May 2007

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Shooting Solstice in New Orleans Working with Fluorescent Lighting Joerg Wagner Captures the Wild Ride Plus: Placing the Camera The Science Behind Staying Legal in a Multicolor World the Camera Test Landing an Agent Table of Contents May 2007

Cinematography 6 Focus on... Focus How Lens Settings Affect Filter Effects by Ira Tiffen

Lighting 8 Working with Fluorescent Lighting on Location Tungsten and Daylight Balanced Lighting by Saro Varjabedian

Insights 10 Shooting Solstice in New Orleans A Drama Set in the Bayous of Louisiana with Supernatural Elements 10 by M. David Mullen, ASC Filmmaker Spotlight 18 Joerg Wagner Captures the Wild Ride: Bikes, Speed, and Adrenaline 18 Award-Winning Writer/Director on Experimental Documentary, Motodrom

Directing 22 Placing the Camera by David K. Irving 28 Solutions for Re-shooting a Film that Couldn’t Be Fixed in Post Stretching Creativity Past the Limits by Myrl A. Schreibman

Post Production 32 Color Correction: Creating a Unified Look for Your Movie by Leonard Guercio

Music & Sound 36 34 Re-creating Space for Dialogue Replacement by Bryant Falk Film / Video Formats 36 Film Is Not Dead! by Chris Cavallari

Tech Focus 40 Staying Legal in a Multicolor World by Steve Holmes 44 The Science Behind the Camera Test by Michael Kent

How-To 50 Protecting Yourself and Your Gear in Difficult Environmental Conditions by Kevin Zanit

40 Film Business 52 Landing an Agent by Vanessa Daniels 53 Quick Tips for Selling Your Film at the Cannes Market by Stacey Parks

Networking 54 Filmmakers Networking Community

On the Cover On the set of Solstice. Photo courtesy of Daniel Myrick. Publisher’s Desk

Today is your day, film and video makers. This is your era. Look at the promise in the world of online entertainment. You can reach The # 1 Educational Resource for Film and Video Makers out to the world from your Publisher / Editor-in-Chief Kim Edward Welch living room and be heard Senior Editor Jody Michelle Solis in the farthest corners of the Globe. The internet has Contributing Writers brought us together, and new Thomas Ackerman, ASC, Anthony Q. Artis, George Avgerakis, affordable technologies are Sheila Curran Bernard, Adam Biddle, Chris Cavallari, making it easier for our story Mark Cheng, Michael Corbett, Vanessa Daniels, to be heard like never before Todd Debreceni, Jeff Deel, Dana Dorrity, Paolo Dy, in history. The word is we are democratizing the industry. These David E. Elkins, S.O.C., Bryant Falk, Jon Firestone, are truly amazing times we are living in. Brian Flees, Daniel Gaucher, Fred Ginsburg, C.A.S., Ph.D., Mark Steven Grove, Leonard Guercio, Steve Holmes, Last year at NAB 2006 we presented our very first issue of David K. Irving, Michael Karp, S.O.C., Sam Kauffmann, StudentFilmmakers Magazine, with aspiring actor Shane Kennedy Michael Kent, Mark Kerins, Brian Liloia, Jake Lovell, (from “Here and There,” directed by Jacob Mason) on the Cover. Matthew Marshall, Maurice Methot, M. David Mullen, ASC, Stacey Parks, Myrl A. Schreibman, Mark Simon, This year in Las Vegas, Nevada, we celebrated our first Mary Ann Skweres, Glen Tickle, Ira Tiffen, Melissa Ulto, birthday with our Anniversary April 2007 Issue, 12 exciting, Saro Varjabedian, Fred P. Watkins, Steve Wright, Kevin Zanit information-packed back issues, and booths at the back-to- Media Art Director Lien-Chen Lin back shows, NAB 2007 and BEA 2007. On Day 1 of NAB, we served birthday cake and coffee to our booth visitors. In case you missed it, you can check out photos taken from the show online at www.studentfilmmakers.com. Some familiar faces who dropped by our booth included Saul Molina from Publisher / Editor-in-Chief Kim Edward Welch American Cinematographer Magazine, M. David Mullen, ASC, Media Art Director Lien-Chen Lin StudentFilmmakers Magazine Contributing Writer Anthony Q. Chief Web Developer Thomas Haines Artis, Juliane Grosso from Cine Gear, Dana Lee from Ryerson University in Canada, and Bruce Borowsky from Boulder Digital Advertising Arts. At the BEA convention, I had the wonderful opportunity Kim E. Welch 212.255.7190 Classified Ads: 212.255.7192 Fax: 212.255.7204 to meet professors and program directors from film universities Intensity introduces high definition across the US, including Rexford Metz, ASC, who teaches at Contact StudentFilmmakers Florida State University. http://www.studentfilmmakers.com/contact.shtml 888.222.0652 (US Toll Free) HDMI editing for only $249 I want to thank all of you who visited us at our booths at the 212.255.7192 (US and International) 212.255.7204 (Fax) shows, and thank all of you who expressed your recognition and appreciation for our editorial team’s dedication and hard work. Subscriptions: Intensity is the world’s first HDMI capture and Multi Camera HD Production Studio U.S., $24.95/year; Canada, Mexico, and all other foreign countries, Thank you for sharing your feedback, compliments, and praise. playback card for Windows and Mac OS X Perform live production with 2 Intensity cards $69.50/year. systems. If you want to go beyond the quality and cameras plugged into your system using

limits of HDV or you need big screen HDMI Enjoy this issue, with excellent articles written by M. David To subscribe go to https://www.studentfilmmakers.com/store the included On-Air software. On-Air sync’s Mullen, ASC, Ira Tiffen, Myrl A. Schreibman, Chris Cavallari and Direct line for subscription and distribution inquiries, 212.255.7192. edit monitoring, then only Intensity will let you HDMI cameras, handles monitoring and recording, plus is so easy to other talented authors. Join me in welcoming new contributing upgrade to true Hollywood production quality. use, it’s ideal for education, theater, corporate training and more. writers Steve Holmes, Michael Kent, and Vanessa Daniels. Beyond the Limits of HDV Use your Favorite Software We look forward to meeting you at the next tradeshow, Cine Working in HDTV is exciting, however, HDV’s heavy compression Intensity is fully compatible with both Adobe Premiere Pro on Gear 2007 in Los Angeles, California, on June 22 & 23. Save the and limited 1440 x 1080 resolution can cause problems with quality Windows and Apple Final Cut Pro on Mac OS X, as well as After dates, and don’t forget to register online at and editing. Intensity eliminates these problems using direct HDMI Effects, Photoshop and many more. Intensity also works in 1080i www.cinegearexpo.com. StudentFilmmakers, established in 2006, is published monthly in New capture from the camera image sensor, at full 1920 x 1080 HDTV HD, 720p HD, NTSC and PAL for worldwide compatibility. York by StudentFilmmakers.com. Opinions are solely those of the resolution and uncompressed video quality. authors. Letters, article queries, photos, movie stills, film submissions, and unsolicited manuscripts welcome, but returned only with SASE. Cinema Style HDMI Monitoring Truly, Submissions are subject to editing for style, content, and to exclusive Intensity rights provisions in this publication. Advertising: Rate card upon request. If you’re editing in DV, HDV, uncompressed Kim E. Welch or JPEG video, you can use Intensity’s HDMI Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Copyright 2007 StudentFilmmakers.com (All rights reserved.) output for incredible digital video monitoring. US $249 Printed in the USA. Postmaster: Send address change to Now you can use big screen televisions and StudentFilmmakers, 42 West 24th Street, New York, NY 10010. video projectors for breathtaking cinema style edit monitoring and experience the true quality of your work. Learn more today at www.blackmagic-design.com  studentfilmmakers May 2007

Student Filmmakers.indd 1 5/4/07 11:27:03 AM Cinematography

So what are we concerned about? used in video, focusing on a patterned filter when the subject you are focusing on is prevents normal depth-of-field from keeping Well, at some lens settings, it is possible to will be more likely than on, say 16mm film; closer to the camera. both in focus. actually see the filter pattern in the image, and on 16mm it will be more likely than on Filter wheels and filters mounted on Mount the split-field lens on the camera Focus on… Focus if you are not careful. This may be very 35mm. the rear of the lens, are other options for lens, and position the lens-half to cover obvious, or be completely missed until later, Larger-chip cameras like those from Arri using patterned filters ‑ either makes it the near-field. Focus on the background when the image is more properly displayed. How Lens Settings and Dalsa will accordingly have less of an less likely, but still not impossible, to see object normally, and then move the The pattern will be most apparent when issue with filter patterns than other smaller- the filter pattern appear unwanted in the camera forward and back until you obtain against a background with little detail, and chip cameras. It isn’t whether it’s film or image. These will be available only if your simultaneous focus on the foreground. You Affect Filter Effects when the camera is panning. Lighting can digital, just the size of the recorded image. equipment provides for them. can properly control the frame and focus of also have its effect. The lines of the star your shot by choosing both the lens focal by Ira Tiffen filter light up when bright sunlight hits them. The general rule when using patterned There are a number of filters that may length and the diopter strength of the split- Shooting reflective points of light off water filters would be to make focusing on the seem safe from this standpoint, but virtually field lens accordingly. waves may have you peering through a pattern as unlikely as you can by shooting any filter with a pattern may cause a ‘waffle-iron grid’ caused by this. with a wider opening and using longer focal problem, so, especially for critical events, You will usually have an out-of-focus The lens is conceptually the part of from highlights in the scene. The effect is lengths. test in advance and evaluate the result line between the two fields of focus - this your camera that dates back the farthest created by thin lines hollowed out into the How to minimize this happening has to on a proper display. What you see in the is best handled by placing it in an area in time. Before lenses, even pinholes, no filter surface by chemical etching. Sets of do with understanding what is causing it in You may find that a neutral density viewfinder may not be enough to signal that with little sharp detail to minimize drawing one was capturing image-forming light on parallel lines run in different directions; for the first place. Simply, the lens is being set filter, either on the lens along with the there’s a problem while there is still time to attention to it. This line will be larger and photosensitive surfaces in a box. Lenses each direction there will be two points, so that it is coming closer to focusing on effect filter or behind the lens as with a correct it. softer at larger lens openings and smaller being what they are, regardless of how new one line running straight through the light. the filter than it should be. This is going to filter wheel, will reduce incoming light and finer at smaller openings. That depth-of- it is your lens has some basic characteristics A four point star will have line sets in two be more likely when using either a shorter to allow you to use a larger lens opening There is another focus issue that lens field issue again. that function consistently enough among perpendicular directions. focal length or a smaller lens opening, but than you might otherwise. You can also accessories can assist with. In particular, all lenses to make some general practical especially, both. use a polarizer, even if you don’t need a I refer to the “split-field” lens, a close-up There are many focus issues that you Creating stronger effects for both types assumptions. polarization effect, as a stand-in for the lens that has been cut in half. This provides will master as you go along. Focusing on of filters is accomplished by making the Depth-of-field also increases with neutral density, as it typically has a 1-2/3 the ability to have part of the image the subject and not on the filter will also I won’t get into the issue here of whether patterns finer - smaller openings in the decreasing size of the recorded image for an stop compensation requirement. Just be sure focusing normally, usually on an object in keep your audience focused on what’s most depth-of-field increases with decreasing diffusion mesh and closer spacing between equivalent angle of view. This is a matter of that the polarization doesn’t cause some the background, while retaining focus on important - your story. focal length (it doesn’t necessarily, but we the lines on the star filter. In each case the physics. It means that as you move from a other problem at the same time. another part of the image in the foreground, can go into this another time). Instead, stronger effect has more ‘pattern’ on it, larger recording format to a smaller, for the especially when the distance between let’s look at certain types of filters that use making it more of concern as we shall soon same angle of view you will have increasing Another issue to remember is that you the two and the proximity to the camera discrete pattern elements to create their see. depth-of-field. So, for the smaller chips are also more likely to focus on the filter effect and how lens opening and focal In over 30 years of making optical filters, length enter into the picture. Ira Tiffen created the Pro-Mist, Soft/FX, Ultra Contrast, GlimmerGlass, and others, Diffusion nets and star effect filters netting him both a Technical Achievement are the types most of concern here. Nets Award from the Academy of Motion Picture involve placing a mesh pattern over the lens Arts and Sciences and a Prime-Time Emmy to produce what I call selective diffusion. As Award. Elected a Fellow of the SMPTE in with some other types of softening effects, 2002, he is also an Associate member of the fine details are diminished while retaining ASC, and the author of the filter section of an overall in-focus appearance. Nets date the American Cinematographer Manual. back to the early days of cinematography where they were responsible for many a glamorous star’s pristine screen image. They Both pictures were made using a 4-point 2mm Star filter. All else being are still popular for certain situations and are equal, the one at f/22 (left photo) available as fabric or glass. shows the light and dark pattern effect of depth-of-field causing the lines on the filter to be visible; in the one made Star filters create bright ‘points’ of light, at f/3.5 (right photo), the larger lens actually long thin lines of light emanating opening eliminates this effect. Photos by Ira Tiffen.

 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers  Avid_edu_ad_v9fin 2/15/07 4:35 PM Page 1

Lighting

fluorofilter or replace the regular fluorescent bulbs with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs such as Optima 32s. Plusgreen 50 can also be added to tungsten light sources to balance the source to cool white fluorescent bulbs but the green color will need to be removed by adding a minusgreen filter to the lens or timing out the green during the film development process.

Scenario 2: Introducing Daylight Balanced Lighting

To balance for daylight add minusgreen gel to the fluorescent bulbs or replace regular fluorescent bulbs with full spectrum fluorescent bulbs such as Optima 50s. Small office space with fluorescents. Plusgreen gel can be added to windows or HMIs to balance it with the fluorescent Working with Fluorescent bulbs but the green will need to be removed by adding a minusgreen filter to the lens or timing out the green during the film Lighting on Location development process.

Tungsten and Daylight To color balance locations lit by fluorescents it may take a combination of Balanced Lighting these techniques. The location will dictate the best course of action. If you are filming by Saro Varjabedian in a small office it might be better to gel the fluorescent bulbs to match the tungsten or Today, most commercial locations proper exposure. The solution would be daylight sources. If you are filming in a large such as office buildings, supermarkets and to add other light sources to the set. Once supermarket with many fluorescent sources shopping centers use fluorescent lighting. mixed color lighting is introduced then the it would be a lot easier to gel the tungsten or As a director of photography, planning a light sources must be balanced to the same daylight source to match the fluorescents. location shoot will require knowing how color spectrum or your image will have an to best deal with fluorescent lighting. The unattractive green color hue to it. difficulty which fluorescent lighting presents For the purpose of this discussion, let is that fluorescents emit high green color If they don’t know Avid, they may always be tourists. us use as an example an office space with spikes. While our eyes adjust to the green ® fluorescent lighting recessed into the ceiling Saro Varjabedian is a director of Academy Award winning feature films. Emmy® award-winning television shows. Grammy® award-winning songs. color which fluorescents emit allowing us and the introduction of another source of photography based in New York and has Most of the world’s best media is created using tools from Avid, Digidesign, M-Audio, and Softimage. For as little to see it as white light, film or video do not. light. Listed below are two scenarios for worked on over twenty films, music videos as $295USD, your students can learn the technology that will help them make the grade in tomorrow’s job market. You will need to color balance the video balancing florescent lighting with either and corporate videos for various production for the green, add a minusgreen filter to tungsten or daylight balanced sources. companies. He has recently finished the lens or time out the green during the production on Erza, Story 353, Agoraphobia, film development process. The problem Scenario 1: Introducing Tungsten Hero the Great, and the TV pilot, Power- is that often times just using the practical Balanced Lighting Outage. fluorescent sources will not be enough to produce a favorable image because either To balance for tungsten light sources www.avid.com/education the image will be too flat or the fluorescent gel warm white fluorescent bulbs with ©2007 Avid Technology, Inc. All rights reserved. All prices are USMSRP for the U.S. and Canada only and are subject to change without notice. Avid, Digidesign, M-Audio, and Softimage are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. sources do not provide enough light for minusgreen, gel cool white fluorescents with or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries. Academy Award is a trademark and servicemark of the Academy of Motion PIcture Arts and Sciences. Emmy is a registered trademark of ATAS/NATAS. Grammy is a trademark of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc. All other trademarks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers  Insights

Since the budget of this movie permitted us to shoot in 35mm, I wasn’t tempted to Shooting Solstice bring up the possibility of shooting in HD; I felt that the beauty of these locations would best be captured on film. But on most of in New Orleans my recent features, I had opted to shoot the movie for release in 35mm 2.35 “scope” A Drama Set in the Bayous prints. I like that widescreen presentation format for many reasons. One is that it of Louisiana with allows the location to play a larger part of the frame, to maintain a sense of place even Supernatural Elements in tighter shots. Two, it makes a low-budget movie feel larger in budget. And I like the by M. David Mullen, ASC compositional challenges of the very wide frame. But on my HD features, it had been as simple as framing for cropping 16x9 to 2.35 in the viewfinder; we just recorded Often I get asked “how do you find At the meeting I was impressed by Dan the HD master to a 35mm anamorphic work?” and usually the answer is that most Myrick’s intelligence and sense of humor. internegative by cropping and squeezing of my work comes from contacts formed on Dan was already famous for being one the image in the Arrilaser. For my 35mm my previous jobs shooting feature films. The of the creators of The Blair Witch Project, features, I had shot them so far using added advantage of this situation is getting and he had very specific ideas for how the Solstice swamp location. Photo courtesy of anamorphic lenses, which I feel yield the to work with people that know and trust me, horror elements of this story were to be Endgame Entertainment. highest possible image quality for theatrical and trust is essential for a cinematographer presented. He was determined to avoid projection because of the size of the to be allowed to explore his art fully. or minimize any clichés of the genre – he negative area reserved for the scope image. Without trust, a cinematographer is forced didn’t want the summer house to be old and long things take. The problem of a short home after two weeks. While I was there, I calling people in Los Angeles that we knew However, on this project, I was hesitant to to build it gradually by delivering good creepy, he didn’t want the ghost to be some schedule on this film was that over half the had interviewed a number of potential local because we had run out of local options. suggest anamorphic photography because (but somewhat conservative) images in pale, decomposing dead girl a la The Ring. scenes take place at night, many inside the crew people, which I thought would come Ultimately almost no one on my camera we had such small locations and we had so tried and true ways – in other words, the However, he did want a certain naturalism swamps and woods, and night photography in handy now that I was returning just a crew was local, despite our attempts. Even much night exterior work. Anamorphic has cinematographer feels compelled to play it regarding the setting to be captured, a never goes fast. The other issue was that month later. our Key Grip and Gaffer came from Los less depth of field on average than spherical safe, only do what he knows works. You realistic approach to the lighting, and as we had a certain number of physical effects Angeles, along with some of the electricians 35mm photography, which is why generally need trust in order to take chances, to be much use of natural light as possible. Now When I was there before in late January, and some plate photography for post visual and grips. Same was true in many of the you try to light scenes to at least an f/4 allowed to occasionally fail. it’s always a bit dangerous to go against we were the only production starting up effects to set up. I was also concerned other departments as well, ultimately – however, more often than not, large night expectations when doing a supernatural tale in that area – but now that I was returning that a fast-paced shoot would not allow costing the production more money than exteriors are lit to f/2, maybe f/2.8 at the In the Spring of 2006, I was introduced in March to start preproduction all over because to some extent, the gothic elements the sort of Malick-style naturalism to creep they had planned on spending. This was by my agent to a producer that I hadn’t most. This creates a focus-pulling challenge, are part of the charm of the genre (plus they again on a new project, I discovered that in because of the time it took to travel to complicated by the fact of a housing not to mention that so much of the frame worked with before, Adam Del Deo, and three other features were starting around are fun for the cinematographer!). But I scenic spots at the right time of day. shortage in the area because of the many along with him on this project, a director is in soft-focus at wide apertures that we liked the challenge of capturing the natural the same time (in fact, one of them called Katrina refugees still living in the remaining may lose a sense of the space at night. named Dan Myrick. The script was titled The movie was going to be shot in the me during prep asking if I wanted to come qualities of the swamp location and thought local hotels. Solstice, a drama set in the bayous of So I suggested that we shoot in Super-35 that perhaps this would be a chance to do a New Orleans region, despite the fact that down to Louisiana to shoot their feature). Louisiana among some vacationing teens, horror film in the subtle style of a Terrence Hurricane Katrina happened only seven Worst of all, one was the Tony Scott movie with supernatural elements. The lead Malick movie. months earlier. This was not only due to the Déjà Vu starring Denzel Washington, a character, Megan, is dealing emotionally evocative locations that Louisiana provides, big-budget project that sucked up all the with the suicide of her twin sister, Sophie, The budget was what could be called but the new tax breaks and incentives that top local crew people, including almost at the previous Christmas, and mysterious the low-end of the union contract scale, the state provides productions. I had just everyone I had interviewed just a month happenings at their summer house lead her and the schedule was incredibly tight, only returned from the Baton Rouge area only a earlier. Because of the tax breaks, there was to believe the ghost of her dead sister may 25 days. This sent up a warning flag for me month before I was hired on Solstice; I had pressure to hire as many locals as possible, be trying to contact her. because I’ve shot many 25-day features over been scouting for another indie feature that but as our prep went on and the first day the years, and have a good sense of how ultimately lost its financing and sent me of shooting loomed closer, we had to start

10 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 11 Insights to achieve 2.35. I also suggested we use were Panavision Primos, which are very that we have some mismatches due to cloud 3-perf instead of 4-perf and do a digital sharp at wide apertures. Having just shot cover to fix in post, plus some time of day intermediate to convert the 3-perf spherical The Astronaut Farmer using the new Fuji mismatching, but the advantage of this style photography to 4-perf 35mm anamorphic. Eterna 500T color negative, I decided to use is that I can quickly grab any interesting The 25% cost savings from switching to 3- it again for this movie. But since we had so accidents of light that happen during the perf would help offset some of the costs of much day exterior and interior work too, day. doing a digital intermediate. I decided to also use the new Fuji Eterna We had a number of days where we shot 250D as well, which hadn’t been available The other reason why I suggested doing past magic hour, trying to get every shot we for my previous movie. Since the new a digital intermediate was there was no needed. One flashback scene in particular Eterna stocks had half the graininess of the time for complicated tests on location to was shot too late in the day, requiring that previous generation, the new 250D stock determine a unique look for the movie. I work wide-open on the lenses and push was about as grainy as the older Fuji 100 Dan had expressed to me the idea that the 500T film stock, but I justified the softer, f-stop all the way to check focus by eye, I For many day scenes early in the One of our most challenging scenes ASA film, which meant that it was fine- gradually throughout the film, the look grainier look that resulted as being part of think, “boy, that looks pretty”, but in reality, picture, I wanted a warm bias to the image. involved six people standing in a circle in grained enough for day exterior work. The would get less saturated and less warm. I the flashback style. Occasionally, when actors and cameras move… and a swimmy, Rather than deal with the extra glass of pale nearly chest-high water in the lagoon in a Eterna stocks are also rather low in contrast, had experimented with photochemical I’m not running the second camera on a shallow focus look can be distracting on the warming filters on the camera lens, I opted swamp, at night. I pondered over this scene making them ideal for scanning work and desaturation on a number of my features, scene, I’ll send my B-camera operator, Theo big screen. to shoot my grey scales at the head of the over many times in my mind as to how I post manipulation. If I hadn’t been doing notably Northfork, and I knew that a gradual Pingarelli, to grab some much-needed shots day with a pale blue filter on the camera was going to light for 360 degrees at night. a digital intermediate where I could add as The major disadvantage of shooting 3- desaturation effect was only practical if of the swamp location. (the 82A or 82B) which I then took off for The area had to be netted off to keep the much contrast as I needed, I would have perf came up in the middle of the shoot: the done digitally. And even though the overall the scene. By timing the blue-filtered grey alligators away, and then a platform had to looked into printing the Eterna stocks on a As I said, we’ve generally avoided any lack of ability to strike a 3-perf contact print look of the movie was to be naturalistic, I scale back to neutral, the colorist made the be sunk underwater into the mud to give the higher-contrast print stock to compensate. horror clichés in terms of style, but we and project the results on location. There knew that certain supernatural moments scenes that follow look very warm in dailies. actors a level platform to stand on. I had the had one scene where our lead character, is an expensive portable projector made would shift into an Expressionistic style, and Since the 35mm 3-perf negative is art department use string lights (a string of Megan, explores an old farmhouse in by Arri with a 3-perf capability, but that is A lot of the night scenes are set in I needed some post options to manipulate roughly 16x9 in full aperture, I decided to 40w clear bulbs) on a nearby fishing dock to the swamps, mainly shot with a roving beyond our budget. I am reliant on the lab “moonlight”, which for me was a half-blue those scenes. use a ground glass where the 2.35 extraction provide a tungsten-source from one angle, Steadicam. I wanted it to look a little cold and the editor in Los Angeles to look at any color on tungsten-balanced 500T stock framelines are near the top of the negative which I augmented with two 2K tungsten As usual, I was given a good deal on and monochromatic so I switched to the problems on the big screen when necessary, (meaning halfway between 3200K tungsten frame rather than in the center. This allows open-faced “blonds” on a high wooden a camera package from Panavision, who 500T stock with no daylight correction which is what happened when two wide and 5500K daylight). This meant using ½ any TV version to share the same headroom post, pointing towards the action as if they has supplied the cameras on most of my filters; this also allowed me to use a lot of shots in our movie, shot on different CTO (Color Temperature Orange) gel on as the theatrical scope version. It also means were the worklights of the dock. I had to features since film school. We had a available light mixed in with only a few cameras, different lenses, and different HMI’s and daylight Kinos for the most part, that the boom operator doesn’t have a huge rate the Eterna 500T at 640 ASA and push 3-perf Millenium-XL as our “A” camera HMI’s and Kinoflos. I had the colorist pull film stocks, both came up soft in dailies. or ½ CTB (Blue) on a tungsten lamp. The difference between the top of the TV and it a stop, which is how I shot the carnival and a cheaper GII as a “B” camera. The half the blueness out of the dailies, giving Panavision came out to check our lenses director wanted something different from theatrical framelines to deal with. scene in The Astronaut Farmer, which had and flange depth but found no problems. It the commonly used big blue backlight Millenium-XL is a rather expensive camera the scenes a steely blue-grey look. I also similar strings of clear bulbs. They seem to was clear to me that for some reason, the approach to night photography, so for some actually, but it is the most flexible to convert Right at the start of shooting, we did smoked the interiors, which helped reduce look the best at T/2.8 at 640 ASA in that film was not lying flat in the telecine gate scenes I used a helium lighting balloon to Steadicam use; plus, it is the lightest 50 set-ups in a 12-hour day. Which always the saturation further. they actually looked bright enough to light Panaflex made, and since we hired a great impresses everyone... but personally, it’s nor the projector gate. I posed the question contain a mix of HMI and tungsten globes Because I’m shooting fairly fast stock something. Steadicam operator (Chris Squires), I wanted always a bad sign to me when you have on the Cinematographer Mailing List (CML), to get that half-blue color; it created a for daytime exterior work, rating the 250D to make sure he was comfortable with the to shoot that many set-ups per day just to and one person in the U.K. suggested the soft top-light look. Other times I had to With the golden backlight from the at 160 ASA, even with ND’s and Polas, I camera he would be carrying. Our lenses cover what is on the call sheet. Because I possibility that the lab had over-dried the go for the backlit look, partially because tungsten lighting on the dock, hitting some sometimes end up shooting a scene at f/8 know that it won’t be possible to maintain negative and it had curled, and this could some scenes had rain in them, and rain low-level smoke creeping across the water, when the sun is out. I suppose I should be Solstice Editor, Mathilde Bonnefoy. Photo that kind of pace. Our schedule favored day be fixed by rewashing and redrying the needs to be backlit to be seen. In general, it sort of looked like that shot in Apocalypse one of those DP’s who keep the same f-stop courtesy of Daniel Myrick. exteriors first, gradually falling into night negative. So I decided to put off dealing I underexposed moonlit scenes by two Now when Willard rises out of the water. all day long just to be visually consistent, photography. In order to both work fast, with the problem until post. Jump six stops, which felt about right in terms of Across the lake on the opposite bank, I had like at f/2.8 (if I know that’s what I’ll be at and to keep a natural look, I decided to not months later when we are doing the D.I. darkness. But considering I rated the 500 an 18K HMI on a condor to provide a cold by the end of the day), but the truth is that I complicate day exterior shooting. When and when these two shots come up, they ASA stock at 320 ASA (2/3’s of a stop moonlight source. It was at a 90 degree prefer shooting 35mm at the middle f-stops possible, I just had a handheld bounce card are perfectly sharp! I think simply being in overexposed) it actually meant that a 2-stop angle to the dock lighting. So as I worked because it helps the focus-puller work faster on standby to augment the daylight rather the vault for that period curled up in rolls on underexposure was really on a 1 and 1/3- my way around the circle in coverage, the – they aren’t dealing with shallow focus all than automatically reach for HMI’s or huge cores flattened them out. stop underexposure, which gave me more two people standing with their backs to the day long. Every time the AC opens up the frames of diffusion. Of course, this means flexibility in color-correcting later. dock were backlit by tungsten / sidelit by

12 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 13 Insights

At the same location by the lake, we truck we could get was underpowered; shot a campfire scene. For the wide shot, unable to get decent water pressure, we I buried two orange-gelled 4’ Kino tubes in spent a lot of time moving rain towers the ground between the actors and the fire, around to get them as close to the edge of which gave me just under a T/2.8 on their frame on every set-up. And then equipment faces from the mix of real firelight plus the started breaking down in every department soft orange Kinos. For the close-ups where before we could roll. I had a 4K HMI shut- there was no fire at all in the frame (too off twice (with a ten-minute restart time crackly for sound) I switched to using two needed each time), then the remote focus 1K’s on a double-headed low stand, gelled on the Steadicam broke down, then the orange, and going through a 4’x4’ frame sound equipment stopped working… and moonlight; some were sidelit by tungsten of 216. One was on a flicker box and the during all of this I could hear the producers and backlit by moonlight (or filled-in by other on a dimmer, blended by the diffusion saying, “but we’ve got to shoot!” Luckily, we moonlight if standing on the opposite side frame to create a believable flicker effect. managed to light our last big scene quickly of the circle), and the last two were frontlit by floating a lighting balloon overhead, and Our worst day happened when we by the tungsten mainly, which was a little then we faked all the coverage against the finally made the move from the lake house boring… but logical since they were facing same set of (out-of-focus) trees, with the location (where we had been for a week the only strong source of light in the scene. same backlight from the condor. The last and a half) to a nature preserve with a shot was a simple stunt – the actor had to On the closer shots where the two swamp and an abandoned brick house leap over a fallen tree and then pretend to actors were backlit by the dock lighting, I which played a key role in the mystery. get his foot caught in an animal trap. But flagged off the 18K and used a 4-bank Kino Well, that company move went as badly as dawn had arrived and was filling in the for a softer blue moonlight, underexposed I’ve ever seen in a while because of heavy shadows with soft, deep blue light. I pulled compared to the dock lights -- which sounds rain the night before. The drivers got some all the 1/2 CTO gel off of the HMI’s to get simple in theory… but a nightmare to rig in of the production vehicles stuck in mud at a full blue color for the moonlight, then I four feet of water on the edge of a too-small the lake house… and then got other vehicles put an 81EF warming filter in the cameras wooden platform. This was the point where at the new location also stuck in mud, to correct the color back to half-blue. It I got soaked trying to adjust the lights while including a condor needed for the night actually had a nice look for the woods, the wearing hipwaders. The Kinoflo in the water photography. This condor also now blocked blue dawn twilight acting as my fill and the had a ground fault circuit interrupter. Just to any access by other vehicles into the HMI as a big backlight, plus rain and smoke get it to be two-stops underexposed when location. Trying to salvage some of the day, through the shot. shooting at T/2.8 at 640 ASA, I ended up I thought maybe I could shooting something with two layers of 216 (plus the 1/2 CTO in what natural light was remaining if we I’ve never had to deal with as many bugs correction for the daylight tubes) and only hand-carried our camera gear down the in the air as at night in a swamp. Climbing one tube was switched on. road, around the condor, to the shooting up to change a scrim in a light involved site. But once we managed to do that, I swallowing a lot of hovering insects -- it As you can imagine, everything went found out that during all of this confusion, was horrible. And actors had to put up with slower once I started putting the camera the drivers had forgotten to pick up the flying beetles covering our overhead helium and a light plus flags into the water. It actors from the hotel. So even though I lighting balloon, only to then occasionally was a nightmare; I can understand why could have gotten a shot off by 4:30PM, it rain down on them. water movies go over-schedule! For the wasn’t until 7PM, with just a half-hour of wide shots, we shot from the shore. I We got to spend a few nights after that weak light remaining that I got an actor to managed to get the production to rent a 30’ shooting in the Garden District of New shoot. And again, I was rushing to get the Technocrane, which we used to good effect Orleans, a pleasant change. Our lead scene, shooting handheld with no marks, to get high and low angles. But once we actress (Elizabeth Harnois) had flashback no rehearsals, with the lens aperture wide- went in for closer shots, the cameras had scenes with her character playing opposite open. to be mounted to tripods in the water, with her identical twin, so we had to deal with the lens and camera body just above the Our last night at the nature preserve shooting parts of scenes and then waiting waterline. consisted of rain scenes, and the only water for her to be changed to the other character,

14 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 15 Insights

with a wig, new wardrobe, etc. And we had two hours after wrap to go back to my hotel, overlaid Gaussian blur), plus crushing the to shoot one scene outdoors at night with a shower and pack, and get on my return blacks to give it a somewhat glowing but greenscreen so we could have her walk past flight home to Los Angeles –so I missed an high-contrast look. Otherwise, we kept herself as the twin. This was all very time- entire night of sleep. The truth is that we with the natural look originally planned, consuming. worked a 26th day after all. with a mild amount of desaturation as the story moved into the moonlight scenes Our 25-day schedule had one major At some point on this horrendously long near the climax. Unfortunately, we had to flaw in it – it was too short! We needed day, I got asked if I could light the scenes resort to using some HD stock footage to about nine days at the lake house and three badly (or less well) in order to work faster, cover a driving montage, footage that I had days on stage to finish the movie, but this but I personally feel that it takes just as been looking forward to shooting myself in plus the other location days brought the long to light a scene badly… so that wasn’t Louisiana. total schedule to 26 days. So the “solution” going to help anyway. One problem was was to drop one of our days at the stage that we were now shooting day scenes on Throughout the production, no matter at the end of the shoot and combine three a soundstage. There was no such thing as how badly things were going, director Dan days of work into two. Unfortunately, it is available light coming through the windows Myrick never lost his sense of humor and the nature of any shoot to fall a little behind of the sets. Everything had to be lit to create was never rude to people, which I greatly and owe shots from previous scenes. So a believable daylight look. I couldn’t just appreciated. Producer Adam Del Deo was on Day 25, the last day, our call sheet turn on a Kinoflo to augment some natural also a very generous and pleasant person. had 17 scenes listed, five different sets, light and shoot quickly. So we plugged All of this helped make the experience nearly nine pages of script, interiors and ahead, scene after scene, until we were highly enjoyable despite the difficulties. exteriors, and two scenes involving stunts done. I look forward to returning to Louisiana and visual effects! We worked 20 hours on someday with enough time to really explore A few months later we spent an our last day, from 7:30PM to 3:30PM on the the landscape and capture its unique beauty additional three days on a stage in Los following night, which ultimately gave me on film. Angeles shooting more material to cover scenes (suspense sequences tend to need a lot more shots and cuts), and a few new scenes were added. Soon after editing was completed, the digital intermediate M. David Mullen, ASC has earned two work was done at Technicolor TDI in Independent Spirit Award nominations for Burbank. The negative was scanned on a best cinematography, for Twin Falls Idaho Spirit 2K and color-corrected on a DaVinci in 1999 and for Northfork in 2003, and has while being digitally projected on a big photographed over thirty films, including screen. A number of early scenes in the The Astronaut Farmer (2007), Solstice movie became more flashback material, so (2006) Akeelah and the Bee (2006), and I decided to give these shots a unique look Shadowboxer (2005). by adding some digital diffusion (sort of an

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The film was shot on 35 mm, Super 8 trying to keep up with the speed of the is built up with the use of slow motion. Joerg Wagner Captures the Wild Ride: and Mini DV. My first idea was to shoot the bike. He did a great job there. The topshot Could you talk about this? whole film on Super 16 and then blow it looking down into the drome was shot from I love slow motion. It’s one of the most up to 35. Unfortunately, it was impossible a mini camera crane standing on top of the beautiful things in film. In these particular Bikes, Speed, and Adrenaline for the riders to perform with a Super audience platform using a fisheye lens. shots I wanted to capture the beauty of this 16 camera mounted on the bike. So we Would you say you have to be a bizarre stunt entertainment. By reducing the Award-Winning Writer/Director on decided to use Mini DV lipstick cameras specialist of sorts when working with B/W, speed, the rider is floating smoothly along for the shots from the bikes. In addition, we action, speed, and stunts? the wall, and time seems to stand still for a Experimental Documentary, Motodrom used 35 mm for the slowmotion scenes and short moment. Super 8 for the fast motion sequence when All I can say is, when it comes to Interview by Jody Michelle Solis the drome gets built up. shooting action, speed and stunts, it is great Was shooting with stuntment very to have a creative DP who likes trying new dangerous for any crew or equipment? There were some shots looking Writer/director Joerg Wagner talks about How long did it take to shoot, edit, and that the motodrom was built up very near to things and who is crazy enough to shoot up at the stuntment riding around the Of course, you try to keep the risk as the making of his 9-minute experimental complete Motodrom? that bunker. from the bottom of a drome while three drome, which one might think could be low as possible. But when you are standing documentary, Motodrom, which won bikes running at breakneck speed around Well, it took us about two years to Did you mount cameras to any of the very dangerous for anyone standing in on the bottom of the drome and three guys Honorable Mention for Short Filmmaking in his head. are riding around your head, all you can do complete Motodrom. It was a production motorbikes, cars or stuntmen? the center of the drome shooting stunts the 2007 Sundance Film Festival. Wagner is simply trust them. We had total faith in with a low budget, and we had to stop involving motorbikes and cars. And then Peter Drittenpreis was the main DP on discusses shooting black-and-white, action, We actually shot a lot of material with them. working on it whenever someone from there was another shot looking down into this project. We worked very close together. and stunts in this homage to the world of cameras mounted on the bikes and on the team had a paid job. If we would have the drome. What kinds of equipment did How many people were in your crew? motor drome. the car. It was part of the concept to show Whenever I came up with some crazy worked constantly, I think we could have you use to capture these shots? idea about cameras going round in circles the POV of the rider in order to give the On some days, when we did just Mini done it in three or four months. he tried to make things possible. He is a audience an idea of how it feels to ride in The shots looking up at the stuntment DV, there were, apart from the riders, only the wall. creative guy. What kind of story did you want to tell riding around the drome were technically Peter, [Producer] Dirk Manthey and me. On other days, when we did 35 mm, used with Motodrom? Did you use special cameras or film rather simple. Peter [Drittenpreis] was sitting At one point, a stuntman rides his the crane or shot with sync sound, the team stock to shoot B/W, action, speed, and on a swivel chair with the 35 mm camera motorbike using no hands, and drama I didn’t just want to make a documentary grew up to about 15 people. stunts? on his shoulder going round and round, about the motodrom; I wanted to create a kind of cinematic wall of death ride. I wanted to make the audience physically feel what it’s like inside the motodrom.

What was your budget, and how did you finance your movie?

We had a total budget of about 50.000 Writer/Director Joerg Wagner euros. Fortunately, we had support from German film fundings.

Where was Motodrom shot, and how The beginning of Motodrom shows the did you decide upon the locations? drome being built from the ground up over a period of time. Could you describe how Motodrom was mainly shot at a you created the time lapse effect, or what Hamburg fair called “Dom.” When I looked was entailed? at the material, I developed new ideas for additional shots and camera angles, so we Directly on the fairground area where followed the guys from the motodrom to the “Hamburger Dom“ takes place, there’s two other fairgrounds, the “Schützenfest” a big WW II bunker. We had two Super 8 in Hannover and the “Pollhansmarkt“ at cameras with telephoto lenses on top of Schloss Holte. the bunker, shooting one frame every ten seconds. Of course, it was a matter of luck Wall riders in Joerg Wagner’s Motodrom.

18 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 19 Filmmaker Spotlight

Scene from Motodrom.

What was the most difficult or the editing process, we realized that for working day, we sat together with them in challenging shot to get? dramaturgical reasons the shot didn’t really their trailer, talking and laughing for hours. fit into that part of the film. We are still in contact with them and There was one shot with two bikes that meet them whenever the show comes to was really hard to do. We had a camera Did you use storyboards? Hamburg. mounted on the back of [wall rider] Hugo’s Although I find storyboards normally bike. On the other bike, [wall rider] Jagath Any advice on how to get a short very helpful, for this film it didn’t make performed his acrobatic stunts. Hugo was documentary in Sundance? sense. We were more like hunter-gatherers, the cameraman so to speak. He had to drive experimenting with all kinds of different When you shoot a film, don’t think a few meters ahead from Jagath in order to camera angles and seeing what we would about things like Sundance or Cannes or catch him in the frame. Jagath was standing end up with at the end of the day. what the film should be like in order to get it on the bike using no hands, and therefore, into a big festival. Just concentrate on your couldn’t control the speed of his bike. Hugo, What was your most favorite thing work, and do the film exactly the way you on the other hand, could not see Jagath and about working on Motodrom? want it. had to keep the perfect distance to Jagath only by locating him acoustically by the The most fascinating thing was to sound of Jagath’s bike. It was incredible, experience the everyday life of the but it worked. Sad but true: in the end, this motodrom guys. We soon became good Photos courtesy of Joerg Wagner. shot didn’t make it into the film. During friends with them, and at the end of the

20 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 21 Directing

astoundingly low 3:1 ratio. It also means Continuity is ensuring all the elements The master shot is popular because it he knew exactly what he wanted out of from one shot match in every way the takes in all the action of the scene. Once Placing the Camera each camera position. Some directors keep elements in the shot that follows. Props, a master is in the can, the coverage must themselves to a low ratio. For instance wardrobe, hair, make-up and acting are match the master. This helps to guide the Buñuel said he never used more than the departments that bear close scrutiny remaining plan. To break up a big or long Choosing the Look of the Film, by the script supervisor, director and 20,000 meters (approximately 66,600 feet) scene, a director might select to shoot cinematographer. If a character holds a of celluloid. It’s all in the planning. several mini-masters. Aspect Ratio, Stock, Lenses book in the right hand during a sequence, 150, 000’ - 200,000’ of film stock every shot must show the book in the When two characters are in a scene, and Variety of Movement… is an average for a film. Anything over correct hand. If the character changes it to the director employs a two shot to hold the left hand half way through the scene, all 250,000’ is a lot. Under 50,000 is tight. In them both on the screen. The director can shots must match the correct progression by David K. Irving filmmaking the two things upon which a still keep both characters in a scene but of the book from one hand to the next. director never concedes is the amount of favor the back or 3/4 profile of one of the From outside we see a character walk into stock and the number of PAs. One must characters in an over-the-shoulder shot. The a building wearing a red shirt. Several days always have ample stock. At no point in frame features the character looking towards “People don’t always express their inner and determine how to shoot it. They and/or moving. Then frame-by-frame, you later the scene is shot when the character the making of a motion picture should the camera, but the dynamic of having both thoughts to one another; a conversation consider everything, from the grand (how piece together the arc of the whole story. enters the same building. It is imperative the production manager have to go to the characters on screen remains. may be quite trivial, but often the eyes does this sequence fit into the whole) to that actor be wearing the same shirt. In SHOOTING RATIO director and say they cannot continue this same example, should the character will reveal what a person thinks or feels.” the minute (should the actor tap his watch The size of shot is also an important shooting because the company has run out open the door to exit the building from ~Alfred Hitchcock to see if it is working or just read the time). An early budget question is how much consideration as a piece of the sequence. of stock. A picture can have many slow the interior with a great huff, when the Whether a director is making a grand or stock to purchase. This is the paper onto Directors can choose between the The camera is the director’s eye and downs for any number of reasons. Stock reverse shot is executed from the exterior, minuscule decision, the camera will play an which directors write their story. Too much following: since film is visual storytelling, the camera should not be one of them. So many people the energy level must match that of the important part in that judgment. is a waste (film is non-refundable) and too is the director’s most important tool. If the want to work in the movies that human character leaving the building, still in a huff. little could jeopardize the integrity of the Should the character saunter out of the sound system in a theater were to cease Major choices are made in pre- labor is abundant and when a picture needs project forcing the editor to make difficult building, the cut from interior to exterior, functioning, and the audience would have production: the look of the film, aspect people to work the traffic or move crowds and/or awkward cuts. When shooting in which takes place in an instant, may jar no choice but to watch the film silently, the ratio, and the choice of stock, lens selection, around the frame, a shortage of PAs should 16 mm or 35 mm, the director of the audience. Maintaining continuity is story should still be clear. Dialogue, sound and variety of movement. The shot not be a factor. photography orders all stock from one everyone’s job. Continuity errors do occur, effects and music are vital to a film, but the selection process is the same no matter batch. Because rolls have consecutive COVERAGE and often go unnoticed by the audience. But image is dominant. how big or from what angle the image is don’t count on it. It’s similar to making a serial numbers, this guarantees consistent taken. The basic unit of a film, the shot is The first question a director asks upon bad grammatical error in a beautiful piece of The screenplay contributes the picture quality and control. Film not from to the whole as the tile is to the mosaic. arriving on set is how to cover the sequence writing. It takes the focus away from what is majority of information directors require sequential batches could be of slightly As you cut from one scene to the next, scheduled for that day. Coverage (and its important. to formulate a shooting plan. Broad different grain size and color quality. imbue each shot with an emotional arc, partner continuity) refers to the different strokes are established by the genre of Shooting on tape is less critical, and the cost SHOTS information, composition, motivation and angles from which a particular scene is shot. the story. A comedy is usually bright and is so minuscule that too much tape is never continuity. Only a shot containing these For instance, one can shoot two lovers Shots are either static (the camera colorful whereas a horror film is misty and a question. elements is worth sending on to the editing kissing from several angles ensure choices in remains stationary) or in movement or a atmospheric. A script might scream out room. Underdeveloped shots, say one that An average length of a feature film is the editing room. combination of the two. In the same way, to be shot in black and white, sepia tones contains no information or motivation or about 150,000-feet although one can be actors may be stationary or in motion or a or pastels. Camera placement and moves Once in the editing room, with a range neglects continuity, are more often than not shot on as little as 30,000 feet and as much combination of the two. The interaction are dictated by genre. Comedy can hold a of angles from which to choose, a sequence eliminated. as a million. The average length of a roll between camera and actor is referred to as static frame as the actors perform routines; can cut together seamlessly to get the of 35 mm film is 1,000 feet. Therefore, choreography. while the conventions of a horror film A gestalt is a pattern of elements so desired result. Scenes can be covered in every additional 1,000 feet you shoot adds prescribe low angle POV tracking shots to unified it’s impossible to see its constituents. myriad ways. From a single take (no edits) The most common types of shots used a number to the shooting ratio. If a feature scare the audience into thinking “someone That’s the way a good film appears—so to multiple set-ups, the director maps out are the master, mini-master, two shot, over exposes 150,000 feet of film, the shooting or something is coming to get me!” unified that each shot fits in seamlessly the plan for the shots and then with the the shoulder, and close up. These may ratio is 15:1. That means that for every with the design of the overall picture. You director of photography, script supervisor be shot static on a tripod or mounted on But if the screenplay is a blueprint, the foot used in the final print, 14 were left achieve this by choosing a lens, an angle and assistant director, determines the order a dolly, jib arm, crane or hand held for director produces ideas that visualize the out. John Ford shot Grapes of Wrath on and a camera position to get a shot that can in which to shoot them. movement. drama. Directors examine the sequence 30,000 feet of film. This means he shot an be low, high, close, distant, soft, hard, static,

22 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 23 Directing

• extreme long shot (XLS) bench could be anywhere in the world. A audience that the character is in their own audience realizes for the first time that this the reaction shot. When two or more characters as well as our own reaction to wide, establishing shot of the Eiffel Tower world, separated from the rest. The image is no longer a story of a crime of greed, characters are in a scene, the director the dialogue. • long shot (LS) cues the audience they are in Paris. The of isolation can also be accomplished by but a crime of passion. That one shot, that has the choice of shooting the character CHOREOGRAPHY • medium long shot (MLS) next shot, a two shot of our main characters shooting a character in an extremely wide reveal, that seemingly innocuous shot of the that is speaking and/or the character on a bench, makes the geography of the long shot from a high angle set against a newspaper, packs quite a wallop. listening. In most cases all the lines from Once frame selections are made, the • medium shot (MS) scene clear. barren landscape. The combination of lens, one character are shot from a particular director has the option to keep the camera When the camera becomes the proximity to the subject, depth of field and angle, and the camera is then reversed to static or in motion. A static camera • medium close up (MCU - also referred An insert is a close shot of something character, it is called a point of view shot. angle of the camera, make for hundreds of shoot the other characters lines. Included presents a stage, or proscenium, in which to as a bust shot) to which the director wants the audience A character looks off camera, shouts, options available to the director to visualize in the shooting is the period when the the drama unfolds. In the early days of or a character to see. The hand of the man “Hey you!” and the cut is made to what • close up (CU) the story. character to whom they are speaking says cinema, cameras were so heavy and bulky, on the bench holds a wedding ring. The the character sees. We see the character nothing. This is their reaction shot. The the static shot was the director’s sole option. girl clutches a plane ticket to Kabul. These Besides these basic shots, directors walking cautiously down an alley. The cut Cinema was born out of a still camera and • extreme close up (XCU) editor then has the option of using either close-ups help tell the story. come to rely on shots which have specific is made to the character’s point of view, the static camera still has value today. the on-screen dialogue or the reaction shot The director indicates to the director of relevance related to the story. These hand held, so it has a bit of movement, as Each shot has an angle. For the most of the character who is listening. Although Once cameras were put on tracks, and photography and actors a specific frame size include the reveal, point of view, and the would a person walking and looking ahead. part, directors shoot at eye level. However, it is nice to see who is speaking, once the became lighter and smaller, directors found by using their hands to show the size of the reaction shot. Add some tense music and the audience that a moving frame created a tremendous shot. Showing one hand slightly over the great effect can come from a low angle characters have been established, the value immediately wants to know, who or what is amount of energy. This freedom of head, and the other at chest level means a shot, high angle, or tilted (canted or dutch). The audience sees only what is in the of the reaction shot is that the audience at the end of the alley. movement added an element to cinematic bust shot. When staging actors, directors The director John Huston once said, “It rectangular image on the screen. Whatever hears the dialogue at the same time they see expression that compounded the tension also need to identify how many characters would be very hard to make someone, even is to the left or right, above or below the One of the more common and the reaction of the person listening. We, within the shot. are in a shot. A two shot means two actors, a comedian, amusing or funny by shooting frame is said to be “off screen.” If the important shots in film grammar is as an audience, can then share both the a three shot has three actors, etc. The up at them. I don’t say this couldn’t be camera dollies, zooms, tilts or pans to show director also selects shots such as over- done, but I think it probably comes from us what we cannot see, this is a “reveal.” It the-shoulder (OTS) to maintain the tension our memories as children -- from those is excellent visual storytelling because the and relationship within the frame of two that are bigger, wiser, stronger, nobler. We shot builds tension as the camera moves characters yet seeing the face of only one. look up -- same as you do with sculpture, to inform the audience of something they monumental sculpture. Would you look do not know and about which they may be To isolate one of the characters, the down at your superior, or even God very curious. It is very satisfying when the director shoots a single or close up. The Almighty?” camera settles on the thing revealed. single takes in much of the actor’s torso and head, whereas the close-up features the LENSES A powerful example of the reveal face. The director wants to accent the eyes is in Alfred Hitchcock’s film Psycho. Each shot is taken with a particular or another part of the face then an extreme Immediately after the violent death of the lens. These range from wide angle (10mm) close-up (XCU) is used. main character in the shower, the camera to normal (35 mm/50 mm), to long (75 mm tracks ever so slowly from her open eye, to 200 mm). Extreme lenses, employed Alfred Hitchcock used the camera to past the bathroom door, into the bedroom, for specific dramatic effect include fish explore subtext; “The sound track says one over to the end table, and settles on the eye (5.7 mm) and very long (500 mm and thing, while the image says something else. folded newspaper. This key prop hides longer). A lens can keep the subject in That’s a fundamental of film directing. Isn’t the $40,000 Janet Leigh’s character has the frame sharp, or in focus, depending it exactly the way it is in real life? People embezzled. The shock of the stabbing on the amount of light striking the lens, don’t always express their inner thoughts to in the shower has the added emotional the focal length of the lens, and the depth one another; a conversation may be quite value that the main character has been of field. A wide-angle lens, for example, trivial, but often the eyes will reveal what a killed and the film is only half over. This is lets in a lot of light, so most objects in the person thinks or feels.” unusual in a film and one of the great story frame are always in focus. A longer lens, twists in cinema. All the while processing Two additional common shots are in a dimly lit set-up, may focus on the actor this information; the violent murder, the establishing and insert. An establishing shot while everything else in the foreground violation of the privacy of a shower, the is used when a director wants the audience and background are blurred, or out-of- elimination of the main character, when to know where they are, to have a reference focus. This latter example can make for the camera settles on the newspaper the point. Two characters sitting on a park a visually striking effect that implies to an

24 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 25 Directing

Directors can move the actors in the background. Shooting a sequence with the first assistant camera, clapper/loader driver 501HDV frame, move the frame around the actors, branch of a tree covering the upper right and a second assistant director. During Fluid Action or a combination of the two. Camera part of the frame forces the audience to look principal photography, a second unit might movement includes pans, tilts, zooms, beyond the tree, thus creating the illusion of be assigned to shoot second camera in Professional dolly, crane and hand held. The movement depth on the screen. Action can be staged an action sequence, or shots that do not may be short or long, fast or slow. The on all three planes layering the scene with require principal actors. These shots may Performance speed may be altered in any manner within complex imagery. The director can also have been assigned to a second unit on the the shot. Moving the actors within the call attention to a specific part of the frame original schedule or may be slop shots left camera choreography is the blocking. As by racking the focus, from background, to over from a shoot the A team couldn’t finish. with lighting, the movement of the camera middle ground, to foreground. These types of shots would include pick- should be purposeful. A flashy camera ups, inserts, drive bys, establishing exterior Architecture, size, relationship and may overshadow a subtle film. In a busy shots, etc. negative space are tools in the director restaurant the director can have the camera and cinematographer’s palette to create Should the A team miss an insert, the follow a waiter holding a tray of food a dynamic frame. In designing Psycho, second unit can put it on their “to do” through the room and settle on the main Hitchcock consciously juxtaposed Norman list. As a small team, the second unit can characters. Bates’ tall Gothic house with the low, move quickly, collecting shots that keep Composition, besides aesthetic value, is modern hotel, “That’s our composition, a the film on schedule. Second unit can be important in that it affords the director an vertical block and a horizontal block.” employed for short periods, to act as second opportunity to direct the audience’s eye to camera and collect bits and pieces of the Besides what an audience sees on that part of the shot deemed most important production schedule. screen, the director should pay attention to tell the story. If the entire frame were to what is happening off screen. The four If a swing crew arrives on set the night busy with action in a long shot, it would sides of the frame are constantly shifting before a big interior sequence, they can say, “everyone is bustling about.” But if the if the camera is moving. Therefore, new “rough in” the lighting instruments called director wants the audience to focus on an information is continually being revealed. for by the lighting plan. Then, when the A argument at the lower right hand corner of Curious about this new information, an team arrives on set the next morning, the the frame, he or she can compose the shot audience is eager to be surprised. Off cinematographer and gaffer complete the in such as way as to have the audience’s eye screen sounds, illustrating off screen action, lighting plan and the company is ready for drawn to that specific section of the frame. make an audience curious to know what principal photography much earlier than This can be achieved through blocking, else is going on. Remember, the reveal is had the A started from scratch. lighting, camera movement and sound. one of the more dynamic uses of cinematic Shown with optional 525MVB tripod To illustrate the example above, the language. blocking of the background extras could be SHORT CUTS The new 501HDV incorporates many functional and ergonomic updates including: staged so they moved more slowly than the animated actors engaged in the argument. David K. Irving is a film director, Responsible for the schedule, directors • Fixed counterbalance spring with an easy-to-reach The lighting could be dominant in the writer and producer, book author, and an learn short cuts to keep the company on/off switch for different shooting setups portion of the frame where the argument Associate Professor in film production at • Innovative and ergonomic Pan and Tilt locks for moving at a swift and efficient pace. Two a more solid grip and better fingertip control. is taking place. The camera could dolly New York University. He has written and valuable techniques are the employment • Tilt +90, -60 in the direction of the characters arguing. directed dozens of documentaries, and his • 12 pound weight capacity of a second unit and swing crews. Though The sound of their heated discussion could feature directing credits include Night of • Sliding Quick release plate with safety release button • Spirit Level both can be expensive, the time they save the Cyclone, C.H.U.D. II, The Emperor’s be dominant over the ambient sounds • 3/8” female thread flat base for 75mm tripod mount associated with everything else in the frame. translates into the money they save and in New Clothes, Sleeping Beauty and (Use Manfrotto 3284 half ball) the end the company comes out ahead. Rumpelstiltskin. • Same durability and reliability as the original Depth is part of the illusion of a flat Both part of a “B” team, they help the “A” two-dimensional screen. Directors take team move faster. advantage not only of the composition within the frame, but also the planes The B team is the second unit, in the frame—foreground, middle and composed of cinematographer/operator, To locate a Manfrotto dealer with products on display and in stock go2 www.bogenimaging.us Manfrotto US subsidiary: Bogen Imaging Inc. 201 818 9500 www.bogenimaging.us [email protected] 26 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 27 Directing

that focused on character relationships at from the aircraft towards the front of the head of the shot and see what we could do Solutions for Re-shooting a Film the bottom of the stairs before the hijackers fuselage. I dramatically staged the actors for the descending camera movement from tried to escape. This would let us easily to come out of the plane and move down the cherry picker. Every time we tried the move in for tighter shots like the close- the stairs to under the wing with one of the shot we just couldn’t make it look right. It that Couldn’t Be Fixed in Post ups and extreme close-ups that the story hijackers holding a prop pistol at the head kept looking like we were just doing a high Stretching Creativity Past the Limits needed. of the actor playing the pilot. Real military angle shot that was descending straight snipers portraying actors who were snipers down. If we added a zoom movement We needed a crane! And a were positioned for the camera shot. Tom to the image, it became too mechanical, by Myrl A. Schreibman crane that can go above a four story and I went up in the cherry picker to set the unrealistic and very cheesy. It did not building (39 feet) and then could come Directing an industrial film is difficult capture of one of the hijackers wasn’t shot. personnel to be loaded for transport. A down to move in closer to our characters enough. But directing an industrial film No form of editing could fix those problems. C-141 is so large that it can hold two whales and the story elements. But there was no when you are brought in to fix something They threw the problem to me to see if the in their own tanks and still have room for money in our budget to rent a crane. that someone else has directed is almost project, with minimal re-shooting, could a helicopter. (In Milos Foreman’s HAIR, impossible. And fixing a badly directed be salvaged. After discussions with Tom the character Claude, with a battalion of Tom was using a couple of platform project that cannot be fixed in editing and Denove my cinematographer, we decided soldiers, marches into the back end of a scaffoldings from Norton Air Force Base one that is a narrative story which must also to try. But they threw us a new problem! C-141 aircraft.) We were shooting in 16mm for his lights to light the aircraft and the instruct is close to ridiculous. But that was Very little money was left in the budget. film, had no money to speak of, a small scene, so we knew we had the possibility the challenge I was faced with. Only enough for one night of shooting, and crew, limited lighting equipment, one night of a high angle shot if we could get one certainly not enough money to get the C-141 to shoot our fixes and a mega-giant player more scaffold from the Base. But I needed The United States Department of in the air to re-shoot the hijacking where the that was important to the story. And on top the shot to move motivated by the actors Defense commissioned the writing of a character relationships were developed. of it all, the mega-giant player, the airplane, coming down the stairs. The fixed scaffold short dramatic script based on the possibility had to be towed to the middle of the runway was not the answer. As Tom and I were of a third world terrorist hijacking a C-141 Creativity works best when there are to shoot the sequence. How was I going scouting the location, we noticed that the military transport aircraft with the U.S. limitations and restrictions. And this project to stage the scene? Or more importantly, airmen were cleaning a C-130 aircraft using Military resolving the conflict without any was stretching it to its limits. Whenever how was I going to stage the master shot a “cherry picker” from which they washed injury to U.S. service personnel. They chaos sets in, directors must go back to when the hijackers come out of the cockpit the top of the aircraft. We noticed that assigned its production to a civilian/military the basics: story and character to find the door, move them down the stairs that were the lift element of the cherry picker was film unit based at the now closed Norton solution to any and all problems. And that moved in position by ground crew while not extended fully and wondered how high Air Force Base in San Bernardino California is exactly what we did. We had to go to holding the pilot and co-pilot hostage it would be if it were? We asked. It went and employed a director. When the fine the moment of the aircraft being hijacked and then having them attempt an escape? up to 45 feet. We had found our solution. cut of his movie was shown to the military in the air, (old footage), rework the story We could do it easily without seeing the If we added a tripod or a six foot camera producers, the picture did not work: it to allow for it to land, and while holding massiveness of the C-141, by showing the operator on the cherry picker, we could get lacked the drama, scope, coverage and the crew hostage, it was to be refueled. staircase and the front of the plane. But the camera 51 feet in the air; high enough actor performance that was needed to tell When landed we developed the character that would not give the project production to find our angle over the C-141 at the top a story. The hijacking of the aircraft while relationships (new footage) before the value nor engage the military audience of the shot. Now the problem was to find it was in flight did not make any sense, and rescue took place. into the reality of the size of a transport a way to move the cherry picker with the the rescue of the pilot and crew by ground Tom and I did not know what a C-141 aircraft which was its reason for hijacking… action. We continued to watch the C-130 snipers had no suspense or excitement transport aircraft looked like so we were (Besides, I knew that would be a coverage bath and noticed that when operated, the even though it was shot at night. Also, the hustled over to the base tarmac to be shot anyway!) We needed to somehow get cherry picker had a jerky movement going C-141 aircraft introduced to our main character. When above the aircraft on a wide shot shooting up and a smooth movement coming down, we saw it, we knew we were in trouble. down the plane’s fuselage and follow the when a light bulb went off at the same time A C-141 aircraft has a height of 39 feet, a hijacker down the stairs to the tarmac. The in both mine and Tom’s heads. He turned length of 168 feet, and a wingspan of 160 change in perspective in one shot would to me, and we said simultaneously to each feet. This was a big mother! The cockpit show the audience the power and strength other, “Let’s get this cherry picker for our door to the aircraft is forward and about 25 of the aircraft and its potential importance shoot.” feet above the ground, and the back end for hijacking while at the same time bring us The night of the shoot, we positioned of the aircraft lowers and becomes a ramp into the drama of the characters in conflict the cherry picker about fifty yards away permitting equipment, vehicles and troupe in the story. I intended on playing the scene

28 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 29 IADT TAMPA SF MAG AD:Layout 1 4/18/07 3:07 PM Page 1 Directing

provide the dramatic element we needed for the master without drawing attention to the zoom. And the shot gave us the direction the coverage of the scene needed to take.

When we finally finished the sequence which included snipers firing and one hijacker getting hit and another running away from the scene, we discovered we had about two hours of darkness left. Not enough time for a small crew to strike the lights being used with the C-141 and move them nearby to light an area we were using Get behind the camera for the capture of the fleeing hijacker. I You can tell a great story behind the lens of a camera. At the Academy, you’ll have the turned to Tom and asked, “What do we opportunity to develop your ideas into a do?” Tom told me and the gaffer to drive working script while learning film industry our cars to the next location nearby and he fundamentals of preproduction, audio for would drive his. He asked me not to worry media, advanced editing techniques, DVD and for me to get over there first to stage the production,andspecialeffects. Studentshave scene for him to look at once he got there. the opportunity to create fiction and non- Rushing over to the next location I hoped fiction movies and produce them in digital the sun would delay its rise just a few more formatfromconceptiontocompletion. minutes. When Tom arrived I showed him the basic staging of the actors. We briefly CalltheAcademytodayandscheduleatourof discussed how to shoot the master focusing thecampustoseefirsthandwhyIADTTAMPA on the story noting how much time we had is the place to train for a career that you before the sun would rise. Thinking he canlove. brought some lights with him he then asked for the keys to my car. The next thing I knew he positioned the headlights of our two cars Director Myrl Schreibman and as back lights for the scene, and had the Cinematographer Tom Denove (at camera). gaffer’s car headlights as the cross fill for the actors and the location. After shooting the provide any drama to the movement that in time with this night shoot, I trusted his master I created selective coverage always the shot needed. Finally, Tom told me dramatic storytelling skills and called for working the staging for the headlights of the to get off the cherry picker and just leave “picture”. The camera rolled. We had three cars. We shot the entire scene using himself and his AC to do the shot as he had camera speed. I said “action”. The actors only car headlights and finished it just as an idea. I was fine with this since being 45 fully in character and snipers at the ready the dawn was breaking in the eastern sky. feet in the air on a small platform was not executed their staging perfectly, and the Necessity is the mother of invention and my idea of a good time. He asked me to call cherry picker made its move while Tom creativity is its father! a rehearsal again, and we raised the cherry made his. Then in a brief glance I noticed picker to the top of the shot. Only this time, that the AC was adjusting the zoom as Tom Tom was positioned by the back corner of made his diagonal movement and the cherry the cherry picker platform hand holding picker descended. Brilliant! When we saw the camera, and when I called action, and the dailies, we saw what we now label as Myrl A. Schreibman is a Producer/ the cherry picker began to descend, he a “poor man’s” crane shot. The slight dolly Director, professor at UCLA Film School, moved to its diagonal front corner. After the movement while zooming in to a tighter and author of the book, “The Film Director rehearsal, he motioned to me a ‘thumbs up’ shot while the cherry picker was descending Prepares, A Practical Guide for Directing TAMPA to shoot it. Knowing that we were limited changed the axis of the shot just enough to Film and Television.”

30 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 31 Post Production

first step to ensure a more accurate rendition Seeing The Big Picture of the image adjustments you make. Using Creating a Whether you choose to do it yourself a waveform monitor and vectorscope will or to work with a colorist, the overall effect ensure greater precision to the set-up. of color correction should be seamless and Because your computer monitor renders Unified Look go unnoticed by your viewers. In the end, colors differently than a broadcast monitor, creating a unified look for your movie is you should never rely on your computer like all fine craft skills: it should not draw for Your Movie monitor alone for assessing color accuracy. attention to itself but rather serve to connect Two Paths the ideas and emotions of your movie Integrating Your Shots, directly to the minds and hearts of your Essentially, there are two approaches to audience. Scenes and Sequences into a color correcting your movie. One: You can learn to master the art and craft of color Screen shots courtesy of the author. Unique Visual Style correction yourself. Two: You can employ an experienced professional colorist to by Leonard Guercio do it for you. If you choose option one, Leonard Guercio is an independent there is good news. Today, nearly all the filmmaker and an adjunct film professor at major non-linear edit systems – like Final Temple University in Philadelphia. Cut Pro HD, Avid Xpress Pro and others So you’ve shot your movie, finished correction at all. Yet, you can still unify the – have very effective color correction tools the final cut and had the music scored and look of your movie by adjusting white and built into their applications. Achieving an mixed with sweetened dialog and sound black levels, gray tones and contrast. In any acceptable level of competency takes a lot effects tracks. Yet, despite your certainty case, “color correction” has now come to of practice. With enough time on the color that the story, performances and direction embrace all aspects of adjusting, enhancing correction learning curve, you can become mesh very well together, you feel that and integrating a movie’s images into a fairly proficient at enhancing your own something is still lacking. Chances are unified, coherent visual style. Whether images. Although, if you believe you have what’s missing is a unified look for the entire you’re shooting in film and transferring to a really good film and can afford to do so, movie. If this is the case, color correcting videotape or shooting and editing entirely it’s wise to bring in a professional colorist. your movie can help coalesce and integrate in video, balancing all the shots in a scene I can change a defective light switch in all the discrete shots, scenes and sequences is key to preserving a consistent visual my kitchen, but I wouldn’t take on the job into a coherent, unique visual style – a style continuity. of re-wiring my whole house – I’d hire a In the that clearly communicates the overall look A Good Start registered electrician with good credentials. and feel you intended from the beginning. Boxes, eh? Moreover, having an unbiased person even classes being offered at film schools.) already in place. After white-balancing Shooting a few seconds of an 18% gray Putting It In Perspective working to achieve your movie’s visual style Begin by familiarizing yourself with basic my video camera, the lighting changed - that’s Canadian card or color chip chart at the beginning of can be a blessing, especially if that colorist color theory and the various tools in your during the course of the show. The singer The term “color correction” may be every new film roll or laying down several Precision Test Charts understands the vision you and your DP color corrector. An expedient approach is was illuminated by the hall’s stage lighting, somewhat of an understatement – even seconds of color bars on videotape provides for HD, HDV, SD have designed. Also, the colorist is most to work from the general to the specific. which was color-gelled to create a more though adjusting image color is one of you with a standard visual reference. and Digital Cinema likely to be impartial to insider information For example, choose a master or wide shot, dramatic effect. In the left screen shot, the its obvious functions. More precisely, Achieving proper color (or B&W) begins in about each shot and thus can concentrate color correct that shot to your liking, next image of the singer suffers from a bluish the process is about color enhancement, the camera during the image acquisition on enhancing the picture as a whole. adjust the color of the medium shots and cast, and below you can see that the overall image improvement and integration. stage, but color correction may be carried then the close-up shots to match the master. corresponding color wheel is weighted It often starts with adjusting over and out in varying degrees throughout the Getting Down To Business Do this with every scene and sequence until toward the blue. Opening up the color under-exposures and color balancing so moviemaking process. When adjusting If you choose to do your own color they all fit together seamlessly. corrector tool in my NLE, I shifted the For white papers and more that the individual shots have the desired color, white, black and mid-tone levels, correction, the best place to start is with balance and hue controls giving the singer a appearance. What’s more, at times the it’s essential to have a properly calibrated As a general example, here is an image your NLE’s help manual. (If this doesn’t work more naturalistic flesh tone. The right screen www.dsclabs.com process may have nothing to do with color. broadcast video monitor to assess the from a concert performance I shot. Since for you, there are several good in-depth shot shows the enhanced image of the 905-673-3211 If, for example, you’re working in black- changes you make. Calibrating your I was merely documenting the concert, books dealing with color correction in the singer. Notice that the corresponding color and-white, color does not figure into the broadcast video monitor to color bars is the I was stuck with a lighting plan that was “Better Images through Research” - Since 1962 popular non-linear edit systems. There are wheel is now balanced at center.

32 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 33 Sound

Adjusting how live a room is can be together. EQ can help seat your audio THE AZDEN done with the use of blankets, pillows and into the mix by cutting or boosting the 100 SERIES — whatever else you may have around that appropriate frequencies to more closely can absorb reflections. Usually, the ‘less match the original audio. THE STANDARD reflections,’ the less need of a specific type Photos taken by the author. FOR LOW COST of space. To create a small space with a hard surface, I’ll have my talent talk next UHF to a piece of wood. The quick reflections The 100LT system (100UPR Bryant Falk has been a producer and receiver, 10BT bodypack create a sense of containment that can be transmitter with EX-503 lav mic) very effective. engineer for over 12 years working with is the leader in low-cost, such clients as The Ricki Lake Show, high-quality UHF wireless. Whenever possible I always prefer the Coca-Cola, Sports Illustrated, Valley The system is: 63-channel user- organic approach to re-creating a room National Bank, and MTV’s The Shop. His selectable (794-806MHz) crystal- verses using software. On an upcoming company Abacus Audio controlled and PLL synthesized, uses 9V batteries (not supplied) and is very project which involves almost complete (www.abacusaudio.com) handles many dialogue replacement, the talent will be small (3 7/8" X 2 1/2" X 7/8"). The aspects of the audio production field receiver comes with both snap-in returning to the same location to re-record from creative and production to mixing shoe mount bracket and velcro.The all their dialogue. Though not a financially and final output. bodypack transmitter comes with our viable option for everyone, it is an option EX-503 omni lapel mic and metal belt-clip. that may yield very desirable results. "the clarity of the audio, the choice of 63 Keep in mind the final touch of EQ channels, the diminutive size, and the is a great way to get your audio to work reasonable price make the Azden 100LT an excellent value for videographers." Re-creating Space for Wedding & Event Videography "I've yet to find a wireless mic system for under $500 that comes close to the quality and performance of the 100LT." Dialogue Replacement Camcorder & Computer Video Matching Location Audio Azden also offers a by Bryant Falk handheld mic option - the 10HT.

Many times when mixing a project I’m inside was very similar to the interior of critical roll. confronted with a classic problem. The a car and the front glass could act as my When trying to re-create your room location audio does not match the studio windshield! By pumping my new dialogue sound with software, always try to audio. One famous example is with through a speaker aimed at vocal booth make note of the room dimensions and dialogue replacement. The dialogue that window and then adjusting the microphone furnishings. A lot of these programs will was replaced sounds significantly different distance from that window I was able to re- allow you to punch in dimensions and other than the original. create a very effective in-car sound! parameter to match. Also, try to get a gauge Let’s look at an example I constantly Another trick is what I call “The on how “Live” a room is. This is audio slang deal with: two people talking in a car. The Eavesdropper”. Simply put your speaker on for the amount of reflections in a room. A acoustic quality inside a car is usually based one side of a door and your microphone very live room would be a bathroom with ® on the very absorbent seats and the very on the other. By varying how open or all hard surfaces. A “dead” room would P.O. Box 10, Franklin Square, NY 11010 reflective glass. Thinking for a moment I closed the door is your audio can sound like typically be a closet or a library like in the (516) 328-7500 • FAX: (516) 328-7506 realized what other location has this similar you’re eavesdropping on a conversation. film My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn and For full specifications, visit our website: www.azdencorp.com quality… my vocal booth! Yes, the foam Remember the rooms you are using plays a Rex Harrison.

34 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 35 Film / Video Formats

It’s not all technical talk. Forum to be shooting on video, even though that and frame rate provide a ‘distance’ from DOP and co-director Mitch Perkins framing actor Ed Fielding with an ultra wide angle lens members collaborate on international would be cheaper still than Super 8. Super reality.” for Sleep Always. Photo credit: Rick Palidwor. “Pass-the-cart” projects where a single 2.5 8 has higher resolution and better colour Palidwor and Perkins used the flexibility minute cartridge is passed from person to saturation than even the highest quality of Super 8 equipment to quite literally person; Super-8 Cities projects, similar to digital video, and by using the best quality broaden the perspective of the film. In the old Travelouge documentaries, where camera, telecine process and lighting that the Super 8 world, Do-It-Yourself is not the beauty of a city is highlighted; and the we can, we hope to maintain this standard only a hobby, it’s a necessity. With that in perennial favorite, Time Lapse. Of course, through to the finished product.” The mind, the filmmakers actually modified the one must not forget the real joy of Super 8 scope of the picture stands in somewhat camera, widening the gate to maximize filmmaking today: The Narrative. of a paradox to the format. Normally, a the amount of usable film. The result is a large scale film like In My Image would be widescreen Super 8 format they dub “Super- shot in 35mm, or even the 70mm IMAX Duper 8.” Making It Happen format. Those formats, however, necessitate enormous production costs, prices that “It’s about obsession,” says Palidwor, In 2001, Australian filmmaker Scott McPhie just couldn’t pay. Super 8 offered speaking about the plot of Sleep Always. But McPhie decided to use Super 8 for his debut the great compromise. Epic picture – little he may as well be talking about the rabid movie, In My Image. And unlike most indie format. fans of this small gauge film format. filmmakers who, due to time and budget constraints, struggle to keep the scope of While McPhie use Super 8 for the grand their films small, McPhie went all out with epic, Rich Palidwor and Mitch Perkins How It’s Done an epic film. The fictional film follows went in the opposite direction. The Toronto filmmakers took the surreal quality of David Miller, an idealist lawyer-turned- Though Super 8 is a burgeoning market the Super 8 filmstock and used it to their anthropologist in the colonial frontier of once again, it can still be difficult to find advantage in the film Sleep Always. The highland New Guinea in 1938. When a resources to complete a film. Mixing the film looks at the world through the eyes of highlander native is charged with murder, old with the new, Super 8 filmmakers use Frank, a delusional character who becomes Miller is drawn back into the courtroom to the Internet to keep up to date with the infatuated with a homeless woman. “The defend the man. latest in the Super 8 world. While eBay story has very little to do with reality,” says and yard sales are the main way to buy McPhie chose to shoot Super 8 for Palidwor. “In that sense, it could never be equipment – I purchased my Elmo from Film Is Not Dead! two reasons. “Economy and quality. The told properly with videotape, which is often a kindly old camera buff – and other film has a very low budget which makes associated with reality. Film has that ability production elements remain the same as Super 8 preferable to other film gauges, to convey emotion and mood, dream and Super 8mm Lets Film Live On other established formats, finding shops that but because we want to maintain as high a fantasy.” “[It’s] more suited to our purposes sell and process the film presents the biggest picture quality as possible we’re not going - for a visual interior monologue, film grain by Chris Cavallari challenge.

For some, digital video cameras with world, filmmakers are still using Super 8 to either. Amateurs and professionals alike are amazing new technologies are sounding the create works of art that can run with the big finding a use for this unique format. Fred Spek as Frank in Sleep Always. Frank plays sax in Sleep Always. Photo death knell for film as the main choice of dogs. This ain't your daddy's Super 8. Photo credit: Rick Palidwor. credit: Rick Palidwor. Taking a stroll through the forums of one productions around the globe. A small, but of these communities shows a plethora of dedicated community is making sure that at do-it-yourselfers who take the opportunity least one underdog of a film format doesn’t Building a Community to embrace the format and help others go down without a fight. do the same. With topics like “What’s the The fact that there are several online latest on the jitter problem?” to “What You may be familiar with Super 8mm communities and forums dedicated to Super Ektachrome is still easily processed?” there’s film. Most of us recognize the reversal stock 8mm filmmaking, each with thousands of no shortage of information available. The from home movies shot by our parents and members, is a testament to the fact that many members embrace the medium as a grandparents: the grainy image, the slightly Super 8mm film remains a viable format truly unique form of expression, one that in surreal colors, and the shaky camera work. in the film world. It’s not just student some way connects them to another age of What you may not know is that around the filmmakers who are cutting and splicing filmmaking.

36 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 37 Film / Video Formats

DOP and co-director Mitch Perkins lining up a low shot for Sleep Always. Photo credit: Rick Palidwor. FILMMAKING & ACTING FOR FILM

From left: Actors Laurie Maher and Fred Spek on the set of Sleep Always with ONE-YEAR directors Rick Palidwor and Mitch Perkins. Photo credit: Jo Dickins. FILMMAKING PROGRAM In 2006, Kodak was one of the few remaining film companies All is not lost, however. Again the resourcefulness and creativity producing color reversal film for Super 8. The inexpensive film of the Do-It-Yourselfers has come into play. From a contraption was one of the most popular for amateur filmmakers to use, that captures the film frame by frame and lays it to video, to home 16MM • DIGITAL mainly because processing was included in the purchase cost. built camera stabilizers, the community of Super 8 filmmakers is 35MM • HD Unfortunately, the company found that costs of making this stock alive and well. A web search for DIY equipment can yield hundreds were too high, and discontinued the last of the reversal films, K40. of results, many tailored to the specifics of Super 8. Magazines This was a big blow to filmmakers who previously had been able dedicated to small gauge formats populate the literary landscape, EACH STUDENT WRITES, to simply project the film on a wall and videotape the projection and of course online forums remain extremely active. The only SHOOTS, DIRECTS, AND EDITS 8 FILMS AND WORKS for editing on a computer. Today, only color and black-and-white real roadblock to filmmakers is the relative lack of facilities that ON THE CREW OF 29 negative stocks remain, which of course raise the cost of production are equipped with the specialized equipment required to process ADDITIONAL FILMS considerably. Super 8 cartridges. But with the veritable plethora of other resources available, Super 8 is not likely to go away soon. DOP and co-director Mitch Perkins setting up a high shot for Sleep Always. Photo credit: Rick Palidwor. TWO-YEAR CONSERVATORY PROGRAMS The Future is the Past? FILMMAKING • ACTING Is Super 8 merely a hobbyist’s way to feel like a professional filmmaker, or does the format have more in store? It’s difficult 1-800-611-FILM • WWW.NYFA.COM to come to a conclusion at this stage, but one thing is certain: Super 8 will be around for a long time to come...or as long as the HANDS-ON SHORT-TERM manufacturers keep making the stock. Inevitably, film will go the MORE ONE-YEAR PROGRAMS way of the Magic Lantern, but for now, Super 8 offers a chance for INTENSIVE WORKSHOPS film buffs to really get their hands dirty in the world of filmmaking. • FILMMAKING • SCREENWRITING • DIRECTING FOR FILM • DIGITAL FILMMAKING And for many, that’s a dream come true. • ACTING FOR FILM • 3-D ANIMATION • ACTING FOR FILM • EDITING • SCREENWRITING • 3D ANIMATION • PRODUCING • DOCUMENTARY 1, 4, 6, & 8 WEEK HANDS-ON TOTAL IMMERSION WORKSHOPS Chris Cavallari has been working in television, video, and film for 12 years as a lighting cameraman, cinematographer, director, BACHELOR OF ARTS & MASTER OF FINE ARTS AVAILABLE video editor, and grip. By day he is the Lead Television Studio Technician for a Broadband TV Network; by night, he writes and NEW YORK CITY UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, HOLLYWOOD DISNEY-MGM STUDIOS * LONDON, ENGLAND FLORENCE, ITALY * directs films & podcasts for his company Filmosity Productions, HARVARD UNIVERSITY * UNIVERSAL STUDIOS, FLORIDA * MILAN, ITALY * PARIS, FRANCE * DUBLIN, IRELAND * produces the podcast “The Martini Shot: Moviemaking for Beginners,” and runs the New Jersey Podcasters Association. His website is www.filmosity.com.

All workshops are solely owned and operated by the New York Film Academy and are not affiliated with Harvard University, Universal Studios, or Disney-MGM Studios. 38 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 39 Tech Focus

Staying Legal in a Multicolor World Some of the issues

related to color space, Figure 2 Y Pb Pr 100% bars formats, and conversion Figure 3 Vector Scope

Y Pb Pr ColorBars Vectorscope Display scope will not tell you although is how between formats... much Peek Chroma that you are creating in The traditional approach to gamut A Vector scope shows both of the a NTSC signal. (Figure 3.) by Steve Holmes monitoring, the waveform display, does color difference signals in a NTSC or not tell what is going on in other color component signal. The B-Y signal causes spaces. A digital component video operator horizontal deflection and R-Y causes vertical Y Pb Pr Waveform View must make six total checks to validate deflection. This results in a display having Figure 1 CIE chart gamut, looking at the white levels of each six peripheral dots and two central dots. The If you look at the waveform shown component and then the black levels of central dots result from white and black bars in Figure 4 it is very difficult if not almost each component. (See Figure 2.) which are not colors and in which color impossible to tell how much NTSC peek Monitoring the color gamut in today’s formats, and conversion between formats Most everyone is familiar with looking difference for each is zero. What the Vector chroma is going to be created by this signal. video system is not a routine activity for a in digital television systems. For example, at an NTSC waveform. What we have been A component signal can easily produce 130 lot of people working in the video industry. waveform displays have historically been dealing with all these years is a two channel IRE of peek chroma. The maximum amount But, if you create video with a graphics used to validate gamut compliance in NTSC system where the Chroma information is of chroma allowed in NTSC is 120 IRE due workstation or perform technical or creative systems. But as you will see viewing a Y, Pb, superimposed (riding) on top of the luma to the RF modulation process. Likewise a adjustments on cameras, you are keenly Pr component, waveform tells you very little channel. Now in Component video we component signal can generate a RGB signal aware of the potential problems that can about things like how much NTSC Peek are dealing with 3 independent waveform that is out of Gamut, more on RGB in a occur when the R’G’B’ color gamut is violated. chroma you will create. We have content channels: Y Pb Pr, and also, 3 channels moment. Even if the video you are working Those glorious, vibrant colors you crafted in the form of RGB Computer Graphics, Y or waveforms in RGB. The CIE 1931 on is HD you have no control of how it will lose their brilliance when transmitted or Pb Pr and NTSC. Each one has its own color Chromaticity diagram shows all possible be viewed at the end of the food chain. It recorded, destroying the visual impact space, and not everything we do in one colors that are discernable by the human could be down converted to composite for you achieved on a computer display or a format or color space can be converted to eye. The important thing to be taken from viewing at some point. studio monitor. Many facilities are “hybrids” the other formats and remain legal. this figure is that television color spaces working with a variety of different formats such as NTSC, and the like are subsets Chromaticity Diagram – analog or digital, standard definition of this range of colors. We had to pick a or high definition – that complicates this Monitoring the color gamut of a Particular Green, a Particular Blue, and a process further. We work in a multiple component video signal is not as much of Particular Red to be used in today’s color color space world, dealing with both SD a routine activity as is should be for the television system (See white triangle in Figure 4 Y Pb Pr Live Signal and HD formats, NTSC composite, Y Pb majority of those working in the video Figure 1). Any color that falls outside of this Pr component and RGB, then conversion industry. To prevent the undesired impact of triangle cannot be reproduced by today’s between formats and color space. color gamut violations, there are various television systems. displays to simplify the operator’s and A brief background will help explain engineer’s tasks. some of the issues related to color space,

40 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 41 Tech Focus

Diamond Display

In creative and operational environments where monitoring the RGB gamut limit is critical, the Diamond display is unbeatable. Conventional waveform monitor display modes, such as parade and overlay, are great for measuring signal levels, but gamut limit violations don’t stand out like they do on the Diamond display. The Diamond display provides gamut limit monitoring with any signal. The Diamond display consists of two XY plots: green versus blue in the upper diamond, and green versus red in the lower diamond. In the upper Diamond any signal that is a legal Green Blue color will stay inside of the diamond created by the upper Diamond. Likewise the lower portion of the Diamond checks the legality of the Green Red colors. The plots are bounded by a graticule indicating nominal Today’s video operators need to use a whole host of tools: gamut compliance between 0 and 700mv. By separating the Arrowhead, Waveform, Vector, and Diamond Displays, as well Figure 6 Arrowhead display diamonds, it is easier for the user to visualize black gamut errors as as being visually pleasing. While virtually all component video shown in the split Diamond. transmission occurs in one of the standard color difference formats Arrowhead Display system and make any needed corrections in production. Normally widely used today, viewing those signals in the RGB color space for NTSC transmission the threshold is set between 110 and 115IRE is still a necessity in some situations. It is much harder to know Program material will still be transmitted as a composite signal because values over this limit can cause problems at the transmitter how much Peek Chroma you are creating. As computers become in a hybrid plant or in distribution for many local markets like Cable in the form of sound buzz. Figure 5 shows an NTSC SMPTE Color more widely used in video applications, the possibilities of creating and Satellite. The requirements are different for keeping this signal bar signal that falls within the limits of the Arrowhead display. illegal video signals increases — and Diamond is the best tool for legal. To monitor the component signal in composite space, the However applying a 100% color bar signal as shown which is legal keeping track of RGB gamut violations. Performing color correction signal can be applied to a composite encoder then to a distribution and valid in R’ G’ B’ space, causes the limits to be exceeded in the adjustments, gray scale tracking adjustments or black balance amp. The composite signal is then measured and monitored using a composite NTSC space. adjustments on a CCU are additional tasks that can be simplified familiar analog waveform monitor and vectorscope. But this method by the Diamond display. The Arrowhead display provides a means introduces several unknowns, the setup of the composite encoder, for a digital hybrid facility to easily ensure the signal is valid for the levels of the DA and the calibration of the Analog waveform Four Tile Waveform View transmission in a Composite environment and simplifies the monitors, and the potential for error is great. The Arrowhead display operators’ task all within the digital domain. shows engineers and operators to easily see out of gamut conditions As seen in Figure 7, a four tile component waveform view, in composite color space without the need of processing the signal the signal shown in the lower left quadrant is a perfectly legal Graphic charts courtesy of the author and Tektronix. through a composite encoder. Figure 5 shows how the Arrowhead component Y Pb Pr signal, but when viewed as a Y RGB display display is constructed for NTSC color space. in the upper left quadrant you can see that the Red channel is at almost 800mv. The Diamond display in the upper right quadrant The great thing about the Arrowhead display is that it’s done shows the same Red error. Signal monitoring in the RGB color space does have several very mathematically, so it can’t be in error. The Arrowhead display plots important applications. Even though signal transmission in RGB is rare, Steve Holmes has over 20 years of video experience. He luma on the vertical axis, with blanking at the lower left corner of many creative and operational controls continue to bear the labels spent 20 years with GTE/Verizon installing, teaching, engineering, the arrow. The magnitude of the chroma subcarrier at every luma R, G and B. Computer graphics workstations and paint systems operate and managing Video and CATV systems; and he taught video level is plotted on the horizontal axis, with zero subcarrier at the in RGB color space and are among the most frequent sources of transmission and video engineering to non-video engineers. He left edge of the arrow. The upper sloping line forms a graticule illegal video. Camera control units (CCUs), telecine, color correctors was involved in one of the first Video on Demand, Near Video indicating 100% color bar total luma + subcarrier amplitudes. The and gamma correctors also employ RGB color space controls. on Demand, FTTH (fiber to the home), FTTN (fiber to the node) lower sloping graticule indicates a luma + subcarrier extending Monitoring these types of systems is an obvious application for the and HFC (hybrid fiber coax) trails before the development of toward sync tip (maximum transmitter power). The electronic Diamond display. digital video compression systems. Today he works as a Sr. Video graticule provides a reliable reference to measure what the Applications Engineer for Tektronix consulting and teaching test luminance plus color subcarrier will be when the signal is later methodologies for Broadcast, Studio, Cable and Manufacturing for encoded into NTSC or PAL. An adjustable modulation depth alarm customers based in the Western United States and Western Canada. Conclusion capability is provided to warn the operator that the composite signal may be approaching a limit. The video operator can now see how The Diamond display excels in several areas for R’G’B gamut, the component signal will be handled in a composite transmission however it is not the answer to every measurement question.

Figure 7. Arrowhead display showing SMPTE Color Bars 42 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 43 Tech Focus

editing life simple – Boris FX, After Effects, Sean flying his rig on a chilly Canadian morning. Magic Bullet – I just can’t get enough of them, but on one of my latest docs the one scene that caught my eye amidst all of the CG and titles was a smooth, three minute long Steadicam walk that was properly exposed, with every color accurately captured.

Capturing stunning images should be our utmost goal. My best friend and rig-flyer Sean Sealey has been advancing his Steadicam career at an astonishing pace. He’s been offered some fantastic work that he’s turned down which I found very surprising. I’ve never called him on it, but I’ve gone to bed many nights thinking “Gosh, what a fool! He could have nailed a feature and networked with a feature crew!” Instead of countering my discontent, WWHEREHERE HHOLLYWOODOLLYWOOD’’SS Sean spends his time training his eye with a Nikon D50. His rationale makes perfect sense. A first impression can only be made once; Sean ensures that the first impression ROFESSIONALSROFESSIONALS EETEET he makes is always flawless – even if it PP MM .. means perfecting his eye for composition, exposure and balance over the next 10 years. That is why he will always be an “A” list contender. Not everyone can afford to buy a D50 and start training their eyes, but The Science Behind what most people can afford when working on set is to ensure that their cameras are aligned properly. Producing camera the Camera Test alignment tools is both an art and a science. Misaligning a camera with a home made or Understanding How to Make Better inaccurate chip chart will produce inferior images and be costly to your career. It was Images through Research an interesting happenstance that introduced me to DSC Laboratories. My university Exhibition & Seminars by Michael Kent uses DSC products and on graduating my June 22 & 23, 2007 professor told me that DSC was looking Master Class Seminars for good people. Working with DSC has As a recent graduate of television I would not have seen myself following in June 24, 2007 opened my eyes to the benefits accurate studies, I possibly have a different my first year of university. But after some camera alignment can make to a DP’s Location perspective to many established DP’s and real world experience, I seemed to run into career. shooters. Having shot a few shorts, a full problems on set that required technical, Wadsworth Theatre & Grounds season of race car TV, production managed scientific or engineering solutions. I’m not The Science Behind DSC Lab’s Los Angeles, California a feature, and shot four documentaries, all alone on this – I have many friends who Products on DVD – to call me ‘seasoned’ would be are backed into the same corner, but that Contact us @ a gross overstatement. However, I am at is arguably what keeps this business so For over 40 years, DSC Laboratories 310/470-0870 [email protected] that interesting stage in my career where the exciting. It is constantly changing, but we has been perfecting the science of image • basics have become basic, and I am anxious have ourselves to blame for this. With all improvement. We customize patterns to learn more of the industry’s subtleties. the advancement we have made in terms of for nearly every television station and software upgrades, plug-in creations, and blockbuster feature shot digitally, and do Over these various projects I have the like, we must never forget that at the end both through strategic, environmentally become infatuated with the science and of the day, it is shot quality that counts. I sound practices. We have created nearly Premiering the Film Series at Cine Gear Expo: June 21-23, 2007 engineering side of the business – a path have found so much software that makes the 50 different patterns in front and rear-lit For details on Student Filmmaker Competition and Screening Schedule visit: WWW.CINEGEAREXPO.COM 44 studentfilmmakers May 2007 A Tribute to the Visual Art of Filmmaking May 2007 studentfilmmakers 45 Tech Focus configurations that can test everything from camera’s menu will go. Higher end cameras When selecting a test pattern, dynamic color balance to lens resolution on any type allow an enormous amount of matrix setting range becomes very important. In the early of digital video camera. Much of what we control, but without accurate monitoring days of television, the dynamic range of a do, I cannot publish, but what I can, I will materials, it is impossible to line up these camera was very limited, to about 20 or share. colors with any form of consistency. 25:1. Grayscale pattern had a similar low dynamic range. Unfortunately, such test Before getting into the fine details, it charts are still being sold to align modern is always good scientific practice to set up cameras which have a dynamic range of a baseline. For our purposes the baseline 3000:1 or higher. The progression rate revolves around understanding why the between most 9 step charts and a modern need for accurate test patterns exists. 11 step pattern is also different. The lightest There are three elements that need to be step on a 9 step chart is 60% reflection ‘baselined’, and they all involve the flow where a similar 11 step chart has a reflection of how the image is originally perceived to of 90% (on the first step). Obviously, how the final product is viewed on screen. different densitometric curves between test patterns will result in different image Deep inside a camera’s menu settings, reproduction from cameras. Aligning to an The wavelength spectrum of light from this Color Correction menu was found. The Human Eye Ultraviolet to Infrared. inaccurate or grayscale of limited dynamic range can result in poor quality images that Without getting into too much are beyond redemption! biological detail, recreating what we see The Camera The Waveform Monitor from behind the lens can only be achieved The need for an accurate Grayscale The waveform monitor is one of two A cavity black is a physical hole within the if we understand why we see what we While the peak sensitivity of human chart is quintessential to setting precise The closest to true black in a test chart ChromaDuMonde chart - on a waveform important tools that make up an effective see. The eye perceives images through vision is about Blue 440nm, Green 540nm gamma and exposure. The white chip on is in DSC’s CaviBlack (cavity black), where monitor, the cavity black would be the camera shooter’s toolkit. A waveform lowest signal line. photosensitivity - interpreted through rods and Red 580nm visually “true” Red for most a chart is normally set to 700mv (100 IRE) a special antireflective material is angled to monitor displays a video signal in millivolts and cones in the retina. The fovea is a spot people has a spectral peak of about 635nm. and true black close to 0 mV. Setting the trap light. (mV) for HD and IRE (Institute of Radio within the retina that is densely packed with A camera and television set must reproduce black can be tricky. NTSC has a basic black Engineers) for NTSC. 700mV is equal to cones - all of which have a specific red, the color at the same wavelength if we are level set up of 7.5 IRE above true black. It to accurately recreate that color. This is a 100 IRE units. would seem logical to set the blacks at 0; green or blue protein separation, and thus THE CENTER FOR DIGITAL IMAGING ARTS AT BOSTON UNIVERSITY difficult task, given the characteristics of however, absolute black is an impractical help produce a visible color spectrum. If Using a precision DSC grayscale aligning monitors and TV sets, also the fact that they goal because all surfaces reflect some light, all three cones are activated at the same a camera is usually quite simple. First, light are seldom set up properly. CCDs transmit however little. Even the blacks found on time, they tell our brain we see white light. the ChromaDuMonde or other DSC chart information by converting light to voltage DSC CamAlign charts with their special If some are firing at full intensity and some evenly, and then adjust camera settings to levels that vary with brightness. Ensuring ultra high reflective gloss surface, while way are not, we see colors in between white produce equal spacing of the grayscale’s that a digital image when recreated will be below regular charts do reflect some light. and black. Rods are very sensitive to light step signals between 0 and 700mV - information and do not “see” color. Cones of a particular spectral curvature becomes this should result in accurate grayscale In addition, with front lit test pattern have color sensitivity, but require more light a complicated science. In most cases, alignment. configurations lens flare will contribute light to function. cameras try to mimic the cones found in the create fovea with three CCDs, one each for each of and in turn, raise the black level. Similarly The way we measure how sensitive the Red, Green and Blue primary colors. with DSC’s rear lit Combi patterns where cones are to light energy is through black is true black (opaque), zero black is wavelengths. Nanometers are distance In taking a picture of a banana the Two waveform monitors and two patterns; still impossible to obtain. markers that help us quantify what yellow color will activate primarily the red (left) a nine step grayscale on an NTSC monitor; YOUR WORLD (right) an eleven step grayscale on an HD monitor. Certificate Programs wavelengths of light make up our visible and green sensors - by the time we see Digital Filmmaking Visual Effects/Game Design spectrum. The spectral band of colors that same banana on television, its color goes from Ultra-violet (below 400nm) up will incorporate the characteristics (i.e., Photography Graphic & Web Design to Infrared (above 700nm). Individuals color space) of the television set, which, in perceive color information differently, theory, should be similar to the “look” of the 3D Animation Recording Arts but for the most part, the human visible original banana. spectrum ranges from 400nm (blue) to as Intensive nine-month programs for the skills and tools you need to turn Data from CCDs is converted to digital high as about 675nm (red). As evidenced your ideas into reality. Financial assistance and career services available. voltage levels whose characteristics can in this diagram, all colors we can see within be adjusted using a camera’s color matrix. CONTACT US TODAY at 800.808.2342 that range fall in this spectrum. Camera CCDs interpret images based on specific manufacturers must take these factors into color thresholds engineered into their WWW.CDIABU.COM account when designing a color camera’s algorithmic circuitry. Optimizing these taking characteristics. thresholds largely depends on how deep the NEW SECOND LOCATION! Now enrolling Summer 2007 classes at our new campus in Washington, DC.

46 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 47 Tech Focus

Why are those boxes so important?

DSC primary colors not only line up to their respective boxes, but also have uniform luminance values, an exceedingly difficult task. DSC charts are renowned for their accuracy and consistency. When aligning a camera’s matrix settings increasing or decreasing the sensitivity of a particular color will also change other colors. This often requires considerable patience in camera alignment. Always remember that the red and yellow are the most important as they largely define skin tone. Here is an example of camera operator error - if you line up red on the vector box to someone on set with a red Different gamut color spaces – the widest outside band represents the human visible sweater you will be altering the colorspace spectrum of colors. each primary in their box, but reduce its and gamut to reflect that red as your ‘true’ working colorspace. The image below has (Left) Sony F900 with no matrix red. This is exemplified when going into adjustment; (right) Sony F900 after been aligned to a 6 color pattern using a matrix adjustment has been performed. The Vectorscope the camera’s matrix settings to adjust color multi-matrix menu – as you can see; each sensitivity. Notice that in many instances one color incorrectly will affect the entire Small changes from there are not always The vectorscope is the other ‘must have’ primary is in its box. The following image is a particular color cannot be selected on colorspace and this should always be taken recommended, but up to the operator. tool that should be part of every shooter’s what a 28 color chart looks like with those its own. Instead, alterations can be made into consideration. Lining up to an incorrect toolkit. Only after setting a camera’s settings – clearly the intermediary colors are to B-Y, R-B, etc. When these settings are color is worse than lining up to no colors at exposure levels and tracking can a shooter completely skewed although the primaries all – much like the common error of white increased or decreased, all of the other Color Correction Michael Kent, 24, is a graduate of move on to optimizing color. DSC uses the are lined up. balancing to a sheet of white printer paper. colors on the vectorscope shift – adjusting the Radio and Television Arts program at latest International Telecommunications Many of our clients have used our test Most camera manufacturers preset their Ryerson University and is the Operations Union standard for HD color ITU-R BT.709, patterns in post production as well. When matrixes on the warm side and many clients Manager at DSC Laboratories. Michael (SMPTE 274M). ITU 709 standard largely (Left) The popular DSC Labs ChromaDuMonde 28R; (right) the initially setting up a camera, common ChromaDuMonde 28R as seen on an HD Vectorscope. using DSC charts to align $60,000+ cameras has spoken at the SMPTE HD Boot Camp replaces a number of previous standards. practice is to do so at 2000 lux, with discover that red and yellow are the only II, and has helped create the Educational While the NTSC colorimetry standard had both light sources at 45 degrees. This colors that fall in the vectorscope boxes text: Imaging Technology: Advanced Guide an excellent wide color gamut (when TV however, does not necessarily mimic real when they take their new cameras straight to Digital, Film and Television Production. sets were made to the standard) they didn’t life shooting scenarios and that is why DSC “out of the box”. Michael also owns Skinnee Pant sell, because the picture was too dim and Labs test patterns can also be used as color Productions, races at an SCCA Pro Driver had to be viewed in a darkened room. For correction tools. By recording just a few level and is a registered ACTRA stunt driver. this reason SMPTE C and Europe’s EBU seconds of a DSC test pattern at the head He currently resides in Toronto, Ontario were born and for 25 years DSC made Camera matching becomes impossible or tail of a scene, the lighting characteristics Canada. charts to both these standards. without an accurate test pattern. No two of that scene are recorded to tape, and cameras are identical making it unreliable editors can use this data to color correct DSC standardized on 709 five years to upload the settings from one camera to or match scenes in post. Secondary colors ago and provides printouts showing the another. The only way to match cameras are very useful in post, provided a DSC offsets, on the rare times people ask for effectively is to use the same pattern in ChromaDuMonde pattern was shot on set; them. Every primary color on a DSC chart the same lighting condition. Set exposure they are used to see changes to other colors is designed to line up in its respective levels, white balance (which can be done when one color is changed dramatically. vectorscope box. to the entire chart with colors as it is spectrophotometrically neutral) align the This entire article has focused on This ChromaDuMonde has a total of 28 colors on a vectorscope and then match the SRW ChromaDuMonde 28R – just colors – the primary colors in the corners the second camera to a freeze frame of that one of the 50+ patterns offered by DSC and the center fall into their vectorscope pattern. Labs. Whether shooting on MiniDV or boxes. The colors in between form a DVCPro, there is a chart designed for every straight line between the primary colors More often than not, the perfectly application. when properly aligned. aligned vectorscope image is not the ideal setting based on the characteristics of the We hope that you will join the growing Why not just the primaries? With (Left) Using individual color adjustment settings, the primaries have been lined up in their boxes using a 6 color chart, (right) however, scene. However, by first aligning to a DSC number of shooters who understand how to the advanced multi-matrix settings of when a 28 color chart is put in front of the camera, the intermediary pattern, it becomes an accurate baseline make better images through research. modern cameras, it is possible to line up colors have been effected in a very negative way, skewing colors and reducing working colorspace. with the widest colorspace as a reference.

48 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 49 How-To

constantly check the lens for dirt and dust. from blowing off your head) is not a bad Protecting Yourself and Your Gear in Also, taping some areas of the camera that idea either. dust could work itself into with the strong When working in the dirt, many of the wind is wise. Being extra diligent with gate same precautions are used as when working checks is a good idea. in wind. For the camera department, it is Difficult Environmental Conditions A Tribute to the Visual Art of Filmmaking For the electric department, heat shield important to be on top of gate checks and Rainy, Windy, and Dusty Locations or a single scrim is important to protect insuring that magazines and changing bags / the hot lens from the cold wind in order tents stay clean. June 21st – June 23rd to prevent thermal shock. You also may For the electric department, try to keep by Kevin Zanit need to use small grip clips instead of C47s The Wadsworth connectors from dragging in the dirt so they to hold gel to the barn doors as gel can be Theatre don’t get “crunchy” and hard to connect. It easily blown off in strong winds. In the business of production, we often need to procure enough apple boxes to a good hat to offer some cover from the rain is a good idea to place a small band of tape West Los Angeles find ourselves trying to accomplish our elevate all your connectors and distribution can be handy, and a towel is nice for when For the grip department, you may need around connectors to seal them closed so work in conditions that would make most / lunch boxes. Even better than apple boxes you are done. lots of extra sandbags to secure everything dirt will not get in. Also, “desert wrap” your CALL FOR ENTRIES! people just want to ‘stay indoors.’ Not only are “swamp boxes” that have small legs in the wind. Also, be sure to have enough cables – connecting the male and female Working in windy conditions can do we have to sometimes work in difficult that don’t make water collect as much as rope for tying guy lines to any large frames ends of a cable into each other so that dirt present its own set of challenges. If the INDY SHORT & environmental conditions, we also need an apple box does. You will need to make of diffusion, etc. does not get inside when the cables are not wind is man-made by the special effects to protect ourselves and our equipment. small tents out of a plastic / metal mesh being used. STUDENT FILM department, it is safe to expect a lot of it! For yourself, have eye protection, as This advice is in no means completely called Celoflex on the bale of the lights to COMPETITION For the camera department the issue is not dust being blown at a high rate of speed is The grip department does not have comprehensive; think of it as some basic protect them from the rain. You will need really the wind in and of itself, but what never fun when it hits your eyes. If large much to worry about other than trying to guidelines for working in rainy, windy, or to constantly check the Celoflex because debris the wind blows. If it also dusty, wind machines are in use, ear protection is maintain a certain amount of cleanliness so DEADLINE FOR dusty locations. Some of the recommended the plastic melts over time, rendering the an optical flat in front of the lens is not a wise as they can often be very loud. Having that risers of stands and threads of clamps, items would not be on set unless these material useless in stopping water. Use SUBMISSIONS: bad idea, but mainly it is just important to a jacket and hat with chin strap (to keep it etc. don’t get stuck together. conditions are expected in advance, but visqueen plastic to wrap around electrical MAY 4TH, 2007 some items can be carried as simple connections. Use heat shield, a very weak This list is far from complete, but these expendables. color gel, or scrims to help shield the hot tips should help you be prepared for some For full details, Entry Forms, lens from any water drops. If water hits the of the worst conditions we face. When in Competition Rules, Prize Working in the rain presents many hot lens of a light it can crack or explode doubt about the safety of people, the best challenges. Some of the challenges involve Packages, and the due to “thermal shock”. You also need to bet is to just say no to the people trying to keeping the set safe (minimizing risks Screening Schedule, please have the proper type of ground fault circuit get you to work in these conditions. If it is of electric shock), and keeping camera visit the website at interrupters (GFCIs or GFIs). It is critical that known ahead of time what the conditions equipment safe. You may want to have www.cinegearexpo.com you have a “Type A” GFCI that is rated for will be like, research what you need to do in on hand a circular rain deflector (to keep and click onto Film Series. the voltages you are working with. Consult order to protect your gear and people. rain drops from showing up on screen), with the rental house on this information. trash bags and plastic baggies, a splash bag, or even a water housing (depending The grip department may be asked for on the amount of rain), large plastic trash extra 4x4 frames of gel to make small rain bags to cover carts, and even better to ask covers or may be asked for frames of griff Kevin Zanit is a cinematographer based production to have extra pop-up tents to to cover larger areas. The grip department in California. His experience is mostly June 22nd & 23rd cover your staging area. Also, remember does not have too much to worry about in music videos and does narrative work that tape may have problems sticking to protecting from the rain. WHERE HOLLYWOOD’S as well. His filmography includes Room various parts of the camera in cold or wet PROFESSIONALS MEET! You will also need to protect yourself Service (2006), These Days (2006), Inner conditions. If it is especially cold out, from the rain. Have some extra shoes and Prison (2005), and Passing Moments (2003). The Wadsworth Theatre & Grounds be careful to not store lenses in a warm socks prepared in case they get soaked, West Los Angeles location and then immediately bring them have at least one or two light jackets that are into the cold set, because they will fog. REGISTER NOW! waterproof (if you have two, you can double www.cinegearexpo.com For the electric department, you will up and have layers to take off if you get hot),

50 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 51 Film Business

in an audition. If you look like a starving Landing an Agent artist who stayed out too late the night Quick Tips for Selling Your Film before in their office, they will most likely How to Get an Acting Agent; not want to send you to castings. at the Cannes Market 5. The best time to do a mass mailing 7 Important Guidelines is when you are in a show that the agent Negotiating with Sales Agents could actually come and see you in. Mail by Vanessa Daniels an invitation and announcement of your by Stacey Parks upcoming work. It may be a good idea Cannes Film Festival is approaching, filmmakers are getting their It’s something that always got under my skin when I was to avoid doing mailings during an agent’s films ready to go sell there, and I’ve been speaking with producers working as a sales agent – taking all these huge fees from filmmakers In the acting industry, landing an agent is the light, the truth, the beauty that should busiest season (typically fall and spring lately about the deals they’ve made with various sales agencies. to pay our marketing expenses... It just doesn’t seem fair. can be more challenging than landing a role. be thrust upon the stage and silver screen.” during pilot seasons). Agents are less likely Having an agent is a great desire among all Keep your cover letters short and sweet. “To Here are a few quick pointers: things to look out for and be aware of to sign new people at this time because That is why I think, ultimately, the sales agency is a dying actors, the advantage being they will be able Whom It May Concern: Photo and resume when working with sales agents. they are consumed with a larger number of business model. to open certain doors in the industry and attached for your consideration.” Include incoming breakdowns (casting listings). First of all, when a sales agent agrees to bring your film to get you into certain auditions you would not your contact info. Nothing more. Agents the Cannes Film Festival market, you are not IN the Cannes Film get otherwise. There are several ways to go won’t read it. They WILL read your resume, 6. A great resource to find a complete Festival. You are at the Market. Big difference! Stacey Parks is the author of the “Inside Guide to Independent about getting noticed by an agent: so if you have a few solid credits and a listing of all the East and West coast talents Film Distribution.” Stacey has worked in independent film for over professional 8 by 10 headshot attached, it agents is called The Ross Reports. You can Also, when a sales agent brings your film to the Cannes Market, • Perform in a student or industry 10 years, and is currently a sales executive at the BBC Worldwide will get you noticed. If you happen to have find it at most bookstores or newsstands, you do NOT have distribution; you have a sales agent. The job showcase. in Los Angeles. She was previously a foreign sales agent for many a short reel (no more than 4-5 minutes), I and a new publication comes out every of the sales agent is to find you distribution deals; they sell your three months. years. Her website is www.FilmSpecific.com. • Get a role in an off, off-Broadway suggest including that as well. distribution rights to various distributors around the world and take show and invite agents to attend. a commission for their efforts. 2. DO NOT call agents’ offices to follow 7. If you are a student enrolled in a performing arts program, inquire if and • Do a mass mailing of your headshot up. Agents are extremely busy people and In addition to your negotiated commission with them (usually when the school holds auditions for an and resume to every agent on receive hundreds of headshots and resumes somewhere between 10% and 25%), they will want to take a fee for Summer Theatre agent or industry showcase, as well as any whichever coast you reside. weekly. They do not have time to personally marketing expenses (which can be anywhere from $5K to $50K). thank you for sending yours. “Don’t call other industry opportunities they may offer and Film Classes Now here’s where things get tricky. For example, if the sales I have had 3 agents up to this point in us we’ll call you” is the way it works. They throughout the year. College & High School Students Welcome agents are out there selling your film to distributors, and they get to my career. The first discovered me in a will call if they are interested in setting up a Finally, the best advice that holds true keep the first $50K of sales that come in to cover their marketing show downtown, the second at a student meeting. with most pursuits in life is be persistent. Be talent showcase, and the current I acquired expenses, and then start taking a 25% commission on all the sales patient. And know that luck (especially in through a mass mailing. My experience 3. Make your mailing stand out: typed after that, when do you think you’ll actually get paid? Can you say... labels, brightly colored envelope. Call the acting industry) always has something to NEVER? is proof that there is no right or wrong Session 1 do with it. way to get noticed, the important thing to attention specifically to the person running June 4 - June 20 www.ftc.edu Okay, I’m being cynical. Anyway, it will take a long, long time remember is to GET NOTICED. Don’t wait the department you are interested within Session 2 unless your film starts making hundreds of thousands of dollars in for them to discover you. Below are a few the agency. For example, if you are trying July 2 - July 22 revenue right off the bat... which I would never plan on because you guidelines and suggestions. to get a commercial agent address the Vanessa Daniels’ credits include Law & Session 3 want to play things conservatively. envelope with the name of an agent in the Order: Criminal Intent, Boiling Point (MTV), July 25 - August 10 1. Avoid the narcissistic cover letter. A commercial department. You may want to Trackers (Oxygen Network), The Difference One solution to this little conundrum is to negotiate with casting director the other day had a room try including the assistant’s name, as he/she (Nickelodeon), and the recently completed the sales agent that they are allowed NO MONEY in marketing full of auditionees cracking up as he read is usually the first person to open the mail. feature, The Sandpiper, as well as numerous expenses. Tell them you want to negotiate with them just a aloud the worst cover letter of all time. It commercials, student films, and regional percentage commission that they’ll take off the top of every sale, was 3 pages long, and led its reader through 4. Should you land a meeting with an and off-broadway shows. and no more. a self-indulgent account of one young agent treat it like a job interview. Dress to aspiring actress’s journey. She is “by divine impress, have extra headshots and resumes Stick to your guns, and if they really want your film, they’ll • Affordable • Experienced Faculty • Housing Available right the next big thing” and talked about with you, but don’t offer them unless asked. concede. After all, why should you be responsible for their overhead Call for Your Summer Packet how “all the art inside the depths of her soul Be well groomed and well rested. An agent costs? 1.631.656.2110 kept her awake at night; for she knows she wants to see how you will present yourself 305 N. Service Road Dix Hills, New York 11746 email: [email protected]

52 studentfilmmakers May 2007 May 2007 studentfilmmakers 53 Networking

Filmmakers Networking Community This Month’s Featured Filmmakers

AD Index Avid www.avid.com/education P9 Fuji Film www.fujifilm.com P15 Profile: HD_Postfacility Profile: JoeyDee Azden www.azdencorp.com P35 Glidecam www.glidecam.com P29 Location: Los Angeles, California, US Location: Ottawa, Canada Blackmagic Design www.blackmagic-design.com P5 International Academy of Design & Technology http://networking.studentfilmmakers.com/ http://networking.studentfilmmakers.com/ Bogen Imaging www.bogenimaging.us P27 www.filmschool.ph P31 HD_Postfacility JoeyDee Boston University/Digital Imaging Arts www.cdiabu.com P47 Lowel www.lowel.com P59 Lewis Lipstone is a professional Joseph Abboud is from Ottawa, Canada, Cine Gear Expo www.cinegearexpo.com P45 New York Film Academy www.nyfa.com P39 editor with over 30 years of production and just finished his third year in Film Studies. He says Krzysztof Kieslowski is and The Film Series Competition P51 OurStage, Inc. www.ourstage.com P2 and post-production experience. After a Profile: MalibuCarey his biggest influence in Cinema. Joseph has DSC Labs www.dsclabs.com P33 Piedmont Community College www.piedmont.cc.nc.us P23 successful tenure as an editor with The Location: Whitefish Bay & Malibu, completed six short movies, two on film Edgewise Media, Inc. www.edgewise-media.com P17 Studica www.studica.com P21 Landsburg Company in the 80’s, he founded (16mm & Super 8mm) and four on digital. Wisconsin, US Five Towns College www.ftc.edu P53 Third Screen Films www.thirdscreenfilms.com P25 http://networking.studentfilmmakers.com/ Westside Post and Rentals in 1990, and His most recent shorts include A Man Reflecting Thoughts (Super 8mm) and The MalibuCarey later expanded his facilities and editing capabilities for high-end production, video End (16mm). “For now I am only interested For advertising and sponsorship opportunities, Filmmaker and Entertainment Lawyer in short format, simply because I feel an duplication services, and DVD services. He please contact Kim Welch Carey Borth, has been an attorney since artist is free to explore and express so much 1986, and Real Estate Broker since 1981. is the president of Westside Media Group in a very direct way, meaning in such a at 212.255.7190, or send an email via our online form at (WMG). She lives in Los Angeles and Wisconsin, short time frame. Until I have developed www.studentfilmmakers.com/advertise.shtml. depending on where her work takes her. my skills and crafts, I will continue to make short films.” “I am producing Mark Borchardt’s (Coven, American Movie) feature film, Scare Me His favorite tools are a pen and paper: currently and editing my surfer film. After “I like to construct text, work with it until that I have a few shorts to finish and then it I visualize it in my head. I want to get to know my characters inside out, learn from is on to editing biker and racecar footage.” them and their environment...”

She has an MFA in Film from UCLA What he loves most about making and Juris Doctor from Pepperdine Law movies: “I am curious about destiny and School. She also has three business degrees chances and interconnecting people from UW-Madison, several Art/Computer/ through coincidences in our lives. I’m Culinary/Design Professional Degrees from Profile: StephanieSchmidt interested in addressing to the audience the non-physical human emotions, meaning UCLA Extension, and has also attended Art Location: Los Angeles, California, US http://networking.studentfilmmakers.com/ emotions that we cannot see on the outside, Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. and I try my best to empower or deconstruct StephanieSchmidt a helpless character, that’s if I can...” Stephanie Schmidt has a BFA in Film, and graduated Cum Laude from Virginia Commonwealth University. She was granted a fellowship from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts for her second year as a Check out this month’s featured cinematographer at the AFI Conservatory. filmmakers online at networking.studentfilmmakers.com. Her Master’s thesis film is In Another Life, Don’t forget to sign up for your own free networking@ shot in Los Angeles this past December. networking page!

54 studentfilmmakers May 2007 StudentFilmmakersApril 2007 February 2007 BackJanuary Issues 2007 December 2006

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August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006

studentfilmmakers May 2007 Many Thanks

Michael Kent Ira Tiffen Leonard Guercio Vanessa Daniels

M. David Mullen, ASC Saro Varjabedian Myrl A. Schreibman Kevin Zanit

Chris Cavallari Bryant Falk David K. Irving Stacey Parks

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May 2007 studentfilmmakers 59 Save Up to 26 % and More on Portabrace Items at the Bookstore!

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