On the upside I now know how to make hummus and all my 5-a-days have been compressed into a glass.
A not so perfect blend
Self Portrait - lighting gear
That said it was annoying to take pictures with the camera on the tripod. Next time I'll get volunteers.
Special blend of crazy
Any rational individual would've called it a night and walked away from the idea. But this particular bunch of problem solving miss-fits ... We identified the next best option - BUS...
The scope of the challenge slightly changed ... We were now trying to get across the channel for as cheap as possible. Initial research suggested that france was a good option but we were looking at a 12 hrs bus ride. The bus ride did to the group what Chromotography does to solutions ... It weeded out the weak crazy from the group ... and we were left with the pure crazy.
Just when I thought I got all the crazy out of my system I realised I was one of the two crazies that were left standing. With my distractions with the recent videos, 'alpha crazy' was left in charge of all arrangements. Alpha crazy ... Now there is a level of crazy you don't see every day.
So .. I get to national express station at 6:30 .. All set to spend the weekend (the bits for which I will not be in a bus) on the streets of Paris ... right ... wrong ... the two crazies are sitting on a bus heading to Amsterdam which is approx. 7.50 quid cheaper to get to.
I am a little scared to ask about our accommodation plans ... But I take comfort from the fact that tonight will be spent on the bus.
All that's left is to stay away from fiber ... Because ... What goes in must come out !
A familiar face
This time ... there will be blood.
I enjoyed 'hanging' out and filming this horror/thriller with the cast from DramSoc's new play, 'the dark side' (imperial's drama society). It gave me some more experience is writing for film and directing actors.
I also tried setting myself some technical challenges with visual effects I have never done before. Some worked out while others backfired. All in all good fun.
Hope you all enjoy it ... And as ever feedback is always appreciated.
'get you wand out harry !'
In my defence, I did not go looking the line .. it found me ...
FWDC Day 20 - that's a wrap folks
Lets see if I can recall what I learnt in each of these buckets:
DIRECT LEARNING
Learning outcomes in scope of the course ranged from blocking, capturing sound to roles of crew members. The two most important lessons for me were:
> directing actors; and
> making scripts more engaging.
INDIRECT LEARNING
These are the things I was 'encouraged' to learn as a result of the story of my short:
> green screen (with a moving camera);
> aging in post;
> tracking;
> cheesy FX; and
> a little bit of sound enhancement.
EXPERIENCE POINTS
Theory can take you so far but eventually you need to jump off that branch and flap like a mad man to learn to fly. The three exercises we did ('the punch','directing actors', and short film) gave me plenty to flap about. The key learning outcome for me were:
> motivating crew through their involvement, achieved through communicating the shot plan etc.
> be firm when needed to get the most out of your actors - both you and the actor will be thankful otherwise you just end up wasting everyone's time. You are there to make a film first and friends second.
> be flexible and don't blindly commit to a shot because you like it. If a shot tells you nothing new, lose it.
Overall, found a great teacher in Ben, although his grasp of time travel principles was shaky at best. That said, he didn't stop challenging me to refine and tighten my story. Gona miss the constant state of race Ben's hands are in, each one trying to overtake the other.
The peer group was a mixed bag of nuts. Without giving away names, we had:
> a musician;
> a seasoned actor;
> an i-talian facetube addict;
> an extra from Guy Riche's movies - 'lend us a ciggy mate - ya know what mean';
> an executive pensioner;
> as experienced AD, aka Mr 'quiet on the set';
> an absentee Neptunian;
> a fat man in a superman getup;
> mr. quiff who wished he could enter rooms to 70's porn music; and
> a swiss shopaholic doing her bid in stimulating the economic.
I'm not one for sentiments, or as I would like to call them - chick flick mounts, but I'm gona miss the 'brady bunch'.
Its been fun writing these series of posts, logging the course along the way in case I lose my notes ... Which I managed to do back on day 7.
I'll end with my saying that really annoyed Ben ... But it's a good way to end this.
" ... and cut ... we'll fix the rest in the post !! "
That's a wrap folks ...
FWDC Day 19 - what's in a name
It's gotten to a point where I'm done with the short, though the short clearly disagrees with me. Sure there are blips and areas where sound's a little out of sync ... But I'm the one with opposable thumbs so I get to win.
Now to name it. Like with naming all my other projects, I named it based on the first color that came to my mind - LEMONADE. It just smelled right at the time, though I think 'boggle', as suggested by my smell receptors.
The name also speaks to the making of the film. This is not the film I wanted to make but the film I ended of making. So, the shoot gave me lemons and I made ... Lemonade (how did you not see that coming) - would you like some crackers with that?
Get it? Because of the cheesy title ... Must I (poorly) spell out everything !!
FWDC Day 18 - the FX factor
At this stage the story have a rough shape in a video form so it's all about the bells and whistles. Some of these considerations include;
,
> Time traveling FX?
> what should the lab look like in the future?
> how to age the actress in the post?
> establishing shots for now and 30 years from now?
> and Ofcourse SOUND !! ... Really need to find someone who knows a thing or two about sound.
Well, I have one more day to get all this together before the 'show and tell' on Friday (Day 20).
As with many other posts in this series, it's apt to end this one with a note to myself ... 'Ticky Tock .. buddy ... Tick Tock ... Get on with it'
FWDC Day 17 - sounds a trouble
The sound was recorded on the two channels at different volumes as backup, in case one channel clips if actors get too passionate in their dialogue and start projecting to China.
We were never taught how to edit sound but it wasn't rocket science. All I had to do was split the stereo (left & right) channels into it's mono components, pick what I liked from the relevant channel, and compile the resulting file. Trust me, it was easier than it sounds.
Now all that is left is the final touches: such as sound syncs, sound track, color correction and other sound effects. Two days to get this done.
Fyi: the short is turning out to be pretty lame so far ... Not to mention confusing :)
FWDC Day 16 - rough cut
That said, there is plenty to keep me busy in the mean time ... took 18 hrs of edit time over the weekend to track, key and build a virtual set for a 2 min scene. Learning loads on the technical side of things though the movie is not that interesting.
There is still loads to do - sound, fx, and two other scenes ... Work work ...
FWDC Day 15 - green be gone
One thing I did discover on Day 14 was how much Apple has made life difficult for me. The footage shot with the JVC was native to final cut pro which meant I could only edit the footage in final cut pro on a Mac .. Arghhh !! ...
So, the final part of the day was spent compressing the rushes to 'ProRes 422 HQ' so I can edit at home ... On my beloved windows machine ... or as I like to call it ... 'Wack', as opposed to 'Mac'.
Also, between the camera and the hard drive two of my shots were lost. These shots were going to pull my short together and help make this nonsensical story make a little more sense. Clearly 'Murphy' was not through with me on Day 14 and came back for the final touches - and boy was I 'touched' !!
Never mind, it's too late now. All I can do now is run with what I have and chalk it all down to experience.
Now to get the green out and build the virtual sets ... I know what I'll be doing this weekend.
FWDC Day 14 - murphy's law
f
The decision to shoot against green was a poor one given the parameters of the shoot, namely:
> 2 hrs shoot time.
> unfamiliarity of actors with the script.
> a Director Of Photography (DOP) who didn't see eye-to-eye with my vision, and
> lighting the green screen.
So ... 40 min into my shooting time I was knee deep in technical discussions with my DOP trying to explain to him how the lights at the edge of the frame can be masked out in 'post', so it's not an issue if they are in frame. To show him the frame I wanted I made the mistake of zooming the camera out a little, at which point I was politely informed that had this been a real set I would've been fashioning a black eye for that brave act. Note to self, DOPs get very possessive about their gear - be ware ...
The fact that the actress wanted to wear the glasses I got for Dr. F. Ope didn't help either.
Due to all these moving parts I ended up shooting a different movie than what I set out to shoot at the start of day 14. That said, very useful experience.
Key takeaway from the day was ... Be strict with your actors if needed and be open to go with the flow because things not always work out the way you imagine.
If all else fails, remember ... you can fix every thing in the post except the acting.
FWDC Day 13 - I have a plan
I have still not been able to sell my short about time travel to Ben, but I suppose only 'time' will tell whether it's a good idea to shoot something that has multiple timelines.
If that isn't tricky enough, I am thinking of shooting the whole thing against green screen. There is only one wall with green here so the whole set would have to be re-oriented for each set-up ... Which is what the sketch is all about ... Can't wait.
FWDC Day 12 - where's Wally
Instead I lounged around at home and did Bupkis ... I like the word bupkis, not sure why I have not used it before.
FWDC Day 11 - piloting my script
Tonight I need to work on trimming the scene for the shoot on Thu (Day 14) or Fri (Day 15) ... Ticky Tock ...
FWDC Day 10 - camera, sounds ... ACTION !
It's all about communication and being clear and precise. There appears to be a rhythm to shooting which goes something like this:
> actor's, first position
> camera
> speed - (when camera ready)
> sound
> set - (when sound ready)
> and ... action (only I like to say 'and' before the action)
> cut
All in all ... I can see myself getting used to this rhythm.
FWDC Day 9 - directing actors
Before you even take the camera out of the bag do the following:
> line read
> blocking the actions
> setting the context
> setting the subtext - driven partly by the context.
> rehearse till you are happy
Only when you are happy with the scene do you bring out the camera and start thinking about shots. Although a story board helps, it is important to be flexible and improvise shots on location based on the final blocking.
Next, each of us gets a chance to practice directing a scene with a crew of - DOP (camera man), boom operator, first assistant director and a pair of performers ... Excited.
FWDC Day 8 - story boarding a script
I never realised how camera position of a given scene can change the tone of a scene and give it a completely different feel. Subtle but important.
Story board, in a nutshell, is all about experimenting with different 'tones' before your shoot day.
Very useful but very time consuming.
FWDC Day 7 - dumb it down dummy
In my continued last minute theme, which has now become etched in my lifestyle, I had nothing to show Ben at the start of day 7. That said, my name came to my rescue yet again. With initials W and S, no matter how a list is arranged (first name or family name) I tend to fall at the bottom of lists. This landed me with the second last slot for the day @ 4:00, giving me enough time to come up with something during the course of the day ... and ... I did.
The idea, which would hopefully go online on Day 19 (25th Nov), was received with mixed views. Where at the core the idea was not considered bad (that does not mean it's good, it's not bad - two very different things) the general tone of the feedback was - the idea is too complicated and too subtle for a short. In a nut shell, I need to dumb it down for the masses.
I have till Monday (Day 11) to water down the idea. The question is - will I get around to it before Monday or will I wait till the last minute?
Ticky Tock ... pal ... Ticky Tock!
FWDC Day 6 - boom the room
First half of the day was spent discussing the importance of creating a soundscape and the art of booming. It's definitely one of the dark arts of film making, closely following the art of creating visual effects.
Second half of the day was all about working the different knobs on a video camera. Nothing new there but I don't fully get the role of shutter speed in a video camera given that the rate at which images are captured is determined by the frame rate (fps - frames per seconds).
Note to self - find out and make a note of it.
FWDC Day 5 - no method just madness
After some technical difficulties, the first half of the day was spent chasing our tails. It was only after I had refused that I finally got some space to get to know 'final cut' more intimately.
Having spent a good three hours editing a 2 min clip I can confidently claim that 'final cut' sucks arse when compared to 'premier'. Hats off to the folks at adobe for making 'premier's' interface super transparent and intuitive.
Lets just say I have one more reason to not fork out for mac merchandise.
FWDC Day 4 - all about ducks
Day 4 was more of the same, focusing on both scene and characters, within that scene, development. Won't lie, some of the discussions felt like we were arguing how long a piece of string needs to be, circling the point like a plane waiting to land.
That said, I'm learning loads ... The key take away of the theory so far for me is to give more though to the characters and motivations for their actions that drive the story, something that has always been an after though in all my stuff.
The question, I suppose, is how much of this will I take onboard .. hmmm ... There is only one way to find out - lets film shall we !!
Volatile times - London bomb scare
FWDC Day 3 - the food chain
Noting very interesting to report other than that we watched a few movies and, as a collective, criticised without being very constructive. I find it far too easy to be annally retentive in my role as a 'couch critic' then I suspect I'd be as a film maker.
Looking forward to have my work ripped to pieces by this lot ... The only way I'll learn is through my mistakes.
(picture: story board from day 1)
FWDC Day 2 - Gentlemen .. Sharpen you pencils
We started by looking at: the basic story structure; various elements that need to be considered e.g. styles, genera; stages of developing a script; and designing and defining characters. Having dabbled in the craft of written arts myself, I was surprised to learn that the intended audience was somewhat of an after thought in the process.
As one would expect, these discussions were accompanied with viewing and discussing a few short films. Needless to say aristotle was quoted when describing one short. This made me want to smash a chair through a window and make a noisy exit because using the door would not have made whatever point I felt like making after the pretentious commentary. Not sure whether it was about the video or about the reviewer showing off their uncommon knowledge.
All-in-all, a useful insight into story writing thought I could've done without the greek philosophers two cents.
FWDC Day 1 - The deep end
Like with all my new starts I kept the tradition by showing up 15 mins late. That said, on balance I was 15 min early because I was running per the recommended arrival time rather than the actual start time. So for once the 30 min buffer worked in my favour - ignorance is awesome.
The first half of the day was spent setting the context of the course and the usual house keeping - all about nothing really.
However what came next was totally unexpected for the first day. 'You will be filming a short about change in behaviour of A or B as they interact' said Ben. He then went on to explain how this is called 'the punch', without any punching. What I took away from the brief was something along the lines of A short scene that captures the 'you've been tangoed' advert.
Once the initial brain freeze subsided and I was able to think of something other than a bald man slapping an unaware, well suited man on his way for a management type meeting, silly and running away screaming 'you've been tangoed' I was able to string together a lose though.
Thinking of calling it 'the impressionable' so watch this space for that little short to rear its head in the coming weeks.
Can someone pass me the mic - I have a question
Question: 'What is china doing to sustain the current growth they are enjoying?'
I was expecting a wishy washy answer about 'motherhood and apple pies' but instead I was surprised at the granularity and specificity of the reply. After going over managing financial sector he went on to explain how excessive polluting agents of commercialism will be shut down and briefly touched on China's plans for managing greenhouse gases.
Around about this point I was half expecting Matee's (youngest of the Captain Planet's crew) monkey to jump onto the stage from, chasing a fly that had made its way into the conference, followed closely by his stumbling keeper as he tried to catch him before the gig was up.
I doubt the Q&A was transcribed, but if I find it I'll put a link >>here<<.
Selling to the Stupid !
This is clearly a case for regulating retailers because people are simply to stupid to let near shops !!
Farnborough airshow - defying gravity & making noise
An unexpected sticker
Cornwall diaries - love thy clutch
Current location - bristol (next to Nandos)
Company - 4 guys, RAC and an unhappy clutch.
Cornwall diaries - in the beginning there were 4 ...
9:37 - got to eusten ... Time to sell Saad some BS excuse.
10:15 - third time luck, after entertaining two cars, settled on one ...
And so it begins ..
Tee'd off @ the drizzle
I'm gona smack this Mac
You feed it a fresh dvd and it refuses to acknowledge your offering. To add to insult, since it never recognised the DVD there is no way of getting it back from this unthankful machine. Need to talk to the terminal to get it to make good with .. Well .. The goods.
And don't even get me started on capturing video on this thing .. That one I'll keep for my therapist ...
1 year - 2 months - 4 days ...
Spent a good part of friday and sunday lugging the gear across town. It's a shame I was not able to film anything because didn't manage to secure a location.
Maybe I should start with a music video to get warmed up ... After all, it's been some time since the last video ... Hmmm, what song should it be ...
Bless this mess
Just coz ....
So effectively I'm watching a bunch of people doing, what I can best describe as, a bleep test ... Working out as I sit crookedly in my chair to get a better view. Oh .. and did I mention it sells like the inside of an airplane.
To be Cultured and confused - at the Opera
A stolen business plan?
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