I think this was my first crack at directing a small camera crew, I think the shoot went well.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Friday, 3 August 2012
DSLR Add Ons
Now I've had a few weeks to get to grips with the D3100 I've Identified a few pieces that I need to help me improve the quality of my filming.
Firstly I bought the Delkin Pop Up Shade, As I have no way of looking through the viewfinder on the camera I needed to make the LCD screen as clear as possible. This shade provides some much needed cover from the sun and other bright light sources. I've found focusing much easier since buying it.
I was also fortunate enough to have been given a tripod for free! Not just some crappy thing, a proper, pro tripod. Its the best one I've ever used. It was in pretty bad shape when I got it but after cleaning it up Its perfect.
The next thing on my ever growing list is an audio recorder. I've taken a look at this neat device called the Zoom H1 which seems really popular with people filming with DSLRs. The only issue I have with it is that it looks a bit plasticy - a bit cheap - and some of the out door tests I've seen do not make good viewing. Its clear that I would need a shotgun mic to add to the Zoom H1 which would provide better audio capture, even in hight winds. But even they don't seem to hold up that well out doors. So there are the clip mics, they seem by far the best option for vocal audio but cost a small fortune. In an ideal world I'd buy all them but I doubt that's going to happen. I think the best option for me is the Zoom H1 or a similar mic that I can boom and add a shotgun mic.
Firstly I bought the Delkin Pop Up Shade, As I have no way of looking through the viewfinder on the camera I needed to make the LCD screen as clear as possible. This shade provides some much needed cover from the sun and other bright light sources. I've found focusing much easier since buying it.
I was also fortunate enough to have been given a tripod for free! Not just some crappy thing, a proper, pro tripod. Its the best one I've ever used. It was in pretty bad shape when I got it but after cleaning it up Its perfect.
The next thing on my ever growing list is an audio recorder. I've taken a look at this neat device called the Zoom H1 which seems really popular with people filming with DSLRs. The only issue I have with it is that it looks a bit plasticy - a bit cheap - and some of the out door tests I've seen do not make good viewing. Its clear that I would need a shotgun mic to add to the Zoom H1 which would provide better audio capture, even in hight winds. But even they don't seem to hold up that well out doors. So there are the clip mics, they seem by far the best option for vocal audio but cost a small fortune. In an ideal world I'd buy all them but I doubt that's going to happen. I think the best option for me is the Zoom H1 or a similar mic that I can boom and add a shotgun mic.
DSLR Filming
After finishing work at The Grand I felt it was important to get my own gear, I need to be able to get some kind of work done independently. I'd heard DSLRs where a good choice for video even though they are designed for still images. I recently bought the Nikon D3100 DSLR camera. I chose to buy this particular model mainly because of the price its obviously on the low end but came with a pretty decent lens.
Immediately I saw why such cameras are preferred by a lot of film makers, the image quality, particularly the depth of field is incredible. It really creates that 'movie' quality most hand held cameras don't get. After some practice I have seen however some glaring flaws, some unique issues that the Nikon D3100 has . Firstly it has no audio output so I cant capture internal audio using a shotgun mic attached. Secondly, the shutter is exposed during filming so the viewfinder is closed leaving the LCD screen the only way to see what your filming. This makes focusing a real hassle, especially when what's on screen is moving around. Another problem with all DSLR is the jelly affect that's created when you move the camera around aggressively or horizontally. Like all film-makers I'm having to learn how to deal with these problems, getting to grips with the technology and understanding its limitations is vital, when I'm story-boarding I need to create shots that the DSLR can achieve.
Whilst researching DSLR cameras I came across the film-maker Philip Bloom who is well known for using DSLR cameras for his own films. He's currently using the Cannon Mrk II, I've now come realize that maybe I should have gone with a Cannon and not Nikon because it seems most film people use Cannons, which is annoying because it wasn't too long after I bought the Nikon that I found this information out. Having said that, I doubt there is to much difference between a low end Nikon and a low end Cannon. Both seem to have the same flaws.
What's important now, for me, is to make sure I build the camera up. Buy the right parts to help me achieve awesome quality. There are the obvious adapters like an extra, larger, monitor to help during filming, an external audio recorder, tripods ect... Each will cost a lot of cash. Bloom mentioned that using a DSLR right out of the box is probably not going to produce great quality film so I have to make sure whatever adapters I get will benefit the films I making.
Immediately I saw why such cameras are preferred by a lot of film makers, the image quality, particularly the depth of field is incredible. It really creates that 'movie' quality most hand held cameras don't get. After some practice I have seen however some glaring flaws, some unique issues that the Nikon D3100 has . Firstly it has no audio output so I cant capture internal audio using a shotgun mic attached. Secondly, the shutter is exposed during filming so the viewfinder is closed leaving the LCD screen the only way to see what your filming. This makes focusing a real hassle, especially when what's on screen is moving around. Another problem with all DSLR is the jelly affect that's created when you move the camera around aggressively or horizontally. Like all film-makers I'm having to learn how to deal with these problems, getting to grips with the technology and understanding its limitations is vital, when I'm story-boarding I need to create shots that the DSLR can achieve.
Whilst researching DSLR cameras I came across the film-maker Philip Bloom who is well known for using DSLR cameras for his own films. He's currently using the Cannon Mrk II, I've now come realize that maybe I should have gone with a Cannon and not Nikon because it seems most film people use Cannons, which is annoying because it wasn't too long after I bought the Nikon that I found this information out. Having said that, I doubt there is to much difference between a low end Nikon and a low end Cannon. Both seem to have the same flaws.
What's important now, for me, is to make sure I build the camera up. Buy the right parts to help me achieve awesome quality. There are the obvious adapters like an extra, larger, monitor to help during filming, an external audio recorder, tripods ect... Each will cost a lot of cash. Bloom mentioned that using a DSLR right out of the box is probably not going to produce great quality film so I have to make sure whatever adapters I get will benefit the films I making.
DSLR Video Test, 2012
WARNING. Bad Language & Crude Humor. Not Recommended To Be Seen By Anyone Living Or Dead!
Sunday, 29 July 2012
Thunderbirds
I've recently been reading 'A Film Makers Journey', the biography of Peter Jackson, its well documented that in his early years he was fascinated by special effects and model making but I never knew just what inspired him. Peter's favourite film is the original King Kong but he also loved Planet Of The Apes, strangely enough Apes is written by one of my heros, Rod Serling. But anyway, another of Peter's inspirations as a young boy was Gerry Anderson's Thunderbirds. Like me he grew up with a huge love for Thunderbirds, he loved the way the whole show was made from models and puppets. I however never really took much notice of its sophisticated development I just loved the show for what it was; a terrific piece of science fiction.
Only recently have I realized Thunderbirds was my first meeting with the sci fi genre. I've always wondered 'where did it begin?' my interest in science fiction that is. I always thought it began with Star Wars but those films came much latter in my life so it was Thunderbirds that introduced me to flying ships and fantastic technology first. It would be foolish to dismiss how much of an impact this show must have had on my imagination. I think about all the films, shows and games I've seen/played throughout my life, Star Wars, The Lord Of The Rings, Blade Runner, Mass Effect, Ghost In The Shell and The Twilight Zone, all these I love but my love for science fiction and fantasy came from Thunderbirds initially. I feel quite moved now I know that a lot of my own creativity was being developed when watching that show, even if I didn't know it at the time. I must have watched it around the ages of 4 to 10 and its left a long lasting impression, an impression that I'd never really noticed until Peter Jackson shared his love for the show with me.
Now, the show still stands up well. As its not computer generated the quality of the models and sets are still there to be seen. Sure the stories are melodramatic but its still very watch-able and still highly enjoyable. I owe a lot to this show and I will always remember what a huge impact its had on my life and the work that I try to create.
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
DSLR Test Shots
Just had a walk around the park and took a few photos to help me get to grips with my new D3100.
Sunday, 1 July 2012
One Year On! A Second Look At My Films.
Now that its been a year since I finished college I thought it would be a pretty cool idea to go back and re-watch my films and see just what I think of them now that I've spent a year working at The Grand and learning more about the film making process.
El Campamento -
When I watch this I still see it as a success, mostly because of the circumstances surrounding its production. The very fact that it was made without a storyboard, on a new location and within such a small time frame the film has to be considered a job well done. However, like a bolt out of nowhere I suddenly realize what's wrong with it, what it needed that I just couldn't put my finger on while filming was an ending. The film just doesn't end right. Initially what I set out to do was make the film exactly like the short story I had written during my GCSE's and because of this I didn't think out of the box, I didn't see the bigger picture. I always feel let down by how weak the ending feels, Mark's music score is fabulous but it doesn't get your heart pumping because what's going on screen just isn't that interesting. What had to happen to make the film much more tense and engaging was to stop Toby from leaving so easily, I had to bring him back into the campsite, back into the danger. So I have this idea that when Toby runs out of the site his bike is missing, the gunman has moved it. Freaking out Toby goes to have a look for it thus brining him back into the campsite. The rest pretty much writes itself and I think if I had known about this during filming I could have been sat on a little gem of a film. Never the less it was my first film on the course and it helped me hit the ground running.
The Room -
Now, I don't really like this film at all, OK that's not quite true, but when I look at this I just see the pain it took me to make the damn thing. I lost my mind for a short while and it suddenly hit home just how hard it would be to make films. Nothing went right at all. The lighting was off, the sound had to be muted because of my gran's reluctance to turn off the TV, there was to little space in the room to get the kind of shot I needed, to be fair the whole filming process was a mess and I think it would show if I wasn't so good at editing my own work. The final piece is fine, most people actually like The Room because its weird and I think people just like weird things, so maybe I got off the hook, but in my heart I know that if I'm ever going to make films for a living then I cant have a repeat of The Room. Next time I might not be so lucky. It was a learning process and that was it.
Dreamer's Rest -
This film was a blending of one years hard word and study. From the first moments of it's inception to the very moment it was shown on the college cinema screen it just felt right. I'm very proud with how DR turned out because I micro managed the whole project properly and I set out to work with actors and the end result is great. I had ups and downs, the full day of filming with Cameron and Millie was exhausting but we all hung in there and it's something we should all feel proud of. The problems I see now are concept problems, perhaps I didn't have enough time to bat out the story and make the set pieces more fluid in the early storyboards, the film's pacing is clearly off, it hits a high then drops low then goes right back high again then tails off, it's not steady which makes the film feel disjointed. Also Mark's score isn't the greatest, he had his own FMP to do so the very fact that he took time out to make me a score in the first place has to be respected, it is a good score but it perhaps doesn't always fit the mood on screen. Another problem I see with the film is the ideas I try to portray are far to abstract, its like an art film which is not what I wanted, again these problems should have been sorted early on but with the limited time frame I think I did the best that I could. In the end though I think my family loved it and so did the tutors. From my perspective it was the most ambitious film anyone did on the course and the experience I've gained by creating it has been immense and has surely put me in good stead to create something even better.
El Campamento -
When I watch this I still see it as a success, mostly because of the circumstances surrounding its production. The very fact that it was made without a storyboard, on a new location and within such a small time frame the film has to be considered a job well done. However, like a bolt out of nowhere I suddenly realize what's wrong with it, what it needed that I just couldn't put my finger on while filming was an ending. The film just doesn't end right. Initially what I set out to do was make the film exactly like the short story I had written during my GCSE's and because of this I didn't think out of the box, I didn't see the bigger picture. I always feel let down by how weak the ending feels, Mark's music score is fabulous but it doesn't get your heart pumping because what's going on screen just isn't that interesting. What had to happen to make the film much more tense and engaging was to stop Toby from leaving so easily, I had to bring him back into the campsite, back into the danger. So I have this idea that when Toby runs out of the site his bike is missing, the gunman has moved it. Freaking out Toby goes to have a look for it thus brining him back into the campsite. The rest pretty much writes itself and I think if I had known about this during filming I could have been sat on a little gem of a film. Never the less it was my first film on the course and it helped me hit the ground running.
The Room -
Now, I don't really like this film at all, OK that's not quite true, but when I look at this I just see the pain it took me to make the damn thing. I lost my mind for a short while and it suddenly hit home just how hard it would be to make films. Nothing went right at all. The lighting was off, the sound had to be muted because of my gran's reluctance to turn off the TV, there was to little space in the room to get the kind of shot I needed, to be fair the whole filming process was a mess and I think it would show if I wasn't so good at editing my own work. The final piece is fine, most people actually like The Room because its weird and I think people just like weird things, so maybe I got off the hook, but in my heart I know that if I'm ever going to make films for a living then I cant have a repeat of The Room. Next time I might not be so lucky. It was a learning process and that was it.
Dreamer's Rest -
This film was a blending of one years hard word and study. From the first moments of it's inception to the very moment it was shown on the college cinema screen it just felt right. I'm very proud with how DR turned out because I micro managed the whole project properly and I set out to work with actors and the end result is great. I had ups and downs, the full day of filming with Cameron and Millie was exhausting but we all hung in there and it's something we should all feel proud of. The problems I see now are concept problems, perhaps I didn't have enough time to bat out the story and make the set pieces more fluid in the early storyboards, the film's pacing is clearly off, it hits a high then drops low then goes right back high again then tails off, it's not steady which makes the film feel disjointed. Also Mark's score isn't the greatest, he had his own FMP to do so the very fact that he took time out to make me a score in the first place has to be respected, it is a good score but it perhaps doesn't always fit the mood on screen. Another problem I see with the film is the ideas I try to portray are far to abstract, its like an art film which is not what I wanted, again these problems should have been sorted early on but with the limited time frame I think I did the best that I could. In the end though I think my family loved it and so did the tutors. From my perspective it was the most ambitious film anyone did on the course and the experience I've gained by creating it has been immense and has surely put me in good stead to create something even better.
Tuesday, 26 June 2012
There And Back Again, An Actor's Tale.
I picked up this book about Sean Austin, AKA Samwise Gamgie in Peter Jackson's The Lord of The Rings, in my local book store for a few quid. As most of my friends and family know The Lord of The Rings is one of my favourite series of films and in a way those films have a had a huge impact on my way of thinking. They are an epic, awesome spectacle of film making at its best. It creates a sense of awe whenever I watch them. I've poured hours into watching all the behind the scenes footage packaged in with the extended DVD versions of the films but I've never had chance to read anything about its production or director, Peter Jackson. So it was odd to pick this up, I don't honestly know much about Sean Austin and he certainly wouldn't have been my first choice actor to consider reading about so the book remained on my book shelf for quite some time. But I've now started reading it and I'm really glad I have because in some strange, almost path of destiny, sort of way Sean Austin could well be the best person to indulge at my current stage.
Sean Austin is probably most famous for his role in The Goonies, but he's not just an actor, he's an ambitious, creative soul who wants to produce, write and direct films. This resonated with me straight away and I knew I was not reading a book about one actors success in a great set of films, I was reading a book about a man who has walked down the path I'm just about to step foot on. The best half, first half, of the book is dedicated to Sean's back story which initially wasn't what I was looking for when I first picked up the book. I wanted The Lord of The Rings but as I read on I discovered what a fantastic introduction it is for someone like me. I don't know quite as much about film making as I should, that's a feeling that probably wont ever go away, I'll always have a hunger for knowledge and I'm always looking for something new to get my teeth into to help me develop my own film making skills, so this book is just what I needed.
I do find it difficult to relate with certain aspects of Sean's life; he had started in a much more positive place than I. He was raised by parents who had spent their life as actors, he lived in LA and by his early twenties he had Steven Spielberg's phone number. This is what most people simply don't have and never will have. But, what I can clearly see is that Sean has a burning passion to create quality films, tell great stories, act in brilliant films. He also appears to be quite insecure, this is something he doesn't try to hide and I'm grateful he doesn't, he's quickly made me realise that as an actor, creator your not really safe, your never in a place where you can put up your feet and lie on your pile of money. I don't think there is a time when anyone can say, 'I've made it.' And that's a good thing. It's sometimes easy to forget bravado doesn't indicate confidence and all successful people will have at some point self doubt regardless how powerful a personality they have. We all fear the risk of failure and rejection and it was nice that Sean shared his doubts in the book. I have fluctuating confidence levels so it was interesting to see how he deals with his own demons, particularly his weight. He deals with it by simply getting on with it, its the only attitude to have!
Sean has not achieved all his success simply by being in the right place at the right time, or knowing someone who can work on a film, or his parents getting him into roles, Sean has forged his career by working as hard as anyone from all walks of life. Its incredibly encouraging reading some of his anecdotes, not everything he touched turned to gold and his mistakes show a mortal side to his profession. It also shows a processes of learning even within the walls of Hollywood. A particular story he mentioned was the time he directed one of his own films, Steven Spielberg had allowed Sean to use the editing tools in one of the studios. So Sean turned up with the film reel but there was no one around and he didn't have the slightest idea how to set up the edit. Instead of asking for help, afraid he would look a fraud or inept, he picked up the reel incorrectly and all the film unravelled onto the floor. Panicking he left the building and never went back. I'm sure he's not the only one who has mucked like that and it just goes to show that once you cross that boarder, between student film maker and genuine film maker, you can still make mistakes but most importantly you still have to learn and you still need to ask for help.
Like myself Sean doesn't believe he was the most well educated of young people during his teens so he sought to change that by self educating, reading, writing and creating. This mirrors my own youth. Growing up in Spain left me with a poor education and a limited vocabulary but I never stopped writing, I never stopped making films, even if I knew they were silly, it was all experience and practice. As I've got older I seem to be looking at film making from an academic level (reading books / writing on here) when I should be focusing on making films and trying things out. I hope with the new camera I bought the other week that's all going to change.
A lot of what I understand from these early chapters is that nobody is going to pick you up and put you in a position to become successful, or get an opportunity to make something cool and engaging, you have to do it all yourself, you have to make decisions, you have to stick to your decisions, you have to learn fast, you have to listen and watch, you have engage with new material and keep your mind open. And what's most important; your not always going to be right so you have to be ready to bounce back. When put down into simple words it seems like these points are a no brainer but from what I've seen of some students so far I don't belive everyone has the ability to put these points into practice. Raw talent is not enough, you need more and I believe that I have that, if I didn't there would be no point in continuing down this path.
I'm pleased that Sean put his early career into this book, its helped me straighten a few roads that had started to cross in my mind and I'm looking forward to reading more.
Sean Austin is probably most famous for his role in The Goonies, but he's not just an actor, he's an ambitious, creative soul who wants to produce, write and direct films. This resonated with me straight away and I knew I was not reading a book about one actors success in a great set of films, I was reading a book about a man who has walked down the path I'm just about to step foot on. The best half, first half, of the book is dedicated to Sean's back story which initially wasn't what I was looking for when I first picked up the book. I wanted The Lord of The Rings but as I read on I discovered what a fantastic introduction it is for someone like me. I don't know quite as much about film making as I should, that's a feeling that probably wont ever go away, I'll always have a hunger for knowledge and I'm always looking for something new to get my teeth into to help me develop my own film making skills, so this book is just what I needed.
I do find it difficult to relate with certain aspects of Sean's life; he had started in a much more positive place than I. He was raised by parents who had spent their life as actors, he lived in LA and by his early twenties he had Steven Spielberg's phone number. This is what most people simply don't have and never will have. But, what I can clearly see is that Sean has a burning passion to create quality films, tell great stories, act in brilliant films. He also appears to be quite insecure, this is something he doesn't try to hide and I'm grateful he doesn't, he's quickly made me realise that as an actor, creator your not really safe, your never in a place where you can put up your feet and lie on your pile of money. I don't think there is a time when anyone can say, 'I've made it.' And that's a good thing. It's sometimes easy to forget bravado doesn't indicate confidence and all successful people will have at some point self doubt regardless how powerful a personality they have. We all fear the risk of failure and rejection and it was nice that Sean shared his doubts in the book. I have fluctuating confidence levels so it was interesting to see how he deals with his own demons, particularly his weight. He deals with it by simply getting on with it, its the only attitude to have!
Sean has not achieved all his success simply by being in the right place at the right time, or knowing someone who can work on a film, or his parents getting him into roles, Sean has forged his career by working as hard as anyone from all walks of life. Its incredibly encouraging reading some of his anecdotes, not everything he touched turned to gold and his mistakes show a mortal side to his profession. It also shows a processes of learning even within the walls of Hollywood. A particular story he mentioned was the time he directed one of his own films, Steven Spielberg had allowed Sean to use the editing tools in one of the studios. So Sean turned up with the film reel but there was no one around and he didn't have the slightest idea how to set up the edit. Instead of asking for help, afraid he would look a fraud or inept, he picked up the reel incorrectly and all the film unravelled onto the floor. Panicking he left the building and never went back. I'm sure he's not the only one who has mucked like that and it just goes to show that once you cross that boarder, between student film maker and genuine film maker, you can still make mistakes but most importantly you still have to learn and you still need to ask for help.
Like myself Sean doesn't believe he was the most well educated of young people during his teens so he sought to change that by self educating, reading, writing and creating. This mirrors my own youth. Growing up in Spain left me with a poor education and a limited vocabulary but I never stopped writing, I never stopped making films, even if I knew they were silly, it was all experience and practice. As I've got older I seem to be looking at film making from an academic level (reading books / writing on here) when I should be focusing on making films and trying things out. I hope with the new camera I bought the other week that's all going to change.
A lot of what I understand from these early chapters is that nobody is going to pick you up and put you in a position to become successful, or get an opportunity to make something cool and engaging, you have to do it all yourself, you have to make decisions, you have to stick to your decisions, you have to learn fast, you have to listen and watch, you have engage with new material and keep your mind open. And what's most important; your not always going to be right so you have to be ready to bounce back. When put down into simple words it seems like these points are a no brainer but from what I've seen of some students so far I don't belive everyone has the ability to put these points into practice. Raw talent is not enough, you need more and I believe that I have that, if I didn't there would be no point in continuing down this path.
I'm pleased that Sean put his early career into this book, its helped me straighten a few roads that had started to cross in my mind and I'm looking forward to reading more.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Jason's Argo
Jason's Argo is brought into to dock after a long voyage. Some parts are broken and are in need of repair. Once the necessary fixes are complete Jason sets sail once more. This happens over and over again, old parts being replaced by new until his entire ship has at some point been repaired. But, away from the dock and man has collected all of the Argo's broken pieces and rebuilt the ship. So now which ship is really Jason's Argo?
I like this particular puzzle because you can also bring the question into the growth of humans. Over time our bodies change, cells die and new ones grow. So its quite possible at some point in our lives we will become a completely new person. Its an interesting thought. In the case of Jason's ship, you could say the ship he sails is his because he's paid for the repairs and the broken parts should have been discarded, but its not really a satisfying answer.
I like this particular puzzle because you can also bring the question into the growth of humans. Over time our bodies change, cells die and new ones grow. So its quite possible at some point in our lives we will become a completely new person. Its an interesting thought. In the case of Jason's ship, you could say the ship he sails is his because he's paid for the repairs and the broken parts should have been discarded, but its not really a satisfying answer.
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