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Street Fighter 25th Anniversary
Client: Capcom
Director/Cinematographer/Editor: Richard Li
DP/Cinematographer: Chris Ceglia
Location: San Francisco, CA
Street Fighter top players tell their story on why they play the game they love. Most of the players hold the game Street Fighter dear to their hearts. Tellingly, each player cited the game has been a part of their life for more than a decade--an extraordinary sign of their passion and dedication to continue playing the game at its highest level.
Competition isn't the only driver. The sense of community and spirit to play other people helped forged new relationships outside of their social circle. Gaming has been a big factor in their lives, and Street Fighter, especially, helped shape and mold their lives.
This is a story about their passion--an emotional testimonial to a game that influenced their lives.
Production Notes
Edited in Premiere.
Graded in Premiere and Colorista II.
2012
Branding, Editorial Design
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Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep Summer Promo
Client: Sacred Heart Cathedral
Director/Cinematographer/Editor: Richard Li
Cinematographer: Chris Cegilia
Location: San Francisco, CA
Sacred Heart Cathedral approached me to create a Summer Promo documenting their summer programs over the course of a month and half.
Once a week for a month and half, I visited several classes and interviewed the students, mainly incoming freshman, about their classes and life during the summer program. All were enthusiastic about their stay, and were genuinely passionate about telling their summer stories.
Production Notes
Edited in Premiere
Graded in Colorista II
2012
Branding
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EVO 2012 Moments
Client: SRKX Productions
Editor/videographer: Richard Li
Location: Las Vegas, NV
I'm quite happy how EVO 2012 Moments turned out. A year ago, I shot and edited EVO 2011 Moments, a collection of clips showing the passion and enthusiasm of the EVO crowd. The reception was great, and I enjoyed the video quite a bit, but I knew I could create something even better. With EVO 2012, I planned the video around three different segments: 1) the commentator's phrase "wait a minute!" 2) Filipino Champ's triumphant stomp off the stage. 3) the crowd's shout of NorCal.
Sound bytes were carefully culled and positioned during the build-up portion of the video, and slow-motion scenes immediately followed the climax. Like a song, the video's pacing resembled a valley, going up and down valleys and peaks in an attempt to take the audience through the myriad of emotions. I intended the start of the video to be built slowly, revealing a small hint of the level of enthusiasm offered at an EVO tournament. And then, the drop happens, at which point the video explodes with excitement.
Production Notes
Shot with a MKII and MKIII.
Edited in Premiere.
Graded in Colorista II.
2012
Cinematography, Editorial Design
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Sony E3 2012 Montage
Client: Sony
Editor/videographer: Richard Li and Chris Ceglia
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Ah, one shining moment. Inspired by NCAA's One Shining Moment, a collection of highlights in a montage, this video attempts to give the audience that warm, fuzzy feeling that melts the heart away. And I think we made that happen! This video was played on the big projection screen at Sony's booth. Instantly, when the video played, people in the booth stopped whatever they were doing and looked up at the giant projection. You could hear the audience cheering for the montage -- and a few of them crying, too!
Production Notes
Same-day edit.
Footage was shot on Canon 5D MKIII and MKII.
Edited and graded in Final Cut Pro 7.
2012
Cinematography
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Virtua Fighter 5 FS Prelaunch Documentary
Client: Sega
Editor/videographer: Richard Li
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Sega approached me to produce a video about their Virtua Fighter 5 FS prelaunch party in Los Angeles, CA. A special occasion for VF fans, the party got together some of the best Virtua Fighters around the world, including notable Japanese players Chibita and Fuudo, probably the two best VF players in the world.
I approached the video from the perspective of a VF fan. I wondered why, after all these years, VF players continue to play the game, despite the game's waning popularity. And surprisingly, the answers were something I didn't expect.
Production Notes
Edited in Premiere
Graded in Colorista II
2012
Film
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Retronauts: Metroid
Client: 1UP
Director/Editor: Richard Li
Producer: Jeremy Parish
When Jeremy approached me to take Retronauts, a podcast about retrograming, into video form, I knew the show would be something very special. He wanted the videos to move fast, each section to be no more than two minutes long -- a big change compared to the podcast format, which ran almost two hours long.
The result? A boolean-cube containing an informative and entertaining look at one of the most beloved series in videogame history.
I knew I wanted splitscreens to show multiple reference points of the game, a myriad of transitions, and quick editing to get the point across without boring the viewer. For the color grading, we skewed it towards a light pink hue in order to give off a retrovibe.
Production Notes
Edited and Graded in Final Cut Pro 7
Motion Graphics in Motion.
Shot with 5D MKII.
2012
Film
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EVO 2012: The Fans
Client: SRKX Productions
Editor/videographer: Richard Li
Location: Las Vegas, NV
I wanted to create a piece about the audience. Well, more specifically, how the audience reacts when they're way into a match, their eyes fixed onto the screen in anticipation of that oh-so-special moment.
The video exceeded my expectations, especially since I edited the video in about six hours. Originally, I thought I could bang out the video overnight, but my body was so tired after 12 hours of filming that I couldn't stay awake past 3 am. I set my deadline at around 11am, and figured that if I woke up at 5am, I could finish the video in time. And I accomplished my goal with time to spare!
Production Notes
Shot with a Canon 5D MKII and MKIII.
Edited and graded in Premiere.
2012
Cinematography
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NCR 10: NorCal Regionals
Client: Kineda
Editor/Videographer: Richard Li
Location: San Francisco, CA
Ten years running, NorCal Regionals stands as one of the oldest fighting game tournament in the US. And this year, marking its ten year anniversary at San Francisco State University, NorCal Regionals seemed bigger than ever before, attended by hundreds of players around the US and the world.
Have you ever noticed the crowd around the stage are usually the friends of the featured players playing on stage? And they're the ones causing the raucous? Makes sense, since our friends are the ones we care about. It's this connection, of personal investment, that makes FGC tournaments exciting to watch and spectate.
Hype is infectious. A hyped crowd amplifies. But you'll need a reason for "getting hype." Supporting your friends is a damn good reason.
Production Notes
Edited in Premiere 5.5.
Graded in Premiere and After Effects (Colorista II).
Motion graphics created in Cinema4D and After Effects.
Music by M83 "Midnight City"
2012
Cinematography
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Street Fighter x Tekken Fight Club
Client: Capcom
Editor/Videographer: Richard Li
Location: San Francisco, CA
Capcom, a videogame publisher and developer, celebrated a preview event for their fighting game Street Fighter x Tekken at the Mighty in San Francisco, California. Open to the general public, the event was a celebration for the game and a chance for the public to play an unreleased game.
This is a highlight video of the event, with various film burns to accentuate the transitions.
Production Notes
Shot with 5D MKII
Edited and graded in Premiere.
2012
Cinematography