Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The ICLONE software, by REALLUSION, is the newer kid on the block with 3D real-time animation. ICLONE is so much simpler to use for animating that it puts POSER and DAZ to shame. It has some interesting features that will definitely appeal to a certain segment of the populous. This intuitive and affordable ensemble, will have its place among filmmakers, even if it does not producing high-end visual effects for professionals. ICLONE has tools that can aide producers in storyboarding, set layout and lights. Ultimately, this software will be used for creating Avatars, for general online use. The models have a low poly count, and are great for video game apps, or animation for non-realistic cartoonist avatars. The facial texturing is not set up for realistic rendering for photo-reality. Nor does it seem to be able to export meshes. Its fun to navigate the FREE TRIAL, and get an idea of what ICLONE has to offer. It will not replace DAZ or POSER users, but I could see a lot of end users enjoying the application.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Shadow of Crime - Our Trailer / First Day of Shoot Story
In celebration of being Independent filmmakers on Independence Day, we are going to finally get our trailer up on our blog.. :D
We had a few motivations for producing a crime film. First off, we enjoy crime films. We enjoy a lot of types of films, but we were watching a rash of crime films and thought it would be a good start. We had been watching some of our faves including: Snatch, Fight Club, Lock Stock and Two smoking Barrels, Boondock Saints, Once upon a time in Mexico, Heat, and Ichi the Killer. The stories in all of these films are exceptional, stylish and very fast paced. With a low budget, your limited on the devices you can use to make the production happen. The convenience of being able to write your own screenplay is that you can assess what resources you have and work with those while writing your production. Not only did we have a bunch of ideas for a story, but we had a network of awesome actors that were ready to go for our story and we had worked with some of them on a short we produced and that went very well..titled "The Difference".. Producing a crime drama story can be very cost effective for a low budget production...especially with a good group of actors on hand...good story...and accessible locations.
SO here we are....LIGHTS..CAMERA.....ACTION!!!!
USING THE CANON HV20 TO SHOOT OUR FEATURE FILM
We decided to use the CANON HV20 to shoot our film “Shadow of Crime” for one
reason, it produced a much better quality image than MiniDV. As matter of fact at the time it produced the best quality image I’d seen for a camera at the $799 price range ever. We did a few practice shots with the HV20, and brought those into our NLE which was Adobe PREMIER CS3. At that time PREMIERE CS3 did not have a preset for a 24p timeline for HDV, so we made our own. We set the timeline to be a 24p, at HDV’s 1440x1080 with a1.33 aspect ratio. It worked well. That gave us the necessary confidence to go ahead and start the process of film making.
This part will explain all the equipment we used along with the HV20. We built two camera supports out of PVC one was based on the FIG-RIG, the other was based on the GLIDE CAM. These worked well on the light weight HV20, and I was very happy that we constructed these. They performed very well through out the film, we needed to keep a wrench around, because the bolts keeping the section that held the camera on kept coming loose, but it wasn’t that bad. We used an old tripod I Had left over from when I used to do a lot of shooting with my Arri SB 16mm. It was a bit heavy and over kill for the HV20, but we already had it. WE BOUGHT 3 Altman 650 Fresnel 165Q for $147 a piece. We already had 2 Ellipsoidal focus spot, two soft edge boxes, 6 halogen work-lights, so we were set on lighting. FOR SOUND we already had the AZDEN SGM-2X Shotgun Microphone, but we decided to buy a second for back up, also for those times when we would need two MIC’s. We decided on the Azden SGM-1X Shotgun Microphone $169. We bought a 2XLR to 3.5mini Jack adaptor$10. It was a “Y” shape. Two mono XLR’s to the stereo mini jack. The HV20 handle this fine. We didn’t need a Beachtek or Juicelink. We used the camera’s internal manual microphone adjustment to control the sound. As far as I know, before the HV20 no other consumer camera had this feature, and they handled sound poorly even if they had an external MIC jack. We used a telescopic paint pole, and a brush holder that attached to the microphones integrated shock-mount , that’s what I love about AZDEN these Mic’s come with their own shock- mounts. We used the Sony DVM-63HDR tapes, they were more expensive than regular miniDV tapes, but we had a few DROP OUT on our test on the Sony DVM60PRR, so we switched to the DVM-63HDR’s and we never had another DROP OUT through out the film. We shot 40 tapes. Some we filled up the full length of 63minutes, most were around 45min. WE shot a lot of footage 1825 minutes, and the film was 99min long.
Now back to the camera, our first day of shooting was August 24, 2008 at the MGM Grand Casino Parking lot. We had 6 pages of the screenplay to shoot, we had from 1pm to 10pm, at least that’s what we told MGM Grand, “We should be done by 10pm or so” They shut down the whole 8th floor of the parking garage for us. The first scene we shot was of a MOB BOSS that goes into the parking garage elevator and is killed by one of the hit men. We set up two 750w Altman’s to throw some light around in the Elevator waiting area. I set the camera to 24p, and switched over to Cinemode in the MGM Grand Casino Parking lot. We had 6 pages of the screenplay to shoot, we had from 1pm to 10pm, at least that’s what we told MGM Grand, “We should be done by 10pm or so” They shut down the whole 8th floor of the parking garage for us. The first scene we shot was of a MOB BOSS that goes into the parking garage elevator and is killed by one of the hit men. We set up two 750w Altman’s to throw some light around in the Elevator waiting area. I set the camera to 24p, and switched over to Cinemode. Then took a few passes at the entrance of the Elevator Waiting area door. It was 3pm, and daylight was coming in from all over. This is supposed to be a night scene. So I was forced to shoot from inside the elevator waiting inside out, and would have to go back later and get the approaching mob boss when it was dark. We pulled a bunch of our cars up near the entrance to the elevator to block some of the Sun. We set up inside the waiting area. The actor practiced his move through the doors and up to the elevator. It looked good. The first shot was ready to shoot. I plugged in the 3.5mini jack Microphone, and all I heard was hiss. “OH SHIT, IT’S BROKEN! Damn, I should not have tried to use a consumer camera to shoot a film”. I said to myself, “Settle down, it’s a connection”. I checked all the connections, no change. Now I’m thinking “All these people, our first day, I’m going to look really bad, the actors are going to quit, MGM won’t let us back to shoot, I’m an ass.” Everybody is looking at me, like what’s wrong. Suddenly, my Cell Phone rings, it’s an actor calling for direction. I answer the cell, tell everybody I’ll be right back. I walk over to my camera bag and grab it, and go out the elevator, and sit in my car. I tell the actor how to get there in a minute or so. Leave the phone to my ear and go over the HV20 manual real quick. Hoping everybody thinks I’m talking to some one real important, and will be right back. “This didn’t happen in the test we did, but those were two months ago.” I’m forgetting something or the camera is broken. What am I going to do if it’s broken? I read through the microphone stuff then get to the head phones. As Sweat drops off my forehead, and drops onto the manual I remember, as I read, the head phone is plugged into the same jack as the AV in/out, and I have to switch this over. I close the Manuel wipe my forehead and head over to the camera. The whole time I’m praying “PLEASE BE IT, PLEASE BE IT” as a walk to the camera. I reach the camera, click through the menu, and hit the switch that turns it from AV to HEADPHONES, and the hiss is gone. I smile, and look up to everybody. Sorry about that, are we ready? Everybody says “yes” meaning they have been. The actor takes his position. I hit record, then yell “action”. He enters the elevator, and the sound was crystal clear. Using the manual adjustment’s I had perfect sound. I never had another problem with the HV20 again. We shot all six pages, but we didn’t get out of there until 1am. The ability to change exposures on the fly using the joystick on the back was great. The weight and size of the camera was great for getting into tight places, or hand holding for very long periods of time. We shot some weird angle stuff that would have been impossible even with the XH-A1, the HV20’s bigger brother. The two microphone trick, using the “Y” adapter worked great. We never used a mixer through the whole film.
The HV20 doesn’t have as great a low light capabilities as a three chip HDV camera would have or even a miniDV with three chips, but we knew that wouldn’t bother us, because FILM is the same way.
We only had one other problem, and that was with trying to shoot using the AC adapter we kept getting a slight buzz, recorded to the tape. We fixed it by taking a break and letting the camera charge for 45min, and we finished out the day on battery.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HV20 or HV30, ask us..we will do our best to help!
We had a few motivations for producing a crime film. First off, we enjoy crime films. We enjoy a lot of types of films, but we were watching a rash of crime films and thought it would be a good start. We had been watching some of our faves including: Snatch, Fight Club, Lock Stock and Two smoking Barrels, Boondock Saints, Once upon a time in Mexico, Heat, and Ichi the Killer. The stories in all of these films are exceptional, stylish and very fast paced. With a low budget, your limited on the devices you can use to make the production happen. The convenience of being able to write your own screenplay is that you can assess what resources you have and work with those while writing your production. Not only did we have a bunch of ideas for a story, but we had a network of awesome actors that were ready to go for our story and we had worked with some of them on a short we produced and that went very well..titled "The Difference".. Producing a crime drama story can be very cost effective for a low budget production...especially with a good group of actors on hand...good story...and accessible locations.
SO here we are....LIGHTS..CAMERA.....ACTION!!!!
USING THE CANON HV20 TO SHOOT OUR FEATURE FILM
We decided to use the CANON HV20 to shoot our film “Shadow of Crime” for one
reason, it produced a much better quality image than MiniDV. As matter of fact at the time it produced the best quality image I’d seen for a camera at the $799 price range ever. We did a few practice shots with the HV20, and brought those into our NLE which was Adobe PREMIER CS3. At that time PREMIERE CS3 did not have a preset for a 24p timeline for HDV, so we made our own. We set the timeline to be a 24p, at HDV’s 1440x1080 with a1.33 aspect ratio. It worked well. That gave us the necessary confidence to go ahead and start the process of film making.
This part will explain all the equipment we used along with the HV20. We built two camera supports out of PVC one was based on the FIG-RIG, the other was based on the GLIDE CAM. These worked well on the light weight HV20, and I was very happy that we constructed these. They performed very well through out the film, we needed to keep a wrench around, because the bolts keeping the section that held the camera on kept coming loose, but it wasn’t that bad. We used an old tripod I Had left over from when I used to do a lot of shooting with my Arri SB 16mm. It was a bit heavy and over kill for the HV20, but we already had it. WE BOUGHT 3 Altman 650 Fresnel 165Q for $147 a piece. We already had 2 Ellipsoidal focus spot, two soft edge boxes, 6 halogen work-lights, so we were set on lighting. FOR SOUND we already had the AZDEN SGM-2X Shotgun Microphone, but we decided to buy a second for back up, also for those times when we would need two MIC’s. We decided on the Azden SGM-1X Shotgun Microphone $169. We bought a 2XLR to 3.5mini Jack adaptor$10. It was a “Y” shape. Two mono XLR’s to the stereo mini jack. The HV20 handle this fine. We didn’t need a Beachtek or Juicelink. We used the camera’s internal manual microphone adjustment to control the sound. As far as I know, before the HV20 no other consumer camera had this feature, and they handled sound poorly even if they had an external MIC jack. We used a telescopic paint pole, and a brush holder that attached to the microphones integrated shock-mount , that’s what I love about AZDEN these Mic’s come with their own shock- mounts. We used the Sony DVM-63HDR tapes, they were more expensive than regular miniDV tapes, but we had a few DROP OUT on our test on the Sony DVM60PRR, so we switched to the DVM-63HDR’s and we never had another DROP OUT through out the film. We shot 40 tapes. Some we filled up the full length of 63minutes, most were around 45min. WE shot a lot of footage 1825 minutes, and the film was 99min long.
Now back to the camera, our first day of shooting was August 24, 2008 at the MGM Grand Casino Parking lot. We had 6 pages of the screenplay to shoot, we had from 1pm to 10pm, at least that’s what we told MGM Grand, “We should be done by 10pm or so” They shut down the whole 8th floor of the parking garage for us. The first scene we shot was of a MOB BOSS that goes into the parking garage elevator and is killed by one of the hit men. We set up two 750w Altman’s to throw some light around in the Elevator waiting area. I set the camera to 24p, and switched over to Cinemode in the MGM Grand Casino Parking lot. We had 6 pages of the screenplay to shoot, we had from 1pm to 10pm, at least that’s what we told MGM Grand, “We should be done by 10pm or so” They shut down the whole 8th floor of the parking garage for us. The first scene we shot was of a MOB BOSS that goes into the parking garage elevator and is killed by one of the hit men. We set up two 750w Altman’s to throw some light around in the Elevator waiting area. I set the camera to 24p, and switched over to Cinemode. Then took a few passes at the entrance of the Elevator Waiting area door. It was 3pm, and daylight was coming in from all over. This is supposed to be a night scene. So I was forced to shoot from inside the elevator waiting inside out, and would have to go back later and get the approaching mob boss when it was dark. We pulled a bunch of our cars up near the entrance to the elevator to block some of the Sun. We set up inside the waiting area. The actor practiced his move through the doors and up to the elevator. It looked good. The first shot was ready to shoot. I plugged in the 3.5mini jack Microphone, and all I heard was hiss. “OH SHIT, IT’S BROKEN! Damn, I should not have tried to use a consumer camera to shoot a film”. I said to myself, “Settle down, it’s a connection”. I checked all the connections, no change. Now I’m thinking “All these people, our first day, I’m going to look really bad, the actors are going to quit, MGM won’t let us back to shoot, I’m an ass.” Everybody is looking at me, like what’s wrong. Suddenly, my Cell Phone rings, it’s an actor calling for direction. I answer the cell, tell everybody I’ll be right back. I walk over to my camera bag and grab it, and go out the elevator, and sit in my car. I tell the actor how to get there in a minute or so. Leave the phone to my ear and go over the HV20 manual real quick. Hoping everybody thinks I’m talking to some one real important, and will be right back. “This didn’t happen in the test we did, but those were two months ago.” I’m forgetting something or the camera is broken. What am I going to do if it’s broken? I read through the microphone stuff then get to the head phones. As Sweat drops off my forehead, and drops onto the manual I remember, as I read, the head phone is plugged into the same jack as the AV in/out, and I have to switch this over. I close the Manuel wipe my forehead and head over to the camera. The whole time I’m praying “PLEASE BE IT, PLEASE BE IT” as a walk to the camera. I reach the camera, click through the menu, and hit the switch that turns it from AV to HEADPHONES, and the hiss is gone. I smile, and look up to everybody. Sorry about that, are we ready? Everybody says “yes” meaning they have been. The actor takes his position. I hit record, then yell “action”. He enters the elevator, and the sound was crystal clear. Using the manual adjustment’s I had perfect sound. I never had another problem with the HV20 again. We shot all six pages, but we didn’t get out of there until 1am. The ability to change exposures on the fly using the joystick on the back was great. The weight and size of the camera was great for getting into tight places, or hand holding for very long periods of time. We shot some weird angle stuff that would have been impossible even with the XH-A1, the HV20’s bigger brother. The two microphone trick, using the “Y” adapter worked great. We never used a mixer through the whole film.
The HV20 doesn’t have as great a low light capabilities as a three chip HDV camera would have or even a miniDV with three chips, but we knew that wouldn’t bother us, because FILM is the same way.
We only had one other problem, and that was with trying to shoot using the AC adapter we kept getting a slight buzz, recorded to the tape. We fixed it by taking a break and letting the camera charge for 45min, and we finished out the day on battery.
ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE HV20 or HV30, ask us..we will do our best to help!
DIY - FLESH CARVINGS OR BLOODY TATToo'S SPECIAL FX
FLESH CARVINGS OR BLOODY TATTOO's SPECIAL FX CARVINGS DIY
Have you ever wanted to simulate a scalpel carving in the skin for Halloween or a shot for a film? This is a DIY flesh carving that you can create wherever and whatever shape desired. The materials are simple and cost effective and SAFE.
Materials:
- Grease paint
(red, blue, white, flesh tone 
)
- Blood Paste
or thick fake blood (we posted fake blood recipes on our blog)
- Detail brushes (small brush more detail)
- Wide flat brush (blending)
- Makeup Sponges
- Makeup remover
(for mistakes, and or clean up)
HOW TO:
Mix red paint and fake blood proportion ratios 1:1
Take small detail brush and draw basic shape using straight lines.
Note: if you taper lines, it will come across more like a razor blade had cut the skin..
Make sure you use blunt cuts so it’s not blended or smooth. This helps it appear like a cut. Next: mix the white and flesh tone paint to recreate a flesh tone one shade lighter then subjects. It will be so it looks as if when you scratch your skin it looks a bit lighter…Apply the lighter flesh tone with the wider flat tipped brush using light longer strokes… in areas where you want the skin to look like it was lightly scratched (a scratch will have different depths. The deeper the scratch the darker the color….we are using a few shades to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface), and make sure it is on the outside of the carving. Not inside, unless you’re doing something specific that would need an inside skin scratch... A recommendation is near corners where two detail red lines meet... or at the end of the red detail lines on outside edge.
Next Take the blue paint and add just a very little drop to red / fake blood combo to darken it….After it is mixed you will take a sponge and add a very little by dabbing the sponge around cuts where you wish to show more depth for the wound…..preferably at the corners where the knife or tool would have started and stopped….This will give it the illusion for a tad more depth..(NOTE: just a lil blue is needed. The blue should fade into a darker red color..you don’t want to see BLUE..but the darker red tone )
Now, to give the carving the extra varying depth….use the detail brush and apply just the blood to it..you will want to apply varying amounts of blood paste or fake blood along the carving lines..the areas you apply the blood will have more depth ..
And as always be creative..you may figure out a better way by trying these techniques~! BTW: Ben Nye is a very Professional brand, it is the brand we try to use and it has been a standard in the industry for years..it is not the only brand out there and it is in the medium price range but its a excellent product and gives excellent results. You can purchase brushes anywhere but be careful about to inexpensively made ones the hairs on the brush fall off into the paint applied on your subject and its very very very difficult & annoying to remove without affecting your applied wounds. Grease Paint is thick and it pulls on the brush more then other types of paint.
Final sealer
: apply this on top when you are finished. This will set your work and keep it from running and melting off during your shoot.
*** DON’T FORGET, LESS IS MORE, YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE ITS HARDER TO REMOVE IT AND REDO IT ****
Have you ever wanted to simulate a scalpel carving in the skin for Halloween or a shot for a film? This is a DIY flesh carving that you can create wherever and whatever shape desired. The materials are simple and cost effective and SAFE.
Materials:
- Grease paint
(red, blue, white, flesh tone )- Blood Paste
or thick fake blood (we posted fake blood recipes on our blog)- Detail brushes (small brush more detail)
- Wide flat brush (blending)
- Makeup Sponges
- Makeup remover
(for mistakes, and or clean up)HOW TO:
Mix red paint and fake blood proportion ratios 1:1
Take small detail brush and draw basic shape using straight lines.
Note: if you taper lines, it will come across more like a razor blade had cut the skin..
Make sure you use blunt cuts so it’s not blended or smooth. This helps it appear like a cut. Next: mix the white and flesh tone paint to recreate a flesh tone one shade lighter then subjects. It will be so it looks as if when you scratch your skin it looks a bit lighter…Apply the lighter flesh tone with the wider flat tipped brush using light longer strokes… in areas where you want the skin to look like it was lightly scratched (a scratch will have different depths. The deeper the scratch the darker the color….we are using a few shades to create the illusion of depth on a flat surface), and make sure it is on the outside of the carving. Not inside, unless you’re doing something specific that would need an inside skin scratch... A recommendation is near corners where two detail red lines meet... or at the end of the red detail lines on outside edge.
Next Take the blue paint and add just a very little drop to red / fake blood combo to darken it….After it is mixed you will take a sponge and add a very little by dabbing the sponge around cuts where you wish to show more depth for the wound…..preferably at the corners where the knife or tool would have started and stopped….This will give it the illusion for a tad more depth..(NOTE: just a lil blue is needed. The blue should fade into a darker red color..you don’t want to see BLUE..but the darker red tone )
Now, to give the carving the extra varying depth….use the detail brush and apply just the blood to it..you will want to apply varying amounts of blood paste or fake blood along the carving lines..the areas you apply the blood will have more depth ..
And as always be creative..you may figure out a better way by trying these techniques~! BTW: Ben Nye is a very Professional brand, it is the brand we try to use and it has been a standard in the industry for years..it is not the only brand out there and it is in the medium price range but its a excellent product and gives excellent results. You can purchase brushes anywhere but be careful about to inexpensively made ones the hairs on the brush fall off into the paint applied on your subject and its very very very difficult & annoying to remove without affecting your applied wounds. Grease Paint is thick and it pulls on the brush more then other types of paint.
Final sealer
: apply this on top when you are finished. This will set your work and keep it from running and melting off during your shoot.*** DON’T FORGET, LESS IS MORE, YOU CAN ALWAYS ADD MORE ITS HARDER TO REMOVE IT AND REDO IT ****
Saturday, July 3, 2010
DIY- Fake Blood Recipes
Fake Blood Recipes - DIY
What's a Horror movie without blood for special affects? Fake blood is available in novelty and party supply stores but making it yourself is fun -- and you'll see some pretty realistic results.
Here are some basic recipes for you to make your own Horror films come to life! Real blood is reddish brown so you may need to alter the amounts of ingredients for the desired affect. Keep in mind, fake blood is messy and some of these recipes may leave stains -- (use with caution).
DIY Fake Blood
1 c. Karo Syrup
1 Tbsp Water
2 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
1 tsp Yellow Food Coloring
Mix together in a mixing bowl and you're done. Try adding blue or yellow for a different shade.
Chocolate Fake Blood:
This is not good for close ups, yet it is good for splattering and spraying out of the mouth FX..since its safe...and it looks good when it stains shirts..for that nice for that nice dried crusty blood look! If you use Koscher salt and mix it in there until the salt disappears..it turns out looking like a scab! This is better then using Karo for scabs because it drys quicker.
1/2 c. Warm Water
4 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
1 tsp Red Food Coloring
Blend the water and cocoa together and then add the rest of the ingredients. Let the concoction sit for awhile and skim the bubbles off of the top. Add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring if you're not satisfied.
Simple Fake Blood:
Dark Corn Syrup / Karob
Red Food Coloring
Milk - Optional
However much fake blood is how much corn syrup you'll need. Pour it into a bowl and mix in some red food coloring. Add some blue if you like. Adding a small amount of milk will make the blood appear darker and thicker.
Realistic Blood Recipe:
2/3 c. Corn Syrup
1/3 c. Warm Water
5 Tbsp Corn Starch
4 tsp red food coloring
1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
2 drops of green or yellow food coloring
Mix the corn starch with the water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the corn syrup. Add the food coloring slowly, checking for color.
Gravy Blood:
Gravy Granules
Red Food Coloring
HOT Water
The directions are EASY, all you do is make the gravy up as you would normally but if you feel like it, you can make it a bit thicker, then add the red food coloring. It's up to you how much you add but too much will stain as it will not have been diluted enough. YUM!
Blood for Spider Veins:
This is good for spidering (VEINS):
Plain Flour
Water
Red Food Coloring
1 tsp. of Coffee
Boil the water on the stove, then sieve in the flour, making sure you get ALL of the lumps out. The quantity of ingredients aren't important, it just depends on how much you want. Once you have the flour mixed nicely into the water it should look nice and thick. Next, add the red food coloring.
You will notice that it's a ghastly, bright red colour but don't worry this is why we add the coffee. It is important that when you add the coffee to make sure the mixture is hot, otherwise it wont dissolve, but up until adding the coffee can be done in a ordinary mixing jug or pan.
Palmolive Imitation Blood:
You can also make fake blood with Palmolive dish soap, (it doesn't matter how much you put in) it depends on how much blood you want! Add red berry powdered Kool-Aid!
Or you could use what TOM SAVINI USED IN DAY OF THE DEAD(we don't recommend this for sanitary reasons)...in the shots where the zombies are not eating people..they used real calves blood and intestines..YUCK! :) During the Shoot, they left the set and the refrigerator went out ..which left the REAL blood and gutz nasty...they still used them for the scenes..and look on some of the actors faces during those shots..THAT WAS NOT ACTING! lol...
What's a Horror movie without blood for special affects? Fake blood is available in novelty and party supply stores but making it yourself is fun -- and you'll see some pretty realistic results.
Here are some basic recipes for you to make your own Horror films come to life! Real blood is reddish brown so you may need to alter the amounts of ingredients for the desired affect. Keep in mind, fake blood is messy and some of these recipes may leave stains -- (use with caution).
DIY Fake Blood
1 c. Karo Syrup
1 Tbsp Water
2 Tbsp Red Food Coloring
1 tsp Yellow Food Coloring
Mix together in a mixing bowl and you're done. Try adding blue or yellow for a different shade.
Chocolate Fake Blood:
This is not good for close ups, yet it is good for splattering and spraying out of the mouth FX..since its safe...and it looks good when it stains shirts..for that nice for that nice dried crusty blood look! If you use Koscher salt and mix it in there until the salt disappears..it turns out looking like a scab! This is better then using Karo for scabs because it drys quicker.
1/2 c. Warm Water
4 Tbsp Corn Syrup
1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
1 tsp Red Food Coloring
Blend the water and cocoa together and then add the rest of the ingredients. Let the concoction sit for awhile and skim the bubbles off of the top. Add a couple of drops of yellow food coloring if you're not satisfied.
Simple Fake Blood:
Dark Corn Syrup / Karob
Red Food Coloring
Milk - Optional
However much fake blood is how much corn syrup you'll need. Pour it into a bowl and mix in some red food coloring. Add some blue if you like. Adding a small amount of milk will make the blood appear darker and thicker.
Realistic Blood Recipe:
2/3 c. Corn Syrup
1/3 c. Warm Water
5 Tbsp Corn Starch
4 tsp red food coloring
1 Tbsp Powdered Cocoa
2 drops of green or yellow food coloring
Mix the corn starch with the water in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the corn syrup. Add the food coloring slowly, checking for color.
Gravy Blood:
Gravy Granules
Red Food Coloring
HOT Water
The directions are EASY, all you do is make the gravy up as you would normally but if you feel like it, you can make it a bit thicker, then add the red food coloring. It's up to you how much you add but too much will stain as it will not have been diluted enough. YUM!
Blood for Spider Veins:
This is good for spidering (VEINS):
Plain Flour
Water
Red Food Coloring
1 tsp. of Coffee
Boil the water on the stove, then sieve in the flour, making sure you get ALL of the lumps out. The quantity of ingredients aren't important, it just depends on how much you want. Once you have the flour mixed nicely into the water it should look nice and thick. Next, add the red food coloring.
You will notice that it's a ghastly, bright red colour but don't worry this is why we add the coffee. It is important that when you add the coffee to make sure the mixture is hot, otherwise it wont dissolve, but up until adding the coffee can be done in a ordinary mixing jug or pan.
Palmolive Imitation Blood:
You can also make fake blood with Palmolive dish soap, (it doesn't matter how much you put in) it depends on how much blood you want! Add red berry powdered Kool-Aid!
Or you could use what TOM SAVINI USED IN DAY OF THE DEAD(we don't recommend this for sanitary reasons)...in the shots where the zombies are not eating people..they used real calves blood and intestines..YUCK! :) During the Shoot, they left the set and the refrigerator went out ..which left the REAL blood and gutz nasty...they still used them for the scenes..and look on some of the actors faces during those shots..THAT WAS NOT ACTING! lol...
What exactly is a 35mm Depth of Field Adapter (aka DOF adapter)?
What exactly is a 35mm Depth of Field Adapter (aka DOF adapter)?
A Depth of Field Adapter is used to achieve shallow depth of field on a video camera whose sensor size is not adequate to achieve it native. A DOF adapter could theoretically be used on a multitude of platforms, although it is most useful on prosumer digital camcorders where high resolution is a capability but the sensor size is still small enough to elicit use of the adapter. The term 35mm adapter is common, since most designs use a focusing screen the size of a 35mm film frame (24×36 mm) and interface with lenses designed for 35mm cameras.
Do you need An 35mm Adapter to get Depth of Field?
The term is a little confusing, let me define it first: DOF is the distance in front of and behind a certain object that is considered imperceptibly in focus - everything else would be considered out of focus.
Now, with that said, a 35mm Cinema camera can give you a much shallower Depth of Field than any 1/3″ CCD camera can. People often call it “The Film Look.” You can get shallower depth of field with a video camera by opening up the aperture all the way, but you will not get the shallow DOF that a 35mm Cinema Camera can give you. That’s until you add a 35mm DOF adapter.
Other than a shallow depth of field, what else can the 35mm DOF adapters offer?
They can help to limit the amount of light hitting the CCD, so hot spots aren’t as hot. This really helps when shooting outside - since shooting outside is often video’s weaker area.
What are the cons of using a 35mm DOF adapter?
There are plenty of cons to using a 35mm DOF adapter.
1. They lose light - 1 to 2 stops, and that’s not counting the added lens!
2. They can take a while to setup.
3. They are often expensive - the better the quality, the more expensive.
4. They are bulky and can add inches/feet to the overall length of your camera.
Should I get a 35mm DOF Adapter?
Yes. But, that doesn’t mean you should use it on every shoot! Similar to using a wide-angle lens on the front of your video camera, 35mm DOF adapters should only be used in the right places.
Think of the DOF adapter as a great addition to your video arsenal and you won’t go wrong. It makes for a great “film look” and allows you to use cinema lenses. Perfect for shooting with a low-budget, when someone wants a higher quality than they can afford…
Are there other ways to get DOF from a video camera?
Using the zoom lens at its greatest zoom, and backing up from your subject will get a better DOF.
What about adding DOF in POST?
This technique works, but you are limited in many way. Different layers and mask are used to accomplish this effect. It’s doable, but not easy.
If you pre-think your shots on set then you can do DOF much easier in post. Make sure your subject doesn’t have any objects crossing behind his head in the back ground, where the mask, and layer will be use to blur the back ground or at least have a point as it crosses his head that you can use as a layer. Think about it this way your going to have a blurry Layer and a sharp layer. The less you have to mask out on your subject the better. This can be done to great effect if the actor is some distance from the background to start with.
Any of these will work, the idea is to use DOF to get a more pleasing interesting picture, and WOW your audiences.
A Depth of Field Adapter is used to achieve shallow depth of field on a video camera whose sensor size is not adequate to achieve it native. A DOF adapter could theoretically be used on a multitude of platforms, although it is most useful on prosumer digital camcorders where high resolution is a capability but the sensor size is still small enough to elicit use of the adapter. The term 35mm adapter is common, since most designs use a focusing screen the size of a 35mm film frame (24×36 mm) and interface with lenses designed for 35mm cameras.
Do you need An 35mm Adapter to get Depth of Field?
The term is a little confusing, let me define it first: DOF is the distance in front of and behind a certain object that is considered imperceptibly in focus - everything else would be considered out of focus.
Now, with that said, a 35mm Cinema camera can give you a much shallower Depth of Field than any 1/3″ CCD camera can. People often call it “The Film Look.” You can get shallower depth of field with a video camera by opening up the aperture all the way, but you will not get the shallow DOF that a 35mm Cinema Camera can give you. That’s until you add a 35mm DOF adapter.
Other than a shallow depth of field, what else can the 35mm DOF adapters offer?
They can help to limit the amount of light hitting the CCD, so hot spots aren’t as hot. This really helps when shooting outside - since shooting outside is often video’s weaker area.
What are the cons of using a 35mm DOF adapter?
There are plenty of cons to using a 35mm DOF adapter.
1. They lose light - 1 to 2 stops, and that’s not counting the added lens!
2. They can take a while to setup.
3. They are often expensive - the better the quality, the more expensive.
4. They are bulky and can add inches/feet to the overall length of your camera.
Should I get a 35mm DOF Adapter?
Yes. But, that doesn’t mean you should use it on every shoot! Similar to using a wide-angle lens on the front of your video camera, 35mm DOF adapters should only be used in the right places.
Think of the DOF adapter as a great addition to your video arsenal and you won’t go wrong. It makes for a great “film look” and allows you to use cinema lenses. Perfect for shooting with a low-budget, when someone wants a higher quality than they can afford…
Are there other ways to get DOF from a video camera?
Using the zoom lens at its greatest zoom, and backing up from your subject will get a better DOF.
What about adding DOF in POST?
This technique works, but you are limited in many way. Different layers and mask are used to accomplish this effect. It’s doable, but not easy.
If you pre-think your shots on set then you can do DOF much easier in post. Make sure your subject doesn’t have any objects crossing behind his head in the back ground, where the mask, and layer will be use to blur the back ground or at least have a point as it crosses his head that you can use as a layer. Think about it this way your going to have a blurry Layer and a sharp layer. The less you have to mask out on your subject the better. This can be done to great effect if the actor is some distance from the background to start with.
Any of these will work, the idea is to use DOF to get a more pleasing interesting picture, and WOW your audiences.
Canon Rebel T2I - REVIEW
CANON REBEL T2I
The new flagship of the EOS Rebel line, Canon EOS Rebel T2I brings professional EOS features into an easy to use, lightweight digital SLR that's a joy to use. Featuring a class-leading 18.0 Mega pixel CMOS Image Sensor and increased light sensitivity for low light photography, the EOS Rebel T2I also has an advanced HD Movie mode for gorgeous Full HD movies. Able to capture up to 3.7 frames per second, it's ready to go the minute it's picked up. Advanced Live View, a new wide-area screen, plus features like Canon's brilliant Auto Lighting Optimizer and Highlight Tone features ensure brilliant photos and movies, easily. With some of the most advanced features of any digital SLR, it's simply the best Rebel Canon has ever created.
The T2I seems to be meeting if not exceeding consumers expectations when it comes to photography. Lightweight, Good battery Life, Quiet, Easy to Use and Excellent Image Quality. We have noticed that if your shooting HD-VIDEO, you may run into some heat issues. While the Still Pictures are AMAZING, there has been complaints of the camera overheating even as early as 6-7 minutes of shooting Hi-Def Video. The images are stunning, but the real advantage is HD video. You get a HD video machine at a third the cost of a dedicated HD video machine.
MAJOR PRO:
You now have use of all of your lenses with the advantage of depth of field missing from most video cameras. When you carry your camera gear it is only for one camera & that at least for me is wonderful because I have lightened my load by half.
MAJOR CON: You lose some bells & whistles of course and the limited audio can be worked around by purchasing a XLR pre-amp with a good xlr mic (something you should have with a dedicated video camera anyway) & audio issues are gone.
Also, the T2I camera over heating in video mode is a major issue if you want to shoot a full feature film. After an hour of continued use the camera will issue a high internal temp warning...an issue with all HDSLR units. So if your still wanting this camera, bite the bullet initially & buy a fast (10) card this will help, not eliminate the heating problem. Also shut off the camera for a minute or two while your in between shots every 20 minutes or so. This allows the camera to cool down & overheating is less of a problem.
Bottom line is if you are a photographer or a PROSUMER Videographer, and want to get a feel of how to shoot with a motion picture camera..this would be a great camera to learn from. The T2I can help teach a novice filmmaker, what the
different lens sizes will do for the images and give you a grasp on dept of field that you wouldn't get unless you were shooting with film...
Again, for anyone wanting to make full feature films..it is very impractical camera. If you like professional looking stunning images, for short-beautiful HD video clips, a camera you can learn depth of field via lenses from, and that is easy to use, while being inexpensive, then the Canon T2I is the one for you.
Canon T2I Feature Highlights:
The new flagship of the EOS Rebel line, Canon EOS Rebel T2I brings professional EOS features into an easy to use, lightweight digital SLR that's a joy to use. Featuring a class-leading 18.0 Mega pixel CMOS Image Sensor and increased light sensitivity for low light photography, the EOS Rebel T2I also has an advanced HD Movie mode for gorgeous Full HD movies. Able to capture up to 3.7 frames per second, it's ready to go the minute it's picked up. Advanced Live View, a new wide-area screen, plus features like Canon's brilliant Auto Lighting Optimizer and Highlight Tone features ensure brilliant photos and movies, easily. With some of the most advanced features of any digital SLR, it's simply the best Rebel Canon has ever created.
The T2I seems to be meeting if not exceeding consumers expectations when it comes to photography. Lightweight, Good battery Life, Quiet, Easy to Use and Excellent Image Quality. We have noticed that if your shooting HD-VIDEO, you may run into some heat issues. While the Still Pictures are AMAZING, there has been complaints of the camera overheating even as early as 6-7 minutes of shooting Hi-Def Video. The images are stunning, but the real advantage is HD video. You get a HD video machine at a third the cost of a dedicated HD video machine.
MAJOR PRO:
You now have use of all of your lenses with the advantage of depth of field missing from most video cameras. When you carry your camera gear it is only for one camera & that at least for me is wonderful because I have lightened my load by half.
MAJOR CON: You lose some bells & whistles of course and the limited audio can be worked around by purchasing a XLR pre-amp with a good xlr mic (something you should have with a dedicated video camera anyway) & audio issues are gone.
Also, the T2I camera over heating in video mode is a major issue if you want to shoot a full feature film. After an hour of continued use the camera will issue a high internal temp warning...an issue with all HDSLR units. So if your still wanting this camera, bite the bullet initially & buy a fast (10) card this will help, not eliminate the heating problem. Also shut off the camera for a minute or two while your in between shots every 20 minutes or so. This allows the camera to cool down & overheating is less of a problem.
Bottom line is if you are a photographer or a PROSUMER Videographer, and want to get a feel of how to shoot with a motion picture camera..this would be a great camera to learn from. The T2I can help teach a novice filmmaker, what the
different lens sizes will do for the images and give you a grasp on dept of field that you wouldn't get unless you were shooting with film...
Again, for anyone wanting to make full feature films..it is very impractical camera. If you like professional looking stunning images, for short-beautiful HD video clips, a camera you can learn depth of field via lenses from, and that is easy to use, while being inexpensive, then the Canon T2I is the one for you.
Canon T2I Feature Highlights:
- 18.0-Megapixel CMOS image sensor
- DIGIC 4 Image Processor
- Full 1080p HD EOS Movie Mode
- Full range of frame rates available in video mode
New 7x Movie Crop mode at 640x480 (DVD Quality)- New iFCL 63-zone, Dual-layer metering system
- ISO 100-6400 (Expandable to 12,800)
- New Wide 3.0" LCD with 3:2 Aspect Ratio
- Ultra High-resolution 1.04 million pixel LCD resolution
- New SDXC memory card compatibility
THE CRAFT OF SCRIPT WRITING
Premise and Theme
People arrive at the task of writing a screenplay in a number of ways. Many have an idea that comes to them as inspiration, involving a central character and a situation. Some people want to work in a genre they love, like science fiction or action adventure. Some people have a strong theme or concept for a film that seems to preoccupy them. Still others wish to illustrate a point about contemporary society. All of these are good solid reasons for starting to write, but they are only the foundation. Understanding what will make a good story involves the complex weaving of premise and theme.
Many definitions of the premise of a film exist within the film industry. Some use premise as a kind of philosophical statement about what are actually the themes of the film. Others use premise to describe a one-line synopsis of the story. The best version of a premise is four or five words that capture, in a nutshell, what the film is about. An example of a good premise is "love conquers fear" or "good always overcomes evil". The truth of a premise is in the mind of its creator, but a good premise holds a value or an ethic that is universally identifiable. Whether or not you agree that "good overpowers evil" is not important, but the fact that such a premise can be readily understood by others is important. A premise that is obtuse or complicated will not lead to a successful story.
Just as many definitions of premise exist, so opinion varies on what makes a good theme. Theme is often confused with premise and premise with theme. A theme is even more general in nature than a premise. We could say that the film "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) deals with the themes of war, bravery and sacrifice. A premise is the genetic structure of a script -- its DNA. But the theme is like the skin that spreads over the whole body of the screenplay. It should be discernible in almost every scene. The theme is a bell that, once rung, reverberates in every page of the script
Linear and Nonlinear
Storytelling
The next time you find yourself telling a story, stop and listen to the way it flows. Most stories move in a straightforward way, from beginning, to middle, to end. They have a flow. We call that structure linear storytelling, because the events of the story progress in a line, and one event clearly follows another. Each new development in the story is the result of what came just before it.
But not all stories move with this kind of simplicity. How many times have you heard a friend say, "Oh no! I forgot to tell you an important part!". Stories can also move backward and forward in time and space, sometimes logically and sometimes illogically, to establish events that are required in order to make sense of the story. This way of storytelling is called nonlinear, because the story does not move in a continuous forward-moving timeline.
The events of stories are linked together by a common element -- usually the hero, or the person telling the story. Whether you have chosen a linear or a nonlinear style, that common thread is essential to keeping the story clear.
In filmmaking, there are a number of ways to create linear and nonlinear storytelling. Although camera and editing techniques can help to make both linear and nonlinear flow, the most important choices are made in the use of narrative forms.
Understanding Story
Some people have an innate feeling for story, while others rely on the study of forms to guide their inspiration. The next section takes a snapshot look at the history of storytelling. It shows some of the ways in which stories have been freely adapted through the ages. Understanding the history of dramatic story is not essential to writing a screenplay, but it sure helps. The evolution of any art form can be as inspiring as learning the craft. And some of the necessary tools are hidden in here too.
Remember the rules? All drama develops from character. And the most important journey is the hero's journey of self. If you haven't already taped those two sentences to the top of your computer screen, or put them in a prominent place in your workspace, do so now.
But how do we actually apply those rules to the story we want to tell?
Like any art form, screenwriting involves a certain amount of free-flowing expression and inspiration, but it also requires a mastery of craft. The craft of screenwriting is the same in many ways as the craft of writing a novel or a play. It starts with the love of words. The passion for ideas. But in cinema it also particularly requires the obsession with images. If you do not see your story, then you will not be able to render it visually. And if you don't feel any of these inclinations, the chances are that you are not really a screenwriter. How do you decide?
Understanding your own investment in a story is a critical first step in knowing whether you should be writing a screenplay. If you see a story primarily in terms of camera angles and image sequences, perhaps you are a director or cinematographer. If your story obsesses you in the way that the images are put together, perhaps you are an editor. Many people are not screenwriters, but have terrific story ideas for movies. Working with someone who is a screenwriter can dramatically increase the chances of having the story told well. Would you want to have a suit designed and made by a car mechanic? Never underestimate the craft involved in being a writer.
I have terrific ideas, but every day I work at the craft of SCREENWRITING, which I have not mastered yet, and I fear it is not something that I can master.
Professional screenwriters agree on the importance of studying good screenplays. Here's an Internet link to http://www.joblow.com/ script gallery which contains numerous screenplays you can download.
Not sure which scripts to read? Here are some recommendations:
• The Usual Suspects
• Pulp Fiction
• The Sixth Sense
• Shakespeare in Love
• As Good as it Gets
• Witness
• Chinatown
• Get Shorty
• Network
• Silence of the Lambs
• Good Will Hunting
• Jerry Maguire
• LA Confidential
All personal favorites of mine.
Written By: Richard James
People arrive at the task of writing a screenplay in a number of ways. Many have an idea that comes to them as inspiration, involving a central character and a situation. Some people want to work in a genre they love, like science fiction or action adventure. Some people have a strong theme or concept for a film that seems to preoccupy them. Still others wish to illustrate a point about contemporary society. All of these are good solid reasons for starting to write, but they are only the foundation. Understanding what will make a good story involves the complex weaving of premise and theme.
Many definitions of the premise of a film exist within the film industry. Some use premise as a kind of philosophical statement about what are actually the themes of the film. Others use premise to describe a one-line synopsis of the story. The best version of a premise is four or five words that capture, in a nutshell, what the film is about. An example of a good premise is "love conquers fear" or "good always overcomes evil". The truth of a premise is in the mind of its creator, but a good premise holds a value or an ethic that is universally identifiable. Whether or not you agree that "good overpowers evil" is not important, but the fact that such a premise can be readily understood by others is important. A premise that is obtuse or complicated will not lead to a successful story.
Just as many definitions of premise exist, so opinion varies on what makes a good theme. Theme is often confused with premise and premise with theme. A theme is even more general in nature than a premise. We could say that the film "Saving Private Ryan" (1998) deals with the themes of war, bravery and sacrifice. A premise is the genetic structure of a script -- its DNA. But the theme is like the skin that spreads over the whole body of the screenplay. It should be discernible in almost every scene. The theme is a bell that, once rung, reverberates in every page of the script
Linear and Nonlinear
Storytelling
The next time you find yourself telling a story, stop and listen to the way it flows. Most stories move in a straightforward way, from beginning, to middle, to end. They have a flow. We call that structure linear storytelling, because the events of the story progress in a line, and one event clearly follows another. Each new development in the story is the result of what came just before it.
But not all stories move with this kind of simplicity. How many times have you heard a friend say, "Oh no! I forgot to tell you an important part!". Stories can also move backward and forward in time and space, sometimes logically and sometimes illogically, to establish events that are required in order to make sense of the story. This way of storytelling is called nonlinear, because the story does not move in a continuous forward-moving timeline.
The events of stories are linked together by a common element -- usually the hero, or the person telling the story. Whether you have chosen a linear or a nonlinear style, that common thread is essential to keeping the story clear.
In filmmaking, there are a number of ways to create linear and nonlinear storytelling. Although camera and editing techniques can help to make both linear and nonlinear flow, the most important choices are made in the use of narrative forms.
Understanding Story
Some people have an innate feeling for story, while others rely on the study of forms to guide their inspiration. The next section takes a snapshot look at the history of storytelling. It shows some of the ways in which stories have been freely adapted through the ages. Understanding the history of dramatic story is not essential to writing a screenplay, but it sure helps. The evolution of any art form can be as inspiring as learning the craft. And some of the necessary tools are hidden in here too.
Remember the rules? All drama develops from character. And the most important journey is the hero's journey of self. If you haven't already taped those two sentences to the top of your computer screen, or put them in a prominent place in your workspace, do so now.
But how do we actually apply those rules to the story we want to tell?
Like any art form, screenwriting involves a certain amount of free-flowing expression and inspiration, but it also requires a mastery of craft. The craft of screenwriting is the same in many ways as the craft of writing a novel or a play. It starts with the love of words. The passion for ideas. But in cinema it also particularly requires the obsession with images. If you do not see your story, then you will not be able to render it visually. And if you don't feel any of these inclinations, the chances are that you are not really a screenwriter. How do you decide?
Understanding your own investment in a story is a critical first step in knowing whether you should be writing a screenplay. If you see a story primarily in terms of camera angles and image sequences, perhaps you are a director or cinematographer. If your story obsesses you in the way that the images are put together, perhaps you are an editor. Many people are not screenwriters, but have terrific story ideas for movies. Working with someone who is a screenwriter can dramatically increase the chances of having the story told well. Would you want to have a suit designed and made by a car mechanic? Never underestimate the craft involved in being a writer.
I have terrific ideas, but every day I work at the craft of SCREENWRITING, which I have not mastered yet, and I fear it is not something that I can master.
Professional screenwriters agree on the importance of studying good screenplays. Here's an Internet link to http://www.joblow.com/ script gallery which contains numerous screenplays you can download.
Not sure which scripts to read? Here are some recommendations:
• The Usual Suspects
• Pulp Fiction
• The Sixth Sense
• Shakespeare in Love
• As Good as it Gets
• Witness
• Chinatown
• Get Shorty
• Network
• Silence of the Lambs
• Good Will Hunting
• Jerry Maguire
• LA Confidential
All personal favorites of mine.
Written By: Richard James
LIGHTING BASICS : NUTS AND BOLTS
THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHTING
Everyday when we open our eyes the first thing we see is light. Light is all around us. Right now you’re thinking “NO DUH!” well you need to rethink lighting. Lighting isn’t about some special hard to work with technique that only a few people know how to do. We see light everyday, and we can make any scene look exactly like we want it to, if we learn a few basic things about lighting. First of all study the light around you, look for Diffused light (any lamp with a shade on it), Reflective light (light bouncing off the walls) Hard light (any focused light) look for these types of lights, and how they effect your environment. See how these lights effect the mood of a room. Lighting is really about creating a mood or atmosphere. Lighting done well can make or break your scene.
A lot of new filmmakers become very anxious when it comes to lighting, and they usually leave it up to a Cinematographer or a Gapher. There’s nothing wrong with this, Cinematographers and Gaphers work with light everyday, and that’s why they are Gaphers and Cinematographers. As a MICRO-BUDGET FILMMAKER this is not a great idea. Control of the mood of the film is lost here. To be able to communicate to a Cinematographer and Gapher to make sure as a filmmaker you get exactly what you want. You need to understand, or at least know the language needed to communicate the feel you are going for. Besides all of that, lighting isn’t really as hard as everybody makes it out to be. If you’re a true Micro-Budget Filmmaker you don’t have the funds available for a Gapher or expensive lighting anyway. This Lesson in Lighting is geared toward someone who wants to learn lighting on a micro-budget, and it starts off with the basics. We will finish with advanced techniques that will WOW! Your audiences and impress your cast and crew.
Before we really get started on this lesson we need to define a few terms we’ll be using.
Study These Terms and refer back to these when needed.
Ambient Light - The light already present in a scene, before any additional lighting is added.
Incident Light - Light seen directly from a light source (lamp, sun, etc)
Reflected Light - Light seen after having bounced off a surface.
Color Temperature - A standard of measuring the characteristics of light, measured in kelvins.
Contrast Ratio - The difference in brightness between the brightest white and the darkest black within an image.
Key Light - The main light on the subject, providing most of the illumination and contrast.
Fill Light - A light placed to the side of the subject to fill out shadows and balance the key light.
Hard Light - Light directly from a source such as the sun, traveling undisturbed onto the subject being lit.
Soft Light(DIFFUSED LIGHT)- Light which appears to "wrap around" the subject to some degree. This light Produces less shadows or softer shadows.
Spot - A controlled, narrowly-focused beam of light.
Flood - A broad beam of light, less directional and intense than a spot.
Tungsten - Light from an ordinary light bulb containing a thin coiled tungsten wire that becomes incandescent (emits light) when an electric current is passed along it. Tungsten color temperature is around 2800K to 3400K. Also known as incandescent light.
Halogen - Type of lamp in which a tungsten filament is sealed in a clear capsule filled with a halogen gas.
Fresnel - A light which has a lens with raised circular ridges on its outer surface. The Fresnel lens is used to focus the light beam.
Incandescent - Incandescent lamps produce heat by heating a wire filament until it glows. The glow is caused by the filament's resistance to the current and is called incandescence.
Bounce Board – A reflector used as a fill light. The board can be made of plain white material, gold, silver, or any other reflective color to match the key light being used.
Now that you’ve studied the light around you and the definitions above, you are ready to learn how to control it, and make the light work for you.
We will discuss some lighting fixtures here, but we will go into more detail on types and brands of lights later, and which lighting fixtures are more affordable.
The first thing we need to understand is that our camera picks up light differently than our eyes.
Perceiving Light
Video Cameras Perceive light similar, but have millions less receptors, so the definition is less. Instead of Rods and cones cameras have pixels. SD video is 740x480 pixels per frame or .355 Mega pixels. HD video high end is 1920x1080 or 2.07 Mega pixels per frame.
A digital camera, such as a CCD based one, has 4 "receptors" that make up a "pixel" - red, green and two blue (the human eye is more sensitive to light in the blue end of the spectrum, so it has two receptors to get a more precise reading).
Human eyes have two types of receptors called "rods" and "cones". You have 4.5 million cones and 90 million rods. Now rods work better in low lighting conditions (i.e. night vision) but do not pick up color very well (if at all), whereas it is the c
ones that pick up color. It would be tempting to say that you have 4.5 mega pixels then, but that really wouldn't be accurate. You have 94.5 pixels, only 4.5 of which can detect color. But not all of the rods and/or cones are usable in all lighting conditions, so how many usable pixels you have varies quite a bit.
The analogy kind of breaks down because we are kind of comparing apples to oranges. Our eyes blow away camera lenses, as well as anyway we can conceive of recording those images on CMOS or CCD’s
THE LIGHTING BASICS
When we think of the above definitions, and we want to really understand how to apply them to lighting a scene the easiest way is to think about the shadow each light will cast. I know you’re thinking I don’t CARE ABOUT THE SHADOWS, I WANT TO LEARN HOW TO LIGHT A SCENE. The shadow a light casts is how each light is defined, so we will concentrate on the shadows for now. Hard light will produce a highly defined sharp shadow. Diffused or soft light will produce a soft shadow with no definition or possibly no shadow at all, depending on the amount of light, and distance from the light source. There are all kinds of different lighting techniques, but if you understand this basic reality of light it will help you understand the very basics of lighting.
Let’s talk about Daylight. The ultimate light source, and the cheapest light source we have available is the Sun. Lighting in Sunlight sounds easy, but it’s really not. For one simple reason you have no control over the sun. The sun produces different kinds of light during the day, and during the different seasons of the year. In the morning and in the evening the suns power is weaker, and the color temperature drops off sometimes as low as 1800K which is yellow Magenta, and may not work for a scene. Also during mid-afternoon when the sun is at it’s most powerful it may have a contrast ratio that produces so many shadows that all the actors look like raccoons from the shadows created from the brow ridge above their eyes. At mid-afternoon the color temperature could be over 6500k . Over 6500k is more than most Camcorders can record, and they default to white with no definition. White balancing Video cameras can only go so far. Most 3ccd Pro-Summer Camcorders only can work with light temperatures between 2800k and 5800k. Under 2800k the picture is yellow and magenta, and over 5800k it’s blue. On the next page is a Kelvin color chart.
Below is the proper way to set up a two shot in overcast sunlight.
For a Cost Effective approach, we will introduce the Altman Fresnel. This light is designed for use in theaters. It does not do well in RAIN, so DO NOT TAKE THIS LIGHT OUT IN RAIN..but this light can do everything the more expensive Arri's can do. We recommend this because we found it to be the best light for the money, and the light quality is virtually the same as the more expensive Arri's lights. Save a few bucks and get two or three of these...you can augment it with do - it - yourself lights, but have at least 2 or 3 of these ready to go at all times.
Everyday when we open our eyes the first thing we see is light. Light is all around us. Right now you’re thinking “NO DUH!” well you need to rethink lighting. Lighting isn’t about some special hard to work with technique that only a few people know how to do. We see light everyday, and we can make any scene look exactly like we want it to, if we learn a few basic things about lighting. First of all study the light around you, look for Diffused light (any lamp with a shade on it), Reflective light (light bouncing off the walls) Hard light (any focused light) look for these types of lights, and how they effect your environment. See how these lights effect the mood of a room. Lighting is really about creating a mood or atmosphere. Lighting done well can make or break your scene.
A lot of new filmmakers become very anxious when it comes to lighting, and they usually leave it up to a Cinematographer or a Gapher. There’s nothing wrong with this, Cinematographers and Gaphers work with light everyday, and that’s why they are Gaphers and Cinematographers. As a MICRO-BUDGET FILMMAKER this is not a great idea. Control of the mood of the film is lost here. To be able to communicate to a Cinematographer and Gapher to make sure as a filmmaker you get exactly what you want. You need to understand, or at least know the language needed to communicate the feel you are going for. Besides all of that, lighting isn’t really as hard as everybody makes it out to be. If you’re a true Micro-Budget Filmmaker you don’t have the funds available for a Gapher or expensive lighting anyway. This Lesson in Lighting is geared toward someone who wants to learn lighting on a micro-budget, and it starts off with the basics. We will finish with advanced techniques that will WOW! Your audiences and impress your cast and crew.
Before we really get started on this lesson we need to define a few terms we’ll be using.
Study These Terms and refer back to these when needed.
Ambient Light - The light already present in a scene, before any additional lighting is added.
Incident Light - Light seen directly from a light source (lamp, sun, etc)
Reflected Light - Light seen after having bounced off a surface.
Color Temperature - A standard of measuring the characteristics of light, measured in kelvins.
Contrast Ratio - The difference in brightness between the brightest white and the darkest black within an image.
Key Light - The main light on the subject, providing most of the illumination and contrast.
Fill Light - A light placed to the side of the subject to fill out shadows and balance the key light.
Hard Light - Light directly from a source such as the sun, traveling undisturbed onto the subject being lit.
Soft Light(DIFFUSED LIGHT)- Light which appears to "wrap around" the subject to some degree. This light Produces less shadows or softer shadows.
Spot - A controlled, narrowly-focused beam of light.
Flood - A broad beam of light, less directional and intense than a spot.
Tungsten - Light from an ordinary light bulb containing a thin coiled tungsten wire that becomes incandescent (emits light) when an electric current is passed along it. Tungsten color temperature is around 2800K to 3400K. Also known as incandescent light.
Halogen - Type of lamp in which a tungsten filament is sealed in a clear capsule filled with a halogen gas.
Fresnel - A light which has a lens with raised circular ridges on its outer surface. The Fresnel lens is used to focus the light beam.
Incandescent - Incandescent lamps produce heat by heating a wire filament until it glows. The glow is caused by the filament's resistance to the current and is called incandescence.
Bounce Board – A reflector used as a fill light. The board can be made of plain white material, gold, silver, or any other reflective color to match the key light being used.
Now that you’ve studied the light around you and the definitions above, you are ready to learn how to control it, and make the light work for you.
We will discuss some lighting fixtures here, but we will go into more detail on types and brands of lights later, and which lighting fixtures are more affordable.
The first thing we need to understand is that our camera picks up light differently than our eyes.
Perceiving Light
When light enters the eye, it first passes through the cornea, then the aqueous humor, lens and vitreous humor. Ultimately it reaches the retina, which is the light-sensing structure of the eye. The retina contains two types of cells, called rods and cones. Rods handle vision in low light, and cones handle color vision and detail. When light contacts these two types of cells, a series of complex chemical reactions occurs. The chemical that is formed (activated rhodopsin) creates electrical impulses in the optic nerve. Generally, the outer segment of rods are long and thin, whereas the outer segment of cones are more, well, cone shaped. Below is an example of a rod and a cone:
Video Cameras Perceive light similar, but have millions less receptors, so the definition is less. Instead of Rods and cones cameras have pixels. SD video is 740x480 pixels per frame or .355 Mega pixels. HD video high end is 1920x1080 or 2.07 Mega pixels per frame.
A digital camera, such as a CCD based one, has 4 "receptors" that make up a "pixel" - red, green and two blue (the human eye is more sensitive to light in the blue end of the spectrum, so it has two receptors to get a more precise reading).
Human eyes have two types of receptors called "rods" and "cones". You have 4.5 million cones and 90 million rods. Now rods work better in low lighting conditions (i.e. night vision) but do not pick up color very well (if at all), whereas it is the c
ones that pick up color. It would be tempting to say that you have 4.5 mega pixels then, but that really wouldn't be accurate. You have 94.5 pixels, only 4.5 of which can detect color. But not all of the rods and/or cones are usable in all lighting conditions, so how many usable pixels you have varies quite a bit.
The analogy kind of breaks down because we are kind of comparing apples to oranges. Our eyes blow away camera lenses, as well as anyway we can conceive of recording those images on CMOS or CCD’s
THE LIGHTING BASICS
When we think of the above definitions, and we want to really understand how to apply them to lighting a scene the easiest way is to think about the shadow each light will cast. I know you’re thinking I don’t CARE ABOUT THE SHADOWS, I WANT TO LEARN HOW TO LIGHT A SCENE. The shadow a light casts is how each light is defined, so we will concentrate on the shadows for now. Hard light will produce a highly defined sharp shadow. Diffused or soft light will produce a soft shadow with no definition or possibly no shadow at all, depending on the amount of light, and distance from the light source. There are all kinds of different lighting techniques, but if you understand this basic reality of light it will help you understand the very basics of lighting.
Let’s talk about Daylight. The ultimate light source, and the cheapest light source we have available is the Sun. Lighting in Sunlight sounds easy, but it’s really not. For one simple reason you have no control over the sun. The sun produces different kinds of light during the day, and during the different seasons of the year. In the morning and in the evening the suns power is weaker, and the color temperature drops off sometimes as low as 1800K which is yellow Magenta, and may not work for a scene. Also during mid-afternoon when the sun is at it’s most powerful it may have a contrast ratio that produces so many shadows that all the actors look like raccoons from the shadows created from the brow ridge above their eyes. At mid-afternoon the color temperature could be over 6500k . Over 6500k is more than most Camcorders can record, and they default to white with no definition. White balancing Video cameras can only go so far. Most 3ccd Pro-Summer Camcorders only can work with light temperatures between 2800k and 5800k. Under 2800k the picture is yellow and magenta, and over 5800k it’s blue. On the next page is a Kelvin color chart.
Shooting in midday under a clear sky will not work. The light power of the sun is way to strong, and the color temperature is unusable. We need to knock the power of the light and the color temperature down, so we can shoot under the sun. This can be done by using a NEUTRAL DENSITY FILTER, and BOUNCE BOARDS on those days when it’s under 6500k. When it’s over 6500k or we just need to knock down that power even more we can use a SCRIM. A SCRIM is basically made out of the same material as screen doors, and it knocks the power of light down depending on how tightly the mesh is woven. It’s usually placed above the Talent or the actors to knock down the power of the sun. The scrim is basically causing the light to be knocked down, but also produces a shadow, and that can not been scene on camera in most cases scrims are hard to use unless we are shooting close-ups. The bounce boards are used to reflect the light of the sun at a different angle to the talent or actor basically to eliminate shadows on the face. Shadows on the face from the sun look terrible on camera, and can ruin a whole scene. The sun under overcast skies produces a pleasing diffuse lighting, and is much easier to work with. The shadows are diffused, and it’s much easier to bounce the shadows away. In the evenings and in the mornings anywhere from two to three ours from Sunset or Sundown is what the DGA (Directors Guild of America) and the CSA (Cinematographer Society of America) call golden hour. The light is weak and produces a gold color light. The amount of time from Sundown and Sunset that produces these golden hours depends on time of year and on location on the planet. The light temperature in Kelvin’s also depends on time of year and location on the planet.
All of the photos to the right were shot using the camera auto setting with no filters or manual corrections. Auto-WB, Auto-AE, Auto –everything.
Below is the proper way to set up a two shot in overcast sunlight.
For a Cost Effective approach, we will introduce the Altman Fresnel. This light is designed for use in theaters. It does not do well in RAIN, so DO NOT TAKE THIS LIGHT OUT IN RAIN..but this light can do everything the more expensive Arri's can do. We recommend this because we found it to be the best light for the money, and the light quality is virtually the same as the more expensive Arri's lights. Save a few bucks and get two or three of these...you can augment it with do - it - yourself lights, but have at least 2 or 3 of these ready to go at all times.
THE CANON HV20 (Now HV40)
The Camera we Used for producing "SHADOW OF CRIME"
The HV20 is both a surprise, and an exciting new technology that blew me away when it first came out. It’s a HDV camera, which means that it records a MPEG-2 1440x1080 video stream onto a miniDV tape, which is the same technology in HDTV and Blu-Ray, but that’s not the only reason this camera is exciting. With it’s CINEMODE set, and it’s ability to shoot at a 24f frame rate, this camera can achieve a FILM LOOK, or as close to a film look as I’ve scene, even very close to what we see from the early Sony 900HD serious. The CINEMODE and 24f frame rate, work together to eliminate the over sharpness, and over saturation scene in most other Camcorders. To produce a look that could even fool, and surprise most Cinematographers using film.
I’ve been making films since the MID-1980’s, and back then film was the only acceptable way of making a film. Video looked horrible. I used 8mm film at first then moved on to 16mm film. These formats were very expensive even back then. I didn’t have the money to shoot a full length film. The film, and development for a full length feature would cost thousands of dollars, and that doesn’t include a final answer print. The answer print has synced sound, so it could play in theatres or be sent to a film festival. So I would shoot short films no longer than 10 to 15minutes. Even shooting short films I would only have enough film for a 2:1 shooting ratio. That means I could only shoot two takes, and then I’d have to move on. I would do a lot of rehearsals with the actors before I rolled camera, so no film was lost, and I was able to make sure the actors would know there lines. If an actor dropped a line I would have to try and fix it in post. Film back then was the only acceptable medium. The video that was available to the consumer was extremely expensive, and the quality quite frankly sucked. With a limited budget it did limit the film maker a lot more than can be imagined. Imagine only two takes per shot, and also imagine having to change a reel of 400ft film every eleven minutes, in a dark bag. Shooting a lot of movement on these cameras was difficult. Film also for better or worse had a much smaller DOF than Video, so a follow focus and some one to operate the follow focus on the camera was an imperative.
But film is now DEAD, for all practical purposes and a micro-budget film could never use film. It’s way too expensive. HD has changed the film industry in ways that haven’t really been measured yet. In the nineties it was all about the miniDV, and the XL1 and Sony VX2000, but to be honest miniDV never looked like film, but it was better video, and it never gave a true cinematic feel, as much as everybody tried. Then came along the top of the line HD cameras, George Lucas shot the second and third movies of his NEW Star Wars Trilogy, and Robert Rodriquez went all over the country, and world taunting HD. At this point, great HD can look like film, but there was no camera yet affordable for Micro budget film makers. Then CANON unveiled its new XLH1 HD camera, and a couple years later to beat all competition CANON came out with the HV20. I saw some footage on the internet, and it blew me away. I had to, get hold of this camera, and see for my self. We bought it from B&H photo video, and we received it three days later. The first thing I did was to plug this little baby in the wall, and zoomed through the menus setting up ZEBRA STRIPING, CINEMA MODE, 24F, and hooking up my AZDEN microphone. I could not believe the feel and look of this camera. With these settings, finally in my hand I owned a camera that could produce images far better than miniDV, and could even compare to film. I was ready to make a feature length film. I had the missing piece to my film making tools. An $800 dollar camera that produced the picture quality of film, finally the camera I’ve been looking for, for all these years. That meant there was nothing stopping to make a feature length film for very little money. THIS is only part one. The next BLOG will be on how it performed during the making of the film “SHADOW OF CRIME”.
The HV20 is both a surprise, and an exciting new technology that blew me away when it first came out. It’s a HDV camera, which means that it records a MPEG-2 1440x1080 video stream onto a miniDV tape, which is the same technology in HDTV and Blu-Ray, but that’s not the only reason this camera is exciting. With it’s CINEMODE set, and it’s ability to shoot at a 24f frame rate, this camera can achieve a FILM LOOK, or as close to a film look as I’ve scene, even very close to what we see from the early Sony 900HD serious. The CINEMODE and 24f frame rate, work together to eliminate the over sharpness, and over saturation scene in most other Camcorders. To produce a look that could even fool, and surprise most Cinematographers using film.
I’ve been making films since the MID-1980’s, and back then film was the only acceptable way of making a film. Video looked horrible. I used 8mm film at first then moved on to 16mm film. These formats were very expensive even back then. I didn’t have the money to shoot a full length film. The film, and development for a full length feature would cost thousands of dollars, and that doesn’t include a final answer print. The answer print has synced sound, so it could play in theatres or be sent to a film festival. So I would shoot short films no longer than 10 to 15minutes. Even shooting short films I would only have enough film for a 2:1 shooting ratio. That means I could only shoot two takes, and then I’d have to move on. I would do a lot of rehearsals with the actors before I rolled camera, so no film was lost, and I was able to make sure the actors would know there lines. If an actor dropped a line I would have to try and fix it in post. Film back then was the only acceptable medium. The video that was available to the consumer was extremely expensive, and the quality quite frankly sucked. With a limited budget it did limit the film maker a lot more than can be imagined. Imagine only two takes per shot, and also imagine having to change a reel of 400ft film every eleven minutes, in a dark bag. Shooting a lot of movement on these cameras was difficult. Film also for better or worse had a much smaller DOF than Video, so a follow focus and some one to operate the follow focus on the camera was an imperative.
But film is now DEAD, for all practical purposes and a micro-budget film could never use film. It’s way too expensive. HD has changed the film industry in ways that haven’t really been measured yet. In the nineties it was all about the miniDV, and the XL1 and Sony VX2000, but to be honest miniDV never looked like film, but it was better video, and it never gave a true cinematic feel, as much as everybody tried. Then came along the top of the line HD cameras, George Lucas shot the second and third movies of his NEW Star Wars Trilogy, and Robert Rodriquez went all over the country, and world taunting HD. At this point, great HD can look like film, but there was no camera yet affordable for Micro budget film makers. Then CANON unveiled its new XLH1 HD camera, and a couple years later to beat all competition CANON came out with the HV20. I saw some footage on the internet, and it blew me away. I had to, get hold of this camera, and see for my self. We bought it from B&H photo video, and we received it three days later. The first thing I did was to plug this little baby in the wall, and zoomed through the menus setting up ZEBRA STRIPING, CINEMA MODE, 24F, and hooking up my AZDEN microphone. I could not believe the feel and look of this camera. With these settings, finally in my hand I owned a camera that could produce images far better than miniDV, and could even compare to film. I was ready to make a feature length film. I had the missing piece to my film making tools. An $800 dollar camera that produced the picture quality of film, finally the camera I’ve been looking for, for all these years. That meant there was nothing stopping to make a feature length film for very little money. THIS is only part one. The next BLOG will be on how it performed during the making of the film “SHADOW OF CRIME”.
Friday, July 2, 2010
NO GUTS NO GLORY!!!!
Filmmaking is not for the weak of heart...lets face it, with all those "filmmaking is cheap and easy" websites...it makes you wonder why so few independent films hit the ground running.. Filmmaking is a craft. It takes a lot of people with a lot of diverse skills to have a final product...then it takes money to get it off the ground.
A lot of people are trying to make films. A lot of people are making films because they own a camera and computer...and they want to be filmmakers and the fact that they made a film and did not spend a lot of money is Marvelous...The equipment is more accessible, affordable, and achievable today then ever in human history. Yet, like all things..this rash of everyone lets make a movie fad will produce "The GOOD, The BAD, and The UGLY".
This fad is confusing for the audiences..and its hard on the filmmakers..this accessible atmosphere places more pressure on the industry then ever before. How would this be confusing for the audience you say? Well, its simple. We all want to see the little guy make it. We all want to give him a chance..Yet there are a lot of independent films and more Indie Filmmakers crawling out of the wood work competing with the same audiences the big blockbuster films compete with. This is a tough challenge for the independent filmmaker. This can leave an audience confused with what to expect with each film produced depending on the budget. Since there are lot of films getting made, most of them are marketed really well..regardless how well they are produced..and a lot of times, it can trick the consumer into renting or buying something they did not expect. We have all felt the let down after renting a film that did not quite meet our expectations. Yet, in its own unique way we learn. As filmmakers, renting or buying a film that may or may not be what we want can teach us how to make our films better. Independent filmmakers love independent films because regardless of their lack of budgets there is always something to be learnt weather it is how something works for a story..or how it doesn't work. It is easier to learn from an Independent film because they typically will be grassroots about the production and their budget won't allow for but the most minimalist vantage point. I am not against Big budgeted films..some stories MUST be told epic.... Yet, as an independent filmmaker, you learn a lot from watching other independent filmmakers and you know how hard it is to achieve something with a shoe-string budget....
Indie Filmmakers all want to be the next Robert Rodriguez or produce the next "Paranormal Activity"....The only problem is, I'm not Robert Rodriguez nor do we want to produce a film like "Paranormal Activity" .. What we want to do is produce stories that can touch the world...
Our Production Company, ALPHA WOLF PRODUCTIONS, commits ourselves to storytelling..unfortunately you cant just tell a story simply for today's audiences..what we need to do is work on the craft of filmmaking to bring a good story to a modern audience. In the old days, Native Americans used to sit around the campfire and share stories that became legends..some of which we can still find today. This was an oral tradition passed down from grandfather to son to grandson. With the same stories being told for hundreds of years..they became legends. Can you say that a film made today is a legend, or teaches anything? A few. And at the very best, maybe we as independent filmamkers can make a film that touches society the way oral traditions used to teach tribes. This is our HEART of Filmmaking.
There are MANY sources that distribute stories - the Internet, the news, books...yet out of all the types of media why do you think people really draw into the deliverance of a story via the movie?
Movies, are the closest medium to our DREAMS.
Yes, that is right. Our subconscious speaks to us in dream state. Dreams are meant to bring you all the information needed to adjust what is out of balance in your life, to read more deeply what it is you truly want and to learn from ourselves. When you dream at night, the feelings from your Unconscious are translated into dream images or stories..and what we get out of those stories is what we choose to learn from them. In a way the dream could be thought to be an in-between expression between your deepest feelings and the feelings you feel are acceptable. This is the amazing part of filmmaking...the connection we have when we watch a film is similar to that of how a dream works with us. And that is why, filmmaking is so important. Movies have the power to teach, communicate, share stories, and give us new perspectives that we may have not been able to achieve before. Movies can allow us to see though another person's eyes, transport us to a distant land, or teach us something new.
Our first film we produced was "Shadow of Crime". It was not easy. With a three month old and a shoe-string budget..while working two jobs..we are proud of our first production. It was not easy, but it was most definitely worth it. We made the commitment and found the right people. The story was designed for a very small budget..and we were really grateful with the actors that choose to be part of this production. A lot of first time filmmakers start with documentaries, yet we have it set in our hearts to tell compelling stories. The stories we create are character driven, with the hope that the audience will connect with the characters and maybe learn a little bit about themselves or others. The actors that where chosen for "Shadow of Crime" are as passionate about filmmaking as we are. Our hope is that we can pull together a bigger budget, because we want to progress with our next movie and we will need to have a larger budget to do so. We are also trying to improve our techniques as well. Our equipment costs for "Shadow of Crime" was $6500..and it limited us to how we could shoot the film. Now after making "Shadow of Crime", we know what equipment we need and know what it will take to make a much better film. Along our path, it is our desire to learn with other filmmakers and to share from our triumphs and mistakes. This is what this blog is about. To establish a community of filmmakers and film goers that are as passionate as we are about bringing storytelling to life via filmmaking.
A lot of people are trying to make films. A lot of people are making films because they own a camera and computer...and they want to be filmmakers and the fact that they made a film and did not spend a lot of money is Marvelous...The equipment is more accessible, affordable, and achievable today then ever in human history. Yet, like all things..this rash of everyone lets make a movie fad will produce "The GOOD, The BAD, and The UGLY".
This fad is confusing for the audiences..and its hard on the filmmakers..this accessible atmosphere places more pressure on the industry then ever before. How would this be confusing for the audience you say? Well, its simple. We all want to see the little guy make it. We all want to give him a chance..Yet there are a lot of independent films and more Indie Filmmakers crawling out of the wood work competing with the same audiences the big blockbuster films compete with. This is a tough challenge for the independent filmmaker. This can leave an audience confused with what to expect with each film produced depending on the budget. Since there are lot of films getting made, most of them are marketed really well..regardless how well they are produced..and a lot of times, it can trick the consumer into renting or buying something they did not expect. We have all felt the let down after renting a film that did not quite meet our expectations. Yet, in its own unique way we learn. As filmmakers, renting or buying a film that may or may not be what we want can teach us how to make our films better. Independent filmmakers love independent films because regardless of their lack of budgets there is always something to be learnt weather it is how something works for a story..or how it doesn't work. It is easier to learn from an Independent film because they typically will be grassroots about the production and their budget won't allow for but the most minimalist vantage point. I am not against Big budgeted films..some stories MUST be told epic.... Yet, as an independent filmmaker, you learn a lot from watching other independent filmmakers and you know how hard it is to achieve something with a shoe-string budget....
Indie Filmmakers all want to be the next Robert Rodriguez or produce the next "Paranormal Activity"....The only problem is, I'm not Robert Rodriguez nor do we want to produce a film like "Paranormal Activity" .. What we want to do is produce stories that can touch the world...
Our Production Company, ALPHA WOLF PRODUCTIONS, commits ourselves to storytelling..unfortunately you cant just tell a story simply for today's audiences..what we need to do is work on the craft of filmmaking to bring a good story to a modern audience. In the old days, Native Americans used to sit around the campfire and share stories that became legends..some of which we can still find today. This was an oral tradition passed down from grandfather to son to grandson. With the same stories being told for hundreds of years..they became legends. Can you say that a film made today is a legend, or teaches anything? A few. And at the very best, maybe we as independent filmamkers can make a film that touches society the way oral traditions used to teach tribes. This is our HEART of Filmmaking.
There are MANY sources that distribute stories - the Internet, the news, books...yet out of all the types of media why do you think people really draw into the deliverance of a story via the movie?
Movies, are the closest medium to our DREAMS.
Yes, that is right. Our subconscious speaks to us in dream state. Dreams are meant to bring you all the information needed to adjust what is out of balance in your life, to read more deeply what it is you truly want and to learn from ourselves. When you dream at night, the feelings from your Unconscious are translated into dream images or stories..and what we get out of those stories is what we choose to learn from them. In a way the dream could be thought to be an in-between expression between your deepest feelings and the feelings you feel are acceptable. This is the amazing part of filmmaking...the connection we have when we watch a film is similar to that of how a dream works with us. And that is why, filmmaking is so important. Movies have the power to teach, communicate, share stories, and give us new perspectives that we may have not been able to achieve before. Movies can allow us to see though another person's eyes, transport us to a distant land, or teach us something new.
Our first film we produced was "Shadow of Crime". It was not easy. With a three month old and a shoe-string budget..while working two jobs..we are proud of our first production. It was not easy, but it was most definitely worth it. We made the commitment and found the right people. The story was designed for a very small budget..and we were really grateful with the actors that choose to be part of this production. A lot of first time filmmakers start with documentaries, yet we have it set in our hearts to tell compelling stories. The stories we create are character driven, with the hope that the audience will connect with the characters and maybe learn a little bit about themselves or others. The actors that where chosen for "Shadow of Crime" are as passionate about filmmaking as we are. Our hope is that we can pull together a bigger budget, because we want to progress with our next movie and we will need to have a larger budget to do so. We are also trying to improve our techniques as well. Our equipment costs for "Shadow of Crime" was $6500..and it limited us to how we could shoot the film. Now after making "Shadow of Crime", we know what equipment we need and know what it will take to make a much better film. Along our path, it is our desire to learn with other filmmakers and to share from our triumphs and mistakes. This is what this blog is about. To establish a community of filmmakers and film goers that are as passionate as we are about bringing storytelling to life via filmmaking.
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