Been using one of those gigantic VHS Camcorders from the 80s too. But for sound, recording directly to that Zenith, it's sounds so good. Tracking and Tape Hiss.

fujee · Post by **fujee** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 3:31 pm

Yeah, I can't post much currently as its a work in process but i will certainly be contributing to this thread more often

harpoon dodger · Post by **harpoon dodger** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 6:09 pm

polar sky wrote:Been recording some things (Music and Visuals) on VHS as well. Mainly with this beast:

Mid 80s Zenith

It has a manual knob for tracking, which can be manipulated real time during a recording. You can get some really cool visuals and sounds.

Bought a Composite to USB adapter so I can hook up to VCR to my computer. I plan on putting some stuff up soon. Been using one of those gigantic VHS Camcorders from the 80s too. But for sound, recording directly to that Zenith, it's sounds so good. Tracking and Tape Hiss.

Now THAT sir, is one impressive VCR. Badass.

pianoforte · Post by **pianoforte** » Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:32 pm

harpoon dodger wrote:Now THAT sir, is one impressive VCR. Badass.

bearhead · Post by **bearhead** » Tue Jan 22, 2013 12:54 am

harpoon dodger wrote:Now THAT sir, is one impressive VCR. Badass.

Patryk Ludamage · Post by **Patryk Ludamage** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 1:35 pm

aged sea · Post by **aged sea** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:40 pm

I'm not sure my video qualifies. It's certainly lo-fi. I was trying to mimic a video I saw of Brian Eno in the studio in the 70s. (song is mine too).

fujee · Post by **fujee** » Wed Jan 23, 2013 7:54 pm

Posted this a while back, my first foray into lo fi tape video art sorta thing haha

pianoforte · Post by **pianoforte** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:11 am

Patryk Ludamage wrote:

All right, I know I'll get flamed for this, but this guy is every bit as good as Boards of Canada, IMHO.

fujee wrote:Posted this a while back, my first foray into lo fi tape video art sorta thing haha

I remember this... really nice!

polar sky · Post by **polar sky** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 2:15 am

Patryk Ludamage wrote:

Great work!

fujee · Post by **fujee** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:34 am

Are you guys more into appropriation of footage, or actually recording footage yourselves? I think both are really interesting.

polar sky · Post by **polar sky** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 1:38 pm

fujee wrote:Are you guys more into appropriation of footage, or actually recording footage yourselves? I think both are really interesting.

Recording originals with a VHS camcorder then minipulating it with a VCR.

pianoforte · Post by **pianoforte** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:17 pm

fujee wrote:Are you guys more into appropriation of footage, or actually recording footage yourselves? I think both are really interesting.

Depends on the project and context. I like both. I once made a really neat music video for Kid For Today using a yoga-instruction VHS tape from 1990.

fujee · Post by **fujee** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 5:21 pm

Thats cool man, you got it uploaded anywhere?

Can you guys splice VHS well? I tried its so hard..

GH · Post by GH » Thu Jan 24, 2013 6:29 pm

I used to be well into shooting onto VHS and then shooting the footage playback on the screen slightly off tune, and so forth.
At the time VHS wasn't that old though.

Patryk Ludamage wrote:

Music by Ya islandskij pochtal'on - Sleep

Oh man, can anyone tell me more about the artist responsible for the music here?

fujee · Post by **fujee** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 7:01 pm

My friend has a really awesome camera called pixelvision. They aren't made anymore, they were quite big in the 80s apparently? But the coolest thing is you record onto audio cassette! He had it fitted with a digital converter so he can get his stuff onto the computer.

edit: here is an example:

Patryk Ludamage · Post by **Patryk Ludamage** » Thu Jan 24, 2013 9:52 pm

GH wrote:
Patryk Ludamage wrote:

Music by Ya islandskij pochtal'on - Sleep
Oh man, can anyone tell me more about the artist responsible for the music here?

That was the only track in it's alias as this guy told me by himself.
He's working in another direction now (not lo-fi)

pianoforte · Post by **pianoforte** » Sun Jan 27, 2013 7:17 pm

I took a page from the Book Of Guido and recorded a video of a rainy cityscape at night. It turned out really well, but the resulting file is too big to upload to YouTube. I'll share it once I can transcode it to MKV or some other format.