THE NUMBER ONE MAGAZINE FOR INDEPENDENT VIDEOMAKERS Viewfinder.co.nz New Zealand
ViewfinderSh o o t / Ed i t / Pl a y / Sh a r e Iss u e 4 Ju n e -Ju l y 2010 Vi e w f i n d e r .c o .n z Shooting stars Make great music videos
On location Get clean audio anywhere Dark secrets Shoot day for night Moving times How to fake that travelling car scene
Show business There’s no show without the business Switching careers $8.90 inc GST June/July 2010 Issue 4 Sports champion Polly Green talks about her new passion
M Mosaic Media Ltd
shoot /exclusive edit / play / shareblender CGI tutorial // industry news // build a website 1
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ViewfinderNew Zealand INTRODUCTION
ith so many skilled and highly creative moviemakers around it is easy to become disillusioned with our own efforts, grab Wa bundle of videos from the store and simply enjoy them – leaving our cameras and computers to collect dust.
Some might say to themselves ‘I can’t match what the other guy is doing, so why bother?’. To which I’d say, our job in life is not to match or emulate what other people are doing. It’s about being as creative Editor // Steve Hart as we can, thinking for ourselves and doing our best to make our Email: [email protected] moviemaking dreams come true. Designer // William Benn But there is something else we can do that is far more powerful and Contributors // Gary Foster, Ande Schurr, Mike a lot easier than pushing ourselves to the limit of our physical and Atherton, Mitch Santell, James Wheeler, Jodie mental capabilities. Collaboration. Driver
It appears that in this age of easy communication, we can quickly Advertising // call 09 426 2050 email: [email protected] become an island surrounded by a sea of technology. We want for nothing as we sit at our computers. But isolation has a price and Printing // PMP Maxim asking for help appears to be something many people refuse to do. Distribution // Gordon & Gotch Even when it is to take part in a fun and creative project. Ph: 09 979 3100 Email: [email protected] When it comes to making movies they’ll write the script, set up mics,
Publisher // Mosaic Media Ltd the lights, shoot, edit, master the audio, burn the DVD and design the PO Box 300-505, Albany, North Shore, sleeve. Meanwhile, there may be people on their doorstep who can Auckland, 0752 perform some of these tasks better than the guy with the big idea. Email: [email protected] Being a jack of all trades is fine for a while, but to take your video projects to the next level, ask for help. Perhaps from like-minded Mosaic Media Ltd people you know, or join your local video club. If there isn’t one near M you, start one with an advert in your local paper.
When it comes to making videos, as in life, decide on what you enjoy doing most and round up people to bring the skills you don’t have. It’s time to network, get out and build your base of contacts. I’m sure that in the coming months having a wide network of new friends will bring great benefits.
Enjoy and have fun. WINNERS Carl Watson of Whakatane and Tracey Hunter of Auckland each win a Steve Hart copy of the Poisoning [email protected] Paradise DVD after Copyright notice entering the draw The contents of Viewfinder Magazine and its advertised in issue 3. associated website are subject to copyright and may not be reproduced in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from Mosaic Did you miss issues 1, 2 or 3? Media Ltd or the owner of the work. Limited stock available. Order at Viewfinder.co.nz Copyright of material in Viewfinder may be owned under Back Issues. by Mosaic Media Ltd or by the creator. See page 40 for edition contents list Views expressed by writers may not necessarily be shared by the publisher.
Copyright © 2010 Mosaic Media Ltd Viewfinder website Keep up to date, watch videos and get lots of free ISSN: 1179-3651 downloads at Viewfinder.co.nz www.Viewfinder.co.nz Put us on your favourites list!
shoot / edit / play / share 3 CONTENTS
Gallery In Box Show business Get up to speed with Find out what our readers have Direct from Hollywood, we welcome industry news to say and feel free to join the Mitch Santell to Viewfinder as he debate starts the first of a regular column on cutting the mustard in the movies
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Still moving Create CGI effects Promote yourself Recording people inside a car or Mike Atherton offers a step-by-step Learn how you can build a cool plane can easily fall into the ‘too guide to Blender, the free program website to promote your videos and hard’ basket. Gary Foster has the for creating stunning computer freelance services answers... generated graphics
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Shooting stars Location, location Shot in the dark It’s the easiest gig in town and the Ande Schurr speaks with veteran Recording footage at night can hardest gig in town. Video producer sound recordist Mike Westgate to get cause all sorts of issues for the and director Logan McMillan explains his top tips for location recording uninitiated. James Wheeler throws the secrets of making music videos some light on the options
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Main feature My Movie Trade Directory Kayaking champion Polly Green Young moviemakers Marc McCarthy Support our advertisers and make tells Steve Hart how she mixes her and Cody Packer talk about their contact with video clubs passion for wild water and making movie The Centre Line, which is 42 award-winning documentaries. based on a family tragedy Next time Macro videography
Editing basics
Which microphone is best for your shoot
Issue 5 out 34 40 July 26 !
shoot / edit / play / share 5 Gallery News & products
Flash in the pan Talk of the demise of the flash (.flv) Documentary Edge 2011 online video format may be premature. But with the incoming introduction The 6th edition of Documentary Edge (15 June 2010); Regular, USD$30/$35 of the HTML5 web page code, which Festival will be held February-March (31 August) 2010; Late, USD$35/$40 will likely include an open (royalty 2011 and the door is now open to movie (15 September) 2010 and Extended, free) video format called OGG Theora, makers who want to submit their video. USD$50/$55 (1 October 2010) videomakers and web designers Submissions can only be made via the For details on rules and regulations will be able to get a video online Withoutabox.com website which offers (prior to your submission) see www. using a single code such as:
Music videos needed? MediaWorks launched an alternative digital music channel C42 on May 1 to play exclusively on Channel 9 of the Freeview platform. C42 will offer New Zealand music considerable representation with a commitment of up to 30 per cent local content. It will feature back to back alternative music videos, without hosts. An arrangement between MediaWorks and PPNZ will ensure videos and artists represented by IMNZ (the New Zealand trade body for independent record labels and distributors) represent a larger portion of the playlist.
Vimeo gets a plus Online video sharing site Vimeo.com has launched Plus Stats, a member- Six Dollar Fifty Man wins again only service to offer users advanced statistics such as video analytics The Six Dollar Fifty Man has won Best Written and directed by that reveal advanced details on the Drama at Aspen Shortsfest. Wellingtonians Mark Albiston and playback of their videos. The win marks the short film’s fourth Louis Sutherland and produced by Information such as location, duration Oscar-qualifying film festival award Wendy Cuthbert, The Six Dollar Fifty watched and embed locations are to date – further qualifying it for Man tells the story of a boy (Oscar among the information now offered. consideration for an Academy Award Vandy-Connor – pictured) who lives in The company’s VP of product & nomination next year. a make believe world to help him deal development, Andrew Pile, says The movie’s success has gone from with school bullying. better analytics was one of the strength to strength following its In announcing the winners, the most requested features from its world premiere and gaining Special judges, including actor Meg Ryan, membership. Distinction at Cannes last year. said the film was “funny, fresh, fully This year it has already won the Jury realised all cinematic elements from Free plug-ins Prize in International Short Film making music to camera angles and superb FXFactory is a free plug-in at Sundance, Best Narrative Short at cast including the mind boggling, management system that lets you Cinequest Film Festival, USA and the awesome performance of the very install and try out plug-ins for Cooper Award for Best Short Film at young lead”. programs such as Final Cut Pro, Australasia’s only Academy-qualifying The Six Dollar Fifty Man was made Motion, After Effects and Final Cut film festival, Flickerfest with finance from the Short Film Fund. Express. The short also won the British Another New Zealand short film at There is also a range of free plug-ins as Academy of Film and Television Arts, Aspen Shortsfest, Careful with that well as trial mode versions. Los Angeles Prize for Excellence, as Powertool (made by Jason Stutter) See: www.noiseindustries.com/ part of its selection at Aspen. received Special Jury Recognition. fxfactory.
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House finalé shot with dSLRs The season finale of TV hospital drama House was recorded with dSLR cameras. Director Greg Yaitanes said using dSLRs for the final episode of season six gave him the chance to explore new angles and shoot in tight spots that would be off limits if using traditional TV cameras. Speaking on his Twitter account, Greg says they converted the cameras’ H264 video files to Avid DS, Shawshank Redemption recorded them to HDCamSR tape and brought those Actor Hugh Laurie in a scene from is voted best movie tapes into a telecine bay to the TV show House. do syncing, colour correction More than 10,000 Kiwis have caped crusader in 1997’s and create dailies. right to the editing room.” voted in a poll to draw up Batman & Robin. “It would have been great DSLR video guru Philip a list of the best and worst Also in the list of worst films to try and alter the workflow Bloom says the workflow for movies of all time. were kiwi comedy-horror more, but [we] felt we had these cameras is going to The best movie was voted Black Sheep and Alvin & the our hands full with changing change a lot “especially with to be perennial favourite Chipmunks: The Squeakquel. the format at the end of release of new Avid Media The Shawshank Redemption Surprisingly, 1971’s Willy the season,” says Greg. “In Composer 5 that will support (pictured above), an uplifting Wonka and the Chocolate theory we could have taken all forms of Quicktime 1994 prison drama based on Factory appeared in the Top the footage from camera natively”. a story by Stephen King. 100 list of best films, while James Cameron’s Avatar Tim Burton’s 2005 version, came in at second place and Charlie and the Chocolate Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Factory, was one of the Fiction is New Zealand's third worst. favourite film of all time. Once Were Warriors was The worst movie, on the chosen as the best New other hand, was deemed to Zealand film. The Lord of the be Battlefield Earth. The sci-fi Rings: The Return of the King disaster starring John Travolta was in second place, followed and based on the fictional by Whale Rider and Geoff story written by Scientology Murphy’s classic Goodbye founder L Ron Hubbard. Pork Pie. In second place is George The poll was run by Video Clooney's incarnation as the Ezy NZ and Flicks.co.nz. CS5 faster for H.264 video Early adopters of Adobe’s CS5 Premier Pro editing application say rendering native H.264 footage – such as that created by some dSLRs and AVCHD camcorders – is faster thanks to the software’s Mercury Playback Engine, graphics processing unit acceleration and a better performing H.264 codec from MainConcept. The Mercury Engine is assigned to a collection of two software improvements: 64-bit native code and superior multiple-core CPU use. The second component, GPU acceleration, only works if you have a supported Nvidia graphics card in your computer. GPU acceleration has been described as part of the Mercury engine but has also been called CUDA technology, since that's Nvidia's brand for the underlying technology. The downside is that this latest incarnation of the NLE will only run on native 64-bit computers and users say between 16GB and 24GB or RAM is best for good performance.
shoot / edit / play / share 7 Gallery News & products
Doco resource centre The Documentary NZ Trust is looking to create a Documentary Edge Life just got easier for Campus. This will be run all year round and includes establishing a permanent home for a resource centre / library still camera shooters that will house documentary films and written materials, provide a centre for Redrockmicro profiled a dSLR remote the focus operation directly to the holding meetings, running workshops for its follow focus system that can follow focus motor attachment. and a drop in centre. be controlled wirelessly or by a hard Additionally, the application includes The centre will be available for the wire. a lens calibration database. wider community to watch films and Slot in an iPod Touch / iPhone and The basic, wired option of the use the centre’s resources. the functionality of the remote comes Micro Remote will include the base The trust is now inviting people and to life when used in conjunction with station and motor for around $1400, companies who want to support the Redrockmicro’s microTape, a sonar- while the full blown wireless system idea – and be a part of creating the based rangefinder (for pin point is expected to be around US$3500 only documentary Resource Centre focus). You can even turn over control to US$4500 – don’t expect it in the in New Zealand – to contact them at to the sonar rangefinder and allow it stores for a few months yet though. [email protected] to automatically drive the follow focus However, with a $4000 dSLR in based on the distance to subject – one hand and an $4500 remote in Upcoming festivals effectively allowing you to turn on the other, some might argue that a Boston Jewish Film Festival, Boston, autofocus for dSLR video capture. dedicate semi-pro camcorder is the USA. Deadline: 31 May 2010. Using an iPod / iPhone will also best option. www.bjff.org allow you to record focus and replay See: www.redrockmicro.com Raindance Film Festival, London, UK. Deadline: 4 June 2010. www.raindance.co.uk Toronto International Film Festival, Toronto, Canada. Deadline: 4 June 2010. http://tiff09.ca Taiwan International Documentary Festival (TIDF), Taichung, Taiwan. Deadline: 15 June 2010. www1.tidf.org.tw Pusan International Film Festival, Above: The Micro Remote transmitter unit Pusan, South Korea. Deadline: 29 June allows you to control your dSLR’s iris, focus, 2010. zoom and record start-stop. The display www.piff.org unit is an iPod Touch or iPhone that the user slots inside the hand-held unit. Volunteers needed Right: The receiving unit connects to your The Women In Film & Television NZ dSLR and a special rig that is attached to (WIFT) Research Hub is looking at the your lens. TVNZ Amendment Bill with a view to Below: The focus range finder with a digital drafting a WIFT NZ submission, and distance display sits on top of the camera. beginning a research project on the position of women in the New Zealand screen industry. Bill submission work is being led by Dr Ruth Zanker in Christchurch and the research project by Massey University’s Nina Seja. If you want to volunteer to assist with either of these projects please contact the WIFT NZ office at office@wiftnz. 150 ways to take better pictures org.nz According to one study, we are exposed to 40,000 photographic images every day, and yet, how many photographs are remembered? Photography is about telling Pirate my film stories through images, and to do that well you need to learn the language of This is a new website that appears to photography. still by under construction at www. A new book – 150 Projects for Student Photographers – will help you build up a piratemyfilm.com. complete set of skills required to get onto a photography degree course. But it looks like independent movie By following a series of challenging workouts, tutorials and projects, you will makers might have a chance to list develop the visual language needed to create a strong portfolio, discover your their projects and attract funding from personal style, and get top marks for your course assignments. various sources. 150 Workouts for Student Photographers by John Easterby is priced $29.99
8 Viewfinder.co.nz Sony closes the gap
Flip up eyecup and flip out 3.5-inch LCD 921,000 pixel lens
Rear sockets for XLR inputs, remote Optional Sony 2/3 controller etc bayonet lens
HMDI slot, time code in/ out and video sockets
Finger touch rocker zoom control and auto/manual iris switch
ony has released details of its new PMW-320 camera, a model that Sfits nicely between its EX3 and the 320’s bigger brother the PMW-350. In fact, this new model is basically a half-inch chip version of the PMW-350 (which has a two-third-inch sensor) and is – in essence – a shoulder mounted EX3. It’s a camera that offers the best of both worlds. The PMW-320’s sensor is the same as found in Sony’s EX3 and the camera will ship in two configurations; body Above, the PMW-320, with no lens or packaged with a half- left the higher spec’d inch Fujinon lens. This packaged lens is PMW-350 very similar to the EX3 lens but with a standard half-inch mount. Behind the lens are three Exmor full It can also fire off one frame at set the previous 15 seconds to your card. HD 1920 x 1080 image sensors. intervals – ideal for special effects such Following the action is easy with its The smaller chip offers excellent as clouds rushing by. 3.5-inch LCD colour viewfinder with a low-light sensitivity to F10 and a signal ATW is the camera’s auto white resolution of 1920 x 480 pixels. You can to noise ratio of 54db, not only that, tracing function. This system adjusts the watch the screen via the eyecup or flip the sensor allows operators to capture camera’s white balance as it moves from it up to watch the screen from a short images with a much shallower depth of one scene to another and compensates distance. field to deliver a cinematic look to their for changes in light temperature. On your shoulder, this model – just productions. For covering one-time only events, like the PMW-350 – rests comfortably in Like the PMW-350, the PMW-320 the camera’s picture cache buffering your hands. offers slow and quick motion recording, option is like having gold. Switch this allowing users to capture footage at on and 15 seconds of video and audio Price: PMW-320K with lens, $21,900 1fps to 60fps (frames per second). will be continually saved to the camera’s plus GST Frames are captured natively with no internal memory. So whenever you press PMW-320L without lens, $18,900 plus padded frames and at full resolution. record, you will automatically capture GST
shoot / edit / play / share 9 CameraCamera Angles Angles GaryGary Foster Foster Freelance Market FM where freelancers promote their services
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InBox Email your letters to [email protected]. We promise to read them all Readers write and look forward to your comments, story suggestions and requests. Soft camera mount is in the bag Up the revolution I was interested in the Gary Foster article It’s a pity James Wheeler didn't in regards to camera mounts (Viewfinder research a bit deeper before writing his Issue 3). 3D video article (Viewfinder issue 3). For me, one of the most effective soft There is a flourishing stereoscopic mounts for a camera is the Cinekinetic Mini society in NZ, there is excellent free Saddle. Basically this is a canvas bag filled software for 3D video on the web [Stereo with foam “beans” that make a firm, but Movie Maker], with great back-up (and soft, bed to cushion a camera. blogs from users) which will provide easy Where this mount excels is in shooting and automatic anaglyph (what you call from the bonnet of a car – forward to give red/green), as well as normal side-by side a POV shot of the road ahead, reversed to or transposed pairs. capture the driver or to capture overhead Roll on the 3D revolution. foliage reflected in the windscreen. I’ve By the way, stereoscopy is as old also attached it to the tow bar of a trailer to as photography itself, for example, film the rear of the towing car. the famous portrait photographer T R The results are particularly good – a Williams was taking stereoscopic images smooth, gliding perspective. Mounting is 160 years ago (read the fascinating book shown in the photo (right) with a camera in by Brian May). position. by a line of shrubs. See this website: www.teawamutu.net/ The camera and bag are attached by I also attached it to an old wheelbarrow stereoscopic/members.html way of plastic coated hooks and straps, frame, weighed down with a couple of Carl Watson although I use a ratchet tie-down with foam concrete blocks. With the camera mounted Whakatane padding to protect the car. in the Mini Saddle, and the wheelbarrow The Mini Saddle is effective in all kinds of tyre slightly deflated, I can follow an actor Ed says. applications where you may not be able to and get a fairly smooth tracking shot of the Hi Carl and thanks for writing. take or use a tripod. It can also provide a actor’s feet or legs as he walks ahead. The aim of the 3D feature was to give firm basis for holding the camera against James Bowman readers general advice on making a fun a tree trunk, shop window, on top of rocks Hawkes Bay Video Enthusiast’s Club 3D movie. or a picket fence. It is great for those low We try not to make tutorials such as angle perspectives from ground level (think Ed says. these software specific as there are so of shooting a street parade). James, thanks for the excellent tip off for many video applications around. Stereo I have even used it to mount a camera on this product and for sending in the photo. Movie Maker is available via the Free a lawn mower and then pushed it along to I am now eyeing up my daughter’s bean Stuff section of the Viewfinder.co.nz get an excellent tracking shot as I passed bag... website.
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shoot / edit / play / share 11 Show business Mitch Santell
How to get your movie made Mitch Santell
Mitch Santell enjoys nothing Former Los Angeles based media and team formation expert Mitch more than to take an idea and turn it into a finished Santell begins a regular column on how to put together capital product. He has a real passion creation strategies to get your film project off the ground for helping people live their dreams. He started in the entertainment o you have a dream in your company decides that a formula works business as a music producer heart of a film you want to well and then flogs it to death. Anyone and radio host (which he still Dmake? Well, guess what? There in your family seen Cinderella 3, Jaws 4, enjoys). He has developed has never been a better time to make Rocky 7...? an extensive background as your own film than right now. a team and capital formation The film business as we know it is expert and expanded his career dead. Now, are you shocked or do you into media syndication and already sense that things have shifted on 3Because of their reliance on online branding. the movie-making landscape? sticking with a tried and tested formula, As an independent syndicator Each and every day I receive an email, the industry overall stopped developing he has worked with the ABC or an inquiry on my blog or a phone call new filmmakers. The only exception Radio Network, Clear Channel, on Skype, regarding a film that someone would be at Pixar which has a reputation Salem Communication and wants to make and I am always keen to on betting the company with each new Citadel. hear their ideas. project. Each film’s director was a lead Mitch launched independent It has been my experience that people animator on a previous film. (Want to be documentary film company can bring one of three things to the inspired? Go rent or buy The Pixar Story). Transparent Pictures in New table: talent, resources or capital. Zealand, and while he enjoys Five years ago the independent film working in film, his true love is business was strong and moving down motion picture soundtracks. the tracks like a speeding locomotive. 4Banks started to fold, causing He has been in the music Today, the industry is re-building itself film production to stop or be diverted to business since he was 17, from the ground up with distribution other venues. originally singing in a gospel channels in array. As businesses went without finance group with Billy Preston. So what went wrong? Let’s have a they had to change tack. Some recent Mitch’s family began in the look at what put Hollywood into the examples include Miramax (Sex Lies and motion picture business in the basement bargain bin of the movie Videotape, Pulp Fiction, The Piano), went 1920s and is remembered as world. bankrupt, was closed and put up for sale industry leaders at 20th Century by the Walt Disney Company in January. Fox, Universal, Paramount, Stephen Spielberg, who failed in getting MGM and RKO. US$1.2 billion dollars in financing, moved 1The industry was too dependent his team to India. Contact on focus groups. It seems that each www.transparentpicturesnz. studio could not make up their mind on com what they wanted to be and invested too much time with accountants. 5The traditional Hollywood system post 1950 has now collapsed and guess what? The power is now in your hands. The playing field has been levelled in 2Hollywood, both main stream and your favour and it does not matter what within the independent film community, your budget is. At the end of the day, became obsessed with something I it all comes down to content – content, call sequel-itis. This happens when a as they say, is king. Do not let your lack
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How to get your movie made
of resources stop you from developing a • Build your content good idea. Want a look at where the business is I for one am both watching and going? Well, this is just a peek at what participating in the new film business. is ahead, check out a new film service “It has been my Am I doing this from Los Angeles or called Open Film. New York? No, I am doing it right here in Dmitry Kozko had a vision of creating experience that people New Zealand because this country is the a world class place for independent can bring one of three future of Hollywood. filmmakers like you to take their finished The major players blew it. California projects to a global audience via www. things to the table: blew it with the lack of innovative tax openfilm.com talent, resources or breaks for traditional and independent Make sure to check back next issue for film makers. my next instalment of this new regular capital.” Now you get to take the future of column. Why? I’ll be explaining how to filmmaking into your own hands. Over keep your film idea from being ripped the coming months I’ll be sharing and off when sharing it with prospective showing you step by step how to: work colleagues and investors. • Build your team You have the power now, it’s in your • Raise capital hands and in the hands of your team. • Get your distribution sorted Copyright Mitch Santell
shoot / edit / play / share 13 Music videos ShootingSteve Hart Stars Getting your mates together to shoot a music video can be great fun, especially as you can be so free and easy with the camera work and as creative as you want to be with the editing. Logan McMillan of Gorilla Pictures tells Steve Hart how to do it
long, long, time ago in a far off than a few hundred dollars. land, a musician called Robert “There’s not too much money in A Palmer made a song called making music videos because every Addicted to Love. Everyone who heard it penny is put into making the best video agreed it would be a huge hit. It wasn’t. possible,” he says. “But it allows me as a Despite getting exposure on the radio director to get very creative at times and in 1985 the public didn’t rush out to it is good fun because often there is no buy it. Undeterred the record company script to follow. decided to make a music video for the “If you do it for profit then the video song using five attractive girls. Each was is not going to look as good and that made to look the same and they were doesn’t help you and it doesn’t help the given an instrument to ‘play’ during the artist. So you put all the money on the recording of the video. screen.” The video was released, it got lots Logan got into making videos by of TV airplay – MTV was huge having accident while studying science at started broadcasting in Britain a year Canterbury University. The university ran earlier - and the song became a huge hit. a short film competition and he decided All thanks to the video. to give it a go, editing with iMovie. I am showing my age with this story, He was hooked and left to enrol at a and I’m sure something similar has Christchurch film school to do a one-year happened many times since. But it digital video postproduction course. proves, if proof were needed, that a So far, the 29-year-old has worked good music video can give singers and on more than 50 music videos and bands a real boost when it comes to says every band that approaches him is publicity and marketing. Even more so different to any that went before them. today with so many online video sites. “Some artists will arrive at the pre- But what goes into making a good production meeting with a clear idea video? Should a director simply record of what they want their music video to the band miming their song or do feature,” he says. “If they come with a something more adventurous that may good idea then you can often tweak it to not feature the band at all? put your own spin on it. Logan McMillan has been making “But then there will be more professional music videos for more established bands that will send their than five years and says every video is track to a lot of directors at the same different. Budget is always an issue for time and then you pitch for the work – new bands, but he has been known to detailing the colours, what the story will shoot and edit a video for little more be and the overall treatment for their
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song. Sometimes you get the work and “Images come to my mind when I listen Using a story to illustrate a song is all sometimes you don’t. to a track,” he says. “But sometimes it very well, but how do you get musicians “In fact I’ve done quite a lot of pitches takes forever to get a good idea for a and singers to become actors and where I haven’t got the video, but then video. I can spend a few days just solidly perform naturally in front of the camera? now and again the artist likes your idea listening to the song trying to think up “If a singer or band members don’t and you get picked.” an idea that would work with it. want to act in front of the camera they’ll Logan says NZ On Air pay $5000 for a “If you decide on a storyline then that tell you upfront so you know where you music video, but the work is thin on the needs planning so that it builds and stand,” says Logan. “But people such as ground in Christchurch where he runs his everything happens at the right point in lead singers are not usually that shy and firm Gorilla Pictures. He typically helps the song. are used to being in front of a crowd. local bands with much smaller budgets. “That can be quite tricky, but you can “It can be a little bit outside their To get ideas for his music videos Logan also show a story that doesn’t logically comfort zone but you can usually coax will listen to a song dozens of times and match the song at all – you just do what people into doing things and for people let his imagination flow. works.” who can’t perform well as actors >>
“It is a good idea to look at lots of music videos before cutting your first one as it is surprising what works and what doesn’t when it comes to editing style.”
shoot / edit / play / share 15 Music videos Steve Hart
Singer Dave Wallace on set for the making of the music video for the song Broken. Camera operator Dan Watson is using a dSLR fitted to a shoulder mount rig and viewing the footage with a monitor fitted to a stand. Photo: Bryce Holtshousen then you just shoot around it by putting one as it is surprising what works and bay as I am shooting the footage, which the focus onto the people who are the what doesn’t when it comes to editing is not always the best way to go,” he best actors within a band.” style,” he says. says. Logan agrees that shooting a music “As an editor you naturally want to cut “The risk is that perfectly good shots video is a lot different to producing a on the beat of a drum or a bass hit and are discarded before you’ve even started. movie or a doco and says because they it is an easy thing to do because you can “But if you have a straight out editor are not recording audio on set, camera hear where it is. then they’ll come in and use shots you operators can be a lot more fluid in what “But good editors try and put cuts in may think are useless to great affect. they grab. other places so it looks seamless – and it There are advantages to having a “When you shoot a movie there are works. When I cut I don’t consciously do separate editor, but editing what you certain scenes you have to capture and it based on the beat of the music. I look have shot saves time and money – when you cut it together it needs to at the clip and run it as long I think I can because you know what you have to work in a linear way,” says Logan. “But before cutting to something else. play with before you sit down at the with a music video you can have holes “I may hold the shots longer in the computer.” in your story and it can jump around a verse and cut when it feels about right. Because he doesn’t need to record lot. You can be a lot rougher when you I might speed up the cuts during the audio during a music video shoot Logan shoot. chorus. It’s more of a feel thing based on records with dSLR cameras. “If the lighting isn’t great for a the footage you have. And once you’ve “We used to use Red cameras, but particular scene then you can change finished you’ll play the whole thing back the dSLRs are so good with their HD its colour to hide or mask any technical and make changes.” recording and interchangeable lenses issues and no one will give it a second Logan says he can pump out a music that we use them now and they are thought – it’s a music video. video in three days. Day one is used for great,” he says. “You can do stuff in post to make it shooting footage, day two to edit and “The good thing about dSLRs is there look crazy, use one shot in colour, put day three to take feedback and refine the are so many around at the moment and another in black and white. It is not like video. they are so cheap that it’s easy to do a a movie where everything has to be However, he recommends editors take multicam shoot if required.” consistent.” a day or two away from the footage if And when it comes to editing is it best they were on set for the shoot – just to to edit on the beat of the music or not? get a bit of distance and come to the W Logan says “not”. footage with fresh eyes. “It is a good idea to look at lots of “As a director and editor I will make Contact Logan McMillan via his website at music videos before cutting your first decisions on what I will use in the edit www.gorillapictures.co.nz
16 Viewfinder.co.nz Record great sound on location
Sound recordist Ande Schurr speaks with veteran audio engineer Mike Westgate to find out his top tips for recording in any situation
s a sound recordist for films and if it is inside a quiet room such as a documentaries I am eager to church (for those wedding cameramen Alisten back to my work. Forgive out there), you want to ‘close mic’ the me shooters, but I’m not as interested in people who will be doing the talking. the images because I didn’t have a say in When you capture sound in this precise those. However, I am responsible for the and close manner, you get the full range quality of the sound. of nuances and subtleties in the way that The problem with trying to shoot a person spoke those words. movie on the cheap is that you may In a way, the message that is spoken compromise on the wrong things. You is placed before you on a golden platter may choose to spend your last dollars on and you can reach out, touch, savour an extra fancy monitor and then rely on and enjoy the words – letting them be the camera mic to capture all the audio absorbed into your mind – allowing you – when paying someone to hold a boom to concentrate more on the images. with a microphone connected to the Face the contrary scenario, where the camera – would be many times better for sound is barely heard over the room the clarity and quality of the dialogue. atmosphere because the mic was too far No one is telling you what you should away from the source, and you will find do, but think about it from your your listeners 'stretching' to hear the listeners’ point of view. sound; their attention taken away from When the audio is not distinct enough the images. Few things distract viewers from the background ambience, even from watching the picture than >>
shoot / edit / play / share 17 Audio Ande Schurr poor quality sound. Windy situations The phenomenon of the ever- Move to somewhere sheltered or use a decreasing size of video cameras has vehicle or reflector to protect the subject. squeezed out the hope of getting Use a Windjammer or Softie on the quality audio to match the marvellous microphone and use the microphone pictures. below – not above – the subject. So a range of products have been Another option is to put a small mic invented to bridge the divide. You may under light clothing or just inside heavy have heard of the Beachtek range. This clothing. little unit fits under any dSLR camera Centrally mounted mics will minimise and provides two line/mic level XLR changes due to the subject turning their inputs as well as offering a headphone head as they speak. jack, headphone volume controls and disables the automatic volume gain control. Noisy locations The territory of whether to use this Control the unwanted noise or move device or not is still dictated by the away from it. Ask the subject to speak up preferences of the camera operator. – loud and clear (but not shout). Usually for weight reasons it is better Use a personal microphone. and more flexible to keep the sound Use a directional microphone faced away separate on a hard drive recorder with a from the noise. digital time code slate. Use a hand-held mic very close to What is funny is that the camera subject. operator usually stacks so many Record a minute or two of background additions onto the camera that I think noise for use in editing. this modest contraption would be undetected if placed on the bottom. Mike Westgate needs no introduction to the film community, but for Shadow problem those of you who don’t know him, Using a mic on a boom pole is a good Mike is a heavy weight in the field idea, until it casts a shadow over the of sound recording for movies and person’s face. documentaries. When possible hold the boom mic At 68-years-old, and showing no sign underneath the subject, use a personal of losing enthusiasm for his craft, Mike microphone or keep the boom (and has been a mentor and friend to me in shadow) still so it becomes a part of the my career. picture. Here, he shares some key tips on how to build a solid basis for capturing good sound when dealing with unexpected issues as they arise on location.
Monitoring Listen to your results while recording and try to monitor levels manually. After the shoot, look and listen to your results in quiet surroundings so you can evaluate the quality, background noise and any recording defects. It may give you a chance to re-record some segments if necessary while the people required are still around.
Limiters and compressors These are useful tools provided they are inaudible in operation. Switch them off if you are aware they are causing unpleasant pumping or breathing noises between quiet and loud moments.
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Complex or busy situations Use just enough equipment and remember that a complex rig of mixers, mics and cables, may just be too much to operate and cause you to make mistakes. Define key dialogue elements and cover each with a dedicated microphone. If possible, when recording live performances, prearrange a line feed from the house mixer and use a DI box – or even a radio microphone link – to make this feed practical.
Overlaps To avoid editing problems advise your director when overlaps occur. Ande Schurr An overlap is caused by two or more people speaking at the same time or a Ande is a sound mixer based noise recorded off camera. Listen out in Auckland and offers a full for it and ask for another take to fix the cart-based kit for feature films problem. If this is ignored, or if overlaps and TV commercials. He has a are inevitable, make sure to record both specialist ‘soundie’ kit for fast- sides of the overlapping dialogue to give paced TV reality shows and the sound editor a chance. documentaries. He was inspired to learn the craft of sound recording by ex-BBC sound recordist Mike Recording voice-overs Westgate (The World’s Fastest Ensure material is free from background Indian). noises or acoustic quality. Between shooting assignments, Record in a studio or soft furnished Ande guest lectures at film lounge, car interior or even quiet schools and enjoys the surprise garden. on students’ faces when they Use a close mic technique to minimise realise that sound recording is unwanted sounds being recorded. an exhilarating profession with When recording interview material, plenty of opportunities. consider that your voice recordings may be used for voice-over and that the Contact above considerations apply. www.schurrsound.com www.fieldsounds.co.nz
shoot / edit / play / share 19 Don’t be afraid of the dark
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Shooting video at night takes lots of thought and preparation to get good results, but there are alternatives... James Wheeler steps out of the shadows to throw some light on recording when the sun goes down (or not)
hooting video at night can add a light. Because, perhaps for the first time, shooting in. That was his way of lighting dramatic touch to a movie – be it you have to look at where the ambient the scene – it was bright enough for Sa rendezvous under a street lamp, light is coming from so you can use his 16mm film stock while retaining capturing that late night prowler or it – be it street lights, shop windows or the appearance of it being night. He someone fixing their car along a creepy flood lights outside the town hall, library also used lots of close ups of the film’s lane. But it can present all sorts of or other prominent building. characters. problems for the novice moviemaker. Light could come from your talent However, some scenes are so bright There are two options when it comes holding a candle, a torch or from fire – that it looks like daylight. And that is to presenting a night scene on the such as that found in a camping ground what moviemakers need to watch out screen. You either record it at night, scene. for – especially those of you with HD with everything that entails, or shoot Make no mistake, you will need some cameras as they normally require more during an overcast day and make it look form of light to shoot at night and you light than standard definition cameras. like night in postproduction. may need to increase what is available Sure, you are recording at night. But In this feature, we’ll look at each choice with your own lights to get the shots at what point do you find yourself using to help you make the best decision for you need. so much artificial light to get a good your next production. In the movie American Graffiti director picture – and avoid the dreaded speckle But before we get the camera out, let’s George Lucas wanted to film people and affect of under-exposure – that you may look at why shooting in low light can be cars at night. In fact, the vast majority as well be shooting during the day? The so hard for video camera owners. While of this rock and roll classic was filmed trick is to use lights for buildings and filmmakers can switch to a faster – more during the night – initially in exceedingly trees etc and subtle lights on your talent. light sensitive film stock with a high low light. Using available (artificial) light can also ISO – videomakers cannot. Changing our After the first night’s shooting Lucas present issues with colour temperature. recording media won’t help us at all. knew he was in trouble as the camera The neon lights in the shop window may But most cameras do offer an operators were telling him it was give off a green tint, while streetlights electronic alternative to let in more light too dark for the cameras to focus on may scatter a red or orange cast over the and boost the brightness of the image anything. To help get better results, the scene. to help compensate for shooting in low director of photography got shopkeepers Trying to white balance your camera in light. to keep their lights on all night and this situation will be a waste of time and The phrase ‘painting with light’ is never placed 1000-watt lights atop each countering the affects of these lights more apt than when recording in low lamppost along the street they were with extra lights may be too >>
shoot / edit / play / share 21 Lighting James Wheeler
A scene from The Sum of All Fears (featuring Ben Affleck and Liev Schreiber). Notice how a prop – the light hanging between the actors – is helping to light the scene. See how their faces are lit so we know to concentrate on the them while other areas of the scene are allowed to fall into complete darkness. Photo: copyright Paramount Pictures hard to fix on the night. So get the best best quality picture possible. Don’t rely engine… So keeping your talent in one quality shots possible and colour correct on the camera to focus on the correct place is easier. your footage later to make the whites things when in auto mode. Switch the white and the blacks black. focus to manual or risk the lens hunting Day for night As a camera operator, shooting at as it tries to focus on something it can’t Even easier is to scrap the whole night means getting as much light into ‘see’ properly. shooting at night idea and record your lens and onto the surface of the Recording at night may mean you will your footage during the day. It’s safer, sensor as possible. To do this, some have less camera movement than you’d because you can see everything that’s people will opt to use either a wide- like. Get the light right, get the camera going on, there’s no tripping over cables angle lens or attach a wide-angle lens to set up, shoot the scene and set up for or the box full of beer – and people the front of their camera’s fixed lens. the next shot. Tracking shots may be too won’t be complaining it’s 10 o’clock If you can’t change or modify your hard to pull off. and wondering where their cocoa and lens, then zoom out as far as possible However, one independent movie slippers are. and keep your shot wide. Zooming in maker I know wanted to record two Shooting day for night is quite common will reduce the amount of light that people walking along a dark street and has been used in old films such as enters your camera – and this may result having a conversation. He did it by using those made by Hammer Horror as well in an image that is too dark or one that 300 metres of electrical cable to power as in dozens of budget TV series such features too much noise or image grain a softbox light mounted on his flatbed Randall & Hopkirk and The Saint. All to be of use. The bottom line is that truck. feature night scenes that were clearly cameras need light to see what’s going He operated the camera from the shot during the day (some with a bright on – just like we do. passenger side while his mate drove blue sky...). When shooting in low light it is best along at a steady 5kmh. On the back Unfortunately for the producers of to switch to manual control because in another friend kept the light steady, a these – and other programmes – they auto mode (in low light) your camera section of yellow tape on the power didn’t have computers or video editing will boost the gain and open the iris cable was his warning that he had 10 software on their side. Everything was big and wide making the top of the metres to go before the truck had to done in camera. nearest street lamp a white blob in a stop. To get a day for night scene in the sea of darkness. You don’t want that to The director got the shot he wanted, bag you need to keep the sky out of happen. but had to have the actors recreate their the shot, wait for a day when there are So go manual, set the scene and alter dialogue later as the original audio was plenty of clouds and avoid showing any your camera’s settings until you get the spoiled by the sound of the vehicle’s harsh shadows.
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Above: A good example of using the light from a prop to capture the scene of a woman reading in the dark.
Right: Don’t be afraid to show only what you want the audience to see, in this case the face of a child lit by a torch.
It also helps to shoot in places where You’ll also need a camera that will (exposure) control, turn it down to the sky is not seen that much, so allow you to switch it to manual control. darken the recorded image until you consider a forest or an area with lots of Just like shooting at night, day for night get the look and feel you are after. And tall buildings (but watch out for office is not something that can really be done the good thing is, if you later find the block windows reflecting the sun and in automatic mode. footage is not dark enough you can work sky). Talking of reflections, watch out Natural light has a blue tint, so switch on it in postproduction. for any actors wearing glasses (and have your camera’s white balance control There are a number of ways to give them take off their sun glasses). to tungsten. Then, accessing your iris your daytime footage the look >>
shoot / edit / play / share 23 Lighting James Wheeler of night in post. One way is to place night time, because the meeting is at a solid navy blue graphic on the video midnight in a remote place and everyone Dark secrets timeline above the length of your footage is carrying a torch, then so long as there and then alter the transparency of your isn’t a bright blue sky and a beaming sun Sources of light blue graphic so your footage shows in your scenes – and you have made the Shop windows through. Then reduce the saturation of effort to tone down the colours – then Street lamps your footage to knock down the colour. your audience will buy into it. Vehicle headlights If your camera was in a fixed position One thing you could do before altering Torch you can add a vignette to darken an area footage is to go out and take some still Candle around your subject. photos of places at night (without using Fire And you can have hours of fun with a flash). Print them off, study what they your video application’s colour correction look like, notice you can’t see everything Shooting at night tools. Your black, mids and white sliders clearly and try to use a photo you like Iris – open it up could be turned down by about half to the look of as a guide. Perhaps even flick Lens – use a wide-angle lens or adjust two thirds. through a stock shot picture library to get your lens to its widest setting to let Then boost the blue to deliver the ideas to emulate. more light in desired effect. Once you have the look Finally, remember you are presenting a Gain – use this to brighten an image in you like, save the settings and apply them movie with a night scene for a reason. low light. But use it with care as your to other clips in your night scenes (keep The frame can have areas of pitch black solid blacks may turn a dull grey and them consistent). – the audience doesn’t need to see your image could fill with visual noise What night looks like on screen is down everything. So don’t be afraid of the or grain. to you. If the story is telling people it is dark. Day for night Avoid showing a bright blue sky Shoot on a cloudy day to avoid harsh shadows Switch your camera’s white balance to tungsten Use gain or iris controls to lower your exposure (and make the picture darker) On your video editing time line, apply a day for night filter or use colour correction to get the desired look and feel. Have actors carry a torch to help sell the effect.
Films to watch It’s always a good idea to do a little film study before rushing out to try something new. To give you some This scene has been given the day for night treatment. We desaturated the colour of the pointers on night shooting and lighting original shot to about 20 per cent – it’s almost black & white. Then we layered a solid navy generally I recommend these movies: blue graphic on top, reduced its transparency to 50 per cent and used Pin Light as the blend mode. Experiment and see what works for you. Blade Runner The Sum of all Fears Good night and Good Luck Double Indemnity
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Touchdown for a big dream
Gary Foster writes about the difficulties of producing his latest documentary and why he’ll have to bend the truth to get a key scene in the can
’m facing a tricky situation on my – pictures were dominated by a single However, despite the exalted reputation current documentary. Do I tackle an event not lasting more than a minute due of documentaries there actually is a Iimportant sequence by using staged to small film loads. turbulent and controversial history camera methods, or take the high road As equipment advanced so too did the regarding their integrity. In the 1930s and and produce a “live” segment where length and style of the finished products. 40s US government-sponsored producers truth and realism might rule the day? Cameras became lighter, quieter, and hid behind the truthful intent of One is cheap and contrived; the other more reliable with portable sync sound documentaries to create fiercely patriotic expensive and honest. Problem is, I have for travelogues, war coverage, newsreels propaganda. so much respect for the documentary and the like. Frank Capra’s Why We Fight, and style that I feel dirty even thinking about Did you ever think you’d see something Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will using Hollywood tricks to get through like a dSLR shooting network quality were shining examples. Very few of the this one critical scene. footage, as in the TV show House for newsreel segments of the day were shot Before we start looking forward, let’s example? Cameras have become so live but rather re-enacted after the fact. take a look back. The earliest movies abundant and affordable that in 2004 Fast forward to the present and were by definition documentaries and filmmakers Martin Kunert and Eric Manes there’s a further blurring of styles such were called “actuality” films. Single shot gave 150 DV camcorders to ordinary as infomercials and infocomedy (Jon moments of trains rolling into town or citizens to tell their personal stories in the Stewart, Steven Colbert, Bill Marr), VNR’s ships docking. Pure unembellished truth movie Voices of Iraq. video news releases, >>
shoot / edit / play / share 25 Documentary Gary Foster
heavily biased infotainment (Bill O’Reilly, is basically, then and now, without any Full access to car and driver, neither one Keith Olbermann, Glenn Beck and clear boundaries. wrecked or away on tour. Weather’s mild, Geraldo Rivera, etc). Not to mention the no rain. Short shot (45 seconds screen soaring popularity of reality TV that has Racing ahead time), no epic storytelling. Life is Good. almost become its own genre. Modern Years back I produced a feature What are the options? We can place television has certainly benefited from documentary called Man in the Steel onboard cameras (POV) all over the race the perceived strength and honesty of Cage. At the film’s conclusion our hero car; transport the vehicle and crew for our doco heritage. made a triumphant sweep into La Paz city three hours to a desert location outside So we acknowledge they come in all to win the Baja 1000 Desert Off Road town; shoot well into the night and flavours: straight documentary, semi- race after some 30 gruelling hours in a then probably get three or four hotel documentary, re-enactments and docu- car. rooms and breakfast before heading drama, etc. But one of my favourites We had already shot the necessary home. Wow, that sounds complicated. began in France during the 1950s and racing footage (complete with aerial But faithful to reality. Is there an easier, was called Cinema Vérité. shots, ground angles etc) and had great quicker, cheaper way? It involved following a person in crisis coverage at the finish line. How about park the race car in a dark with a hand held camera to capture the What we desperately needed was a secluded area and fake bouncing down raw human emotions of how they cope crucial voice over (VO) sequence from a desert road without ever starting the (wow, sounds like Wife Swap). Some inside the speeding race car during the engine? Think about it. We’d have total directors let the action unfold naturally, last few kilometres – where our main control over the lighting, sound, camera, while others were happy to provoke character swells with emotion and and talent. By shooting just after dusk we nasty confrontations (sounds like Jerry reveals the secrets of life. It was what the could get the crew home early. No hotel Springer). preceding 89 minutes had been building rooms, breakfast, overtime or petrol… The style didn’t last long because the toward. Resolution… Hold on, what about that integrity, shooting ratios were 80:1 (80 hours of Therefore, our challenge was to get a realism, truth thing…? Please, let me footage for a one hour show) and there medium (MS) to close up (CU) camera fudge just this one time! Please. I swear were few talented editors to make sense shot as our hero blasted down a lonely I’ll never do it again. out of all the jump cuts. Mexican dirt road in the wee hours of Long story short, we ended up at the All this leads me to believe the world of the morning. There were many positives. race driver’s home in an open driveway documentaries is continually evolving and No lip sync, all voice over. Night, not day. at 8pm next to a well equipped garage.
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Left: a camera rig and car on a trailer. Actors can deliver their lines and not have to worry about driving the car as it is towed along the street. However, simulating a moving car at night is an easier proposition for budget moviemakers. You just need some swivelling lights to give the illusion of movement and a few mates to jostle the car up and down. Photo: Shannon McCarville. Taken during the making of The Egg Timer. www.theeggtimermovie.com
Right: Gary Foster opts to record a cockpit scene on the ground, instead of at a few thousand feet in the air. It’s easier, cheaper and you can hear what people are saying.
We placed small lights on the floor of brilliance we’re all striving toward. simulated shots, such as a moving car? the car to make the driver’s face appear As moviegoers we suspend reality and The first and foremost consideration is lit by the dashboard (after running have no problem listening to intimate whether you need a static action shot extension cables to inside power outlets). conversations from 100 metres away as (like my racing car), or a moving action We used a medium telephoto lens and two lovers walk down a lonely stretch of shot (where we actually move). put our worst hand held camera guy beach. It seems perfectly normal. Let me explain. We know we can on it to simulate a bouncy road (there’s But real life just doesn’t happen that make the car look like it’s travelling by something to be said for shaky camera way. I can barely hear my wife yelling at just sitting still, but if you really need work). We only needed enough footage movement in a controlled atmosphere to cover a limited amount of dialogue. “As moviegoers we the pro’s have various time tested ideas. A few who watched the completed The most expensive solution is a project knew it was fabricated but my suspend reality and have camera truck. These are special rigs with good friend Steve Hart keeps reminding no problem listening to exotic suspensions and gyro stabilized me that the message is far more mechanical jib arms that swing out important than technical perfection. intimate conversations for amazing angles and moves. These It’s a good thing that sometimes from 100 metres away as vehicles track (front, side, back) with the these trick shots allow the audience to action in spectacular fashion and are a concentrate more on what’s being said two lovers walk down a hoot to watch. You see these shots all than how it’s done. I’ve often thought lonely stretch of beach.” the time in car commercials and movies if you review the top 10 most influential such as Gone in 60 Seconds, any Bond film/video clips of all time (such as the movie and hundreds of others. However, Twin Towers attack, the JFK assassination me on the same sofa as I watch TV. So these are totally unrealistic options on etc). The majority were probably taken by why do we buy into these scenes at the our budgets. non-professionals using amateur cameras movies? I don’t know. Blind faith. I hope There are also green screen (blue screen (so much for film school). they buy into my clever deceptions. for film) methods where you can key Anyway, I have to keep reminding in action behind your characters just myself that the messages (ideas) we share Stimulating simulation like they do with your local TV weather with our cameras are far more important So what kind of gadgets, tools, and presenter. Or there’s the long outdated than the technical (HD 1920/1080i) equipment do you need to perform back screen projection where you >>
shoot / edit / play / share 27 Documentary Gary Foster literally use a movie projector to throw understand what we film/video makers images behind your action. These are all are up to and – when confused, agitated, lame or too expensive. or scared – will rarely act in our good What the pro’s love to use (and we can interest. copy with great success) are car trailers drawn behind flatbed trucks. Framing Workable solutions just the windscreen of the host car cuts Let’s review some realistic ideas for the everything out but the background and it low budget producer. The items I prefer appears as though the car (parked on the for my fictionalized car scenes include: trailer) and your actors are driving along. • A small lighting kit or reflectors Cameras, lighting, sound, and directing depending on the time of day (having are all done from the back of the truck. the option of AC or DC lights would be You don’t have to be going very fast to nice but not critical) create believable background movement. • A small generator may be needed if AC They also use this technique for lights are involved, but you can also use motorcycles, bicycles, aeroplanes, space it to charge camera batteries Gary Foster rockets, whatever. • Several portable battery operated Sun placement is critical since certain camera lights may save the day (we Gary Foster is an award- angles create ugly flair and distortion off used Sun Guns with battery belts). winning freelance television the windscreen. Carefully consider the • An optional large fan (to create that director and camera operator sun height and angle for best results as wind blown look) with a Masters of fine arts/ all these factors may alter the direction • Radio microphones, suction cup camera theatre degree from UCLA. you chose to drive down the road. mounts and a reliable camcorder with He has more than 25 years’ Be mindful of the background. Keep tripod experience in the movie it simple and generic. Mix up the • It would be nice to have several “C” industry having worked as a background scenery for your own good. stands with flags for shade. Lastly, an senior camera operator/editor Better to pick a simple country road open-bed pickup truck with an attached for Univision, the world’s instead of a busy motorway which may car trailer which you can hire or borrow second-largest international require a filming permit and police escort. from a racing buddy… May they serve television network. I have worked on projects where Sunset you well Gary was part of an Emmy Boulevard (Hollywood) was shut down award-winning team providing for three hours during rush hour. Closed! Decision time field and studio camera, All for an agonizing 30 seconds of film. Regarding my current project. Remember, lighting and editing for We don’t have that kind of money or the one I was having ethical issues with feature interviews, in-house political clout. Keep your project simple earlier. After much struggle I’ve decided commercials and more than 37 and private. to stage everything on the ground, even syndicated television shows in though the action calls for a complicated the US. Safety daytime flight in a two-seater aircraft. A specialist in action/ I attended UCLA film school in Los We already have the aerial B roll along sports directing and camera Angeles. There were so many student with all the required cutaways. The only operation, Gary has covered projects being shot in the vicinity of the thing lacking is the dialogue between national and international campus that police were advised to stop my two presenters to pull everything car and motorcycle races for and question any young person with a together. I plan to park the plane in an ESPN, ABC and CBS. camcorder (and long hair). open area at the airport; create upward Be advised, city streets are not your angles with only sky and clouds in the Gary hosts video production private movie sets. You may be dealt background; use electrical power from workshops when not working with severely by the authorities if seen a hangar and enjoy huge control over on his doco New Zealand mucking around unannounced with a lighting, sound, camera and direction. Wings. camera, crew and actors. Simple street I’ll even jostle my Sony EX-3 for a bit of For details of courses interviews seem to be the only exception. realism. available, and his freelance But, please don’t think you can do What I appreciate the most is being able availability, call 021 0290 1970 chase scenes, simulated bank robberies, to listen to the two actor’s conversation or email pmotion.video@yahoo. gunfights etc in public places. It has all and make sure we get all the necessary co.nz been tried before with dismal results. information needed. This process should Years back we had legal permission to yield great results at a fraction of what it Gary works in a friendly and shoot a small daylight battle scene in a would cost me to send the aeroplane into relaxed style and tailors his friend’s paddock outside town. Police the sky. courses to suit his students’ showed up before we even unloaded the It’s not pure documentary, but needs, skills and abilities. truck. They were alerted by a neighbour sometimes it’s more important to reporting a hippie wedding in a field by sacrifice some authenticity for proven their house. That doesn’t speak for how Hollywood story telling to help your well we were dressed. project succeed. To this day I don’t understand why Make good pictures, tell great stories. our actions prompted such a nasty response. The lesson is that people rarely Copyright Gary Foster
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Create your own CGI
Adding computer generated images to a movie used to require expensive software and someone to operate it. But with the help of a free program, Mike Atherton says anyone can do it
his tutorial – using the free Blender Fig 1 program – explains the process of Tcreating a spinning coffee mug. It might seem an unusual first project, but it will demonstrate the fundamental processes needed to create just about anything with this program. So let’s take a look at the user interface (fig 1). Blender has several layouts; compositing, animation, game logic, scripting, UV editing, video editing and its default layout for 3D modelling. The 3D window is where we’ll be constructing our mug. It’s possible to split the 3D window into multiple views so different angles can be seen at once. I would suggest sticking with one view for this project though. Fig 2 Fig 3 We will be using keyboard shortcuts to perform most transformations However, most of these functions are located on the Tool Shelf. There is a version of Blender for every computer platform and I am using a Windows PC. However, if you have a Mac then Ctrl becomes the Apple/ Command key. For ease of use, I’d suggest using a three button mouse. to side view. The view indicator in the and you should see small spots appear The 3D manipulator allows you to drag top left of the screen should now read on all the vertices (corners so to speak) objects and vertices while locking them Right Ortho. of the circle. to one axis. Every object has infinitely Right click on the cube to select it (it At this stage things become a little changeable options; we can alter these may already be selected, it should turn harder. Orange vertices are selected, in the properties window. orange) then hit X and click delete on black vertices are not. To select a single Blender has several modes, but we the pop up menu. vertex Right Click on it, to deselect right will be using Edit Mode and Object Our base shape will be a circle (fig 2). click again while holding down the Shift Mode. Object mode is used to control all Left click at the centre of the screen; key. objects in the scene, Edit mode is used this will place a cursor at that point. To box select hit letter B then drag a to modify a selected object. If you make This cursor is called the 3D cursor and box over the needed vertices. To select a mistake at any stage then Ctrl-Z will controls the placement of new objects multiple vertices hold down Shift while undo your last action. added to your model. Click Shift + A to you click. Blender opens in perspective view with bring up the Add Object menu, choose Press Keypad 3 to switch back to side its default layout; a cube, a lamp and a circle from the mesh list. view, zoom in a little (mouse wheel camera. To create our mug we first need At the bottom of the tool shelf change up), move the entire 3D window down to change to orthographic view, then to the number of vertices to 20. Because (hold shift and the centre mouse button side view, then finally delete the default you’re seeing the circle from its side, down then drag down) to ensure they cube. you should now have what looks like a are all selected. Deselect (A for all) then The 3D view is controlled by the straight line. Press Keypad 7 to switch reselect (A) all the vertices, hit (E) to keypad. Tap keypad 5 to change to to top view, you will now see the circle. extrude, move the mouse up, press (Z) to orthographic then Keypad 3 to change Press the Tab key to switch to edit mode lock to the Z axis, drag up until it looks
shoot / edit / play / share 29 Blender tutorial Mike Atherton
Fig 4 Fig 5 Fig 6
Fig 7 Fig 8 Fig 9
Icons 1 2 3 4
5 6 7
about the correct height for a mug then one across the top of your keyboard) bottom blocks end section and hit X to Left mouse click. then press Enter. delete that also. This will make the join Hit Control + R and move your mouse To form the inside of our cup, return more seamless. Change back to Front over the cup. A horizontal pink line will to side view (keypad 3), Extrude (E) and View (keypad 1). appear, when you see it, role the mouse lock to the Z axis (Z) pull the mouse Press (icon 3) for vertex selection and wheel up until you have four pink lines, down and stop just before the bottom (icon 1) to turn off the selection limit (fig then Left mouse click (fig 3). of the mug. Extrude (E) again then 8). Box select B the bottom vertices on Hit A to deselect everything, box select without moving the mouse hit ESC and the extruded part of the block. Drag the only the bottom vertices B then drag the then press Alt + M. Choose “at center” vertices down on the Z axis until they mouse over just the bottom vertices (fig from the popup menu. are sitting right on top of the remaining 4). Hit E to extrude but don’t move the We now need to add our handle (fig vertices from the top of the bottom mouse, hit the ESC key to extrude a new 6), change to side view (keypad 3) blocks end section. section but leave it in place. and deselect all (A). To make this step Box select B the 8 vertices now To ensure the next step works, tip easier we need to press (icon 1) to limit inhabiting this space, this will select the 3D view slightly up by pressing the selection to visible and (icon 2) for face them all and allow us to join the two centre mouse button and moving up. select. These buttons are just above parts. On the tool shelf click Remove Press Alt + M then choose At Center the timeline at the bottom of the 3D Doubles and at the bottom of the tool from the popup menu, this will cap the window. Select the two faces shown in shelf, change the merge threshold up to bottom. the image hold down Shift then Right around 0.070. To make the lip change back to side click on each item in turn. Let’s make it look like a mug, deselect view hit Keypad 3 (fig 5), Deselect all (A) Switch to front view (keypad 1). all (A) then hit A again to select all. Click then box select (B) just the top vertices. Extrude the first handle section (E) then on Recalculate under the Normals option Hit (E) to extrude and (Z) to lock to the (.) then (3) (Enter), extrude again (E) this on the tool shelf. Change to object Z axis, drag up a small amount then time not quite as much, hit (.) then (2) mode (TAB), select the mug (left click on Left click. Scale it up a little by hitting followed by Enter. it) hit Smooth under shading on the tool (S) and dragging the mouse down Left You should now have two split blocks shelf. click. Then extrude again along the Z sticking out from the side of your mug It still doesn’t look right, so we need axis about the same amount, (E) then (Z) (fig 7). Deselect all (A), tip the view up to add a modifier (fig 9) click on (icon 4) move mouse up Left click. a little (hold centre mouse and button in the properties window then click Add Extrude (E) again then without moving move up) select the bottom of the top modifier and choose Subdivision surface the mouse hit the ESC key. Tip the 3D blocks end section and extrude (E) in the modifiers options change view to window down to see the top of the mug locked to the Z axis (Z) down about half 2. It Should look better now. (hold the centre mouse button and move way towards the bottom blocks (left To make the seams and the inside of mouse down). Scale the lip in toward click). Hit X and select “faces” from the the cup smoother and more defined we the centre of the cup hit S then the full popup menu. need to add a few loop cuts. Tab back stop (.) then 9 (not the keypad 9 but the Select the face from on the top of the into edit mode press (icon 1) to limit
30 Viewfinder.co.nz selection to visible again. To make the lip Fig 10 Fig 11 Fig 12 more defined, press Ctrl + R move the mouse to the top section just under the lip (fig 10), Left click when you see the pink line in this section then drag the added loop all the way up into the lip (Left click). As for the bottom of the mug, add another loop in the bottom section of the mug and drag this down almost to the bottom (left click). Inside the mug, Fig 13 tip the view forward (middle mouse button then drag down) to look inside the mug add another loop inside (fig 11) with Ctrl + R, then push it down to the bottom of the mug (left click). The modelling part of our mug is Fig 14 finished so you might like to change a few things, perhaps thin out the handle or round off its corners. But Save (Ctrl + S) your work first, then have a play. Hit F12 to view your work, now isn’t that cool (fig 12). To add colour hit (icon 5) on the properties window, click on + New and look for the little white block under Diffuse and click on it. Then choose a nice colour. Under Specular increase Hardness Fig 15 to around 500. Press F12 to view your results. You might like to add a few extra lamps from the Shift A menu to enhance your image. To increase the size of your render click (icon 6) then increase the resolution from 25 per cent to around 50 per cent. To save your rendered image hit F3. Fig 16 As a finishing touch let’s animate the mug and rotate it like it’s sitting on a Fig 17 turntable. Save your work again (Ctrl + S) and ensure you are in Object mode, Below the time line are three sliders; start, end and current frame (fig 13). By default, end is set to 250 (frames), increase this to 500 either by sliding the top of the screen press (icon 7) and look for Output. Change the file type the mouse across the button or double choose animation from the list. to QuickTime and enter a path and clicking on it and entering 500. Your workspace will now look quite filename into the text box, “c:\mug. Now we need to insert our base different (fig 14). Look for the F-curve mov” for example. keyframe. Ensure the mug is selected, hit Editor. Where it says Mesh, press the Scroll to the top of the window and (i) and choose Rotation from the popup arrow and look for Z Euler Rotation. click Animation. Your animation will menu, in this case we are simply rotating Click on it to select it (if the lock symbol render frame by frame (fig 17). This will the cup so there is no need to save the shows locked, hit Tab to unlock it). take a while so go make a coffee in a position or scale. Move the mouse into the graph real mug. When it’s finished open the Move to frame 25 by clicking the window, press Ctrl + Shift + M and file and play your first animated movie. mouse on the time line at frame 25 or select Cycles from the pop up menu. using the slider. Press (R) to rotate, (z) You should see the purple line become a Copyright Mike Atherton to lock to the Z axis, type 90 then Enter. zigzag (fig 15). Now press Shift + T and The cup will rotate 90 degrees. Press (i) choose linear from the menu, this will • Mike Atherton is a committee member and select Rotation again. Repeat these smooth the rotation. Press play to check of the Christchurch Video Camera Club. four steps for frames 50, 75 and 100. your animation is working. See: www.chchvideo.org.nz for a Change back to the first frame and To render your animation to a movie Blender video tutorial press play, your mug will now rotate 360 file, change back to the Default degrees and stop. However, we’d like it view (icon 7) and click icon 6 on the to continue rotating. To achieve this we properties window (fig 16). Scroll W See Viewfinder.co.nz’s Free Stuff section to download Blender. need to access the animation layout. At to the bottom of this window and
shoot / edit / play / share 31 Build a website Steve Hart
Who can see you? We all know the importance of having an internet site to promote our services, but for many small operators the cost can be a prohibitive. Steve Hart looks at one option that puts websites into everybody’s hands for free
aving your own website, where has its own content management a password and write this down very you can post examples of your system, and the ability for novice users carefully in a safe place. Hvideos, blog and promote your to painlessly upload pictures, video and Once you have WordPress on your services is a cost-effective marketing text in a trice. computer, unpack it from its compressed tool. You too can be up and running your file by double clicking on it. Ever since I got my first email address new website within an hour of reading Here’s the tricky bit. Inside your – a random set of 10 numbers followed this feature as I take you through the expanded WordPress folder is a file by ‘@compuserve.com’ – I have been process of installing a website based on called wp-config-sample.php. Change hooked on the net. WordPress software – and it’s all free the name of this file to: wp-config.php Most of my friends couldn’t see the (so long as you have a domain name to Then, using a basic text editing benefit of email and wondered who upload the content to). program such as Notepad (don’t use would use it. They had a point, at the To give you an example, the Viewfinder. Microsoft Word) you need to alter some time I only knew one other person with co.nz site is a WordPress site and of the text in this file. See the installation an email address in 1993 and he lived includes text, pictures and video. notes (right) and add in the details of around the corner. Still, it seemed quite WordPress – based at www.Wordpress. your newly-created MySQL database. cool to have an email address on my org – provides a small program that you Everyone who downloads WordPress business card. can download and use for free. gets the same set of files – so you need But of equal importance to the email But before the fun begins, we have to make yours unique to help prevent address is a website – a promotional tool to get a little bit technical. You see, any unwanted visitors getting access to that works 24/7 and has limited ongoing WordPress requires that your website your site down the track. costs. But they can be expensive to have host – the people you pay to make your Copy the WordPress folder to your built. website available to the world – need to domain name using an FTP (file transfer Despite dabbling in web design for have PHP and MySQL software installed protocol) program. Type in your domain years, the coding behind many websites (and available to you). name in your browser and follow the (HTML) is still a foreign language to me. So, before you install WordPress, check instructions from WordPress to create an While creating a basic site has become your site (via its control panel) to see if admin password. easier, I dread to think of the thousands these are a part of your hosting plan. If It is this password that will grant of dollars I have handed to web not, you may have to upgrade, but it will you access to your dedicated content designers over the years to tweak my be well worth it. management system – the place where sites at $130+ an hour. Now, accessing your web domain’s you can create new pages, posts and But there are now ways to have an control panel (such as C-Panel) create insert text, pictures and video to your easy-to-use website, that looks great, a MySQL database, give it a name and site.
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What you need
To run WordPress your web host installation in its own subdirectory on needs a couple of things installed: your web site (e.g. http://example. PHP version 4.3 or greater com/blog/), rename the directory MySQL version 4.1.2 or greater (folder) wordpress to the name you’d Check with your website’s host to see like the subdirectory to have and if you have access to these programs move or upload it to your web server. as part of your hosting account. For example if you want the WordPress installation in a Instal WordPress subdirectory called “blog”, you Download and unzip the WordPress should rename the directory called package. “wordpress” to “blog” and upload Create a database for WordPress it to the root directory of your web on your web server, as well as a server. MySQL user who has all privileges for accessing and modifying it. Create a database Rename the wp-config-sample.php To create a database for your file to wp-config.php. WordPress site using C-Panel Open wp-config.php in your (common among many web hosting favourite text editor and fill in your companies) see this video: http:// database details as explained in www.cpanel.net/media/tutorials/ Editing wp-config.php to generate addmysql.htm and use your secret key/password. Place the WordPress files in the Alternatives desired location on your web server. Most people agree that WordPress If you want to integrate WordPress is the leading free CMS system. But into the root of your domain (e.g. there are plenty of others around. http://example.com/), move or Notably: upload all contents of the unzipped http://drupal.org/ WordPress directory (but excluding http://textpattern.com/ Once up and running, your website will the directory itself) into the root http://www.joomla.org/ be a basic blogging site, which although directory of your web server. If http://b2evolution.net/ useful may not be quite what you want. you want to have your WordPress http://www.s9y.org/ Now the real magic begins. There are thousands of free themes and plugins that can give you a highly professional-looking website with Plug in and power up your site advanced functionality. You can find most of the themes on the WordPress Once you have your WordPress site appear to have issues with a particular site under Extend and then search the installed and your theme selected you plugin. I had a problem with one Themes directory. can add any number of free plugins. plugin, but the fault was down to my Simply select a theme you like the look Plugins add functionality to your webhost’s SQL software. Once they of, download it and then upload it to site such as a contact form (to save fixed their end, the plugin worked. your WordPress’s Themes folder (plugins your email address being open to My advice is to look at essential go in the plugins folder). spammers), photo slideshows, video, plugins first, such as a contact form, Experiment with different themes until audio (such as cool looking MP3 install it, get it working perfectly, and you find one you like the look of and players), Google analytics, Search then add the next one on your list. are comfortable with. Upload, try out, Engine Optimisation, e-commerce... When you get the right set of plugins delete, try again. the list is almost endless. working on your site then you’re set You might want a two column theme, But do your research first. While it up for good. three column, a magazine style or a is as easy as pie to install a plugin, blogging style. try each one out and delete it if it Updates While you are bound to find something doesn’t work as expected. It is best Most plugin creators will release that suits you, there are firms that to research each plugin first. This is upgrades to their software as they sell themes. And if you are looking where it will take some of your time keep on track with updates to the for something very special then you as you trawl the WordPress forums. WordPress program. may need to go down this track. But Having said that, forums are always I’ve taken the view that if everything most people get away with one of the full of people’s problems and issues – is working on my site, then there has thousands of free options. that’s what forums are for – so don’t to be a compelling reason to upgrade. Now you are just a hop, skip and jump be too put off from trying things So don’t upgrade for the sake of it as from adding content to your website and out for yourself even if other people it could upset the apple cart. promoting your videography services.
shoot / edit / play / share 33 Filmmaker takes her final shot Professional sports woman turned moviemaker Polly Green tells Steve Hart how she got into making films and why it’s now or never to become a world champion
Polly Green shoots paraglider Morgan Koons in eastern Uganda, Africa. Photo: Will Clark
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chance meeting with a National “That’s the point my career started to Geographic documentary maker caused change,” she says. “From competitive kayaker to Polly Green to swap her kayak for a documentary maker. Peter showed me the basics, A camera. After a lifetime of winning such as keeping the camera steady and about medals in the water she is now being recognised for getting good sound. her inspirational movies. “He watched what I shot with his camera and said Polly spent most of her life as a professional sports I had a good eye. He saw some potential in me.” woman travelling the world to take part in kayaking In 2002 Polly bought her first serious video camera competitions. Just as the lustre of travelling from – a Sony TRV950 – and took it to kayaking events. country to country was wearing a bit thin, she Some of that footage went on to become part of found herself working alongside Emmy award- an award-winning documentary called Nomads – winning filmmaker Peter Getzels and, with his Wandering Women of the Whitewater Tribe. encouragement, embarked on a new career. “My first introduction to moviemaking came when Helping out I joined a sea kayaking expedition to Vietnam in “What I came across in Africa were three American 2000 working with National Geographic,” says women, Dr Jessie Stone, Emily Jackson and Whitney Polly. “My job was to help Peter and the film crew Lonsdale,” says Polly. “They were in Uganda to get the shots they needed in the water for the kayak but could see the local villagers could do with movie Descending the Dragon. some help. Jessie then started teaching malaria Polly Green “I spent a lot of time with Peter and suggested a education and prevention to people in one of the shooting Dr Jessie film about women kayakers would be an interesting villages. Stone during a documentary.” “She started fundraising and ended up building malaria education Peter agreed and thought Polly would be the best a rural clinic – and that grabbed my attention right session in Uganda, person to make it. He took her under his wing and away. This was the story I had been looking for Africa. gave her a chance to record some footage on the – professional women kayakers giving something Photo: Morgan Vietnam shoot. back.” >> Koons
shoot / edit / play / share 35 Main Feature Polly Green
Polly Green sets Nomads was a self-funded movie and took Polly convincing or natural. But the three people that up a shot on the four years to complete. feature strongly in my first movie were all really Kaituna River, Okere “I taught kayaking to raise money and when I had good on camera.” Falls, New Zealand enough cash I’d return to Uganda to shoot some In between teaching, travelling and shooting, Polly for her latest film A more video,” she says. “Shooting Nomads was a learned how to edit with Final Cut Pro. Fire Within. tough business though. “I didn’t have a clue how to cut a movie, so I paid Photo: Jo Tito “I’d place the camera in the kayak, paddle off an editor to get me started and teach me how to do ahead of the kayakers and record them as they it,” she says. paddled past in fast moving water. Then, back in By 2005 Polly had 100 hours of footage to choose the kayak, I’d get ahead of them and get set up to from for Nomads but says she could discard most of record them again. No one wants to see the back of her early work as her skill as a camera operator had people’s heads. noticeably improved. “It was hectic and taught me how to be fast and “I had been loading footage as I went along and organised. I couldn’t carry a tripod with me in a so when the editor and I sat down to complete the kayak so getting a steady shot was difficult because project we were able to finish editing in a couple of I’d be breathing hard and my hands would be wet months – it was released in 2006.” and shaking...So I’d have to arrive at my spot, calm down and get the best shot possible. Awards “When I started shooting this doco I didn’t know Nomads went on to win a handful of awards on what I was doing and so a lot of the footage wasn’t the festival circuit, including Best of the Fest in usable. But that is the best way to learn. Most of my Social Action/Adventure, Tahoe/Reno International skills as a videomaker came from the school of hard Film Festival; best documentary Action/Cut Short knocks. Film competition, California; and it was a best film “I also learned about interviewing people. It is finalist at the Wanaka Mountain Film Festival. essential to find the best people to speak with If Polly thought these wins meant she could start on camera because it’s no good if they are not taking it easy – she was wrong. While a paid job to comfortable. travel the world recording a charity run seemed like “What I’d notice is that people would get kind of fun – it was no holiday. It took just as much physical stiff in front of the camera and they just weren’t effort to record it as it did to make Nomads.
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Polly found herself racing ahead of 21 marathon were in a van being driven along I decided to get a Polly Green editing runners as they jogged around the world in 90 days bike so I could stop where and when I wanted. on the fly in the as part of the Blue Planet Run. “I was coming across places I wanted to stop, hop Gobi Desert, Thanks to the event, and Polly’s film (Running for out and shoot, but the driver couldn’t always park Mongolia, for The Water) more than 100,000 people in developing where I wanted. Blue Planet Run. countries now have access to clean water. “Instead of paddling ahead of people like last Photo: Chris “Being paid to work on a movie was awesome,” time, I cycled ahead, got my gear out, shot the Emerick says Polly. “But I was being thrown right into the runners and then packed up to get ahead of them.” thick of it because it was big The relay took place 24 Dr Jessie Stone time.” “Instead of paddling hours a day and so Polly found gets aerial on The To celebrate her first paid herself working night and White Nile River, commission Polly retired ahead of people like last day, and in between loading Uganda. her bruised and battered time, I cycled ahead, got footage to hard drives, spent Photo: Morgan TRV950 and stumped up for a time creating a five minute Koons Panasonic HVX200 and shot my gear out, shot the weekly video podcast of the with P2 cards. runners and then packed event. After it finished, Polly “I had to learn new skills moved to Gisborne where she to use that camera and then up to get ahead of them.” completed the editing of the spent three months chasing 20-minute movie in 2007. people across 16 countries,” says Polly. “I had been visiting New Zealand on and off for “It was a job for about eight people, but there years as I’d come here most summers to do kayak were only two of us – me with the video camera training,” says Polly. “It’s a great place to live and is and Chris Emerick shooting stills. now the base for my company Flair Films. I can go “But it was really good because it pushed me surfing and it’s just great.” to my limit and by the end of it I had a lot more Just as Polly was settling into her new career, confidence and was ready to be professional. leaving the idea of competitive kayaking behind, a “So, although that was a hard job it was a friend suggested she give it one last shot. Godsend. “It was last Christmas and my friend and trainer “However, the run never stopped and although we Arnd Schaeftlein said that right now was >>
shoot / edit / play / share 37 Main Feature Polly Green
Polly Green shoots my last chance to become one of the world’s top Luckily, Polly’s trainer is a dab hand at using a runner Brynn 10 kayakers,” says Polly. “I thought ‘that’s the last camera and there is a small group of people who Harrington in Siberia thing on my mind’ but the idea just stuck. pitch in to help when they can. for the Blue Planet “I went on an intense meditation course that “I said to Arnd if he wants me to compete he’ll Run. lasted for 10 days and thought ‘what do I really have to coach me and be my cameraman.” Photo: Chris want to do’. I ended up deciding to get back in Emerick the kayak and start training for the 2011 world Inside out championships that will be held in Germany. Making a movie about herself means Polly has to “This is my last chance to compete at this level and look at what she is doing from the outside in. if I don’t do it now then I may end up regretting it “As a filmmaker you have a story and you know for the rest of my life.” in your head that you need this, that and the other to get the job done – so I am trying to look at the Training film as though I am a character in it – I am trying to Not one for taking the easy road, Polly is now distance myself from myself. committed to a year of hard-out training to “It’s really hard because I wish there were two of get her fitness and stamina levels back up, as me. I have one chance to train and compete and no well as making a film about her last shot at the second chances to record it. Sometimes something championship – A Fire Within. But recording herself funny will happen to me and there’s no one to training and exercising is becoming a bit of a capture it. It can get frustrating. I am starting to challenge. realise that I do need someone to follow me around “I do have a person to help record me as I prepare who lives in Gisborne and knows about kayaking. for the event, but they are not always available,” “Having the right person by your side is essential says Polly. “So sometimes I’ll set the camera up on though, they have to know more than just how to a tripod, start it recording and run around the race operate a camera. Trust is needed and you need to track in front of it. get along with them, so they share your vision and “You get some very strange looks, especially when ideas.” I am talking to camera and there is no operator On one training session, Polly set up the camera there. It’s very entertaining for onlookers.” and asked a willing helper to press the record
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publicity to attract funding, something Polly may David Christof Advice for moviemakers have now secured from a Hollywood production running in Red Polly says people looking for a career in filmmaking company as a direct result of the promo. Square, Moscow, should be willing to work for free at a production “I met them at a film festival when Running for Russia, where company. But not just any company. Water was shown and we got on really well,” says Polly nearly got her “It needs to be a firm that shares your values and Polly. “I sent them my promo and they loved it. It Panasonic HVX-200 filmmaking ideas,” she says. “So if you are into making could be a dream come true because they just like camera confiscated wildlife videos, don’t sign up to work for a firm that the idea that my movie is inspirational and uplifting. by the authorities. makes videos about industry. All of a sudden it’s got quite massive.” Photo: Chris “Choose an internship carefully – they may interview And having a Hollywood deal would solve another Emerick you for a position, but you have to also interview them, issue Polly says many independent moviemakers so you get the work experience you need to develop face – distribution. your career.” “I just wanted to finish my first film and I didn’t give much thought to distribution,” says Polly. “But the more movies you make the more you realise button when she was at a distant spot on a running how important having a distribution deal is a part of track. She got back to find nothing had been the business. recorded. “With A Fire Within I am really thinking ahead – To help promote A Fire Within she produced which is why I made the promo – because I think a promo for it. But test screenings among non- investors and others need to see what you are kayakers revealed that what they understood about talking about when you go to pitch your idea. I am the sport was different to what Polly assumed completely selling this film on the promo trailer.” they’d know. While Polly waits to seal the Hollywood deal, “I did a bunch of different cuts and got feedback she is preparing an application for funding from W from people and discovered I needed to rethink Creative NZ as well as working with private clients some elements of the movie for people who don’t on corporate videos in her spare time. See Viewfinder.co.nz’s My Movies section to know anything about the sport,” says Polly. watch some of Polly’s One reason for making a promo is to generate See Polly’s website at www.flairfilms.com work.
shoot / edit / play / share 39 My Movie Marc & Cody
Marc McCarthy & Cody Packer
Cody and Marc at the motel setting up a shot for the arrival of the lead character. Opposite: Video grabs from the dark and tense movie The Centre Line. Movie based on family tragedy
Cody Packer and Marc McCarthy talk to Steve Hart about making a movie based on a woman coming to terms with the loss of her children
TV interview with a person anyway, but seeing the interview and suffering from post traumatic hearing the woman’s story gave me lots Made a movie? A stress disorder gave film student of ideas.” Cody Packer the idea for a movie about a Having decided on a basic theme, Cody The My Movie section is open woman coming to terms with the loss of did research to see how people with to anyone who has made a her children. traumatic stress disorder coped in the short movie and is able to Cody, 18, made The Centre Line with real world. supply a few high quality 16-year-old movie-making buddy Marc “More than 80 per cent of people pictures to illustrate their story. McCarthy last year using a consumer HD turn to taking pills,” he says. “So my Simply write between 500 camera, a budget microphone and $200 character did the same in the film. I and 700 words telling us cash. wanted to keep it realistic.” about you, your video and The movie, which is haunting, The script was written over six weeks your tips & tricks for fellow mysterious and tense, takes place inside while Cody was still at school. But moviemakers. a car and a motel room with the lead creating an ending that was logical and Send your story and JPG character believing her dead children are offered viewers a realistic twist took photos to editor@viewfinder. with her. longer than he expected. net.nz putting My Movie in the “The woman in the TV interview “I showed the script to my English subject line. told how she created events after her teacher, my drama teacher and my mum, children had gone in order to have some and they all gave me advice on making kind of closure,” says Cody. “She said the ending better,” says Cody. there were times when she thought her Most of the film was shot using natural children were still alive. light says Marc. Although a couple of “I was planning to write a script halogen lights were used to help get the
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night scenes in the camera. “The biggest issue was Editing was a joint effort with both “Shooting in natural light – inside a movie makers pitching in and sharing motel room – gave the movie the dark road noise as some ideas. moody look we wanted,” he says. “The “We had to work on it after school but lighting makes the film really.” dialogue was unusable. we had it completed in a few weeks,” Marc says finding a location meant With hindsight, we says Marc. ringing around different motels until The pair worked with one of them an owner in Raumati Beach agreed to should have chosen a cutting a sequence together and the having cast and crew on site for three quieter road.” other refining it. They’d share ideas and nights. edit each section together until they “We shot in the motel’s foyer and a and in some shots the lighting was quite were both happy. chalet, and even though it was a large poor. That led to noticeable changes in Cody already has other script ideas up room, it looked pretty claustrophobic in colour. We re-shot some scenes because his sleeve and says the best ideas come the movie.” of this. from looking at what goes on around One of the issues Marc and Cody faced “The biggest issue was road noise you. was recording inside a moving car. They as some dialogue was unusable. With He is entering The Centre Line to shot some scenes with the camera in the hindsight, we should have chosen a festivals such as Show Me Shorts, the footwell of the passenger side offering quieter road. It got really tricky in post Hawaiian International film festival and an interesting angle. But getting clear production, but with the help of music the International Student Film Festival audio – as the lead character spoke to we obscured a lot of the unwanted Hollywood. her children in the back seat – proved to noise. Doing ADR to replace the “We’ll let you know how we get on,” be an issue due to noise from both the dialogue was not really an option.” says Cody. car and road. The most expensive item bought for Cody, a student at the New Zealand the film was an $80 temporary tattoo Broadcasting School, says: “On the for the lead character. The rest of the See Viewfinder.co.nz’s My Movies video side we noticed during editing that budget was mainly spent feeding the W section to watch The Centre Line. the car was going at different speeds, cast and crew.
shoot / edit / play / share 41 Trade Directory Video camera clubs
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Viewfinder magazine story index - order copies at viewfinder.co.nz under the Back Issues tab Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 Want to make a movie? Read our beginner’s How to interview people on camera. How to shoot a 3D movie and process it with guide to success. Part 2 of our wedding video feature. your editing program. Dick Reade writes about how to record the Foley sound affects. Dick Reade explain why Frances Wilkie on how to create a wound using best audio by placing the microphone in the they are so important and how to record them. make-up. best places. Remove unwanted audio noise with our step- Gary Foster explains how to put small cameras Wedding videos – part 1. Find out how to by-step guide using free software. in unusual places to get powerful pictures you enter the lucrative industry of wedding Make-up expert Frances Wilkie on making wouldn’t normally see. videography. your talent look their best for the camera. Step-by-step guide to converting your old VHS Gary Foster – basic lighting techniques for Gary Foster talks about why shooting scenes tapes to DVD. studio interviews. from different angles can add interest to your Interview with doco-maker Clyde Graf on his Award-winning documentary-maker Leanne movie. Poisoning Paradise DVD. Pooley talks about the film industry, the secret Gear guide features the Panasonic HPX172, Adam Clancey talks about how he got into of making great docos and how budding film Samsung HMX U10, JVC GZ-HM400, Sony making his popular fishing show with little makers can enter the industry PMW-EX1R, Panasonic DMC-GF1 previous TV experience. Gear guide: Panasonic HMC41, Canon 7D dSLR, Simon Baker on how he moved from still Gear guide features the Sony HXR-NX5P, Sony HDR-CX500VE, JVC HM100E, Apple’s photography to video using dSLR cameras. Panasonic HS700, Fujifilm W1 3D, JVC GZ- Final Cut Studio 3. Golden hour - Robert van de Voort on HM330, Lumix DMC-ZR3 My Movie features Stan Stacofsky and Craig capturing sunrise and sunset. How to survive the V48 Hours movie contest Anderson. Interview with Bro’Town animator Matthew with an interview with Jeremy Skelton on his Wilson on his first live action film. two attempts at the competition. My Movie features videomakers William My Movie features Philip Cleverly talking Watson and James Brown. about directing his first horror movie. Video camera clubs Auckland 8 Movie Club 336 Palmerston Road, 7.30pm on the December. Club meetings are held in the first Monday and third Tuesday of Contact Brian (09) 444 5043 or John (09) forth Monday of every month except the Community Rooms on the corner of each month at 7.15pm. 828 7850. January and December. Waimea Road and Quarantine Road at 7.30 pm. Te Awamutu Camera Club Auckland Movie Makers Hawkes Bay Video Enthusiast’s Club Contact (07) 871 6147 or (07) 871 4137. Contact Laure (09) 443 1991 or Martin Contact Mark (06) 877 6481. Meetings Otago Cine and Video Club Meetings held on the third Tuesday of the (09) 535 5337. held at 7.30pm on the second Tuesday Contact Andrew (03) 453 4059. month (except January) at the Federated The club meets at 990 Great North of the month (except December and Club meets at the Mornington Farmers Lounge, Carlton Street, Te Road, Western Springs, Auckland on January) at the EIT campus, Taradale. Community Centre, 16 Maryhill Terrace, Awamutu, starting at 8pm. the forth Wednesday of the month at Dunedin on the forth Monday of the 7.30pm. Call ahead as members may be Kapiti Video Camera Club month (February to November). Meetings Wellington Video Camera Club out shooting on a club night. Contact David Goggin 04 905 8505 or will be held on the third Monday of the Contact (04) 577 0599 or (04) 461 7265. Rob Graham 04 904 8096. The club month when a public holiday occurs. Meets at the Johnsonville Community Christchurch Video Camera Club meets on the third Wednesday of the Centre (on the corner of Moorfield Road Contact Robert (03) 960 4433 or month at the Presbyterian Lounge, Ngaio Rotorua Video Camera Club and Frankmore Avenue, Johnsonville), Howard (03) 325 2315. Road, Waikanae at 7.15pm. Contact (07) 348 2963. at 7.30pm on the second Tuesday of the The club meets on the third Monday month (except January). of the month, except January and Marlborough Video Camera Club Southern Movie Makers December, at St James Church Lounge, Contact (03) 578 4267. Contact (03) 235 2883. corner of Barrington and Bewdley Streets, Spreydon. Nelson Amateur Movie and Video The Video Camera Club Tauranga Club Contact Ivan (07) 544 9485 or Eddie (07) Add your club to this free listing. Gisborne Video Camera Club Contact Les (03) 544 8200. 576 3240. Email your details/changes to: Contact Ted Andrew on 06 867 3400. The club meets on the first Tuesday Meets at St Enoch’s Church Hall, Meetings held in the Red Cross Rooms, of each month, February through to Cameron & 16th Avenue, Tauranga, on [email protected]
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ViewfinderSh o o t / Ed i t / Pl a y / Sh a r e shoot / edit / play / share 43 movie16_210x297_uk.fh11 16.03.2010 17:34 Uhr Seite 1
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