HD Indi Filmmaking

Blog Updated!

2007-04-11T15:20:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick note to let you all know that this blog has undergone a transformation. It is now being hosted on www.ryanewalters.com, my site exclusively for my functions as a DP. The site will be updated with my reel, pod-casts, and more updates to this blog.

The next series of topics that I’ll be covering in this blog will focus on the “why” behind different cinematic techniques. If you have a topic you want to see addressed in a future post, feel free to email me at mail@235studios.com .

What's a DP?

2007-02-15T13:58:00.000-08:00

So you’ve gone out and purchased your camera, and you even splurged and bought a tripod for it. You set it up, insert the tape, and press record- you’re a DP now correct? Not so fast – what is a DP and what do they do?

When many people hear DP the first thought that comes to mind is some one who operates a camera. But being a DP involves much more then picking up a camera and pressing record. Depending on the production, the DP may never even touch the camera, for the true job of the DP is to create the feel & look of the production through painting with light. The more a DP knows about, and the more familiar with light he/she is, the better skilled they will be. The canvas is the set/location, and the paint brushes are the lighting instruments.

Some of the greatest DP’s have spent hours upon hours studying light and how it interacts with the environment. They will go and sit in a location for an entire day to see how the natural light would interact through out the day. But before you can become a master of the craft, you have to begin to familiarize yourself with your tools.

Today, through the use of the internet, it is becoming easier and easier to be able to research and study light. The first place to look is to the great painters of the renaissance- the paintings of Leonardo are a great study in the use of light to create a specific mood. Through studying the painters, you will begin to see their influence, as well as keen eye for the effective use of light to communicate to their audience. The second place to look is right out your window. Watch the light around you- whether it is out in the open, or within the confines of a moody restaurant- ask yourself questions like- what mood is created by the light?, how is that mood being created?, what would it take to replicate it? Evaluate the light you come in contact with- the direction, the source, the color, the quality, and the color. When you come across a scene you like, take notes to that you can replicate it later. Thirdly, read all you can about light. The internet is an easy place to start, but unfortunately there seems to be a shortage of quality writing on light available online. One place that has an excellent expose on light is: Itchy Animation. You can also find good information on lighting in many photography books that are available at your local library, or are easily bought online. And finally, watch your favorite films- try watching with the sound off, and just pay attention to the visual elements. What mood is created- how is that mood communicated through light?

As you become more familiar with light, and how to use it to communicate a particular mood your skills as a DP will grow, and you’ll be come more effective in your position- regardless of if you operate the camera on the production or not. With the affordability of today’s cameras it is easy to pick one up, and call yourself a DP. But the truely talented DP’s go far beyond the realm of point and shoot camera operators- they control each frame of the production through the careful placement of light in a scene.

How Can I get Started?

2006-11-28T07:50:00.000-08:00

I know, it has been too long since I have posted here. Life has been very eventful as of late- I’ve had the opportunity to travel some, as well as begin production on a short film for a DVXuser film festival. So that has filled my plate for the time being.

I have been asked from time to time on what it takes to get started in filmmaking, and I wanted to share three quick tips that anyone can do to begin their journey into the world of indi-filmmaking:

1. Read, read, read, anything and everything that you can. Any books that have to do with filmmaking, or the like will help give you an idea as to what people have done in the past. Before you can break the rules, you have to know what the rules are. So the better you are at knowing why things are done the way they are, the better equipped you'll be when you decide to do things differently. Some reading suggestions can be found in the side bar on the right.

2. Participate in user groups. (Like DVXuser.com or others.) These groups are a great way to rub shoulders with other new-be's and some talented people. For the most part everyone is very helpful, and eager to help out.

3. Get out there and do it. Reading and participating in user groups is great, but in reality it will not help you any if you are not trying it out. It is like riding a bike- you can read about it, but you will not get any better unless you get out there and fall down a couple of times. Just be prepared that you will make mistakes. That is ok, as long as you learn from them. So grab any camera you can get you hands on, and start practicing. Lots of times people will get hung up on having the latest equipment. And while having better gear does help- you will never get better if you just sit there and wait until you have all of the latest / best gear.

If you are feeling a little apprehensive about completing your own project, then another way to get involved is by being a PA (Production Assistant) on someone else’s project. (Not a glamorous job, but at least it will get you out there on other projects to see how things are done.) check your local Craig’s list as there are regular postings for PA’s and other positions. They may not be paid positions, but at this stage that is ok. The idea is to build you experience, and right now you have none. As your talent and experience grows, then you can begin to worry about your daily rate.

Letus Flip with the HVX!

2006-10-26T00:57:00.000-07:00

I initially was introduced to the Letus35a when I was filming Pandora (A short SiFi film). When my partner, Norm, and I began our preproduction work for the film, we took a look at various 35mm adapters on the market for miniDV cameras. At the time I was shooting on the DVX100a. We settled on the Letus35a do to two factors: 1. Location- it was made here locally in Portland, Oregon; and 2. Affordability, we were shooting with two camera and so we needs to have two adapters with lenses. And since we were limited with our budget, this made the Letus35a an easy choice.

Ever since the day I was able to use 35mm lenses on my digital camera, I have grown to love the feel and look that they can give digital video. No longer does the footage look sharp and home video-ey, now it can look more organic, smooth, and the depth of field (DoF) can accurately be controlled! Something that I did not like about this adapter, and others like it, is the fact that the image is flipped upside down. So while you’re filming you have to view the image upside down- which takes some getting used to. There are some tricks to get around this, and they are covered in various forums, like DVXuser. But, even still, when you get back to edit your footage, you have to flip it within your editing system- causing a render hit- meaning more time spent in post production.

Then came the next short film that I worked on-Sparrow. By this time Quyen had developed a “Flipped” version of the 35mm adapter called the Letus Flip. Through a series of various mirrors he flips the image so that the camera correctly records the image. I was excited, as this option is not available in other 35mm adapters- at least not in the same price range. (The PS-Technik runs about $10,000) No more work a rounds during production, and no more render hits during post production. What more could I ask for? The shoot went great, and the adapter delivered some great results- which you can check out at the Sparrow web site, or by ordering the DVD.

But as is always the case with technology, new developments happen, and new gear becomes available. After selling my DVX’s and acquiring the HVX I was ready to shoot HD. Ever since making the change over the HD, I can confidently say I would never go back. I love the results I get – not only in resolution, but more importantly in my opinion, color rendition. HD has brought me one step closer to being able to capture images the way I see them in my mind.

Having enjoyed HD for several months now, I began to remember my experience with the 35mm lenses on the DVX. And that longing for the control and the image they produced quickly returned. So, I yet again began the process of researching what my best option would be for an adapter for HD. Through my research, I have narrowed it down to the M2 developed by Redrock Micro. They have certified the M2 specifically for HD, and as you can see by the sample footage, it produces some beautiful images. But before I plunked down $1300 for the adapter, a thought crossed my mind- “Hey, I have the LetusFlip, I wonder if that will work?”. Now the LetusFlip has not been designed or certified for HD use at this time. But I figured that I had one on hand so why not test it out- all it will cost is my time. So I attached the LetusFlip to my trusty HVX and set out to see what I got. Below are links to footage that you can download to view for yourself. The first test was done with only ambient / natural lighting that was present in my garage. The second test was done using a 250w pro-light as the backlight, and a 500w v-light as the key. And the third uses the same lights, only this time the shot includes a woman as the subject.

Please Right Click and Save As to download these files-
Letus Flip Natural (3MB)
Letus Flip Light 01 (8MB)
Letus Flip Light 02 (10MB)

Full Resolution Stills:
Letus Flip Natural 01 (1MB)
Letus Flip Natural 02 (1MB)
Letus Flip Datail (1MB)
Letus Flip Saturated (1MB)
Letus Flip Zero (1MB)

After viewing the footage I was surprised by how well the LetusFlip did. Now granted in the Natural light text you can see a lot of noise, and it does not look good at all- but once adequate light is used that problem seems to go away for the most part. The footage appears very clean, and it preformed much better then I was expecting. Especially since it appears cleaner then some of the results that I got when using it with the DVX. This really surprised me, since the HVX is HD and records more detail then the DVX.

While I was happy with the results, I must honestly say, that I can’t whole heartedly recommend it for HD. If you are on a tight budget, and can’t afford the extra $400 - $500 for the M2, then by all means it should work for you. But if you are going to do 35mm, then I would recommend getting an adapter that has been built and tested to work with HD. The draw backs of this adapter for me are the grain sizes, and the non-uniformity of the patters. Some of the grain specs appear to be larger & smaller then others which leads to an irregular pattern. Also the spacing of the grain on the ground glass is not uniform. Both of these can lead to aberrations, or odd looking patters in your image. Something that I do not see within the sample footage posted using the M2.

As I plan on acquiring the M2, when I do, I’ll be sure to do some side by side comparison to test out the results for a more accurate conclusion, as my conclusions at this point are based off of personal experience, and from what I’ve seen on the web rather then actual side by side testing. So take then with a gain or two of salt, they are not definitive by any means. I also need to do some testing with the Letus and the HVX using subject outside to see if that yields any different results. Until next time, happy shooting!

On set with the HVX

2006-10-02T08:15:00.000-07:00

Just over a week ago I had the opportunity to use the HVX to film a short. With a deadline for the submission of the short film in just over a week, this short was quickly developed, shot and delivered for the festival. Having gone through that experience, I thought that I would offer my thoughts and incites.

This was my first real experience using the HVX for dramatic work. Up to this point I have been using it to short promotional videos, as well as stock footage. And I am happy to report that it held up very well under the rigors of dramatic production. While on set I had use of the Marshal monitor, 2 4GB P2 Cards and 1 8GB P2 card. The use of these accessories was of great help and added to the ease of use of the camera while on set.

I was very thankful to be able to test out the marshal monitor on set. I must admit that I was skeptical that an 800 x 480 monitor could really be trusted for critical focus of the 1920 x 1080 footage. But time and time again I was able to hit my mark and pull focus using the monitor. This monitor made the production roll much more smoothly, as using the on camera Focus Assist in the LCD is a little time consuming. While I still used the Focus Assist feature on the camera to double check my focus for the first couple of scenes, I quickly realized that it was performing as I desired and gave up on using the Focus Assist feature.

While this is a relatively light monitor, added to the camera it makes it a lot less ergonomic, and easy to operate handheld. This is especially true if you use the optional battery back, which felt like it doubled the weight of the monitor. While you could use it handheld, I would recommend against it- if you really want fluid handheld motion, attach it to a steadicam rig. Not only will your arms thanks you, but you’ll have much better control of your camera allowing you to get the movement you want without worrying about damaging your equipment. I would highly recommend getting this monitor, or one like it, if you are planning on shooting in HD. HD is great because it shows every beautiful detail in your shot- but your image becomes noticeably less beautiful if it is out of focus.

The second accessory that added to the ease of use while on set were the P2 cards. While there have been complaints of the low recording times when using them, this was a non-issue while on set. With a little for thought and planning you will never notice the difference from switching from the long record times of tape to the shorter record times of the P2 cards. To keep the production moving as quickly and smoothly as possible, I brought my laptop with me on set which is able to read the P2 cards, and transfer the footage. Before production began, I setup my laptop to automatically copy and erase the P2 cards upon insertion into the computer. This was effortlessly made possible by using the P2 Genie on my PowerBook G4 Laptop. Then once production began, I had an assistant (PA) on hand to transfer the footage for me. I would always have 2 cards in the camera at all times. Once one card was full, it was handed off to the PA who gave me the card he was holding, and he would go transfer the footage while I continued filming. Using this method we never missed a beat, and we never experienced any down time due to the P2 cards. There was down time of course- but that was do to other production needs like scene and lighting changes, which were opportune times to transfer footage as well. If you are a producer or director who prefers long takes you need not worry, this system can still work for you. Because the P2 cards are hot swappable, once a card is full you can take it out, put in a new one, and keep on going. So if long takes are a must- just make sure to have ample amounts of P2 cards available on set.

And those are my thoughts of using the HVX for dramatic work- now all is needed is the addition of film lenses and the package will be complete- which introduces the M2, from Redrock Micro…

“Welcome to the world of color” Living in a 4:2:2 world.

2006-09-10T00:20:00.000-07:00

It’s like going from day to night, off to on, black and white to color – making the switch to 4:2:2 has brought me that much closer to being able to produce images that more closely convey the world as I perceive it. The only thing better would be working in 4:4:4 color space. Which in time with the development of cameras like the Red Camera will make this a reality too. But in the mean time I have really loved the added richness that 4:2:2 has given me.

When I first began contemplating the move to HD, one of the major factors that impacted my decision to go with the HVX-200 was the added color space. Being able to use full 4:2:2 really excited me, and I knew it would open up new possibilities, allowing greater freedom of creativity and expression. All of the other options at the time I made the switch to HD only offered a 4:2:0 color space, and from the images I saw, they were not quite what I was looking for. Yes they were better then the miniDV images I was familiar with- but something about compressing an HD image into 4:2:0 and then compressing it into MPEG-2 to record onto miniDV just didn’t sit right with me, but I digress. Working in miniDV and a 4:1:1 color space for such a long time, I have become very familiar with the limitations of the format. Don’t get me wrong, some amazing images can be produced, and have been produced by people using this format. But nothing beats having more information to work with when creating your images.

For starters, the added information will aid you greatly in the use of any green screen work that you may need to do. Trying to pull off a convincing green screen using 4:1:1 (miniDV) was a laborious process that still wasn’t completely satisfactory. But now with the added color space, these problems are minimized making green screen work that much easier. Then there is the ability to capture rich saturated colors, and retain that rich chroma information that gets discarded when compressing down to 4:1:1. I am a cinematographer through and through. And one of my own personal preferences is that I prefer to do as much image manipulation in camera as possible. Yes there are amazing editing programs in which you can color correct your image, and tweak it to you hearts delight- but the world as I see it is one full of rich colors and magnificent beauty. So I would rather try and capture it using the camera rather then try and fix it later in post. Besides, if you can capture the image the way you want it in camera, why not do it right the first time, and save yourself the headache of additional render times later?

Well, if you are still in the world of 4:1:1, and are considering a move up- I would highly recommend moving up to a camera that records in 4:2:2- there are many options out there. So do some research, and pick the one that best fits you needs. Either way- it’s time to make the move and switch from the days of black and white TV to color- the view is much better on the other side …..

"Are We There Yet?" A Look at the P2 Card Workflow.

2006-08-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

With the advent of the HVX200 made by Panasonic, another format and workflow has been given to the indi-filmmaker: P2. P2 is a solid state recording medium developed by Panasonic. In each P2 card there is a series of SD cards that have been raided together. This makes the P2 card a reliable and light recording medium. Say good-bye to tape, and hello to instant digital access! As of this writting there are currently two flavors of P2 cards- 4GB and 8GB. When recording in 1080p you use about 1GB per minute of footage, which raises the question how does the P2 workflow work? Should you use a hard drive (HDD) solution instead of P2? And have we really arrived at an alternative solution to tape?

Is P2 really that mush better then the HDD solutions offered by other companies? Personally, I'd go with the P2 card over the drives any day- either Spec. Com's or Focus'. I'm sure that the Cineporter will be a TON better then what Focus (the FS-100) has put out. And from experience the customer service at Spec Com is 1000x better then at Focus. But when I was using the FS-4 with my DVX I did not like the added weight and the flimsy 4 pin firewire connector that the drive added to the camera. If mobility is a concern, having the drive and the marshal monitor on the camera will make things less mobile I would assume, albeit more mobile then being attached to a laptop. Something else that always worried me when I was using the FS-4 was that it is just a hard drive- so it is subject to the same issues HDD's have- data loss and / or damage if it is dropped or miss handled. Don't get me wrong, these drive are great for long format applications. If you are recording live events, then one of these drives might be the best option - at least until larger P2 cards are available.

So how do you use P2 in your workflow, is it really better then tape? What I really like about P2 and the 4GB cards are that they easily fit on a DVD which makes for easy backups and archiving of footage. Until BlueRay becomes more affordable, I'm liking this solution. Longer record times would be nice, but unless you are doing live events in HD, the longer record times are not really needed. What I do is have my DMA (Digital Media Assistant), or myself if it a small production, unload the P2 card via P2 Genie and just swap out cards. If timed correctly there doesn't have to be a break in the flow of production, as one card can be off loaded while the other is recording. And with 3 P2 cards this only become easier to do. The current rumor is that the 16GB card wil be released this winter. I'm all for that, as it will drive down the price of the current 4GB cards, making them that more affordable. Once you have transfered your footage to the laptop, or even to your iPod (Yes there are people using their iPod's to back up their footage: The Ore.net ) FCP, or any other compatible NLE can import the footage any you can immediately edit your footage. No more long capturing sessions!!! This has been a huge time saver for me. What I also really enjoy about this format, is that I can instantly review it while still in the camera, delete it if the take was no good, and resume recording with no worries that I am recording over other material. All around P2 has been a great advent in my workflow. Not to mention the ability to record natively in slow motion, or fast motion all within the camera .... but that is a discussion for another day.

Nature Cinematography

2006-08-24T06:25:00.000-07:00

Watch Samish Lake HERE

Ever since childhood I have been fascinated with the beauty and majesty of nature. My earliest memories of experiencing the outdoors was along side my grandmother, who was an avid photographer. Whether it was walking through an ornate garden, lush fields, or stopping along side a road to enjoy the scenery, she would have her camera in hand to capture the moment. I can remember being drawn to the beauty she captured through her photography. Each picture telling a story, capturing just the right moment in time - I credit a lot of my own abilities and interest to her influence in my life.

My earliest attempts to capture nature through the use of digital video were less then stellar. This was in part due to the low resolution and capabilities of the miniDV camera I was using at the time, and in part due to my inexperience. But now eight years have passed and the format has matured along with my experience. My interest was reawakened in nature cinematography about 2 years ago when I stumbled upon Steven Dempsy’s website which features some amazing scenes first captured using the Panasonic DVX100, and now filmed using the Canon XLH1. Seeing his work inspired me to reattempt capturing nature in all its beauty. With the release of affordable HD cameras it is now possible to really capture all of the beauty and detail nature has to offer.

So how does one go about filming nature? How do you ensure that the images you capture convey the beauty you see? With what follows, it is my attempt to share some tips and tricks of nature cinematography to allow you to be better prepared the next time you go out film. It will not be within the scope of this article to discuss composition and framing, as that is well covered by the various intro to photography books that you can find in the library or online. Rather I wish to share some tips from my experience of what works in nature cinematography. (This is by no means an all inclusive list, but it should enable you to come away with better images the next time you go out.)

Tip #1 – Exposure:
One of the current weaknesses of digital video is the inability to capture detail in the highly exposed areas of an image. When an area reaches 100% white just about all detail is lost. If your image is over exposed you have lost any information you may have had in the white areas and no amount of color correcting will bring that information back. So it is very important that you expose properly so that you have as much detail as possible to work with in your image. Whether you will be CC’ing or not, the correct exposure will insure a beautiful image.

So how do you know if you are properly exposing your image? My first suggestion is to get to know your camera - take it out and play with it. The better you know how your camera handles the highlights and the dark areas, the better equipped you’ll be to expose properly. Now days most prosumer cameras come with Zebras – no, not the African plains kind, but the little strips that flash on screen telling you what level of white the image is at. With the HVX you have the option of setting two zebra levels at various levels in-between 80% and 105%. I have found that setting one on a lower setting like 80% and the other at a higher setting of 100% works well in determining exposure. I then use these zebras to gage where I have lost the detail (at 100%) that I may want to keep. Generally speaking, I allow only the 100% zebras to be in the brightest areas of my highlights. This allows me to retain as much detail in the highlights as possible.

Along with exposing correctly, it is important to keep your lens within the optimum exposure range to maintain the highest resolution possible. For the HVX you’ll want to keep the lens in-between f2.4 – f8. If you keep within the optimum range you will be sure that your image has the highest resolution, while outside of the range your image will suffer from resolution loss, bringing down the detail of the image- not something you want when trying to capture the detail nature has to offer. While the resolution loss is not significant, and you or your viewers may not even notice it, it is better to use everything you can to your advantage.

Tip #2 – Filters:
Keeping with in the optimum exposure range brings me to the next tip- using filters. Having a good set of Neutral Density (ND) filters on hand will greatly aid you in your ability to expose your image correctly and keep your resolution. Now days most cameras come equipped with ND filters, and they may suit your needs just fine. But I have found that having additional ND filters will provide you with greater control and allow you to have more flexibility. The additional ND filters can also be used with your on camera filters allowing for even more options. Using these filters should allow you to expose properly, and stay within the appropriate range to attain maximum resolution.

Another filter that I have grown to love has been the Polarizing filter. This filter will not only allow you to see through windows and water without capturing the reflections, it will also allow you to get those rich blue sky’s you see in many photographs. The polarizing filter works by diffracting the light coming into the lens. An additional effect of the filter is that it acts as a mild ND filter. While this is not the main purpose of the filter, when you use it be aware that some light is lost with the filter in front of your lens. (So you will want to adjust your expose accordingly.) To get the best results when using the Polarizing filter you will want to be at 90 degrees to the sun. At this angle the majority of light is diffracted giving the deepest blue possible in the sky. (The best way to see the results of any filter is to take it out and experiment with it, nothing beats trial and error.) If you want a quick overview of what filters do to your image, you can check out Tiffens web site at: Tiffen.com. There you will find various filters along with before and after examples.

Tip #3 – Timing:
The most opportune time to film nature is during the morning and evening hours. Not only is this the best lighting, but it is the most likely time that you will find various animals out and about. From sunrise until the sun is about 45 degrees up, and from when the sun is at 45 degrees on its way down until sunset are the best lighting conditions. Also known as “magic hour” the sun has a pleasing warm glow to it, as well as casting pleasing shadows. When the sun is in-between these times it tends to be too bright and casts some rather harsh, unpleasant shadows. So avoid the mid-day hours for filming nature. This works well for filming wildlife, as most animals tend to be more active during the morning and evening hours of the day. As another benefit, you are less likely to run into other people during this time – leaving you to capture nature uninterrupted, and unhindered by other people.

Summary-
Expose your image properly, use the appropriate filters, and film during the morning and evening hours and you will be well on your way to capturing some beautiful scenery and wildlife. No matter what you skill level, get out there and practice- the more experience you have the better results you’ll get. Now get out there and shoot!

Wait just a second before you take off- if you want to see some example footage of what I am talking about you can view the footage I shot at a recent trip to Samish Lake in Washington State. A special thank you to my Aunt Pam, who lent me the use of her summer home for the weekend. To view the film, click the link at the top of this article or the one below. You also have the option of subscribing to my video pod cast, which will be updated as new videos become available. To subscribe click the link in the right side bar.

Watch Samish Lake HERE

"Say What?" - A Look At Audio Recording

2006-08-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Unless you plan on recording MOS* for all the work that you do, then next best investment you can make when it comes to filmmaking is in your audio package, or in hiring an experienced sound recordist. (The first investment is of course in your camera, or experienced DP - without a picture you're producing a radio show.) While I love a beautifully shot film, and cinematography is my passion, I'll let you in on a little secret- audio carries at least 60% of the film, while the image carries the other 40%. I might even go as far as to say that it is a 70/30 or 80/20 split. Each element of the film should add to the end product.

Nothing should stand out and say "HEY LOOK AT ME!". This is especially true of audio. Unfortunately the audio department gets treated like a bastard step-son on the sets of many indi filmmakers. It is the last thing thought of, (if it is considered) and the least amount of resources get devoted to it. What ends up happening is that the sound recorded on set is not usable in the final mix leading to one of two solutions: 1. ADR the whole film (Long hard work) 2. Use the audio and let the listeners suffer. Either option is not appealing especially when it can be avoided with a little more planning and forethought. Nothing will take the viewer out of the moment of a good story like bad audio. If the viewer is struggling to hear the dialogue, I can guarantee that they are thinking "What did they say?" rather then being caught up in the moment. And keeping the viewer in the moment is the goal of any good story teller.

When it comes to sound there are at least four different areas that each contribute to immersing the viewer into the story: Dialogue / Voiceover; Sound Effects / Foley; ambiance; Music / Score. When you are on set try and record the cleanest audio possible, this means weighting until that plane passes overhead, or that bus drives by. Those miscellaneous sounds do not mix well when you are using different takes, and part of audio files. Also, before you leave a set make sure to get at least 30 seconds of room tone** before you leave. This will help out the sound mix when it comes time to edit takes together, and it will help hide any ADR that you end up doing. Sound effects, Foley, and ambiance all add a substantial amount to the experience of the viewer. Without the added sounds we are used to in everyday life, something does not feel right. Adding in the right sound effect, Foley, or ambient background sound will help your viewer experience the scene more fully then the picture can do on it's own. Which leads to the last area- the music / score. While the Sounds effects, Foley, and ambiance help the viewer experience the world in which you film takes place, the score helps the viewer feel the emotion of the scene. The score should not overpower the scene, nor should it detract from it. Ideally the score will have the same beats, rhythm, and feel as the rest of the film.

But where do you find a good score? There are various music libraries that you can buy, and some do have quality material in them. But it has been my experience that they are few and far between. I would suggest getting involved in an online community- many times you can find a composer willing to score your film for a reasonable price, and they may even do it just for credit in your film. But check around both online and locally, there are a lot of talented composers willing to work with you.

Here is a tried and true editing practice that will help you stay organized when it comes time to edit your film: Keep each audio type on its own track. So your audio should be organized something like this: Dialogue; Voiceover; Sound Effects; Foley; ambiance; Music. If you keep to this methodology you will be able to mix and adjust each element easily, as well as be able to quickly find the audio you are looking for.

*MOS (A.K.A - Mit Out Sound) - According to legend, director Erich Von Stroheim couldn't pronounce "without sound" correctly due to his accent giving birth to the term MOS when referring to recording a scene or take without sound.

**Room tone is a recording of the sound produced in the room when no one is moving or talking.

What Camera Should I Get?

2006-08-13T20:42:00.000-07:00

This is a question that comes up fairly often by people looking to get into independent (indi) film making. While I do have my own preferences, I thought I would offer my thoughts on which camera you should buy if you want to enter the world of film making.

My recommendation is to get the best that you can afford and then use that camera to the best of your ability. To often people get stuck having to have the latest, or "best" camera and forget the more important parts of film making. Don't get me wrong, I love my gear, but there is more to story telling then just having the most expensive gear. I think it is more important to have a good script, then good lighting and acting. Then it is time to worry about the camera you are using. I have seen projects done well on just about every prosumer camera ($2000 +) out there, and I have seen poorly done projects on professional cameras costing $20,000 or more. So first focus on the story, then on blocking the scene, lighting, etc. and then worry about the camera. You can have the most expensive camera on the block but if your story is poor, the acting is poor, and your sets are poor, that expensive camera will not save the day. In a well crafted story the viewer becomes a part of the action and doesn't care what camera or gear you used to create it.

With that said, I currently use the Panasonic HVX200. Which is a High Definition Camera capable of shooting 1080p and 720p, as well as being able to be over cranked (real in-camera slow motion) and under cranked (real in-camera fast motion). Before that camera I used the Panasonic DVX100a, the Canon XL1s, and Sony VX2000. Of all of the cameras I have used, I like the colors that the Panasonic can give me straight from the camera. The Canon camera would be my next choice, and finally the Sony cameras. But if you have the time to experiment, and the right software, you can color correct your footage and achieve almost any look you are after.

So get your story, sets, and actors straight first, then worry about the camera you'll be buying. Or if you want a higher quality camera then you can afford, consider renting it for the shoot. If you want further information on camera comparisons, just check the web, there are a lot of side by side comparisons out there. For example this comparison can be found on dvxuser.com: http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=27514