Index
Each entry was submitted by a different person and may contain several questions:
Q: Are there any walking techniques to reduce movement? I'm using a SonyDSR-PD170 to make hunting videos and the film is very shaky. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.
A: There are several ways to reduce camera shake:
1. Use a dolly. This is the most effective, but the least practical. Camera dollies and the equipment that go with them are extremely expensive and take a lot of time and expertise to set up. Also they are heavy and chances are you cannot transport them while you are hunting. So that's out.
2. Use a SteadiCam rig. This may be do-able for you. Professional SteadiCam rigs for film cameras are also extremely expensive, but you can get ones for digital cameras and they are more reasonable (although still not cheap). A SteadiCam rig is a device that attaches the camera to the camera operator's body in a way that keeps the camera as steady as possible while still allowing movement of the camera. They can be quite heavy, though. It is usually tiring for the camera operator, and it's best if he/she is skilled and/or experienced with SteadiCam.
3. Use the cheap version of a SteadiCam. That is, attach your camera to a monopod, extend the monopod to about 3 feet, then attach a 20 pound sandbag or other weight to the bottom of the monopod. DISCLAIMER: this method is not recommended as it poses some risks to the operator and the camera. I assume no responsibility for anyone using this method. However, if you're desperate and can't get a SteadiCam rig, this may work.
Q: I have Sony analog Hi8 Camera, and I'm intending to make a short movie. I have the computer and the software necessary. Can I get any good quality from my camera and the computer in my movie?
A: It depends on what you mean by "good" quality. Analog Hi8 generally produces video quality approximately equal to or better than VCR, in my opinion. For most applications, this is perfectly acceptable, as VCR is still a popular format. For personal use or video festivals and the like, I think Hi8 would be fine, UNLESS you plan to sell the final product. Usually for broadcast purposes, a buyer will require a higher quality and resolution than Hi8 can provide. In that case you should really think about using miniDV for capture. You can still edit on your home computer either way.
Q: What's the title of the crew memeber who deals with the music for the film? They don't compose, but finds the music already out there to use for a scene.
A: A lot of times it's just the director who chooses the songs used in a movie. Many directors have a distinct style of music that they like to use, for example Quentin Tarantino. You could almost pick out his movies from his contemporaries by just listening to his soundtracks. Occasionally the editor may have something to say about what music to use. The editor (and/or sound editor) is the one who actually acquires the music recordings and mixes them into the film during post-production.
Q: What is a Foley Artist?
A: Foley refers to the man-made sound effects in a movie, which can range from doors closing, to nuclear weapons exploding. The foley artist creates these sounds to fit in synchronicity with the visual action.
Q: Who is in charge of research for films? Like in Rain Man with Dustin Hoffman, who does the research on Autism to make sure it is the correct information for the character/ topic? Do the studios have someone for that, or is it all based on the role of the director, writer and actor?
A: In Rain Man, it was most likely Dustin Hoffman himself who did the research, as his performance is his responsibility and no one else's. However, some information may have been provided to him by the director, writer, or project researcher. Yes, some projects actually have people on staff whose job it is to research stuff, and of course the writer and director will generally do research of their own accord so they can tell the story effectively.
Q: We are a new band and we want to make a music video, but we don't know anything about film production. Can you please guide us about the cameras and video formats for TV production?
A: If you're just starting out, I'm assuming you want to keep costs to a minimum. MiniDV is the format most commonly used for "prosumer" applications (not quite professional, but higher quality than consumer grade). MiniDV, when shot with a high-quality 3-Chip (or 3-CCD, referring to the fact that it has 3 light detecting chips as opposed to just 1) camera, looks good enough to broadcast or at least transfer to broadcast-quality mediums, but is very economical to shoot (a 60 minute MiniDV tape costs less than $10). So that's the format I'd use.
As far as cameras, there are lots of high-quality 3-CCD camcorders coming out now, but the two that I have experience with, and can recommend fully, are: Sony PD-150 and Canon XL-1. However, these are being superceded by new offerings from JVC, such as the GR-HD1 which offers higher resolution than MiniDV with only 1-CCD. Go figure - the technology moves fast these days.
Q: I'd like to know why a director of photography's job is so important?
A: Check out my "Essential Film Crew Positions" page for descriptions of the DOP and other jobs on set.
The DOP is vital. Think of how hard it is to take a good, professional photo without a professional photographer. It would be even harder to make a decent motion picture without a cinematographer. Especially nowadays when audiences are better than ever at picking out bad cinematography.
For example, if there was no DOP on a particular set, no one would know the best kind of film to use for that project's particular needs. No one would know how to light the scene without overexposing the film. Imagine watching a movie that was so dark, you couldn't see the characters' faces? That would be due to a bad (or non-existent) DOP.
Q: How would you describe: Productive Resources, Natural Resources, and Capital Resources, in the theatre?
A: You'll have to explain these concepts to me a little further. They may or may not be applicable to theatre production.
I know that capital resources may refer to sources of funding, such as third party investments, or perhaps capital costs such as a new sound system that may be considered a resource, once installed?
Otherwise, these terms seem more like general business concepts that aren't really relevant to theatre production, at least as far as I know. I asked a seasoned professional in the business, and he also hasn't heard of these terms in the context of the theatre.
Q: Who are the people and jobs needed for a show? Who is responsible for each job, when producing a show?
A:
1. Director
2. Set and Costume Design
3. Lighting Design
4. Sound Design
5. Stage Manager
6. Musical Director (if applicable)
7. Choreographer (if applicable)
8. Fight Director (if applicable)
Depending on the size of the production, these people may have whole departments and staff under their supervision to realize all these different aspects of the show. I'm working on a tips section for theatre production, similar to the ones for film/TV production and acting. It will include a detailed document on this topic, just like the one on film crew job descriptions. Check back soon for updates.
Q: I'm looking for different job titles in the film industry...something to do with props and scene set-up, crafty, stuff that doesn't require years of school experience...
A: Film crew job titles are available elsewhere on my site (follow the link).
If you want my advice on how to start working in film/TV, I'd say there's one job to start with, no matter what department you want to get into: PA (Production Assistant). This is the job that is open to almost everyone. You have to be hard working, quick on your feet, resourceful, and able to deal with long hours, but by "paying your dues" as a PA, you can find the department that you enjoy the most and start to work towards it.
It's like this: the PA is the general help on set. You can be running errands for the production under the supervision of the Production Coordinator, as is common in TV-land, or be assigned to a certain department, as it happens more frequently in Film. Every department has specific hierarchies, and the PA is at the bottom of them all.
For example, at the head of the camera department is the cinematographer, then the camera op, 1st and 2nd assistant, camera grips, and lastly the camera or technical PA. However, in the camera dept., even the job of PA requires some previous experience or schooling. The camera dept. is the most revered and technically involved, and camera teams can be quite selective about who they bring on. As an alternative, try getting "in" through the locations dept. Locations PAs do a lot of crappy work, such as guarding parking lots or taking out the garbage, but they are always looking for Locations PAs because the turnover is high (good PAs move onto something else ASAP).
As far as getting the jobs, check out mandy.com for vacancies in your area. Some of these jobs require experience, some don't. You may find that you will have to volunteer on a few gigs before people start hiring you for pay. Don't get discouraged, the money will come. It's a hard industry to break into, but it rewards hard work and competence very well. Also, do a search for film schools in your area. They usually need volunteers to help with their school projects. For example, the Canadian Film Centre has contact info on their website for people who want to volunteer for them.
Q: What are some of the best and fastest ways of raising a budget?
A: I am by no means an expert at raising money, but these are the options and the pros and cons that I've found, both through personal experience and by watching others.
1. Government/foundation grants
Although you can raise a sizeable budget through grants, it usually takes a really long time for the application and approval. Also, you risk having to sacrifice some creative control, as many granting bodies have specific mandates that you will have to conform to before they will fund your project. If you can deal with all that, grants are good because you don't have to worry about profit or loss. If your product tanks and doesn't sell, you don't have to pay back the grants.
2. Private investment
Really the backbone of the industry; private investment can range from big-time executive producers with money and/or venture capitalists at the ready, to execs from big studios with huge budgets at their dispsal, to smaller businesses wanting "in" on film & TV action, to your best friend with 50 bucks to loan you for mini DV tape stock.
Although terrific if you can get it, private funding is usually the hardest to get, unless you have a lot of rich friends who are willing to trust you with gobs and gobs of their cash. Shopping around for private investment requires an extremely strong and commercially viable script, and/or talented and respected people on your creative team, and/or lots of dumb luck.
Additionally, private investment comes with a big string attached: make money or screw off. If you lose money for your first backer, your chances of getting a second one diminishes exponentially. You may even have to pay the money back, depending on your specific deal.
3. Hold a fundraiser
Usually for smaller budgets, a fundraiser can be an effective way to raise cash quickly, although it requires more work and friends to help out. The concept is this: hold a low-cost event that will attract numerous small donations and generate a profit to fund the "real" event, in this case the filming of a film/TV project or the staging of a play.
For example, to raise funds for our short film The Winner, we threw a fundraiser after we had already made the film, in order to pay back our smoking credit cards. One of the guys worked at a bar, so we had a free venue. The bands that featured in the soundtrack provided free entertainment, along with a DJ friend of mine, and someone in our group acquired donations to give away in a raffle draw. We charged cover for the event, brought some of our own alcohol to sell, and made money off the raffle, so that in the end we raised over 80% of our budget!
This is the power and "fun" in fundraising, although not all fundraisers have the same success. It really depends on how many people you can get out to support, and your willingness to put effort into the endeavour.
Q: What is grey card?
Q: What is a documentary, the suitable length for a documentary, camera and editing techniques for documentaries, etc.?
A: Wow, those are big questions...To answer all those in detail would require a full year in school, not an email (or web page).
There are many types of documentaries: historical, biographical, of or having to do with wildlife or marine life, scientific, educational, etc.
Basically a documentary is non-fiction.
The length varies upon the market: full length (e.g. Bowling for Columbine) for theatrical release, short, 22/44/88 minutes for .5/1/2 hour TV slots, or even longer for a mini-series or special.
Camera and editing techniques specifically for documentaries: I'm not experienced at all in these areas and couldn't offer you the slightest help, although my guess is the more you shoot and cut documentaries, the more you develop your own style. For specific techniques, I'd take a course on documentary filmmaking. If you don't have access to a good school, just go out and start shooting with a camcorder. Make up any random topic, like: "Riding public transit on Wednesdays." Go around and interview people and try to come up with an interesting product.
Sorry I can be of more help than this, but it's a really broad topic. It's kind of like asking, "What is a novel and how do I write one?" It would be best answered by a qualified instructor on the subject.
Q: We have a Canon XL1s and want to make a film. Where do we start?
A: That depends on what kind of film you want to make: documentary, feature, short or experimental? A good first project would be to make a short film. It gives you the chance to explore all aspects of filmmaking, from script development to shooting, to post-production work. Check out my Tips page to see how we made our first short film. Most likely you will start with writing a screenplay.
If you don't want to make a short, please resubmit your question with specific details on the kind of project you want to produce. There's simply not enough room here to go through how to make every type of film :)
Q: I am making a video on DV in five different languages. How do I do the voice-over and translations without screwing up my timing? The video lab I will use does not have good audio for doing voice-overs. Should I tape the person talking and extract the audio? PS - I'm using imovie2.
A: Okay, when you get your final DV master, make a copy of it and put it aside. Run copies off the other one, or do whatever you have to do with it, but make sure you have at least one or two copies of the master completely untouched. You can use one of them as the source when you go to dub in your translations.
Now I'm not sure how imovie works cause I don't run a Mac, but in Avid Express (a professional editing suite that a lot of studios run - Mac or PC) there is a way to do audio replacement ("dubbing", "looping" or "ADR"). This is a process whereby the actor doing the voice-over can watch the video on the computer and lip sync to it. The editor records this sound into a digital file that can be manipulated and synced with the video, all inside the Avid software.
Perhaps this option is available in imovie as well? Google returned this page on audio dubbing in imovie.
If imovie doesn't do it, try playing the video in a separate VCR and monitor for the actor to watch, then you can record the sound into imovie while the actor lip syncs to the video. Then play the new audio together with the video in imovie and see if they're in sync.
It's trial and error from there. You should be able to get something close using this method. However, if the sound you get this way is really unsatisfactory, the only other option I can think of (besides using a really expensive post-house) is to find someone with an Avid setup.
Our first question about film & tv production:
Q: How do you properly calibrate a portable color field monitor while on location?
A: There should be a button on the front panel of the monitor that brings up the color bars (like the ones you see on TV when the station is closed). If not, feed the monitor color bars from whatever camera you're using. Color bars are a universal standard, it doesn't matter where you get them from.
Then, follow the instructions on this page from the Video University site. (They're quite lengthy and I don't see the need to regurgitate it here :)
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