I know what your thinking.
How are these two things not synonymous. And yet, in SO many cases, films end up being quasi-stories at best, featuring excellent cinematography, sound, and etc., but too much activity and not nearly enough action.
Yes, a screenplay is merely a literary basis for an audio/visual experience, but, if the story that the screenplay is based on doesn't make people say "I really want to see that movie," - you are missing something.
A weak cast can kill a film. Weak direction can kill a film. Low production value can kill a film. Poor cinematography can even kill a film. But if the story is not there, then you have nothing. Nothing.
And when you have "nothing," all hope is lost. No amount of magical filmmaking alchemy can save you, sorry to say. It's not somehow just going to magically come together on shoot days and in the editing process if it's not already on the page.
Trust me on this, I've personally seen a dozen or so Indie efforts fail because of execution of a film based on a weak script. I'm talking about money and time and much effort wasted over many years on feature length films that completely failed at what they were meant for - film festival inclusion.
I've seen many beginner writer/directors hold to the paranoia that if they let people read their masterpiece screenplay, someone will steal their ideas. Nobody wants to steal your snappy banter and I can pretty much guarantee you, your story has been told before, so don't get uptight about letting people peer into the chest of priceless Krugerrands that is your script.
If someone steals your script and they manage to make a shitload of money, which is a long shot, you can sue them. So, there IS that.
I believe that many beginner filmmakers are so enamored of the filmmaking process that they overlook the most crucial aspect of all and forge ahead into production. Don't get me wrong, I love the process of shooting scenes and editing. But when you edit scenes together and find out once and for all that the stuff is just not all that compelling (time and time again), it changes your perspective completely. This has happened to me, so take my word for it - concentrate on crafting an amazing script.
Filmmakers spend hours and hours agonizing over what equipment to use and what technique to employ while the script never gets re-written. While the script never gets multiple table reads. While the script never gets critical feedback from multiple sources.
Nobody will care how sharp or well lit your footage is if the story has no direction and nothing particularly compelling happens. Nobody will care how much time and effort you put into your film because ALL they see is what's on the screen. Your friends and relatives will watch it (once) and will be polite about it, but in the end all you have on your hands is an ugly baby.
An ugly baby may be beautiful to you, but to the world, it's awkward and something they'd rather not have to deal with.
©2012 Chris Santucci
Monday, January 30, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
On Being Professional
Even if you aren't a bona fide "professional," as-in - You get *paid* to do a specific thing and that's all you do for a living, you still can (and should) adopt a professional approach for maximum success.
Whether you're a weekend hobbyist or serious amateur or whether you just hope to make a film someday, keeping a professional demeanor and operating in a professional manner will only make things easier and will give people you deal with confidence that you're serious and not going to waste their time (or worse).
Be clear in your communication.
Whether it's face to face, phone, email, texting - whatever - don't be a putz. Communicate your thoughts effectively and efficiently. Try to edit too much extraneous blather and tangents. Watch the tangents. Be direct and get across what it is you need to get across.
I have worked with people who are poor communicators and I myself have had to struggle with saying the right things in the right way, so I know it can be a hurdle more for some than others. That said, if you truly want to be viewed as being professional - learn how to communicate. Take some time and learn how to organize your thoughts, words, and speech.
Some people like to preface everything they say with a "build-up." It's tedious and time consuming and generally unnecessary. If you start off by beating around the bush, people may become impatient or they may think you're trying to put something over on them, or they may develop a perception that you are unsure of yourself and your mission.
Another thing I see often are people who expect others to understand 100% of what they're saying when they only provide 10% of the information. People don't read minds.
Take your time, figure it out, write it down and rehearse if you have to - but present yourself when you can be reasonably clear and concise while also being personable and polite.
Be responsive.
When taking part in any ongoing communication pertaining to work projects you MUST be responsive. Generally, this means email communications because that's the predominate method of "talk" these days.
People know you're on a computer (or smartphone) on a daily basis, so you can look like a real douchebag if someone is waiting for you to respond to an email (or text), and not getting a response while it's obvious that you're screwing around on Facebook all day and night.
Avoiding questions or people just because you don't feel like dealing with them is a bad idea because it can offend people and can limit resources and options in the future when they decide to reciprocate and not return your calls.
During any ongoing communications related to an ongoing project or job, you MUST be responsive because people wait for answers before answering other people or before making moves. Not giving a timely response these days, is essentially inexcusable in my opinion what with phones in everyone's pocket that are email capable.
When it takes someone 3 full days to respond to a simple query about their availability for work, I'd say that's inexcusable. Sorry - it just is. If you sit on the toilet for 2 minutes anytime in those 3 days, you have the ability to respond. These things are a given by now.
When a simple query about anything doesn't warrant at the very least a simple and direct response especially from someone you had a prior successful working relationship with, I'd say that's inexcusable.
Always, always, always, respond to emails that have attachments. Generally these are in relation to a "job" or a project and it's customary to, at the very least respond, letting the other party know you received the attachment.
Don't leave people hanging. Online communications are not infallible. A simple "got it" response to an email at the very least is a necessity.
Don't be annoying.
This is a grey area, but seriously, try and be observant in order to determine whether you continually lose people's attention, or make people withdraw, or cause people to cut short their interaction with you (or worse - avoid you completely).
Some people talk too much. Some people go off on tangents consistently, some people have ticks or mannerisms that put people off.
Pay attention and make adjustments.
Be responsible.
Integrity is doing what you say you'll do and owning up to the results of your actions. Nobody wants to deal with someone who is always screwing up, but what's worse is blaming others for your shortcomings or failures.
Being wrong is ok. Everyone makes mistakes on occasion. We're not machines. Anyone who can't relate to humanness is not someone you want to deal with and it's not someone you want to be.
Following through on promises and at the very least making best efforts to complete tasks to the best of your ability is essentially the bedrock of what you are in a work environment. Some things can be excused, but laziness and deception are generally not tolerated, and too much talk and not enough action even if you're a good ass-kisser, will piss off co-workers.
Be a mensch. Get it done. Don't be a bigmouth.
Don't waste people's time.
Being organized is the best way to not waste people's time. When you don't think enough of your craft and others you deal with while making things happen, it will show as wasted time.
Unless you're doing a project on Jupiter and a sudden acid tornado blows in, you have NO excuse for not being prepared.
It's a pretty simple exercise to sit alone, maybe with a pen and and some paper, and map out, plan, and consider all aspects of whatever it is you want to do. If you need help with this exercise - get help.
Maybe you want to present yourself to a community as a potential facet of film projects. Maybe you want to solicit the help of potential unpaid crew. Maybe you want to ask a property owner for permission to film on their property.
KNOW what you need. KNOW what you have. KNOW how it (whatever it is) needs to happen. BE organized.
Be Prepared.
Do everything in your power to know your craft and don't go into a project blind with regard to particulars. If you're hired or asked to be involved with a project, ask the questions you need to in order to do your job effectively without having to figure it out while on the job.
If you're going to be working under certain conditions, you need to know what those conditions will be. If you're going to be working with equipment that's different from what you're used to - research the gear before you work with it. If you have to drive to a remote location for the work, make sure you know where exactly you're going and how you're getting there well BEFORE you start driving.
Being prepared shows you actually care about what you're doing, who you're doing it for, and the others you're working with.
Pay people and get paid.
The foundation of all personal and professional relationships is trust and "the exchange." You exchange something for something else.
Obviously this is a grey area when it comes to hobbyists and amateurs. Regardless, consider what you get when paying someone as opposed to not paying someone:
When you pay someone, you get an employee, not someone who's only doing you a favor. Someone doing you a favor can come and go as per their schedule. They can show up late and they can leave early.
When you pay someone, there's a definite expectation that they'll show up and that the work will get done.
When you're a professional, you get paid. The relationship of "work for pay" is as old as the hills and is essentially what makes the world go around. Expecting to get paid for work is normal and the grey areas generally involve workers on the bottom rungs of the career ladder.
With low budget stuff, there are no rules as it all depends on what deals can be made, but again - the concept of "employee" Vs. "friend doing a favor" should always be considered because in my experience, delays and conflict can arise from unpaid crew working on films.
In the no-budget realm, people trade time for time and more than likely keep a mental accounting of what's received and what's owed. When you're not spending money, anything goes, but when you have a quality project, I'd recommend raising money and spending it on the film.
Spending money means you have more of an investment in the project and that says something to those of whom you ask to be involved. The old adage "money talks and bullshit walks" should always be considered, lest you be viewed as a rank amateur.
Starting out as an amateur is fine obviously, but still not paying or being paid after a number of years marks you as a hobbyist, so consider the stigma associated with being one.
©2012 Chris Santucci
Whether you're a weekend hobbyist or serious amateur or whether you just hope to make a film someday, keeping a professional demeanor and operating in a professional manner will only make things easier and will give people you deal with confidence that you're serious and not going to waste their time (or worse).
Be clear in your communication.
Whether it's face to face, phone, email, texting - whatever - don't be a putz. Communicate your thoughts effectively and efficiently. Try to edit too much extraneous blather and tangents. Watch the tangents. Be direct and get across what it is you need to get across.
I have worked with people who are poor communicators and I myself have had to struggle with saying the right things in the right way, so I know it can be a hurdle more for some than others. That said, if you truly want to be viewed as being professional - learn how to communicate. Take some time and learn how to organize your thoughts, words, and speech.
Some people like to preface everything they say with a "build-up." It's tedious and time consuming and generally unnecessary. If you start off by beating around the bush, people may become impatient or they may think you're trying to put something over on them, or they may develop a perception that you are unsure of yourself and your mission.
Another thing I see often are people who expect others to understand 100% of what they're saying when they only provide 10% of the information. People don't read minds.
Take your time, figure it out, write it down and rehearse if you have to - but present yourself when you can be reasonably clear and concise while also being personable and polite.
Be responsive.
When taking part in any ongoing communication pertaining to work projects you MUST be responsive. Generally, this means email communications because that's the predominate method of "talk" these days.
People know you're on a computer (or smartphone) on a daily basis, so you can look like a real douchebag if someone is waiting for you to respond to an email (or text), and not getting a response while it's obvious that you're screwing around on Facebook all day and night.
Avoiding questions or people just because you don't feel like dealing with them is a bad idea because it can offend people and can limit resources and options in the future when they decide to reciprocate and not return your calls.
During any ongoing communications related to an ongoing project or job, you MUST be responsive because people wait for answers before answering other people or before making moves. Not giving a timely response these days, is essentially inexcusable in my opinion what with phones in everyone's pocket that are email capable.
When it takes someone 3 full days to respond to a simple query about their availability for work, I'd say that's inexcusable. Sorry - it just is. If you sit on the toilet for 2 minutes anytime in those 3 days, you have the ability to respond. These things are a given by now.
When a simple query about anything doesn't warrant at the very least a simple and direct response especially from someone you had a prior successful working relationship with, I'd say that's inexcusable.
Always, always, always, respond to emails that have attachments. Generally these are in relation to a "job" or a project and it's customary to, at the very least respond, letting the other party know you received the attachment.
Don't leave people hanging. Online communications are not infallible. A simple "got it" response to an email at the very least is a necessity.
Don't be annoying.
This is a grey area, but seriously, try and be observant in order to determine whether you continually lose people's attention, or make people withdraw, or cause people to cut short their interaction with you (or worse - avoid you completely).
Some people talk too much. Some people go off on tangents consistently, some people have ticks or mannerisms that put people off.
Pay attention and make adjustments.
Be responsible.
Integrity is doing what you say you'll do and owning up to the results of your actions. Nobody wants to deal with someone who is always screwing up, but what's worse is blaming others for your shortcomings or failures.
Being wrong is ok. Everyone makes mistakes on occasion. We're not machines. Anyone who can't relate to humanness is not someone you want to deal with and it's not someone you want to be.
Following through on promises and at the very least making best efforts to complete tasks to the best of your ability is essentially the bedrock of what you are in a work environment. Some things can be excused, but laziness and deception are generally not tolerated, and too much talk and not enough action even if you're a good ass-kisser, will piss off co-workers.
Be a mensch. Get it done. Don't be a bigmouth.
Don't waste people's time.
Being organized is the best way to not waste people's time. When you don't think enough of your craft and others you deal with while making things happen, it will show as wasted time.
Unless you're doing a project on Jupiter and a sudden acid tornado blows in, you have NO excuse for not being prepared.
It's a pretty simple exercise to sit alone, maybe with a pen and and some paper, and map out, plan, and consider all aspects of whatever it is you want to do. If you need help with this exercise - get help.
Maybe you want to present yourself to a community as a potential facet of film projects. Maybe you want to solicit the help of potential unpaid crew. Maybe you want to ask a property owner for permission to film on their property.
KNOW what you need. KNOW what you have. KNOW how it (whatever it is) needs to happen. BE organized.
Be Prepared.
Do everything in your power to know your craft and don't go into a project blind with regard to particulars. If you're hired or asked to be involved with a project, ask the questions you need to in order to do your job effectively without having to figure it out while on the job.
If you're going to be working under certain conditions, you need to know what those conditions will be. If you're going to be working with equipment that's different from what you're used to - research the gear before you work with it. If you have to drive to a remote location for the work, make sure you know where exactly you're going and how you're getting there well BEFORE you start driving.
Being prepared shows you actually care about what you're doing, who you're doing it for, and the others you're working with.
Pay people and get paid.
The foundation of all personal and professional relationships is trust and "the exchange." You exchange something for something else.
Obviously this is a grey area when it comes to hobbyists and amateurs. Regardless, consider what you get when paying someone as opposed to not paying someone:
When you pay someone, you get an employee, not someone who's only doing you a favor. Someone doing you a favor can come and go as per their schedule. They can show up late and they can leave early.
When you pay someone, there's a definite expectation that they'll show up and that the work will get done.
When you're a professional, you get paid. The relationship of "work for pay" is as old as the hills and is essentially what makes the world go around. Expecting to get paid for work is normal and the grey areas generally involve workers on the bottom rungs of the career ladder.
With low budget stuff, there are no rules as it all depends on what deals can be made, but again - the concept of "employee" Vs. "friend doing a favor" should always be considered because in my experience, delays and conflict can arise from unpaid crew working on films.
In the no-budget realm, people trade time for time and more than likely keep a mental accounting of what's received and what's owed. When you're not spending money, anything goes, but when you have a quality project, I'd recommend raising money and spending it on the film.
Spending money means you have more of an investment in the project and that says something to those of whom you ask to be involved. The old adage "money talks and bullshit walks" should always be considered, lest you be viewed as a rank amateur.
Starting out as an amateur is fine obviously, but still not paying or being paid after a number of years marks you as a hobbyist, so consider the stigma associated with being one.
©2012 Chris Santucci
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Light Without Power
I see an awful lot of posts in online forums from people wanting to know how to shoot in remote areas at night without electrical power. This always sets my daydream motor in motion because I've had more than my fair share of experimentation with various kinds of explosive substances many of which are powdered metals like magnesium.
I usually think of flares which burn very brightly, some of which are based on flammable metals, but also produce smoke and can be noisy. The other trick is to find something that will be bright and steady enough and not be excessively red like fire.
Since we're now using cameras with amazing light sensitivity, I'm starting to wonder if a simple gas or propane powered camping lantern could provide usable amounts of remote non-powered lighting.
The Coleman Two-Mantle Dual Fuel Powerhouse Lantern and Coleman PerfectFlow InstaStart Lantern supposedly provides 250-300 candlepower of light which I'd think could be usable in certain setups and more so if ganging up multiple lanterns.
I usually think of flares which burn very brightly, some of which are based on flammable metals, but also produce smoke and can be noisy. The other trick is to find something that will be bright and steady enough and not be excessively red like fire.
Since we're now using cameras with amazing light sensitivity, I'm starting to wonder if a simple gas or propane powered camping lantern could provide usable amounts of remote non-powered lighting.
The Coleman Two-Mantle Dual Fuel Powerhouse Lantern and Coleman PerfectFlow InstaStart Lantern supposedly provides 250-300 candlepower of light which I'd think could be usable in certain setups and more so if ganging up multiple lanterns.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
What makes a film a film?
I often wonder what it is that really validates a film into the pantheon of cinematic achievement.
I tend to feel that a certain level of film festival acceptance at the very least makes a film a film. Certainly the ultimate gold star is distribution even if it's only DVD sales/rentals or sales of streams.
Films are made for audiences, and if a film ultimately finds an audience of maybe a few hundred people or so, I'd tend to label it a failure, or more appropriately - an experiment.
That said, I think it's the responsibility of a filmmaker to make films for audiences, and without constant consideration for the audience throughout the filmmaking process, films (in my experience) tend to fall apart.
Filmmaking with a purpose should be the approach taken by all filmmakers, otherwise, much time, effort, and possibly money is wasted, and then you have to ask - what's the point?
©2011 Chris Santucci
I tend to feel that a certain level of film festival acceptance at the very least makes a film a film. Certainly the ultimate gold star is distribution even if it's only DVD sales/rentals or sales of streams.
Films are made for audiences, and if a film ultimately finds an audience of maybe a few hundred people or so, I'd tend to label it a failure, or more appropriately - an experiment.
That said, I think it's the responsibility of a filmmaker to make films for audiences, and without constant consideration for the audience throughout the filmmaking process, films (in my experience) tend to fall apart.
Filmmaking with a purpose should be the approach taken by all filmmakers, otherwise, much time, effort, and possibly money is wasted, and then you have to ask - what's the point?
©2011 Chris Santucci
Monday, September 5, 2011
Cheap film gear
If just starting out, on a low or non existent budget, or just a cheapskate, there are ALL kinds of readily available and usable items that can be had at a fraction of the cost of regular and generally expensive film/video gear.
I have a tendency to suggest that people wanting to make films try and get real film gear because there's a greater inherent degree of safety and functionality with real film gear as opposed to re-purposed stuff, but it IS possible to get away with lesser gear.
Work Lights
This is a popular tool with no budget filmmakers and these 300, 500, 1,000, and 1,500 watt work lights are actually fine for producing high quality quartz halogen light. The trick with these fixtures is being able to stand mount them and finding a way to control the light. The stands these lights come with are too short and too rickety to be of any use.
These kinds of fixtures can easily be bounced off of walls, ceilings, or bounce board, as well as being aimed through diffusion material for a more soft quality of light.
A cheap work light with the addition of a TVMP, for stand mounting can become a very usable source of light on a film set:
Adding the ability to mount to a stand with use of some inexpensive "black wrap" (as a light modifier) gives you a safe and cheap source of very good light.
China balls (paper lanterns)
This is something that IS actually used quite frequently in the film world as a great soft light source that you can put virtually anywhere which costs about the same as a decent lunch for two at Subway. With a cheap socket/cord, and a tungsten light bulb, you've got a great soft source for key lights or to create pools of light further into an interior set.
If needed, you can go for a slightly more expensive CFL instead of tungsten.
If you poke around online, you can find some dealers selling various sized china balls for very cheap.
Older TV & film lighting
Tungsten film style fixtures are almost as simple as a table lamp in your home. They either work or they don't, and they're easy to repair. I see little sense in buying a brand new fresnel fixture for 5 times what you could pay for a used fixture of identical design and quality.
Don't overlook the quality of an open face fixture. Lowel has specialized in open face focusable fixtures for years and these fixtures are essentially identical in function and quality of light they output as some older used units that can be had for a fraction of the cost.
A company called Berkey-Colortran manufactured lighting at one time which was used in TV studios all over the world. There's almost always older used Berkey-Colortran stuff on eBay (generally open face style fixtures) that are completely usable and definitely a step up from Home Depot work lights. These fixtures use readily available lamps and can be repaired and serviced fairly easily.
Companies like Mole-Richardson have been in business for long enough so that there are generally always older used fresnel and broad style fixtures for sale. Parts can be ordered directly from Mole for any units that may need servicing and lamps are readily available.
Light Stands
Light stands are pretty simple devices. They either work or they don't, so I would suggest seeking out used stands when in the market. I've purchased a lot of used stands over the years for half or less than half of what new would cost and have had little to no issues with their usability.
Some people use lower cost stands like a musicians microphone stand or still photography lighting stands. Beyond that, I've seen people make stands out of a bucket, a pipe, and some mortar mix by mixing the mortar, dumping it into the bucket and then positioning the pipe (or paint roller pole) in the bucket until the mix cures.
This provides a very solid foundation for lightweight lighting, but transportability would be a bit of a chore so these would work best in a studio setting.
Other options include some very handy items made by Lowel, which allow the ability to clamp or mount onto things, thereby negating the need for a stand. In any instance where you clamp onto something overhead like a light fixture, plumbing, wall - make sure you safety tie the rig to something solid nearby so it doesn't land on someone in the event it comes lose.
Tripods
There are slews of used Manfrotto and Bogen tripods and fluid heads floating around that can be bought for a fraction of what the newer stuff costs. I've used a number of older Manfrotto fluid heads and although some have had very minor issues, while still being functional, you have to be realistic about your skill level, the type of shooting you want to do, and how much you have to spend.
One thing I would say to definitely not do is try to use a still camera tripod with a video camera. You might be tempted to do this with the thought that you might only shoot locked shots, but the moment you try to shoot a pan or tilt shot with merely a 3 axis head, you'll be sorry.
Microphones
There are plenty of older used microphones that in many cases out perform some of the latest microphones that can cost the same as new.
Sennheiser and Rode are currently offering some very nice inexpensive shotgun mics aimed at DSLR users.
The older Sennheiser ew100 Wireless transmitter/receiver models can be found used for less than half the newer versions and while being slightly larger, they perform just as well with the addition of a trim pot which the newer models do not have.
Mixers
Again, used gear is the best way to go as long as you know how to shop and can weed out the garbage. There are a LOT of used Shure mixers floating around in the used market which are acceptably quiet and offer enough features and quality for just about any low budget filmmaker. A used 4 channel Shure FP42 can be had for 250 bucks, and it's loaded with features:
In new gear, Rolls is currently offering some very inexpensive portable mixers that seem to be fairly highly regarded and also don't rule out a live music style Mackie mixer either like the older 1202 series units which I've seen in use on a few feature film sets:
Equipment Cases
Everything manufactured for use in film/video production comes with a high price tag whether the materials and manufacturing warrant it or not. As far as cases go, I see little sense in shelling it out for Pelican cases unless you rent your gear out on a regular basis or ship or travel with your gear on a regular basis.
As an alternative to the venerable Pelican case, I've found the Seahorse brand to be
extremely close in design, materials, and craftsmanship while costing in some cases 1/2 as much as Pelican (while also being American made and with a lifetime warranty like Pelican).
Other favorites of mine as alternatives to costly cases include:
Golf bag hard case -
For $100/$150 you can have a nice shippable hard case for stands and/or tripod:
The "universal photo/video hard case"-
With a little glue here and there, you can improve and extend the life of this type of case which can be found just about everywhere for around 25 to 50 bucks. And, these come with foam and/or dividers:
Musical instrument cases-
I use a bass guitar hard case for 4' fluorescent tubes and it works great. Economy cases meant for musical instruments or sound gear come in usable dimensions and sizes and can be had for less than film/video cases.
Luggage-
I've found large size hard luggage with wheels in thrift stores that I use for gear when traveling by plane, most of which I find for around 5 bucks or so. You won't look very pro showing up on set with a bunch of suitcases, but then you can also enjoy the anonymity that comes from not having your expensive gear in expensive cases.
©2011 Chris Santucci
I have a tendency to suggest that people wanting to make films try and get real film gear because there's a greater inherent degree of safety and functionality with real film gear as opposed to re-purposed stuff, but it IS possible to get away with lesser gear.
Work Lights
This is a popular tool with no budget filmmakers and these 300, 500, 1,000, and 1,500 watt work lights are actually fine for producing high quality quartz halogen light. The trick with these fixtures is being able to stand mount them and finding a way to control the light. The stands these lights come with are too short and too rickety to be of any use.
These kinds of fixtures can easily be bounced off of walls, ceilings, or bounce board, as well as being aimed through diffusion material for a more soft quality of light.
A cheap work light with the addition of a TVMP, for stand mounting can become a very usable source of light on a film set:
Adding the ability to mount to a stand with use of some inexpensive "black wrap" (as a light modifier) gives you a safe and cheap source of very good light.
China balls (paper lanterns)
This is something that IS actually used quite frequently in the film world as a great soft light source that you can put virtually anywhere which costs about the same as a decent lunch for two at Subway. With a cheap socket/cord, and a tungsten light bulb, you've got a great soft source for key lights or to create pools of light further into an interior set.
If needed, you can go for a slightly more expensive CFL instead of tungsten.
If you poke around online, you can find some dealers selling various sized china balls for very cheap.
Older TV & film lighting
Tungsten film style fixtures are almost as simple as a table lamp in your home. They either work or they don't, and they're easy to repair. I see little sense in buying a brand new fresnel fixture for 5 times what you could pay for a used fixture of identical design and quality.
Don't overlook the quality of an open face fixture. Lowel has specialized in open face focusable fixtures for years and these fixtures are essentially identical in function and quality of light they output as some older used units that can be had for a fraction of the cost.
A company called Berkey-Colortran manufactured lighting at one time which was used in TV studios all over the world. There's almost always older used Berkey-Colortran stuff on eBay (generally open face style fixtures) that are completely usable and definitely a step up from Home Depot work lights. These fixtures use readily available lamps and can be repaired and serviced fairly easily.
Companies like Mole-Richardson have been in business for long enough so that there are generally always older used fresnel and broad style fixtures for sale. Parts can be ordered directly from Mole for any units that may need servicing and lamps are readily available.
Light Stands
Light stands are pretty simple devices. They either work or they don't, so I would suggest seeking out used stands when in the market. I've purchased a lot of used stands over the years for half or less than half of what new would cost and have had little to no issues with their usability.
Some people use lower cost stands like a musicians microphone stand or still photography lighting stands. Beyond that, I've seen people make stands out of a bucket, a pipe, and some mortar mix by mixing the mortar, dumping it into the bucket and then positioning the pipe (or paint roller pole) in the bucket until the mix cures.
This provides a very solid foundation for lightweight lighting, but transportability would be a bit of a chore so these would work best in a studio setting.
Other options include some very handy items made by Lowel, which allow the ability to clamp or mount onto things, thereby negating the need for a stand. In any instance where you clamp onto something overhead like a light fixture, plumbing, wall - make sure you safety tie the rig to something solid nearby so it doesn't land on someone in the event it comes lose.
Tripods
There are slews of used Manfrotto and Bogen tripods and fluid heads floating around that can be bought for a fraction of what the newer stuff costs. I've used a number of older Manfrotto fluid heads and although some have had very minor issues, while still being functional, you have to be realistic about your skill level, the type of shooting you want to do, and how much you have to spend.
One thing I would say to definitely not do is try to use a still camera tripod with a video camera. You might be tempted to do this with the thought that you might only shoot locked shots, but the moment you try to shoot a pan or tilt shot with merely a 3 axis head, you'll be sorry.
Microphones
There are plenty of older used microphones that in many cases out perform some of the latest microphones that can cost the same as new.
Sennheiser and Rode are currently offering some very nice inexpensive shotgun mics aimed at DSLR users.
The older Sennheiser ew100 Wireless transmitter/receiver models can be found used for less than half the newer versions and while being slightly larger, they perform just as well with the addition of a trim pot which the newer models do not have.
Mixers
Again, used gear is the best way to go as long as you know how to shop and can weed out the garbage. There are a LOT of used Shure mixers floating around in the used market which are acceptably quiet and offer enough features and quality for just about any low budget filmmaker. A used 4 channel Shure FP42 can be had for 250 bucks, and it's loaded with features:
In new gear, Rolls is currently offering some very inexpensive portable mixers that seem to be fairly highly regarded and also don't rule out a live music style Mackie mixer either like the older 1202 series units which I've seen in use on a few feature film sets:
Equipment Cases
Everything manufactured for use in film/video production comes with a high price tag whether the materials and manufacturing warrant it or not. As far as cases go, I see little sense in shelling it out for Pelican cases unless you rent your gear out on a regular basis or ship or travel with your gear on a regular basis.
As an alternative to the venerable Pelican case, I've found the Seahorse brand to be
extremely close in design, materials, and craftsmanship while costing in some cases 1/2 as much as Pelican (while also being American made and with a lifetime warranty like Pelican).
Other favorites of mine as alternatives to costly cases include:
Golf bag hard case -
For $100/$150 you can have a nice shippable hard case for stands and/or tripod:
The "universal photo/video hard case"-
With a little glue here and there, you can improve and extend the life of this type of case which can be found just about everywhere for around 25 to 50 bucks. And, these come with foam and/or dividers:
Musical instrument cases-
I use a bass guitar hard case for 4' fluorescent tubes and it works great. Economy cases meant for musical instruments or sound gear come in usable dimensions and sizes and can be had for less than film/video cases.
Luggage-
I've found large size hard luggage with wheels in thrift stores that I use for gear when traveling by plane, most of which I find for around 5 bucks or so. You won't look very pro showing up on set with a bunch of suitcases, but then you can also enjoy the anonymity that comes from not having your expensive gear in expensive cases.
©2011 Chris Santucci
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Recording Location Sound
I'm not a sound mixer, but I've done a lot of it, which is somewhat of a normal aspect of operating camera on low budget projects. As such, I've learned a few things about recording clean, usable sound on location.
Micing: The pro approach
Normally, location sound mixers like to employ a wireless lav mic and a shotgun mic simultaneously for each actor. Reasons for this have to do with safety and have to do with conditions on location.
Sometimes a wireless lav mic will be subjected to occasional radio interference which can create short bursts of static over dialog. Having a recorded channel from the shotgun mic can alleviate having to shoot another take if you have a clean recording with it.
Also, a lav mic's battery might start going dead during a take and having the redundancy of the shotgun mic can save you, especially if the take is a keeper. The last thing you want to do after a perfect take is shoot it again, even though you will anyway ;-)
Having two usable audio channels to employ in post each with their own different sets of characteristics is favorable. As an editor, I have repeatedly switched from one channel to the other as needed.
Using a single shotgun mic
I've shot multiple feature length films with only a single shotgun mic and this can work fine if you're careful and always record "wild lines" whenever needed to use in the edit. For example, when shooting a very wide shot where you can't get close enough with a shotgun mic, or when the actors action makes it too difficult to record and their face is not visible.
Issues with only using a shotgun mic are room acoustics (echo/reverb), picking up ambient noise, and too much distance from actor depending on the shot.
Using lavalier mics
The key thing with placement of a lav mic is to eliminate ALL clothing movement near the mic by taping the clothing to the actors skin, and taping all layers of clothing together where the mic is places. This can be done with tape loops made from paper tape (black usually, unless it's visible through light colored cloth) or moleskin (available at drug stores).
As for where to place a lav mic, it's not always the same on every actor as it really depends on what they're wearing more than anything. Sometimes it can be placed under a collar just out of sight of the camera. Sometimes it can be taped under the garment (facing forward and as close to the mouth as you can get it).
Try not to place a lav mic under too many or too thick layers of cloth or the sound will become muffled.
Generally, placement of a lav mic is most problematic with women because they tend to wear low cut tops which sometimes leaves almost no place to hide a mic. One trick in this instance is to cut a makeup sponge wedge part way (to run cable through), place the mic so it's just sticking out the top (larger end of the wedge), and place sponge/mic in the actresses breast cleavage.
The cable can then be run around to her back and out of sight.
ADR/Looping
ADR ("Automatic Dialog Replacement") is generally a regular practice with studio level motion pictures. Certainly location dialog is ALWAYS recorded, but large budget films go for spectacular audio quality, so they will re-record the dialog with the actor in a recording studio as they watch the looped scene on a large screen so as to match their new dialog sound take with their mouth in the scenes.
Scenes or parts of scenes are looped for the actor so they can repeat their lines until getting it perfect.
This process is actually quite simple to achieve even on a low budget, but of course it's always desirable to get clean location dialog recordings in almost all cases. Sometimes it's just not possible, as in the case of shooting a scene in a noisy environment (office with loud air circulation, bar/restaurant with loud coolers, exterior location with loud traffic, etc.)
Room Tone
This is generally forgotten about, but oh so important during the post process, especially if ADR is required. Generally it's adequate to record 30 seconds of room tone while still on your set with everyone still in place and not making a sound.
Having this ambient sound recording makes it possible to create acoustically matching dialog by mixing the room tone with your ADR recording. Also, it can come in handy for filling in gaps in an audio channel if a noise is removed (because you lose the ambient tone by doing so).
Of course, sometimes the location is noisy and if so and you intend to loop dialog later, you'll have to get quiet room tone from somewhere else (that matches the location to some reasonable degree.)
A word on noisy locations
With low budget films, you generally are at the mercy of whomever's property you're working on (or neighbors). That said, it generally means, NO you cannot shut off the walk in freezer, or NO you cannot make those people be quiet (because they're open for business), or NO the lawn crew will not stop cutting grass, etc. In cases where you either secretly or openly shut off machinery that hums in order to record clean location dialog, MAKE SURE you turn the machines back on.
Write a note to yourself, tell at least one other person, AND somehow make it impossible to leave without turning the machine(s) back on. I worked on a feature film once in a restaurant where certain coolers were never turned back on after shooting scenes, which resulted in $1,400. damage (that production had to reimburse for).
The most important thing
No matter what, keep in mind with any mic use, you want to place the mic as close as possible to the actors mouth while making sure they are not breathing on it. Take notice of where they will turn their head predominately during a take and place the mic(s) accordingly.
The closer the mic is to the actors mouth, the quieter the background noise (ambience) will be, which is exactly what you want.
©2011 Chris Santucci
Micing: The pro approach
Normally, location sound mixers like to employ a wireless lav mic and a shotgun mic simultaneously for each actor. Reasons for this have to do with safety and have to do with conditions on location.
Sometimes a wireless lav mic will be subjected to occasional radio interference which can create short bursts of static over dialog. Having a recorded channel from the shotgun mic can alleviate having to shoot another take if you have a clean recording with it.
Also, a lav mic's battery might start going dead during a take and having the redundancy of the shotgun mic can save you, especially if the take is a keeper. The last thing you want to do after a perfect take is shoot it again, even though you will anyway ;-)
Having two usable audio channels to employ in post each with their own different sets of characteristics is favorable. As an editor, I have repeatedly switched from one channel to the other as needed.
Using a single shotgun mic
I've shot multiple feature length films with only a single shotgun mic and this can work fine if you're careful and always record "wild lines" whenever needed to use in the edit. For example, when shooting a very wide shot where you can't get close enough with a shotgun mic, or when the actors action makes it too difficult to record and their face is not visible.
Issues with only using a shotgun mic are room acoustics (echo/reverb), picking up ambient noise, and too much distance from actor depending on the shot.
Using lavalier mics
The key thing with placement of a lav mic is to eliminate ALL clothing movement near the mic by taping the clothing to the actors skin, and taping all layers of clothing together where the mic is places. This can be done with tape loops made from paper tape (black usually, unless it's visible through light colored cloth) or moleskin (available at drug stores).
As for where to place a lav mic, it's not always the same on every actor as it really depends on what they're wearing more than anything. Sometimes it can be placed under a collar just out of sight of the camera. Sometimes it can be taped under the garment (facing forward and as close to the mouth as you can get it).
Try not to place a lav mic under too many or too thick layers of cloth or the sound will become muffled.
Generally, placement of a lav mic is most problematic with women because they tend to wear low cut tops which sometimes leaves almost no place to hide a mic. One trick in this instance is to cut a makeup sponge wedge part way (to run cable through), place the mic so it's just sticking out the top (larger end of the wedge), and place sponge/mic in the actresses breast cleavage.
The cable can then be run around to her back and out of sight.
ADR/Looping
ADR ("Automatic Dialog Replacement") is generally a regular practice with studio level motion pictures. Certainly location dialog is ALWAYS recorded, but large budget films go for spectacular audio quality, so they will re-record the dialog with the actor in a recording studio as they watch the looped scene on a large screen so as to match their new dialog sound take with their mouth in the scenes.
Scenes or parts of scenes are looped for the actor so they can repeat their lines until getting it perfect.
This process is actually quite simple to achieve even on a low budget, but of course it's always desirable to get clean location dialog recordings in almost all cases. Sometimes it's just not possible, as in the case of shooting a scene in a noisy environment (office with loud air circulation, bar/restaurant with loud coolers, exterior location with loud traffic, etc.)
Room Tone
This is generally forgotten about, but oh so important during the post process, especially if ADR is required. Generally it's adequate to record 30 seconds of room tone while still on your set with everyone still in place and not making a sound.
Having this ambient sound recording makes it possible to create acoustically matching dialog by mixing the room tone with your ADR recording. Also, it can come in handy for filling in gaps in an audio channel if a noise is removed (because you lose the ambient tone by doing so).
Of course, sometimes the location is noisy and if so and you intend to loop dialog later, you'll have to get quiet room tone from somewhere else (that matches the location to some reasonable degree.)
A word on noisy locations
With low budget films, you generally are at the mercy of whomever's property you're working on (or neighbors). That said, it generally means, NO you cannot shut off the walk in freezer, or NO you cannot make those people be quiet (because they're open for business), or NO the lawn crew will not stop cutting grass, etc. In cases where you either secretly or openly shut off machinery that hums in order to record clean location dialog, MAKE SURE you turn the machines back on.
Write a note to yourself, tell at least one other person, AND somehow make it impossible to leave without turning the machine(s) back on. I worked on a feature film once in a restaurant where certain coolers were never turned back on after shooting scenes, which resulted in $1,400. damage (that production had to reimburse for).
The most important thing
No matter what, keep in mind with any mic use, you want to place the mic as close as possible to the actors mouth while making sure they are not breathing on it. Take notice of where they will turn their head predominately during a take and place the mic(s) accordingly.
The closer the mic is to the actors mouth, the quieter the background noise (ambience) will be, which is exactly what you want.
©2011 Chris Santucci
Friday, July 29, 2011
Your Name Here
It might seem like a minor thing, but a film's title, even more than a song's title can, I believe can have a significant effect on the success of a film.
At the very least, I think real thought needs to be given to film titles because in some cases, all a potential viewer knows of the film IS the title.
Consider how our first and sometimes only exposure to a film is in just hearing or reading the title:
While in conversation with someone, the name of a film is mentioned.
A list of film names are viewed in movie listings on a smart phone.
What you want is a title that conjures up imagery in the mind well before someone even sees the film. You want it to intrigue people and make them curious about the film. You want a title that gets a positive response from people.
Certainly if a film gets good word of mouth or reviews, then really, the title isn't nearly as important because frequency forces a title into the public's memory. But with a film of limited release, if one is lucky enough to get a theatrical release or even an online or DVD release, having a memorable title can translate into interest when little is known of the film itself.
Consider a title when searching online. What if your title is identical to films made in the past, present, or future? What if someone who has an interest in renting or buying or streaming your film looks the up the title online and finds there are 30 or 40 films all with the same name?
Like this:
The Key
How long do you think someone will spend trying to find the actual title they're looking for? Especially if all they have to go by is the title and a vague recommendation from someone?
Titles can be ambiguous or they can elicit a feeling or they can very succinctly sum up the essence of a film, but in my opinion, what they should be whenever possible is memorable, because really, the film's title is the first step in marketing the film.
A confusing title, a overused title, a title made up of very common words, a silly title that makes people reluctant to utter, or a completely forgettable title will handicap the potential success of a film when you're an unknown filmmaker trying to get the attention of film festival programmers and an audience.
Nothing is better than having a great title that's wholly unique and memorable because it also means online searches will deliver less garbage and more of your film in search results and it will stick in people's heads.
And besides, do you really want to give your baby a dumb name that it'll have to live with all its life?
©2011 Chris Santucci
At the very least, I think real thought needs to be given to film titles because in some cases, all a potential viewer knows of the film IS the title.
Consider how our first and sometimes only exposure to a film is in just hearing or reading the title:
While in conversation with someone, the name of a film is mentioned.
A list of film names are viewed in movie listings on a smart phone.
What you want is a title that conjures up imagery in the mind well before someone even sees the film. You want it to intrigue people and make them curious about the film. You want a title that gets a positive response from people.
Certainly if a film gets good word of mouth or reviews, then really, the title isn't nearly as important because frequency forces a title into the public's memory. But with a film of limited release, if one is lucky enough to get a theatrical release or even an online or DVD release, having a memorable title can translate into interest when little is known of the film itself.
Consider a title when searching online. What if your title is identical to films made in the past, present, or future? What if someone who has an interest in renting or buying or streaming your film looks the up the title online and finds there are 30 or 40 films all with the same name?
Like this:
The Key
How long do you think someone will spend trying to find the actual title they're looking for? Especially if all they have to go by is the title and a vague recommendation from someone?
Titles can be ambiguous or they can elicit a feeling or they can very succinctly sum up the essence of a film, but in my opinion, what they should be whenever possible is memorable, because really, the film's title is the first step in marketing the film.
A confusing title, a overused title, a title made up of very common words, a silly title that makes people reluctant to utter, or a completely forgettable title will handicap the potential success of a film when you're an unknown filmmaker trying to get the attention of film festival programmers and an audience.
Nothing is better than having a great title that's wholly unique and memorable because it also means online searches will deliver less garbage and more of your film in search results and it will stick in people's heads.
And besides, do you really want to give your baby a dumb name that it'll have to live with all its life?
©2011 Chris Santucci
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