Here we keep you up to date with the news — relevant stories, observations and comments from around our industry — both at home and globally. Our blog will give you a look at what’s happening at Focus Integrated from some of the people who work here.

 

Article written by
Dave

 

House season finale a landmark in digital cinematography

The season finale of House aired in the states a couple of days ago, I'm not a follower of the program but like many other digital photographers, filmmakers and cinematographers, I had to watch it based upon how it was shot - using digital SLR cameras that are intended for stills photography and can be picked up from your local Jessops.

I've been experimenting with these video DSLRs since the launch of the Canon 500D mid-2009, and have been in love ever since. Due to their large sensors and fast lenses you can achieve a fantastically shallow depth of field. This means the subject will be in focus but the background will be blurred, which really makes whatever is in focus 'pop out'. This effect was until recently only achievable by cumbersome cinema cameras, only available to those with a sizable budget, but with the advent of video DSLRs the game has truly changed.

There has been a lot of speculation to whether these cameras were quite up to the job of being used in serious productions due to a couple of drawbacks with their design, but with the recent screening of the House finale these doubts can be laid to rest as the results are absolutely stunning, and indistinguishable from any film camera.

As a video producer (amongst other things) here at focus I have begun introducing my own DSLR camera into our productions as a secondary camera along side our canon xl2 workhorse. Although for aesthetical reasons it will never replace a point and shoot video camera, the quality of the footage is light years ahead for only a quarter of the price and a fraction of the size.

Crimestoppers

Burglary campaign

Focus Integrated has been developing a web application that enables a client to take control of their own marketing collateral.

Marie Stopes

Talking Bollocks

‘Talking Bollocks’ provided a humorous and engaging concept to dispel myths about vasectomies and give Marie Stopes – the international sexual health charity – greater awareness.

Crimestoppers

Tackling Drugs Week

It’s a tough message that needs to get to the right audience: stop drugs destroying communities.

Genting Casinos

Casino photography

We were commissioned to photograph the five London clubs of Genting Casinos UK, producing images that would reflect the luxury, style, glamour and excitement of these very individual establishments.

Monitor Audio

Rock Awards

Monitor Audio needed a video to run on their website which promoted their involvement in a special auction raising funds for ChildLine.

e2v

e2v Brand Book

Focus Integrated developed an easy to navigate, comprehensive brand book for e2v.

Taylor Wimpey

Cromwell Place

Cromwell Place is a development by Taylor Wimpey of stylish townhouses and apartments in Clerkenwell, London.

Essex Police

Neighbourhood Policing

We were asked by Essex Police to create a brand for their area’s Neighbourhood Policing programme. It needed to work at a local level but also underpin key national policing principles.

Christie + Co

Punch Taverns

With all 308 Punch Taverns throughout the UK available for purchase, Christie & Co asked us to design individual campaign concepts to promote the opportunity.

Harpers

Quarterly campaign

Harpers Fitness operates 70 centres across the UK. Their needs combine integrated online and offline solutions which Focus can provide.

ICS

ICS brand development

The Institute of Customer Service (ICS) is the UK-wide professional body for customer service, and they work with some of the world's best-known brands.

Swan Housing

Social media campaign

Swan Housing wanted to achieve additional awareness of their brand, drive more traffic to their website and achieve more sales.

  • Burglary campaign
  • Talking Bollocks
  • Tackling Drugs Week
  • Casino photography
  • Rock Awards
  • e2v Brand Book
  • Cromwell Place
  • Neighbourhood Policing
  • Punch Taverns
  • Quarterly campaign
  • ICS brand development
  • Social media campaign