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O Brother Where Art Thou? (2000) - First Feature to use DI Process

By: Kyle Prohaska

Color is a powerful tool in creating your films and videos. Lots of beginners just assume that having a certain look in your film means success and that simply isn’t the case. Color can make or break a film. If implemented poorly, your viewer (regardless of the other factors quality) can become distracted. I have a very sensitive eye when it comes to those things. For the average joe I think the effects of color on the brain is unknown to them. They don’t know why certain scenes or looks in films make them feel things. It goes over their head. Regardless it does its job when done properly, subconsciously or not it means a great deal for your film.

The ability to push color in post is so much easier than it used to be. Film used to be chemically altered to achieve certain looks, and some people prefer this method still. A DI (Digital Intermediate) is much more common and used almost all the time now. This allows the film (or if you shot digitally your already in the digital world) to be altered in the computer using software to change colors. It might be as simple as a saturation boost, but the fact you can pick a slider and instantly alter your footage for the better or worse means you have a powerful tool in your hand. Just a tweak here or there can mean big things for your footage.

If you shot flat on you camera then there are some things that are common to change. Shooting flat means shooting your footage with lowered contrast and color, more in a neutral setting. Normally flat footage isn’t the most beautiful stuff to look at and looks bland. However it allows a lot more control in post to adjust your values.

What can you do to instantly make your footage look better? This is a tough call because it depends on what your looking for but if your just looking for nice rich looking shots your best bet is to optimize the contrast in the image, crushing blacks if necessary…and adjusting saturation to your liking. If your white balance and other things are correct this really gets you a long ways in terms of making the footage more beautiful. In my opinion there is nothing worse than flat, milky looking footage with no contrast and grey looking blacks. I like deep, rich color.

Pleasantville (1998) - One of the first films to use selective CC using
Rotoscoping & other advanced computer techniques.

As the title of this article states, color is visual music. Remember the last time a sunset made you all fuzzy inside? It looks beautiful because the mixes of oranges, reds, and yellows gives your brain something to respond to. The same goes for your film/video. Just like a film score fits the story and sets a mood, the color does the same. A film set in the wild west probably wouldn’t look right if it was given the “Saving Private Ryan” look with tinted grey scales, adding slight desaturated and green to the image. It might fit but odds are it doesn’t. Pick a color scheme in your film that fits the story and the movement of the story.

Lighting is a big part of making this successful but that’s a different article. Use the power of color to create contrast in your story. If your hero is being beaten up by the enemy only to die and end up in heaven, wouldn’t it be very effective to light/color your footage gritty and darker only to present the audience with well balanced, brightly lit, rich and saturated visuals afterwards? It would be like a punch in the face. Tell the story with color, present what you need to say just like you do with actors and with camera movement, but use color. Factor it all in, and don’t leave anything to chance.

Do your film a favor and consider what kind of color the film should have. Don’t just assume you’ll figure it out later, bring it in beforehand. Your lighting and color will go hand in hand towards the end. Make sure you decide what is best for your film and stick to it. Only so much can be done in post. Color correction can fix images but only in certain circumstances. Color-correction won’t really fix bad lighting or lighting that doesn’t gel with the kind of correction you want to add later.

Don’t forget to consider the format you are shooting in. This will depend on the kind of camera you have and the settings you choose. Some codecs are limited in their ability to be corrected. Sooner or later, some codecs fall apart and show digital chunks and other exciting anomalies. Keep this in mind as well. The Canon XHA1 (used to shoot Standing Firm) had a custom preset applied that was to my liking. This way the footage turned out almost 100% like I wanted before it hit the tape and became compressed with the HDV codec. This was the ideal way to go since correction on the film is minimal. Using the preset also saved time in post that would be spent color timing the entire film. For those of you that are on a tight schedule or are spending more money on films, saved time = saved money.

Other factors that can affect the color in your film is your environments, production design, and clothing. It’s interesting how film brings in all other forms of art into a sort of community. Every factor hangs on another. Where you shoot will determine a lot in the end for your film. Keep in mind the texture and atmosphere your sets/locations give away in terms of their color (shape as well and structure). What people where will be a big deal. Does it work well with the locations you’ll be putting them in? Would it be wise to put your male lead in a green shirt among the jungle leaves? Unless you want a floating head bobbing about I suggest not. Create contrast within the frame as much as you can before you hit the editing suite. Being a tech geek will only get you so far.

Color is just another tool a filmmaker has in his arsenal to tell his story, so take advantage of it. With the many different tools available in your editing packages already there is no excuse. Approach the color used in your film just like you would any other aspect of it, with purpose, intelligence, heavy thought, and with strong ties to your story.

Articles article, color

By Kevin K. Shah | View Source

INTERDEPENDENT FILMMAKING: THE NANO-BUDGET ENDEAVOR

How does one define themselves in the new and constantly updating market? How does one grasp the needs of the audience and provide what they want (as their wants are shifting because of costlier needs)? How does one set themselves above 95% of the content that is available to everyone else and their sister on the internet? How does a film, or series, or show, or company brand themselves in such a way — that first time audiences are retained (and become long-time audiences), and new relationships are built through word-of-mouth and social networking?

ADVERTISING, MONEY, AVAILABILITY: NOT THE ANSWER.

With instant availability on a number of devices, and everything on the internet using these three items (Ads, $, Saturation) to carve their head-space in your mind for their hot new thing – there will be in our common future a profound struggle for cinema as art to survive. Exacerbating the situation is the growing (& willing) mass delusion of giving/getting something for “free” on the internet. Sure, Art (and the creation of it) has always needed benefactors to support the artist (be it a motion picture studio or Van Gogh’s brother), and IMHO truly great art has come out of struggle as well as support. But there has always been (since man began to appreciate creative forms of expression long ago) a historical struggle for art to survive in the marketplace, to become self-sustaining. The future will be no exception.

In this day and age, the cloud of websites available for new forms of thought, expression, and creativity in the medium of film are growing exponentially. The technology has made it so, and above that – the ability to get that little art film out there (and get it seen) will become ever more prevalent as anything becomes possible. And millions of people will get to see these forms of expression that would never have otherwise. This may be obvious - but is it also obvious that the amount of material out there endangers the truly good art films? Shorter, bite-sized attention spans will undoubtedly lead to shockvertising in and around films on an impressive scale, and short films that deserve merit will never be seen for that poster or video thumbnail that ‘made you click’. There is just too much to pick from for the average viewer, and those that would rather be thrilled by partial nudity and animal nature are not the ones we’re trying to build a lasting relationship with. So how do we build a bridge to the ones we want?

With shorter attention spans, and greater amounts of video to choose from and a constant barrage of new things to check out, share, social network about – the question for the interdependent or independent filmmaker alike is: how will your film get seen, how will your artwork float above the deluge of sub-par forms of expression (be it bottom of the barrel YouTube videos or just plain faux-art, hack films emerging everywhere?) So even in a marketplace where everything is available to the masses – we find ourselves asking still: how can our little original passion project rise above everything? … Advertising? Money? Availability? No.

INTERDEPENDENT FILMS = R.G.Q. = NANOBUDGET

The struggle for any artist is the same as it always has been. And the same aspiration for any real artist (i.e. to continue to deepen and refine their art-form by fully exploring themselves and this experience of life spiritually — through film) will be the same into the future. And ultimately, how cinema that is art will rise to the top of the web world is the same as it has always been, and will forever be: REAL GENUINE QUALITY.

Just because it’s a inexpensive film that you’re going to likely distribute primarily on the internet, doesn’t mean it has to look cheap, feel cheaply made, be presented in this careless way. Just because there wasn’t enough money to pay the actors up-front, doesn’t mean they can’t give you a performance of a lifetime if you work with them (and not try to puppet them around your camera with brick-wall sentences and dialogue that ‘pops off the page’ but bogs down the acting). Just because you have no money – the interdependent filmmaker knows that having no money is no longer any excuse for not making a quality film. It’s an interdependent film if its taking us on a worthwhile authentic journey. It’s interdependent cinema if the filmmakers are taking a bold creative risk in making the film at all. And its interdependent cinema if its a passion project for everyone collaboratively involved. The same definitions could be applied to ‘nano-budget’ filmmaking.

Articles article, filmmaking, low-budget, nano-budget

Shooting on 35mm film is every filmmaker’s dream. Until George Lucas broke the digital glass ceiling on Star Wars: Episode II with the Sony F900 - the first major motion picture to be shot entirely digitally - shooting on film was the only “legit” medium for feature films. The role of the camera assistant was simple: load magazines, set up the camera, pull focus, unload exposed magazines, and maintain camera equipment. Precise details of how this worked varied from camera to camera, but the basic principle was always the same.

With the advent of film-quality digital cinema cameras such as the Panasonic Genesis, Thompson Viper, Arri D21, and RED One, the camera assistant’s job has diversified and become more complex. No longer do you need a changing tent to load and unload film magazines, but changing media, adjusting camera settings, even pulling focus has dramatically changed.

[Please note that I'm assigning the entire camera department to one person. How much a camera assistant is responsible for varies according to the scope and size of the production (and the budget). Traditionally, the 1st Assistant pulls focus and are the hands touching the camera in any circumstance. A 2nd Assistant loads the magazines, keeps logs and does grunt work. Sometimes a dedicated focus puller is employed in difficult environments or when the 1st Assistant is too busy making sure nobody gets hurt during the shot. Sometimes a dedicated loader helps keep film rolling in environments with a very high shooting ratio. An assistant never operates - there is always a separate camera operator, often the DP. For the purpose of this article, the camera department will consist of the DP and his assistant.]

Successful Assisting

The keys to being an excellent camera assistant are like chess: very simple to learn, very difficult to master. Our fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination improve with repetitive tasks, but staying on top of your game requires energy and a passion for your job. 

#1: Be honest. You’ll make mistakes. Admit it humbly. Honesty goes hand-in-hand with good manners. Politeness, cheerfulness and a willingness to go extra miles is what will get you invited back for the sequel. I’ve worked with a lot of non-professionals, and many of them are good at what they do - but the ones I’d pick to work with again have great attitudes.

#2: Be efficient. Running is not allowed - anything faster than a quick walk on some sets could get you fired. It’s too dangerous when there are so many bags, boxes, cables and wires lying on the ground with lots of expensive, heavy equipment attached to them. But hustle. Minimize your repetitive tasks where possible. Keep equipment cases close by in case you need that one thing you thought you’d never use. Always be thinking of ways to do your job faster. As a rule, production should never be waiting on the camera department. Be early, be ready, be quick.

#3: Be paranoid. Pretend the camera is always on the verge of tipping over. It won’t happen while you’re looking at it - it will always wait till you turn your back for “just one minute…” Double check it, double bag it. You can never be too careful, unless your preparations inhibit shooting.

#4: Anticipate the need. It helps to get to know a DP’s working habits and preferences, and that only comes with time. Be ready for any request at any time. Form mental checklists for each task - building the camera, moving the camera, configuring the camera for different shooting modes, keeping batteries fresh and media empty, and making sure the DP eats and drinks (they tend to forget the creature comforts).

#5: If you don’t know, ask. Making assumptions will only get you in trouble. Educated guesses are allowed, but be prepared to be wrong. That doesn’t just go for your physical work - a film set is a place where rumours, assumptions, and the grapevine thrive wildly! Don’t feed the bears. Sooner or later they will come back to bite someone. 

The Camera Assistant’s Kit

I hear a lot of people ask what tools an assistant should carry. Yes, there is a shortlist of the basic necessities, but your job is to prepare for any event imaginable and to make it pleasant, efficient and enjoyable even if it’s raining, sleeting, hotter-than-blue-blazes, dangerous, or even just plain old boring. So, keep multiple kits:

The Basic Necessities

1) Notebook. I use small spiral-bound pads that fit in my shirt pocket. You’ll fill pages with personal reminders and notes while you’re working, plus sometimes you’ll need to write down lens data for future reference (especially for SFX shots). Cheap!

2) Varied assortment of pens, pencils and permanent markers. All colours and sizes

3) Distance measurers - keep a heavy-duty steel tape (the wider the better) and a soft 50 or 100ft tape. For some things you can use a laser distance measurer, but when working with actors it’s not recommended.

4) Dry erase markers and erasers. I use a clean cosmetic powder puff taped to the wrong end of my dry erase. 

5) Pliers or multitool. I use my Leatherman Juice Kf4 every day, but I would recommend something slightly beefier. Pliers, both flavours of screwdriver (multiple sizes if possible) and serrated/straight blades a requirement. I would recommend any of the Leatherman full-size tools.

6) Screwdrivers, both types. Large size - mounting plates have big screw heads.

7) Allen key set. Get a fairly large set, not a six-pack. Some camera packages, such as RED One, use ball-head keys. You can try to pick up specific sizes, but they’re expensive. Usually specialty keys come with a rental kit, so I just stick with a standard set. Film cameras are largely adjusted with allen keys.

Carabiners. You can never have enough carabiners. Ever. They don’t have to be climbing-quality, so pick up any cheap ten-pack of full-size carabiners. The small ones are useless. They tend to get lost or pinched, so don’t spend more than 50 cents each if you can avoid it. Try the value stores like Aldi, Marcs, or Big Lots (apologies for geographical differences).

9) Braided nylon rope (not twisted). Lasts forever, has infinite uses. Keep fifteen or twenty feet in your expendables section. I use it to keep tape rolls together - put a bowline knot on each end of about two feet of rope and put it on a carabiner. You can fuse the ends of nylon with a lighter or a match so it won’t unravel (unlike cotton rope). Braided wears better than twisted.

10) Water bottle. I drink a lot, so I have twin 24oz stainless steel bottles from H2GO. I have two old Lowel lens pouches that velcro onto my work belt to keep them insulated. The stainless steel has no taste and lets me re-use the bottle as many times as I want - unlike plastic which gets nasty after a week or so. People tend to throw them away when you’re not looking, too. If you still want plastic, try the 850ml SmartWater bottles. Now that’s a water bottle.

11) Belt pouch. Some of these things you’ll need to carry with you. I used a contractor’s tool pouch for a while and carried *everything* around with me, but I started getting raw spots on my hips from the weight abrasion. Keep a notebook, writing implements, short tape measure, dry erase marker, pliers, screwdriver (1 of each type), the useful allen keys, a couple carabiners, lens cleaning equipment, and your tape loop. I bought a Lindcraft Jumbo AC Pouch and I like it, but I still keep my contractor belt handy. 

12) Canned air. Make sure it’s marked moisture-free and always test a few squirts before you point it at any glass. Just use it to get the big dust away - never use your own breath! You’ll spit on the lens even if you have a dry mouth (trust me, there’s a Murphy’s law here). Always use the can right-side-up and level. Inverting the can works great on cicadas and other bugs - it produces a blast of frozen nitrogen or whatever the can is full of - I’ve literally frozen stinkbugs snap-crackle-pop with the stuff. Like cryogenic freezing, only less sterile. I like to have a couple cans handy, but it’s expensive. If you have the capital funding, I’d invest in the stainless steel removable dispenser top and the bulk bottles from Filmtools. It’ll save money in the long run.

13) Lens cleaning tissues & fluid. I have used Rosco fluid and lens tissues before and liked the results, but the pros swear by Panchro lens fluid and Kimwipes. About the same cost, better quality. Ultra Clarity is glorified soapy water and will leave streaks.

14) Camera tape/electrical tape. A couple colours are good - I always have black and white electrical tape and a couple rolls of 2″ blue paint tape handy. Paint tape, in quantity, will hold as well as duct tape and will not peel paint or wallpaper or leave residue. It’s also paper-based, so you can write on it if you need to. Don’t go completely grinchy on the electrical tape - the 88 cent Lowes stuff will leave residue in hot weather. “Camera tape” is basically 1/2″ or 1/4″ gaff tape (a super-strength cloth tape that will almost remove your fingerprints if you aren’t careful), so you can get away without it on some sets. It’s used for setting marks and labeling things, so adapt as necessary. A roll of gaff tape is great to have, but also expensive. It’s considered an expendable by some productions, so they might reimburse you for it. 

15) Flashlight. Lots of power is good, but keep it small enough to fit in your pouch. Sometimes you’ll be holding it in your teeth to use both hands, so finding one with a rubber grip is a big plus.  These get beat up pretty heavily at night, so buy quality like Maglight or else be cheap enough that you can afford backup flashlights.

Optional Kit

Inclement Weather: Heat, dust, mud, rain, snow, and bitter cold - you’ll run into all of it eventually. I like to have “bundles” for every situation. 

Spring: Rain, mud and cool mornings/evenings are your enemies here. Normally I prefer Saucony Triumph 3 tennis shoes for everyday work, but in spring boots are a must, especially on dewey mornings. If you’re working in the wet or mud, keep terry towels handy for basic wipedown before you can get stuff properly cleaned each night. Rain ponchos and space blankets will save your skin in a pinch - space blankets are a right torture to re-fold (don’t even try to get them back in the plastic pouch), but they’re fast and waterproof if you keep the corners down. Clothes pins will be the fastest way to fasten it - grips usually have a few of these floating around (check the back of your shirt). Filmtools sells cheap disposable 3-mil camera covers that are useful if you want to be absolutely watertight. The big bags can easily accommodate 2 people plus a camera. Or, if you get fired before your flight leaves, they would make great hot air balloons, too. They’re only $7 for the largest size, so it’s a very worthwhile investment. Don’t even bother with umbrellas.

Summer: Heat will slow down a crew fast, and if you don’t give it due treatment, it’ll sap your concentration too and you’ll go downhill fast. Buy a small electric fan - and don’t forget to turn it off while sound is rolling, or the sound department will retaliate! If craft services doesn’t keep icewater handy, buy a styrofoam cooler for gallon jugs or even a small water cooler. Water will keep you going even when you don’t want to (if worse comes to worse, pour it on your head!). Personally I’m a fan of jeans or cargo pants even in the summer time, so I sweat more than normal. Drinking huge amounts of water - especially if you sweat most of it off - will keep you healthier even when sickness is going around. I like to buy powdered drink flavouring, because when water tastes yummy I drink more of it (the drink mixers from XS Blast are loaded with amazing quantities of B-vitamins, which are natural energy boosters, but it’s expensive)

Fall: Cool days, occasional rain, and wind. Dress in layers, keep your boots handy for early morning and late evening, and make sure to bag everything securely. Don’t assume that stuff won’t blow over. It will.

Winter: My ancestors on my father’s side come straight from Sweden only two generations back, but I can’t tolerate cold well. Here are a few tips for dressing warmly: wear shoes that are a size or so larger than you need, and don’t wear so many pairs of socks that your feet are snug in your boots. Air is a terrific insulator, and will help keep your feet warm long after the foot warmers cool off (keep a few hand & foot warmers in your cold weather kit, and break them out *before* you get cold since they take time to warm up). Make sure you have a warm hat that covers your ears - most of your body heat leaks out your noggin just like a chimney. You’ll need your gloves, so don’t bother buying mittens or arctic exploration gloves. I have a couple different options in my kit: personally, I love batting gloves. They won’t keep you warm forever, but they work surprisingly well. If the temperatures are above freezing, try latex surgical gloves under a pair of knit gloves from Walmart. The trapped air will help keep your body heat in. I’ve also heard good things about neoprene gloves but I haven’t put my hands in a pair yet. Try their 801BK or 821BK models. I also use a small ceramic heater - watch the power draw if you’re sharing circuits with lights or other equipment. Also, don’t take lenses in and out of warm places - acclimate them to the cold weather as soon as possible, and keep them in the cold until you’re done. If you warm them up, they’ll instantly fog and stay fogged until they’ve come up to temperature again. If it’s snowing, cover the camera either with a plastic cover or a space blanket. You might be able to get away with just a flag overhead if it’s not windy (commonly called a “courtesy” when all it’s doing is shading the camera and crew - a life-saver in hot sun!).

Night Shoots

The worst thing about night shoots is that it’s, well, dark. So you’ll have a hard time seeing your stuff. Since I have a 10-outlet power strip mounted to my cart, I bought a small, cheap, clip-on light from Walmart that I can put any standard bulb in, and then found a couple of fluorescent bulbs since they don’t break as easily. The set will be pretty bright, usually, but your kit might not be so conveniently lit, so don’t set stuff down and forget where you put it. Minimize the number of cables you run to avoid tripping. If craft services doesn’t have energy bars handy, put a few in your kit for a boost at 3am. A headlamp is handy if you need your hands. Don’t forget bug spray - big lights at night are huge beacons to every bug within a mile. Just wrap quietly and be glad you’re not a grip.

Creature Comforts

I’m a wuss, so I like to be comfortable when I work. That means a nice breakfast (eggs when possible), a relaxing lunch, and no leftovers for supper please. Other stuff I carry just to be happy: three flavors of gum, various hats in summertime (although completely cliche, cowboy hats can really be very practical), a cot to sleep on (I’ve spent too many nights on hot air mattresses), my own snack food/comfort food stash (I have this thing for Twizzlers and animal crackers, keeps me happy under stress!), a 3″ padded belt for my pouch to keep the weight from digging into my hips, speakers for my iPod (great as an alarm, or to greet the day while building the camera!)…and a very large suitcase! I prefer to drive my own vehicle to a job, because on days off it gives me the freedom to go where I need to go, on my own time - laundry, errands, snack food reinforcements, nice steak dinner, etc. That’s how I can afford to take all the big stuff with me.

I also like to keep in constant communication with my family, so I always take a laptop with me and seek out a wifi hotspot any chance I get. An iPhone would be even more convenient (just don’t goof off during work!). Save yourself the stress and ask for a room to yourself for long shoots, if production isn’t putting you up in a hotel. You need your personal space and if you’re giving everything you’ve got during the day, you deserve the peace and quiet at night. I once shared a room with a guy that loved to turn his big freestanding fan on high every night. I like white noise, but not that much. By the end of the shoot, I took over the couch in the hall as my little corner. Give yourself time each morning to take a shower, eat a relaxed breakfast, and do a bit of scripture study - you’ll feel much better prepared to tackle the long day if you do. I usually get up about two hours before I need to leave - that means no partying at night! Go home, eat something, relax a little, and go to bed. Not necessarily in that order.

In the end, a camera assistant’s kit is flexible, just like the assistant. Each job requires something a little different. Don’t be afraid to spend money to get the right tool for the job - if it will help you do a better job, it will increase your chances of getting asked back to the next movie. Anything that helps you do your job better, faster, and cheaper, is a wise investment.

Always be thinking about ways to improve your work. Don’t be afraid to bounce ideas off the DP - he might laugh, but he will appreciate your effort. Be considerate, though, and don’t pester him when he’s concentrating, eating, or wishing he was in bed! Be careful not to collect so much stuff that it slows you down. There’s a delicate balance between being prepared for everything and getting distracted. Remember, you don’t have to have every contingency kit available within arm’s reach - if the forecast is sunshine, you probably can leave the rain kit on the truck.

Lastly, don’t try to do other peoples’ jobs and unless they ask you, it’s usually best to keep to yourself. When other people start helping you, it’s easy to lose track of things or miss important parts of your checklists. Ask before you start pitching in. They will appreciate the help, but they may want to make sure it gets done Their Way. Just like you do!

A competent 1st can earn anywhere from $125 to $350 per day. Pick a rate that’s fair to both you and your producer. Keep things like Perceived Value, Actual Worth, Length of Days, Working Days Per Week, and Department Overhead in mind. Quoting a lowball price may get you asked back, but don’t lose money unless it’s absolutely worth it. Likewise, going highball might be tremendously profitable for those six weeks, but you might not get invited back for the next show and word travels fast in the film industry. You can’t afford to blackball yourself!

Work hard, relax fast, stay healthy, and most of all, Have Fun. After all, you’re making entertainment!

Mike Thorn
Assistant Camera, RED Specialist
mike.thorn@gmail.com
330.428.0466

Articles ac, assistant camera, camera ac, camera assistant, mike thorn

by Mikel J. Wisler | View Source

So you’ve got yourself a job on a film set. That’s great news. Even if it is unpaid, that’s still great news. In fact, most first time film gigs are unpaid production assistant work, or intern work. This is to be expected. It’s a means to get your foot in the door. After all, if you have no experience working on a film set, you have little bargaining power, frankly. That is, unless you possess a specific set of skills (like make-up design, or set design, or costumes, or special effects) that you have acquired in other work—such as the theatre—that makes you a bit of a hot commodity to a given production. Most of us, however, don’t start off that way. And that’s to be expected. So embrace that and get in there. There is a very specific flow to working on most film sets, and being able to be introduced to it without the added stress of being a head of specific department is usually a good way to go.

My first experience on a film crew outside of school was during my final weekend in Los Angeles where I had spent the semester at the Los Angeles Film Studies Center in 2003. My filmmaking professor was directing a short film at the time, which was shot on 16mm. She’d put together a crew with experienced people at the helm of the various departments and the production was slated for one day (one long day) that final weekend of the spring semester. I was faced with the option of working for free on her short film as one of the crewmembers, or having one last weekend to wonder around LA. It was tempting to just be a bum and go do something very LA-ish since I’d had quite an intense semester. However, and I now recognize this, what could be more LA-ish that working on a film? I chose to be on the crew. It was totally worth it!

After a semester of learning theory, of shooting student projects, of starring at my computer screen wondering where the next page for my feature script for screenwriting class was going to come from, of immersing my mind in the history of Hollywood, it was the most satisfying thing to just be on a set, with a very specific job, and watch people who knew a whole hell of a lot more than I did at the time do their thing. I was the production’s dolly grip. And seeing as the camera spent an awful lot of time on the dolly, I was pretty busy.

I would call this experience my first real film set experience. And, as I have alluded to already, after a semester of studying filmmaking, this was a wonderfully solidifying experience for what I’d been learning—for what at the time was only beginning to germinate in my mind: that film is a magical medium of collaboration and careful execution; that no one person makes a film, but one can sure break a film; that the process is as much a part of the storytelling as the final experience of viewing the film.

This is why I feel it is important to get onto film sets and work as much as you can afford to (obviously you can’t just keep taking unpaid work if you are to pay the bills). But those first few times of working on a set are so highly educational that the experience is worth so much more that mere cash. For one thing, if you prove yourself a worthwhile crewmember, you’re very likely to be invited to work on more film, hopefully in paid capacities. But also, if you are hoping to become a filmmaker yourself, watching and understanding the process is so very important.

Hands-on learning in filmmaking is invaluable. Weather you get that through making short films and student projects, or by working on crews for short and feature films, what you can learn will only make you a better filmmaker. And I really mean that. I’ve worked on a wide range of projects, some great, some quite short of greatness. What the good projects show you are the right ways of accomplishing things. What the not so good projects show you are the pitfalls to avoid. An astute new filmmaker makes careful mental notes (or even literal notes) of these things and seeks to incorporate the good and evade the bad in her own projects.

In fact, it is for this very reason that I pity the poor unenlightened soul that decides to embark on any sort of ambitious filmmaking venture without first amassing some experience by working on film projects (either by making doable short films or working on the crew of experienced filmmakers). Don’t kind yourself. Filmmaking is art, business, and teamwork all rolled into one. Those are all distinctly different aspects of the process of filmmaking that no one person fully grasps alone. And because of that, no one—and I mean, not a one of you out there reading this blog—is a born filmmaker. Sorry, but you’re not. I’m not. None us are. Martin Scorsese wasn’t either!

So embrace the learning experience! Don’t be in such a hurry to become a filmmaker that you destroy your film career before it starts. So if you need more experience, seek out those opportunities to gain that experience. And if you do get such an opportunity, here are some helpful tips to help you make the best of it.

What You Should Expect On Set

For the sake of this article, I’m going to assume that the production we’re talking about here is a pretty good-sized production with a mostly experienced crew. A few years ago, after I’d directed several short films of my own, I got the chance to work as a production assistant on the set of a feature film being shot on 35mm, with SAG actors, and an experienced crew. I was there for the duration, day one to wrap. This experience was so educational that it has allowed me to take some big steps forward in my own filmmaking, as well as taking on tasks such as being the 1st Assistant Direction for a feature film the following year. Without this experience, I highly doubt I’d be where I am today.

With that in mind, here’s some advice I’d share with anyone walking on to a set for the first time to be an intern or production assistant:

1. Jump in with both feet. Interns and production assistants (often the same thing) are there to help things move along and keep production going. So be prepared to take on the menial tasks. In fact, jump at the opportunity. It only took two days on the set of that first feature film for my self and my friend Dan to become known as the “Uber Interns.” If it needed done, we were on it! It didn’t matter if it was helping to move gear, set dress a location, fetch a cast member from the trailer, or make a Starbucks run. We were there, we were willing, and we did it with diligence.

2. Don’t be afraid of mistakes. You’re going to mess up. Get over it right now. In fact, the best thing you can do is to take full responsibility for your mistakes. If you do something wrong (and I made loads of mistakes on that first feature), admit it. Own up to it. Apologize and ask how you can help correct that mistake. In my experience, most people on film crews are quite willing to forgive you for a mistake and to help you understand how the process works and how you can avoid the same mistake again.

3. Now avoid repeating those mistakes! You’ll find that most people on a set are quite gracious. But don’t push your luck. When I was the 1st AD for a feature film, I had one particular individual who was simply not on top of his work, and he cost us precious time on the set waiting for him to get his act together. Eventually he was fired. He kept making the same mistakes. He was quite apologetic about it. But in the end, if there’s no change in such a person’s behavior, nothing is being learned. It’s not worth the production’s time to keep someone like that around. Don’t let that be you!

4. Don’t expect to always be around the action. As a crewmember at the bottom of the pecking order, you might be spending most of a night stopping traffic during takes and you may not be anywhere near the actual shooting. Don’t let this get you down. The work you are doing is making the filmmaking process for this project possible. So do it to the best of your ability. Trust me, it will be noticed. And if you do well with the menial tasks, it won’t be long before bigger and better responsibilities are entrusted to you. But you have to be prepared to earn that trust!

5. Ask questions. When appropriate (and be sure you know when it is and isn’t appropriate), engage people above you on the crew in conversation and ask them questions about their jobs. It’s amazing what you can learn (things like if you plug in the banded cable from the generator into the distro box in the wrong order, you can electrocute yourself to a quite dead crisp). Learn all you can. In fact, don’t pretend like you know more that you do. If someone asks you to do something, say, to grab a half CTB and some C-47s, and you haven’t a clue what those are, just say so. This is an opportunity to learn. You’ll actually help thing move along faster if you just admit you don’t know what those are rather than walking out to the grip truck and standing there like idiot hoping some voice from heaven will tell you that CTB is a blue gel and that C-47s are just regular dumb old clothes pins. In fact, there are so many specific names for the vast variety of tools and techniques used in filmmaking that even with several year of experience I find that I’m still learning an awful lot every time I go on set. Even on projects that I’ve been the cinematographer for I’ve had to stop at times and ask my gaffer or grips for a clarification on what they’re talking about. So, the lesson here is, don’t let pride get in the way of learning.

6. Use your brain! Observe. Keep your eyes peeled. Watch how the set works. Know things like, the 1st AD is head of the crew. Most questions you might have that seem like something the director should answer, those actually should be asked to the 1st AD. If the AD doesn’t know the answer, he or she can ask the director when appropriate. Never bypass the AD and go to the director unless you have established a working relationship with the director on that set (such as when my friend Dan became the official Video Assist PA and worked closely with the director for where to position the video monitor so the director could watch the takes being shot). As a PA or intern, don’t try striking up conversations with the director during shooting. The more you observe, the better you can understand how a set works, why certain creative choices are made, and why certain business choices are made.

7. Keep a good attitude. If you have a positive attitude, this will be noticed and appreciated. And remember that a positive attitude doesn’t mean always being talkative. There are times to talk and joke around with your new friends on a set, and there are times when that is not at all appropriate. So, common sense here is the name of the game. And know that filmmaking is an awful lot of “hurry up and wait.” You’ll be scrambling to rig up a light, or finish set dressing, and then suddenly you have nothing to do while actual takes are being shot. Just how it works. But through it all, keep a good attitude and work hard.

Okay, so those are more or less my basic seven things I’d suggest you keep in mind if you’re setting foot on a set for the first time. If you manage to do those, you’ll be in pretty good shape. You’ll be in a great position to learn more through the experience. I certainly hope you have a great experience and that you learn a lot. Don’t be afraid to have a little notebook with you so you can jot down observations during down times on set. And ultimately, have fun. You’re helping make movie. How cool is that?

Articles film crew, first crew, first time, mikel j. wisler, mikel wisler

By Eric M. Boellner | View Source

There is a simple word which is uttered far too often in the world of professional cinema.  In fact, it’s uttered too often in life itself.  It’s a horrible word that has several meanings, but I’m only talking about one.

Enough.

Good enough, quick enough, strong enough, dramatic enough, funny enough, exciting enough.  The list goes on, but I think that’s enough.

There’s a simple idea behind this word - enough.  The idea is that what you have just created meets the minimum level of worth required to pass.  This logic is foolish and corporate-esque at best.  There’s a term for this sort of thing.

Base Value Product.

What you are doing when you allow something that is only “good enough” to pass is creating a Base Value Product - that is, you are achieving the lowest value that you can, and accepting that.  There is another word for this.  It’s called mediocrity.  It is the worst plague affecting the Business.

So let’s use the example of screenwriting, since that’s really where a film begins.  You’ve written the first draft.  You like it.  It gets the story across.  It’s good enough.  Stop right there, turn around, bend over I want to kick you.  In fact, I’ll bend over and let you kick me as well, because I do the exact same thing.

I settle.  A major factor of it is laziness.  Writing is not hard work.  Creating is hard work.  And in order to write, you must first create.  You must make choices, which are hard.  You must think hard, dang hard, about how you can perfect this line, how you can cut this scene a little, or add some depth to that scene.  You must be passionate.  Because passion (and therefore activity) is the opposite of laziness.

But let’s take it back a step.  Sit down at your computer (if you’re already there, stand up and then sit down again).  You need a good concept.  You need something that will stand out.  What to do?  Hmm.  I know, how about…

Two teenage boys try to win a skateboard competition, against twenty-something opponents.

It’s not the best, but hey, it’s something.

Stop.  Seriously, please, just stop.  Look at the above sentence (the words that I put in your mouth).  Replace “something” with “good enough.“  And voilà, you’re settling already.  So add to this the fact that you’ll settle for some “good enough” scene, character and dialogue choices, add the fact that you won’t rewrite it, and if you do it will just be skimming it to make sure that everything’s perfect, and now you’ve got utter garbage for a film (not even taking into account the pathetic directorial choices you’ll settle for).

Don’t give me the bologna about how your idea is nothing like that.  It is.  Look at it!  What are you writing?  What is your idea?  Is it original?  Is it personal?  Is it something you need to tell?  Is it something you have to force yourself to keep from blabbering to everyone and their grandmother about?  I’m guessing not.

Why?  Because you settle.

“Well, I just need something to shoot…“  Don’t give me that.  You saying that is about the equivalent of a factory line producing unusable toxic waste and saying they needed to make something.

While I agree that you really should be shooting something, regardless of who you are or what gadgets you have access to, there is one thing that everyone has access to.  Story.  We’ve all got one.  Joe (the guy who hired all the bears to walk around with funny signs telling you to eat at his house) has stories to tell.  Joe’s grandmother even has stories to tell.  But neither Joe nor his grandmother are writers.

Does that mean that everyone knows what it takes to tell a great story?  No.  Can everyone learn?  Probably.  Can you learn?  Definitely.  But it takes one complicatedly simple thing: passion.

But let me tell you, you don’t have to do everything yourself.  If you want to focus entirely on direction or special effects or acting or how cool your camera is, try asking a writer to work on something for you.  But don’t settle for any of his ideas that are “good enough.“  They have to be great.

Because while a lot of films are good enough to make money, and make you rich and famous, very few are truly great.  And it’s the great ones that matter.  All the rest are just… less.

Articles enough, enough syndrome, eric boellner, eric m. boellner, screenwriting, screenwriting enough syndrome, script, syndrome

Chuck Peters takes us into some of the core techniques used in lighting the faces of talent on camera. Topics covered are 3-Point Lighting, Hard & Soft Light, Difficult to light subjects, and lighting the whole shot, not just the subject.

The page wouldn’t format properly on this blog so you’ll have to view the source article here.

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By Chuck Peters | View Source

A lot of good editors struggle when it comes to creating top-notch titles. The good news is that formatting fonts isn’t difficult if you follow a few simple rules. Whether you design graphics for TV, the printed page or projected presentations, these five tips will save you from the perils of faulty fonting.

1) BE BOLD

When it comes to finding fonts, go for big, thick and bold (instead of small, thin and swirly) for one simple reason: readability. If something is important enough to reinforce with text, it needs to be presented in a way that’s clean, clear and legible (Right). For television applications and often for presentations, become a serif sheriff: Sans serif fonts are thicker, bolder and less swirly than fonts that stand on serifs. For the printed page, serif fonts are often the way to go (pull just about any book off your shelf and see for yourself).

2) CHOOSE COLORS CAREFULLY

Choose a font color that contrasts well with your background (Right). Certain font colors work well, while others can make you look like an amateur. White text on a dark background is almost always Okay. Bright yellow might be an acceptable choice if you need to draw special attention to a word, phrase or phone number. Dark text on a very light-colored background is fine, but it can be hard on the viewer’s eyes if overused for TV or in presentations. Some colors should simply be avoided at all costs. Avoid using bright florescent green, baby blue, pale yellow and Pepto pink. Watch out for reds in broadcast video applications. Red tends to smear and bleed on screen.

3) GO DEEP

Use drop shadows and outlines to pop your text off the background, create contrast and add an illusion of depth (Right). Shadows and outlines are great ways to make your titles look better, but they also make text easier to read in most situations. Make sure all of your shadows all fall in the same direction. Shadows are almost always black and have the same level of partial transparency, too. The distance of the shadow from the font causes the text to appear closer to or farther from the background, but close is usually better than far. If the shadow is too far from the font, it just looks silly.

4) BE CONSISTENT

If you’re working on a project that uses multiple pages of graphics with text, be wise and templatize. Pick a look you like and stick with it for the entire project. If your fonts change in size, color, position and style from page to page within a project, you will definitely look amateurish. The key to looking professional is consistency. To avoid errors, copy and paste your original and use it as the foundation for each new graphic.

5) STOP SHORT

Be brief. Don’t write out long sentences or full paragraphs. Hit the highlights. Emphasize key points. Star Wars fans take note: The long “Lucas scroll” is not a good choice for most of your productions. Do any of us (besides our hardcore Jedi readers) remember anything beyond “…In a galaxy far away?” There are two exceptions to this rule: if you need to type out (1) a direct quote or (2) a disclaimer. In either case, it is proper to have a narrator (or live speaker) read long titles verbatim. Long textual titles accompanied by silence make viewers very uncomfortable.

In the end, you can apply one simple principle to all of your graphics: Every graphic you use should enhance your message and not be distracting. As soon as the audience stops listening to the message and starts squinting at small text, cringing at the ugly colors or reading paragraphs of text instead of listening to your message, you’ve got a problem. The best way to learn to build better graphics is to become a student of other people’s work: Don’t be afraid to imitate good design when you see it.

Chuck Peters is a 20 year veteran in media creation. He has worked in Television, Video Production and Publishing and is an Emmy Award Winning writer and producer. Having produced commercials, sports, TV talk shows, broadcast news, corporate, weddings, and instructional programs, CP has made a lot of video. Chuck currently works as VP of Production at Rivet Productions in Nashville, TN, where he oversees the production of Kidmo videos — high-energy, media-driven children’s Sunday School content/curriculum, consisting of both live-action and cartoon animation. Kidmo series include Lil K (for Preschoolers) and Johnny Rogers (for Elementary-age students)

Articles chuck peters, five tips, fonts, formating fonts

By: Chuck Peters | View Article Source

Everything around us is becoming more modular and more scalable. Fast food may be the best example of this. Today’s fast food isn’t just fast; it’s customizable. I can get a #2 with no mustard and extra pickles, substitute onion rings for fries and get it with a shake instead of a soda. I can even get my kids Jolly Meals with fruit instead of fries. Back in the day, BK had a national ad campaign that was driven by the fact that you could “Have it your way” at their restaurants. Remember the jingle? “Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce special orders don’t upset us.” At the time that was a big deal. Most people just ate it the way they made it or went somewhere else. Today, having it our way is the only way. We expect it. Who would accept anything less? The portions are scaleable too. I can get my custom-created-just-to-my-liking #2 combo Regular size, Jumbo size or Gargantuan. It’s up to me! I like that. I bet you do too. As consumers, we all like to have things “our way.” I think fast food chains have done a brilliant job of serving us their “content” in modular combinations and scalable portions.

As a video producer, writer and host, I wish that I could do that for my viewers. As producers, we face a dilemma when it comes to distributing our programs. There just isn’t a good way to create and present a video in a modular format that can be customized by the viewer on playback. We edit video in a nonlinear, random access fashion, but (with very few exceptions) our viewers still watch our productions as linear presentations. They start at the beginning and they have to watch the middle to get to the end. In my opinion, that’s too rigid for today’s busy, fast food content consumers.

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could watch your own custom-created edit of a video, rather than being forced to settle for the one-size-fits-all option created for a mass audience? I think it would be cool to be able to offer my viewers optional 2-minute, 5-minute and 10-minute versions of a show and let them choose which version they’d like to watch. Sure, I could edit and distribute 3 or 4 versions of a show on DVD or post 4 versions to a web page, but that’s way too time consuming and bandwidth intensive. It’s not practical. What I want is a way to create one edit, the full-length version, and then embed invisible markers into the file to assign commands that would re-direct or re-sequence the show on the fly during playback based on the viewer’s individual level of interest in the episode. 
So, a short version of a Field of View episode, for instance, might play the opening, then seamlessly jump to a quick example, then skip to the “so what” part of the conclusion in a way that’s totally seamless to the viewer.

QuickTime, Flash and DVD can all sort of do this, but none of them is meant to do this or makes it a fast and easy process for the editor and a high quality viewing experience for the viewer. My hope is that it won’t be long before we see this kind of technology built into editing applications.

I predict that, in the future, the way we distribute video will have to change to become more viewer-customizable. Our shows will need to become modular and scalable. Viewers want to watch videos on their own terms; they just don’t know it yet! Until that day comes, they’ll just have to watch what we give them… or exercise their right to turn us off.

Chuck Peters is a 20 year veteran in media creation. He has worked in Television, Video Production and Publishing and is an Emmy Award Winning writer and producer. Having produced commercials, sports, TV talk shows, broadcast news, corporate, weddings, and instructional programs, CP has made a lot of video. Chuck currently works as VP of Production at Rivet Productions in Nashville, TN, where he oversees the production of Kidmo videos — high-energy, media-driven children’s Sunday School content/curriculum, consisting of both live-action and cartoon animation. Kidmo series include Lil K (for Preschoolers) and Johnny Rogers (for Elementary-age students).

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Every now and again Nick and I meet face to face with a group of people that wants to start their own film production company. After sufficiently scaring them (a necessary task – this if far from all fun and games), we generally try to give them some practical advice. Please remember that none of this should be construed as legal advice. Always seek the counsel of a lawyer, accountant, and serious head trauma ward before thinking about starting your own business. Also, please be aware that I did not bother to do heavy research into the political underpinnings of any of the groups mentioned. If you have a beef with one of the groups listed please take it out on them and not us. We don’t want your beef. We like chicken.
 

1) A sense of humor is absolutely essential. If you didn’t even chuckle at the above paragraph, you will never make it past your paperwork. How do you expect to survive a tax season without a sense of humor?

2) There are several types of business models that you can take. The most popular, in my opinion, are the LLC (Limited Liability Company) and S-Corporation. Each has their advantages and disadvantages.

a) An LLC is essentially the same as a partnership in its taxes. When money comes in it is divided amongst each of the members as income, even if none of the members actually gets the money. In other words, if the business has two partners and it makes $1, each partner must claim $0.50 on their income tax, even if the money stays in the business account or is spent on office supplies. If your business should happen to pay you, you then “draw” money from the bank account. It’s like taking money from one pocket and putting it in another pocket. However, the business gets taxed on the initial dollar it made, and you get taxed on however much you draw. Therefore, the same dollar is taxed twice. Fun, huh?

b) S-Corporations are complicated. Read this article for more information. Thinking about it makes my head hurt.

3) Once you have decided on which kind of business model to become, start the business! The process for this varies in every state. The good news is that there are organizations set up by the government to help you to do this. One is the Small Business Administration (SBA). I also highly recommend www.business.gov.
 

a) You need for a Vendors License to sell goods and services. This is the license you need in order to appropriately pay sales tax to your state. There are different kinds of licenses. We use the Delivery Vendors License because we only ship DVDs and have no physical store for customers to walk into. You may need something different.

b) Before you start selling items, be sure to check out the sales tax for your state. In Ohio we have 88 different counties, each with their own sales tax. If we ship one of our products to one of those 88 Ohio counties, we have to charge sales tax according to what county the product will be shipped to, not our own county rate. Also, various states may or may not charge sales tax on shipping. Ohio does.

c) You should also be aware that you will need to keep every receipt and you will need to invest in bookkeeping software. Quickbooks is a popular program. Believe me when I say that this will help when tax season comes. Consult your accountant to see what they use because you will want to use a compatible program.

4) In case you haven’t noticed, owning a business is almost entirely paperwork.

5) Before you start setting up your business you are going to want a business plan. A business plan is essentially your playbook for the business. You will want to have this down in writing before you get too involved in your actual filmmaking processes. The same is true is all areas of filmmaking – casting, investors, distribution, locations, everything! Get it in writing. This is especially important for friends because they may not be such good friends once the money starts coming in or if they lose their investment. You business plan should include:

a) This may sound terrible, but if we are going to read a persons script we will often have them sign the rights to the script over to us first without pay. People often want us to trust that they will not sue. But what do they have to lose? A few days worth of typing? You have a whole company to protect! They should be required to trust you before you trust them. After all, you are the person with the most to lose.

7) Now that you have your script, go and find money! We actually recommend using your own money, though other people disagree with us. We like to use our own money because then we are not at the mercy of another person. If you decide to get investors be sure that you are the person maintaining creative control and that you do not give them any hope of getting their money back. Films are, in general, very risky investments. Every investor should be aware that the likelihood is that they will never see their money again.
 

Since we fully expect that information to keep you busy for the next several months, we will leave off there. Filmmaking can be an exciting and fulfilling career, but it is also a business. We have to give Caesar what belongs to Caesar. The actual filmmaking process is somewhat easy in comparison to the business aspects.

Remember that you run a business. Even non-profits make profit. People will constantly want you to give away your products and services for free, especially if you make gospel films. Simple equation: money out + no money in = bankruptcy. You must charge for your services. Do not let people tell you otherwise, especially people who do not own a business. You will be surprised how you are expected to pay forty thousand dollars for a low budget film but many customers are unwilling to chip in ten dollars for a DVD. Math is fun!
 

Do not forget to take time off. We are big believers in the five-day workweek. Your life should not be defined by how much work you can crank out, but by how well you lived it. Use every fiber of your being in order to leave work and go home. A filmmaker’s work is never done. EVER. Believe me when I say that it can wait. People will constantly want to know what your next project is, when the rough cut will be done, if they can act in your film, etc. Hang up the phone, disconnect the Internet, and go for a walk in the woods. If you are not taking off at least two days a week then something is wrong.

Most of all, remember Who you are doing this for! It is very easy to get caught up in the act of business and to completely forget that you are doing it for the Lord. Please also take to heart that cheating the IRS, using music that you do not have the rights to, pirating software, cutting out on business deals, and stealing office supplies are not biblical practices and should be avoided at all costs. For more information, please check out the websites that we suggested and subscribe to our podcast since we tend to drop nuggets about filmmaking in there every now and again. May the Lord bless your filmmaking adventures!
 

Articles business, christian film industry, christian filmmaking, management