Is there any question? It's so obvious. My question is why? I know he's a world class hypocrite and fraud, but just fly out to Calif and pretend like the rest of the GOP.

gop tool

Lighting and reflections are one issue, but they were issues when we landed on the moon too

Do I smell some lunar CT here !? just asking ;)

I think the film aspect of him lurking in the background with low lighting speaks way more than her 'green screen' what's with the shot where he's reflected in the table while they show her hands holding the mug. Aren't these scenes in horror movies? Ad that to the surreal Disney music and it's a Tim Burton moment.

The perspective on the WS does look off. Can't tell too much by the lighting since it is common to light the foreground separately from the background. But, either way it doesn't tell us much about anything.

OF COURSE Al Franken lived in New York... HE WORKED IN NEW YORK!

Is Norm Coleman SO STUPID that he thinks Minnesotans will forget that?
I LIKED the response ad. I thought it was produced by Al Franken for a second there... till Coleman's name came up at the end. It's got Al's humor style nailed... and THAT's why it will FAIL MISERABLY for Coleman.

teh imortalZ @ 3:

Holy shit that response video was juvenile.

At first I thought it was Franken mocking himself at Coleman's expense. But, wow, I can't believe this is an actual attempt at a swipe at Franken. The reich-wing just keeps sinking further.....

Another thing... about the "Trash Ad."

Al Franken's people should FIND OUT where the thing was shot. That final scene does not look like the kind of neighborhood that Norm Coleman would be living in. If NOT... then they would have a real case of false advertising that might be worth some milage.

What this is playing on is the Franken Playboy thing. Franken writes porn, while Coleman is a family man who drinks regular coffe instead of lattes. He dresses like a lumber jack and takes out the garbage like a regular American, instead of having an elite butler do it for him like all of those rich, elitist Democrats. I was waiting for him to start cutting sage brush with a machete.

Norm Coleman is just a joke at this point, just like Mitch McConnell.

They are hoping to avoid the big ticket run that will be all Dem on each voting ballot.

I think we are all going to be surprised at how great a senator Al is going to be.

"Lighting and reflections are one issue"

She's just a much brighter blond than him, hence the separate living arrangements...

The Franken video was obviously made by the "Fight Club" producers...they just couldn't get abNorm to actually punch himself in the face, lol, but he's kicking his campaign in the nuts pretty good here, haha.

;-}

CowBoy Bob in Austin @ 12:

OF COURSE Al Franken lived in New York... HE WORKED IN NEW YORK!

Is Norm Coleman SO STUPID that he thinks Minnesotans will forget that?
I LIKED the response ad. I thought it was produced by Al Franken for a second there... till Coleman's name came up at the end. It's got Al's humor style nailed... and THAT's why it will FAIL MISERABLY for Coleman.

Apparently he does. and, frankly, it's a pretty poor parody.

Yeah, but the real question is, does he do his own dishes? Because that, you know, would, like, maybe make more people vote for him... right?

Once again Chimp does us proud in front of our allies http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/24/bush-to-filipino-presiden_n_108...

This was discussed last week, and the video company released outtakes from the filming:

http://www.vinnysgarage.com/outtakes.html

not sure if this means anything but as :10 - :11 her coffee mug has a reflection coming from the right, while at :13 - :14 his coffee mug has a reflection coming in from the left. he is standing by a window though.

either way, her proportion is so obviously dfferent.

Ruthless People @ 28:

Once again Chimp does us proud in front of our allies http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/24/bush-to-filipino-presiden_n_108985.html

That deserves its own post here at crooks and liars. OMG!

As for Coleman, he is one of those smarmy guys that gives me the creeps. His smile is strange.

"I'm Ward Cleaver and I approve this message."

All that was missing was Wally and the Beaver. They even used the same kind of hokey music that was on the "Leave it to Beaver" soundtrack.

As a cinematographer, good get catching the flaws, you guys are pros...

It is a composite, but seems to have been designed as such, which makes it bizarre, they couldn't get the 2 of them in the same place, at the same time. If the wife had been side lit, from the kitchen window, it would have matched better, and the perspective of the big counter top gives it away.
It could have worked, with a bit more know how.The script is so weak, it doesn't matter anyway, I'm surprised such a lame concept got that far. I've shot 100 political spots, and this is way lame, on all levels.

Kathleen @ 31:

You want to get high I mean really high. Watch George Galloway destroy Senator Norm Coleman. Coleman is a disgrace and a traitor.

Watch this and enjoy
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3VHAco8y18

George Galloway mops the floor with Norm Coleman. Wish the cameras would have stayed on Coleman just for a while. Levin and Coleman sure look uncomfortable

what?!? *gasp* mrs. coleman was photoshopped into the video? but, but, isn't something like that unethical? *

* - not to mention a really, really, incompetant 'shop to boot. it's almost like the 'shopper wanted them to get caught. someone's got change coming back.

Given that it is clearly front-lit on his wife, shouldn't she and her cup o' joe cast a shadow on the counter top?

Come on, John, this kind of stuff really isn't important, the response to it WAS even sillier, but calling someone out for using green screen is really lowering the standards you've set here for so long.....again, the response was also silly, but geesh...

It's part the medium, the available technology ...so why not use it?

jon kip
los angeles

Green Screen Lives :-)

Norm Coleman spoke about "special interest" in this clip. Here is one of the special interest to whom Norm Coleman is beholden,

http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/03/16/aipac/print.html
Inside America's powerful Israel lobby

"Our commitment to Israel defines us as a nation," said Republican Norm Coleman of Minnesota, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, adding that the AIPAC lobbyists "help make sure that we don't forget."

New must watch video on the I-Lobby. They continue to push us towards a military conflict with Iran
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article20155.htm

Senator Coleman voted "yea" on the warmongering Kyl Lieberman amendment last fall.
In fact he was a co-sponsor to this bloody amendment
http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com/2007/09/kyl-lieberman-amend...

Rightwingers are not funny. They try make a living out of it, and they're called prop comics.

She was obviously green screened into the ad, but I'm not sure why they feel the need to lie about it. If they didn't have the pathological need to lie at every turn then this would be a non-issue because the issue here ISN'T the ad... it's the LYING about the ad.

Holy crap, it is a satiric posting on C&L! It looks just like a real story, only it is isn't. At least I hope this wasn't a serious posting. Kudos!

BlueIndependent @ 5:

The answer to the question is yes. The scale alone gives that away, let alone the lighting, fake turn to the right, etc.

Personally I don't see how this is an issue. They looked for a cheap way to make a commercial quickly while Coleman was away screwing things up in D.C., and they squeezed out a warm one. I guarantee 95% of the people out there will not shift their vote because of bad video technique in producing a political ad, because they won't even notice it. Few people recognize the laughable irony and stupidity of things like "tax and spend".

Colemans "wife" lives in California, he lives in DC. It becomes an issue when he lies and says they were there together.

bigbrother2084 @ 8:

I think the film aspect of him lurking in the background with low lighting speaks way more than her 'green screen' what's with the shot where he's reflected in the table while they show her hands holding the mug. Aren't these scenes in horror movies? Ad that to the surreal Disney music and it's a Tim Burton moment.

The music had a 50's Leave it to Beaver quality about it amplifying the absurd suggestion that Norm is a regular guy who takes out the garbage,as opposed to say, his Mexican Maid.

Please contribute to Al Franken so that we in Minnesota don't have to put up with that douchebag Coleman for another 6 years.

"I'm Norm Coleman, and I'm a weasel."

(You just want to be on the side that's winning... ...B. Dylan)

Lollimom @ 63:

Eagle Eye @ 53:

Thom Jeff @ 30:

This was discussed last week, and the video company released outtakes from the filming:

http://www.vinnysgarage.com/outtakes.html

They released green screened outtakes. Everything within 3 miles is reflected in the countertop except Ms. Coleman.

The first two or three frames in the outtakes do reveal a hand/cup reflection on the surface of the countertop. A poorly lit background combined with a black countertop combined with a brightly lit wife in the foreground result in a funky looking, but apparently legit, clip.

And in case you're wondering...yes, I am an expert.

Ok, but Thom Jeff just implied (#63) that your reflection defies the laws of physics.

I love the forced perspective it created. Either she was green-screened in, or he's married to Thumbelina!

I also love the compulsory little cutaway shots, showing the closeup of her coffee cup to highlight her wedding ring. Thus, pounding home the subliminal message of family values.

Marcinema @ 38:

As a cinematographer, good get catching the flaws, you guys are pros...

It is a composite, but seems to have been designed as such, which makes it bizarre, they couldn't get the 2 of them in the same place, at the same time. If the wife had been side lit, from the kitchen window, it would have matched better, and the perspective of the big counter top gives it away.
It could have worked, with a bit more know how.The script is so weak, it doesn't matter anyway, I'm surprised such a lame concept got that far. I've shot 100 political spots, and this is way lame, on all levels.

Also as a cinematographer - specializing in green screen work. It is not a composite. Just look at her edge - it's way too clean -especially her blond hair. It is a really well lit commercial no matter how bad the content.

The reflections are all in the right places for where the lights were placed - if you think the placement of the lighting is "wrong" - fine - but the reflections are where they are supposed to be.

The different perspective at the end is a function of wide angle lens combined with camera height.

Bitch about Coleman all you want - My ad (not this one) was one of the finalist is "Bush in 30 Seconds", and I have no love for anything Norm Coleman - but this spot was not a function of special effects.

Johnny2Bad @ 65:

lolarusa @ 41:

I'm sorry, but -- so what?

Exactly...So (f*cking) what is right.

Who cares?

Well, I do care that a die hard GOP asshole, who is hell bent into shoving down my throat his family "Values and standards," can not even get his own wife to share the same room even when filming a campaign commercial.

But maybe it is just me who is tired of having these assholes impose standards on other people, while they fail to even bother to try to live to those same standards.

The blue screen was the least thing on this awful commercial though...

uhm why does it matter? I guess I missed something there.

Eric Martin @ 70:

Marcinema @ 38:

As a cinematographer, good get catching the flaws, you guys are pros...

It is a composite, but seems to have been designed as such, which makes it bizarre, they couldn't get the 2 of them in the same place, at the same time. If the wife had been side lit, from the kitchen window, it would have matched better, and the perspective of the big counter top gives it away.
It could have worked, with a bit more know how.The script is so weak, it doesn't matter anyway, I'm surprised such a lame concept got that far. I've shot 100 political spots, and this is way lame, on all levels.

Also as a cinematographer - specializing in green screen work. It is not a composite. Just look at her edge - it's way too clean -especially her blond hair. It is a really well lit commercial no matter how bad the content.

The reflections are all in the right places for where the lights were placed - if you think the placement of the lighting is "wrong" - fine - but the reflections are where they are supposed to be.

The different perspective at the end is a function of wide angle lens combined with camera height.

Bitch about Coleman all you want - My ad (not this one) was one of the finalist is "Bush in 30 Seconds", and I have no love for anything Norm Coleman - but this spot was not a function of special effects.

Funny how you are giving lighting lessons from a YOUTUBE video.

But I will bite, how do you explain that she has so much frontal lighting... and yet the marble dark table on her back which acts like a mirror is fairly dark?

And either Mr. Coleman is a giant, or Mrs. Coleman a midget because the perspective is simple fucked up.

I agree with the posters who have asked for the significance of this. I don't even think they tried to hide that she was green-screened. But why should they? Who cares? It's an attempt at self-effacing humor. It's not very funny, but some folks will chuckle: "Ha ha, Norm the US senator has to take out the trash when his wife says so. Ha ha. What a regular guy. Ha ha."

The big point here is that this site does not do itself proud by smugly mocking this crappy ad. It undermines C&L's credibility derived from its otherwise excellent work. Next time, focus on an ad that lowers the nature of the American political discourse (there are plenty of those), not one that possibly lowers video production standards.

Thom Jeff @ 30:

This was discussed last week, and the video company released outtakes from the filming:

http://www.vinnysgarage.com/outtakes.html

Oh yeah...Boy, THAT 30-second clip really convinced me it was real!

For FNORD #76

Quote -

Funny how you are giving lighting lessons from a YOUTUBE video.

But I will bite, how do you explain that she has so much frontal lighting… and yet the marble dark table on her back which acts like a mirror is fairly dark?

And either Mr. Coleman is a giant, or Mrs. Coleman a midget because the perspective is simple fucked up.

End Quote

The key to many shots like this is sepearating the lighting on your foreground from the lighting on your background (ironically, especially important in green screen work).

Lighting can be broken into two halves, the lighting part and the shading part. Google 'lighting and grip rental" if you want to see how many different types of tools there are all for controlling and shading light.

By placing her in front of the counter, and lighting her from the side with something big and "soft", keeping her light off the background is a pretty standard thing to do and not difficult.

The counter, aside from just being dark, is also smooth so any light hitting it would not reveal texture. I can't tell what material the counter is made of - but I have lit dark woods and stones before - they suck up a ton of light, and any spill from her lighting, that got around the grip gear already shading it, wouldn't really effect the exposure.

The counter also is not facing the camera (and the lighting), it is facing the ceiling - so you're only going to see reflections of what is above and behind the counter from the cameras perspective. If you wanted to see the lights and the ladies reflections - you would have to go to the *other* side of the counter and look back at her.

A wide angle lens is clearly being used in the last shot. The camera is way high above her eyeline. I don't know exactly why they chose this combination, but my guess is that they had to because of space limitations. They first would have gotten a good looking composition - and then adjusted the ladies height by using wooden boxes to raise her in the frame. Look at her hips compared to the counter. This is what we call "cheating" in the production world - its done to simply make the shot work given the limitations of optics and physics.

I've been working on lighting and cinematography for over twenty years. The questions you're asking about lighting and perspective issues are the very reason it takes so many people and so much time (I once did thirty hours straight on a shopping mall commercial) to film something like this.

Any other lighting questions feel free to click on my name and go to my website - you can contact me from there.

I want to know more about the "odd domestic situration" rumored between Coleman and his wife.
*

Norm Coleman is a vampire.

I noticed the sound of the coffee being poured, the pages of the newspaper being turned... they sound overdubbed. No matter how they made it, that commercial really sucks. And... is he wearing a hair helmet?

There is something definitely funny about the "outtakes"

http://www.vinnysgarage.com/outtakes.html

If you examine the beginning where she has the coffee mug on the counter: go frame by frame. The last frame has the entire scene bathed in light. You'll note that Coleman suddenly disappears. In the frame before he's there and he's blocking nearly half the microwave. In the next frame you can see the entire microwave.

There's also a difference in depth of field in the outtakes and the final cut but I can't be too sure because the final cut is a youtube video and it's not the clearest way to view the video.

Gee that's great... Who the hell is Norm Coleman?

BoJ @ 90:

There is something definitely funny about the "outtakes"

http://www.vinnysgarage.com/outtakes.html

If you examine the beginning where she has the coffee mug on the counter: go frame by frame. The last frame has the entire scene bathed in light. You'll note that Coleman suddenly disappears. In the frame before he's there and he's blocking nearly half the microwave. In the next frame you can see the entire microwave.

There's also a difference in depth of field in the outtakes and the final cut but I can't be too sure because the final cut is a youtube video and it's not the clearest way to view the video.

You guys are really making mountains out of molehills.

Her hand is blocking the white reflection of the mug.

Plus, how could it be green screened if she can set the mug ON the counter?

When a film camera rolls - it doesn't get up to speed instantaneously, it takes a second or two (thats why you'll hear, "Roll camera" - then "Speeding" _and then "Action" on a typical set). In the frames where the camera is not quite up to speed - the exposure is affected the way you see here - it looks like a flash of light because that frame was overexposed while the camera started or stopped.

The jump in his position is also because IT IS A DIFFERENT TAKE. The camera stopped - he moved - the camera started (notice the slate?).

The depth of field looks the same to me - it may be a quality difference in the compression used by youtube for the spot and by the director for his own website (quicktime)

No - you are not seeing every single out take (would you want to?). It's simply the director trying to give examples to show she wasn't green screened.

Really - It's easier to shoot her IN the location than try to shoot an interactive plate shot with him and then add her later.

Also - I don't know anything about their relationship - but if she won't be in the same room with him - then why would she agree to even appear in his campaign spots?

Aren't there other actual issues which affect public policy to go after this guy on?

Yet another manufactured aura of a GOP candidate.

How JeffGannonesque of them.

Oh, my mistake. Disregard. I got carried away and just noticed that it is his reflection in the counter top.

Too bad I can't delete my comment.

That's cute Norm.

Enjoy yourself while you can because in November,
The American People are going to put out the trash.

If you examine the beginning where she has the coffee mug on the counter: go frame by frame. The last frame has the entire scene bathed in light. You'll note that Coleman suddenly disappears. In the frame before he's there and he's blocking nearly half the microwave. In the next frame you can see the entire microwave.

He's there. He's a blown out brown smudge over her head. The light is blown out so much that he becomes a hard to see blur.

Plus, how could it be green screened if she can set the mug ON the counter?

That's not difficult at all. You measure the table or object the person needs to interact with, and have a green-colored stand placed appropriately. They can set objects down and interact with the surface, and when you knock out the green later, the will appear to interact with the overlay surface.

It looks like the real problems in the ad are:
1. Lighting - the lighting on her takes her out of the scene
2. Camera focus - possibly because this was filmed in a real kitchen, they didn't have much room to work with when moving the camera, and had to mess with its focal length and field. If these were consistent through the ad, you probably wouldn't notice, but with the change being almost back-to-back, it creates the strange visual image of them changing scale with respect to one another.

If you've ever seen a movie or TV show where the camera focuses on the actor, and the background seems to suddenly get bigger or smaller around them, that's the same thing. It's an in-camera trick produced by moving the camera while changing the length of the lens.